chapter 11
I motioned to Katyusha to support Mustafa. And she glared at the man who introduced himself as Nezha of the Windstorm.
“What are you doing in my training ground?”
Neza returned the saber to its scabbard and bowed respectfully at me.
“I apologize for the surprise. I am… … .”
“I asked what you were doing.”
I was displeased and pressed.
“… … Mustafa is not suitable for being the Crown Prince’s swordsmanship teacher. I came here to prove it to nothing.”
Neza said, placing her hand on her chest.
“Are you denying my choice?”
“Anyone can make mistakes.”
At first glance, he had a gentle impression like a flower shop owner, but his behavior and tone were not at all. It was like the original.
A promising future member of the Sangvis Knights who possesses wind-attribute magic, an excellent swordsman except for carrying around himself with the nickname of ‘Gale’. That was this man named Neza.
However, unlike the first appearance in the original work, the rank was still captain. Come to think of it, was there a description that the promotion was late because he was too young compared to his ability? He’s got a bright future ahead.
“Is that why you came into the royal palace and harassed Mustafa? That’s the worst.”
“When it comes to strength, the sword speaks louder than words. Isn’t that the Sangvis method?”
“Even so, the unpleasant things don’t change. Do you know Alexei? That only the captain came into the palace and pulled out his sword.”
“I got permission. On the condition that I take full responsibility.”
“… … You’re annoying.”
Even if I take responsibility, I can’t easily touch Neja. If the story of the crown prince protecting the Amerians and punishing the captain, who had a promising future, would circulate, it would surely become terribly annoying.
‘Maybe it was Alexei who instigated it.’
“But isn’t that unfair?”
Katyusha helped and brought the wounded Mustafa. He didn’t seem to have any fatal wounds, but he was breathing heavily as if his stamina had been exhausted.
“Mustafa has no magical powers. Of course you will win.”
Mustafa’s strong point is his swordsmanship. If it’s the same class, it’s definitely impossible to beat an aristocrat with magical powers, and even defeat Neja, who is recognized as a strong person in the play.
“Sadly, I don’t fight by looking at the opponent’s magic on the battlefield.”
“Is this a battlefield?”
When I said it annoyedly, Neja shut her mouth.
“Mustafa is my swordsmanship teacher. I don’t need magic power.”
“… … I came because there was a difference of opinion on that part.”
“Then can you fight Mustafa only with pure swordsmanship?”
“If you wish, I will.”
I looked at Mustafa. Mustafa was staring at the floor, exhaling heavily as if he had no face.
“done. f*ck it.”
It was impossible for Mustafa, who was covered in wounds, to fight any longer.
“You’ve already hurt Mustafa enough, and now you’re fighting with only swordsmanship? Chivalry has fallen to the ground.”
Nezha did not respond to my words.
“At least, he must have thought of defeating Mustafa before I came and proceeding with the after-action report. But it wasn’t as easy as I thought, so I couldn’t finish it until I came.”
I glared at Neza without hiding my displeasure. Neza was looking straight at me without averting her gaze.
“Can’t even properly defeat a man who can’t even use magic, a man called Iron Blood Captain.”
“… … I apologize.”
Neja apologized as if he had nothing to say. But he never lowered his head. In those eyes, I felt something like a kind of seonmin consciousness, which stimulated my nerves.
“Then I will come back next time. Excuse me.”
He must have decided it was time to step back. But I have no intention of letting go easily.
“Yes. wait.”
I stopped Neja, who was about to return.
“Katyusha. Do you think it will rain today?”
And asked Katyusha. Katyusha looked at the hazy sky.
“There are quite a few clouds, but it doesn’t look like it will rain. Tomorrow might not come.”
“That would be fine. There is no need to go back, Neza.”
I grabbed the handle of Alexei’s sword hanging from his waist.
“It’s safe to say that being able to beat Mustafa is a declaration that you can beat me.”
The sword came out of the scabbard smoothly without a moment’s snag. A heavy silver light shone profoundly.
“Pull out your sword. It is sparring.”
“… … Are you serious?”
As if he hadn’t imagined it, Neza asked in amazement. I nodded in affirmation.
“okay. Mustafa didn’t win, but I think you can win.”
“You are reckless.”
“… … Stop it.”
Katyusha and Mustafa stopped him as they were busy finishing their words. I wish I could cheer you on. I didn’t respond, I just stared at Neja and waited for an answer.
“Can you sparring with your right arm like that?”
Neza asked, looking at my bandaged right arm. I shook my head.
“Does not matter. Why, even if you win, is it because you are ashamed to brag about it?”
“indeed. Then me too… … .”
Neja took off her uniform halfway and skillfully bound her right arm as if in a cast.
“Let’s do it like this.”
“as you please. It will be taken into account in the evaluation.”
“Is the rule okay with the rules of the Knights?
“Explain.”
“If you knock your sword out of your opponent’s hand or cause it to fall, you win. However, if you injure the opponent’s body for him, you lose.”
“Attack the sword with the sword until the end, that’s it.”
“You understand quickly.”
Actually, I just remembered. It was a confrontational method that appeared several times in the work.
“But isn’t it too much of an advantage for me? Electricity would flow just by the clash of the swords. Can you stand it?”
“It’s something you don’t know unless you try it. Then, let’s start slowly.”
Neja smiled softly and announced the start of the match. Then, slightly bending her knees, she flew up.
“By the way, I have never lost by this rule.”
“… … !”
The quiet air flow changed violently. Floating a few meters in the air, Neza turned her body and looked at me——.
“Haa!”
It flew to me like a hawk and struck my sword. At the same time as the intense wind pressure, he felt a heavy shock from the sword.
“Kuk!”
The limit was to somehow stick the sword that was about to bounce out of his hand into the ground and barely not fall. Neja rode the wind and landed lightly behind me. It was a smooth movement that didn’t even make a sound.
“Do you want to continue?”
Neza turned around and stretched out her sword, measuring the distance between me and asking. It felt like a declaration that we could attack again at any moment.
“… … I’ll have to undo my earlier insult. strong.”
It was a powerful blow, excluding the fact that I was left-handed and it was my first sword. No, the left hand was the same as the other person.
“But my pride won’t allow me to stop.”
I put lightning on my sword. The sword, which should have originally belonged to Alexei, had much better magical power conductivity than the rapier he had used before, sparking and flashing at the slightest amount of magical energy.
“That black… … That’s good.”
Neja narrowed her eyes, as if intrigued. Then he kicked off the ground again and jumped up.
It was a one-hit, downward-slashing attack. blocked with a blade However, the moment the lightning kicked up the sword, Neja removed it from the sword and swung it outward to shake off the lightning.
Following the 2nd hit, a sweeping action, it was an upward slash aimed directly above the handle. Using his bandaged right arm, he grabbed the sword that was about to bounce.
The 3rd attack, as it were, traced the trail of the tip of the sword along the blade and pushed it away. He barely avoided losing his posture, but that was all.
And at the moment of the 4th hit, I closed my eyes and applied electric shock to my sword. And he swung with all his might toward the place he felt.
Swords collided with each other, creating a huge spark, and Neza did a backward somersault, opening the distance. I sighed and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“… … A little while ago, it was a very good response.”
Neza’s attack was too fast to watch and block. But I could feel the wind.
That’s why I grasped the direction of the attack with my sense of touch, not my sight, and swung my sword away. Neza’s expression was deeply impressed as if she was genuinely admiring this response.
‘Even if it’s not sparring, it’s a method I can’t use.’
This is the method Eugene, the protagonist of the original, used on Neza. After exchanging several sums, he was caught and fatally injured. However, in a situation where they only attack each other with their swords, they will be able to use it effectively.
“The Crown Prince has talent.”
Complimenting me, Neja returned to her stance. Then it flew up beside me, creating a strong whirlwind.
“That’s why I can’t entrust swordsmanship to the Amerians!”
I loaded the sword with lightning and swung it wide. There was a wide spark in the air, and as soon as it disappeared, Neza’s stab came in.
“The operation of magical power is rough!”
Caan. Neza’s sword collided with mine. Neja gained momentum and continued the attack.
My limit was to block the rushing attack or parry it occasionally. Every time I shared a sum, my left hand tingled terribly.
“How much can you learn from Mustafa, who only knows how to do swordsmanship!”
Kagagagagak, Kaaang!
Neja pushed my sword high with force. I lost my posture and took a hesitant backward step. My left hand tingled and almost lost all feeling.
“Not only that. What would His Majesty the Emperor think if he found out that Amerin was hired as a swordsman teacher?”
Neza lowered her sword and spoke as if admonishing. Dalian already seemed to think that he had won.
“Swords and magical powers need to be trained in a balanced way. The current crown prince is bad at using magic. Better to correct it before it becomes a habit.”
It wasn’t meant to offend me, it was genuinely concerned about me.
“You think I’m not good at handling magical powers, do you?”
But, on the contrary, it stimulated my ego.
“You do not recognize human potential.”
I stretched out my sword towards the sky. The air trembled unsteadily in the gusting wind. The clouds above the detached palace training hall were twisted into unnatural shapes.
To be able to influence such a high place is an amazing ability. But thanks to that, my trump card was prepared.
“Does your father know about the battle that came to be called the brainwashing god?”
“… … Are you referring to the Battle of Kazan?”
There is a phenomenon that occurs when moisture in the atmosphere is ruptured due to updrafts and becomes electrically charged.
“They annihilated thousands of armies in one fell swoop with torpedoes.”
It is——.
“Let’s try to imitate it.”
it’s lightning
“… … no way!”
I scattered lightning towards the sky. At the same time, an intense flash covered his vision.