Chapter 48

Chapter 48

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 48: Duel (1).

The word “affection” implies many things: the attraction between two people who just met, the bond between long-time friends, the love within a family, or the strong connection between a master and their disciple. In any case, it was an ambiguous term.

Rustila Kersil holds affection for you. Just as you have helped her, she wishes to help you in return.

The status window indicated that Rustila harbored affection for me. The question then was: what kind of affection?

I decided not to dwell too deeply on this. It wasn’t a problem I could easily solve, given the complexity and subtlety of human psychology.

Turning to Rustila, who was rambling, I suggested, “Shall we go for a sparring match?”

“Ah? Sparring?”

“Tomorrow’s class is military training, right?”

“Ah, you mean to prepare for the class? Right. If you want…”

Suddenly, Rustila blushed red like a ripe persimmon, mumbling, “I’ll check your posture! Just like last time!”

I should be thankful for personal swordsmanship lessons from the next Sword Saint.

In fact, I had only sparred with Rustila until I passed. Afterward, my time was consumed by reading papers, leaving little room to hone my swordsmanship.

But I felt it could no longer be postponed.

If I continued to live as a weakling, I wouldn’t achieve anything.

“Miss, are you alright?” I heard a voice call.

“Young master, what can I do if you leave me like that?”

The two androids approached with frowns—Verdia approached with heavy, deliberate steps that echoed solidly on the floor. At the same time, Sonia moved quickly, her footsteps light and swift, barely making a sound as she hurried over.

Sonia’s brisk steps and the way her long apron was folded halfway conveyed a sense of persistence.

“Sonia, I’m going to practice sword fighting with Rustila from now on.”

“Sword fighting? I don’t mind, but please allow me to supervise, just in case.”

“That’s fine,” I agreed, nodding. Sonia seemed satisfied as long as she could keep an eye on me.

Verdia, on the other hand, had reservations. As a guard appointed by Rustila’s parents, her approach was much stricter than Sonia’s.

“What if you accidentally hurt the lady during sparring?” Verdia asked, concern evident in her tone.

Rustila shot Verdia a sharp glare, causing her to flinch before she hastily added, “…Your parents will worry.”

“Enough about my mother and father. I am an adult now,” Rustila retorted firmly.

“You still have about two years before you are officially an adult…” Verdia muttered under her breath.

“I am mature enough. Didn’t I make it to Stellarium on my own? I can take responsibility for my actions. Unless it is something life-threatening, I wish you would not intervene,” Rustila declared, her voice laced with determination. Under her intense gaze, Verdia stiffened, looking as rigid as plastic.

I could also feel the pressure emanating from Rustila’s resolute demeanor. It was the same aura she always carried, the one that earned her the title of Sword Saint.

It was both curious and amusing to think that this tender-hearted girl would one day become a proud and cool-headed commander. In the novel, she remained single until her death, but if there were a happy ending to be had here, she would start a family and live contentedly.

Given Rustila’s personality, it seemed likely that her future husband might feel somewhat overwhelmed by her. I wasn’t sure who she might end up marrying, but the thought was both enviable and slightly pitiable.

Shaking my head to clear these thoughts, I moved on, ready to focus on the task at hand…

On the west side of the Academy lay numerous sports fields, colloquially termed ‘stadiums’—a misnomer, as these grounds also served as duel training arenas.

In an era when humanity’s dominion had expanded to encompass an entire galaxy, establishing a civilization that had achieved a Kardashev scale of 3, one might expect a pinnacle of progress. Yet, ironically, human thought had regressed.

One notable regression was the resurgence of the chivalric spirit.

The role of the inspector was akin to that of a knight. Ostensibly, inspectors were just officials, but their true essence lay in their loyalty to superiors and their protective stance toward subordinates.

Thus, the term ‘inspector’ encompassed both regular military personnel and private mercenaries, all of whom primarily wielded swords as their weapons. This choice of armament was a clear marker of societal regression—or was it?

Perhaps ‘regression’ isn’t the right word. Let’s borrow a concept from physics: Ether behaves somewhat like a ‘force.’

But what kind of force? It resembles nuclear force.

Nuclear force is crucial for constructing atomic or hydrogen bombs. It operates by forcibly binding together positively charged protons. This force is incredibly potent at close range.

The characteristics of this strong force are simple: it is immensely powerful but only effective over very short distances. Beyond a certain point, like a stretched rubber band, it loses its capacity to hold together and snaps.

Similarly, Ether, a magic-like force prevalent in living beings, diminishes sharply with distance from its source, which explains the ineffectiveness of firearms in this era. To subdue monsters or incarnates, one must sear them with plasma infused with Ether, as using it in guns or beams would cause it to dissipate before reaching the target.

Thus, the idea of directly handling a beam for better control is sheer madness.

Given these circumstances, soldiers of this era have turned to wielding plasma swords instead of traditional firearms, adapting their weaponry to the unique demands of their environment.

The spirit of chivalry naturally arises when one wields a sword.

Unlike guns, which merely demonstrate the ability to pull a trigger, a sword lays bare the full extent of its wielder’s capabilities. With the same blade, power can vary greatly, sharply delineating the strong from the weak, a distinction that becomes apparent even in the early stages of training.

Kuaak-!

A profound and refreshing sound echoed in my head.

Ah, I could see the stars.

Altair, Deneb, Vega—the Summer Triangle.

The stars of that famous asterism seemed to pulse, expanding and contracting. One transformed into a white dwarf, another into a quasar.

Then, the pain arrived.

“Kuaaak!”

It was unbearable. My left hand trembled violently, begging me to drop the sword.

“Aidel.”

“Eugh!”

“You need to get stronger.”

“Kuaak!”

Rustila’s sword was relentless, piercing through every opening with no mercy. Her eyes bore the intensity of a knight in a life-or-death duel.

I was beaten down, sprawled on the grassy field, a complete mess.

“Get up,” Rustila commanded softly.

Yet, her voice was colder, more ruthless, and even scarier than before. She seemed different from the Rustila I knew.

Had she awakened or something?

Her awakening seemed a bit premature.

Nevertheless, the Rustila from the novel was indeed a sharp and disciplined soldier. With a determined heart, I mustered all my strength to stand up.

“Even when I’m not around, you need to be able to take care of yourself. That way, whether you encounter an incarnate or a high-level monster, you can survive any situation without dying.”

“Rustila, you…?”

“I will also become stronger in the future.”

She set down her sword and approached me, her presence marked by a peculiar fragrance—a blend of fresh florals and the tang of sweat.

In the blink of an eye, Rustila stepped into my shadow and commanded, “Take a stance. I will teach you everything I can.”

With that, I assumed the best stance I could manage. My only training in swordsmanship had come from Rustila, which meant it was the blind leading the blind. But that was okay. I could receive proper training during future drills, and besides, I couldn’t afford physical training outside of school. I’d rather invest in a journal subscription than pay to learn swordsmanship from a stranger. That was my resolve.

“First of all, your hands are a mess. You haven’t remembered what I told you last time. It’s a clumsy movement, the kind only beginners or drunkards make.”

As Rustila critiqued me, she delicately felt my wrist, a stark contrast to the harsher treatment I’d received moments earlier. Because she was standing behind me, her face came close to mine as she examined my hand, prompting Verdia to shout.

“Yah! Get away from my lady!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, Verdia!” Rustila called back, her voice calm but firm.

She then started to assess my center of balance, a smirk playing on her lips. Her hands began at my lower back, tracing the erector spinae before moving to my waist. She gently corrected my form, her touch reminiscent of a skilled masseuse. As Rustila adjusted my stance, her hands lingered on my thighs and calves, making minute adjustments.

“This is all twisted. Should I move it forward a bit? No, that’s too far out. Now, back again…”

Rustila was playfully manipulating my legs as if they were mere toys, accompanied by her light-hearted remarks.

“Phew, phew,” she sighed, the sound oddly distorted.

“Hey, you alright?” I asked.

“Ha, haa… uh? W-what?” she stammered, suddenly recoiling as if she had committed some misdeed, her pronunciation faltering in her fluster.

Her deep blue eyes darted about, a feverish flush painting her cheeks—whether from the exercise or embarrassment, it was hard to tell. She seemed unwell, her gaze unfocused.

“It’s not what you think. I was just checking the posture. Only the posture. I definitely wasn’t thinking anything weird…” Rustila blurted out defensively.

“Miss-!!” Verdia burst in, her tone furious as she physically separated me and Rustila. “Your physical contact is excessive!”

“D-don’t disturb me…! I need to examine his body!” Rustila protested.

“If your parents knew you were having this much physical contact with an unknown man, what would they think? It’s unclean! Dirty! It’s almost as if you have lost your purity by exaggerating it a bit!” Verdia chastised.

“Always bringing up mother and father? Please, just stop now! I’m all grown up! And Aidel is a friend. It’s normal to have this much contact with a friend…!” Rustila countered, frustration evident in her voice.

This situation was driving me insane. Although Verdia was a 5th generation android, her conservative programming was as rigid as that of the older model, Zermel.

While they continued their heated argument, Sonia approached, her voice calm but incredulous. “All this fuss over just having touched an arm or leg.”

“Exactly,” I agreed.

“It’s not like we hugged each other tightly or anything. It was just the kind of contact that commonly occurs between friends,” Rustila added, trying to clarify the situation.

Sonia took a step closer, her bright eyes reflecting an image of myself as I looked at her.

“I’ve become curious. Excuse me, but may I hold your arm for a moment?”

“Go ahead.”

I extended my arm to Sonia, knowing her to be an android of the 5th generation, equipped with advanced intelligence and curiosity. I assumed she would merely examine it briefly.

However, Sonia’s actions were unexpected. She wrapped her hands around my arm, pulled me closer, and crossed her legs as though she were embracing a long cushion. Then, she began to nibble gently on my right arm.

“Hmm, ohh, hmmm,” Sonia murmured, her words indecipherable.

Suddenly, she tilted her head and rested it on my shoulder. The sensation was unusual, and goosebumps sprang up on the arm she clutched. Instinctively, I jerked my arm away.

“What, what are you doing?!” I asked, perplexed.

“…Nothing at all,” Sonia replied, adjusting her headband.

“It was merely an experiment to understand the emotions humans feel through a level of physical contact considered friendly. It is still difficult for me to comprehend.”

Her explanation hinted at the innovative capabilities of her generation. The buzz about the 5th generation wasn’t unfounded after all.

If I could ever defeat all the Outer Gods, I entertained the idea of pursuing a degree in computer science, perhaps even up to a master’s, inspired by the complexity of beings like Sonia. However, I had no room to entertain such idle thoughts at the moment.

Because out of nowhere, a wild Zelnya appeared!