Chapter 10

Turk’s Swordsmanship Hall. A new student has enrolled after a long time. And not just any student. A student who paid a hefty sum of 20 gold. An amount that one cannot help but feel the weight of.

However, Turk’s stance was firm.

No matter who the student is, even if it were the king’s child, there would be no compromise in the lessons, thoroughness is a must. That was his conviction and the way of the sword.

Because he was so thorough about the sword, he was able to steadfastly eat ‘sword rice’ for decades with just the Empire’s 8th style.

“It seems this isn’t your first time learning the sword.”

Turk glanced at the sword that Max had brought and spoke.

“I brought it just in case.”

“Good. Please draw it.”

“Understood.”

Swoosh.

Max drew the sword.

A blade well forged from fine metal. One could tell at a glance that it was a considerable treasure of a sword.

With that, Turk was able to reaffirm. That Max was from a good family.

“Let’s conduct a test first.”

Turk also drew a real sword from the wall.

An old iron sword that had been with him through many battles over the years.

“I will not move a step from this spot, so please attack as you wish.”

“Alright.”

Turk’s eyes lit up at the hesitation free response. What they held were real swords. A match with real swords. A situation that most people would hesitate to face. But Max did not hesitate. It meant one of two things.

He was either accustomed to fear, or he was a person who naturally did not hesitate to swing a sword at others. Which one was he?

Swish.

The blade cut through the air.

‘His spirit is alive.’

Turk’s eyes lit up once again.

However,

‘It’s too sloppy.’

Clang!

Turk’s sword forcefully knocked Max’s sword upwards. Unable to withstand the strong force, the sword slipped from Max’s grip.

Whirl.

Thud.

The sword flew and stuck into the ground. With that, the test was over.

‘The spirit is there, but the skill is a mess.’

Like an experienced swordsman, Turk quickly made his assessment. It was better to teach such a person. Skills can be filled in, but spirit is more influenced by innate temperament.

Turk looked at Max.

“It’s a pity, but your current swordsmanship won’t do.”

The recent attack. There was form. But it was hollow inside, completely empty. Just an empty shell.

Such a thing is unusable.

But he knew that the person in question would find it hard to accept. No one would gladly accept that the swordsmanship they had learned so far was useless.

Yet, Turk spoke directly.

Because that’s the kind of man he was when it came to fear. But then…

“What’s there to regret? If it’s just flashy garbage, it should be thrown away.”

Max spoke as if relieved, His words precisely matching Turk’s diagnosis. It was a response Turk had never encountered before.

He had been prepared to explain each point if there was any objection. He had not expected such a response. But with such a response, he could only blink in silence.

Then Max spoke to him.

“The Empire’s 8th style.”

“Yes?”

“That’s the real deal.”

Turk pondered seriously.

He wondered if this person was a descendant of the founder of the Empire’s 8th style. He had never seen anyone else with such an obsession with the Empire’s 8th style, except himself.

“Hem hem… Then let’s start the formal lessons.

“Huff huff”

I gasped for breath repeatedly. My body was completely drenched in sweat that poured like rain. My hands and feet trembled.

I felt like I could collapse at any moment, but I persisted out of stubbornness. I had boasted enough, but it would be honestly embarrassing to pass out like this.

“Your physical condition is worse than I thought.”

Turk clicked his tongue.

I caught my breath a little and then replied.

“That’s because I was quite shattered.”

Turk seemed at a loss for words. There weren’t many who would belittle themselves like that. But I was just stating the facts.

“I also drank like a dog.”

“Excessive drinking is poison.”

“I know. That’s why I quit.”

“You did well.”

“But once I get back in shape, I’ll drink again. Life without alcohol is…”

“……Let’s start again.”

It was extremely tough, but I got up again. When I do something, I do it thoroughly. That’s my principle………….

“Then, a thousand downward cuts again.”

I barely managed a thousand and felt like I was going to collapse, and now another thousand?

To do the same intensity with depleted energy as when I had full stamina,

Is this a joke?

I understand your hearts now. I didn’t know when I was playing the game. It wasn’t me who was training directly, so what did it matter if it was tough or not. But now that I’m rolling around with my own body, I can painfully understand. Why the students couldn’t endure and kept running away. It’s not that the students were weak.

The teacher was insane.

‘Ah, hold on, hold on. Mind control, mind control.’

I forcibly suppressed the urge to quit and leave right then. It wasn’t a matter of choice. It was a matter of survival.

Yes, like a breadwinner who wants to quit a dirty job but has to go to work for the sake of the family.

I remembered.

The toughest moment. When I repeatedly failed to find a job and even the living expenses were running out, The memory of sweating like rain in a poor logistics center without air conditioning in the middle of summer to earn living expenses.

There were people who gave up every day, but I persevered with the single thought that if I didn’t have money, I would starve. Thinking back, I don’t think I’ve ever lived as tenaciously as I did then. After I got a job, my mental state became lax again.

What I needed now was that tenacious mindset from back then.

“No problem.”

I mustered all my strength and swung the sword again.

“Stop.”

The training was over.

I threw the wooden sword aside and collapsed on the spot.

“Huff, huff, huff………….”

As I exhaled the rough breaths.

A message appeared before my eyes.

[You have completed the first training at Turk’s Swordsmanship Hall.]

[Your swordsmanship proficiency has increased slightly.]

A slight achievement that somewhat alleviates the agony of hard work.

Although the rank itself has not risen, as proficiency increases, the character becomes stronger. Since the game has such a wide range of ranks, it doesn’t show on the surface. But if you keep raising it, the rank will eventually rise for sure. Anyway, seeing some results gave me a bit of strength.

Abruptly. As I suddenly got up, I saw a flicker of interest in Turk’s eyes. Regardless, I staggered towards the door.

I had a tight schedule ahead.

“Thank you for your hard work. Then.”

“Please go safely.”

Leaving his farewell behind, I stepped outside.

“Hmm.”

Left alone, Turk’s face was lost in thought. Then he muttered to himself,

“Unexpected.”

He had not expected Max to last long on the first day of training. The reason was his poor physical condition. Yet, he had insisted on intense training from the first day to test his mental strength.

The result was beyond imagination. Even though Max had already reached his physical limits, he endured far longer than expected.

Turk ended the training thinking it might be dangerous to continue, but Max could have probably endured even more.

“…Maybe this time it will really be different.”

There had been many students physically superior to Max. But among them, not a single one had fully mastered all the techniques of the Empire’s 8th style.

It wasn’t a lack of physical ability. It was a lack of mental strength. That’s why they couldn’t endure the tough training to the end. But this time it’s different.

His physical abilities may be lacking, but his mental strength exceeded Turk’s standards. It may take a long time for his body to develop, but such a person might eventually master his swordsmanship.

“…No.”

Turk shook his head once. Excessive expectations are forbidden.

He knew all too well that the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment when it turns to nothing. He would just focus faithfully on the lessons.

Expectations can wait until he sees the progress. Turk thought about the next day’s lessons in his head.

Harkin Mountain.

I headed there without a moment’s rest. If it weren’t for the carriage, I would have given up on archery training and everything else. But the carriage doesn’t go up to the middle of the mountain.

Just past the entrance, I had to drag my heavy body up the mountain, panting heavily. The situation of ‘get stronger or die’ forced me to keep moving. If it weren’t for that, I would have just collapsed on the ground, mental strength or whatever.

“Huff huff…….”

I barely made it to the agreed spot,

Where Hiresia had already arrived. And she was happily tearing into the meat, It was a situation of extremes.

“You look tired, human.”

Hiresia said to me.

After catching my breath a bit, I replied to her,

“…You seem to be enjoying yourself, elf senior.”

“I’m not an elf. I’m a high elf.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Don’t call me an elf again.”

She said with a dignified voice.

But with her mouth greasy from the meat, it didn’t feel very dignified.

“Yes, yes, meat loving high elf senior.”

“Tch, don’t mock me, human. Meat is the most perfect food in the world.”

Now she openly praised the meat. I was about to retort but then closed my mouth. Because she was right. There’s no food as delicious as meat in the world.

So…

I trudged over to her. She looked at me blankly. I plopped down next to her. And then I quickly reached out and snatched a piece of meat in front of her.

“Ah!”

Hiresia screamed in surprise. Regardless, I brought the piece of meat to my mouth and took a long bite.

Chewing.

Swallowing.

“Hmm, delicious.”

An honest impression.

I didn’t know what kind of meat it was, but it tasted similar to pork. It seemed to be just salted, but maybe because I was hungry, it tasted heavenly. I naturally reached out for another piece. At that moment.

“You thief!”

Hiresia glared at me, fuming.

I calmly said,

“Isn’t that a bit harsh, senior? We’re schoolmates after all, we should share good things.”

“Ugh, I caught this myself! If you want some, catch your own!”

“I wish I could, but I lack the skill. So please teach me archery soon.”

“Ugh, such a shameless human!”

She was about to explode. Feeling a serious threat, I raised one hand in a gesture of reconciliation. Life is precious, after all.

“Just a moment, calm down. Calm down.” (TLN: oooh no ……..he said the words)

“What? Calm down? Calm doooown?”

“Wait, wait! Don’t grab the bow! Talk, talk, talk!”

I hurriedly continued, valuing my precious life,

“I mean, I wouldn’t just eat your meat. I’m not that kind of trash human. I have some decency.”

If anyone who knew Max even a little heard that, even a passing dog would laugh at such a statement, but I managed to calm her down.

Fortunately, she didn’t know Max well. So maybe it would work…

“Decency? Decencyyyy?”

But she still glared at me with her eyes fiercely raised. She looked ready to hit me without exaggeration. That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, a message appeared before my eyes.

[A sudden quest has occurred.]

[The Very Angry High Elf]

You have dared to steal and eat the meat hunted by the high elf who loves meat more than anyone else in the world. The high elf is very angry at this atrocity. If you don’t calm her anger immediately, your safety cannot be guaranteed.

Seeing the sudden quest, my mind went blank for a moment. What’s this?

Even when I blackmailed her by exploiting her weakness, she kept her composure, but now she’s lost her mind over a piece of meat?

What kind of brain structure does this human… no, elf have!

Anyway, I clearly understood what mistake I had made.

‘I crossed the line.’

The meat she loved so much. I had played the game thousands of times and never once touched her meat. There was no reason to do such an obviously negative action.

But.

In my exhausted and hungry state, I mindlessly touched her meat. Before worrying about ruining the relationship, I had to worry if my limbs would remain intact.

“You thief, spit it out!”

She threatened to make me forcibly vomit by patting(?) my back as she launched a vertical elbow attack.

Hoo!

At that threatening moment, my mind worked faster than ever. And without delay, I came up with a word that could calm her down.

“Steak!”

Thud.

Her elbow attack stopped dramatically.

Only then did I let out a small sigh of relief.

“What?”

“The premium black beef steak from Myron’s Steakhouse!”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll buy it for you.”

“St, steak?”

She unknowingly salivated at the thought.

I could tell it definitely worked. Why wouldn’t it?

Because of image management, she couldn’t even touch meat in front of others. So she was here, alone in the mountains, self sufficiently hunting and roughly cooking wild animal meat.

For her, a human steak, Especially the top quality steak from Myron’s Steakhouse, famous for being the most popular steakhouse in the holy city of Lepheria, had to be a dream food.

“That place is expensive.”

She had only been in the human world for a few years and was still a student, so she didn’t have much human money. It was a place she could hardly even dream of in another sense.

But.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll buy it for you.”

Her ears perked up reflexively. Her face brightened.

But soon.

“Wait, I can’t eat that in front of other humans! How can I eat that!”

She remembered the most crucial problem and her face soured. But I already had an answer for that.

“Why worry? There’s something called transformation magic in this world.”

Transformation magic.

As the name suggests, it’s magic that changes appearance and form.

It’s quite difficult to properly use magic that changes the human body.

The slightest awkwardness in a changed appearance can give away the use of transformation magic. It’s a magic that must flow as naturally as water to be effective.

“Transformation magic?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, as if the thought had never crossed her mind. Indeed, why would a noble high elf ever consider using transformation magic for disguise?

“Transformation magic, huh.”

Hiresia murmured, lost in thought, then fixed her gaze on me.

“Huh? But I don’t know any transformation magic?”

Why that look, what now? She gazed at me with eyes full of confusion. You’re a high elf! A race with an insanely powerful racial trait! You could master transformation magic in just five days, you know?

I yelled, my voice tinged with exasperation.

“If you learn it, you will be able to use it! There’s a book on transformation magic in the library!”

“Learn?”

“Yes, learn by reading the book and self study, self study!”

“Self Study?”

I wish I could understand the structure of your brain right now. Thankfully, that was the end of it.

“Fine. I’ll self study, and you’ll buy me a steak.”

Gulp.

Just the mention of steak made her throat move as if she was swallowing saliva. This isn’t even Pavlov’s dog…

“Yes, of course. Just hurry up and learn.”

[Sudden Quest The Very Angry High Elf Completed]

[Her anger has successfully subsided.]

[As a reward for completing the quest, you have gained peace.]

The notification of quest completion appeared before my eyes.

Somehow, I managed to handle the situation well. But now, I wonder what this action will lead to in the future. I’m curious too.

Because.

I’ve never once bought her a steak while playing the game.

‘Does money grow on trees?’

The protagonist is poor in the early stages. Even after completing various money related quests, the funds are never enough. Money that should be used for specups is tight, and buying an expensive steak for a heroine who isn’t even properly romanced?

That’s a play that’s perfect for ruining the game.

But.

‘I’m not the protagonist.’

I’m the extra Max with more money than I could ever need. That’s why this action is possible.

‘Maybe her affection will increase a bit…’

I didn’t have high expectations. She’s a notoriously difficult heroine to romance. Not even a city legend says she’s been made into a companion, let alone a lover. It’s best to just take her archery skills and keep my distance. That’s what I was thinking when.

“Enough, grab your bow before it gets dark.”

Hiresia said.

It seemed I could finally start the archery training I had been waiting for.

“Indeed.”

And so began the archery lesson.

…which quickly turned into a complete mess.

“Wait, what’s wrong? Do you have tremors? How can you shoot a bow with your arm shaking like that?”

Hiresia looked at me with disbelief.

“It’s… my arm is weak, I can’t hold it up properly…”

I was just as flabbergasted by the situation. In the game, there was never a problem training in swordsmanship and archery in one day.

But why…

Oh?

In a moment of realization, I felt as if I had been struck on the back of the head. I understood what the problem was. The intensity of the training wasn’t the issue. It was the person receiving it.

Training that would be no problem for a protagonist with above average stamina and strength was absurd for someone with poor physical and muscular endurance like Max.

‘Ah, you weakling!!’

I frowned in frustration. An important plan had gone awry from the start. This could be fatal to Max’s growth.

“What were you doing before you came here?”

Hiresia asked.

“A bit of sword training…”

“A bit? How many hours?”

“…Four hours?”

“What?”

She looked at me as if I was making no sense. Her gaze said it all: ‘You’re a wreck, and this schedule is ridiculous.’

I had no words.

“I’m sorry, senior. It seems I thought wrong. Let’s postpone the archery lesson until later…”

“No.”

“Let’s postpone… what?”

Her unexpected response made my eyes widen.

“You want to postpone this troublesome task? That’s nonsense.”

So that was it.

“And if you don’t receive training, you won’t buy me a steak! I know all about it!”

So that was your real intention. I admire your consistency.

“No, that’s not confirmed yet…”

“Ah, really, stop babbling and just come with me. If you cant move your limbs, I’ll feed you myself.”

…Look here. We’re still in chapter two.

It’s not time for your personality to change yet…?

Squeeze!

She gripped my arm so hard it hurt.

“Come on, lift your arm.”

Despite feeling intimidated by her unexpected toughness, I spoke up.

“No, even if you say that, it’s not possible if it’s not… huh?”

I groaned in surprise. It moved properly.

My arm.

What is this…?

At that moment.

The text appeared before my eyes.

[Hiresia has cast ‘Vitality Infusion’ on you.]

[Your body begins to overflow with vitality.]

What is this?

Vitality infusion?

You had such a skill?!

What exactly is this?

Vitality… vitality is overflowing!

…And so, that day, I saw a new world.