episode_0120

Harold’s magic swordsmanship class itself was fine.

Of course, in reality, all we did was practice swordsmanship and magic with the students from the swordsmanship and magic departments, but excluding the top 4 students from the swordsmanship department did make it somewhat easier for the remaining students to compete.

Of course, part of it was because the opponents were from the lower ranks of the swordsmanship department.

Even though it was a common class for both the swordsmanship and magic departments, the enrollment rate for the magic department was not high, and as one of the only 10 magic students out of 60 students, I didn’t have the opportunity to spar with the top students from the swordsmanship department from the first day.

With this win rate, maybe I’ll be able to compete with higher-ranking students in the next class.

“Actually, I’d like to spar with Ethan or Natalie, if I could.”

Of course, it’s obvious that I would lose in a match like that, but as a man, isn’t it natural to want to challenge yourself even in a losing battle?

It wasn’t strange for me to think that I wanted to receive Ethan’s sword, who had made significant progress in swordsmanship due to my story intervention, or to see how the characters who faced Natalie head-on in swordsmanship had done so far.

Of course, it’s unlikely that I, who is barely using a sword in the magic department, will have the opportunity to spar with those who are at the level of insiders in the swordsmanship department.

And besides that, Harold’s class was quite helpful to me.

He was a legendary sword master, so one might think that his teaching style would be very strict, but Harold was teaching the students with a much more flexible mindset than I had expected.

One of the surprising things I learned about Harold today was that he didn’t pay any attention to the types of swords the students were using.

Instead, he tried to educate students as much as possible with his knowledge, regardless of the type of sword they were using, as long as the weapon they were using maintained the form of a sword.

“If you’re going to wield that heavy greatsword, you need to think several times more than your opponent. And from now on, focus on developing your abdominal muscles as much as possible rather than your arms.”

“Yes, Professor!”

“If you’re going to use an Estoc, focus more on thrusting rather than slashing. With that light sword, it’s much more effective to concentrate on stabbing in one place rather than cutting a wide area.”

“Understood!”

After observing the sparring between Karam and Natalie, Harold gave them advice.

Although Harold’s sword was a typical two-handed sword seen in a fantasy world, except for the short sword I usually carried at my waist in the game, he never used any other sword, but his knowledge of swords was extensive and he passed on his knowledge without prejudice as long as the weapon the user was using maintained the form of a sword.

He didn’t hesitate to give advice on various types of swords that other students were using, including Karam’s giant greatsword and Natalie’s Estoc.

And of course, I, who was barely using a dagger, also received advice.

“Among all these students, you’re the only one with a dagger, Lily Rosewood. Even though there are other magic students participating in this class.”

“…Yes.”

“Do you have a reason for insisting on using a dagger?”

Because there’s a sweet option called ‘Attack Power +15’ when equipped with a dagger.

I couldn’t convey that statement directly, so I came up with a plausible excuse in a roundabout way.

“The biggest reason is to lure the opponent into a false sense of security.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s true that I’m learning magic swordsmanship based on a dagger in this class, but in any case, my most powerful ability is the power to manipulate magic. When using swordsmanship as a mage, the most important thing to focus on is not creating a situation where you have to use swordsmanship. I think the professor knows this as well.”

“Go on.”

“But even if you don’t want to, there may come a time in your life when you have to face an opponent up close. In such a situation, if you assume that the professor is the opponent who has come close to the mage, what do you think when you see a long sword hanging from the mage’s waist?”

“…I think he will remain vigilant until the end as someone who can handle both magic and swordsmanship.”

“In that case, what about a mage who hides a dagger in his bosom instead of having anything on his waist?”

“…He will still remain vigilant, but realizing that the mage has a hidden dagger may come a little later.”

“I’m aiming for that part as well.”

“I see…”

Harold looked at me with a serious expression, stroking his chin in contemplation.

I couldn’t afford to stumble at this point, so I quickly came up with an excuse on the spot.

“After all, for a mage, auxiliary weapons are just supplementary tools. Once the opportunity to allow close combat has been granted, the advantage has already shifted completely. In such a situation, wielding a longsword would not allow for a proper response.”

“….”

“However, keeping a dagger hidden until the last moment and striking the heart of an unsuspecting enemy could be effective. At least, the attacker won’t notice what auxiliary weapon I have until they get close enough to see the blade of this dagger.”

“…That’s a plausible theory.”

Harold looked at me with a strange smile, seemingly satisfied with my response.

He then took the sheathed dagger from me and held it in his right hand, demonstrating the different ways to handle it.

“There are two ways to handle a dagger: orthodox and reverse grip. The orthodox grip allows you to freely wield the dagger as you please, but it also makes it easier for the opponent to predict your movements. The reverse grip has its own advantages and disadvantages.”

“Yes.”

“So, if you’re going to handle a dagger, it’s good to practice switching between orthodox and reverse grips with one hand. …Something like this.”

With his words, Harold demonstrated how to change the direction of the blade by rolling the sheathed dagger in his hand.

Even while holding the blade, he effortlessly changed the grip, impressing me with his skill.

“Now that today’s practice is over, focus on practicing how to grip the dagger until the end of the lesson. If you don’t understand, feel free to ask.”

“Thank you.”

“And please take care of Edan in the future.”

“…Yes.”

With those words that seemed to carry a different meaning, Harold walked away to observe another student’s swordsmanship.

Watching his retreating figure, I followed his advice and focused on practicing how to grip the dagger.

By the end of the lesson, I had become somewhat familiar with holding the blade in a reverse grip, thanks to my concentration on the practice.

…Although I tried to push away the slightly melancholic feeling and focus on the lesson, it lingered until the end of the class.

After Edan and Lillith’s weekly shared class on basic magic swordsmanship ended, Lillith returned to the dormitory feeling down.

“Haah….”

Lillith sat halfway on the bed, resting her chin on her hand and sighing heavily.

Edan and Isabelle, who observed her, could tell immediately that she was not in a good mood.

“Did something happen to Lillith at the academy today, my lord?”

“Well, I don’t think there’s anything I can guess at the moment.”

One thing was certain – she had been in that state since attending her father’s class on basic magic swordsmanship.

At least until lunchtime today, there was no sign of anything wrong or gloomy about Lillith, so if there was something bothering her, it must have happened during or after the basic magic swordsmanship class.

However, Edan couldn’t figure out the reason for her reaction.

During the sparring in the basic magic swordsmanship class, Lillith had won three times in a row.

After class, she had dinner in the dormitory dining hall and returned to her room immediately, so there was no reason for her to feel upset.

“Huah….”

But seeing Lillith sitting weakly on the bed, it was clear that something unpleasant had happened to her.

Even if he couldn’t figure out the cause, Edan wanted to at least help her feel better.

…The problem was, he had no idea how to cheer her up.

“Uuh….”

“Lillith, are you feeling unwell?”

“Uh, not really….”

“Is it because you’re tired from sleeping with me and Edan? Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?”

“No, I’m okay…. Just let me be alone to think for now….”

“Okay, but if you have any worries, don’t keep them to yourself. You have to tell us, okay?”

“Yeah, thank you….”

Edan’s worries only deepened as Isabel’s attempts to comfort her best friend didn’t seem to be improving her symptoms.

He pondered on how he could help lift her spirits in his own way.

“What does Lillis like, again…?”

Upon reflection, despite loving Lillis so much, he realized he didn’t really know what she enjoyed.

He knew she found joy in spending time with her maid companions like Isabel and Katarina, or in using magic, but beyond that, he wasn’t sure.

Lillis didn’t show much preference for specific foods or items, so Edan’s contemplation on how to cheer her up grew even deeper.

Closing his eyes, he tried to recall the last moment when she had genuinely smiled in front of him.

If the last memory of her smiling without restraint was that moment…

“Y-Your Highness…! Th-That place is… Hngh, haaah…!”

“…No, no. What am I thinking by recalling that moment now.”

Thinking of the happy expression on Lillis’s face, he remembered her whimpering while he touched her chest.

This caused a strange stirring of desire in Edan’s heart for a moment, but thankfully, he didn’t act irrationally due to his ability to restrain his instincts, honed over the past year of training.

“Ugh, hah! Hahhh…!!”

“……”

However, despite his true self-control, Lillis’s flushed face kept flashing in Edan’s mind.

In that fleeting moment of imagination, he found a small hint and quietly began to think of one way to help lift Lillis’s spirits.