4. Imperial Capital Lumentium - 06
4. Imperial Capital Lumentium - 06
"Kain, I'll be blunt. You have no talent for the sword. Not even a sliver."
The Imperial Princess delivered the words in an offhand tone, as if she were deciding the morning menu.
"......"
"Right now, since you're in a life-or-death struggle, your skill is growing quickly. But one day, inevitably, you will hit a wall. No—in your case, that wall will arrive much sooner. You simply lack the talent to reach greater heights."
"......"
"So I've been giving it some thought. Since I've named myself your teacher, I can hardly give up on my one and only student that easily, can I? So I've thought of one solution."
"......"
"And that solution is..."
"...Nnngghhh!"
That was my limit. I couldn't hold out any longer. With the Imperial Princess perched on my back, my arms trembled and gave out, and my form collapsed. No—to be exact, it was the moment right before my form was about to collapse.
"Hold it!"
At those words, the Imperial Princess swung her hand and smacked my rear.
Smack—!
"Nngk—!"
The instant her small palm struck my rear, a hideous pain surged through my whole body. It wasn't my preference to show such an ugly sight in front of her, but this was not the kind of thing I could control. I know it sounds like an excuse, but whatever she was doing, the violence she inflicted caused absolutely extreme pain.
"Nnnnggh..."
As I strained desperately to right my posture, groaning like a beast, the Imperial Princess, still seated on me, let out a small sigh.
"Kain, you're remarkably dramatic. I barely tapped your bottom, and you react like that. Anyone watching would think I'd tortured you."
"....."
At her words, I felt a fleeting sense of disbelief. Did she really not consider the series of brutal acts she was inflicting on me to be torture? Did she honestly think all of this was some character-building part of training?
"I was trained this way by my own master as well, and she said her master trained her the same way. The tempering of the body has always inevitably come with pain. All the pain you are feeling, I have felt too, and I know its measure well. So stop being dramatic and get up. I didn't strike you nearly hard enough for you to be sprawled on the floor."
At the Imperial Princess's words, I ground my teeth and spoke.
"Does that mean, Your Highness, that you were trained by getting smacked on the rear by your master, too?"
At my retort, the Imperial Princess hesitated for a moment, then answered in a small voice.
"...Hm, now that I think of it, I don't believe I was smacked on the rear. I was struck in plenty of other places, but I have no memory of my master striking my rear."
"In that case, I can't help but think it's a little unfair for Your Highness to be smacking my rear so much."
"Do you really think I'm sitting on you and making you do push-ups because I have nothing better to do?"
The Imperial Princess spoke in a somewhat indignant tone, then gave my rear another firm smack.
"...Ugh!"
"While I am positioned on top of you, I am simultaneously infusing your entire body with Aura, activating your muscles. This is a perfectly legitimate form of training, and I would appreciate it if you didn't dismiss it so lightly."
"...Still, being smacked on the rear was not part of what I anticipated."
"Did you think forging your own martial art would be easy?"
The Imperial Princess spoke as if with a sigh, then began to gently stroke the back of my head as she continued.
"Haah, let's finish what we were discussing. The way for you to surpass your limits and grow stronger. I believe that lies in learning a supreme sword technique."
"...A supreme sword technique?"
"Yes. The Martial Principle contained within a supreme sword technique could guide you to a higher realm. What do you think of my reasoning?"
Still doing push-ups, I turned the Imperial Princess's words over in my head again and quickly reached a conclusion.
"...No matter how I think about it, it seems like a Martial Principle that would be beyond me."
It wasn't a statement that required thinking, really. Anyone with half a brain could reach the same conclusion instantly.
"As you said, Your Highness, I have no talent. Even if I were to learn such a supreme sword technique, it's obvious I wouldn't be able to master it properly. Is it even possible for me to learn a technique like that when I couldn't even properly learn House Estel's secret sword techniques?"
When I spoke in a slightly wounded tone, the Imperial Princess offered me a wry smile.
"Under normal circumstances, your argument would be correct. But the sword technique I am about to teach you defies that common sense. I guarantee that merely by learning the form of this technique properly, you will become several times stronger than you are now."
"...Is that true? Is there really such an incredible sword technique in this world?"
Was there truly a sword technique so absurdly broken that simply learning it could make its wielder stronger?
"I'll explain the details later. The name of the technique I will teach you is 'Flowing Star.' It is a supreme sword technique passed down only to the direct line of the imperial family, and the only one in the Empire who has mastered it is me."
...Passed down only to the direct imperial line? Those words felt ominous for some reason.
"...If it's only passed down to the direct imperial line, is it alright for you to teach it to me?"
"Of course, normally it would be impossible. But even I can be flexible. Given the emergency, what choice do I have?"
Saying this, the Imperial Princess gave me a bright, refreshing smile.
"Ah, one more thing. Try to avoid using this technique in front of others. If someone outside the imperial family is discovered to have learned it, I'm told they cut off the person's arms and legs and rip out their tongue. That would be a truly terrible thing to happen to you, wouldn't it?"
"....."
...Then why in the world was she teaching me a technique like that? Was it possible that this woman, while pretending otherwise, actually despised me? Strange thoughts began to fill my head—that she was teaching me this sword technique only to lay groundwork to corner me later in private—
"Again! Your form is collapsing!"
Smack—!
"Nnnnnnngghhh—!"
****
"Lucian von Turnizen, before we begin our duel, I have something to ask you."
"...What is it, Kain von Estel?"
Already convinced of his victory before the duel had even started, Lucian answered with an exceedingly arrogant attitude.
"Oh, it's nothing much. I just wanted to ask if it's alright for me to use things besides my sword in this duel. My fists, for example, or my feet. My school of swordsmanship is a bit... unorthodox."
"...Hmph. I'd heard the sword style of House Estel was an orthodox school. Have you picked up some petty tricks? How pathetic."
As he spoke, a nasty smile spread across Lucian's irritating face, and with a truly confident expression, he addressed me.
"Fine. I accept your proposal. In this duel, I won't care if you pull out a hidden weapon instead of your fist and throw it at me. Do whatever you can in this place. To me, something of that level isn't even a handicap."
Lucian's eyes swept me up and down as he spouted such things in a supremely self-assured voice. Did that bastard realize that, at this very moment, he had just dug his own grave with his own hands?
"Well then, don't mind if I do."
A grin spread across my face as I lifted my heels slightly and kicked off the ground. It had been about two months since I'd last moved my body, but my condition was near perfect. Of course, it wasn't comparable to my body from ten years in the future, but even this seemed more than sufficient to smash that young lord's smug face.
"Here I come, Lucian von Turnizen."
"Hmph! I'll let you have the first move, Kain von Estel!"
Lucian spoke in a voice so haughty, as if he were granting me a favor.
Unfortunately for him, that arrogance didn't last long.
Thwack—!
"Guhk—!"
I'd never heard of a man who remained un-humbled after taking a fist to the jaw.