The Gentle Reminder
Raon charged forward and swung his sword down. The red-hot blade mercilessly tore through the evening air.
Zzzzt!
The afterimage of the aura that sliced through the air scraped the training ground like a beast's claws.
It was a thrusting sword technique that combined the final form of the Refining Sword Technique and Garam Footwork.
'Not bad.'
Raon twirled his sword and nodded his head. It was a powerful and fast technique that was hard to block.
'Of course, that's not all.'
This form was a surprise attack that could be unleashed anytime, like a hidden blade behind one's back.
It seemed he was considering using a surprise attack, perhaps because the assassin aura was still lingering.
Hmph.
He turned his head at the snort from behind. Runaan was staring at his sword with a sharp gaze.
The lower part of those sharp eyes sparkled slightly. An expectant expression. It seemed like she wanted him to teach her the sword technique.
"Hup!"
Runaan kicked the ground as if trying to follow, thrusting her sword into the air.
It was just a posture, without speed, power, or the subtlety of surprise. But because she was so talented and capable, the technique became one that was hard to block even in normal cases.
"Is that it?"
Runaan swung the sword a few more times, tilted her head slightly, and asked if this was correct.
"No, don't do that. First, the legs..."
If it was like that, they might kill someone in sparring, so he just gave a slight look at the posture.
Whoosh!
When Rimer adjusted Runaan's posture to some extent, a cool breeze blew over the training ground fence. It was Rimer.
He enters by kicking the door if he arrives on time, and if late, he jumps over the wall.
That means, it's a bit past the training end time now.
"Um!"
Rimer sat on the stage and looked down at the trainees.
"Coach. You're ten minutes late."
"Thanks for the training today."
He pretended not to hear Burren's comment and turned his head.
"Ten minutes is enough time to swing a sword ten thousand times."
"Ei, that's not it! Ugh!"
Rimer, responding to Burren's ridiculous remark, frowned. He looked like he had been hit.
"Kuhm, anyway, there are two things I need to tell you today. The first is about the 6th training ground."
"The 6th training ground?"
"Why suddenly?"
"The trainees who fell there went there, right?"
The trainees shook their heads, asking why they were talking about the training ground the fallen trainees went to.
"It seems the Owen Kingdom delegation's pride was hurt because they ignored the 6th training ground and only applied for sparring at the 5th. They say they're training desperately to catch up with us."
Rimer smiled faintly, saying the trainees at the 6th training ground were enviable.
"Both direct and collateral descendants who fell behind due to injuries have joined recently, and they're progressing by choosing only difficult training, so you must not be complacent. Do your best at every moment so that you don't get caught up by those kids."
"Yes."
"Eee..."
"What, you have to be able to catch up."
The trainees pouted. They were already far behind, so why prepare?
"Huh."
Rimer nodded as if he knew that, and delivered the second news.
"Next week, we're going to have a very special training."
"Eh, what kind is it?"
Dorian, who had already been scared, trembled his shoulders.
"Special training."
"What is it? What's left to do?"
Since Rimer had done many strange things, not only Dorian but all the trainees were uneasy.
"That's a secret."
"Ah..."
"Coach. You have to tell us what kind of training it is in advance so we can prepare accordingly."
Burren raised his hand and spoke his opinion, but it didn't work on Rimer.
"If I tell you, it won't be fun. No matter what, if you train hard, you'll be able to do it."
"Um..."
It was true, so Burren pouted and lowered his hand.
"Still, let me give you one hint..."
Rimer spread his fingers and smiled. It was not a light or cheerful smile like usual, but a smile with deep fighting spirit.
"It's real combat."
"Real combat?"
"Suddenly?"
When he said it's not sparring but real combat, the trainees' eyes widened.
"Not suddenly, but now is the time. Since I said to prepare, I'll tell you clearly."
The smugness that had been lingering on Rimer's lips began to disappear. More than seriousness, there was a creepy feeling in the smile.
"This time, it would be good to prepare for seeing blood."
***
After the training, Rimer left the training ground and headed to the western outskirts entertainment district.
The entertainment district was a place where swordsmen and servants went for rest, with various shops, restaurants, and taverns.
He walked the street humming a tune, then entered a tavern called Myeonglyeon at the eastern end.
Unlike the simple name, the tavern was old and messy. The seats were full, and the noise of people talking was deafening.
Rimer, enjoying the messy atmosphere, nodded and approached the middle-aged man sitting alone on the right.
"You came quickly."
He sat in front of the middle-aged man and smiled faintly.
"Since mages have extra time..."
The middle-aged man in a black robe, reading a book, nodded his head.
"Long time no see, Rimer-nim."
"Drinking buddy. How have you been?"
"I'm doing fine, playing and eating."
"Becoming a vice-tower master and being very relaxed?"
"Haha, the one overflowing with leisure is Rimer-nim. Who made the saying that the salary thief was born?"
The middle-aged man closed the book and laughed.
"Lately, it's been busy, so I miss the time when we only drank together."
"I heard you spent a lot of time with the trainees. You cared for them with all your heart."
"It's not that much."
The conversation between the two was as smooth as velvet, as if they had deep friendship.
"Bervin. What are you doing lately?"
"Since Rimer-nim doesn't come to the drinking party, I'm living a life of reading books."
The man called Bervin shook the book in his hand.
"Since my duties at the Magic Tower are only research and reading books..."
"Indeed."
Rimer nodded, looking at the magic book in Bervin's hand.
"So, what did you call me for today? Your expression doesn't seem like you just wanted to drink."
"I did feel like drinking, and there was a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
"Our kids' skills have improved quite a bit, so I want to have them fight monsters in real combat."
"Um, if that's the case, you could have made a formal request."
Bervin tilted his head. Having trainees fight monsters is one of the formal curricula. No need to come and ask like this.
"I want to add a few things."
"Add?"
"If I say add, what do you mean?"
"Our kids are quite strong, so just monsters don't help much."
"Ah, I heard you knocked down the training knights of Owen Kingdom."
"Well, that's right."
Rimer raised his nose and chuckled. Hearing praise for his disciples from an old friend made him feel good, like he was drunk.
"I want to strengthen the monsters that will spar with the trainees. At the level of Sword Beginner Advanced."
"Possible. A few years ago, a trainee's specialty was monster summoning and control. I can turn worms into dragons."
"Th, that is?"
"It's a joke."
"Ah, you really..."
"I can't turn worms into dragons, but I can make orcs into Sword Beginner Advanced level easily. Of course, not many, and only one at a time."
Bervin muttered that it wasn't that difficult.
"Thanks, and one more thing."
"What?"
"Can I cast illusion magic so that the monsters look like humans?"
"That's also easy. Since the kids aren't even Experts yet. Just one artifact with illusion magic cast on it."
"Perfect. Then do that too."
Rimer snapped his fingers and gulped down the beer on the table in one go.
"However, if I use both strengthening and illusion at the same time, won't it be a trial that the trainees can't overcome?"
Bervin stroked his glass and narrowed his eyes.
"Even just fighting an orc with enhanced physical abilities would be tough, and if they look like humans, they won't be able to swing their swords properly."
"Kyaah! This is the taste of life!"
Rimer slammed the beer glass on the table and let out a cheer.
"What did you say?"
"I said the trainees won't be able to win. Even if monster strengthening is fine, killing a monster that looks like a human is a difficult task for children."
"It's okay. Our kids are not children, but swordsmen. And..."
Rimer smiled. In his deep green eyes, expectation and joy mingled.
"Those kids are strong. Body and mind."
***
The darkness that had descended on the 5th training ground was lifted.
Most trainees had gone home, but some kids were still there swinging their swords.
Runaan Sullion was one of them. She was practicing the thrusts Raon had shown her while staying at the training ground.
Paaang!
Runaan lowered her posture and thrust her sword. The fast, fierce sword strike pierced the air, but it wasn't that feeling.
'It's not working well.'
Raon's thrust was not so much strong as soft and relaxed. It was too natural, to the point where one couldn't even tell when the thrust was coming.
No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't figure out how to make it like that.
She looked at the indoor training area. Raon was doing strength training now. She didn't want to disturb him.
'Let me try a few more times.'
Runaan changed her posture and thrust her sword into the air. She changed the posture, but the sword form didn't change much.
'Again.'
The sound of the blade piercing the air slightly changed. The speed and power decreased a bit, but a sense of relaxation was infused into the tip of the sword.
'It's getting better.'
Runaan nodded her head greatly and adjusted her grip on the sword. She continued to repeat the same posture and thrust the sword.
She stopped only after the moon that had risen in the east was two fingers above her hand.
"Hoo."
Runaan nodded her head greatly.
'It's a bit better.'
It was far to catch up to Raon, but the final form of the Refining Sword Technique had definitely changed. The power and speed decreased, but the connection and smoothness improved much more.
"Um."
Runaan looked at the indoor training area again. The lights were still on, and the voices of Raon, Burren, and Marta shouting cheers could be heard.
While she was pondering what to do for a moment, her mother's words came to mind.
-I'll buy some bead ice cream. Come quickly on the weekend.
'I have to go.'
Runaan immediately put the training sword into the sheath. She decided to ask about the lacking part next week and left the training ground.
It was when she was running to the outskirts of the training ground to quickly return to where the maids were waiting.
A shadow of a man appeared in the dark alley.
"Runaan."
When she was about to ignore and pass by, the shadow stepped forward and called her name.
"Ah..."
Runaan stopped abruptly. The always sharp eyes of hers shook as if hit by waves.
The man revealed his appearance. Short silver hair and deep purple eyes. A young man with similar appearance to Runaan.
"Oppa?"
"Long time no see."
Runaan trembled her lips and took a step back, and the man approached with a gentle smile in three steps.
Siria Sullion.
The man who was called the top genius of the Sullion family and had his name on the Continental Twelve Stars.
"Ah..."
However, Runaan's face, who saw Siria for the first time in a long time, was pale. Not as an older brother, but as facing a great enemy.
"Runaan. I told you not to make that face."
Siria smiled faintly. The smile was relaxed, and the tone was soft.
But anyone who looked closely at his expression would feel a creepy feeling. Unlike his mouth, his eyes didn't smile at all.
"Ugh..."
Runaan clicked her teeth and lowered her head. Her purple eyes, which were trembling, darkened as she forced down the shaking emotions.
"Yeah. That's right."
Siria maintained the smile and approached, stroking Runaan's head.
"It seems Rimer's training is going well. You've become stronger than I thought."
He bent his waist to face Runaan.
At that moment, the mask fell from Siria’s face. His expression hardened like rotten wood, and the color disappeared from his eyes. It looked like he was looking at a monster whose emotions were worn out.
"So, you're not going to the battlefield or doing a life-or-death sparring, right?"
His voice also changed. It was a dry voice as if the desert sandstorm that dries up life.
"Ah..."
Runaan's shoulders trembled. She grabbed her hands and stepped back.
"Hmm, it seems a bit relaxed? I need to re-imprint it."
Siria put his hand in the inner pocket of his coat. In his hand, a small red squirrel was caught.
"The name of the squirrel you raised back then was Ruby, right?"
"O, oppa?"
Runaan stopped stepping back. She reached out to catch the squirrel.
"Now you'll remember. How Ruby died. Why you became afraid of blood."
"W, wait!"
Siria smiled with stopped eyes and put strength in his right hand. With a pop sound, only a handful of blood remained in his hand where the squirrel was caught.
"Aaah!"
Runaan screamed and sat down, but no one could hear the sound because of the barrier Siria had set up.
"Runaan."
Siria approached the sitting Runaan. He put his mouth to her ear and whispered in a lifeless voice.
"You're mine. Until the predetermined day comes. Don't do dangerous things or difficult things."
"Ah..."
"As long as I want, just breathe..."
Kwaang!
When Siria was about to carve the brainwashing words into Runaan, a loud noise echoed from the alley.
The floor crumbled, and a blond boy appeared, cutting through the sand dust that spurted up. He looked at Siria with red eyes.
"Who are you."