Ch.1414. The Saint Who Is Too Much of a Newbie

When growing a game character, it’s best to decide on a direction before developing them.

Whether you’ll develop them as a swordsman, a mage, or something else entirely.

If a swordsman, what kind of sword you’ll mainly use. If a mage, what attributes and types of magic you’ll primarily handle.

Of course, it doesn’t matter if you don’t decide. How you play is entirely up to you.

Personally, I preferred to decide before developing a character.

Thanks to that, my head was filled with all kinds of different development methods.

I sometimes thought it would have been better if I’d used this storage space for studying, but now that this had become my major and profession, it was actually a good thing.

Anyway, because of that, I didn’t feel much pressure about teaching Lilith.

Although I’d never directly played the Saint class, I’d quite often played with similar light attribute-focused builds.

Of course, I’d played common classes like Paladin or Priest, but even with mismatched classes like Assassin, if you specialized in light attributes, it was still fine for progressing through the story. There’s nothing better than light attributes when dealing with demon races.

The important thing was that among those playthroughs, there existed light attribute fighters like Lilith.

Although I couldn’t teach her practical combat know-how, if it was a concept I’d already developed, I could certainly pass on development expertise.

By the time I finished organizing my thoughts, we finally arrived at our destination.

Earlier, with about a dozen people crowding around, I hadn’t noticed, but the training ground had a larger space than I expected.

But well… it was just spacious without anything particularly special.

That’s because special equipment or environmental elements aren’t important for first-year students in the advanced class who are still learning the basics.

Probably around the time they move up to second year, magical engineering elements would be added, but for now, there was just a simple field prepared.

“I didn’t notice earlier, but with just the two of us, it feels really spacious.”

Lilith followed me in, expressing the same impression I had.

Since impressions about the training ground weren’t particularly important, I decided to get straight to the point.

“Let’s get started right away. You don’t use weapons anyway, right?”

“Ah, yes. Magic enchantment doesn’t work well for me on weapons.”

…What? So there was actually a reason for fighting barehanded, not just a concept?

This was something even the setting book glossed over, so I didn’t know. I thought there was no particular reason since no one told me…

Sorry for misunderstanding. I’ll treat you better.

“Seems like that’s your nature. Well, eventually it becomes similar whether you wrap magic around a weapon or your body, so don’t worry too much about it.”

“Really? I mean, I wasn’t particularly worried, but if you say so.”

Isn’t she believing me too easily? Maybe her perfect theory scores give me some credibility bonus.

Well, it’s not a bad thing if she trusts my words without doubt.

“…Let’s go.”

I lead Lilith to the center of the training ground. Following me, she looked slightly nervous.

“Why so tense? I don’t have much to teach you anyway.”

Combat is practical experience after all. Combat sense will develop on its own.

I just need to teach her some basic techniques and create something to take credit for later.

But that doesn’t mean I planned to teach her carelessly.

“List all the magic spells you can use.”

“All of them?”

“Yes, I need to know how to help you use them in combat.”

Lilith seemed to understand and began listing the skills she could use… but there were far more skills than I expected.

Honestly, I thought there would be about ten at most, but after counting them all, the number was in a different order of magnitude.

Thirty-one? Is this a Saint class perk? Of course, quantity doesn’t always mean quality, but it’s a hundred times better than having none.

“That’s a lot! If you can use them appropriately for each situation, you won’t be at a disadvantage even with lower stats.”

“What good is having many if I can’t use them properly?”

Lilith grumbled, probably recalling how badly she was beaten in yesterday’s combat, but the reverse implication was that she got into the advanced class purely based on her stats despite not knowing how to utilize her skills properly.

If students from the lower and middle classes heard this, they’d point fingers calling it deception, but I decided to pretend I didn’t notice.

Whether she had diverse skills or high stats, all first-year students looked like rookies to me anyway.

“So what should we start with?”

At Lilith’s question, I thought for a moment, then had her demonstrate various techniques.

Seeing all thirty-some techniques she could use would take quite a long time, but it was a necessary process.

“Ah, it’s a bit different from what I know.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t this how the skill is supposed to be?”

“Yes, it is… Um. Never mind. I must have been confused just now.”

I needed to know how skills I’d only seen in games were implemented in reality before I could do anything.

In games, friendly fire was impossible, so skills could be used recklessly, but here you had to be careful not to catch allies in the crossfire.

That’s why I reviewed all the skills, and while there were some points to be careful about, fortunately it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t use my knowledge.

“That was the last one.”

“Good job.”

“I’m already feeling a bit tired. Is this normal?”

“We’ll start with simple things today, so it won’t be a problem.”

Since we’d already spent quite a bit of time demonstrating skills, I planned to teach just the basics.

“In close-quarters combat, you need to approach it thinking that one slip could be fatal. You know? When rushing in to punch someone, you first need to identify what weapon they’re using.”

“…Don’t mock me.”

Remembering how she tried to attack Harold from behind earlier only to be knocked away by one hammer blow, Lilith glared at me.

What are you going to do if you glare at me? If you’re upset, just fight better.

“Then what should I do?”

“Nothing special. The disadvantage of close combat can also become an advantage.”

I asked Lilith to use one magic spell again.

A signature technique too simple for those who use light attribute magic: ‘Light.’

This skill, normally used to secure visibility in dark places… would be quite effective against opponents who rely on sight.

“You shove it right in front of their eyes.”

“Huh?”

Eye flash. The epitome of bad manners that anyone would complain about after being hit.

It was also an extremely efficient technique.

“Light is a spell with almost no casting time though its range is narrow, so if used close to the eyes, it momentarily blinds them.”

“That’s too cowardly.”

“What’s cowardly about it? It’s a technique that only someone like you who fights up close can use anyway.”

In games, this Light magic briefly flashes around the character and brightens the surroundings, but from what I just confirmed, it doesn’t emit light from a source like a lamp.

I’m not sure exactly how it works… but it’s like something flashes at the casting point and then light mana spreads like a wave, brightening the area.

Because of this, if you keep even a little distance, it’s difficult to even find traces of light, let alone blind someone.

“Just use it frequently. The proficiency of Light magic will likely affect other light attribute magic as well.”

“…Alright.”

She seemed a bit reluctant but willing to follow my advice.

Yes, there’s nothing bad about a newbie listening to a veteran, so just try it.

“Is that all for today?”

“No. You can’t even use that right now.”

“Ugh… I told you not to mock me.”

But I couldn’t end with just teaching her that.

In Lilith’s current state, getting close to advanced class students was impossible.

In fact, the eye flash was just the foundation for what I wanted to teach her.

Hmm, maybe it’s faster to show this first.

“Stand there and try to block me coming at you.”

I recall the motions that fighting characters made in games.

How they moved, how they lunged forward. From memorizing the evasion timing of every motion, I also remembered the motions themselves to some extent.

Of course, I couldn’t do it as naturally as skilled fighters, but with this physically superior body, I could certainly imitate it reasonably well.

“Here I come.”

Whoosh-!

I kick off the ground and rush toward Lilith.

Lilith activates magic instantly, trying to respond.

Seeing this, I throw my body outside her field of vision.

“No, wait…!”

The magic she activated… she seriously fired a Holy Arrow? If I had kept charging straight, that would have pierced right between my eyes.

But I dodged it, right? That dangerous attack only cut through the air and made a hole in the ground.

My fist, which had already reached her side, stopped just in front of Lilith’s ribs, and she could only stare at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Even without that strange technique, I’m no match for someone like you.”

She started feeling bitter by herself, but there was really no need for that.

With our current agility stat difference, it was natural that she couldn’t dodge.

The important thing was whether she realized something from the situation just now.

“Do you get it?”

At my question, Lilith thought for a moment and then nodded.

“Yes. I shouldn’t just think about my own field of vision.”

The perspective of being attacked—something she hadn’t realized during the melee because she was too busy charging in.

Just recognizing this basic principle of PVP could be considered significant growth.

“That’s it. Now what do you need to do?”

“…Penetrate while avoiding their field of vision. Then steal their sight with Light magic.”

Right. If you can learn so quickly now, why were you so reckless during the melee earlier?

“Just keep that in mind and review today’s combat situations.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Lilith said that while continuously casting Light magic.

Already working on proficiency… I’m so moved I could cry.

“Then let’s end here for today… Do you have any specific goals?”

“Goals?”

“Yes. You need goals to stay motivated, right?”

“Hmm… then…”

Lilith thought for a moment and then pointed at the short sword I was wearing at my waist.

“I’ll make it my goal to make you draw that sword.”

“Oh…”

What kind of impression does she have of me that her goal isn’t to win but merely to make me draw a sword?

I never even intended to use this sword as a weapon…

Whatever. Might as well learn some swordsmanship.

“Work hard. I think you have talent.”

“That’s just empty words.”

Lilith still didn’t believe in herself, but she’d realize it on her own later.

Without correcting her, I headed outside.

On the way back to the dormitory… I felt like I was forgetting something.

“…Ah, right, the student council.”

I quickly turned around and started running.

“Huh? Where are you suddenly going?!”

“Sorry! I just remembered something I need to do! Go ahead without me!”

Leaving Lilith behind, I ran like crazy.