Episode 16
Episode 16
Since they'd have to cross swords with each other during lectures all semester anyway, there was no point in lying with something like "Actually I'm from a prestigious magic family but my dream was to become a Swordmaster"—it wouldn't benefit either of them.
Moreover, since the White Tiger Tower students were wary of Lee Han, it was necessary to ease their wariness.
-I'll just tough it out moderately and get my grades, so you don't need to worry about me!
"......"
However, the other party's expression looked extremely subtle and complicated.
To be precise, it seemed to be the expression of someone struggling to determine whether Lee Han's words were true or false.
"O-oh, I see. I'm from the Moradi family. You can call me Moradi."
"Right. Nice to meet you, Moradi."
Lee Han took Moradi's hand and gave it a light shake.
Though his build was on the smaller side, the calluses and hardened skin on his palms reminded Lee Han once again that he was from a knightly family.
'Wait. The Moradi family...'
The Moradi family.
It was an imperial knight family whose name Lee Han had heard a few times before.
He'd heard they were a family that protected the cold northern regions with iron-blooded discipline, one that wouldn't hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve their goals...
'...This doesn't quite match the family's image.'
"?"
Moradi looked at Lee Han with a puzzled expression in response to his gaze.
'Well, family reputations don't always match reality.'
Compared to the earlier opponent who didn't care about family backgrounds and immediately picked a fight on a whim, Moradi actually seemed more sensible.
'I'll need to coax him properly to ease the wariness of the other White Tiger Tower students.'
Azure Rock Sword.
That was the name of the swordsmanship Lee Han had learned from the family's old knight, Alarong.
As the name "Blue Rock" suggested, Alarong's swordsmanship was solid and steadfast.
-The swordsmanship of this world is endlessly diverse. Fast, slow, sharp, blunt, heavy, light, simple, complex... There's no need to learn all of them, nor do I have the ability to teach them all. The swordsmanship I will teach is the path of the sword that I have learned and believed in. If you continue walking the path of the sword, one day you too will realize your own unique path, Lord Lee Han.
Between Alarong, who had trained in swordsmanship for decades, and Lee Han, who had barely trained for less than ten years, there was an inherent difference in experience.
So while Lee Han couldn't fully comprehend everything Alarong said...
He had one advantage that other nobles lacked.
It was his willingness to follow instructions without question.
To the point where it even flustered Alarong, Lee Han did exactly as he was told, and as a result, his swordsmanship had a rock-solid foundation without a single unnecessary flourish.
"Azure Rock Sword? Your fundamentals are well-established."
Professor Ingoldel also praised Lee Han's stance after observing it.
"Which family are you from? If it's the Azure Rock Sword, then surely..."
"I'm from the Wardanaz family."
"...?"
Professor Ingoldel was momentarily slow to react.
Was the Wardanaz family's swordsmanship the Azure Rock Sword?
Belatedly recalling what kind of family the Wardanaz were, Professor Ingoldel asked with evident curiosity:
"May I ask why you're trying to learn swordsmanship?"
"Isn't swordsmanship basic education for imperial nobles?"
Ingoldel gave a bitter smile at that answer.
It wasn't a wrong answer, but it wasn't the answer Ingoldel preferred.
To a born swordsman like Ingoldel, swordsmanship was a life-or-death skill, not some cultural education for nobles.
"At first, I also thought that way when I started learning. But the more I studied, the more I realized that swordsmanship is as profound an academic discipline as magic. That's why I've come here to learn more."
"...Perfect score!!"
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing."
Ingoldel waved his hand dismissively.
His inner thoughts had slipped out unintentionally at the unexpectedly excellent answer.
Who would have thought someone from the prestigious Wardanaz magic family would take swordsmanship so seriously?
It was a far more admirable attitude than the superficial posturing of some White Tiger Tower students.
'Did it work?'
Lee Han keenly observed Ingoldel's expression.
Compared to the insane Lich headmaster, Professor Ingoldel was actually a very straightforward and kind-hearted person despite his intimidating appearance.
For Lee Han, who had been worn down under the mad professors, winning over someone as naive as Professor Ingoldel was an easy task.
Even if he had come here solely to score easy points, it was only natural to hide his true intentions in front of the professor.
"An excellent mindset."
"Thank you."
"Hearing such words makes me feel motivated as well. I'll take you seriously. Now, pick up your wooden sword."
"......"
Lee Han slightly regretted giving too perfect of an answer.
Professor Ingoldel relentlessly pounded the students without giving them a moment to breathe.
At first, the students had let their guard down due to his kind and gentle demeanor, but after taking a few hits, they charged at him in frustration.
Professor Ingoldel then proceeded to beat them down again, reducing them to cowering like frightened mice.
'Wow. This is no joke.'
Though Lee Han's swordsmanship still had a long way to go, he could at least recognize just how formidable his opponent was.
Alarong, who had taught Lee Han, was also an exceptional swordsman, but Professor Ingoldel was no less impressive.
If Alarong was like an immovable rock, then Ingoldel was like swiftly flowing water.
What was astonishing was that he could move like this despite having a prosthetic arm and leg.
Students who had trained in their family's swordsmanship for years couldn't even come close to matching Professor Ingoldel's movements and were mercilessly beaten.
"Your execution of the Purple Cloud Sword lacks variation. The essence of dual-wielding lies in its complexity and intricacy! Don't just swing your swords mindlessly—think more before you strike."
"The Mountain Moon Sword must be faster and sharper! Don't hesitate when thrusting—throw your entire body into the attack."
Moreover, befitting his position as a professor, Ingoldel recognized every swordsmanship style the students displayed.
The Empire had hundreds of renowned sword styles, and if one counted those passed down exclusively within families, the number was beyond counting.
Yet Ingoldel knew the names of all of them.
"Let's take a short break."
"......"
"Guhhh..."
"Damn..."
The students groaned as they collapsed to the side. They wanted to curse but didn't even have the energy for it.
Lee Han's muscles ached, and his body stung all over.
-The Azure Rock Sword is like a boulder—unshaken by any attack.
-Uh, Professor, your skill is above mine—how can I not be shaken?
-Come on, keep attacking! Try to block me! Go! Go! Go!
Ingoldel expertly found and exploited weaknesses Lee Han didn't even know he had, relentlessly striking at them.
Lee Han had to desperately defend himself just to survive.
'No matter how I think about it, I must have slipped up...'
Once break time came, Lee Han couldn't help but think that way.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like he had been hit more frequently and persistently than the other students.
Sure, it could have been because of his swordsmanship, but Lee Han's instincts told him otherwise.
Hadn't he already experienced what happened when he got on a professor's bad side in Understanding Basic Alchemy?
Should he have just stayed quiet?
'I didn't expect to get beaten more for earning points.'
"Wardanaz?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Come forward for a quick spar."
"......"
Lee Han was now certain he had made a mistake.
While everyone else was resting, he was being called out to take a beating alone.
But Ingoldel hadn't summoned him to punish him.
"This is Durgyu of the Choy Family. The two of you will engage in a brief spar."
"!"
Not only Lee Han but the resting students were also surprised.
Why those two?
'Isn't that the guy who picked a fight earlier?'
Lee Han gave Durgyu a sour look.
He didn't have a favorable impression of the guy who had provocatively asked, "Why is someone from another dorm attending this lecture?"
Moreover, Durgyu was the type of blockhead who would pick a fight without thinking, even knowing Lee Han was from the Wardanaz family.
It was clear that instead of going easy during the spar, the orc would recklessly charge in without hesitation.
"Understood, Professor!"
With those words, the orc glared at Lee Han as if he wanted to kill him. Lee Han clicked his tongue inwardly.
'His true intentions are plain as day.'
His face practically screamed his inner thoughts—that he would use this opportunity to stomp on that annoying student from another dorm.
Though there was no telling why the professor had specifically chosen Lee Han out of all the many students...
'Surely I haven't been marked by the professor just for being from another dorm. He definitely seemed pleased with my answer earlier.'
Now that things had come to this, Lee Han had no intention of backing down either.
He could've just lazed around comfortably in his family's mansion, but he had endured Alarong's beatings to learn swordsmanship precisely so he wouldn't get beaten up in situations like this!
Professor Ingoldel's reason for choosing Durgyu and Lee Han was simple.
At this moment, the two were the most outstanding among the students.
Swordsmanship wasn't something one could simply display right after learning it.
The core techniques of swordsmanship—the sword forms—required thousands of repetitions of practice and actual combat experience to barely grasp.
For example, take a technique where you initially aim to thrust at the opponent's chest but suddenly shift trajectory to strike the neck.
If you just used it outright, only an exceptionally foolish opponent would fall for it.
You had to subtly feint by threatening with a slight motion first, or deceive by pretending to target the lower body—only by chaining together these minute movements could the technique's full destructive power be unleashed.
In other words, understanding a sword form meant being able to fully deploy it through such applications.
Even just knowing how to properly wield the sword forms you'd learned was enough to steamroll most mercenaries out there.
Most mercenaries swung their swords wildly without even knowing what they were doing, relying purely on instinct and brute force...
In that regard, these two had reached a level where they understood and could effectively utilize the sword forms they'd learned.
They even infused their weapons with mana, albeit faintly.
Even for those from knightly families, reaching this level at their age meant they had more than enough talent to succeed as knights.
'Just how much effort must it have taken for someone from a prestigious magic family like Wardanaz to practice swordsmanship to this extent!'
While it was understandable for Durgyu of the Choy Family, it was truly unexpected for a student from a renowned magic lineage like Wardanaz to achieve such high proficiency in swordsmanship.
And that made Ingoldel all the prouder of him.
'Swordsmanship is as profound and meaningful a discipline as magic. That student must have felt the same way, which is why he resolved to come here and learn.'
Ingoldel had misunderstood Lee Han.
He assumed Lee Han had risked his life for swordsmanship, practicing in secret under his family's wary gaze.
In reality, the Wardanaz family hadn't particularly interfered with Lee Han learning swordsmanship from Alarong.
The Wardanaz family had always been one where each member minded their own business without meddling in others' affairs.
But unaware of this, Ingoldel saw Lee Han as both admirable and pitiable.
Now that they had met, Ingoldel felt responsible for guiding Lee Han along the path of the sword.
'The Choy Family's Mountain Moon Sword is a swift and sharp style of fast swordsmanship. In contrast, Wardanaz's Azure Rock Sword is a heavy and powerful style of greatsword combat. They're complete opposites. Pitting them against each other will be highly instructive. In the path of the sword, having a rival who can challenge you as an equal is more precious than anything.'
Of course, Professor Ingoldel had also noticed that the White Tiger Tower students harbored hostility toward Lee Han, the only one from another dorm.
But such things would resolve themselves in time.
Once they were beaten like dogs under Professor Ingoldel's tutelage, they wouldn't even have time to resent each other. They'd only have the energy to hate Professor Ingoldel!
With genuine sincerity, Professor Ingoldel hoped that these two outstanding students would positively influence each other—and that this positive influence would spread to the other students.
Whoosh!
What caught Professor Ingoldel's eye mid-thought was Lee Han kicking up dirt and scattering it into Durgyu's face.