Chapter 68: Duke’s Banquet – 3

Chapter 68: Duke’s Banquet – 3

…A sword approaching every second, and the distance narrowing.

I instinctively tried to use ‘Repository of Knowledge’ but… stopped myself.

Because I wasn’t facing an enemy right now.

Nor did I just blindly draw the sword from the scabbard on my back.

There was no point in holding something I didn’t know how to use.

So, I calmly responded to Christie, who was acting as my teacher and lunging at me, with observation.

There was no need to rush.

Naturally, Christie’s sword strikes, which clearly held no real intent, were very easy for this body to dodge.

‘A technique to press down using the greatsword’s weight, a technique to deflect an opponent’s attack with the greatsword’s size, and finally, a technique to push back an opponent’s attack and counter… was that it?’

As I calmly dodged, I recalled the descriptions of Christie’s combat.

It was merely remembering what was described in words in the novel… but with a physical presence before me, the movements were easily read.

And, I gradually began to adapt to Christie’s movements.

Christie’s movements, which I had initially missed for a moment, now began to be fully captured by my eyes.

……I always feel this, but this body is definitely a cheat.

“…You blocked it?”

“I just thought this would be good.”

Therefore… instead of focusing on dodging, I drew my sword.

Gripping the sword with both hands, I used the greatsword’s characteristic long blade to block and push back Christie’s approaching blade.

Clang!

A cheerful metallic sound, and a not-so-cheerful, stinging impact, was felt in my arm.

I felt the full impact of the two greatsword blades colliding, and the shock of us struggling for power to avoid being pushed back.

The body of a Knight who has undergone consistent training, and the delicate, ordinary skinny girl’s body.

Clearly, the difference in muscle strength between the two bodies seemed obvious, but…

Unfortunately, my body was much stronger than it looked.

Therefore… although Christie was clearly superior in strength, she wasn’t completely winning the power struggle.

“…It’s really amazing. How does such power come from that small body?”

“Well, I’m sometimes amazed too.”

It seemed like the boring power struggle would continue, but… Christie quickly retrieved her sword.

Naturally, my balance was broken by the sudden reaction…

And Christie didn’t miss that opening.

A simple sword strike, from top to bottom.

However… if the one wielding it is someone who can still easily defeat a high-ranking Knight,

And if that sword is a greatsword that would send an ordinary person to their grave the moment they’re properly hit, its power is not simple at all.

However, I wasn’t scared at all.

Just as a tutorial guides you on what skills to use when fighting an enemy, Christie was openly giving me hints on what skills to use and moving accordingly.

……Well, even if I made a mistake or something went wrong, Christie would take care of it, so I wasn’t afraid.

I was prepared to die and she brought me back to life, so what if I get a little hurt?

I gripped my sword and regained my broken balance.

Admiring my body, which moved lightly and quickly like flowing water, I deflected the attack that pressed down from above with my sword.

With a satisfied smile, Christie’s strike flowed down my blade.

With the sound of metal scraping, another stinging impact came… but it wasn’t enough to cause me trouble yet.

Therefore… I returned the attack I had just received from Christie in kind.

I raised my sword. And brought it down.

From top to bottom.

Christie had kindly shown me the model answer just now, so I imitated it.

…Only, adapted to my somewhat lacking body, instead of striking down powerfully, I struck down quickly.

Clang!

With another metallic sound, a familiar notification window popped up before my eyes.

*Skill Acquired

-> Congratulations! You have mastered all the basics of Christie-style swordsmanship!

=> You have acquired the skill, Christie-style Swordsmanship (Basic)!

*

…It was quite satisfying content.

***

Christie, who had blocked my sword strike, quietly retrieved her sword again and placed it back in the weapon rack that pretended to be a decoration.

I also put my greatsword back into the scabbard on my back.

…Anyway, this damn height is a problem. It’s really something that my legs are shorter than the length from my waist to the blade…

“Lucia.”

“What? Didn’t I do pretty well?”

Suddenly, Christie spoke to me with a very serious-looking face, but…

She couldn’t hide the subtly upturned corners of her lips.

…Wasn’t that exactly the expression she makes when she’s about to beat someone up?

“Certainly, at this level, if some insignificant fly gets entangled, and you drag them to the dueling ground, victory is assured. But, that’s not it.”

“…Then what?”

“You…… don’t you have any intention of officially joining the Knights later?”

……What the hell is this person babbling about…?

Christie flinched for a moment, perhaps sensing my scornful gaze that asked, ‘What do you take me for?’

“Ah, no! Really! You truly have talent!”

“It’s just that my physical abilities are a bit good for some reason.”

“Really? For someone like that, you haven’t missed a single one of my movements, except for the very first one.”

“Well, I have to see it to dodge it, and see it to learn it, right?”

At that, Christie made a strange expression for a moment.

It was a correct statement, but her expression seemed to ask why it was coming from my mouth.

…Hmm, honestly, even I think it’s a remark that doesn’t suit me at all.

Someone who looks like they’d find a kitchen knife heavy, wielding a greatsword…

“And I’m busy making and selling potions, you know?”

“…You seem to have more talent for swordsmanship than that.”

“Yes? Then try drinking this.”

Saying that, I took out two health potions from my inventory.

Even though it was a short moment, fighting with this greatsword consumed a lot of stamina.

No, really, my body was starting to get a little tired from moving for the first time in a while.

“What is this?”

“It’s a potion I made with the Duke’s family’s sponsorship this time. I guarantee its effectiveness.”

“…Side effects?”

“……You’re asking about that first, without even asking about the effects?”

“But it’s Lucia’s potion, where excellent effects and excellent flaws in the form of side effects always coexist.”

…It was truly sad that I had nothing to say because it was true.

Indeed, Christie had experienced the side effects of potions firsthand, so it was even more understandable.

……Honestly, if a potion exploded in the office and she heard something like, “Hehe, actually, as a side effect, there’s no distinction between friend and foe!”, she’d probably say something like that.

“There isn’t any.”

“…Huh?”

“I said there aren’t any. How much money did I get from the Duke’s family? With that much, I can buy much better ingredients, you know?”

“So all the side effects until now were because of the ingredients?”

“That’s right? Then what did you think the problem was?”

“Your skill?”

……Honestly, the damage I just received feels greater than the damage I took from blocking Christie’s greatsword.

Christie’s words are a bit spicy today…?

“Phew. Are you sulking?”

“…No.”

“Sorry, sorry. Lucia, you have such a good reaction, it’s fun to tease you, you know?”

“……I didn’t say anything.”

“It’s all over your tone and expression. Especially your voice tone, anyone would hear it and think, ‘I’m sulking!’ It’s like an advertisement.”

“Aish! I’m not sulking!! Just drink it!”

Christie, who drank the potion with a laugh, soon stopped laughing and looked at me with surprised eyes.

…It was exactly the kind of look that asked, ‘How did you make this?’

As expected, Christie had no intention of hiding her expression in front of me.

“Instant physical healing and fatigue relief…”

“There’s also an additional immunity boost effect. Though it might be hard for you or me to feel it.”

“Medical consumables… If this falls into the wrong hands, there’ll be a bloodbath to get it.”

“I have over 100 of them right now, so what?”

At that, Christie looked at me with strange eyes again.

Specifically, at the empty potion bottle in my hand and the scabbard on my back.

“…Didn’t you say mass production was difficult?”

“That problem has been solved. Those 100 were made in a single day. …Of course, I gave up on a humane life.”

I never want to experience that day again when the health potion turned into an all-nighter potion.

No, if such a quest comes up again, I’d rather just take the failure penalty that day!

It was so regrettable that no one knew that making potions required an unimaginable amount of concentration.

If they did, they would truly understand how hard it was for me to make these 100…

“…Hmm, there might be some problems, but it’s a tremendous innovation nonetheless.”

“Right?”

“It would be especially good to use on someone who’s almost dead from fighting, like someone I know.”

“…Don’t look at me like that, Unnie, it’s true I made it with that time in mind.”

“Anyway, you only call me Unnie when it’s convenient for you.”

“So… do you dislike it? Unnie?”

However, Christie’s face, as she said that, was already dying of happiness.

…But there seemed to be a hint of flirting in her last words.

And her expression seemed to have subtly changed too?

*Hmm, your trait is working hard.*

‘Get rid of it! Please get rid of it!”

……I was truly glad that Christie taught me swordsmanship.

If Christie, who is of the same gender and usually rational, is like this…

Hmm, I think my greatsword will get some blood on it today. Quite a lot.