Chapter 172: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (36)
Chapter 172: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (36)
Clang!
Sparks flew into the air.
The two clashing blades slid against each other, flowing along their respective lengths. A fluid succession of chain attacks followed, scattering sharp shockwaves once more.
In those few seconds, it was impossible to even guess how many sword paths had been drawn in such a short span of time.
The air seemed to explode with every clash, and the sheer speed made the vision blur. The blades danced through the gaps like buoys on a restless sea.
At first, I met every strike with a nimble response.
But before long, I was barely managing to keep up, and eventually, I was sent reeling after taking a kick straight to the solar plexus.
"Gah...!"
With a stifled groan, I stumbled backward.
I almost collapsed right then and there, but I gritted my teeth and endured. I was sick and tired of falling and being knocked down.
The opponent seemed to like that. A satisfied smirk played on his lips.
He was a middle-aged man with a burly physique and an impressive red beard.
In his hand, he held a greatsword that looked too heavy to even lift. Yet, the way he swung that massive hunk of metal as if it were a mere skewer was nothing short of intimidating.
The man's name was Derek—a legendary demonic beast hunter and a full-time professor in the Academy Swordsmanship Department.
I had thought my skills had improved significantly, but Professor Derek was still an opponent far beyond my reach.
It made sense, considering he was a man who had spent decades hunting countless demonic beasts in the most remote regions. He had accumulated far more practical combat experience than I could ever hope to compare with.
Of course, I hadn't expected to win easily. But to think I couldn't even leave a scratch... I couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in my mouth.
I thumped my chest a few times to steady my breathing and let out a long sigh. My disappointment was palpable.
Professor Derek merely snorted as if my reaction was absurd.
"Ian, no matter how many times you've crossed the line between life and death, it's still too early for you to face me. I'll acknowledge your swordsmanship and your resourcefulness, but your aura's density is far too low."
"…Going beyond that is a matter of talent, not effort, isn't it? If anyone could become an Expert just because they wanted to, half the Academy would be Experts by now."
Unable to hide my lingering frustration, a grumble escaped my lips. Professor Derek simply shook his head.
Then again, Professor Derek was a swordsman who had reached a state of mastery even among Sword Experts. Talking about talent in front of him was like shouting at a brick wall.
He was a man who had reached the realm everyone dreamed of without even receiving professional swordsmanship training. His talent was beyond question.
In the first place, the life of a demonic beast hunter was so unforgiving that he would have died long ago if he didn't possess such talent.
The fact that he was standing here alive was proof enough of his genius. Moreover, hadn't he risen to the position of an Academy professor despite being a commoner?
Perhaps because of that extraordinary talent, Professor Derek didn't seem to empathize with my words at all.
"It's easy to blame talent, Ian. Especially for you, since you lack an absolute quantity of mana… But what you need to reach the level of an Expert isn't talent; it's mental imagery."
I stared blankly at Professor Derek, still hunched over from the blow to my solar plexus. Seeing my skeptical gaze, he wore a bitter smile.
"Look at you right now. Your swordsmanship and combat experience already surpass most Experts. But why do you think your aura is the only thing that hasn't progressed?"
"…Because I'm low on mana?"
My repeated argument was met with a repeated denial.
Professor Derek shook his head once more.
"It's because your mental imagery hasn't been settled yet. Aura is the manifestation of mental imagery; the firmer your imagery, the stronger it becomes. But lately, I can feel cracks in your aura."
My mouth shut tight at those words.
My mental imagery hasn't been settled. As soon as I heard it, something snagged in my mind like a jagged rock.
Lately, there were many times when I didn't feel like myself.
In those moments, my memories would become a jumbled mess, I would suddenly possess skills I had never learned, and when I finally snapped out of it, the ground around me would be soaked in blood.
Perhaps that chaos was indeed affecting my aura.
As I stood there for a while with my eyes cast down in silence, Professor Derek nodded as if he had expected as much.
He walked over slowly and gave my shoulder a few heavy pats.
His hands were so large that even a light touch felt painful. When my brow furrowed instinctively, Professor Derek let out a boisterous laugh.
"Don't overthink it, Ian. You're still wavering, but you're already standing at the threshold of being an Expert… You just need to remember one thing."
My eyes turned back to Professor Derek. He advised me in a tone that had suddenly turned solemn.
"Single-Mindedness!"
I paused for a moment at that single phrase, then couldn't help but ask back in a puzzled voice.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"When you fight, everything becomes blurred, forgotten, and hazy… In those gaps of the unconscious, there is a single will that suddenly leaps out, as if tearing through a veil."
A playful smile played on Professor Derek's face as he spoke. He looked like a father who had just sent his son on his first errand.
"Look for it. You can do it."
With those words of encouragement, Professor Derek began to walk away. He finished his farewell by waving his hand a couple of times, as if nothing had happened.
It was then that I, standing with my back to him for a brief moment, spoke up.
"…Professor Derek."
I felt his gaze shift toward me. That sharp look testified that the wildness within him had not yet vanished.
Naturally, I looked back over my shoulder.
It was the moment the eyes of the middle-aged swordsman and mine met in mid-air.
"Is it really okay for you to keep helping me? I'm currently in the middle of a conflict with the Imperial Household."
"Hmph, I wondered what you were going to say…."
Despite my cautious question, Professor Derek merely swallowed a dry laugh as if it were ridiculous.
He clicked his tongue and said, "I was born a commoner and now I'm teaching nobles. What does a little friction matter? If a noble can splash a little water on a royal, so be it."
It was an outrageous thing to say.
It was a statement that should never have come from someone who understood even a fraction of how noble society functioned. If someone chose to make an issue of it, he could be arrested for lèse-majesté.
It was a statement that dangerous.
However, coming from Professor Derek's mouth, it sounded like nothing at all, making me swallow a hollow laugh.
It was advice from a master who had crossed countless lines between life and death.
I decided to carve the word 'Single-Mindedness' into my heart as I steadied my hands, which were still trembling from the aftershocks of the duel.
Gripping the hilt of my sword, my eyes turned toward the setting sun.
A lot had happened.
I had assigned Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie to scout the perimeter of the procession, and I had advised the non-combat personnel, including the Saintess and Emma, not to participate in the Homecoming Festival.
Of course, I had also specifically asked Professor Derek, whom I met today, to keep a close eye on the surroundings. A powerhouse of his caliber would be able to prevent countless casualties.
All those paths were now converging and diverging at a single crossroads.
The Homecoming Festival was tomorrow.
On the day of the Homecoming Festival, the Princess was waiting for someone with an anxious expression.
Her footsteps, pacing back and forth, looked unstable to anyone watching. A few passersby even took notice of the change in Cien, who was usually so composed.
But today, the Princess couldn't afford to care about what others thought.
The preparations were complete.
All that was left was to light the fuse. While it would take time for the Yurdina family's army to arrive, she could still set the plan to destroy the Percus territory into motion before then.
First, she would choke off the funding for Ria Percus's merchant guild.
The reason the guild had been able to hold out despite numerous clients terminating their contracts was thanks to the cash assets they had secured.
However, if the guild's ability to repay its debts was called into question, the existing creditors could arbitrarily apply for emergency repayment. Normally, this would be done under the strict supervision of the Imperial Treasury, but it didn't matter.
Wasn't Cien a member of the Imperial Household?
It would be a fatal blow to the Percus territory, which had already begun to be cut off from neighboring lands.
Before long, resources within the territory would run low, and the Imperial Household's support, intended for such times, would not arrive.
Furthermore, several schemes were prepared for the Einstein and Haster territories as well. It was a flawless, airtight plan.
Despite this, the only reason Cien was so anxious was simple.
There was no turning back.
Once it began, it would take several times the effort and time to undo the damage. Moreover, the label of a merchant guild with questionable repayment ability was fatal in the world of commerce.
To turn that distrust back into trust might take decades, let not just a few years.
And to inflict irreversible damage on someone meant that her relationship with them would also become irreversible.
In truth, Cien was a coward.
As a child, she had to endure the fear and contempt of everyone alone. It had left an indelible scar deep within her psyche.
That was why she had gone to great lengths to ensure that not a single person hated her until now.
She knew better than anyone how much even a single person's hostility could hurt.
But if Cien made her decision today, at least one person in this world would hate her for the rest of their life.
That was what she feared so much.
Especially when she thought of those golden eyes glaring at her while holding an axe, Cien's knees would instinctively tremble. Of all the people to make an enemy of, she had to pick such a terrifying human being.
But it was better to be an object of fear than to be looked down upon.
That was the conclusion Cien had reached after stepping over countless hatreds. Wasn't Ian Percus the prime example?
Many people hounded him, but no one actually dared to touch him.
Because Ian Percus was a terrifying existence.
The Princess was simply going to do the same.
However, no matter how much she reaffirmed her resolve, her hesitation would not vanish, so she was waiting for a certain man.
Cien wasn't the only one who was anxious.
Irene, whom the Princess had forced to accompany her, was also fidgeting. Although her protection had been strengthened since Ian's last threat, Irene was utterly dejected after everything she had been through.
Only the few Imperial Guards newly dispatched from the Imperial Household seemed composed. Other than them, only the Head Maid, who could be considered a non-combatant, maintained her calm.
The man who had kept these two women on edge finally made his appearance as morning broke.
A pouch that hadn't been there before was visible at his waist. Judging by how full it looked, it seemed to be a pouch for potions. And then there were the sharply whetted blades of his twin axes.
He looked as if he had completed every possible preparation. It was impossible to know why he was putting so much effort into something like a Homecoming Festival procession.
Cien felt a faint flicker of suspicion for a moment, but it was outweighed by the relief of finally facing the man.
She reflexively called out his name.
"Ian Percus!"
The man, who had been walking in silence, came to a sudden halt.
His golden eyes flickered toward the Princess. Every time she saw that burning gaze, the Princess felt her heart skip a beat, but she couldn't hold back any longer.
She strode forward and stood right in front of him.
It was the moment the eyes of the man and the woman met.