Illusion Sword Master

＜ The Road to Becoming Strong Has No End (2) ﹥

A residential area on the outskirts of Hwangdo.

The luxurious houses were lined up, but there were no other facilities around, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

This satisfying feeling was a rare one.

The tranquility of this place was appealing, but it was also because I had obtained eight high-quality dwarf-made longswords from the smithy.

“It’s about time to come out.”

I didn’t come here to simply enjoy a leisurely stroll.

[There’s a place you must visit.]

Roland had grabbed me and urged me to come here.

As I walked, I saw a few children gathered by the road, chatting.

They looked to be around ten to thirteen years old.

“What shall we do today?”

“I’m tired of playing marbles. Let’s do something else.”

The boys and girls, who seemed to be on the border between childhood and adolescence, all held wooden swords, suggesting that there was a sword training hall nearby.

“What are the kids of the imperial capital doing for fun?”

When I was their age, I was fighting on the battlefield, so I didn’t know much about the world’s play culture. It was a chaotic mess where people gambled with supplies and dice.

Out of curiosity, I watched from a distance, and one of the kids suddenly said something unexpected.

“Let’s play Inspector!”

What kind of game was this?

“Yeah! Let’s play Inspector!”

“It’s the best game after meals.”

It seemed that they had played this game before, and the other kids enthusiastically agreed to the proposal.

“Then who will play the role of the Inspector?”

They all wanted to be the Inspector, and their eyes landed on a quiet girl in the center of the group.

“Where have I seen her before?”

I rarely met kids of the same age, but somehow, her face seemed familiar.

The thoughtful girl opened her mouth.

“I’ll play the role of Lord Ethan.”

What?

“Am I the Inspector in this game?”

The world had gone crazy. My portrait was hanging in every military camp on the western front, wasn’t it?

The fact that kids had created a game inspired by me was quite shocking.

“Aww, why! You were Lord Ethan last time! Since I suggested playing Inspector, it’s my turn to be Lord Ethan this time!”

The kid who had proposed the game showed discontent. The girl’s expression slightly distorted.

“It’s not Lord Ethan, but Lord Ethan-nim. Is he your friend?”

It seemed that she didn’t want to give up her role, and the part where she omitted the honorific title had touched a nerve.

“S-sorry…”

“Anyway, I’ll play the role of Lord Ethan-nim this time. Let’s take turns playing the roles from now on.”

The girl, who seemed to be reflecting on her actions, assigned roles to the other kids as well.

“You’re Grola. You’re Bushaku. You’re Maktobre… You’re the Orc King.”

It seemed that the game was settled. The Inspector game was likely a recreation of the martial arts I had established.

“Hmm, sorry, but the Orc King hasn’t been defeated by Lord Ethan-nim yet, has he? There’s no record of them even meeting. Even if it’s just a game, we should stick to the original story and not make up false facts. The Inspector game is based on last week’s Imperial Weekly Impelium…”

One kid, who was faithful to the original story, attempted a lengthy rebuttal, but was quickly dismissed by the other kids.

“Aww, come on! If we worry about that, how can we play? Anyway, the Orc King will be defeated by Lord Ethan-nim, won’t he?”

“Right. I saw the article saying that the 6th Corps Commander will also be at the forefront when Ethan-nim takes back Umbra!”

Of course, I knew the kids didn’t have any malicious intentions, but it was still a terrifying sound.

Anyway, the inspector game had begun.

The kids, scattered all around, surrounded the girl playing my role, holding wooden swords in weird postures.

“Heh heh! I’m Grola, the Orc tribe leader! Ethan! I’ll kill you and get a cool nickname!”

“I’m Bushaku, the skull collector! I’ll take your skull!”

“I’m Maktobre, the spellcaster! I’ll kill you and silence you for my evil plan!”

Their acting skills weren’t bad, considering they’d done it a few times before.

“As I said before, the Orcs’ language skills aren’t that great… Ugh. I’m the Orc king! Catch me-!”

As soon as he said that, the four kids pounced on the girl.

I was shocked by two things.

One was that the kids’ play was too violent. Even with wooden swords, if they hit wrong, it could be fatal.

The other was…

‘Magic?’

Mana began to gather around the kids, and as they swung their swords, they activated their magic, scattering rocks and pebbles around them.

The concept of a sword-wielding mage was still unfamiliar, even to me, a mage swordsman.

“No way! With Ethan-Dars Ryu’s mage sword skills, I’ll cut you down and uphold justice!”

The surrounded girl let out an embarrassing cry and stretched out her hand. The sword she was holding flew out of her hand and hovered in mid-air.

And…

─ Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

She knocked down the four kids, one by one, in close succession.

‘Is this real mage sword skills?’

To my eyes, it looked a bit awkward, but considering their age, it was impressive.

The kids, hit by the wooden swords, clutched their foreheads and stumbled.

“Ah! What if we really get hit?”

The girl shook her head firmly.

“There’s no such thing as ‘just right’ in the inspector’s rules.”

It was true that the girl hadn’t seen the inspector’s rules, but they really didn’t exist.

The kids took turns continuing the inspector game. The kids playing my role were less skilled than the first girl, but they skillfully moved their wooden swords with magic, mimicking mage sword skills.

‘What is this?’

Kids using mage sword skills?

It was a bewildering sight.

“Kids, it’s been fun, but let’s head back. It’s time for our afternoon training.”

The door of the opposite mansion opened, and a familiar voice called out to the kids.

It was Rolland. He had been hiding behind a pillar, observing me, and spoke to me.

“Ethan! You’re here too! Come on. The kids have been waiting.”

“Ethan? Where?”

“There! He’s become even more rugged than before, but it’s really Ethan-nim!”

The kids looked at me with shining eyes. From their conversation, it seemed they had already met me before.

When did I see those kids again…?

“Roland, who are these kids?”

“Huh? Aren’t they the ones you saved? It’s been three years, so I guess it’s no wonder you can’t recognize them.”

The kids I saved?

Ah, I remembered.

I recalled the first winter break during my trainee days, when I suffered terribly.

“Cherzia, why are you like this? You were just singing about wanting to meet Ethan, weren’t you?”

My impersonation must have been discovered, as the girl from back then blushed and hung her head low.

#

After years of living without a care, there were things I had missed.

The kids who were sweating and wielding swords in the training hall were the ones I had saved.

Three years ago, I rescued kids with magical aptitudes from the underground prison of the dark wizard, Marcellus.

“Cherzia, that’s right. That was her name.”

Especially the girl who had just shown incredible presence – our bond was deep. In a way, everything started from our encounter.

By chance, I met the girl who was being chased by thugs at a tavern, and coincidentally, Roland, the Imperial Inspector, was there, and we were also pursuing the dark wizard.

That led to my connection with the Third Prince, and now, Inspector Ethan exists.

“It’s hard to believe we have such a great enmity.”

I couldn’t blame the kid who clung to my leg, desperate to live.

“You’ve grown up well.”

Cherzia was still wielding her sword alone, even when the other kids were resting. Despite her exhausted appearance, she would grit her teeth and summon her strength whenever she felt my gaze.

“As I said before, the Third Prince has become the patron of these kids. He’s keeping his promise to provide them with the necessary education and training here. They’re all incredibly talented, especially Cherzia, who’s in a league of her own.”

Roland, standing beside me, spoke with a warm smile as he looked at the kids.

“But what’s with the sword training?”

I asked, worried. If they had magical talents, why were they devoting their lives to swords? I was already enough of a mess, having been tangled up in my own fate.

“Don’t worry about it. We have a renowned teacher for magic, and I just occasionally teach them basic sword skills when I have time.”

“Occasionally?”

“Yes. They’re interested in your dark magic swordsmanship. You’re their dream and goal, aren’t you?”

When I thought about it, it made sense.

To the kids, I was the hero who had saved them from the dark wizard’s hands, and I was a legendary figure who was constantly in the spotlight.

Plus, I was a handsome man, so it was only natural for them to admire me.

“Don’t live like me.”

Of course, my actual satisfaction level was extremely low, but that’s what I said.

“Do you know what the kids said? ‘We want to become adults like you, Inspector Ethan, and make sure there are no kids who suffer like us.'”

That’s why the kids’ admiration, which I heard through Roland, felt heavy.

“An adult like me.”

I didn’t have a sense of mission or anything. I was just dragged into this life without any ambition.

“The kids don’t know anything. You, Roland, are the true benefactor and loyal subject.”

“Huh? Haha, thank you. I’m proud to be recognized by you.”

Roland’s smile faded, and he continued with a tone that was unlike him, filled with concern.

“These kids will grow up to be excellent forces who will take responsibility for the Empire’s future. It’s definitely a good thing. Responsibility and dedication are things to be cherished. But… somehow, my heart feels heavy at times.”

Without needing any explanation, Roland could sense the suffocating feeling emanating from somewhere.

“Do you think the kids will suffer like us?”

“… Exactly. It’s a strange thing. I’ve never had any dissatisfaction with my life. I’d even burn my body to ashes if it would help the empire. But if the kids were to live like me, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

Roland, who was overflowing with a sense of justice, seemed to despise that thought as if it were absurd and impious. However, it was a natural thought.

I wish I had thought that way when they pushed me into the abyss of suffering.

“It’s a meaningless thought, anyway. In the end, if I become stronger and reduce the empire’s danger, that’s all that matters.”

He clenched his fist, making a vow.

There’s a saying that a knight’s strength is proportional to the solidity of their conviction. If that’s the case, he’ll become even stronger in the future.

“Edan.”

Roland suddenly gazed at me with an uncomfortable expression.

“Let’s make our empire peaceful, just like you said, the three of us.”

“Yes, I hope so too.”

In reality, I had never said that. The phrase “I want peace” had been distorted in his memory, probably since he saw his grandchildren.

Before I knew it, the kids who had finished their training came running towards me.

Having been troubled by unwanted fame for years, I found fan meetings tiresome, but I decided to provide special service for the sake of the budding youngsters.

“Edan-nim! How’s my swordsmanship? You said you could cut down ten orcs at once when you were my age, right? I feel like I couldn’t even kill two orcs…”

“There’s some exaggeration, but… roughly correct. You seem to have as much talent as I did back then. Let’s try it out, and I’ll even teach you how to escape from orcs.”

The kid who wanted to show off his swordsmanship.

“Look! I can do magic swordsmanship! What do you think, Edan-nim? Roland said I’ll become like you when I grow up!”

“Hmm, it’s not like you can’t become like me…”

“Yes? Don’t I have talent?”

“No, I meant you might surpass me.”

The kid boasting about his magic swordsmanship.

“Edan-nim! In the 3rd March weekly Imperial magazine, it said you defeated 87 orcs with your ultimate skill, but in the 4th April issue, it was recorded as 86 orcs. Which one is true?”

“Uh… I don’t know?”

That kid was a bit tiresome.

Cherzia was standing behind the kids, keeping her distance with a sulky face.

I approached Cherzia and gently placed my hand on her head.

“You’ve grown well despite experiencing such hardships. Thank you.”

It was a sincere compliment.

If the girl I had saved with my life were to become a delinquent, it would be unbearable. Her fate was already twisted, anyway.

“Ahh, I still have a lot to learn.”

“Why? When we played the inspector game earlier, you seemed stronger than me.”

“Heehee!”

I mentioned her silly pose when she was imitating me, and Cherzia let out a strange cry and ran away.

I just said it because it was cute, but it seemed to be embarrassing for a girl on the verge of puberty.

‘I won’t let anyone make me suffer and then pretend like they didn’t.’

Even I wouldn’t do that to a kid.

I continued to provide fan service to the kids.

Thud. Thud.

Someone entered the room.

A middle-aged man with a face full of fatigue and irritation, giving off a nervous impression.

I knew him well.

His sparse hair reminded me that it had been a long time since we last met.

“Professor Dars?”

My instructor during my first year at the War University, and also my mentor who taught me the basics of sword magic.

“Is this the guy who teaches magic to kids?”

Somehow, the kids were able to wield magic with ease.

“It’s been a while, Ethan. As we promised, we’ve proven the practicality of sword magic on the battlefield. I’m proud of you as your mentor.”

Despite his words, his tone was filled with frustration.

“But… why didn’t you teach them about the greatness of magic? Have you lost your initial passion? If so, I’ll start from the basics and teach you again. I’ll make sure you understand the greatness of magic deeply.”

The eyes of the magic otaku, who had finally met his favorite experiment subject, sparkled with excitement.

＜ The Path to Becoming Strong Has No End (2) ﹥ End