NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
“Eliaernes Eustetia. Yurasia Espirot. What you are about to do now is a duel. Even if your equipment is not sharp, and you do not harbor a fighting spirit in your hearts, do not let your guard down.”
“Yes.”
“Intermediate Knight of the 1st Knight Order, Yurasia Espirot. I shall follow the master’s command.”
Yurasia, who had been stickily clinging to my side like a puppy wagging its tail, became a completely different person as we faced each other.
Narrowing Eyes.
Perfect Stance.
Calm Breathing.
Yurasia, holding a posture that could be called a model of a Eustetia Knight, looked excellent even in my eyes.
Intermediate Knight of Eustetia.
It may seem shabby just by the words themselves.
Well, it used to be back in my day.
The Empire’s best swords, the Northern Triad, the Southern Seven Great Powers, and so on.
Such titles sound cool, but being an intermediate knight of Eustetia looks lacking.
However, it’s not a position that anyone can easily reach.
Moreover, Yurasia is 17 years old.
Had it been 400 years ago, she would have been getting married and having kids, yet to my eyes, she’s still a kid.
In reality, she’s delicate, silly, and bubbly when conversing.
But, how on earth did this little girl stand out among so many knights and lift her head to make herself known?
What is there to say? Obviously, it’s talent.
A unique ability sharpened by relentless effort. An overwhelming skill forged by that.
With that sole skill, she surpassed those seasoned knights, achieving 3rd rank and became an intermediate knight.
Indeed, she possesses talent.
She hasn’t fully bloomed yet, though.
Grinning, I lightly swung my wooden sword, spreading mana throughout my body.
“The result of victory or defeat is based on serious injuries. Now, I will start the countdown.”
I exhaled and examined Yurasia’s vital points.
“Three.”
Passing on the crown since it’s out of sight.
Dantian, temples, forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, chin, neck, groin, heart, ribs, solar plexus, belly button, etc.
Places I shouldn’t touch.
“Two.”
Then, I looked at the areas I could touch.
Yurasia seemed to sense my gaze as she subtly moved her sword to defend against it.
“One.”
Yurasia’s right foot tensed up. The muscles in her leg contracted. Her left leg stretched out, and her waist turned.
That elasticity rising from the ground was conveyed to her shoulder via her abdomen, nudging her arm.
Tuk- The sword stretched backward.
Her left shoulder came forward.
Yurasia’s first move was a thrust followed by an upward slash.
Starting with that charge.
The swordsmanship, which from now on will unfold before my eyes, is the perfected Eustetia swordplay.
In my previous life, I too employed a head-on approach.
If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with Paulo’s speed.
That charge is a suitable maneuver to invigorate my swordplay, no, my fighting style, but…
It’s the worst tactic against me.
And…
Eustetia must not add any defensive aspect to my fighting style.
“Start.”
What are you going to do by adding defense to a fighting style meant to kill demons?
*
“Countdown starts now.”
The light wooden sword swayed lightly behind the vibrant pink twin tails.
Below it lay a slender body that seemed ready to be swung by the wooden sword.
It seemed too thin and small for the past five years of diligent training.
When I hugged Young Lady Ellie just moments ago, I was slightly fearful she might break.
That young lady,
With her cherry blossom-colored eyes sparkling, is quickly scanning my vital points.
She’s targeting every human weak point.
“Three.”
As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also slowly inspecting places that, if struck incorrectly, could result in incapacity.
Even if I changed my stance little by little following her gaze, she found new openings immediately.
Those elegantly curved cherry blossom-colored eyes are frightening.
I can’t predict where she’ll look next, what she’ll find next.
Therefore.
I’m excited. I’m thrilled.
“Two.”
I couldn’t properly engage with the sword until now due to Master’s gaze, but this duel is the request from the Head of the Household.
The young lady also asked earnestly for her involvement and even offered a reward.
It’ll be a clean duel without any complications.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I felt a pulsating rhythm from maybe my heart or somewhere else, and I steadied my breath.
Should I cautiously observe the young lady’s skill while defending?
No, that doesn’t suit my style.
To begin with, Eustetia’s swordplay isn’t defensive. It’s an aggressive approach ignoring defense. That is Eustetia’s swordplay.
And, such a method wouldn’t be respectful towards the young lady.
So then. Let’s go on the offensive.
“One.”
I extended my foot and bent my waist.
I let my sword dangle and pushed my shoulder forward.
It’s the gesture announcing that an Eustetia knight is beginning combat.
After closing the distance, I executed a short upward slash.
And my favorite opening.
I released my strained breath and dispersed my mana throughout my body.
At that moment.
Her cherry blossom-colored eyes bloomed vividly.
The young lady grinned-.
I felt a sharp edge closing in behind me.
“Start.”
Thud- I charged forward.
Equally, Young Lady Ellie also charged forward.
A head-on charge?
I didn’t anticipate it, but it’s not a lethal move.
For now, according to my envisioned picture, I raised my wooden sword briefly to strike and predicted the young lady’s next move.
I chose one of dozens of possible lethal moves and composed my next action.
It had no significance.
Thwack!
Faster than I anticipated, the handle of the wooden sword struck my abdomen.
“Gah, Urk…!”
Breath escaped unexpectedly. How? I was absorbing every move of the young lady.
I already knew she’d stab with the handle.
I had the timing, orbit, and how to respond all figured out.
Yet, it didn’t follow that flow.
The young lady didn’t move that way.
No, she moved that way.
I simply didn’t see it.
I couldn’t understand.
Confused, I distanced myself.
The young lady remained standing in the same place.
Still grinning-.
And with her cute lips, she seemed to whisper…
‘That’s not how it’s done.’
‘Not like that.’
‘You shouldn’t do it that way. Pfft.’
…No, Yurasia. It’s a duel. This is a duel.
And the opponent is the cherry blossom of Eustetia that I must protect,
Lady Eliaernes.
So, hold—
‘Shabby Yurasia.’
‘Do you think you can score a present from me?’
‘The intermediate knight position is wasted on you.’
‘How about, becoming my personal attendant instead?’
A smirk danced across those cherry blossom-colored eyes.
“Eek!”
I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
I darted forward immediately.
No need for a plan.
Just go with what I did. Just like how I climbed the ranks to become an intermediate knight.
I will trust my instincts.
With narrowed eyes, I landed before the young lady.
I sensed her shoulder moving.
In that instant, I turned my feet and twisted my body.
Crack- The tips of my feet wrapped in mana tore into the training ground’s floor. The recoil halted my motion.
With that, I raised my sword and struck.
I released my body weight into the attack.
That attack went—
Kaang—!
The young lady’s wooden sword bounced off lightly.
It was a peculiar form of defense that could only be performed by her, one that shifts the flow of offense and defense constantly displayed in the duel.
But it wasn’t unanticipated.
Moving my body according to my senses, I dodged the young lady’s attack.
“Oh?”
Surprise gleamed in the young lady’s eyes.
But that’s all; the annoying smile on her lips remained intact.
I ignored it.
Above that, the wooden sword stabbed in. I twisted my waist and drew my legs. I relayed that rebound to my shoulder.
As a result, the swinging wooden sword dropped towards the young lady’s neck. She calmly stepped back, watching it unfold.
And again, she darted towards me as if bouncing from somewhere.
That brief exchange continued.
When I distanced myself, she stood still. When I closed the distance, she eluded it.
I couldn’t figure out what she wanted, but each time, I discovered new methods.
If I drove my foot deep, the young lady’s foot pushed back against mine.
If my shoulder receded, her shoulder intruded through the gap.
When my waist twisted, the weakened direction allowed a stabbing attack from her wooden sword.
It’s not fast but it hurts.
It seems gentle but is wild.
Yet it’s not lethal.
The exchanges never ceased.
With each occurrence, the foundation of Eustetia swordsmanship in my mind evolved.
Towards slightly better directions.
Towards slightly more aggressive directions.
Could it be? Is she teaching me…?
Eustetia’s sword aims for the utmost pleasure of swordsmanship.
Is such teaching possible in a moment when that sword is swung?
She followed my swordplay for just a brief moment. Has she discerned all the problems?
Indeed.
I thought that the young lady might be a reincarnation of Arisa Eustetia.
While pondering, the young lady frowned as mana surrounded her wooden sword.
Mana rose like wolf’s fangs.
I knew that attack.
It’s a technique meant to break the opponent’s weapon.
Since the day of our preceding duel, when the young lady shattered my wooden sword, I continuously contemplated and studied how to counter that move until sleep claimed me.
And I found it.
Theoretically possible means.
Though I’ve never executed it before,
the chances of failure are high, yet it’s a must.
It’s a bit of a mischievous thought, but I want to give the young lady a light punch for teasing me.
Duel, it should be fine, right?
…The young lady will forgive me too.
If she becomes extremely angry, I might… how about treating her to a duel pass?
Convinced of my victory, I firmly clenched my fist. I surrounded it with mana.
With focused eyes, I watched the trajectory of the young lady’s sword.
I predicted the following route, the falling timing.
In that state.
I brought my fist to the picture formed in my mind.
Crash—!
A sound like a giant mirror shattering resonated as the young lady’s wooden sword shattered into pieces.
I did it.
An exhilarating thrill engulfed my whole body.
Now, it’s just about bringing the end of my wooden sword to the young lady’s neck.
Putting away all feelings of accomplishment, I made my move.
Just as I was about to bring the wooden sword to her delicate neck.
The young lady’s adorable fist stretched towards me.
Instinct screamed upon seeing that fist.
It sounded alarms. My heart raced. Cold sweat drenched my body.
And.
All of that conveys a single meaning.
If I get hit by that fist, I’ll certainly die.
At the same time.
“Ugh, damn it.”
The young lady docked her punch.
*
“…Ah, Young Lady?”
“Are you okay?”
“I-I’m fine, right? When did I start sitting…?”
“Uh… you did well, Yurasia.”
I stood up Yurasia, who was seated, and immediately turned my back.
I saw the surprised look on my father’s face and the significant gaze of Kerian.
I bowed my head to them and exited the training ground.
On the way to the main family’s training grounds.
As I strolled down that path, I thought about it.
Just a moment ago, the limits of the weapon had come far too swiftly.
Normally, a wooden sword would withstand five minutes, ten if I took it slow, yet it met its limit in just three minutes.
And that last punch directed at Yurasia.
That punch felt…
Smooth. No interruptions. Natural.
The power from my toes transferred to that fist without a drop left behind.
As if my body desired it.
As if everything I had repressed burst forth.
If Yurasia had been hit by that punch, at minimum, she’d be severely injured…
“And, she looked just like her.”
Like Arisa Eustetia.
Resisting civilization, stubbornly insisting only on bare hands, that foolish and innocent chimpanzee’s fists had resembled hers, I thought.
“Ugh, what the hell, this isn’t even real. No way. No way, it can’t be! I’m human!! Not a chimpanzee!!!”