Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Confused (?) Master Swordsman (2)
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“Indeed... Lord Ronhart's words do carry some merit.”
Drey mulled over the master swordsman's point before speaking in a measured tone.
“No—no, Lord Ronhart's opinion is the one with merit. If we're to choose what's reasonable, it should naturally be Lord Ronhart's view.”
But that expression.
That tone.
Was it just his imagination, or did it seem like Drey was suppressing his delight?
The master swordsman felt an odd unease toward Drey.
Deep down, he grew wary of him.
If there was one type of person the master swordsman had been most cautious of in his life, it wasn't a swordmaster at the pinnacle of the blade or an archmage atop the magic tower.
It was those who drew people in and manipulated them with their inscrutable intentions.
They were the most troublesome opponents when standing against you.
The master swordsman saw it right away.
Drey was one of those people.
“Entrusting a task requiring magical knowledge to someone who has earned the eye of the master swordsman with a single sword... It's unacceptable. Beyond inefficient—it's downright improper. Isn't it?”
Look at that.
That enigmatic way of speaking, hard to read his intentions.
‘Is he worried that my involvement might strain things between him and Rishir?’
Rishir was a clever and wise young man.
The master swordsman had not a shred of doubt about that.
But he was still young.
Too young to deal with a man with snake's eyes and a fox's face.
‘Drey of Mastien...’
For him, handling Rishir would be child's play.
Rishir certainly held infinite potential as a swordsman, but that alone wasn't enough to protect himself.
Not against the immense power wielded by a great noble right now.
It was the chronic plight of talented youths without backing.
Winning the favor of those in power, getting entangled with them, and ending up in situations beyond their own strength.
The master swordsman.
He had seen countless such young people ruined in the same circumstances.
He made up his mind.
The interest of a great noble.
He needed to lend his strength so Rishir could protect himself from it.
The master swordsman answered Drey, who waited calmly for his response.
“That's right. Assigning a task requiring magical knowledge to one who wields the sword. It's certainly improper, just as you said.”
But.
Why?
The master swordsman stared at Drey as if interrogating him.
“Assigning a task requiring magical knowledge to one who wields the sword is improper... What perfect logic...!”
That was Drey's reaction.
He mulled over the master swordsman's words once more and swallowed a laugh.
In normal times, it would have been an unmistakable breach of etiquette.
But why?
“...?”
The master swordsman was bewildered.
He found he felt no displeasure at Drey's reaction.
It was only natural, in a way.
Drey's stifled laughter.
His current reaction.
It stemmed from pure, unadulterated joy, without a trace of impurity.
Even the gaze Drey directed at the master swordsman was warm.
Like a child delighted by soap bubbles.
Or an adult fondly watching such a child.
They say the one who enjoys holds the strength.
Drey's overwhelming cheerfulness was effortlessly dismantling the master swordsman's defenses.
“Lord Ronhart?”
It was then.
Rishir.
Sensing the conversation wasn't meshing, he spoke up to ease the master swordsman's confusion.
“Ah, hold on, Rishir.”
Drey stopped him.
His eyes said it all.
It's fine.
I'll handle it.
Drey wanted this adorable delight from the novice(?) to last just a bit longer.
Rishir, unaware of Drey's inner thoughts, simply nodded at the reliable great noble's demeanor.
“Lord Ronhart, may I ask one thing?”
“I'm an old man who only knows the sword. I'm far too lacking to converse with a brilliant man like you.”
“Haha, please don't say that. How dare a young fool like me presume to debate knowledge before the master swordsman. This is merely light conversation to strengthen the harmony between us three.”
“In that case, this old man will trust your words, approach the talk lightly, and hear the question you haven't finished.”
“Suppose.”
The master swordsman maintained a calm facade outwardly, but inwardly he was tense.
His fame endured, but in the end, he was a ghost of a bygone era.
If the young, powerful great noble before him set his mind to deceive him, there was nothing he could do.
‘What question will he ask...’
It would surely be some tricky one demanding political acumen.
The master swordsman steeled himself and awaited his next words.
“Rishir's magical prowess rivals that of a magic tower master. Or perhaps surpasses it.”
“?”
For some reason, the exhilarated Drey began in an intrigued tone.
“If that's the reason I assigned him a task requiring magical knowledge—how would you take it, Lord Ronhart?”
“...Some kind of riddle?”
A question utterly unlike what he'd imagined.
Ronhart unwittingly replied with a bewildered expression.
“No—not at all.”
Drey was on the verge of bursting with joy at the reaction.
“It's just a simple question and answer. Say whatever comes to mind, Lord Ronhart.”
“Goodness...”
Had Drey's question seemed profound at first glance, Ronhart would have strived to discern the hidden intent.
But.
What intent could be hidden in such playful words, and how was he to find it?
Drey was right.
All Ronhart could do was voice the thought that arose upon hearing the question.
The truism of a wrong question yielding a right answer.
“Rishir is a swordsman, isn't he?”
He felt embarrassed for striking the nail on the head.
That should have been Drey's reaction.
“Hahahahaha!!!”
Yet Drey laughed uproariously, his face flushing with excitement over some part of the answer that delighted him so.
“Hahaha! Exactly as you say! Rishir is a swordsman, after all!”
“...?”
After reveling in the joy for a while, Drey caught his breath with an ‘ah...’ and shook his head.
“Lord Ronhart, thank you for humoring the conversation.”
“...Is that the end?”
“Ah! Do you have more to ask me? Regarding Rishir, that is.”
“...No. Conversation with you is... too overwhelming for me. I can't even catch the rhythm.”
“Haha, my apologies. As recompense—though it's hardly that—I'll reconsider assigning that task to Rishir, as you suggested.”
“...”
Was this right?
Backing down so easily?
‘There must be some other intent—but that attitude... no... no...’
Drey's current state was clearly too much for the novice(?) to keep up with.
As the master swordsman writhed in profound confusion and helplessness,
Rishir spoke.
“Lord Ronhart, thank you for your concern, but that task was assigned to me by Duke Phalrag. And it concerns me as well.”
“But you—”
Was it because of the grand initiation(?) his senior(?) had just put him through?
—But aren't you a swordsman?
The master swordsman instinctively held back those words.
He realized.
When it came to Rishir, he needed to approach things with unconventional thinking!
That's when it hit him.
The appropriate conduct for this situation.
‘Not just astrology... magic too!?’
That shocking possibility.
“Rishir. Don't tell me...”
The master swordsman stared at Rishir with trembling eyes.
“You wield not only astrology, but magic as well?”
“Yes.”
“Heavens...!”
Ronhart clutched his forehead and sighed.
“L-Lord Drey... One last question, if I may...?”
“Gladly, I'll hear it.”
What would he say now!
Drey answered instantly, eyes sparkling.
“The level of magical knowledge required for that task... how advanced is it...?”
“It demands a rather specialized kind of knowledge. In Bondales, including Rishir, there are fewer than ten mages capable of performing it.”
“Bondales includes... the Gray Magic Tower as well?”
“Of course.”
“Ah...”
The master swordsman's body trembled violently.
As one who wielded swordsmanship through blue breath—
Magic resonance was thoroughly another world.
For example.
Rishir had no path to apply such profound magical knowledge in actual combat.
‘If he'd focused that time on swordsmanship instead!!!!!!!!!!’
It wasn't just astrology.
Realizing Rishir's swordsmanship talent was being wasted across so many fields, the master swordsman screamed inwardly.
‘Pursuing all that scholarship alongside, and that's his current level!? Then, if he'd devoted himself fully to the sword...!’
Thinking positively.
The master swordsman decided to be grateful for the chance to correct his deviations even now.
“Lord Drey, may I speak with you a moment?”
“Certainly.”
In the meantime, Rishir began skimming the materials Drey had handed him.
“...”
The master swordsman felt anew his astonishment toward Rishir.
‘At that age, such scholarly depth.’
Hidden behind his swordsmanship talent.
Otherwise, it would be a wondrous level of genius on its own.
To urge him as a swordsman to abandon it all.
The master swordsman approached Rishir, despairing at his own position.
“Rishir... I have something to say.”
“Ah, sorry, Lord Ronhart. Could you wait a moment?”
Hoh.
The master swordsman widened his eyes at Rishir engrossed in the magic tome.
Had he made progress already in that short time?
‘From what Drey said earlier, it seemed like quite an arcane magic tome—’
Curiosity piqued, the master swordsman moved behind Rishir to peer at it.
“Hm?”
It was then.
Something blocked the master swordsman's view.
A rippling grayish-white flame.
“A spirit...?”
A spirit out of nowhere?
The master swordsman looked at Drey.
Did you summon it?
“...”
Drey shook his head.
With his lips pressed tight.
He then said,
“It's a spirit summoned by Rishir, so no need to be surprised.”
“?”
Did I hear wrong?
The master swordsman blinked at Drey.
To him came the sound of Rishir conversing with the spirit.
Soon after.
Rishir, eyes fixed on the magic tome, waved his hand in the air.
Then, the magic tome emitted a brilliant light, illuminating the room.
“Ah, that's Rishir's magic, so no need to be surprised.”
No?
I am surprised?
“You said that's Rishir's magic now?”
As if in answer, a flash bloomed above Rishir's hand.
“...My god.”
The master swordsman murmured in daze.
“True magical power...”
“No, Lord Ronhart. That seems like divine power.”
“...Where are we?”
The master swordsman's expression suddenly changed as he looked around.
In truth, he was Torben.
When the master swordsman possessing Torben's body lost control of his ego for some reason, Torben's consciousness had temporarily resurfaced.