Ch.566566. Childish Provocation (3)

A knight who has reached the level of Master. For those who have tasted the sword, it means reaching a level of perfection that everyone dreams of.

They’ve long since modified their swordsmanship to suit themselves. It means they’ve honed their transformed swordsmanship to the limit of their talent and effort, with no room for further improvement.

“…Surely five years ago, you were about equal to my skill.”

“Hmm.”

“Not only have you become so much stronger since then.”

Whether they’ve reached the limits of swordsmanship, or have finished growing to the boundaries permitted by talent and effort, knights who have become Masters typically have already maximized all the foundations they can build. After becoming Masters, they generally focus on training with the more vast mana now available to them.

“Your swordsmanship, which seemed to have nothing more to refine after becoming a Master, has become even sharper than before.”

“You seem to have something to say. Speak freely.”

“Really?”

“What, is there anything between us that can’t be said?”

Ainel’s swordsmanship had progressed even further than when facing the dragon.

“I’m going crazy with envy for that talent. Honestly, isn’t it cheating?”

“For someone saying that, I don’t see a hint of jealousy.”

“I’m simply envious, not envious in a negative way. After all, I’m also from the County, so what harm is there in the head of the family becoming stronger?”

“How peculiar.”

The atmosphere finally relaxed after the prolonged sparring session.

Eventually, Diolia’s practice iron sword, perhaps also relaxing from the released tension, finally cracked significantly and lost its function.

While taking a break and drinking water, Ainel casually spoke up.

“Good work today. It’s been quite some time, and my daughter should be arriving soon. Would you like to stay and watch?”

“…Don’t tell me you called Lady Siabel too?”

After having such an intense sparring match with him.

Diolia clicked his tongue at the casual suggestion, as if Ainel still had energy left to swing a sword.

“I didn’t force her. Siabel was the one who asked for my guidance first. She said she wanted to pour out new body techniques and combat methods. Moreover—”

Joy filled Ainel’s voice.

“She told me that her stagnant level has finally started to advance again. How could I miss such an opportunity?”

“As expected, Lady Siabel is quick too.”

“Still, Siabel has shortcomings compared to you. But it seems this contact with the beastkin has brought a new wind. It wouldn’t hurt to see it with my own eyes.”

“Indeed… I’ll stay and watch.”

Before the two knights’ anticipation could cool, Siabel also arrived at the training ground.

Soon after, the mother and daughter prepared to spar, crossing swords with each other.

“You can look forward to it.”

“You said you incorporated beastkin body techniques into our swordsmanship. How could I not look forward to it?”

Siabel with her cheerful demeanor, and Ainel with her ever-calm presence.

“Put aside any worry about me getting hurt. You’ll need to pour out everything you have.”

“Then… as you say.”

The two revealed their fighting spirit as they drew upon their mana.

“I’ll move a bit boldly…!”

Siabel kicked off the ground.

Her first attack always mercilessly aimed for the opponent’s neck.

Ainel maintained a solid middle stance, preparing defensively to counter her attack.

‘So it’s a thrust again this time.’

Aligning the sword horizontally with the opponent’s eyes to distort their sense of the blade’s length, then extending the arm to instantly target the neck.

But since a thrust concentrates its impact point at the tip of the sword, it can be blocked more easily than other attacks by deflecting with the blade, and it inevitably exposes a major weakness.

“You still haven’t broken that habit. Such an opening is better when you’ve taken your enemy by surprise from behind, as I’ve told you before—”

Just as she moved to deflect the sword, intending to correct Siabel’s bad habit.

“Hup…!”

With a shout, Siabel’s movement suddenly changed.

What seemed like a simple thrust moved along the ridge that Ainel’s sword was drawing, moving ingeniously.

“Oho.”

Ainel let out a small exclamation.

‘Her use of joints has changed.’

A body enhanced with mana can perform movements that humans cannot easily achieve.

While it might be too much to fully implement the beastkin’s unpredictable rushing combat style, she had succeeded in implementing their uniquely agile and unpredictable movements.

‘She instantly converted a thrust into a slash.’

While preparing for a kick with both legs.

Flowing up along her own sword, when the tip reached its mark—

Whisk—!

Twisting her wrist to fix the blade, preparing for a diagonal downward strike.

Then, pulling her bent elbow to the opposite side to implement the beastkin’s overwhelming explosive power, her attack contained unexpected strength.

Kwang—!

Ainel’s eyes lit up as she blocked Siabel’s strike that nearly pierced her neck.

“Not yet…!”

Tzzzz—!

Timed with the moment the sword fighting began, Siabel’s kick tapped Ainel’s thigh.

Knowing she could never gain the upper hand in sword fighting, Siabel tried to create distance by scraping Ainel’s sword away in the moment of slight imbalance.

“Beastkin techniques shine in moments of crisis.”

Ainel applied force to her sword while maintaining the distance.

“In this situation, what will you do?”

Chang—!

Siabel’s sword soared through the air with a crisp sound under overwhelming force.

A knight who loses their sword is destined for death.

At that moment, Ainel couldn’t believe her eyes at her daughter’s response.

“…Morning Star?”

That strange yet powerful force.

The moment she felt in Siabel a fragment of the energy her ancestors felt when wielding that power.

Siabel retreated with an instinctive yet acrobatic movement, firmly grasping the blade of her practice longsword that was soaring in the air with both hands.

“Ha!”

Excited, Ainel returned to her middle stance and closed the distance to disrupt Siabel’s attack.

In response, Siabel thrust her longsword against the side of Ainel’s sword as if hammering it.

Kwaaang—!

Along with the intense vibration traveling up her hands.

Tzzzz—!

Gripping her blade tightly with her gauntleted hand, she scraped upward with all her might, once again aiming for the neck.

“Indeed, much more flamboyant and interesting attacks are mixed in than before.”

What was once swordsmanship that merely gradually tightened around the opponent’s windpipe had now begun to incorporate the beastkin’s unique valor—wrapping around the neck in an instant after confusing the opponent.

The excited Ainel honestly pushed back Siabel’s sword with pure strength, then swung her sword sideways after shaking it off.

At that moment.

—!

Siabel gritted her molars and not only deflected Ainel’s sword strike.

“Ha…!”

She stuck close to Ainel, trying to drive her sword into her like hammering a stake into the ground.

Just as she was about to thrust her sword with all her might toward the chest.

“But it’s not yet complete.”

Ainel kicked Siabel aside while.

‘This energy… did she use it unconsciously again?’

Siabel’s sword instantly drew a new path with flexible joint usage.

Siabel, who had rolled on the ground and was slowly getting up.

Ainel could only smile at the shallow scratch she had left on her breastplate.

“Still… I can’t deny that this sword suits you much better.”

Siabel’s words that her stagnant level had started to advance forward again.

She could immediately feel through that brief exchange that those words were not wrong.

“I can expect even better news soon.”

For some reason.

Siabel, who wasn’t even a Master yet, could now imitate the Morning Star, however slightly.

* * *

“Minister.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“I’m curious how the Minister has perceived the kingdom’s delegation thus far.”

The Minister bowed respectfully and answered the Emperor’s question.

“They have shown themselves to be more courteous and reasonable than expected. I even felt they were more cooperative than the Beastkin Alliance or the Holy Nation. This means they too consider this matter quite important.”

The kingdom’s delegation led by Adelheid was quite cooperative.

While neither side gained any special advantage, they still guided public opinion to ensure no one suffered losses either.

The princess’s exceptional rhetoric led the discourse in that direction.

“However, I remain skeptical about whether we can trust them.”

“Oh?”

“Thanks to Marquis Achion of the kingdom, anti-demon sentiment is rising again there. Even if the First Princess discusses peace now, she might change her tune once she returns to the kingdom and feels the atmosphere.”

“So that’s what you think.”

“…It’s merely the thought of an inadequate person.”

“No, it was rather a satisfactory answer. It means my beloved minister still has much better insight than some nobles of the Empire who have fallen for the princess’s cunning smile.”

The Empress, momentarily satisfied, showed a faint smile.

Naturally resting her chin on her hand, she continued.

“The delegation will soon return to the kingdom. Tell my shadows.”

“……”

“That I intend to place shackles and a brand on the princess.”

The princess was not someone to be simply sent back to the kingdom.

“I have a feeling the princess is undoubtedly someone with big dreams.”

She would clearly become a troublesome opponent in the future.

* * *

“Baron Carpel. It has finally arrived.”

“It has arrived?”

“The carriage filled with the first installment of compensation from the territory war has finally passed through the castle gates. Would you like to go check?”

I couldn’t help but smile at Lord Benner’s excited voice.

I replied.

“Let’s go right away.”

Let’s go together to check how much war preparation funds have arrived.