Chapter 56
Until the delegation from the Atara Kingdom arrived, I poured everything into my swordsmanship training. Every day, for up to ten grueling hours, I practiced mana circulation and swung my sword in the training hall. Solo practice had its limits, so every three days, I sparred with Kaiser.
After that first bout where my shoulder got wrecked in a haze of victory lust, we used wooden swords without aura. It felt a bit dull, but clashing blades with another Sword Master was still a huge boost to my skills.
"You're strong."
Kaiser looked down at me as usual after sparring, sprawled on the ground and chugging water like a waterfall down my throat. His sudden opener made me turn to him.
"But you've got three major problems."
"......If there are three problems, shouldn't you drop the 'major'?"
"They're all that serious."
Kaiser had a real talent for bone-chilling burns with that impassive face. He could patent it. I groaned in pain and sighed.
"What are they?"
"First, no technique. Second, weak stamina. Third."
His blood-red eyes flashed menacingly.
"I've told you dozens of times, but you still don't even pretend to defend."
I flinched. His icy voice made my shoulders tremble. His face was full of dissatisfaction.
"You're great in short fights and offense. No one on this continent can beat you at taking down enemies fast. Practically no swordsman could win against you in real combat."
My ears perked up at the praise. Compliments always hit right.
"But you're the worst at long fights and defense. If a battle drags past an hour for any reason, you'll lose to someone way weaker due to stamina drain. You waste what little endurance you have with inefficient swings. And defense...... no comment. I've never seen a swordsman who skips defense entirely like some brute."
The praise didn't last—harsh criticism followed. It was all spot-on, so I had nothing to say. Avoiding his piercing gaze, I glanced aside, and he sighed.
"I'd love to train you intensively myself, but...... I'm no good at teaching. And I'm too busy these days to make time."
Kaiser wasn't exactly teacher material. He was swamped with the emperor's orders, barely squeezing in sparring sessions, so yeah, he was busy.
"So I'm assigning you a teacher. That okay?"
"A teacher?"
"Yeah. I don't have ties to other Sword Masters on the continent, so I can't get you someone stronger. But I know a Sword Expert who's the best at stamina training and defense. Weaker than you, sure, but teaching's a different skill. He'll help a lot."
I held my breath. The word "teacher" squeezed my heart on its own.
Feeling Kaiser's eyes narrow on my dazed face, I quickly schooled my expression. Of course I'd be grateful. My stamina was trash by my own admission, and I was clueless on defense.
"I'd love that, but...... I'm hiding that I'm a Sword Master. Won't this teacher figure it out?"
"Meet as Mir."
"......How do you explain that? Dragging Mir in out of nowhere and saying 'teach her'—will they buy it?"
Fair point. Kaiser Crisis suddenly assigning the mercenary Mir to someone? The disconnect was ridiculous even to me.
"That teacher's one of my subordinates."
He said it casually, ignoring my disbelief.
"And subordinates don't need explanations for orders."
His lip curled wickedly.
"They obey even if the boss says 'put a dragon in a jewelry box.' Don't worry. I'll drag 'em here compliant."
I genuinely pitied anyone under Kaiser's command. Tears-worthy.
And on the day I was set to meet this mystery teacher, oblivious to their identity, I arrived at the duke's training hall in the capital's heart.
I figured Kaiser would handle it, so I didn't ask who. Fiddling awkwardly with my mask after so long, I scanned the hall. It was pristine, fully equipped—perfect.
As I tested a massive barbell, waiting for the teacher Kaiser promised, two presences approached.
"Shushu."
I whipped around at Kaiser's voice calling my nickname. And met startled golden eyes.
"......Mir?"
I nearly dropped the barbell on my foot.
*R-Rainer?*
Mouth agape, I gaped in shock. Rainer, equally stunned—his stoic face frozen—clearly hadn't known his student was me.
*Why are you here?!*
With Kaiser in the middle, Rainer and I exchanged wide-eyed horror. I was on the verge of passing out wide awake; Rainer was a statue. Kaiser frowned, glancing between us.
"You two know each other?"
His demanding gaze left us both tongue-tied and awkward.
We'd met saving Llewellyn in crisis; he knew my real name, so I threatened secrecy, then re-met as Crisis lady, got a dance request at the ball and refused. No simple way to explain that.
*Damn...... Rainer's one of Kaiser's subordinates too...... Kaiser's basically the Minister of Defense with top military command. As 2nd Knight Order Captain in the palace, Rainer answers to him.*
*Who could've guessed he'd drag the real Rainer here?!*
Even as a subordinate, a knight order captain was too big a deal for personal training.
*And he knows my real name! He must've pieced together I'm Mir!*
I'd planned to face Rainer eventually—like with Llewellyn—for a proper duel, but not like this.
Still rigid as if holding his breath, I cautiously spoke.
"Isn't this...... the 2nd Knight Order Captain of the palace?"
Unsure if he'd caught on, I used the back-alley intro name. His wandering gaze settled on me. His ears burned red.
"Lady Mir...... why are you here?"
Rainer looked utterly confused. I was too dumbfounded to explain, just flapping my mouth. Kaiser, eyeing us alternately, stepped in.
"You seem to know each other already, but introductions anyway. Mir, this is Sir Rainer Ainheart, 2nd Knight Order Captain and Viscount Ainheart."
*So you're wasting a VIP's precious day off as my training helper?*
The absurdity grew. Ignoring my blank stare, Kaiser pressed on.
"Sir Ainheart, this is the Golden Shield Mercenary Mir, as you see. Greet each other."
"......Hello."
"......Greetings."
Awkward hell. Like meeting your arranged marriage match for the first time.
Sensing the weird vibe between us, Kaiser's brow twitched. He sent me a mental message.
*Shushu. Did Sir Ainheart bully you before or something?*
*Absolutely not!*
His murderous glare said hesitation would paint Rainer as a workplace harasser, so I denied fast.
*Then why the awkward faces? If it's uncomfortable, say so.*
*It's not, it's not......*
Not uncomfortable. As the original male lead, I felt inherent closeness. But our tangled history and uncertainty on what he knew left me unsure how to act.
*Plus, I don't want to force Rainer into helping.*
I side-eyed him. His panicked face screamed he hadn't been told his student was Mir.
"Aren't you busy, Sir Ainheart? You don't seem free enough to help with my training—it feels like imposing."
I probed carefully. I knew his teaching skills, his excellence in standard tech and stamina. He was someone I'd dueled as a fellow swordsman, so I wanted it, but not forced.
"And as a mercenary...... you might find facing me awkward."
I mumbled lowly. Knights scorned mercenaries. Knight Rainer might chafe at mercenary Mir.
*This scrawny guy's the famous Mir? Ha! Mercs are cowards! Stealing knights' glory, huh? A merc as hero? Ridiculous!*
*Nah, pretty and frail—probably sold his body for gigs. Mercs get worked hard, common knowledge.*
Having endured endless knight disdain as a merc, my confidence tanked around them unconsciously.
"......Sir Ainheart."
As I bit my lip avoiding his shaky gaze, Kaiser's expression hardened coldly. He called Rainer in a boiling voice.
Sounded like he'd fry Rainer in oil right then. Pale-faced Rainer shook his head frantically.
"Absolutely not! How could I be uncomfortable around Lady Mir?!"
Desperate denial in his voice. Scared of Kaiser? But those pitiful golden eyes fixed only on me.
"I just heard I'd be teaching someone and was surprised to find you, Lady Mir. You're not someone who needs lessons from me."
Clearly flustered, yet humble and polite. Honest Rainer would've bolted if truly unwilling, Kaiser or no—so it rang true.
"Of course. Mir could beat you with her pinky."
"My lord......"
I cringed, facepalming at Kaiser's salt on Rainer's humility. My "really?" glare got only shameless "it's true" back.
"You don't need to teach her swordsmanship. Just palace knight training courses for stamina and defense."
Rainer still hesitated, golden eyes swirling complex emotions.
"Still, how can I teach Lady Mir—"
"So."
Kaiser's blood-red eyes bored into him. Lip curling, he tilted his head.
"You saying you can't do it now, Captain?"
*That's power abuse.*
Calling by rank meant an order. Admiring Kaiser's tyranny, Rainer sighed and spoke.
"......I obey."
No brigade commander defies a minister. I truly pitied Rainer under Kaiser.