The Unexpected Guest (1)
After swallowing the ownerless pocket, he said, “Let’s fight.”
“What? Suddenly?”
“It means to divide the swords. I wanted to spar with you, but the situation wasn’t good, so I put it off.”
While having breakfast in the morning, Lancelot’s sudden proposal flew at him.
Sparring. When he recalled that word, curiosity surged.
Having fought against Martius’s five knights and experienced mysterious things. Mana and sword qi. How naturally I could fight with the new power I had awakened.
“Alright, let’s try it.”
“Before that, there are some issues to clarify.”
“...Issues? What issues?”
“Speak precisely. Frey, what tier are you at right now?”
Lancelot’s calm gaze was directed at me.
...What tier am I at right now?
To be honest, I didn’t know well either. First, I had awakened mana and could handle sword qi. Recalling memories, it might be the same 5th tier as Lancelot.
“I don’t know, but since I can use sword qi, it must be the same 5th tier as you.”
“Hah! This monster-like guy. What kind of unreasonable fellows are there?”
...This guy? Isn’t this too honest?
But I couldn’t say anything out loud.
It was the result of the brilliant blessing wrapped around me. Anyone would feel emotions twisting their organs.
“Be careful. Those who envy your talent might use tricks. Now that fame hasn’t spread, but originally, legless horses travel a thousand li.”
“That’s right. I don’t know if being careful will help.”
I nodded at Lancelot’s words.
Jealousy of shining talent is never strange.
If I were to explain it, feeling displeasure or unease at the appearance of a genius rising from below is extremely natural.
‘Reminds me of the old days.’
But dealing with that dirty emotion is another story.
How many people spit out dark and rough insults at colleagues who surpass them or juniors who chase fiercely? Considering that aspect, Lancelot is rather a good guy.
“Anyway, how should the spar be done?”
“...To be honest, fill with mana. Don’t worry about injuries. I’ll pay the recovery cost.”
Did he decide his mind firmly? Lancelot said it with confident tone.
For me, who had little experience in one-on-one fights, it seemed like a positive element. As long as I avoid injuries, it would be beneficial for both, no loss.
“Instead, let’s move the location.”
“Understood. Probably going out of the city would be much better.”
Druruk.
I nodded, stood up from my seat.
Since the victory celebration was ongoing, the city had a lot of transient population. As Lancelot said, sparring outside the city seemed more reasonable.
***
Lancelot, who moved the location, swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple going down.
Then, an emotion that didn’t suit him—‘tension’—wrapped around his back.
Lancelot had never faced a person and sword that shone brilliantly like this in his life.
“Is this place okay?”
“It took thirty minutes from the city, so it should be fine. No passersby.”
“Really?”
After Frey’s question, Lancelot answered softly and put his hand on the sword sheath, thinking.
‘Meeting an unknown talent. How wonderful.’
Dividing the sword with Frey.
How great a blessing this reality is for him? Swordsmanship and mana... furthermore, ‘martial arts’ that encompasses all of that. It was a journey of tempering oneself and advancing to higher places.
‘...Not tense at all.’
Pfft.
Then, looking at the sparring partner, Lancelot couldn’t help but laugh unconsciously. Unlike himself, who was imagining all sorts of things before the spar, Frey had his usual calm face.
Swish!
Finally, the two drew their swords.
“Use mana, but it’s better not to use sword qi. There might be innocent victims with blind swords.”
“Yeah. Got it.”
Whoosh, right after Frey’s soft answer, Lancelot exhaled deeply.
The two hands holding the sword were already soaked with sweat.
‘Exciting.’
Dramatic tension sometimes goes in strange directions. Yeah, according to Lancelot’s judgment, this was close to exhilaration.
Swish.
After calming his breath, Lancelot found it hard to hold the heavy air anymore.
Tension and excitement mixed, a mysterious emotion made his fingertips tingle. He wanted to mix sword and sword right away.
“I’ll go first!”
Tadak!
Lancelot, who struck the ground, moved while shouting loudly.
Frey’s sword was not bound by form and style. That means, instead of inducing a chaotic battle, it seemed better to press with the ‘standard’.
Whoong-!
The sword cutting through the air flew with purple flames. The moment Lancelot’s mana-filled sword collided with Frey’s dark sword.
Clang.
A heavy sound echoed.
“...?”
Right after the collision, Lancelot had no choice but to be greatly surprised.
Frey’s action was extremely simple. Stepped back with left leg, forward with right leg. Then, swinging the long sword to strike a subtle space.
‘...Ridiculous!’
Smirk.
After seeing the miracle several times, his mouth curved without knowing.
The sword he handled was like that.
Frey always aimed for spaces that others couldn’t see, and that sword flowed with unpredictable sword paths. It felt like the god of swords had descended upon this land.
Cling! Clang!
The swords shone beautifully. The mana-filled swords of both burned like flames. Purple flames and black flames competed, growing their bodies.
‘...I’m going crazy.’
In this situation, Lancelot felt the hair on his body standing up.
Growing? Getting used to it? Polishing?
...It was barely enough to explain it that way. Frey’s eyes focused on the spar were incredibly deep, as if seeing something he couldn’t see.
‘Ah, yeah.’
Clang-!
Again, the moment they clashed swords. Lancelot finally understood what this feeling meant.
Learning.
Goosebumps rose. Lancelot, who had never feared the word ‘talent’ in his life because of this monster-like guy’s genius, felt it now.
‘Learning, learning. He’s learning everything about me right now!’
Clink clink clink!
“Kuek...”
At that moment, Frey’s sword leaped over the line, jumping in space.
The black flames of the black messenger were about to cut and burn everything. The first dizzying fear he faced slowly ate away at Lancelot’s brain.
Whoong! Clang!
“Hah! Hah! Hah!”
A light stab was coming. But the opponent was an attack that couldn’t be taken lightly at all.
‘I have to decide the winner. If I go like this, it’s defeat.’
It had been a while since he couldn’t find a gap to attack. Lancelot panted and blocked the pouring sword strikes.
Now, there was almost no chance left for him... He made a decision.
“Frey! Be careful!”
Lancelot, who shouted a warning to Frey, stepped back a few steps. And, he overlaid the burning mana on his sword.
Zing——!
Soon after, with a transparent sword name, Lancelot leaped.
The man who would become the Empire’s 12th Sword Master in the future wanted to crash all he had against Frey. Maybe a bit childish... it could be called an action overflowing with fighting spirit.
Chwae ae ae ae ek!
The sword cutting through the sky poured down on Frey. Lancelot believed. Frey, this monster-like guy, could definitely block this attack too.
But.
Swish.
“What, what?!”
The following situation transcended Lancelot’s expectations by one step. Not at the level of blocking, but his sword was simply dodged to an absurd degree.
Swish.
Then Frey twisted his body. Like a magnet, the black sword approaching Frey’s chest came to Lancelot at an incomprehensibly fast speed again.
“...!”
That sword... made him feel like the god of death was running with a scythe. Death, or something similar to it, was approaching. Frey’s face, who had poured all his power into the recent attack, turned pale.
‘D, I’m dead...’
The awkward, deathly fear stopped his thoughts.
Tadak, Lancelot, who retreated back, immediately threw mana forward with a scream. It was his own struggle to resist the approaching death.
Kwaa a a a-!
“P, avoid!”
Sword qi.
Unconsciously, Lancelot who shot sword qi screamed. It’s just a spar. How disgusting it is that he used the sword qi he swore not to use, scared by the spar!
Pu e e e eng!
A few trees hit by the sword qi were broken into pieces.
The fortunate thing was that Frey’s reaction speed surpassed the flying sword qi like lightning. By just tilting his head sideways, Frey avoided the sword qi and shot Lancelot with a bewildered expression.
“Hey, you bastard!”
“S, sorry. I didn’t know either, my rationality was eaten by your sword strike.”
Shaking.
Lancelot raised his trembling hand and sincerely apologized. Frey exhaled a deep sigh and muttered.
“I thought something new would be realized.”
“This crazy guy...!”
During this, was another ‘something’ about to be caught? Lancelot opened his mouth wide.
“Let’s rest a bit and go back. You’re really cold right now. I’m cold too.”
“Y, you didn’t say sorry?”
Frey plopped down on the spot. Maybe he was thinking of taking a nap, he lay on his back on the floor like an 80-year-old man.
For a moment, watching that scene, Lancelot grabbed his trembling arms.
The spar was over. So he had to put the sword in the sheath, but his trembling arm from fear was blocking it.
“Eh?”
Frey, who was watching that quietly, tilted his head.
“Why?”
Lancelot had no choice but to let out an odd reaction. Thanks to Frey’s expression as if he had witnessed a strange scene.
“Your shoulder.”
“...?”
Answering Frey’s raising finger, Lancelot turned his head.
“...What is this?”
Then, a bizarre scene came into his view.
On Lancelot’s shoulder was white frost. In the bright midday sun, frost was an unbelievable scene no matter how much he looked with his eyes.
Tap tap.
“Queen of the seasons.”
Twinkle!
The surprising thing happened right then. Between the forest where Frey and Lancelot were sparring, mana that sparkled green appeared, flickering.
“Three lights illuminating the sky. The beacon of despair leading to destruction.”
Who o o o-!
With a soft voice, the air mana began to flow rapidly.
Something, something was weird.
Lancelot looked at the owner of the voice. There, a woman with blue hair and blue eyes... was walking towards here with a pale complexion.
“Now, come to this place, lead the world to winter.”
“...Magic!”
It was too sudden. Lancelot, of course, Frey also looked at the intruder with suspicious eyes.
“You. Why are you bothering Frey?”
The woman with a voice as cold as frost murmured.
“Frey, Frey is... a body that can’t learn mana. You are using mana too...”
The woman had a face full of pity, longing, and sadness.
But.
“Who are you?”
From the floor, sprawled... Frey’s mouth, which had been watching the situation quietly, came out with a polite voice.