Young Man, Have Ambitions (2)

After Ethan confidently declared he’d win today’s sparring session, only to be utterly defeated.

As I expected, Ethan didn’t leave immediately after cleaning the training grounds but stayed behind alone to practice his swings.

Instead of going straight to the private waiting room, I quietly observed Ethan as he practiced.

-Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Precise posture, flawless trajectories, and swift yet powerful strikes with each swing.

Vertical slashes, horizontal slashes, diagonal slashes, and even the stance transition from blocking to counterattacking.

Even to an outsider’s eye, his movements were clean and efficient without any unnecessary flourishes.

Though not yet at the level of a Sword Master, Ethan’s refined skills suggested he was quite capable among nobles his age.

…Which made the recent spar between Ethan and Harold all the more regrettable.

Honestly, if I were Ethan’s father, I might have let him win once just to see that cleverness. No matter how serious one is about swordsmanship, failing to motivate a child properly…

‘Wait, what am I thinking?’

Come to think of it, Ethan wasn’t supposed to score against Harold.

I had momentarily forgotten what was at stake in their spar, feeling nothing but pity for how it turned out.

And if he had actually succeeded in winning, I might have even thought, “Fine, he can touch them once,” as absurd as that sounds.

Not that I’m saying Ethan touching my chest would be inconsequential, but if he had managed to score under such adverse conditions, I could have endured the shame.

Even if his motivation was impure, in a way, half of his growth was something I nurtured.

If only his final gaze had been perfectly controlled, he might have landed that hit-it must have been a bitter regret for him.

Moreover, since the feint tactic failed once, he likely couldn’t use it again. Realistically, Ethan probably wouldn’t get another chance to touch my chest.

‘For me, that’s a good thing, but…’

-Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Seeing Ethan swinging his sword so diligently, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Compared to the detestable Ethan from the game, the effort he was putting in now was on an entirely different level.

Unlike that immature brat who recklessly swung dual swords relying solely on his lineage and Lilith’s buffs, this Ethan displayed a will and determination that was…

‘Huh? Wait…’

Come to think of it… why hasn’t Ethan picked up dual swords yet?

In the game, the detestable Ethan was an insane dual-sword wielder who never used any other weapon.

But the current Ethan hasn’t once fought with two swords, not even as a joke.

Even considering the game Ethan’s stats, dual-wielding would have been far more efficient than single-sword combat, yet…

‘Could it be… he hasn’t even considered it?’

I don’t mean to rank sword styles, but generally, there’s a fixed notion that traditional swordsmanship revolves around single-sword combat.

Especially since his father, Harold, is one of the strongest single-sword practitioners.

Naturally, learning directly under Harold would ingrain a preference for single-sword techniques.

In contrast, the original Ethan barely learned swordsmanship from Harold and just swung swords however he pleased, settling on dual-wielding.

If the Ethan before me shares the same fundamental traits as the game’s detestable character, dual-wielding would be far more efficient for him.

There might be a slight difference in power between his hands, but his physique is well-suited for wielding two swords.

In fact, the dual swords wielded by mid-boss Ethan in the game were far from weak.

‘Should I tell him?’

Given that he’s already accustomed to single-sword combat, there’s no guarantee that switching to dual-wielding now would bring explosive growth.

But staying silent about it felt… oddly unsettling.

Not telling him for no reason would make it seem like I’m being petty, afraid of him touching my chest.

So, steeling myself, I quietly approached Ethan as he practiced.

To subtly suggest he try dual-wielding.

“Young Master Ethan.”

“…Sorry, maid. Is watching me swing boring? If you’re tired, you can rest until dinner.”

“I didn’t find it boring at all… but may I offer you some advice?”

“…A maid, giving advice?”

“Could you try holding the wooden sword with just one hand and swinging it?”

“…Just one hand?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“……”

Though puzzled, Ethan obediently gripped the wooden sword with his right hand alone.

He then swung it in various directions, just as he had been doing earlier.

“Is this good, maid?”

“Yes. Now, could you try holding the sword in your other hand and swinging it?”

“…My other hand?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“……”

Still skeptical, Ethan now gripped the sword with his left hand and swung it in different directions.

His right-handed form was slightly better, but his left-handed swings weren’t far behind.

In fact, though his posture was awkward, his left hand seemed to generate more raw power.

A unique physical ability-both hands could wield a sword with similar yet slightly different strengths.

Ethan was naturally suited for dual-wielding.

“Young Master, your swings are equally powerful whether you use your right or left hand.”

“…I suppose so. I’m ambidextrous, after all.”

“There are two main reasons most swordsmen wield a single sword. Either their off-hand lacks the strength to maintain balance, or their dominant hand is so strong that using the other is pointless.”

“…What are you getting at?”

“But for you, Young Master… there seems to be no reason not to wield two swords.”

“……Huh?”

“Of course, I’m just a lowly maid with little knowledge of swordsmanship. You’re free to dismiss my advice as nonsense and ignore it.”

“……”

“I just remembered something I need to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”

“…Alright. Go ahead, maid.”

“Good luck with your training, Young Master.”

After adding that final disclaimer, I quietly excused myself.

With that much said, he should get the hint.

It was a fairly direct suggestion, so he likely understood. If he still insists on single-sword combat, that’s his choice.

I didn’t want him forcing himself into dual-wielding just to humor me, so I made up an excuse to leave.

Hiding briefly behind a corner of the mansion, I listened carefully to the sounds of Ethan’s training.

-Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

-Swish! Swish! Swish!

Slightly out of sync, but unmistakably, the sound of two swords cutting through the air.

It seemed he had taken my advice and was at least testing dual-wielding.

I couldn’t help but feel a faint anticipation-would Ethan truly commit to this new approach?

That future, however slight, was something I found myself looking forward to.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Time passed, and two weeks later, in the morning.

“Young Master Ethan, good morning.”

“Ah, yeah… Good morning, maid…”

The usual morning greeting, the usual response from Ethan.

Lately, he seemed a bit fatigued-dark circles faintly visible under his eyes.

Perhaps he hasn’t been sleeping well these past few nights. A little concerning.

By the way, my suggestion about dual-wielding ultimately wasn’t adopted.

Maybe he was too accustomed to single-sword combat, or perhaps he felt guilty about using dual swords against Harold.

Either way, my advice was essentially telling him to try a different sword style to counter his father’s techniques.

I didn’t feel disappointed or regretful. Given Ethan’s journey so far, this was the natural choice.

Suggesting he abandon years of training overnight for a different style might have bruised his pride.

Why would Ethan take a maid’s advice about swordsmanship seriously anyway?

Let me be clear-I wasn’t disappointed that Ethan ignored my advice.

Not even a little. Truly.

Thinking this, I laid out Ethan’s change of clothes at the foot of the bed as usual, then drew the curtains to let in the morning light.

As I waited by the door to tidy his room once he left, Ethan, freshly awake, called out to me in a cautious voice.

“Maid.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“…You know today’s the day I spar with Father, right?”

“Of course. It’s the sixth day of the week.”

“…Make sure you come watch today. I think I can land at least one hit on Father this time.”

Ah.

He’s setting up another flag.