I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

Zeke looked at the pouch Rosnante offered with a slightly surprised face.

He’d thought it was just a bluff when Rosnante approached him with an irritated face, but he hadn’t expected him to actually procure twenty magic stones so quickly.

‘Did he borrow them from Duke Eustia?’

He had used Soi’s ability to manipulate the minds of Duke Eustia and Hella, but apart from instilling in them an infinite love for Iriel and a hatred for unfair tactics, nothing much had changed.

Zeke was genuinely impressed by Rosnante’s resourcefulness.

“Are these really twenty magic stones…?”

Zeke said, peering into the opening of the pouch Rosnante handed over.

“Hehehe. When I put my mind to it, I get things done.”

Rosnante boasted.

“So, does this mean I can use mana now!?”

“Yes. It won’t take too long, but… There are still some preparations to make, so it’ll take about 30 minutes.”

“Yes! Understood!”

Rosnante headed to the shower room to wash up, saying he needed to prepare himself mentally and physically.

Zeke took out about ten magic stones from the pouch to create a space filled with mana.

“Hmm, but… I’m curious how he persuaded Duke Eustia…”

No matter how he thought about it, Eustia didn’t seem like someone who would readily agree.

“I’ll ask him later.”

Zeke recalled the time he manipulated Duke Eustia’s mind while putting up a barrier.

Duke Eustia and Hella had completely lost their minds.

Zeke had asked Duke Yohaiden if he wanted to take everything from Eustia.

If he said yes, Zeke was willing to make it happen.

In Zeke’s opinion, Duke Yohaiden was one of the few decent nobles he had met.

“Hmm, for Yohaiden to completely take over everything Eustia owns… That’s a tempting offer…”

Duke Yohaiden had said, observing Zeke with dubious eyes.

“Zeke Clayman, before that, let me ask you something. Do you have any desire to rule this Empire?”

“No.”

Zeke refused immediately.

Of course not.

He had experienced firsthand how troublesome and annoying it was to be in a position of power over others during his time as a hero.

Duke Yohaiden smiled faintly.

“Yes, I thought so… Zeke, do you know why I agreed to your plan this time?”

“What is it?”

“Of course, I won’t say I don’t want Yohaiden to have the most power.

But the more direct reason is that too many people suffer because of them, suffering they shouldn’t have to endure.

Eustia has no limits when it comes to pursuing his own desires and doesn’t hesitate to use any means necessary.

Especially, our Yohaiden has lost too many precious people to his cowardly schemes.”

Duke Yohaiden glanced at Soi.

“Looking at Duke Eustia now, it seems he’s paid the price.”

Duke Eustia and Hela looked as if they had seen hell on earth.

Their faces were contorted like demons, compressed as if crushed, showing how much pain they were still in.

They vomited everything in their stomachs, soiled their pants with urine and feces, and strangled themselves.

Then, when they woke up, they would strangle themselves again, repeating the cycle of fainting and waking.

“Hmm, it’s probably been about ten years for them in their dreams.”

Soi added from the side.

Click.

Duke Yohaiden calmly took out a magic tool from his pocket, captured their appearance, and then said,

“This is enough for me.”

“Are you sure?”

“If they compete fairly, I would welcome it.

Perhaps the reason our Yohaiden has been able to maintain our conscience and pursue the righteous path is because we had this formidable enemy, Eustia.

If they disappear after today… Hmm, I can’t guarantee that my descendants won’t turn out like them.”

“Power has a way of driving people mad.”

“Yes, that’s right. In that sense, can I ask you a favor, Zeke Clayman?”

“Go ahead.”

Duke Yohaiden’s serious eyes, resembling Selena’s, shone bright blue.

“If possible, leave everything else as it is, but for Yohaiden, not Eustia. Can you make sure they don’t resort to cowardly tricks?”

Duke Yohaiden bowed deeply to Zeke.

No, he didn’t just bow, he knelt and pleaded with him.

“If you must kill them, then do so. I have no right to stop you. But please, consider it just once.”

The people of Yohaiden were shocked by his actions.

“F-Father!!!!”

“Your Grace!!!!”

Even before the Emperor, the Duke, who rarely lowered his head,

Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that his heavy head would bow so deeply to a young man of far lower status, even if he was their benefactor and a hero.

‘Ha… To lower his head and ask to spare his enemy for the sake of his family…’

A chuckle escaped Zeke’s lips.

They were truly a remarkable family.

Zeke grabbed Duke Yohaiden’s arm and helped him up.

“Please rise, Your Grace. That’s what I was going to ask of you as well.”

“…But, didn’t you hold a deep grudge against them…? And just a moment ago…”

“Ah. This was just a measure to instill a kind of trauma in them.

I wanted to make him a good father to Iriel, so I needed to break his spirit once and for all.

At the same time, it served as revenge and punishment for what they’ve done.”

“Ah, I see… Your disciple. Yes, that’s right… Iriel is not at fault.”

And so, thanks to the mercy of Zeke and Yohaiden, Duke Eustia and Hela were able to regain their former selves, except for certain aspects.

Zeke and Duke Yohaiden shook hands warmly.

Of course, Soi, who had made it all happen, was exhausted.

‘Ugh…’

* * *

“Haa… Fuu…”

Rosnante, who had finished washing up, followed Zeke into a cramped storage room.

It had to be a physically enclosed space to maximize the efficiency of the magic stones.

As he entered, he felt the air grow heavier, though it might have been just his imagination.

Rosnante took off his top and turned around in the center of the room.

Zeke’s voice came from behind him.

“Then, I’ll begin the process of carving the mana filter.”

“Wait. If possible, I’d like an explanation.”

Zeke replied in a clearly annoyed tone at Rosnante’s words.

“Tsk. As I said before, your body is the worst for using mana. Your mana road is narrow, so if you try to force it, it’ll overload and your body won’t be able to handle it.”

“What happens if it overloads…?”

“Well, if you’re skilled enough to unconsciously control mana, you’ll just faint. Otherwise, your body will explode.”

“Explode… Explode?”

Rosnante gulped.

“That’s why we need the mana filter I’m carving now.

It filters out impurities from the mana in the air, making it pure.

The pure mana particles are so small that they can easily travel through your narrow mana road.”

“Ooh… Pure mana!”

“Yes. And I have the same thing carved on my back.”

Thump-thump.

His anticipation grew, and his spirit was lifted.

It sounded amazing just hearing about it!

To be able to use pure mana, with all impurities removed.

Even this monstrous instructor has it carved on his back.

They say you should buy the things a merchant wants to keep for themselves!

‘As expected, the 20 magic stones weren’t wasted!’

Rosnante’s optimism went into overdrive.

Perhaps this power was so great that he was the only one being granted it, not the other children.

After all, their bloodlines were different.

It would be difficult to maintain the Empire if the Emperor was weaker than his subjects.

He completely forgot about the past neglect he had suffered from Zeke.

“Then, let’s begin.”

As Zeke clenched his hand, the ten magic stones inside crumbled with a crackling sound.

“Oh, and it’ll hurt a little.

Be careful not to open your mouth.

If you open your mouth, the mana I’m using to carve the filter will escape.”

In truth, Zeke, who could now freely use his power, could carve it without wasting a single bit of mana, but he hated the sound of a man’s screams, so he spoke in a serious tone.

“Yes!”

“I told you not to open your mouth.”

“Mmm!”

Soon, he began to feel a burning sensation on his back.

His eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

“Gggrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Rosnante had entered hell.