Episode 14.9-10

Eda spoke up after breakfast.

"Think I'm gonna drop by Shira-san's place today."

"Yea. You should."

Eda apparently has an aptitude for mind magic. Unclear whether it's at a practical level or not, but learning even just one mind magic spell will seemingly gives one resistance to the entire mind magic. On top of that privilege, the strength of that resistance rises in accordance to the user's mana pool. As such, having Eda practice magic at Shira's place is a very good thing.

There's something bugging Lecan.

(Someone's in front of the gate.)

A human has been standing motionlessly outside the front gate for a while now. Someone who possesses a little bit of mana.

If they had a business with Lecan or Eda, they would have called out to them from there, yet they didn't.

Just who and why are they there.

Lecan got out of the house into the small garden.

Walls taller than Lecan enclose the house, he can't see the other party from where he is.

(Mwu.)

However, Lecan sensed it.

The person in front of the gate is no ordinary man.

They're quite skilled.

Of course, by skilled here refers to their capability as a warrior, not a mage. Even though Lecan can sense mana someone possesses, he has no way of knowing about their magical prowess.

"<Float> <Move>."

After removing the bolt, Lecan casually walked off to the gate and pushed it open.

A young man who was standing next to the gate walked right in front of it before bowing down.

"Please excuse me for intruding this early in the morning."

Lecan has seen this man somewhere before. Where was it again.

"Are you going out? I shall wait in the house if you're in a hurry."

"No you won't. State your business."

"Would you be so kind as to let me in the house?"

Lecan recalled who this young man was after glancing at the sword hanging on his waist.

"Come in, Arios."

Arios the swordsman bowed once again before stepping forward past the gate.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"Say what?"

"I would like to study under Lecan-dono as your pupil if you would."

"I heard that. I'm asking why you'd want to study under someone who almost killed you."

"Your actions truly moved me."

"What?"

Several days ago, Eda was abducted by Goncourt House. Lecan raided Goncourt mansion, found Eda and went to question the family head.

This swordsman, Arios was the one who stood before him in front of the family head's room.

Arios tried to stop Lecan from entering the room.

Lecan cut Arios down and cast him aside.

The slash was supposed to cut him in half, but thanks to his nice equipment, and a Grace item <Drop of Life>, he managed to barely hang onto life, after which Eda's <Recovery> healed him.

As it turns out, Arios is not a retainer of Goncourt House, he's a guest who just happened to be staying in the mansion that day.

What has Lecan done that moved this man anyway?

"Your valor of marching into enemy's territory for the sake of saving your comrade. Your integrity in settling the matter right, doesn't matter if the opponent is a noble house's family head."

Now that he's taken a closer look at Arios sitting in front of him, Lecan is surprised at his youthfulness. At their previous face off, his presence felt like that of a veteran martial artist that could have killed Lecan had he slipped off even a bit. Hence, he thought he was a bit older.

"I was truly self-conceited. Believing I had some skill in swordsmanship. However, my sword was nothing more than a mere child's play before you."

Even in this state, Arios leaves no opening. He's a true first-rate swordsman.

"After my defeat, you had taken hold of my sword as a war trophy. And yet you would return it to me once I was resuscitated. You know very well about a swordsman's pride."

Lecan frowned like it was a pain.

It was in fact, a pain.

"And above all, your skills in handling a sword, the way you fight. Truly drives in how arrogant I was. The lesson you taught me has opened my eyes."

"It was Eda who saved your life. Tell that to her."

Arios turned toward Eda.

"You would be Eda-dono then. I have heard of your feat from others that were present there. How miraculous that <Recovery> was. I offer you my gratitudes."

Arios bowed down deeply.

"Uh, erm. Oh you."

Eda blushed and wriggled around for some reason. Did a bug bite her or something, thought Lecan.

"However, it was Lecan-dono who moved me. You are the very master I've been searching for."

"You've learned proper swordsmanship, haven't you."

"Yes."

"Your skills with swords is most likely above me. There's nothing for me to teach you."

"Didn't you come out on top in a match against me?"

"I just couldn't be bothered to fight you head-on cause you seemed strong. Hence why I used magic to deal a serious blow, stopping you in your track before cutting you down. That was no sword match."

"Precisely that. You saw through my skill at a glance and overwhelmed me in a way beyond my wildest expectations. Your fighting styles are so much more flexible than mine. By studying under you, I would like to break out of my shell."

Arios stood up and went around the table before stopping in front of Lecan.

He knelt down with his right knee on the floor, held up his sheathed sword on both his hands presenting it to Lecan with his head down.

(What a pain.)

(Is this a formal sword-presenting ceremony?)

(Guessing this is how you ask for apprenticeship in this country.)

(Thoughtlessly taking this sword off him would probably establish his apprenticeship.)

And yet, just letting him on his own might also end up establishing his enrollment. Asking Eda what to do here is probably pointless, she's most likely clueless about this either.

Lecan did something that wouldn't be misinterpreted as him accepting the sword.

He kicked away the sword Arios presented.

The sword hit the wall before dropping down the floor noisily.

Arios was left dumbfounded.

"Ah hey! Lecan, what are you doing!"

With Eda's angry voice behind him. Lecan left the house.