Chapter 7 – Deprived of Human Rights

“Eliaernes Eustetia. Yurasia Espilot. What you are about to engage in is a sparring match. Though your equipment may not have sharp edges, and though there may be no killing intent in your hearts, never let your guard down.”

“Yes.”

“Yurasia Espilot, intermediate knight of the First Knight Division, ready to obey.”

Yurasia, who had been clinging to me like a puppy wagging its tail, transformed completely the moment she faced me.

Her gaze sharpened. Her posture flawless. Her breathing calm.

Yurasia’s form was impeccable, the epitome of what a Eustetia knight should be. Even in my eyes, it was impressive.

An intermediate knight of Eustetia.

The term itself might sound unimpressive.

Well, it’s not like the titles we had back in my day.

The Empire’s Best Sword, the Northern Three Pillars, the Seven Great Powers of the South, and so on.

Those names had flair, but “intermediate knight of Eustetia” sounds lacking in comparison.

But it’s not a position anyone can reach easily.

Moreover, Yurasia is only 17.

Four hundred years ago, that was an age for marriage and raising children, but in my eyes, she’s still a kid. In conversations, she comes across as fragile, scatterbrained, and bubbly.

So how? How did such a kid stand out among countless knights and rise to prominence?

Is there even a need to ask? It’s skill, of course.

Unparalleled talent honed by relentless effort. Overwhelming ability born from that combination.

With that skill alone, she surpassed the seasoned knights, reaching the third tier to become an intermediate knight.

She certainly has talent. Though it hasn’t fully blossomed yet.

I smirked and lightly swung my wooden sword, spreading mana through my body.

“The outcome will be determined by a fatal blow. I’ll begin the count.”

I exhaled and scanned Yurasia for vital points.

“Three.”

Can’t see the top of her head, so skip that. Dantian, temples, glabella, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, jaw, neck, hamstrings, heart, ribs, solar plexus, navel, and so on.

Places I shouldn’t touch.

“Two.”

I then looked at the areas I could target. Sensing my gaze, Yurasia subtly shifted her sword to defend against my scrutiny.

“One.”

Yurasia’s right foot tensed. Her leg muscles contracted. Her left leg extended, and her waist twisted.

The tension rose from the ground, coursing through her belly to her shoulder, then into her arm.

Thud—her sword sagged back. Her left shoulder came forward.

Yurasia’s opening move: a dash followed by an upward slash.

That dash would initiate what was to follow. From now on, the swordsmanship unfolding before my eyes would be the perfected Eustetia style, originating from me.

In my previous life, I too often favored charging in first.

It was the only way to keep up with Paulo’s speed.

While that dash is perfect for utilizing my swordsmanship, or rather, my fighting style…

It’s the worst possible move against me.

And…

Eustetia shouldn’t have added defense to my fighting style.

“Begin.”

What’s the point of adding defense to a style meant for killing more demons than anyone else?

***

“I’ll begin the count.”

Behind the lightly swinging wooden sword, bright pink twin-tails swayed.

Below them was a slender body that seemed as if it might break under the sword’s weight.

That small, thin body seemed too frail to have undergone five years of consistent training.

When I hugged Miss Ellie earlier, I was afraid I might accidentally crush her.

Yet that same Miss Ellie, Her cherry blossom-colored eyes glimmering, was quickly scanning all my vital points.

She knows all the vital points of the human body.

“Three.”

Not content with that, she’s carefully examining non-vital areas that could still incapacitate if struck.

I tried adjusting my stance to guard those areas, but she quickly found other openings.

Those gently curved cherry blossom eyes terrify me. I can’t predict where she’ll look next or what weakness she’ll exploit.

That’s why…

I’m excited. I’m thrilled.

“Two.”

Until now, I couldn’t fully engage with Miss Ellie due to the captain’s watchful eye, but this match is at the family head’s request.

Miss Ellie even asked me to be serious, offering a gift as incentive.

This will be a clean, straightforward duel with no lingering regrets.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I couldn’t tell if it was my heart pounding or some other pulse, but I steadied my breathing.

All that remains is to decide on my style.

Should I be defensive and gauge Miss Ellie’s skills? No, that doesn’t suit my nature.

Besides, Eustetia’s swordsmanship isn’t defensive. It’s an aggressive style that disregards defense. That’s the essence of Eustetia swordsmanship.

And being defensive wouldn’t do justice to Miss Ellie.

So, I’ll attack.

“One.”

I stretched my legs and bent my waist. I let my sword droop and extended my shoulder.

This was the signal that a Eustetia knight was about to begin battle.

Close the distance, followed by a short upward slash. My favorite opening move.

I released my controlled breath and spread mana throughout my body.

At that moment…

Miss Ellie’s cherry blossom eyes bloomed brilliantly. She smirked.

I felt a sharp sensation, like a blade creeping up behind me.

“Begin.”

I kicked off the ground and charged forward.

At the same time, Miss Ellie also darted forward.

A charge, just like mine?

It was unexpected, but not a fatal mistake.

First, I carried out the move I had planned—a short upward slash with the wooden sword while predicting Miss Ellie’s next move.

From the dozens of possibilities, I chose the one most likely to be critical and prepared my next action.

It was pointless.

Wham!

Two beats faster than I anticipated, the hilt of her wooden sword smashed into my abdomen.

“Kuh—hak!”

The breath I had been holding escaped in a rush from the unexpected impact. How? I had been watching Miss Ellie’s every move.

I knew she would thrust with the hilt. I had already mapped out the timing, trajectory, and how I would respond.

But it didn’t go as planned. Miss Ellie didn’t move that way.

No, she did move that way.

I just didn’t see it.

I couldn’t understand.

With my mind in turmoil, I widened the distance between us. Miss Ellie stood still in the same spot.

Still smirking.

And then her small lips moved, saying something…

‘That.’

‘Isn’t.’

‘How it’s done. Pfft.’

…No, Yurasia. This is a duel. This is a duel.

And your opponent is someone you must protect. Someone you must protect with your life. The cherry blossom of Eustetia.

Miss Eliaernes.

So, hold b―

‘Pathetic Yurasia.’

‘Do you think you’ll earn a gift from me like that?’

‘You don’t deserve your intermediate knight rank.’

‘How about becoming my personal servant instead?’

Her cherry blossom eyes glinted with ridicule.

“Ugh!”

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I charged immediately.

There’s no need for a plan.

I’ll fight the way I always have. The way that earned me the title of intermediate knight.

I’ll trust my instincts.

I rushed toward Miss Ellie, glaring at her. I noticed her shoulder move.

I instantly twisted my body, rotating on my feet.

Screech—the mana around my foot dug into the training ground floor. The recoil stopped my movement.

I swung my sword upward.

With all my weight behind it.

But that attack…

Clang!

Miss Ellie’s wooden sword effortlessly deflected it.

It was a parry she had demonstrated throughout our sparring—a peculiar defense that only she could pull off, disrupting the flow of combat.

But it wasn’t unexpected. I immediately followed up, moving instinctively to avoid her counterattack.

“Oh?”

Miss Ellie’s eyes sparkled with interest.

But that annoying smirk on her lips remained.

I paid no attention to it.

I aimed a knee strike at her. It was blocked by her elbow.

Her wooden sword came crashing down. I twisted my waist and pulled my leg back, using the recoil to transfer power to my shoulder.

My wooden sword slashed toward her neck. Miss Ellie calmly took a step back, watching it pass.

And then, like she was bouncing off something, she charged toward me again.

Thus began a brief exchange of blows.

Whenever I widened the distance, Miss Ellie would stand still. When I closed the gap, she would force me to retreat.

I couldn’t tell what she was after, but each time, I found myself adapting.

When I stepped forward aggressively, her foot would press against mine.

When I pulled my shoulder back, her shoulder would exploit the gap.

If my waist twisted, her wooden sword would thrust toward the weakened area.

She wasn’t fast, but it hurt. It seemed gentle, but it was brutal.

Yet, none of it was fatal. The exchanges never ceased.

Each time, the Eustetia sword techniques I knew began to evolve in my mind.

Into something more refined. Into something more aggressive.

Could it be that she’s… teaching me?

Eustetia’s sword is one that seeks extreme rapidity.

Is she offering such guidance in the midst of wielding such a sword?

Did she analyze my swordsmanship in that brief moment and pinpoint all its flaws?

As expected.

Miss Ellie might truly be the reincarnation of Arisa Eustetia, I thought, when…

Miss Ellie’s expression darkened, and she enveloped her wooden sword with mana. Mana surged like a wolf’s fangs.

I recognized that technique.

It’s meant to shatter the opponent’s weapon.

After she broke my wooden sword yesterday, I had spent the entire night thinking and researching ways to counter that attack.

And I had found one.

A theoretical solution.

I had never tried it before. It was more likely to fail, but I had to do it.

It might be a bit mischievous, but I wanted to give Miss Ellie a light punishment for teasing me.

It’s just a sparring match, right?

…She’ll forgive me.

If she gets really mad, I could offer her… unlimited sparring sessions.

Confident of my victory, I clenched my fist tightly. I channeled mana into that fist.

I widened my eyes. I watched the trajectory of Miss Ellie’s sword as it descended. I predicted the path it would follow, the exact moment it would strike.

And in that state… I positioned my fist according to the picture in my mind.

Crash!

A sound like a massive mirror shattering echoed as Miss Ellie’s wooden sword splintered to pieces.

I had succeeded.

A dizzying thrill swept over me.

Now all that was left was to place the tip of my wooden sword against Miss Ellie’s neck, and it would be over.

Pushing aside the rush of accomplishment, I moved. Just as I was about to press the wooden sword against Miss Ellie’s delicate neck…

Her small fist shot toward me.

My instincts screamed at the sight of that fist. Alarms blared. My heart pounded wildly. Cold sweat drenched my entire body.

And all of it told me one thing:

If I got hit by that punch, I’d die.

At that moment…

“Damn it.”

Miss Ellie withdrew her fist.

***

“…M-Miss?”

“Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine, but… huh? When did I end up sitting down…?”

“Well… good job, Yurasia.”

After helping Yurasia, who was sitting on the ground, to her feet, I turned my back to her.

I saw Father’s shocked eyes and Kerian’s knowing gaze.

I gave them a quick nod and left the training ground.

As I walked toward the main family’s training grounds, I reflected.

Earlier, the wooden sword had reached its limit far too quickly.

Usually, it would last five minutes, or ten if I held back, but this time it barely lasted three minutes before breaking.

And then, the punch I had thrown at Yurasia at the end.

That punch… It was smooth. It had no resistance. It was natural. The strength from my toes transferred to my fist without a single drop lost.

As if my body had longed for it. As if it had been holding back all this time.

Had Yurasia been hit by that punch, at the very least, she would have been gravely injured.

“And it resembled her.”

Arisa Eustetia.

That punch resembled the one thrown by that stubborn chimpanzee who rejected civilization’s progress and insisted on fighting bare-handed.

“Ha, what nonsense. No, no. That can’t be. It’s fine, Ronan. Don’t worry, Ellie. I’m human.”

I’m going to head to the main family’s training grounds and beat the scrap-metal scarecrow.

The scarecrow I couldn’t break with a wooden sword, not even with one made from the Northern hardwood.

I’ll smash it with my bare hands.

And I’ll prove it.

That I have no talent for martial arts.

That I’m not some chimpanzee unworthy of living in this world, unfit to even dine with humans.

That I’m a human being with the dignity to live in this world.

I’ll prove it. Somehow.

***

The day the scrap-metal scarecrow shattered. The day a small girl’s fist cracked it.

Ronan Lujarak, aged 34,

Having reincarnated as Eliaernes Eustetia,

Was stripped of her qualification as a human.

“Shit! Shiiiiiit! This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening! No, no!! I’m human!! I’m not a chimpanzeeeeeeee!!!”