Ch.2828. Evernote (2)

“Were you training?”

Marianne asked as she walked towards me. I nodded and began swinging my sword again. I tried reducing the final speed, making the swinging motion itself more sluggish. I even attempted to recreate all movements very slowly, but I still couldn’t grasp it. I shook my head and dropped the blade again. The sweat I shed while moving quickly cooled in the cold night air.

Marianne was staring intently at me swinging my sword. I turned my head toward her again and wiped my forehead with the edge of my clothes.

“…Are you on night duty today too?”

Marianne nodded. The spear she held in one hand made a rattling sound. I glanced at Marianne’s spear. It was a spear made entirely of metal from shaft to tip, with the faded spearhead looking particularly old. It must be quite a powerful relic.

“[That seems to be the Holy Spear. It looks quite powerful.]”

It seemed the Blue Orthodox Church was really determined to help me. The Holy Spear was a sacred relic that Aryen used in the original story until he obtained the Holy Sword. I remember it displayed quite impressive power. In terms of value, I think it might be comparable to the crown I received. If so, does that mean Marianne also passed some kind of trial bestowed by the Holy Spear?

Marianne turned her head toward the Holy Sword. More precisely, her gaze was directed at my right arm holding the sword’s hilt. And she seemed to be tracing the entire path of my sword movements.

“May I ask what kind of training you were doing?”

That was unexpected. Marianne asking a question. And approaching me first to speak and ask something—this seemed like the first time. But would it be alright to give her a completely honest answer?

“[Seeking answers is not a shameful act, Ilroy. Since I cannot tell you everything, ask others as well and find your own answers.]”

At the Holy Sword’s words, I nodded slightly and opened my mouth.

“…Well. It’s a bit complicated to explain.”

“It seemed like you were looking for something.”

A sharp question. Or perhaps my gestures were just that obvious and simple. I shook my head and sheathed the Holy Sword. It seemed I would have to spend tonight’s watch talking with Marianne. I gestured for her to join me by the campfire.

“What is softness in martial arts?”

Marianne tilted her head after hearing my question.

“So that’s why you were making those movements.”

“Was it a meaningless action?”

Marianne didn’t answer my question immediately but casually picked up her Holy Spear. Then she thrust it toward a leaf fluttering in the wind. The spearhead moved quickly, yet somehow seemed very slow. At the tip of the Holy Spear that Marianne retrieved was a thin leaf. She had precisely pierced the central vein of the leaf with just the tip of her spear. I stared at the tip of Marianne’s spear with wide eyes, amazed by her skill.

“That’s amazing. How did you do that?”

“…It’s difficult to explain this process in words.”

Marianne reached out and removed the leaf from the spear tip. The leaf flew away again in the blowing wind. Could I do that right now if asked to catch a leaf on my sword tip? No. I’d either completely cut it in half or miss it entirely, letting the wind carry it away.

“Still, if you wish, I can demonstrate it as many times as you like during our watch.”

Marianne said this while gracefully and concisely swinging her spear again. It was the same motion as before, but seeing it a second time, the movement looked somewhat different.

“…Could you show me once more?”

Without hesitation, Marianne swung her spear again. It didn’t look that different from when I saw it the second time. The same was true the third time. It seemed like a movement I could imitate, but I couldn’t picture myself moving the sword that way.

“[There’s a reason for the saying ‘understanding through the heart,’ Ilroy.]”

The Holy Sword spoke to me.

“[The subtle differences in movement. The spacing with your breath. The mana circulating in that moment and your heartbeat. Making all those conditions happen naturally without you having to think about them. That’s what it means to understand.]”

Whoosh.

Marianne’s spear flashed before my eyes again. The tip of the Holy Spear once again pierced the leaf’s vein with perfect accuracy. I focused intently on each of Marianne’s movements, and she continued to demonstrate without complaint.

“Yes. Thank you for showing me.”

I gently pressed Marianne’s hand to stop her. Left alone, she would probably keep swinging her spear until sunrise. I sighed and looked up at the sky. While trees jutted up toward the night sky, the stars densely embedded in the heavens seemed about to pour down.

“Would you like to try swinging the sword?”

Marianne, who had been watching me, asked. I blinked and stood up with my sword. It might just be floundering compared to what Marianne showed, but what’s important now is learning something new.

“…How should I swing it?”

“The way I was doing it.”

Is she asking me to pierce a leaf? I gripped the sword and took a stance. No, I released my left hand and relaxed my body. If I swung with both hands, I’d likely just miss rather than pierce any leaf. I waited for a leaf to fly by in the breeze.

Flutter-

Then a broad leaf fluttered up into the sky. I raised the Holy Sword in an upward motion, trying to pierce the leaf. But…

Snick.

The tip of the Holy Sword didn’t pierce the leaf but only cut it slightly. I clicked my tongue as I watched the leaf drift away with the wind. Again. Marianne wouldn’t have asked me to try this just to see me fail once. I recalled the movements Marianne had shown and swung my sword at several flying leaves.

“…This is much harder than I thought.”

I looked down at a leaf I had accidentally cut completely in half.

“[It’s a good training method. Since you have perseverance, this might be good for you.]”

That makes it feel like everything I’ve done until now was meaningless.

“[Not meaningless. After all, insights in martial arts come from experience. Any action seeking answers, in whatever form, will have meaning.]”

The Holy Sword comforted me. Another leaf flew by. This time, I didn’t swing my sword but just watched the leaf float away.

“Wait.”

“[Ah, um…!]”

I don’t know when she closed the distance, but suddenly Marianne was right in front of me. I stood stiffly as Marianne touched my wrist and around my waist. After a while of touching my body here and there from less than half a step away, Marianne looked up. Her emotionless golden eyes with hints of lemon color, softly illuminated by the campfire, looked at me.

“You can relax your body a bit more.”

Saying this, Marianne supported my elbow and lifted my arm slightly. I stiffly changed my posture following Marianne’s guidance, then gradually relaxed. Marianne then moved behind me, pressing against my back and began adjusting my feet and hands.

“This is how I was swinging the spear.”

A leaf flew by. Marianne very lightly guided the tip of the Holy Sword toward the leaf by pushing my arms and legs.

Tap.

Marianne’s hand left my elbow, and I extended my arm without resisting that force.

Tick.

Of course, no miracle happened. The leaf fluttered down to the ground before catching the wind again and flying away. Marianne, who had stepped back from me, stared at me intently. She seemed to be asking if I understood the feeling.

“It’s difficult. I understand now that knowing with your body doesn’t solve everything.”

If not for the sharpness of the Holy Sword, I might not even have been able to tear the leaf. I scratched my complicated head and answered Marianne. Certainly, thought didn’t seem to intervene in Marianne’s movement process at all. What kind of insight would I need to create such fluid movements?

“If you need help, just say so.”

“…Sure.”

I nodded while running my hand down the Holy Sword. Stars twinkled at the tip of the Holy Spear Marianne held. Amidst the sound of hooting owls, I hugged the Holy Sword and gazed at the campfire, lost in thought.

==

Emerging from the long forest, an absurdly vast plain stretched out before us. Amid rocks and wildflowers scattered here and there, narrow streams divided into several branches, gurgling as they flowed into the forest. According to the soldiers, if we follow these streams to the main river, we’ll see Evernode.

The group stopped briefly to water the horses. The sunlight shimmering on the stream was beautiful. It would have been nice if it hadn’t been shining beautifully for about twelve hours.

“What time is it now?”

The days are getting longer beyond reason. I let out a hollow laugh as I looked at the sun’s position, which still seemed to be in the early afternoon. The bright sunlight cast over the field, but my internal clock said it was already evening. I frowned at the discrepancy.

“It’s 7 o’clock. Evernode is just a bit further, so it would be better to continue without a long rest.”

George said as he mounted his horse again.

“Not 7 in the morning, I hope?”

“Have you been sleeping on horseback all this time?”

Though George said this, he too was narrowing his brow while looking at the sun. I thought it would be good as long as it wasn’t snowing, but now there’s this problem.

“In the northern winter, the sun barely exists.”

“I see.”

George said. This guy, somehow he seems to be developing more of a know-it-all tone as we travel here. The fact that this straightforward knight habitually shares such experiences probably means he suffered a lot here. I mounted my horse, leaving George behind as he began to tell another story about his days stationed in the north.

“We’ll reach Evernode Castle soon. Once there, we can meet Grand Duke Strope and hear about the situation.”

There seemed to be a kind of excitement in George’s voice. He looked like an old man meeting an old friend, or rather, a military comrade after a long time. I responded to George with a casual laugh and rode my horse up along the stream.

The stream flowed down a gentle slope. When the sunlight changed from early afternoon to a late, lazy gold, a knight rode up behind me and pointed forward.

“There, Evernode is visible.”

I stopped my horse and looked at the two flags mounted on the high castle tower. The two flags stood side by side. One was naturally the national emblem of the Kingdom of Kairos, and the flag standing alongside it with an almost arrogant presence was the emblem of the Strope family, the rulers of Evernode.

“…Is that a welcoming party?”

Evernode’s castle gate was wide open. Beside it, dozens of soldiers with visors pulled low stood in formation. Those who appeared to be knights all had solemn expressions and had drawn their swords, holding them before their chests. And at the end, a man was slowly walking out. Each of his steps seemed to bring a cold north wind.

The man took his place proudly at the end of the line. An all-black outfit. A large cloak with gray fur fluttered and scattered in the wind. That was all that was visible. Everything else was the aura the man emitted. A presence like a massive mountain bearing down. That oppressiveness was terribly natural.

The man’s gaze came down and met my eyes. A gaze as blue and frozen as ice. The man opened his mouth with a stern voice, not taking his eyes off me. I remember he was quite popular in the original story with that rigid appearance.

“Welcome to Evernode.”

It was the Northern Grand Duke, Quenore Strope.