Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Rotating Sword
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rotating Sword was a technique Philip had been pondering for quite some time.
The principle was simple. It was straight out of an electric chainsaw's playbook.
Since it didn't require any deep understanding of mana, Philip figured Diana and Felicia could handle something like this.
Philip sat Felicia and Diana, who had returned before he knew it, down in the backyard and began his explanation.
"Rotating your aura is pretty straightforward once you grasp the principle. For now, each of you draw your swords and form your Sword Aura."
Felicia and Diana followed his instructions, though their faces were grim.
Soon, blue Sword Aura flared to life from the swords in their hands. Felicia's was sharper and clearer than Diana's.
"In that state, try speeding up the flow of your aura."
"...Huh?"
Felicia stared at Philip, her eyes screaming, What the hell are you talking about?
Philip let out a small sigh before issuing his next directive.
"Just try doing what I say, in your own way."
"Do that, and it'll go out of control. Instructor. Pouring in more aura than you can handle usually ends that way."
Diana countered Philip's words.
"What are you talking about? Did I say to shove more in? Sure, speeding up the flow will consume more aura, but that's the result, not the cause."
The professor and instructor, suddenly turned students, sensed Philip was onto something profound, but sadly, they had no clue what he meant.
"Watch closely."
Philip drew a short dagger and ignited its Sword Aura.
"This is your standard Sword Aura, same as what you know. Aura wrapped around the blade, coating the edge."
As Philip focused his mind, the blue blade enveloping the dagger began flickering like flames.
"Wha—Sword Beam?"
Felicia yelped in shock.
"It looks like Sword Beam, but it's just the aura feeding into the sword sped up. Now, from here, it's simple."
The flickering Sword Aura soon began spinning at high speed. At that moment, Felicia and Diana's jaws dropped.
"Instead of just pushing aura toward the blade, you use its cohesion to guide it back to your body. Sure, centrifugal force will scatter some, but less than what you'd normally burn to maintain Sword Aura."
With his explanation done, Philip handed the dagger to Felicia.
"Give it a try."
As a professor at a prestigious academy, she couldn't admit she hadn't understood a word.
"Uh... okay."
She hesitantly gripped the dagger and channeled her aura, but nothing like Philip's happened. Her Sword Aura wouldn't even form.
Watching her, Philip sighed in lament.
"I thought I explained it pretty simply."
"...Maybe it'll click with practice?"
Felicia said it, but even she wasn't convinced.
"You're approaching it all wrong from the start. You'd never get it in a year that way. Come here for a sec."
Will this work?
Half-doubting, Philip beckoned Felicia. As she approached, he grabbed her wrist.
"Why... are you doing this?"
"So you can feel it directly."
"What does that even— Hiiiik!"
As aura surged through her hand from his, a startled Felicia squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
Normally, injecting aura into someone else would trigger rejection, ripping the skin.
But why doesn't it hurt?
Feeling her heart pounding, Felicia cautiously cracked her eyes open.
"...Huh?"
She could clearly feel the aura flowing through her hand. Yet there was no pain or rejection.
"It's like this: not just pushing it out, but creating a circulation path. Speeding it up isn't about force—it's about narrowing the channel."
Philip explained slowly and patiently, letting her feel the aura's flow through her hand until she got it.
Soon, Felicia felt clarity flood her mind, her body shuddering like she'd been struck by lightning.
Sensing her slip into unconscious insight, Philip breathed a sigh of relief.
She'd come to when she grasped it.
"Your turn now, Instructor. Come here."
"You're doing the same for me?"
Diana asked in surprise.
"Once you two master this, it'll make my life easier later. I'll teach it to the students eventually, so you need to know it too."
Philip took Diana's wrist as he spoke.
"I trust you won't scream, Instructor."
Diana let out a hollow laugh and entrusted her wrist to him.
Twenty minutes later, she too slipped into the world of unconscious enlightenment.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was Monday, after the weekend.
Philip was overseeing the first-year swordsmanship class's independent training.
These fourteen-year-old boys and girls were like unpredictable rugby balls, ready to bounce anywhere.
So Philip had to patrol the entire swordsmanship training hall without a break.
"Giskald Borenza. Don't mess around with the training dummy."
"Annis Prallin. Olivia Nuees. It's great to see you two getting along, but this is class time. Save the chatting for after, or at least do it while training."
"All right, Heinrich Collins. Stomachache? Go take care of it quick."
The three-hour swordsmanship class was usually one hour theory, one hour practice, one hour independent training.
On days without special schedules, that is.
Unfortunately, today had a special schedule.
Professor Felicia and senior instructor Diana Frenhal had been summoned by the Chief Professor because of it.
The advanced independent training session fell entirely on Philip's shoulders.
Newbie life, huh.
Philip thought as he darted around. One student was about to whack a training dummy with an awkward wooden sword grip.
"Hold on, grip it like that and you'll hurt your own hand badly... You were pranking me, weren't you?"
Philip knew this kid. Hailey Barown, the youngest son of a northern frontier count.
He'd wielded a sword since he was much younger, so no way he'd mix up basic grips.
His skin was a bit darker than the others, and he had unusual silver hair.
"Did my prank make you mad?"
"Not a chance."
Philip shook his head.
"...Too bad. I had a bet with my friends. How can I make you mad?"
Hailey carried the innate arrogance of one born to stand above others.
Cute kid.
The boy's intentions were obvious.
Having settled into the academy, he wanted to show he was different from the rest.
Philip smiled and spoke.
"I won't get mad no matter how much you prank me. But if you hurt other kids to piss me off, or bully weaker ones, then yeah, I'd be mad. Planning to do that?"
Hailey furrowed his brow in dissatisfaction and shook his head.
"No. House Barown doesn't act dishonorably."
"Good boy."
"..."
Hailey Barown swung his wooden sword obediently, his face saying That's not it.
"Everyone, attention!"
Diana Frenhal's voice echoed through the hall as she returned.
As all eyes turned to her, her lips parted again.
"Sir Joshua Prallin, Previa Academy graduate and honored member of the Silver Knights, has just arrived from the northern front to observe your class."
The students buzzed.
"Whoa, a Silver Knight."
"...Jealous."
"Wait, Prallin? Related to Annis Prallin how?"
Philip's gaze shifted to Annis Prallin.
The little girl had her eyes wide like a startled rabbit, murmuring.
"...Oppa?"
She stomped her feet, itching to run and hug him.
"Today's theory session will be replaced by a special lecture from Sir Joshua Prallin."
The kids' eyes sparkled.
In this environment short on entertainment, tales of a famous knight's exploits were enough to set young hearts racing.
What's this all about suddenly?
Philip was curious, though.
Why was a Silver Knight—someone he was supposed to face in the sparring match two weeks from now—showing up at this exact moment?
This didn't happen before.
"Change into your uniforms and assemble in the lecture hall."
The remaining independent training was canceled. The students chattered as they headed to the changing rooms.
"Let's take a quick break before we go. Instructor, you handled it alone—good work."
Diana Frenhal, even friendlier since the weekend, smiled and suggested rest. Philip felt an earnest gaze pleading with him.
It was Annis Prallin.
He could guess what she wanted without asking.
"You want to see your brother, huh."
The girl nodded eagerly, her face flushed.
She looked like a puppy told to wait for treats.
"Annis Prallin. The instructor clearly said to change and go to the lecture hall."
Diana scolded her sternly. Annis's face crumpled into tears as she looked to Philip.
She'd instinctively picked her ally.
Philip smiled and intervened with Diana.
"Don't be too harsh."
Diana sighed.
"You'll see him after class anyway. No need to give special treatment for an early meeting."
"...Lend me your ear."
"Pardon?"
Philip whispered in her ear.
"Doesn't this seem off? Sparring's two weeks away—why's a knight from the order here already? There must be a reason. I'm thinking of using her as an excuse to check it out."
"Well, if that's the case."
Diana nodded helplessly. It was a harmless ploy, so she'd play along once.
"You heard her? Come on. Be late, and we're leaving you."
"...Really? Thank you!"
Annis cheered and hugged Philip's arm. He gently pried her off by the shoulders, then walked with some distance between them.
She smelled a bit sweaty.
Diana watched them go and chuckled softly.
Lately, thanks to Philip, she was rediscovering the thrill and joy of first learning the sword.
Rotating Sword. His selfless gift of this next-level technique had broadened her world.
No one would guess it—a world-shaking sword demon hides behind that beautiful face.
For the first time since becoming an instructor, she wanted to take leave.
Just swing her sword mindlessly for a month.