Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Grasping and Shaking the Weak Point
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I pulled a wooden sword from the bundle and tossed it to Liam.
"This is……"
Liam caught the suddenly flying wooden sword with ease.
"Were you planning to use a real sword?"
I nodded toward his waist and grinned.
"Why, were you hoping for a chance to beat me up?"
"……As if I would."
Liam cleared his throat awkwardly and gripped the wooden sword properly.
'He's probably been waiting for an opportunity.'
There was a high chance he'd pretend it was an accident during sparring and injure me. Of course, I planned to block that possibility from the root.
I drew the last wooden sword from the bundle. Meanwhile, Liam, who had taken hold of his, tilted his head.
"It's been so long since I used a wooden sword, I'm not sure if it'll be okay."
"Does it take that long to get used to it?"
"……"
At my provocative question, Liam's eyes changed.
He shut his mouth and swung the wooden sword strongly a few times. Whoosh, whoosh—threatening sounds cut through the air.
Soon, Liam turned back with a faint smile.
"Looks like we're ready."
Oh, really?
I pouted and gripped my wooden sword.
'This weight feels about like Requiem.'
As I roughly gauged the weight, I felt Liam's piercing gaze. Specifically, on my wrist holding the wooden sword.
"Young Master."
Liam called me in a gravely serious tone.
"Give it a swing first."
I sighed inwardly. His intentions were obvious.
'Maybe I should play along for now.'
I gripped the wooden sword and swung it half-heartedly.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Unlike when Liam had swung it moments ago, a feeble sound escaped.
Liam, who had been watching me intently, said enthusiastically.
"We need to correct your stance first. And your arm strength is severely lacking."
Then he glanced toward the distant training grounds and continued.
"Normally, you'd build stamina by running laps around the training grounds……"
He rested his hand on his chin and spoke in a serious tone.
"Since that's not possible, we'll have to think of another way."
If I left him alone, he'd come back with a months-long training plan, packed tight with hourly schedules.
"For now, maybe attach some weighted pouches lightly and……"
"Stop, stop."
I cut off Liam's endlessly extending thoughts.
'I can't let that happen.'
He seemed to want to fill this time with stamina training. But I wasn't the fool who would waste my already precious limited time on mere physical conditioning.
"I don't need stamina training."
"But in your current physical condition……"
"I know my body better than anyone. I'm already training."
"……You're already doing it?"
Liam asked, sounding extremely perplexed.
"And you're still in this state?"
This guy?
As I glared at him, Liam immediately pretended nothing was wrong.
"I'm sorry."
"Forget it. There's only one thing I want from you."
I raised the wooden sword and pointed it at Liam.
"Come at me with the intent to kill."
"What are you saying?"
Liam's face twisted harshly.
"How could I dare harm the Young Master?"
You were going to earlier.
I pouted at his shamelessness. Now, he just shook his head stubbornly with a hardened expression.
"Impossible. Please withdraw the order."
"It's fine because I'm telling you to."
"That's not the issue."
Liam repeated in a frustrated tone.
"I can't spar with someone who's never learned swordsmanship. You'll definitely get hurt."
"That's why I gave you the wooden sword—so I won't get hurt."
"The fight isn't even……"
"Have you forgotten what happened in Cader Territory?"
As I cut him off, Liam immediately shut his mouth.
The memory of that day when I took down three men unscathed alone. Perhaps recalling it, the worry faded from his face.
"Well……that's true."
Liam replied reluctantly.
"I acknowledge your talent, Young Master. But there's a huge gap between a mere thug and a trained knight."
He took a breath and continued.
"Above all, didn't you say you wanted my swordsmanship? Then starting from the basics step by step, learning as I teach, would be far more effective."
So, start with stamina training? No way.
I shook my head heavily.
"It's too late."
"Why are you in such a hurry? This aggressive method—I just don't understand."
Liam frowned. His face was filled only with incomprehension.
'Yeah, it must be frustrating.'
The future that only I knew in this world.
To stop it, I had to use any means necessary.
"Liam Schmidt."
I stared straight at him.
"I won't say it twice."
I pointed the wooden sword at his throat and commanded.
"Come at me. Now."
Liam's face stiffened rigidly.
"……Are you serious?"
"If you don't come at me now, I'll start cutting your pay bit by bit."
"……"
"And every time I get hurt, your pay gets cut too."
Liam's face crumpled. I flashed a mischievous smile.
"So don't worry about me getting hurt. Got it?"
Liam stared at me for a long while, eyebrows furrowed. To put it bluntly,
'Is something wrong with your head?'
That's the look in his eyes.
I met his gaze without backing down. The determination in my eyes was firm and unwavering.
"……Understood."
Liam let out a long breath.
"Then, Young Master, focus on defense as much as possible. Just that will let you feel a lot of growth."
Exactly the situation I wanted. Facing an opponent who wielded Ovest swordsmanship while still in control of his reason, attacking me.
It was just one step away from unfolding before me.
"Good. Let's start."
I smiled contentedly.
Liam's gaze brushed my lips. He sighed softly and gripped his sword tighter.
"Here I go. Please be careful."
The moment he finished speaking,
Flash!
His body shot forward like lightning. Instinctively thrusting out my sword to block,
"Urk."
I felt the overwhelming difference in power. Instead of resisting with force, I tilted my blade sideways to deflect Liam's sword.
"……"
Just blocking one attack made my palm tingle.
Such brute strength. With those forearms packed with muscle, it's no wonder.
I steadied my breathing and assessed the situation.
Inferior in strength and speed. Counterattack impossible. Wait for an opening.
I calmly adjusted my stance and waited for Liam to approach. Watching me closely, Liam spoke in a stiff tone.
"Well done. Don't force it—focus on evasion."
"Come on, then."
Even at my cold retort, Liam smiled faintly.
"Understood."
Once more, his sword flew like thunder. Simple, but precisely targeting vitals.
'This is Ovest Swordsmanship, First Form.'
I focused on deflecting Liam's sword. Thanks to him not using full power on purpose, it was manageable.
But if time dragged on like this, I'd tire for sure, increasing the chance of mistakes.
"Huff, huff."
My breathing was already getting ragged. My limbs were starting to weaken from constant movement.
In contrast, Liam's face was utterly calm. Annoyingly so.
'How do you plan to learn swordsmanship this way?'
Liam's eyes seemed to say.
To him, the future was already clear. This drawn-out exchange continuing until I collapsed from exhaustion.
Normally, yes. A young master who'd never held a sword sparring with me was nearly impossible.
'Not enough.'
But 'I' wasn't normal. To survive, I had to surpass that. Absolutely.
While exchanging blows with Liam, I imprinted his stance, his grip on the sword, his footwork.
'I have to understand it to break it.'
My azure-purple eyes flashed so blue they seemed to glow. Every motion etched slowly onto my retinas.
At some point, flaws appeared in what had seemed perfect movements. Before I knew it, I was mimicking Liam's actions.
"……!"
Noticing it, Liam's eyes widened. The moment his hand hesitated in surprise, he missed my movement.
'Now!'
Ovest Swordsmanship First Form unleashes fierce offense, but the lower body is vulnerable.
I knew this in theory. And now witnessing it in real combat, I instinctively knew what to do next.
My figure vanished from Liam's sight.
"What!"
Liam urgently withdrew his sword and stepped back. Then, he spotted me surging up from below in an extremely low stance.
'Too late!'
He couldn't injure me, but the reverse was possible.
Paang!
My sword mercilessly grazed Liam's armpit.
❖ ❖ ❖
A few days later.
"Switch."
A fellow knight tapped Liam's shoulder. At the sudden pain, Liam winced.
"Ow."
"Oh, sorry. You hurt?"
He quickly smoothed his expression and replied.
"It's not an injury, just a tweak."
"You, Liam? That's new. Never seen it before."
Liam shook his head lightly.
"My mistake."
He tried to brush it off, but his colleague seemed intrigued that Liam was hurt.
"Hey, hear that? This guy's shoulder is injured."
He even told the other colleagues coming for the shift.
"Oh, no wonder. You looked uncomfortable moving."
"What happened?"
Liam shook his head, reluctant to say.
"It's nothing."
"Come on, tell us."
A colleague chimed in, narrowing his eyes.
"But what do you do on your days off lately?"
"Why?"
"We never see you. Meeting someone?"
At the casual remark, the other colleagues' eyes lit up.
"A girl?"
"Has to be a girl."
"……No."
Liam sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"If only it were a girl…… Sigh, forget it."
"What is it? Spill."
"I'm going now."
Liam waved them off and turned. At that moment, a sharp pain surged from his shoulder blade.
"……"
His eye twitched. He took a deep breath to push down the pain.
After a light dinner, he retrieved the hidden wooden sword from under his dorm bed and headed to the stables.
Faint moonlight slowly descended over the quiet, empty stables.
'If he's coming…… still some time left.'
Abel always showed up leisurely right on the hour. Waiting for him was Liam's role.
Liam leaned against a stable pillar. Rubbing his sore shoulder, he sank into thought.
'I never expected it to turn out like this.'
When he first stepped into the gambling den, he was nervous someone might recognize him. An honorable Ovest Knight Order knight frequenting an illegal gambling house—what if it got out?
But the first time is hard, after that it's easy.