Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Training the Prodigy
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(4)
"Hmm..."
The room had turned out just as I'd envisioned, but I couldn't bring myself to be purely delighted.
"Is this really okay?"
It felt a little off to be having these thoughts after already going through with it, but gazing at the room's all-too-convincing atmosphere, I couldn't help reflecting on my choices.
Who would ever mistake this for a knight's quarters?
Only the armor and weapons tucked in the corner were doing any convincing on that front.
I'd put in quite the effort moving things around, so when I stretched, my joints popped with a series of cracks.
Peering out the window, I saw stars filling the sky—it looked like quite some time had passed.
These days, they said you couldn't even spot stars in the countryside back home, but this world had two moons and a sky brimming with them.
No wonder it felt a bit bright for nighttime.
As the hour grew late and I prepared for bed, I slipped under the covers of my newly arranged bedding.
"Hmm..."
Whether it was the floral perfume I'd tested out doing its job, the moment I lay down, a sense of calm washed over me.
The label had a flower's name I'd never heard of, which made me uneasy at first, but overall, it was a subtle, sweet scent—easy for anyone to enjoy without it being overpowering.
That said, lying here myself brought a few shortcomings to light right away.
"Some soft blankets or dim, ambient lighting would be perfect."
They say lighting sets the mood of a room.
The current light was too harsh and stark white.
Something softer, with a warm orange glow that soothed the eyes, would be ideal.
"...But seriously, how does this thing even glow?"
The thought struck me, so while still lying down, I peered intently at the lamp-like fixture hanging from the ceiling.
It seemed like some kind of stone emitting light, but I couldn't get a good look.
The brightness made it uncomfortable to stare at directly with the naked eye.
I shrugged it off as just fantasy-world lighting.
"Do I pull this?"
A cord dangled from the lamp, and tugging it caused the light to shutter closed, plunging the room into darkness.
I mentally reviewed tomorrow's shopping list one more time and drifted off to sleep.
"...Come to think of it, do I have anything scheduled for tomorrow?"
With that faint unease tucked away alongside it.
Knock knock.
"..."
The cautious rap at my door jolted my eyes wide open.
Ever since the zombie world, my light sleep had turned my ears razor-sharp—even faint sounds like this registered.
Unless I was utterly exhausted or deliberately ignoring it, the tiniest noise would snap me awake.
"Who is it?"
To be safe, I called out politely, and a tense voice replied from the other side.
"I-it's Ethan, sir Knight!"
Even without seeing him, that stiff, strained tone painted a vivid picture of Ethan standing ramrod straight, military precision and all.
Opening the door revealed exactly that: Ethan in an awkward at-attention stance.
Of course, he swallowed hard upon seeing me.
"What is it?"
"Y-yes, sir. Captain Dana ordered me to fetch you."
"...Got it."
I had Ethan wait a moment while I donned the black armor.
Putting it on was trickier than taking it off.
Having no prior experience with armor in my life, I fumbled a bit, but managed somehow.
Without the Strength skill, the weight would've made movement a hassle, but for me, it was just right.
Once armored, I tested a few light movements.
It looked cumbersome, but executing actions posed no real issues.
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir!"
For all my bold words, I had no choice but to follow Ethan's lead.
I had no idea where they wanted me.
Ethan seemed to have forgotten amid his nerves, or maybe just wasn't saying.
Outside the Black Knight Order barracks.
Knight Captain Dana stood beside a row of training dummies stretched out like a gauntlet.
The other knights were doing light warm-ups, checking their gear, preparing to head out somewhere.
"There you are."
Spotting us, Dana greeted with a faint smile.
Ethan's cheeks flushed at the sight, and he barked a spirited reply.
"Sir!"
"...Yes."
My quiet response got buried under his booming one.
Dana turned to me and said,
"Seonghan, you're off monster hunts for a while."
"Pardon?"
I blinked in confusion.
What had I done wrong?
Had they already found out I'd swapped rooms?
Hunting monsters in this fantasy world had been one of my small goals and challenges—being sidelined stung a little.
Of course, fighting monsters came with risks, so exclusion wasn't pure bad news.
If anything, it could be seen as good.
"Why...?"
Still, a hint of regret crept into my voice and expression unavoidably.
As a gamer and avid fan of fantasy novels and comics, battling monsters was pure romance.
When I asked for the reason, Dana glanced at Ethan beside her.
"Train him up properly. He's got real potential."
"..."
"B-because of me, sir Knight is...?"
Dana smiled softly at Ethan, who looked touched and stammered in response.
Anyone would think they were sister and little brother.
Defying the captain's orders felt off, so with some reluctance, I nodded in acceptance.
Who knew? Training Ethan might lead to monster fights anyway.
Plus, as always, building affinity with the protagonist was a smart move.
Knowing Ethan's bright future made it even clearer to me.
"He's yours for training. We're off."
With that, Knight Captain Dana led the other knights out of the city.
No clue where to, but probably another monster subjugation.
That was the Black Knight Order's duty, after all.
"What should we start with?"
Ethan, who'd been staring wistfully after the departing captain, turned to me.
"Hmm..."
How best to teach this lump of talent?
Ethan didn't know it, but just feeding him three square meals a day would have him surpassing the captain in a year—he was raw gemstone.
I even wondered if I was the right one to teach him.
What if half-baked instruction ruined him?
I pondered, then asked for his sword and took it in hand.
It was the standard-issue blade given to all knights.
Beside the training dummy stood a mountain of supply greatswords.
The kind you'd see in medieval times.
"Whoa..."
The moment I hefted it, a substantial weight settled satisfyingly in my grip.
First time handling a greatsword.
In the modern world, you'd have to hit up a European museum to see one, so no surprise there.
Curiously, the instant I gripped it, my hands moved with practiced ease.
The Martial Skill that had leveled to 7 was seamlessly adapting me to the weapon.
The heaviest sword I'd ever wielded demanded techniques that leveraged its mass fully, and they flowed from my fingertips.
Whoosh!
A deep, unfamiliar whoomph accompanied the blade slicing through empty air.
Without breaking momentum, I swung diagonally once more.
Thwack!
The glancing blow carved a deep gash in the dirt.
Using the swing's rotation without pause, I spun my body full circle.
The arcing greatsword let out a sharp pop!, cleanly decapitating the upright dummy.
I got why game warriors obsessed over spinning greatsword attacks.
Engaging your whole body unleashed terrifying speed and power.
But the wide arcs meant missing would cost you dearly.
"Wow..."
Ethan stared in awe, and I mirrored his amazement with a stunned expression of my own.
The power of Martial Skill hit home anew.
Swinging it like this, I figured it out.
How to teach this sword.
Not like a jungle dao or wuxia blade.
"One swing, don't stop—use the rotation for two, three more."
Its great weight as a two-hander demanded huge force on the initial swing.
But afterward, momentum carried it, letting you follow up faster, easier, with less effort.
That was the greatsword's charm.
Before I could explain, Ethan mimicked my motions, grasping it intuitively on the spot.
"..."
The protagonist was the protagonist.
Growth visible in real time.
He might even outpace the original story.
That said, sword talent aside, a few swings left Ethan gasping and collapsed.
"Hah... hah..."
Basic stamina was the issue.
A kid farmer used to swinging a hoe, now playing knight.
One day couldn't build endurance for this grind.
"Take a break."
No rush to push him.
At my go-ahead, Ethan flopped flat on the ground, thumping his lower back.
Rotation taxed the core muscles hard.
Predictable pain for someone with his lacking base fitness and back strength.
Wait—back pain.
"Ethan, come to my room after training."
"Huh?"
I'd planned Cecil as my first guest, but plans changed.
Truth be told, some anxiety lingered.
Even if Cecil warmed up to me, inviting a woman straight to my room felt like a high hurdle.
To call her in, I'd need to lower her guard first.
So, loosen Ethan's muscles with a real massage, spread the word, then summon Cecil.
Of course, Cecil's would differ a tad from Ethan's legit one.
"Yes, sir!"
I nodded in satisfaction at Ethan's crisp reply.