Chapter 136
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: To the West (4)
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"Feira! Really!?"
When I announced our decision to head to Feira along with the current situation, the most excited one was unexpectedly Wedin.
He literally sprang up from where he was sitting.
"Yeah. Feira has a branch office, so it'll be easy to get a read on the old empire's southeast. There's also an Amadelea Goddess Church."
"The Holy Magic Academy's there too! Feira's known as the origin of holy magic, and it's Teacher Grain's hometown. The birthplace of the water Arbat, the city of the Blue Spring!"
"...Yeah, that's right."
Wedin couldn't hide his excitement, bouncing around as he stared at his gloves, muttering in disbelief before grabbing my collar and shaking me.
"Lib, Feira! Can you believe we're actually going to the place I've dreamed of visiting my whole life? Say something!"
I could answer if he stopped shaking me.
"Well, Feira's also famous for its booze."
As I started feeling dizzy, Shuren stepped in, pulling Wedin and me apart.
"We won't have much time for sightseeing. We have to loop back sooner than planned."
The Silver Guard Knight pointed to the weathered map spread out on the makeshift table. Everyone gathered around it.
The Silver Guard began outlining our route ahead, tracing the map with his finger.
"To climb Kirk Volcano, we need to go through Kirkant. Delatria was the best stopover, but... no helping it."
The old map showed the old empire's southeast region.
To the north, Kirk Volcano and Kirkant sat side by side, with Delatria in the middle, and Feira nestled in the Quint Mountains to the southwest.
"Delatria... it was a pretty big city."
Shuren pointed to the city at the map's center.
A walled metropolis, far larger than the villages marked by tiny dots.
In my old memories, Delatria had been a thriving commercial hub in the empire's south.
But now... it was gone.
Everyone seemed to recall Ilenia's story, staring silently at the map.
"First, we'll head to Feira to regroup and assess the southeast. It'd be great to meet some priests at the church, but since it's been so long, they're probably long gone."
"Yeah. This was before the anomaly at the ruins."
I nodded.
So much time had passed; it was unlikely the priests and their escorts, who'd crossed the mountains, were still hanging around Feira.
"Records should still be there, though. Let's make that our goal for now. Ilenia, I've got a job for you."
"Y-Yes?"
When the Silver Guard's gaze turned to Ilenia, she flinched in surprise, her face a bit tense.
"We'll be down the mountains in a day or two. Share everything you know about the southeast. You're probably the most familiar with it out of all of us."
"Leave it to me!"
Ilenia replied briskly.
Don't make a sound.
That's what I told myself, but I couldn't stop the terrified breaths leaking out.
I clamped my hand over my mouth, holding my breath as I squeezed my eyes shut. All that remained was the steady echo of footsteps.
The rhythmic steps were drawing closer to me, tightening my chest with every one.
It's okay. They won't find me.
I tried to calm my pounding heart, pressing my legs closer together and curling into an even smaller ball.
Even pretending to be dead, my legs, arms, and shoulders kept trembling.
I'm scared. I don't want to get caught.
My only desperate wish was for someone to save me right here. It was so intense that tears welled up.
Crying wouldn't solve anything, but it was all I could do.
The approaching footsteps suddenly stopped.
Realizing it, I forgot to breathe and opened my eyes.
A human shadow loomed before me.
Terrified, I backed into the darkness where there was nowhere left to retreat... but a cold hand shot out, snatching my arm in an instant.
'Liberic!'
"Aaaah!"
Thud!
I jolted awake with a loud crash, one leg draped over the bed and the rest sprawled on the floor.
My head started throbbing belatedly.
Ashy stood primly on the bed, half-lidded eyes looking down at me with utter disdain for my pathetic tumble.
I instinctively glanced at my wrist.
The sensation of that cold hand grabbing my arm lingered vividly. But there was no cold hand, no mark. Of course not.
Just a dream?
I couldn't believe it. The fear and despair from the dream felt far too real.
'It's daytime. Get it together and up.'
"Ashy... I had a scary dream."
'What kind?'
I tried to answer Ashy, but the dream's details had vanished.
The fear and despair lingered like an aftertaste... then faded in a flash.
"...I don't remember."
I frowned, rubbing my eyes. Ashy looked even more disdainful.
'Then get up. Silver Guard's looking for you outside.'
"Silver Guard? Why?"
I flailed my aching body upright.
As my mind cleared, I took in the surroundings.
A small, rundown mountain lodge. Everyone else had already packed up their bedding.
I was the only one lazing under the warm sunlight streaming through the window.
'You'll see when you come out.'
Ashy pushed open the lodge door and headed outside.
As the door cracked, a familiar shout seeped in.
"Next, Form 30. One, two, three...!"
"One, two, three...!"
The Silver Guard's voice was followed in unison by Shuren, Ilenia, and Wedin.
Chanting numbers amid the swish of swords slicing the air.
My mind screamed I didn't want to go out, but my body sluggishly obeyed.
I roughly straightened my bedding and wiped my face with a dry towel.
Throwing on my robe, I stepped outside into blinding sunlight stabbing my bleary eyes. Pulling the hood down didn't help much.
"Ah, Liberic. You're finally up."
Makina, leaning on the railing with a warm cup of tea, waved at me.
I barely managed a nod.
"Makina... good morning."
"Late morning, more like. Liberic, take off the robe and come down."
The Silver Guard, sword in hand in the yard, beckoned me.
Ah, knew it.
I groaned, clutching my face.
Shuren, Ilenia, and Wedin's sword training continued unabated.
The three stood in a row, gripping sharpened swords in one hand, swinging in perfect sync.
"Form 35, one, two...!"
Without the Silver Guard calling, Shuren naturally took over, and Ilenia and Wedin thrust their swords forward in identical motions.
Prius Knight Swordsmanship: 100 Forms.
Back at knight school, every morning hundreds of students lined up, repeating the same forms to the instructors' commands.
Not just the swordsmanship track—even magic and holy magic students learned basic swordplay, so I was always in the ranks.
A hundred forms made of varied connecting motions from breaths three to five.
Memorizing them was easy, but my body never kept up, making precise stances a struggle. The memories flooded back.
"Liberic, hurry up."
The Silver Guard urged with a stern face, no room for refusal.
Resigned, I hung my robe on the railing. Here we go again.
"You know how to do it?"
"Basic training."
Makina asked, surprised, and I nodded slowly.
Before heading down, I tightened my loose belt and adjusted my cuffs.
Meanwhile, Shuren's count approached the end of Form 40.
"For stamina building, two, and team bonding, three...!"
Shuren mixed chatter into his commands.
At the final motion of Form 40, all four swords shot skyward.
"45! Lib, quit dawdling and get down here!"
Shuren yelled with the count.
Tch. I'd hoped to stall longer. Grumbling inwardly, I descended to the yard.
The Silver Guard handed me a sword he'd set aside for me.
The familiar weight felt heavy as ever. Drawing it revealed a pale gleam on the well-maintained blade.
I set the scabbard down and took position to Wedin's right, leaving space.
Wedin, drenched in sweat, was too focused on breathing and form to glance my way, eyes locked on his blade tip.
By then, the count hit 50.
"50!"
The Silver Guard bellowed, drawing his sword back—and I mirrored him.
"One!"
Pivot left...
"Two!"
Swing down...
"Three!"
Then up and across to the right!
I poured everything into keeping the tip steady. Five swords pierced the sky cleanly.
Amazed my body still remembered after so long.
And it felt easier than before—had my strength and stamina improved?
Swinging the same weight and size as everyone used to be grueling.
The training pressed on relentlessly.
Around Form 70 came slower motions for catching breath, then from 90, intense and complex ones.
Ending with the first motion of Form 1 as the hundredth.
Finished, Wedin and I collapsed, gasping raggedly.
I'd only done half, but sweat soaked me. I sheathed the sword and let my hand drop.
I never handled anything heavier than a staff or dagger anyway.
"Haha, good show."
Makina laughed, handing us cool water and dry cloths.
"Thanks," I gulped it down. Wedin, face buried in his cloth, barely nodded.
"That was fun after so long."
Ilenia stretched contentedly after downing her water.
She, Shuren, and the Silver Guard didn't look winded at all.
Knight school sword students were stamina monsters—I remembered whispering that with classmates.
"You didn't train in Prion, but you know all hundred forms?"
Shuren nodded at Ilenia while wiping sweat.
"Instructor taught us. Couldn't graduate without it."
"Not from Prion?"
I asked, overhearing. Ilenia nodded casually.
"I've followed my parents since I was little. Red Guard has instructors who teach knight school lessons. Lots of other kids took classes too."
Red and Black Guards moved around often, rarely returning to Prion.
A mobile knight school for their kids, huh.
Smart. Surrounded by knights, they'd gain real combat experience fast.
"Didn't know they taught up to the hundred forms. Thought it was just basics."
"Mostly practical lessons, but curriculum matches Prion knight school."
Ilenia said, loosening up.
"Grad exam's always in Prion, though. Spent half a year cramming texts beforehand... gut-wrenching."
She shook her head at the mere memory.
Shuren chuckled like it was someone else's problem—despite memorizing whole books himself.
"Rested enough?"
The Silver Guard rose from the tree shade, approaching us.
Shuren and Ilenia tensed slightly, standing. Wedin exhaled deeply and followed.
Amazingly, a short break had revived them all.
"Then, free sparring to finish. Wedin, you up for it?"
"Yep."
Wedin replied lightly, warming up. Shuren and Ilenia's faces lit up.
"I'll sit this one out quietly."
I sighed, heading to the tree shade where Makina and Ashy lounged.
Makina giggled, whispering just for me.
"Guess I shouldn't have mentioned we'd clear the mountains by afternoon."
That explained it. I clicked my tongue.
The Silver Guard was determined to drain every last drop of their stamina.