Ch.1212. Rehabilitation (4)

Seeing the training grounds at a time when the sun was shining brightly gave a completely different feeling compared to when I had only seen it during the twilight hours between day and night.

It was quite interesting how a space that would have been dead if not for Sione and me came alive when the sun rose.

But that wasn’t the only interesting thing.

‘…It’s really swarming with women instead of men.’

The fact that it was difficult to find even one man in the training grounds.

This was truly fascinating beyond words.

Whatever the organism, once it begins to accept mana and the body starts to adapt, physical abilities follow an upward curve along with mana.

Unlike women, men haven’t been able to accept mana for about 1000 years now, or so they say.

As a result, gender tendencies have changed from past to present, and it seems they recruit only women not just for knights but even for what appear to be regular soldiers.

While I understood this intellectually, seeing it directly with my own eyes made it difficult to adapt.

Among the women filling the training grounds, two in particular caught my attention.

“It’s Lady Diolia and Sister Siabel. Looks like they’re about to spar.”

The protagonists were Diolia, whom I had met at dawn, and Sione’s sister, whom I had only briefly glimpsed a few times near the dining hall.

Unlike her usual appearance, Siabel had her platinum-infused hair tied up tightly.

Well, long hair is nothing but a hindrance when handling a sword.

Her appearance made me think that if Sione lost all her weight, she might look like that with sharper, more refined features.

With that platinum blonde hair in the County of Sianella’s lord’s castle, her identity was obvious. I was a bit slow to realize it.

“Let’s watch this before heading to the shooting range.”

Sione’s eyes wouldn’t leave her sister.

She probably wanted to see Siabel’s level of mastery that Sion had mentioned, and the Sianella family’s talent with the sword.

After all, Siabel was known for her swordsmanship befitting a Sianella.

Curious about just how good she was, I followed Sione to watch the beginning duel.

“I’ll yield the first move. Please come at me.”

“This time will be different from before.”

“I look forward to it.”

Just as they were maintaining their distance with swords pointed at each other.

Tap!

Siabel stepped forward.

The moment her sword came within reach of Diolia.

Siabel stomped the ground while twisting her waist.

Then, from northeast to southwest, Siabel’s sword slashed down in a clean diagonal.

Clang!!

It was a clean strike, but Diolia’s sword blocked it.

As their swords clashed, the intensity in both Siabel and Diolia’s eyes deepened.

While measuring the distance between them, twisting and flowing with their swords, continuing their attack and defense.

Just as a bluish light began to rise like a heat haze from Siabel’s sword.

The tip of Siabel’s sword, which had been pointing skyward, suddenly bent and thrust toward Diolia’s neck.

Boom!!

Diolia stomped the ground and stepped back, deflecting Siabel’s sword upward with a thunderous sound.

Siabel’s sword couldn’t overcome Diolia’s strength and its tip drew a straight line upward.

This exposed her to the danger of a counterattack against her weakness.

“The speed at which you imbue your Aura Blade into your sword is rather slow, making it a somewhat disappointing attack.”

“I’ve only recently become able to use Aura Blade, so I’m still inexperienced. I shall strive to show you a sword you can be satisfied with as soon as possible.”

“Very well.”

Both Siabel and Diolia’s swords were now coated with Aura Blades.

Sione watched them as if determined not to miss a single detail.

“…Aura Blade! She really has become an Expert knight.”

“Would you like to see more?”

“Now that the main attraction has just begun, wouldn’t it be a shame to leave right away? Expert knights fight both powerfully and spectacularly, so it should be quite entertaining to watch.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

The duel continued.

Siabel mainly took the offensive, while Diolia handled the defense.

Yet whenever a significant opening appeared, Diolia didn’t hesitate to thrust in a counterattack.

Siabel would somehow defend against these and then rebuild her momentum, repeating this pattern.

Watching their duel, I could roughly gauge their skill levels.

Siabel had just stepped into the Expert realm and still showed signs of inexperience with Expert combat methods.

There were unstable, trembling areas amidst her powerful aura, or places where the color was thin.

Her Aura Blade hadn’t yet reached the level of a complete Expert.

She also showed difficulty properly controlling the rebound when Aura Blades clashed.

As for Diolia… she was simply insane.

Thinking that I had once aimed my bow at someone like her… it sent chills down my spine again.

When swordsmen using Aura Blades clash, their swords tend to rebound.

That’s because the weight and repulsive force imbued with each other’s mana and sword strikes are that powerful.

But Diolia?

“Diolia’s swordsmanship is always nothing short of miraculous.”

“Just as you say, Lady Sione.”

She was so exceptional that even a commoner could immediately recognize her extraordinary skill level.

She received Siabel’s sword without the slightest flinch.

Not only that, but upon impact, she kept her sword firmly pressed against Siabel’s, pushing it down and scraping the blade.

This technique was only possible because her mana and control abilities were several levels above Siabel’s.

Though Siabel seemed to possess considerable talent as well.

But it was still premature for her to overcome Diolia’s years of experience wielding a sword in service to the County of Sianella.

In Earth terms, Siabel would be like a swordsman who had just reached A-rank Hunter status, while Diolia would be an A-rank Hunter with considerable experience and skill.

That comparison seemed about right.

As I was concentrating on watching their duel, I suddenly realized their intense match had ended.

Siabel, wiping sweat from her forehead, turned around, and her eyes met with my master Sione’s.

“Oh? Sione? What brings you all the way here?”

“I came to practice something privately at the shooting range.”

I observed Sione’s demeanor.

Unlike when she talked with Sion, where she gave off an atmosphere of having stepped in something unpleasant and growled, Sione’s reaction to Siabel wasn’t entirely negative, apart from speaking overly formally.

“You must have given up the sword quite some time ago. Hmm, looking at you now, you seem to have lost some weight… Have you started wielding a sword again?”

“I abandoned any lingering attachment to the sword long ago. I came here specifically for the shooting range.”

“The shooting range?”

“Yes, I came to practice archery.”

“Archery? You, Sione, shooting a bow?”

“I’ve heard rumors that a ghost appears at the shooting range every morning. Have you heard anything about that, Sister Siabel?”

Siabel tilted her head curiously.

“I have heard that rumor. Could it be that the ghost is…”

Sione simply responded with a faint smile.

Siabel read her intention in that smile and quietly nodded.

After exchanging a few more conventional pleasantries, as the conversation was starting to become awkward,

what seemed like it would be a lengthy exchange between the sisters ended, and Sione’s gaze turned back to me.

“Well then, let’s continue on our way.”

As I followed behind Sione who was slowly leading me, Diolia watched us from a distance.

After giving a small nod to Diolia, who was smiling faintly while looking at Sione, I followed after her.

* * *

When we arrived at the shooting range, the archers at the entrance showed surprised expressions upon seeing Sione.

Though their expressions varied, the reason behind them was the same.

“Huh? This person shouldn’t be here.”

One of the women who barely managed to hide her obvious thoughts asked:

“Aren’t you Lady Sione…? What brings you here…?”

“What brings me here? When one comes to a shooting range, isn’t the purpose obvious?”

“Pardon?”

“Stop asking obvious questions and step aside. I wish to enter the shooting range.”

“Y-yes!”

As the dumbfounded woman moved aside and opened the entrance, Sione immediately entered the shooting range.

At the same time, glances were directed at her, and then at me as I followed behind her.

The situation at the shooting range was similar to the training grounds outside.

Women were more numerous, but compared to the training grounds, there were relatively more men.

As Sione quickly scanned the shooting range, a woman who appeared to be an instructor hurriedly approached.

Her gaze briefly went to Sione’s face before shifting to her hair.

“Uh, umm…?”

I understood the instructor’s reaction.

Of course, who would have thought that the Sione Sianella would come to the shooting range?

Until now, Sione hadn’t told anyone about her archery practice, nor had she revealed her intense exercise regimen in her room.

It must be hard to believe that someone who should normally be in her room eating snacks and tormenting her servants was here instead.

“I don’t think it’s good to stare at someone’s face like that.”

“…Are you perhaps Lady Sione Sianella?”

“Do I look like Siabel Sianella or Sion Sianella to you?”

“N-no, of course not…!”

“If you know I’m not, why ask?”

“W-well, that’s…”

The only Sianella who visited the training grounds was Siabel, so for Sione to suddenly appear?

With the famous Sione Sianella and a new man appearing in the sweat-filled shooting range, it was natural that attention would be drawn to us.

The archers in the shooting range tried to pretend they weren’t looking, but their gazes began to converge on us.

“What brings Lady Sione all the way here…?”

“Haa.”

Sione sighed deeply as if exasperated and crossed her arms.

Her furrowed expression clearly conveyed her annoyance.

“What other reason would I have for coming to a shooting range besides archery?”

Sione jerked her chin toward the weapon rack where bows and arrows were organized.

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon…?”

“Why aren’t you bringing me a bow and arrows quickly?”

With a click of her tongue, Sione’s demeanor made the instructor hurry toward the rack with a frightened face.

Meanwhile, Sione turned around to look at me and raised the corner of her mouth mischievously.

…It reminded me of how she would openly jerk her chin when it was time to change the bed sheets.

No matter how I think about it—

This brat is pure evil.