Chapter 63
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: A Good Death
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“...Are you listening?”
Vivian looked up at the voice in front of her.
She had been utterly defeated by her target twice in a row, and this time she’d even come up with a perfect plan! Only to be blocked by the appearance of an unexpected interloper.
Still, Nova had asked her so earnestly that she couldn't just run away.
“I understand in theory, but just hearing you talk about it, I don't really get it.”
“Hmm... I see. Well, they do say that seeing something in person is the clearest way to understand...”
Vivian’s eyes sparkled at the man’s words.
She had seen mages a few times before, but this was the first time she’d been this close to one.
What kind of magic would he show her? Would he pull a rabbit out of his hand?
Vivian’s eyes grew as wide as her fists.
“I will show you a very simple, basic spell: ‘Light’.”
When the man lightly snapped his fingers, a sphere the size of a human finger joint, radiating light, appeared above his palm.
It was a far cry from the magic she’d been expecting.
If you needed light, you could just light a candle. Why bother with magic?!
However, since he was right in front of her, Vivian forced herself to cheer.
“Whoa! You're saying I can do this?”
“Yes, and you might even be able to make it brighter than I can. Would you like to try?”
Vivian’s eyes widened at the man’s follow-up question.
‘He shows me once and tells me to copy him... Is he joking?’
The man’s dull-looking face seemed incapable of even comprehending the word “joke.”
“Ah, since this is your very first time, it might be difficult. I will explain in more detail. Now, magic is desire. It is also the manifestation of earnestness. That is why many people awaken to magic in extreme situations. Of course, one can also learn it as an academic discipline, but that takes a long time.”
The man’s voice was so monotonous that just listening to him made her drowsy.
‘I guess I'm just not cut out for studying.’
Even when she was studying the requisite subjects for a noble lady, she had run away so often that they had to assign a dedicated guard to watch her. Of course, that only improved her escape skills.
She didn't know how to play a single instrument a noble lady was required to master, but she did know how to jump out of a window without making a sound.
“I will show you again. Light.”
The man once again conjured a small ball of light on his finger.
Vivian just stared blankly.
“It’s alright. We can just keep trying until you get it.”
The sincerity in the man’s subsequent words made her focus. But she still couldn’t feel a thing.
“You’ll get it if you keep trying. Again, light.”
Perhaps because she was concentrating, this time she thought she saw a faint glimmer of something, but—.
‘So sleepy.’
Vivian’s concentration wasn't very good.
Swallowitz, a mage from the White Magic Tower, bit his lip as he watched the young lady in front of him, her mouth hanging open, drool dripping down as she dozed off.
At first, the radiant light of mana had blinded him to the lady’s beautiful features, but now, he was so angry he couldn’t see her beauty at all.
The old mage's axiom, ‘Mana is a prankster,’ felt particularly poignant at that moment.
‘Of all people, why this ignorant woman...?’
Swallowitz let out a deep sigh.
***
The gleeful hail-air-conditioner had finally turned the entire hall into a room of ice.
‘Is this even possible?’
Knowing nothing about magic, I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Her skill was pathetic compared to the mages I had met, but her rate of improvement was incredibly fast.
“Genius! Genius! Kanna! From this day on, 'Kanna' and 'genius' are one and the same! Genius is Kanna!”
“To think Kanna is my disciple...! I am witnessing a moment in history...”
I scratched my head at the sight of the two of them cheering and clapping endlessly in front of the hail-air-conditioner.
I quietly called over the constantly bouncing washing machine and had him sit in front of me. The washing machine was still sneaking glances at the hail-air-conditioner.
“It hasn't been long since I gave her the grimoire. Is this even possible?”
“Huh? Ah! I have no idea!”
The washing machine's utterly confident reply left me speechless for a moment.
“What about you? You must have read the grimoire, right?”
“Nope. Kanna said she'd tear me to shreds if I touched it, so I haven't seen it. Isn't she just adorable?”
I felt a surge of frustration at this so-called mage, who had no academic curiosity whatsoever and nonchalantly changed the subject to Kanna's cuteness with a shrug.
‘Right. That explains why he was starving even with such great magic.’
It didn't seem like I'd get any answers by asking further, so I waved him away. The washing machine promptly scurried back to the hail-air-conditioner and became a clapping machine once more.
“Wow, it’s so cool. Senior Kanna is amazing.”
“If we stay here, can we do stuff like that too?”
“I think so. Senior Kanna might...”
Watching the trio of suckers cheerfully chatting as they swept up the falling ice behind them made my head throb.
I was about to conclude she was simply a genius, but then—.
“Pwoooooh!”
Her show-off face, the strange dance, the hail pouring down... she looked just like a little kid who'd gotten their hands on a can of snow spray and was having the time of her life.
‘I don't get it. Who cares if she's a genius or not.’
As long as the air-conditioner and ice-maker functions worked properly, it didn't really matter, so I clapped along with them.
The hail show ended when Kanna, having used up all her energy, keeled over.
Hana caught him as if it were a common occurrence.
***
Knock, knock, knock.
First, I reached for my sword.
“Did it rain in here last night?”
I finished a light morning workout with the Abbot, who was questioning the water dripping from the ceiling, and a very sleepy Choco.
“Fwoooosh!”
I ate a meat pie while being pelted by chunks of ice from the air-conditioner, who I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was making wind noises with his mouth.
“...Hm?”
“It’s good, right? It’s good!”
When I tilted my head at the surprisingly tasty meat pie, Hana jumped up and down. It seemed she had learned a thing or two about cooking from the washing machine. After that, she dragged the washing machine over and went on and on about how much of a knack she had for cooking.
After a chaotic breakfast, with ice slapping me on one side and a talk show on the other, I headed to headquarters.
Kel, Berman, the weasel, and Pul were in front of the building.
They were inspecting the cart and driver for the village patrol.
“Team Leader. We'll take care of things here.”
I nodded at snake-eyed Pul and headed for the Captain.
The Captain, now wearing only his tunic, was practically melted onto his desk, raising just a hand in greeting. I tossed a few ice shards that were stuck in my armor at him.
“Aaargh!”
A few of them slipped inside his tunic, and he fell backward with a spasm. But a moment later, he seemed to feel the coolness, and his expression turned strange.
I chuckled at that and went back outside.
It looked like they were ready.
Berman and Pul were talking to the cart driver, while Kel and the weasel were cackling about something.
“Rosa is too expensive.”
“I’m giving you a special price...”
I smacked them both on the back of the head and went over to Berman.
“All set?”
“Yes, all checked. We packed some groceries and supplies like last time.”
I nodded at Pul’s crisp answer and gave a nod to the cart driver. He flinched slightly and nodded back.
The cart was packed to the brim with goods, leaving just enough space for two adult men to sit.
I dusted off my boots, climbed into the empty spot, and squeezed in. My team members paid me no mind and finished their preparations.
Soon, the horse began to move at a leisurely pace.
My team members walked alongside, yawning.
At the castle gate, a guard was arguing with a cart driver.
“Hey, Bedrick! Didn't you enter with a full cart last time and leave with an empty one? That'll be one silver!”
Pul, who was passing by, pointed at the thick-necked cart driver and shouted. The guard in front immediately slugged the driver.
The driver clutched his nose and pulled a silver coin from his pocket.
‘Ignorant fools.’
The cart rattled along, moving briskly.
At this speed, we should be able to return to Casedic Castle by sunset. It used to take several days when there were many villages, but now that we were only managing one, it should be over quickly.
“Brother, being out here like this brings back old memories, doesn't it?”
The weasel spoke up with a grin.
‘Old memories, huh.’
Zombies, ruined villages, and a little kid. They were far from good memories, but I nodded anyway.
If you just vaguely said, ‘Those were the days,’ it usually got a positive spin.
“Hah! Back then, you and I, back-to-back against the corpses! Ba-ba-boom! Shiiing! Gyaaaah! Don't you worry this time either! I've got your back, brother!”
The weasel shadowboxed the air, brimming with confidence. He’d been walking with a lot more swagger since the last selection trial.
“Team Leader, two villages have disappeared. Wouldn't it be better to move the remaining villagers into the castle?”
“They won't move. These folks would rather die than leave their homes. And it's not like the inner wall residents would welcome them.”
If two out of three villages were wiped out, it would be normal for the last one to flee to the castle, but these people refused to leave their homes, as if they had roots planted in the ground.
It was understandable since they’d have to abandon everything they’d ever known, but still, it felt extreme.
“Ah, with the weather getting hotter, Rosa's business has been slow. I can’t remember the last time I had a meat pie...”
Kel muttered, smacking his lips.
“She stops working just because it’s hot?”
“Yes, I suppose you sweat a lot.”
I was surprised that these ignorant medieval folks even thought about such things. I thought they were in heat year-round.
“Talk to Hana. Maybe you can take some of her ice beer and sell it.”
“What? But that damn... I mean, that cute little kid growls at me on sight.”
“That's why you talk to Hana separately. She's been looking for a place to sell her beer lately, too.”
“That’s a good idea. Lately, Rosa... and since it's hot, the whores...”
Kel continued, telling me a lot more than I cared to know.
Thanks to him, I received a lengthy lecture on how whores spend their summers. Another piece of useless knowledge cluttered my brain.
The sun was beating down so intensely that I untied the cape around my neck and draped it over my face. It had originally been black with gold stripes, but it was so grimy it had turned brown.
‘I need to get a new one.’
To cool off, I took out my waterskin and took a sip. Kanna had frozen the whole thing, so it was incredibly cold.
“You know Jace from the inner wall? The woman he's seeing is named Emma, a girl I know well. And get this, after they're done in bed, Jace supposedly bursts into tears. Cries like a baby, wailing and all.”
Bored, Kel started talking again. He went on and on with all sorts of stories, and the others chimed in.
Sipping my drink, I made my way to the village in relative comfort. We arrived when the sun was just short of its peak.
The village's chief was a fussy fellow named Jones. Since the Jones family had been chiefs for generations, the village itself had come to be called ‘Jones Village’.
Jones Village was a small place with about 80 residents. A thick wooden palisade surrounded it.
‘Thinking about the hell I went through putting that up...’
About a year ago, I’d come on patrol, and the villagers were trembling in fear about wolves and other things roaming around, so I spent a few days setting up the fence for them.
The palisade seemed to be in good shape, which meant this area had likely been completely untouched by the recent troubles.
“Huh? It's Aron and his men!!”
A man standing by the palisade, wearing a clumsy leather vest and holding a sharp spear, spotted us and shouted loudly.
A few more people came out from inside to greet us.
“Aron! It’s been a while!”
Jones the 8th, son of Jones the 6th, greeted me.
The Jones family, proud of their lineage as village chiefs, added numbers after their names.
I pointed out that seven comes after six, but he insisted the name was already decided, so Jones the Eighth he remained.
“Right, son Jones. Where's father Jones?”
“Ah, father is out in the fields.”
“Your father's working, so why are you here?”
“Well... I wasn’t slacking off, I was repairing the palisade.”
“You little shit, you were slacking.”
“Ack! No, I wasn’t!”
I reached out from the cart and pinched Jones’s leg. He yelped and jumped, proclaiming his innocence.
The cart slowly rolled into the village. This place, at least, stank a little less of filth, since I’d knocked some sense into the kids last time I was here.
“It's true what you said, Lord Aron. Disposing of the waste outside has really cut down on minor illnesses. We just thought you were taking your anger out on us, but it actually had an effect...”
Son Jones, walking beside me, praised me in an awestruck voice as if I’d accomplished some great feat.
Being praised for the very obvious advice to dispose of their shit outside the village didn't exactly make me feel great.
“And try to wash your hands often, too.”
“Our hands? But won’t that cause disease...?”
“Just do it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Watching son Jones muttering ‘wash hands often’ to himself made me sigh.
“Where are the kids?”
The children, who would usually come running like a pack of wolves, were nowhere to be seen.
“Wash hands often... Ah, a recent visitor is playing with them.”
“Is that so? No problems?”
“No. But the other villages...”
I gestured for my team members, who were watching from the side, to go inside and rest.
Kel led the others and disappeared somewhere. He’d probably wander around the village for a bit, help out with some chores, get some free booze, and then blend in with the locals.
I headed to the village hall with son Jones. In the distance, father Jones came running, out of breath.
“Hey, father Jones.”
“Aron!”
I entered the shabby village hall with son Jones on my left and father Jones on my right, a complete Jones set.
The hall contained nothing but a large, crudely made wooden table and equally crude wooden chairs. In a corner lay a bed made of piled-up straw.
I placed two chairs side by side and sat on them.
Father Jones and son Jones sat across from me.
“Aron, what in the world is going on?”
Father Jones asked in a grave voice.
“What do you mean?”
“I heard two villages have disappeared!”
“The villages are still there. Only the people are gone.”
I took a sip of the tea in front of me, but its bitter taste made me spit it out.
“Ugh, this tastes awful.”
“Same as last time. It’s good for a man, you know.”
“Oh, for...”
“And you grumble but drink it all anyway, just like... Anyway! So what are we supposed to do?”
I looked at father Jones, rubbing my tongue on the back of my hand to get rid of the lingering bitterness.
“What do you mean, what are you supposed to do?”
I scratched my head and answered.
“Aren’t we in danger too?”
This time, son Jones asked.
“You are.”
“Exactly! All we have is this wooden palisade!”
The Jones set’s eyes were sparkling, clearly hoping I’d do something more for them, but there wasn't much I could do.
“Then come live in Casedic Castle.”
“Hmm... That’s a bit...”
Father Jones grunted at my words, while son Jones’s eyes lit up. The son seemed more progressive.
“There's nothing more we can do for you. The monthly patrols are already stretched as thin as they can be.”
“Hmm... I know that. We’re always grateful. And you, Aron, you bring all these supplies every time you visit.”
“So what?”
“Huh? We’re all very grateful to you.”
I scratched my cheek, looking at the man trying to pressure me in a different way. I considered various options, but there was no clear solution.
“This time, seriously consider moving to Casedic Castle. There have been black mages and demons popping up all over the place recently. It's really dangerous.”
“Urgh... Why are those things suddenly... What is there for them to eat in a remote place like this?”
“Watch your mouth when you say ‘eat’.”
“Huh? Alright.”
Father Jones’s eyes went wide as he nodded.
“Father! This is our chance to move to Casedic Castle...”
“Quiet! Jones the Eighth! Who do you think you are, interrupting when adults are talking...”
Father Jones barked at his son.
The dejected son Jones shut his mouth.
“If you do come to Casedic, a lot of houses have opened up recently, so you might be able to squeeze in somewhere.”
“Huh? A lot of houses have opened up?”
“Yeah, some skeletons invaded. A good number of people died.”
Hmm...
This time, father Jones and son Jones grunted in unison.
“I suppose nowhere is safe.”
I nodded at father Jones’s reluctant mumble.
This was a world where demons occasionally appeared even in the imperial capital. Casedic had just been unusually peaceful until now; nowhere was truly safe.
“Still, it's better than this place with just a wooden fence. Think it over. If you want, I can tell you about some relief policies. I’m an honorary scribe, you know.”
“Huh?”
“An honorary scribe.”
“What’s a scribe?”
I scratched my head at father Jones’s question.
I couldn't think of a good way to explain it.
“Just someone important.”
“I... see. We’re always grateful, Aron.”
“Forget it.”
I waved away father Jones’s intense gaze and got up from my seat.
After that, I followed son Jones on a tour of the village, checking the palisade. The thick logs had been driven deep into the ground, so they were holding up fine despite the recent heavy rains.
‘See, you have to do things right the first time.’
I pushed a crooked section straight with my hands and stomped the ground around it. It smelled of rotting wood, but it seemed like it would hold up for a while longer.
Waaaaah-!
I heard the sound of children cheering in the distance.
I left the rest to son Jones and headed toward the sound.
There were six children there, all of them swinging short wooden sticks.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched the smallest of the laughing children, Lunin.
‘His stance is good.’
It was sloppy, of course, but there was a faint hint of swordsmanship in it.
‘Is there someone in this village who knows swordsmanship?’
I scratched my head and racked my brain. It was unlikely someone like that would be in such a small village.
“Whoa! It’s Aron!”
One of the kids spotted me and shrieked. The children then threw down their wooden sticks and ran over.
“It's not ‘Aron,’ you future delinquents.”
I took out the candy I had prepared and handed it out to the children.
Sugar was produced in the southern part of the empire. Candy was perfect for placating noisy kids, so I had procured some in advance from a cart driver who carried it. It was quite expensive, so I only gave one to each child.
I made a mental note of the sneaky kid who got in line twice, so I could give him half a piece next time.
Finally, the smallest one, Lunin, ran up, received his candy, and beamed.
“Aron—!!”
“Lunin. Where did you learn that?” “Huh? What?”
“Swinging that stick.”
“Oh, my grandpa taught me.”
“Your grandpa’s dead... hmm.”
I swallowed the question that naturally came to mind and mentally rephrased it about five times before speaking again.
“Your grandpa’s dead.”
“No! My other grandpa!”
“You have another grandpa? Your grandma must be pretty open-minded.”
“Open-minded?”
“It’s a thing.”
“I’ll introduce you to my grandpa! Follow me!!”
Excited by the sweet taste in his mouth, Lunin ran ahead.
I followed, wondering which grandpa he was going to show me, the dead one or the new one.
I followed him to the backyard of a shabby house.
I had prepared myself for various scenarios and was confident I wouldn't be surprised even if Lunin introduced me to a zombie grandpa, but what I found was even more shocking than a zombie grandpa.
“Grandpa—! It's Aron! Aron!”
“Alright.”
A large, burly old man with his sleeves rolled up was pulling weeds. But his face and build were very familiar.
‘What’s the Knight Hunter doing here?’
My smile froze at the completely unexpected situation.
At Lunin’s call, the old man looked up, saw me, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to relax as I assessed the distance to him and glanced at Lunin.
Lunin was smiling brightly, clinging to the man’s leg as if the Knight Hunter were really his grandfather.
Seeing Lunin dangling and swinging from the Knight Hunter’s leg made my head spin.
‘Is he really his grandson? But Lunin is ugly.’
The Knight Hunter, despite his shabby clothes, had a dignified appearance that wouldn't look out of place with a crown on his head. He bore no resemblance to the ugly Lunin.
“Oh, it’s the young man from before.”
The Knight Hunter dusted the dirt from his hands and approached.
His steps were casual, but the pressure I felt grew exponentially with the shrinking distance. I wanted to draw my sword right then and there, but I forced myself to smile back.
“Yes, elder.”
I extended my right hand and placed my left near the hilt of my sword.
“I must have taken a wrong turn. I ended up somewhere else.”
The old man said without any change in expression as he shook my hand.
The old man’s left hand was slightly bent, resting on his hip. Near the hilt of his sword.
‘If I draw my sword, can I cut him down?’
There was no basis for a judgment, so I held back.
“Ah, I finished my business back then and waited for a long time at the inner wall. I was worried when you didn't show up.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But what brings you here?”
The old man’s palm, which I was shaking, was covered in calluses, like holding a rock. My hand was the same, but the old man’s calluses were thick with age.
I kept a smile on my face as I scanned the old man from head to toe.
Then I met his clear eyes, which were staring at me, and I let go of his hand.
Other than the fact that he was right-handed, I had learned nothing.
“I took a wrong turn and was on my way back.”
“To Casedic Castle?”
The old man nodded. His firm answer sent my mind racing.
However, I soon remembered that the old man was terrible with directions and nodded. I could just send him off in another direction.
“Do you two know each other?”
Just then, the little kid Lunin chimed in, shouting.
The old man nodded first, and I followed suit.
“You do?! Come to think of it, you’re both about the same size!”
At Lunin’s words, I stole a glance at the old man.
Considering he must have shrunk with age, he was probably bigger than the Security Chief in his prime.
Lunin’s timely intervention eased the tension.
As I was mentally searching for a nice nursing home to send this directionally challenged old man to, Lunin asked an out-of-the-blue question.
“So, who's stronger?”
It was a question tossed out with an innocent face, but for men, especially men who lived by the sword, it was a very dangerous question.
However, the Knight Hunter, perhaps having had his masculinity neutered by old age, just chuckled and patted Lunin’s head.
In this atmosphere of lightly dismissing an innocent question, I quietly made my calculations.
‘This is a good opportunity.’
According to rumors, he only killed knights, and he was chuckling in front of a child as if he were about to bake him cookies. He would surely go easy on me.
In any case, unless this directionally challenged old man wandered around and died of natural causes on the road, there was a chance we would meet again in Casedic Castle.
If I could gauge his skills now, it would be a great help later.
‘He wouldn't kill me in front of a kid, right?’
I nodded to myself and slowly chose my words. I knew exactly what to say to get a reaction in situations like this.
“Me, of course. The elder is old.”
I said it as arrogantly as possible.
The Knight Hunter gave me a strange look.
‘Is he not taking the bait? Any more provocation would be dangerous.’
I deliberately curled my lip into a sneer, but the Knight Hunter’s expression remained unchanged.
Just then, as if reading my mind, Lunin spoke up again.
“Yeah, grandpa is all wrinkly! He’s no match for Aron! It's okay! Grandpa has a cool beard!”
At Lunin’s innocent provocation, the Knight Hunter’s eyes hardened.
***
Waaah!
I readjusted my grip on my sword at Lunin’s cheers from the side.
A short distance away, the old man stood with his hands behind his back. His expression was so calm, he looked like he was out for a stroll.
I glared at him, ready to thrust my sword at the slightest opening.
‘He'll have a good death anyway.’
I muttered to myself, refusing to be fooled by his kind demeanor, and nodded. With his snow-white hair, he was clearly ripe for a good death.
“Come.”
The old man said lightly, drawing his sword with ease.
He had only drawn his sword; his posture was unchanged. His left hand was behind his back, his right hand holding the sword naturally lowered.
There were no openings! No, that was bullshit. An unarmored old man would have a good death no matter where I stabbed him.
I didn't decline the first move and kicked off the ground with my right foot. Two breaths. I reached the old man and swung my sword vertically.
It was a full-power, vertical, good-death-delivering slash.
“Hmm.”
The old man let out a small sound and moved his arm belatedly, but it was too late. I didn't let my guard down and put all my strength into the sword.
Just then, the old man’s sword moved.
Shnk—.
With a faint scraping of metal, my vision blurred.
When I came to, I was on one knee, looking up at the old man.
I shook my head slightly to clear my fuzzy mind and replayed what had just happened.
‘He deflected my sword and struck my temple with the flat of his blade.’
It had happened in an instant. The flow was so natural that it looked like a well-choreographed action movie.
I was definitely holding my sword tightly, but when it met the old man’s blade, its path was naturally diverted. It didn't feel like it had been forced back by strength, but rather like it had been guided to its proper course.
‘Did he aim for the exact center? How did he know?’
Then, with my front wide open, the old man’s sword had struck my temple.
If it had been the edge of the blade instead of the flat...
The tenant flinched for a moment, but knowing my intentions, it stayed quiet.
The old man looked down at me with an impassive face.
‘The Master of the Sword?’
The god-like swordsmanship made me think of the Empire's greatest sword, but I shook my head.
The Master of the Sword never leaves the imperial palace. Even if he were on leave, he wouldn't be wandering around as a Knight Hunter.
‘The flow of his wrist...’
Admiration aside, I continued to replay the old man’s movements in my head. But it wasn't enough yet.
“Waaaah—! Grandpa is stronger!”
‘Once.’
At Lunin’s cheer from the side, I got up and took my stance again.
“May I go again?”
“Youth is a wonderful thing.”
It was an ambiguous answer, but I took it as a yes and moved exactly as before.
A flicker of disappointment crossed the old man’s eyes, but I ignored it.
The old man, taking it as a challenge, moved exactly as before, just as I intended. In an instant, he deflected my sword and struck my temple.
When I came to, I was on one knee again.
‘Twice.’
Lunin cheered, and the old man looked down at me.
His eyes, unlike before, were filled with disappointment. But I didn't care what a wrinkly old man thought of me.
I kept replaying the last moment in my head.
The gaps from the first time were being filled in, but it still wasn't enough.
Hoo—.
I took a long breath, got up, and took my stance again.
“May I go again?”
“...It will be useless.”
Despite his words, the old man nodded.
His eyes were now filled with an annoyance that surpassed disappointment.
I took a small, steadying breath and charged again.
I executed the same vertical good-death slash as before, and—.
The old man performed the same move.
But this time, I could clearly see the movement of the old man’s sword and the flow from his shoulder to his wrist.
‘Three.’
Three times was always enough for anything.
I saw the sword heading for my temple, and...
Clang—!
With the clash of steel, the old man’s sword was knocked aside.
The old man’s eyes, which had been filled with disappointment, widened slightly.
I felt a small thrill, but the old man’s sword, now faster and more fluid, struck my temple, and my vision blurred.
‘And back to one.’
I forced my mind to focus and kept replaying the old man’s new move in my head.
There were many gaps.
Enough that I’d have to get hit about two more times.
“No tricks, just pure mimicry... Fascinating.”
The old man offered a light critique as he looked at me.
The emotion in his eyes was far from admiration—it was the kind of curiosity one might have when seeing a parrot mimic human speech, but I didn't really care.
“I'm a blue belt in Haidong Gumdo.”
I grinned broadly to hide my headache.
“A rare young man. Kids these days are all obsessed with cheap tricks.”
The Knight Hunter’s gaze changed to that of someone watching a parrot sing the national anthem.
It was strangely warm, but at its core, it was still just amusement.
It had been so long since I had met a true master from whom I could learn something, not just some bum who postured with aura, that my mouth kept watering.
“May I go again?”
“Be my guest.”
I spat out the saliva that had pooled in my mouth as I looked at the all-you-can-eat buffet smiling at me as if to say, ‘Take what you can.’
‘Plenty of guys have been cleaned out thinking that.’
I twirled my sword as if shaking a dice cup and grinned widely.