Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Yoru
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The days that followed were much the same.
Eat breakfast, bask in the sunlight, have lunch, spar with the Sword Matriarch, eat dinner, and refine the circuits within my body.
There were some minor issues, like having to prepare all the meals myself or having nothing to do while resting.
But in any case, the process of learning from the Sword Matriarch was so smooth that there were no real problems.
In fact, it was progressing so quickly that I wondered if it was okay to pick things up at this pace.
For example, there was the time during a spar with the Sword Matriarch when I succeeded with a new spell.
"Got it!"
As I swung my sword, I formed a sphere of light in my other hand.
The searing orb was both light and lightning.
As the sphere approached her with a menacing crackle of sparks,
she grinned and praised me.
"Well done. You're picking it up faster than I expected."
As she said, the light sphere I'd created was a spell uniquely my own.
A magic that condensed light into intense heat to strike the enemy.
If I had to name it, something like 'Light Shock'.
It was an original technique I'd developed by diligently training on what the Sword Matriarch had taught me.
"Now it feels natural using sword and magic at the same time. Someday I might even catch up to you."
"Already giving me that high an evaluation?"
"You can tell by your talent. Even though you're my first disciple, it's no exaggeration to call you my best."
We sheathed our swords and stepped back.
'The spar's already over?'
I felt like I could go a bit longer.
But the Sword Matriarch was already nodding repeatedly, seemingly moved by my growth.
"It's a good day, so let's call it and head in to rest. Your body needs it too."
"Aren't you getting a little too excited? Your disciple still wants to learn more."
"This is an order from your master. Go rest."
"......"
If she put it that way, there was nothing I could do.
Reluctantly, I sheathed my sword and prepared to head back,
when the Sword Matriarch chuckled and said,
"I got some good meat recently. Let's have that."
"Pardon?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"Just to make sure... you're not ending the spar early because you want to eat that meat, are you?"
"What? As if. It's obviously for the necessary rest after your fine training."
"Is that so?"
"Of course. So we need to eat meat and recharge."
You're just going to make me cook it anyway, you know. This woman.
Or there was the time I gained enlightenment while basking in the sunlight.
"......"
I forgot even that the Sword Matriarch was watching nearby and delved inward.
Sinking my consciousness deep, the landscape of the world appeared in my mind's eye.
The eyes to see the Flow of All Things that Yoru had taught me before.
Had I reached a state where I could perceive it even with my eyes closed?
'Come to think of it, I miss Yoru.'
It's been a while since we last met.
Since I'm in Aonia anyway, it might be a good chance if we could meet.
"......"
A stray thought intruded.
I pulled my focus back and concentrated on the sensations touching my body.
The sunlight warming my skin.
The greatest light illuminating the entire world enveloped my body.
'What kind of magic could I create by combining sword and light?'
Blinding the enemy with light and swinging my sword... seemed too simplistic.
Wrapping my blade in light to strike... wouldn't that just be like aura?
'Hmm.'
The sunlight warming my skin.
The sunlight enveloping my body.
...In that case.
What if I wrapped my blade in light and shot it at the enemy?
"Whoa!"
I opened my eyes.
Seized by the epiphany that had just flashed through, I immediately drew my sword.
Whoosh—
Light coiled around the blade.
The cluster of light coating the edge like aura was, however, distinctly different in purpose.
I raised my sword and gazed at the rock ahead.
Then I unleashed a slash toward it—
Splat!
As if sliced or shattered by the slash.
Unlike aura, it was an attack closer to raw destruction that split the rock in two.
Sizzle... The cut surfaces on both halves of the rock melted away.
A phenomenon impossible with aura. Dissolution by extreme heat.
"Looks like you had a breakthrough."
"Yeah. When I entered that trance, the enlightenment came."
"Good work. That's the path to becoming a magic swordsman."
The Sword Matriarch, who had been watching from the side, smiled.
She reached out and ruffled my hair.
"You've earned it. You've grown another step today, so take a little rest."
"Huh? You're not saying you brought meat again like last time, are you?"
"As if. I just have somewhere to stop by."
"Somewhere to stop by?"
Now that I thought about it, the Sword Matriarch often left for a bit.
Until now, she never left my side while teaching, so I hadn't paid it much mind.
But sometimes she'd vanish, and if Ariel and I went looking for her, she'd return before long and say something like,
that she'd gone down to the city.
At first, I wondered why she left the Sword Matriarch's residence so often.
But figuring she might be lonely living alone and wanted to see others,
or that she was out buying ingredients or handling errands, I decided not to say anything.
'Still, leaving during training time is a first.'
I wonder what's going on.
And so time continued to pass.
Just as I was starting to properly digest what the Sword Matriarch had taught me, she called me over and said,
"Now you can do it on your own."
"Pardon?"
What was this now?
No, where was the person who was supposed to teach me?
I gave her a sullen look, and she chuckled.
"First, the morning training after breakfast showed results, right? You even split that rock."
"Well, yeah."
"And now you can use swordsmanship and magic together in spars. No need to teach that anymore."
"True."
"That leaves the internal circuit refinement in the evenings... That one takes time to resolve. It can't be fixed in a short period; it builds up day by day. And only by accumulating this will the other two trainings advance?"
"Hmm."
I see.
Thinking back, the results of my learning were starting to show.
I could only use Divine Shield at first, but now I knew other spells too.
And as the Sword Matriarch said, the one with the least progress—or where I couldn't feel any speed-up—was the internal circuits.
She kept helping me with it, but there was still a long way to go. Many stages left.
I'd been feeling a bit frustrated about it, but hearing her say it herself took some wind out of my sails.
"Don't make that 'when will it end' face. A tower built with care won't crumble. Build it too hastily, and growth won't be proper."
"I know that, but... Hmm."
I understood what she meant, but I was impatient.
I didn't know when the Crimson Blood Cult and Blood Demon would appear; I couldn't afford to take it easy.
I wanted to grow faster if I could.
"Oh. And I got some new info from the city."
"Pardon?"
"Those thugs who attacked you when you first came to Aonia. They were bandits hired by someone. They don't usually target outsiders like you."
"Really?"
Then why target me?
Looking back, it had been suspicious.
Their skill didn't measure up to mine. Even compared to me a few years ago, it was hard to call them superior.
Yet they'd gone out of their way for me.
'No way it's vampires again?'
Another Bluddied-type after me?
"But the guard handling the interrogation suddenly clammed up. I had to coax, soothe, threaten, and slip him some money before he'd talk."
"It bothered you that much?"
"Well, it's not something to just let slide, right? Some villain hiring bandits to kidnap outsiders. No reason not to stop it if we can."
"Hmm. So who was it?"
"The Hiiragi Family."
Hiiragi?
I'd heard the name. Back at the restaurant, customers were talking about it.
The Azure Dragon Tournament and the Hiiragi Family had come up. I think the winner was from Hiiragi.
But that family tried to kidnap me?
"Why?"
"I've heard about the Hiiragi. They place great importance on their family honor."
"Family honor? If word got out they bribed bandits, their honor would hit the dirt."
"Exactly. That's why they're likely to block your path again."
The Sword Matriarch patiently explained about the Hiiragi Family.
They revered honor but achieved it through crooked means.
They shunned no foul deeds to elevate their status.
Anyone pointing it out or trying to reform them was quietly silenced from behind the scenes.
Clean on the outside, filthy within.
In a way, a typical noble house.
"The current Hiiragi heir is a boy named 'Masato.' Probably around your age. He must have done it hoping to win."
"To keep other skilled fighters out of the Azure Dragon Tournament?"
"Yes. How threatening would an outsider powerhouse be? In Aonia, no peer can catch Masato. So they targeted an imperial like you."
Not even doing it themselves, but using bandits.
'Ridiculous.'
I felt like bandits targeted me everywhere I went.
"Even if I reported it, they wouldn't budge. The Hiiragi have deep roots in Aonia. My name wouldn't expose their dirt."
"No, it's fine. I'm not really interested. No need for you to exert yourself, Master."
"Oh? Really? Doesn't it make you angry? They tried to kidnap you."
"It'd be a lie to say it doesn't... a little."
Honestly, it was trivial.
It wasn't an immediate threat, and even if they came again, I wouldn't lose.
Looking at Ariel with displeasure was harder to forgive.
But that guy was probably locked up by now.
"I know worse enemies than the Hiiragi Family."
The Crimson Blood Cult and Blood Demon.
Preparing for them, not knowing when they'd appear, came first.
These petty villains weren't worth the attention.
"I see. Got it. I'll respect your view."
"Thanks."
"But what about the Azure Dragon Tournament? Masato from Hiiragi is entering. No interest?"
"Pardon?"
Azure Dragon Tournament?
I blinked and looked at the Sword Matriarch.
She began explaining the value of the Azure Dragon Tournament like she was making a pitch.
"It's a martial arts tournament held in Aonia. A dream stage for teenage boys and girls aspiring to be warriors. So famous that outlanders join too."
"Ah, okay."
"And the prizes are incredible. The winner picks from a katana of special metal, an elixir that explosively grows internal mana, or Azure Dragon Water that directly heals the soul... Huh, really no interest?"
"Yeah."
Katana, elixir—none appealed.
I trusted my own talent without such things.
"If anything, the Azure Dragon Water healing potion catches my eye a bit... but I don't get hurt much anyway."
"Hmmm. Really? Such a shame. I thought it was the perfect stage to prove your achievements as my disciple."
"If that's the case, I wouldn't mind entering. I'll decide later. Right now, I want to focus on learning."
"Hehe. Got it."
That ended the talk with the Sword Matriarch.
I tucked the info on Azure Dragon Water into a corner of my mind as I passed.
Wondering if there'd ever be a chance to give it to someone with a wounded soul.