Chapter 39: Training
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 39: Training
It was a love story so poignant my heart ached.
After hearing the tale of the holy knight who had loved one person for over several hundred years, my Teacher looked at me with pleading eyes.
It was as if she had become the holy knight herself. My Teacher often showed an unusually strong sense of immersion in things like this.
‘Just the other day, she was crying while reading a children’s book…’
I recalled the sight of my Teacher sniffling in my room and cautiously turned my gaze to the man.
I couldn’t just take the word of a man whose name I didn’t even know.
“How can I believe what you’re saying?”
“...There is no way to prove it. However, it is certain that a spell of immortality has been cast on me.”
“So, what if you don’t actually love the Immortal Witch at all, but only hate her—and you’re just lying to us because you’ve luckily found a chance to die?”
“That’s probably not the case, Yohan.”
My Teacher, who had been listening to me, stepped forward to defend the man. When I stared at her, she began to explain, one by one, the reasons why the man’s words had to be true.
“The Immortal Witch is quite a famous figure among us, you see. Everyone has shared a story or two about her.”
“Ah, I’ve spoken with her through writing before, too.”
“And naturally—I’ve also heard about her magic.”
My Teacher’s eyes welled with tears as she recalled a distant past, likely from well over a few hundred years ago.
“The magic the Immortal Witch possesses isn’t something she can use on just anyone. It’s a magic that can only be used on a single person.”
“...Only on a single person?”
“Yes, that’s right. Even if you kill her, the magic doesn’t transfer, and even the choice of whom to use the magic on is entirely up to the witch.”
The magic of immortality could only be used on one person. Not even the witch herself was an exception to that condition.
Therefore, if the man before me had that magic cast on him, it must have been entirely the dead witch’s will. It would be impossible to threaten or deceive a witch, who couldn't even be broken by torture, into casting the spell of immortality.
In other words, the Immortal Witch had cherished this holy knight enough to give up her own life for him. And a witch would not so easily sacrifice her life for someone unless they were deeply in love with each other.
“So, there’s no possibility that this man is deceiving us. I’m sure of it, as someone who has met the Immortal Witch in person.”
“...If you say so, Teacher.”
I quickly approached the man and snatched the weapon from his hand. He offered no resistance, which seemed to prove he truly wanted to die.
As I took the weapon, our hands touched. His were covered in a terrible number of scars and calluses. Just how much effort would it take to get like this?
I wondered how much time he must have dedicated to training—before carefully plunging the sword into the ground.
“—You asked me to kill you, right?”
“Yes. Let me meet her again, quickly.”
“Before that, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Please, train me.”
“...Yohan?”
The man’s brow furrowed at my words. My Teacher, who had been standing behind me intending to quietly watch the man’s death, also called out my name in surprise.
But I was a modern man, an extreme opportunist who wouldn’t be satisfied unless I scraped up and used every last resource available.
I couldn’t just get rid of a master of martial arts I had just found.
“I won’t keep you for long. Just for about two or three months, please teach me everything you know.”
“...Teach you? With those witches around, you shouldn’t have any need to fight. Why?”
“To protect my Teacher, just in case.”
The man stared down at me, his expression unchanging. A muscular giant over 190 centimeters tall was looking at me, and to be honest, I was a little intimidated.
But I didn’t look away. I couldn’t call myself a man if I showed fear here. Not with my Teacher right behind me...
Fortunately, he seemed to like my spirit. The man let out a short laugh and spoke.
“Fine. I’ve already waited hundreds of years. A few more months won’t change anything.”
“Then...”
“One month. Exactly one month. I will teach you for one month only. And when that month is over—you must kill me. Understand?”
“Well, that’s...”
The training period was cut in half, but it wasn’t a bad offer. After all, the only real work I did in this cabin was preparing breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I spent most of my time just playing around.
Looking at the man who would become my second master, I held out my hand.
“I’m Yohan. It’s a pleasure.”
“Ludwig. Likewise.”
Right after we exchanged names, Ludwig said we should start training immediately, as if every second was precious.
But upon hearing that, I realized I’d forgotten to ask for my Teacher’s permission. As her disciple, I was supposed to get her approval for anything I did...
“Oh, it’s fine. Go ahead.”
“Are you really... going to be okay?”
“What’s the big deal? I’ve done everything by myself for hundreds of years. What’s so hard about doing it for another month? It’s not like you’ll be out all day for the entire month, right?”
“That’s true, but...”
Thankfully, my Teacher gave her permission right away. I had even told her I would be neglecting all my chores for a month to focus on training, yet for some reason, she looked at me with eyes brimming with emotion.
I couldn’t understand why, but I decided not to question a good thing. Now that I was exempt from chores for a month, I figured I could focus on training and looked at Ludwig.
He immediately pointed toward the forest.
“Then first, run. We’re wasting time.”
“Yes, Master!”
“Master? What an embarrassing title... Call me Instructor.”
“Yes, Instructor!”
Following Ludwig’s command, I ran into the forest. Thanks to months of experience gathering ingredients in these woods and the help of my magic power, running a few kilometers didn’t tire me out in the slightest.
But seeing this, Ludwig began to add more to the load.
“Draw your sword. I’m going to attack you from now on. Block me every time.”
“...Excuse me? What do you mean?”
“Quiet. Do as you’re told, no questions asked. Don’t talk back.”
Perhaps because of the short training period, Ludwig was not a very kind instructor. After saying his piece, he immediately climbed the nearby trees and vanished from sight in an instant.
I had no idea where he was, but I couldn’t stop in place to look for him. He had told me to always run through the forest at a full sprint.
“Hah, hah—!”
After sprinting for several dozen minutes, even I started to get out of breath. I was running blankly, with no energy left to worry about where Ludwig was, when he suddenly leaped down from a tree branch above.
Thwack—! Ludwig struck me on the head in an instant, frowning when he saw I had failed to either dodge or block.
“Focus!”
Then he disappeared again. I tried to follow him, but he vanished into the trees as quickly as some kind of monkey monster, even though he shouldn’t have been able to enhance his body with magic power.
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight and started running again. This time, however, a little slower than before.
‘Pace yourself, pace yourself…’
“Ugh!?”
Suddenly, Ludwig appeared from behind, kicked me, and knocked me over. I felt my face scrape against the ground, followed by a crushing pressure on my back.
Ludwig, pinning me down, whispered in a voice like a growling tiger.
“Full speed—even if you collapse from exhaustion, run at full speed. Got it?”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“If you slack off like this one more time, I’ll just torture you until you agree to kill me. Understand?”
“T-Torture? My Teacher wouldn’t forgive you...”
“You idiot. You just left your teacher back at the cabin, didn’t you?”
As he spoke, Ludwig began poking my cheek with a branch. He jabbed so hard that my cheek dented, and the inside of my mouth started to tear.
But I couldn’t complain. I was the one who had asked for the training, and I was the one who had tried to take a shortcut. It was pathetic of me to think of calling for my Teacher every time something went wrong, especially after declaring I wanted to protect her.
“...You’re right. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Hmph. A brat like you, if you had joined the holy knights—I would have personally reshaped your mind. If you understand, stop resting and get up and run!”
I immediately got up and ran forward. This time, without a second thought, at full speed.
I was so focused on running that my surroundings became a blur, and once again, I failed to dodge Ludwig’s incoming attack.
“Focus!”
“Agh!”
If I focused on the attacks, he would yell at me for slowing down. But if I focused on running, I couldn’t block the attacks aimed at me.
Trapped in this no-win situation, I failed to block or dodge a single one of Ludwig’s attacks by the time I returned home that evening.
“...Yohan?”
When I returned to the cabin for dinner, my Teacher, who had been waiting for me in the magically restored cabin, began to fret when she saw my battered state.
It was obvious who had done this to me. It was Ludwig. But... I was the one who had wanted to end up like this.
Because of that, my Teacher was torn, hesitating over whether she should say something to Ludwig for putting me in this state, even if I had asked for it, or just let it go.
“Haha, Teacher... I’m a little hurt. Do you have any ointment?”
“I do! Wait just a moment!”
Seeing that I didn’t seem to mind my injuries, my Teacher quickly ran to the storage room and came back with a whole armful of good medicine for wounds.
After bringing out the medicine, my Teacher instantly cleaned me with magic, then began applying the ointment to my exposed wounds.
“Aargh—!”
“A-Are you okay? Just bear with it for a little... It might sting a bit, but it’s very effective.”
“I-I’ll bear with it...”
Every time my Teacher’s hand touched a wound, I flinched and let out a groan. She said it would sting a bit, but it fucking hurt like hell.
Still, I couldn’t complain to my Teacher, who was kindly applying the medicine for me. I just bit my lip hard.
As she treated my wounds, my Teacher asked cautiously.
“Do you really... have to go this far?”
“Pardon?”
“Even if you don’t protect me, Yohan, I can protect you... To get this hurt...”
“Because I want to protect you, Teacher.”
At those words, my Teacher’s fingers froze, and she looked down at me. I looked back at her and gave a slight smile.
Ah, right. It was a pretty absurd thing to say. A mere human, vowing to protect a teacher who was regarded as a great witch...
“Well—even if it’s not you, Teacher, I could protect Margaret, and it’s always good to have strength when protecting other people, right?”
“...Aha, so you’re training to protect Margaret and other people, Yohan?”
“Aargh!? T-Teacher? It hurts, it hurts! Don’t press on the wound! Aaargh!”
And then, I screamed in pain as my Teacher suddenly started digging into my wounds. Like a little girl, my screams echoed through the cabin...