Chapter 178

Old man Baker.

He certainly wasn’t a Master swordsman.

There was a considerable gap between him and celestial-level sword masters like Regina or Empress Oscar.

However, that didn’t diminish the value of his swordsmanship.

His swordsmanship had its own unique value.

The ultimate technique that a swordsman who couldn’t become a Master could achieve.

That was Old man Baker’s swordsmanship.

Because of this, Baker’s swordsmanship might be more useful and efficient for me to utilize right now.

His techniques were designed to allow even those who hadn’t reached lofty enlightenment to exert maximum power.

“It seems you’ve come prepared.”

Instead of the usual fishing rod, a sword was hanging at my waist.

Old man Baker also had a sword in his hand.

He already looked extraordinary due to the sword scar on his face, but with a sword in his hand, he exuded the weight of a solid rock.

As expected of an old swordsman who had been through it all.

He might not have reached the realm of a Master, but he was someone who could do more than he couldn’t.

“Then let’s begin. Attack me.”

Old man Baker immediately told me to attack.

Rather than demonstrating, he wanted me to experience it firsthand.

“Understood.”

I obediently drew my sword.

An “Oh?” expression appeared on Old man Baker’s face.

It’s not easy to swing a real sword at someone who isn’t an enemy.

He seemed surprised that I didn’t show even a moment’s hesitation.

“Good stance. I like it.”

He nodded once and continued.

“Then come at me.”

“I won’t hold back.”

I immediately moved.

My movements were no longer at an easy level, thanks to constant training and real combat experience.

My swordsmanship grade had reached C+.

This level would be considered skilled with a sword anywhere.

It was a huge improvement from when I first possessed this body, when I was at the level of a bandit lackey.

But it wasn’t enough yet.

This wasn’t the level I wanted.

Higher.

I needed to climb higher, high enough to reach the sky.

“Haap!”

I shouted as I attacked.

The technique I used was the first form of the Empire’s Eight Forms, the downward slash.

Its power was ordinary, but it was solid.

Meaning it had almost no openings.

I wanted swordsmanship that could exploit those few openings.

Swish!

My sword cut through the air, falling towards Old man Baker.

At that moment.

Old man Baker’s body made a full rotation.

He moved at the last possible moment, when the blade was about to touch his body.

It was a perfect timing to catch the opponent off guard.

Swish!

My sword cut through empty air, and Old man Baker’s sword moved.

A strike with the momentum of his rotation.

Wham!

“Ugh!”

My body was lifted into the air as the sword hit my side.

Thud!

I flew and fell.

“Ow.”

My ribs didn’t seem to be broken, but the sharp pain in my side made it hard to breathe.

If he had struck with the blade instead of the sheath, I would no longer be in this world.

“That was a fairly good attack. Especially because it didn’t have any unnecessary flourishes.”

Old man Baker’s assessment.

It seems building a foundation with the Basic Master was the right path.

After saying that, Old man Baker silently waited for me to catch my breath.

“Phew.”

I finally managed to regulate my breathing and stood up.

My side was still throbbing.

“You’re amazing.”

“It might seem that way to your eyes.”

A self-deprecating remark filled with life’s regrets.

But I knew.

Even though Old man Baker hadn’t broken through the wall, he was still an incredible swordsman who had every right to be proud.

“Anyway, what you just saw was one of the forms of my swordsmanship, the Rotating Slash form.”

The Rotating Slash form.

Of course, I knew it well.

It always started with this one.

The Rotating Slash form was a type of counter-attack technique.

It involved rotating your body to dodge at the moment your opponent attacks, while simultaneously delivering a strike using the rotational momentum.

It sounds simple.

But of course, it’s not as simple as it sounds.

No, it’s extremely difficult.

If you dodge even a little too early, your opponent will react first, and if you dodge even a little too late, you’ll be hit by the attack.

The key is to move at the precise moment, in a split second.

Mastering this is certainly difficult.

So.

“I’ll teach you the form. And I’ll give you a month. If you can achieve even half of the proper form within that time, I’ll acknowledge your qualification.”

Old man Baker gave me a month.

He seemed to think even that was too short, but from my perspective, spending a month on a single technique was something I needed to avoid.

Especially since the Rotating Slash form was one of the easier techniques to master among his swordsmanship.

“A month? That’s too long. I’ll do it in half that time, two weeks.”

“What?”

Old man Baker looked at me incredulously.

He seemed a bit angry too.

“Confidence and arrogance are different things. Don’t mistake hollow arrogant statements for self-improvement.”

“I understand what you’re saying. But I made this statement after a sufficiently cool-headed judgment.”

I said with a serious face.

I had already made my decision.

I knew what the key point of the technique was.

It was just the first time I would be physically implementing it.

Of course, I knew it would be difficult from my past experiences.

That’s why I proposed two weeks.

I judged that in that time, I could bring it to a level where it could be used in actual combat, if not perfected.

“You made a cool-headed judgment?”

Old man Baker narrowed his eyes and stared at me.

It was a gaze that seemed to try to read my inner thoughts.

I calmly met his gaze and answered.

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

Old man Baker stroked his white beard, pondering for a moment.

Finally, he nodded and said,

“Alright, let’s see if you can prove those words.”

I smiled faintly.

“Yes, look forward to it.”

* * *

Two weeks of busy daily life, including school life.

It passed faster than I thought.

Even in such a busy time, I prepared thoroughly.

The Rotating Slash form to prove myself to Old man Baker.

And finally, after two weeks.

I stood face to face with Old man Baker in the field again.

“Hmm, your expression looks good.”

He said that, but Old man Baker’s expression was tinged with doubt.

It was understandable.

He had already seen my swordsmanship two weeks ago.

So he knew.

That I wasn’t some kind of extraordinary talent.

He probably thought it would be difficult for someone like me to master a technique to a decent level in just two weeks.

“There’s no problem.”

I smiled.

“Let’s see.”

Old man Baker took his stance.

Again, he didn’t draw his sword.

But I drew mine without hesitation.

The weak shouldn’t hesitate.

“Come at me anytime.”

I said.

Thud.

Old man Baker kicked off the ground and rushed at me.

Swish!

His sheathed sword thrust at me with great speed.

I could tell he was intentionally attacking fast.

The faster the attack, the harder it is to catch the right timing.

It was welcome.

There’s no point in timing a slow attack.

I sharpened my gaze.

The sheathed sword was coming at my solar plexus.

I waited.

Waited.

Closer.

Just a bit closer.

‘Now!’

Thwack!

My body rotated, kicking off the ground.

I saw the sheathed sword barely thrust into the space where I had just been.

There was no room for even a moment’s delay.

My sword moved immediately.

Carrying the rotational momentum straight to Old man Baker’s side.

Swish!

A strike with sufficient power and speed.

Enough power to end the opponent in one blow.

This was the power of the Rotating Slash form.

But.

“Hup!”

At that very moment, Old man Baker let out a shout and deflected the flat of my blade with his left shoulder.

Clang!

The attack was nullified.

Was the timing off?

No.

The timing was perfect.

Knowing this, my expression didn’t darken.

The reason this attack was nullified wasn’t because of timing, but because of the lack of completeness in the swordsmanship.

The speed, power, and form were each slightly lacking.

Those small deficiencies accumulated, allowing a master like Old man Baker to react sufficiently.

This was unavoidable.

Only time could resolve this.

Old man Baker knew this too, so he didn’t say it was a failure.

No, rather, he looked at me with admiration.

“Heh, you’ve already mastered it to this extent? It seems this old man’s eyes have gotten quite dim with age. How embarrassing.”

“You’re too kind, sir.”

“No, no. You’ve exceeded this old man’s expectations splendidly. You’ve proven your qualification admirably.”

Old man Baker’s words.

It meant he would teach me his swordsmanship.

The most important card that would become my weapon during the difficult third year.

I had finally obtained that card.

Of course, mastering all the forms to a level usable in actual combat was still a distant story.

‘At least by the second semester, somehow.’

Old man Baker’s swordsmanship consisted of five forms and one secret technique.

All very powerful techniques, none to be discarded.

The secret technique was even more so.

Even if the secret technique was impossible, I didn’t think it was unreasonable to bring the five forms to a level usable in actual combat by the second semester.

It would be extremely tight, though.

“Thank you, sir.”

I responded with a smile.

* * *

It wasn’t just one card.

My other card was this person, or rather, this elf.

Munch, munch.

My High Elf girlfriend, deliciously eating grilled wild boar.

I call her my girlfriend, but our relationship is still a bit ambiguous.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

Hiresia asked, wiping around her mouth with the back of her hand.

“No, no. I was just thinking how hearty you eat.”

“Wh-What…?”

Hiresia’s face reddened.

She’s surprisingly easily embarrassed.

“Do you have a problem with it?”

“Of course not. I just think it looks nice.”

“Ugh?”

Her face reddened even more.

Her pointed ears twitched cutely.

Those ears make it so easy to tell.

I chuckled and was about to change the subject, stopping my teasing.

That’s when.

“Y-You’re not saying things like that to just any woman, are you?”

A heavy blow, stabbing right in.

“Cough, cough.”

I turned my head and coughed.

While desperately waving my hands.

“O-Of course not.”

“Hmm.”

Hiresia looked at me with suspicious eyes.

I broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like a thief whose conscience was pricked.

No, I’ve been maintaining some standards while spreading my net…

“Really, really.”

I denied it again.

…I’ll admit to two-timing, but I haven’t done anything that deserving with the other heroines.

Really.

“Hmm, alright. I’ll only tolerate your fiancée, President… no, Professor Regina. Understood?”

Since the ball, Hiresia seemed to have come to terms with my relationship with Regina.

Maybe she thought it was unavoidable since it happened before our relationship.

And also.

-Ahem, I heard that humans of high status often have multiple wives. Is that true?

…She surprised me with such a direct question.

-If you have a human fiancée… don’t you think it would be balanced to have a fiancée of another race too?

She even embarrassed herself to express her true feelings, surprising me again.

There was no way I could deny it when she went that far.

-Ah… yes… th-that’s true.

After I affirmed that, she seemed to be in a better mood.

It was fortunate for me, but.

The problem is that I’m not sure whether I should actually propose or not.

The fact that “Woman of Affection” hasn’t appeared on my Lecherous Ability window yet suggests it might be too early, but if I keep not doing it, she might get upset.

So I decided to think about it more while observing the situation.

“Yes, yes, of course I understand. Don’t worry.”

I finished with a smile.

I saw that Hiresia had finished eating her piece of meat.

“Senior.”

I called out to Hiresia, changing the atmosphere.

It was to get to what I wanted to say.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Please make me into a man who can function in society.”

“Eh… Ehhhhh?!”

Hiresia’s eyes widened, and her face turned completely red.

Oh dear, maybe I should have been less direct.