5. Eliarnes Eustetia
5. Eliarnes Eustetia
"Ronan. Are you actually a fucking idiot?"
"I'm bleeding out right now, and you really have to run your mouth?"
"Looking at your reckless behavior, even the benevolent and exalted Yurphia wouldn't be able to hold back from running her mouth."
"What did I even do?"
"Your left arm and right leg got cut off. At the very least, you should be more careful when I'm not around."
"It wasn't just your limbs. Your stomach was split open and half your neck was severed. Of course, I'm the one who hastily reattached your neck."
"Kaloso, you'd be dead if it weren't for me, so shut the hell up. And Luna, you reattached my limbs. So it's fine, isn't it?"
"If it weren't for me? Actually, if I'd been just two minutes later, you would've had to live the rest of your life as half a cripple. You know that?"
"Oh, so what? You want me to just let Paulo and Kaloso both die? Huh?"
"I would not die in a place like this. Kaloso was behind me, so he was safe. And Ronan. Luna is right—you're too reckless. If you were going to fight like that, why did you carry a shield? A shield is, by definition, equipment for blocking attacks. But you beat Demons with that shield. If you're going to do that, just dual-wield swords."
"Wow, you arrogant piece of shit. How the hell did this bastard get chosen by the Sacred Relic of Humility? Is Yurphia blind or something? And what the hell is wrong with all of you today? It's not like I get hurt once or twice. Why are you all like this today?"
"That's right! Everyone stop giving Ronan a hard time! Ronan's been through so much!"
"Chimpanzee, shut the hell up."
"Ronan. You're also running your mouth at the chimpanzee—no, at Arisa, who's helping you."
"How much help can a chimpanzee be when the only thing intact on her is her face?"
"Huh... Ronan, did you just say I'm pretty?"
"Did you get hit in the head with a meteor?"
"Everyone shut up. And is getting hurt every single day something to be proud of? Know your place and be more careful. Even if I'm gone, or Paulo's Sacred Sword and Kaloso's magic are gone and we can't heal you, are you going to keep fighting like this every day?"
"Why the hell would you guys be gone?"
"We could die."
"Don't talk shit. Even if we die, I'm the vanguard, so I'll die first. So if you don't want to watch me croak, hurry up and stitch my stomach back together."
"Seeing how skillfully you talk shit, you really are a son of a bitch. Keep this in mind. If you don't fix that shitty habit of throwing your body in first, you'll regret it someday."
"That's right! Ronan, you're a real b-b... ugh. You're just a bad puppy! But... I hope Ronan never has to regret anything..."
"She's just saying that. Does that bastard look like the type to regret anything? If we disappeared, he'd run wild and screw every woman left and right."
"H-huh...? Ronan, would you really do that?"
"You've all actually lost your minds. I'm a virgin, you crazy bitches!"
"Being a virgin isn't something to brag about, Ronan."
"Fuck you! Paulo, you're a virgin too!"
"Well, with Ronan's personality, it does seem unlikely any woman would be interested."
"Kaloso, you're a crazy bastard who jerks off to grimoires!"
"You're a virgin, so you're even more likely to do that."
"You're the biggest problem, Luna. Without us, you'd gamble away the entire Holy Kingdom."
"Ronan... oh, you're a virgin. Hehe."
"Chimpanzee, why the hell are you cracking up too?"
*****
Like they're not all virgins too.
Bunch of assholes.
But, well. It's a little. Uncomfortable.
I don't know if it's because I'm used to the combat style I shared with them, or because this body is shitty, but swinging weapons feels awkward.
Wounds that were nothing back then are fatal to me now, so it feels like the number of moves I can use has dropped drastically.
CLANG— CLACK!
It's pissing me off for no reason.
Let's stop here and rest a bit.
The weapon's about to break soon anyway.
"Hoo—"
I steadied my breathing and delayed my offense by one beat. At the same time, a wooden sword came straight down toward my head. I threw my body into it.
One step, two steps—my body shot forward in an instant and slipped under the knight's elbow. Just like that, I swung the axe wrapped in a thin layer of Mana upward.
CRACK—
I brushed off the debris of the wooden axe and wooden sword shattering and falling over my head, then extended a handshake.
"Good spar."
"...Huh, yes! Thank you!"
After a rough exchange of pleasantries.
I tossed aside the axe that was now just a handle, then plopped down on the spot.
Two left now.
Spears, axes, hammers, and so on.
Those all broke a while ago. Only two wooden swords—the ones I'm most comfortable with—remain.
I didn't expect them to break this fast. Should've brought more.
Still, this much yield isn't bad.
Starting with fine-tuning my Mana, I've also figured out where my muscles can exert force and where they can't.
I've also learned the softness of muscles and the range of motion in my hip joints that I never experienced in my Past Life.
Maybe because it's a woman's body, but it's incredibly flexible.
Well, the loss of strength is a downside, but the added flexibility gives me more options.
The problem, though, is that I don't see any signs of growth.
What I've done so far is adaptation and adjustment, not actual growth.
After more than thirty spars, something should've clicked or I should've felt something, but there's nothing.
It's definitely not a lack of talent for moving my body, but the moment I pick up a long weapon, my body gets clunky.
On top of that, anything infused with my Mana breaks in under five minutes.
But.
Strangely.
When I swing my bare hands, I feel something... springy.
That... no way, right?
"Lady Eli!"
"Ah, yeah. Thanks."
Just as I was having that spine-chilling thought, Eurasia came running from a distance and handed me a fatigue recovery tonic.
"My lady, is there any weapon you can't use?"
"Hmm?"
None.
Tree branches, rocks—I can use anything well.
No, I used to use them well. Not so much now.
"Wow... my lady, you're really amazing. And so strong! Maybe you really were born inheriting everything from Arisa?"
"Don't talk that kind of nonsense. Strong? I don't know about that."
"What?! M-my lady. Sometimes being too humble makes a person look annoying."
"Are you saying I'm annoying right now?"
"No way!"
Giggling, Eurasia plopped down beside me.
"Anyway, that Footwork of yours is really amazing, my lady. Like flowing water, it's... even watching it, I can't predict it."
After six more spars with me, Eurasia had gotten a lot chattier, as if she'd gotten more comfortable around me.
Before, she'd only answer what I said and occasionally speak first, but now it's like this.
"And that parry! How do you even do that? Do you just have great eyes, Lady Eli? I couldn't copy it at all!"
Even when I don't answer, she chatters away just fine.
"So, could you teach me just a little more?"
Well, her mouth runs, but her eyes are fierce.
She's clearly trying to watch, feel, and absorb the techniques I use. She definitely has talent and ambition.
Though I don't know what she plans to use that strength for.
"Teach you what?"
"The parry! That thing where you swing like this and clang! Deflect it."
"I taught you during our spar earlier."
"That felt too abstract. It's hard."
"I can't explain it any better than that. I just do it by feel."
Eurasia's eyes sparkled.
"Like instinct or something? Wow... Lady Eli really is a genius! Were you born inheriting everything from Arisa? Or maybe you're Arisa's Reincarnation!"
No, what kind of horrible insult is that?
You might as well insult my mother!
And it's not Arisa's Reincarnation—it's Ronan's Reincarnation!
Ronan Luzarak! The founder of the swordsmanship you all use!
Me! Fuck!
I barely managed to swallow the curses rising to the tip of my tongue and spoke as calmly as I could.
"Eurasia, you... didn't I tell you not to say that kind of... that stuff about me being Arisa's Reincarnation or whatever?"
"Oh. Are you embarrassed?"
Wow. Seriously, what do I do with this brat? Huh? I just. Really want to smack her upside the head.
"...Yeah. I'm embarrassed. So stop. Please."
"Ahaha. Then, just a genius? Lady Eli is a genius!"
Yeah. A genius... that's way better.
But I'm not a genius.
Geniuses are bastards like Paulo and Kaloso.
The reason I look like one now is simply because I'm using my Past Life's memories and senses to their absolute limit.
If I had to put it—
-Ronan. You're not a genius. But you're not an idiot either. If I had to say, you're half genius, half idiot.
-What's half genius? Luna, did your intelligence drop from hanging out with the chimpanzee too much?
-I'm not a chimpanzee! Stop calling me a chimpanzee!
Half genius.
That moronic word fits, I guess.
"I don't know about genius."
I smirked and stood up, picking up the wooden sword from the ground.
Let's see, who should I ask this time?
Should I go with Eurasia again?
At least she swings her sword with some sincerity.
While I was mulling it over.
"Impressive, Eli."
A voice came from one corner of the training hall.
A man in faded clothes with an old sword at his waist.
My father Turius Eustetia's younger brother.
Vice-captain of the knight order called Nameless.
Kerion Eustetia approached me.
When the hell did he even come in?
"You didn't get hurt anywhere, did you?"
"Ah, Sir Kerion. It's been a while."
Normally I'd call him Uncle, but I can't do that in front of everyone here.
But.
"Huh... Sir Kerion? Did Uncle do something wrong to Eli?"
What am I supposed to do when you say that?
Don't you care about authority or dignity?
"...Still, in a gathering like this, calling you that is—"
"No. Our House Eustetia doesn't need pointless formalities like that. Isn't that right, knights?"
Kerion shook his head with an easy grin and walked toward me.
"So, just do what you normally do."
This man will keep at it until I call him Uncle.
But then my sweat will cool and the flow will break, which would be boring.
Tch.
"...Yes, Uncle. It's been a while."
"Ahahaha! There we go. It's been a while. So, is your sparring done for today?"
Kerion's eyes swept across the training hall.
Knights dripping with sweat, apprentice knights sprawled on the floor, wood fragments scattered around them.
And the wooden sword in my hand, plus the one leaning against the floor.
I don't know how much he saw, but I figured he'd caught on.
Well, he asked, so I answered for now.
"Not yet. Two more to go."
At my answer, the knights' faces darkened.
After thirty-five spars, I thought the mood had finally loosened up, but it seems things are tough for them in front of my family.
I feel a little bad, but what can I do?
I'm not leaving until everything I brought is broken.
I swept back the hair clinging to my sweaty nape and looked around.
Then, with perfect timing, I made eye contact with Eurasia.
Yeah, Eurasia's the right opponent for this round.
I looked at her and smiled brightly.
Eurasia grimaced and shook her head.
Yeah. Still not going easy on you.
Just as I was walking toward Eurasia.
"Hmm, Eli. Since Uncle's here anyway, how about we stop here for today and have dinner together?"
Kerion's voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Uncle bought a whole bunch of candy you can only get in the North to give to our Eli."
The North?
Ah, so the wooden sword Mother gave me was also bought by Kerion?
"A Northern specialty! Candy said to be made from melted Northern eternal snow! It's sold by reservation only, and even if you reserve it, you have to wait half a year! Don't you want some?"
Jingle-jingle— the candy inside the small glass bottle sparkled.
Following him, Eurasia's eyes sparkled too.
"My lady, my lady! That candy is called Kaiyer candy, and they say it's so sweet! The surface is soft so it doesn't irritate your tongue, and it's small so it's easy to eat! And even so, they say it lasts so long you have to take out the candy you ate in the morning before bed!"
Following Eurasia's words, the other knights nodded vigorously too.
They're all in on it.
"...Let's do that, then."
I had no choice but to nod and accept the candy.
Then I glanced at the wooden sword and spoke.
"I'll leave this here."
I was going to take it back with me, but thinking about it, there's no real need.
"I'm coming back tomorrow."
The knights' faces went pale.
"But I'll come outside of group training hours. I don't want to get in the way."
Giggling, I left the flustered knights behind and stepped out of the training hall.
"Oh, right. Eurasia, every time you spar with me, I'll give you one of those... what was it. Northern candies."
"Kaiyer candy!"
"Right. That Kaiyer candy. I'll give you one each time, so I'm counting on you again tomorrow."
"Yes!"
Clenching both fists, Eurasia smiled as sweetly as if she'd already eaten the candy she hadn't even tasted yet.
Is it really that good?
Still, Eurasia's been relatively good to me, so maybe I'll share one with her.
Click— just as I was about to open the candy lid.
"Ah."
Kerion's hand darted in and snatched the candy away.
"Tsk. Not now. Candy is for after dinner."
"...I wasn't going to eat it. I was going to give one to Eurasia."
"Is that so? Uncle's sorry for misunderstanding."
Chuckling, Kerion ruffled my hair.
...I'm not a little kid, what is this?
"Don't pet me. I'm sweaty."
Annoyed for no reason, I brushed his hand off.
Then Kerion, looking startled, said.
"Huh...? Ahaha! So what Sara said was true."
Sara? What did Sara say?
Leaving the still-chuckling Kerion behind, I headed straight for the dining hall.
And in my head, I reviewed today's spars.
The swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and Footwork the knights used.
They moved sloppily, so it wasn't easy to see clearly.
But it was definitely the stuff I used to favor in my Past Life.
Of course, it wasn't exactly the same.
But it was perfect.
The flaws I had in the past.
Movements that seemed to have erased every flaw my comrades had pointed out.
Did the chimpanzee change it?
Did it change with the times?
I can't know.
But it didn't feel good.