episode_0009

“No, I’ve already prepared everything, Master!”

“But Anna, why did you even prepare your luggage?”

“They say at the academy, noble ladies can bring up to two maids with them!!”

“I don’t think I need that.”

“Aren’t you looking forward to royal life, Master?”

“Well… I’m not going there to have fun.”

“Anyway! How would you manage without me? I’ll take care of everything!”

Anna puffs out her chest as if saying to trust only her, raising her small shoulders.

“Alright.. do as you please.”

“Heh. I knew you’d say that! Then I’ll go ask for Lady Aria’s permission assuming you agreed!”

“What..? Anna!!”

Without looking back, Anna dashes out to the guesthouse, seemingly excited, perhaps having some romantic notions about the capital.

***

“Are you taking attendants too?”

“Yes. David decided to train soldiers who showed potential in swordsmanship more seriously… and I chose those I’ve been close with.”

“Is it common to bring attendants?”

“It’s hard to handle all the chores alone, especially living abroad, it can get lonely.”

Selina, in pajamas with apples printed on them, speaks sleepily from her bed. Even at 10 years old, she seems to have a habit of sleeping early.

“Thanks, it’s late now so let’s go to bed.”

“Yeah.. goodnight..”

It seems like it might be too late for Selina to understand the ways of the world.

“Hey, Kidney! Are you really going after all?”

“Get lost, David, I’m in touch.”

“You didn’t tell me, you only told Selina?”

“Well, we didn’t talk much.”

“Still! If something happens, you should report to your elder brother!”

“Bro, we’re the same age.”

“Heh, sadly, I’m older by a few days.”

“David, go to your room. And Kidney, you seem ten years older just from your usual actions.”

“Heh. You’re calling me senile.”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant.”

The screen blinks as the battery dies. Amidst David’s shouting, the work continues.

“Shall we go for training then?”

***

“No. Kid, where are you going in this weather? Stop and tell the lady before you go to bed.”

“Ugh! Let go! I’m an adult!”

“Anna, what’s going on?”

“It’s my brother!!”

With a troubled look, Anna hides behind and asks the child in front, who runs towards her like a Golden Retriever.

“Where were you planning to go?”

“Oh, well, I’ve lived many times longer than you!”

The child speaks nonsense, but considering the parallel universe created by the same author, where there was a reverse aging movement, it doesn’t seem entirely baseless.

“Anna, it’s late, go inside quickly. I’ll take this one to the lady.”

“Yes..”

“Let’s go too. Please follow us.”

“Hmph. I was just going to the hill behind, fine, I’ll see Aria’s face after a long time.”

“Do you know the lady?”

“Yes, I met Aria when she was about your age. I wonder how much she listened back then.”

The child walks away with a nostalgic look. They might actually be older than they appear.

“Karina, Miss!”

“Aria!! Long time no see!”

“When did you come here..”

“I forgot I had a villa in the northern mountains! Planning to stay for a few months.”

Karina, delightedly running around like a child, seems happy.

“By the way.. is this your son?”

“Well.. he’s more of a protected observation subject.”

Even though it was expected, it still stings a bit to hear the truth.

“Kid, since things turned out this way, how about trying swordsmanship training with the teacher until we go to the academy?”

“Huh? Use a sword?”

“Of course! I’ve lived for many years, and both magic and swordsmanship are at a high level!”

“Hey Aria… Many years of experience… But I don’t feel that old yet…”

It’s a good thing to prepare for the test and experience if my swordsmanship works in real combat.

“Okay, please teach me well!”

“Um, what about my opinion…? I came here to rest…”

“Karina, please just take a look. Just to see if you have talent or not.”

“Well, if it’s just that much.”

***

Instead of the usual training ground, they decided to go to the villa Karina was looking for.

“But do you know the way…? I keep seeing the same trees we saw earlier.”

“Oh! Well… It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so I might make a mistake!”

“You can’t find it with magic?”

“Hmm… This guy thinks magic can do everything.”

When asked if magic could solve everything in a fantasy world, the response was dismissive.

“Enough! Let’s test it out here!”

“What?”

“Your swordsmanship! It doesn’t matter how refined or technically excellent it is. As long as I can hit you. I just want to see how focused and immersed you can be with each stroke!”

Feeling confident in concentration and immersion, she nodded and received the thrown sword.

“A real sword, right?”

“Yes, you fool! Should I use a wooden sword in real combat?”

“Yes…”

She decided to focus on the sword she threw with determination.

Real swords used in combat are heavier and sharper than you think, and one wrong move could easily take a life, whether yours or your opponent’s.

“Hoo!”

Taking a deep breath, she performs her most confident vertical strike.

As the snow falls, she visualizes

Each decision sharpens like an end

Sharpening the end

Drawing a straight line from the end to the end

Clang!!

“Not bad.”

“Huff… Is this enough…?”

Breathing heavily, she asks.

“Hmm… There seems to be an issue with stamina, but with intense training, it should be resolved within the next six months.”

“Oh, so does that mean I passed?”

“You seem to have more talent than I thought. It might be worth teaching you after all.”

Karina pretends to be unimpressed, not realizing that her cheeks are flushed.

“Are you satisfied?”

“Hmph, barely enough to not call you a master yet!”

“Yes yes, but when are we going to the villa?”

“Well… Won’t you help me find it together…?”

“Haha, sure, why not.”

***

“It’s cleaner than I thought.”

“I cast an automatic cleaning spell.”

“If magic isn’t omnipotent, how can this be done?”

“Magic may seem omnipotent to you, but it’s not. There’s no wish-fulfilling stone that can do anything.”

“I see…”

“So, the conclusion is! You have to find my villa!”

“Huh? I haven’t even started looking…”

“Oh. It’s training for your stamina!”

It doesn’t really seem like that’s the reason, but if you’re going to tease, you might as well go along with it.

“Yes… At least teach me how to do it.”

“Cook, feel the energy of nature.”

“The energy of nature?”

“Oh. Instead of looking for it, try to feel it, and it will come naturally.”

I still don’t quite understand, but since I’ve committed to doing it, I’ll do it properly.

***

“Um… It’s been three hours, but are we going the right way?”

“Well, only nature knows, don’t you think?”

“How will nature let us know…”

“Then you must be far from finding it. Think about what I said again.”

‘Feel the energy of nature.’

‘Don’t try to find it, try to feel it, and it will come naturally.’

“I feel the energy of nature…”

First, I took a deep breath and decided to meditate. I thought about when I feel nature the best.

When playing with spirits?

When resting while watching the sunset after training?

I felt like something was missing in all of them.

Yes, when I swung the sword, I recalled the freest and strongest nature. This time, I decided to just swing it recklessly.

From top to bottom, from bottom to top.

The power and speed in the sword no longer matter.

Slowly, I look at the world through the sword.

When my breath and the sword’s name resonate,

“Swish!”

“Huh?”

“Oh, it seems you’ve realized something?”

“It feels like the wind is pointing somewhere.”

“Yes. Maybe I’m crazy for making you do unnecessary things, but it’s because your sword vaguely captures the feeling of nature.”

I did think I was a bit crazy, but… my teaching ability seems certain.

“As expected, the experience from training is different…”

“Yes, training… No!! What you see is 13 years old! Yeah, yeah, they say the mind follows the body…”

I suddenly became a bit cooler when I tried to be cool.

“Well… let’s go to the villa then…”

***

“How is it? Pretty decent, right?”

“Wow… It looked like a cabin from the outside, but it feels much bigger inside!”

The feeling of a villa lavishly decorated with chandeliers, statues, and frames doesn’t match a cabin.

“Even so, spatial magic is my specialty.”

“Did you expand the interior space?”

“That would be too inefficient, the mana consumption for continuous expansion is astronomical. Unless you’re a dragon, you can’t handle it.”

“Is that so?”

“In fact, I was a dragon.”

Ah… I must have been immature mentally and physically as a dragon’s descendant. Maybe that’s understandable…

“Ugh… Your gaze makes me uncomfortable.”

“Not at all.”

“Anyway, in simple terms, I’ve divided and extended countless spaces. From the outside, the form remains visible, but this way, the interior can be expanded indefinitely.”

It’s complex, but it seems to make me realize how remarkable he is.

“Now, let’s start training. Let’s just do it five times at first.”

After striking the ground with a staff the size of his body, he recited a spell.

Boom!

“Argh!”

Suddenly, all his limbs felt like sinking into a swamp, gradually descending downwards.

“W…What is this…”

“Struggle as much as you want!”

With a face that seemed to find it amusing, both his consciousness and body began to crumble.

“Damn it…”