Ch.255EP.56 – The Obvious Story He Wants to Hear (3)

After Ihan’s blunt refusal, the argument continued.

“I don’t need it.”

“C-come on…”

“No, I said I’m fine.”

“Aww, whyyy!?”

“What would I do with a sunfish?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means someone exactly like you.”

“!!?”

It might have seemed like a battle between spear and shield, but to any third party, it was simply absurd.

Getting empty promises from an Aura user—his intense dislike of the idea felt almost deceptive.

However, the person in question had no intention of deceiving anyone and was only speaking his honest thoughts.

…With the firm belief that a half-recovered Aura user was like a child holding a bomb.

They were nothing short of pure evil, an overwhelming hazard.

“Let’s just say I’m refusing because getting involved with you would be troublesome.”

“…What a cruel child.”

“The cruel one here is you, not me.”

“……”

“…Why are you tearing up again? Always trying to make me look like the bad guy!”

Ihan clicked his tongue as he watched her start to tear up again.

Common nobles or knights might yield to a lady’s tears, but Ihan saw no reason to give in to tears unless they belonged to his own girlfriend.

He tried to maintain his resolute coldness, but…

“Yes, Elza said the same thing, that I was cruel… It’s because I’m worthless, damn it, I’m so worthless that this happened…”

“?”

Suddenly, a tearful lament poured out, and Ihan tilted his head in confusion.

He wondered why the betrayer’s name suddenly came up here.

“I-I’m sorry, Instructor. This incident has aggravated my grandmother’s emotional instability again…”

“Emotional instability? Is that also a side effect of rejuvenation?”

“……Yes.”

“…This is worse than a sunfish.”

Ihan took a step back.

Thinking that this was definitely someone he didn’t want to get close to…

* * *

“-I never knew Elza harbored such feelings. But to me, that child was merely a friend and comrade.”

I really don’t want to know this.

“After owing me her life at our first meeting, she strangely followed me well and diligently guarded my back. She supported me when I left the battlefield and became an adventurer, and even after I returned to my family, she helped me greatly. Did you know? There are many of her disciples in this family. Though she was good at being a maid, she was even better with a sword. In terms of skill and talent, she was on par with Gardin.”

Really…

“Ah, speaking of Gardin, I remember he wasn’t so corrupt when he was young. Although he disliked me, we engaged in friendly competition, and sometimes he even supported me. If I hadn’t gained fame across the continent, Gardin would surely have become the heir of Ophen. ……Looking back, I think I shouldn’t have succeeded the Ophen name. I never wanted to take Gardin’s place or was particularly ambitious. I just wanted to live peacefully and train diligently with the sword, sigh… Thinking about it, I have many regrets.”

What am I supposed to do with this information?

“And two of the children who betrayed me this time were such cute kids when they were little, so cute that—”

…When will this end?

“Is, is she always like this?”

“When her emotional instability starts, she stays like that for a while. She’ll probably remain in that state until the source of her stress is somewhat relieved.”

“That’s serious. Should I escape while I can?”

“You don’t need to. Although she talks a lot, she only talks a lot without causing harm. In reality, my rejuvenated grandmother can be mischievous, a bit insensitive, and indecisive, but other than that, she doesn’t harm others. She just annoyingly talks too much.”

“…Little wolf, do you dislike your grandmother?”

“I respect her, but on a personal level, well…”

“……”

…It seems that being family doesn’t mean you have to approve of everything.

“You have it tough.”

“Not really.”

“With a troublesome grandmother, a father who gets into accidents from eating food given by others, and a cousin who starts rebellions?”

“…When you put it that way, I guess I do have it tough.”

“Um, Ihan, sir. I’m right here…”

Iliad, who had been labeled as the father who gets into accidents, responded with an awkward expression, but they ignored him and continued their conversation.

“What are you going to do now? Take a leave of absence? Or drop out?”

“Me?”

“Are you planning to continue at the academy? You must be busy with family matters and various other things, right?”

“That’s true, but I have no intention of taking a leave or dropping out. As for family matters, my father is here, and with my grandmother backing us, things will be sorted out quickly. The strength of Ophen comes not from a single genius, but from countless disciples.”

“Oh?”

“It might sound arrogant, but with Ophen’s influence, more than ten thousand people will immediately come to our aid. After all, there are 150,000 swordsmen registered under the Ophen family name.”

“…You’re not to be underestimated either.”

“Well, they’re all scattered, so they don’t count as military strength.”

Ihan nodded as if thinking that worrying about nobles, or rather the prestigious families of Pendragon, was pointless.

‘None of them are easy to deal with.’

Somehow, all these great families, excluding the royal family, have formidable strength.

Perhaps the rumors that the actual military power of Pendragon comes from these great families aren’t wrong?

‘Well, the royal family must be hiding something too.’

You can’t know everything just from what’s visible on the surface.

“Also…”

“Hmm?”

A determined look caught Ihan’s attention as he was lost in thought.

The little wolf, Arno, faced him with gleaming eyes.

“I want to learn more from you. Your methods, not anyone else’s.”

“……”

“In that sense, I’ll call you ‘Master’ from now on. I’d like to call you ‘Sifu,’ but I think Lady Levi would be jealous.”

“…I’m not grand enough to be called a master.”

“To me, you are the most ideal and greatest knight.”

“……”

“You are my goal. Master.”

“…Geez.”

He’s good at making embarrassing statements.

Is it because he’s a noble?

However.

“Instructor, you’re smiling.”

“…Just stand up straight.”

As Taechang said, Ihan’s lips had unconsciously curled upward.

Having someone set you as their goal is quite, well…

‘It does feel fulfilling.’

He began to understand that becoming someone’s teacher enriches the heart.

* * *

While feeling proud of his self-proclaimed disciple who wanted to become an official student, and even considering whether to receive a formal bow of discipleship…

“This is joyous news. My son has found a master, and that master is someone even I would want as my teacher.”

“You know how to flatter.”

“It’s not flattery. It’s my true feelings.”

“…Like father, like son.”

They really know how to make people blush.

Ihan’s face flushed at his sincere praise, but he also felt puzzled.

“But you speak as if you’ve never had a master before?”

“That’s correct. I never had a master. I learned basic combat techniques, but almost everything else was self-taught.”

“This is why geniuses…”

“Haha, I won’t deny it, but in my defense, I could learn most basics just by reading sword manuals, and people who tried to teach me gave up after less than two days.”

“Ooh…”

“In that sense, I wasn’t a good student. Rather, I might have been a problem student.”

“…I don’t think you were problematic, just too brilliant.”

I suspect the teachers ran away because he absorbed everything as soon as they taught him.

He was too exceptional to be taught by someone.

So overwhelmingly talented that there was nothing left to teach.

However, that…

“That’s not your fault. It’s more the fault of those teachers. If they’re educators, they shouldn’t give up just because a student is exceptional.”

“…?”

“From my experience as an educator, no matter how high a student’s level is, a teacher should still teach. If I had taught you, I would have probably run you ragged.”

“Run me ragged?”

“Yes, to the point where you’d resent me. It’s what I call teaching the unreasonable.”

“……”

“What?”

“…No, I just felt a chill.”

“You’re imagining things.”

He’s quite perceptive.

If Ihan had taught Iliad, perhaps Iliad wouldn’t be the polite person he is now, but someone who’s very good at cursing.

But one thing is certain.

“I might not have been able to make you the kingdom’s greatest swordsman, but I could have made you someone who ‘gets back up’ even in the most desperate moments. That’s what I emphasize to all my disciples.”

“……”

“My teaching isn’t anything special, honestly. Nothing difficult. I just make people experience the world’s unfairness firsthand and teach them how to overcome it. It’s a crude method, I suppose. In that sense, I’m definitely not a normal teacher.”

Ihan smiled.

He thought of his 80 disciples who were struggling because of his educational philosophy.

Still.

“-Even if they face desperate situations someday, my disciples will quickly rise again. Because I’ve taught them how to stand up in the face of unfairness.”

Ihan believed that all their hardship would someday become a great asset.

“If I had to give it a name, I’d call it [Immovable Mind]. A mind that doesn’t waver and never breaks.”

“……”

“It’s not particularly special teaching.”

Ihan said it casually, but the response was…

“…You are truly an admirable person.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been completely defeated. In strength and in spirit. I’ve lost completely.”

The response was nothing short of intense, and Iliad laughed cheerfully.

Because it was immensely joyful and proud that the person who defeated him was someone worthy of respect.

* * *

Iliad looked at Felinshia, who was still muttering to herself in her own world, and spoke.

“…To be honest, I never wanted to become a swordsman. Others said I was born for the sword, but I actually enjoyed painting more than swordplay. In that sense, when my legs were damaged, I secretly felt relieved. I thought I no longer had to meet others’ expectations. …But, foolishly, I…”

Iliad shared his sincere feelings.

Perhaps this was the first time he had revealed this to anyone?

It was an embarrassing truth, but Iliad wanted to share it with him, of all people.

I feel like I could accept criticism from this person, no matter how harsh.

“After they were damaged, you missed the sword, didn’t you?”

“…Exactly. Pathetically…”

Yes, how pathetic.

When he had it, he disliked it so much, but once he lost it, he regretted it.

So…

“My mother saw through this foolishness of mine. That I wanted to walk again.”

“……”

“Do you know? The reason my mother underwent rejuvenation was none other than for me.”

“?”

“If she could restore her body to youth, she thought she might find a way to heal my body, so she sacrificed her own body for the experiment. However, the results showed that while the body becomes younger, not all physical disabilities are regenerated. The only remaining method might be a fairy’s blessing, but since fairies rarely bless humans, the means to heal my body essentially disappeared.”

“……”

“…Or so I would have thought until recently.”

“Hmm?”

“Ihan, sir, after hearing your story, I realized something. The truth is, I haven’t done anything yet.”

“My story?”

“Yes.”

Listening to Ihan’s words, he realized.

He thought he wanted to heal his legs, but in reality, he hadn’t ‘tried’ at all.

“I should have struggled. Instead of relying on miracles or blessings, I should have set my mind on walking again somehow. Not giving up, but trying to do something, anything. But I didn’t even try, and this is the result.”

Listening to his words, he understood that he was a person who didn’t know how to rise again.

Because others praised him as a genius, he foolishly believed it and lived lazily.

Iliad realized this fact far too late.

Because he was so ignorant…

*Shudder*

“Look, now I can barely raise my arm, let alone stand up. I’m paying the price for living like a fool.”

“Foolish? Could a foolish person create such masterpieces? That was only possible through effort.”

“Haha, Ihan, sir, you are a considerate person.”

“I’m not being considerate; I’m being serious.”

“Ahaha!”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because I find it amazing.”

How could every single word be infused with such sincerity?

‘This person never speaks empty words.’

That’s why he felt regret and envied his son.

If he had had such a master, perhaps he could have lived a less pathetic life.

Iliad swallowed his lingering regret, suppressing it.

Now his time was over…

“-Would you like me to teach you?”

“……”

-For a moment, Iliad felt as if his eyes pierced through his heart.

“Teach me what…”

“This.”

*Poke*

“??”

Ihan’s fingers precisely tapped Iliad’s chest, abdomen, and between his eyebrows three times.

To some, it might have seemed insulting, but what Iliad felt wasn’t insult.

*Whoosh!*

He only felt a fiery heat and warmth…

“!?”

“Hot, isn’t it? It’s not dangerous. I simply inserted my ‘power’ into you.”

“……”

“Try to exert force.”

“?”

“Yes, fortunately, it’s working.”

“…Pardon?”

Iliad tilted his head, wondering what he meant, but as he did, he could see.

His son and his son’s friend looking shocked, and his mother, who had finished muttering, standing with her mouth open like a fool.

And soon.

“Huh…?”

Iliad had to make the same foolish expression as them.

–His toes were moving.

“-Wow, it actually works?”

…Ihan scratched the back of his head, contemplating his talent that might even make it possible for him to establish a religion.