Chapter 18

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‘Gift!’

As soon as I selected it, a message that only I could see appeared.

[<System> Presents Frintz Rodellaine’s job change package (combat) – ‘Aura Master Energy’ and ‘Blessing of Rapid Growth’.]

[<System> Aura is a power that can only be awakened by forging the body like steel and mastering at least one kind of weaponry. To help awaken, the ‘Aura Master Energy’ product there are three categories to be filled: ‘Aura Awakening Quest’, ‘Physical Training’, and ‘Weapon Training’.]

The method was quite different from the divine power quest I received. Unlike magic and divine power, which is the first step in awakening abilities, Aura was close to the last step of swordsmanship, so it was natural.

[<System> Frintz Rodellaine gains ‘Rigid Body Lv.1’ through physical training.]

[<System> Frintz Rodellaine gains ‘Basic Wood Swordsmanship Lv.1’ by ‘Weapon Training’. If you change the main weapon, the weapon skill changes automatically.]

[<System> A conditional quest for awakening the Aura was given to Frintz Rodellaine.]

[<Quest> To become an Aura Master, you must first become a Sword Master!

Reach Rigid Body Lv.50 (1/50)

Achieve weapon skill Lv.50 (1/50)

– The currently registered primary weapon is ‘Wood Sword’, and the secondary weapon is ‘None’.]

[<System> The ‘Blessing of Rapid Growth’ is applied to Frintz Rodellaine. Mastery is doubled.]

“Huh?”

Frintz’s shoulders stood stiff.

There was no obvious change in his outward appearance, but it seemed that he felt something.

“I have invested 11 million cash, so you have to work hard.”

“What?”

“Don’t get hit.”

“Uh-ah, yes.”

After finishing my request, I jumped up.

“Eli, where are you going?”

“I had a sudden inspiration for alchemy, so I need to go cook.”

“Huh? Did inspiration come to alchemy? But what are you going to cook?”

“This time, I thought of pasta-flavored and steak-flavored recipes in order to make my energy-recovery potions delicious. I have to go make it now before the inspiration leaves!”

“Oh, it will be delicious.”

“Take a break. I’ll let brother taste it when it’s finished.”

“Oh, no. I’ll have to go back to the young master. Do you think the swordsmanship class is over already? I want to grab the wooden sword again…”

Seeing that he was secretly motivated, it didn’t look like 11 million cash would be blown into the air.

“See you later, brother.”

“Yes, Eli.”

✠

It was a week after Romdio beat Frintz almost to death in the name of training. Something had changed since that day. It was Romdio who felt it most clearly with his body.

“Hey, this punk! Ha-Ha-! Why are you getting better and better at dodging? Ha-Ha-!”

“Uh, I think I’m the same… Maybe the young master is tired?”

“Damn it! Don’t talk back to me in a relaxed tone! Ha-Ha-!”

The swordsmanship teacher decided to stick to the educational policy but with the condition of strengthening safety measures. The wooden sword battles were carried out continuously.

However, Romdio could not be drunk on the illusion of being the strongest knight on the continent as before.

It was because, somehow, the teacher always pointed only to Frintz as his opponent.

Romdio, full of anger, rushed to Frintz and slashed his wooden sword vertically.

As before, Frintz raised his wooden sword lightly and tried to defend himself, and as a result.

Whoops!

A wooden sword flew out of Romdio’s hand, and the pain in his wrist exploded.

“Aww!”

“Yo-Young Master!”

“You, you bastard, me, you dare attack me? Uh, how! How can you…!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t attack you, but I didn’t expect the sword to bounce off by itself…”

“What, you punk! What are you saying that now?!”

Romdio’s was about to explode when he heard that Frintz just blocked it but it became a counterattack as a result.

However, there was not a single lie in Frintz’s words.

In fact, a message that no one could see came up a while ago.

[<System> Congratulations! Achieved Rigid Body Lv.5. Now, clumsy attacks are automatically counterattacked.]

[<System> Congratulations! You have achieved Wood Swordsmanship Lv.4. Now, you can knock down the Count’s asshole like dirty laundry.]

‘Is it just me? I feel like something has changed in my body.’

Even Frintz could feel it slowly.

“Okay, that’s it for today!”

The swordsman teacher with short golden hair and a catfish mustache approached and kindly pointed out today’s lesson.

However, the target was not Romdio.

“Well, young Frintz! You are really improving day by day! I just want you to focus on bending your knees slightly and using your arms rather than your wrists and neck when blocking an attack!”

“Thanks for the advice, Viscount.”

“Fufu, I’m the one grateful for. Watching young Frintz grow is my pleasure these days!”

Romdio roared at the heartwarming sight.

“Hey, Viscount Carmel! Whose teacher are you?”

“Haha, I’m sorry, Young Master. I can’t stop looking at a good student who may become a genius of the century and has a good attitude in class.”

The swordsmanship teacher, Viscount Carmel, treated Frintz with kindness, not like the person who had aided in the previous beatings.

In fact, he had his own excuses.

At that time, he was filled with dissatisfaction as he was forced to take on the education of Romdio Gillette, an inferior student that everyone avoided. Moreover, that was just because he was a vassal of the family.

As a result of neglecting it to be done as it should be, something happened.

However, thanks to the discovery of a pearl in the mud of the following incident, the soul of a real teacher was now on fire.

‘I could raise an Aura knight in here! ‘

As much as he was sorry, Viscount Carmel wanted to do better for Frintz. He whispered to Frintz so that Romdio couldn’t hear him.

“Young Frintz, if you get stuck while practicing, you are welcome to come by anytime. My residence is on the 3rd floor of the West Annex. You know?”

“Viscount, how could I, a servant…”

“Ah, you’re so cold-hearted. When it’s just the two of you, you can call me Master.”

With such a talented student, he had to form a priestly bond and get close before another sneaky fellow could take him.

Frintz responded politely, blushing the tip of his ears to the kindness pouring out towards him.

“T-T-thank you for your words.”

“Ho-Ho, it’s not empty words.”

Since his young days, Viscount Carmel has been doing well.

A time when Gillette made a name for itself as a master swordsman. Viscount Carmel, who was an elite member of the 1st Army of the former Dungeon subjugation unit belonging to County, was famous as a young genius swordsman.

Wouldn’t it be a great honor to be taught by such a person?

‘Can I be a knight too?’

Frintz pictured himself being appointed as a knight at the Knights Academy, a famous public institution on the continent and took an oath of the sword by himself.

For some reason, he felt like he had a dream in his hands.

✠

“Eli!”

“Are you here, brother?”

I ground a piece of steak until it became mochi, and greeted him brightly. These days, I was focusing on making herbal medicines.

The process of applying food flavors such as steak, pasta, smoked salmon, and blueberry muffins to the highly concentrated potions went smoothly.

The first tasting of the experiment was always done by Frintz.

Just like taking all kinds of elixirs to increase strength in martial arts, alchemy supplements were essential in this world.

Even the untalented Count’s crazy fool drank potions as a substitute for water, there’s no way she will let Frintz drink nothing.

‘Thanks to the dungeon farm, herbs were also supplied in big quantitates, so it was good.’

For reference, I also drank the herbal medicine whose taste was verified by Frintz test-tasting. I need to take care of myself too, ahem.

Today, I presented an experimental piece to him. Frintz reaction as he drank it was as good as usual.

“Wow, this is so delicious!”

“Really?”

It tastes like tuna kimbap. This is quite a surprise, seems like Korean food is quite acceptable to people in this world.

I waited for his cheeks, which had swollen like a squirrel, to subside, and then slid out the pills that I had kept aside.

“Brother, would you like to try this too?”

“Yes!”

Frintz took it, defenselessly ate it and at the moment he took a bite.

“Woah, woo, gulsp!”

He threw up.

“…Huh, is it that bad?”

“Ugh! So-sorry, Eli! You made it and I…! I’m really sorry. Sorry……!”

“Successful.”

“……What?”

I laughed wickedly.

“Whoa, whoops, I made it to give you that jerk. I especially made it with sparrow dung flavor! It’s such a huge success that you can vomit in just one bite!”

“……”

“Brother?”

When I turned around, Frintz had eyes full of resentment.

“You’re so mean to feed me that.”

“Ah, brother. Are you upset? But it’s good for the body.”

“……”

“Brother? Are you there, brother?”

“……”

Frintz sat back and turned away from me.

Oh, my. I guess he’s upset.

“I was just joking around. Are you mad, brother?”

“……”

“Brother.”

“……”

It seemed that an apology required not only sincerity but also honesty.

“Ah, I’ll give you half of my chocolate milk for the next week! Don’t be angry! Huh?”

“……What?”

Then Frintz glanced at me. The eyes that widened as if surprised were very uncomfortable.

I flinched. I was impatient, so I did what I did to my brother when I was young, but I guess I thought it was suspicious because I was doing something that I had originally never done.

There was nothing good about being observed so I pretended to be casual.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Uh, um, that’s… I just felt like something came to mind.”

“…….Huh?”

The answer to the question posed to escape the situation was strange.

“No, nothing.”

Since Frintz glossed over it first, I decided not to dig in any further.

“Are you still angry?”

“I was never angry from the beginning. I was joking too.”

I was relieved by that bright smile. Minor incidents were quickly forgotten, and Frintz and I started chattering losing track of the time.

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