CH 4

4 Swordsmanship Cheat is Just a Pipedream!

TN : 4/15

===

Let me show you my unparalleled ability in swordsmanship!

Or so my bold proclamation went. Alas, even after I made such a brash declaration, I couldn’t even manage to score a single point against a weak-looking soldier before me.

Eh? That’s strange? Was my cheat not unparalleled swordsmanship?

At this time, I was thoroughly disheartened. After all, despite my opponent complimenting me about how my muscle was fairly good for three years old, it still didn’t match with my expectation and thought.

Because my opponent could easily handle me like I was a little baby.

What did you just say? This wasn’t even on the training level?

My heart was completely crushed. I mean, what I imagined would happen was something like…

The strongest person in the kingdom stood there, jaws hanging open as he looked at me with a stunned expression while stuttering, “I-I-Impossible… for a mere three years old child to be capable of swordsmanship of this level!”

Alas… why~?

Well, I might know the reason behind it. The lack of momentum behind my sword might be because I usually trained using the rolling pin that I sto- cough- I mean, borrowed from the kitchen.

But I couldn’t help myself! When I did that, I felt as if there was a string of text appearing in my head.

Yes, that feeling!

Theodore equipped a wooden pole.

Attack +5

Tererere. [Sound Effect]

Yes, that kind of feeling…

Ooou…

“Is something the matter, Young Master Theodore? You’re making a weird pose… Why are you holding onto the floor with your hands and knees? Anyway, on your feet Young Master Theodore. Don’t look like that when we’re only doing light training. The severe one will make you vomit, you know?”

My bodyguard, Kevin, said as he lightly swung his sword (rolling pin) toward me. I hastily lifted my own sword (well, my rolling pin) to defend. Thus, our sword (it was honestly a rolling pin) clashed.

At this time, I had to admit that my thought – about how a frivolous character like him would be weak – was wrong. Just because he always readily agreed with me whenever I asked him to accompany me to play hide and seek didn’t mean he was weak. It just meant that he liked children (?).

Anyhow, at this moment, I was fully convinced of his strength. As expected of someone who took part in soldiers’ training. How powerful!

Then again, perhaps it was I who was overwhelmingly weak. Well, I wouldn’t know which one, because from my point of view, Kevin’s power was definitely over 9000.

Personally, I was leaning toward him being powerful since, from my standpoint, his basic swordsmanship seemed to be solid.

◇

===A Few Minutes Ago===

I had just told my bodyguard that I wanted serious training. And I thought that he would look at me with amazement. However, instead of what I expected, he had a wide smile on his face. And for some reason, it reminded me of Cheshire Cat’s grin, causing me to become scared shitless when I saw it.

“Young Master, please raise your arms until your chest, palm up.”

I obediently did as he told me. Yet, without even a hint of warning, he casually placed a sheathed sword on my hands. Such being the case, I initially wanted to hold it tightly in my grasp.

Alas, the reality was different.

Because as soon as the sword was in my hands, I was unable to bear its weight, unintentionally causing it to drop. Fortunately, Kevin managed to catch it before it truly fell onto the ground.

“Look, it’s still too heavy for you, Young Master.”

Despite his words, I disagreed. I think I could hold on to it for a while longer if I tried it again. So, as I was about to say something to that effect…

“It can’t be helped I guess,” Kevin murmured with an inaudible sigh.

After that, he unfastened the short sword from his belt and gave it to me; complete with its sheath. Even so, I still staggered since this still felt quite heavy.

“Try to swing that as it is.”

I immediately followed his direction, raising the short sword (that was still in its sheath) above my head to swing it down. However, the combination of the centrifugal force and the short sword’s weight pulled me back instead. Ultimately, I ended up falling back on my rear.

Owie.

“So, this one won’t work either, huh.”

“Well, you’re forcing yourself to do the impossible after all. Remember your age, Young Master.”

Kevin said as he took back the fallen short sword. Strapping it back to its original location, he unsheathed a knife from another sheathe he had tethered on his belt. This particular blade was around 15-20 cm. From what I could see, it was the size of a combat knife.

“Okay, now pay attention to me, Young Master. Look at how I pull this knife from its sheath, then you’ll do it. Of course, you’ll need to be very careful. Remember. Be cautious and be careful.”

Again, I followed Kevin’s instructions and tried to pull it out slowly. However, I couldn’t pull it out at all! But when I used greater strength to pull it out…

It simply slipped out without resistance.

“… EH?!”

Shocked, I watched as the knife’s hilt slipped out of my hand and flew toward an empty space, falling on the ground after a couple of spins.

Kevin calmly went to pick up the fallen knife and resheathed it back after wiping the dust that could be faintly seen from its blade. He then looked at me and started to lecture me.

“Now, do you understand, Young Master? It’s dangerous, right? Alright, let’s set aside the serious sword training until you can pull the sword out properly. Besides…”

He trailed off as he took a folding knife out from his breast pocket.

“Cutlery, even a small one like this, can be really dangerous you see…”

After he finished saying that, he pressed the sharp edge of the folding knife into his fingertip and showed me the bloody wound.

Yup, cutlery was scary indeed.

I know that much. I thought as I remembered the big sister from kindergarten in my previous life. She had warned us about the same thing while holding the toolbox in front of her, telling the kids to not point the scissors toward the people in front of them.

And this was still the same even in this world.

The way Kevin scolded and taught me was almost a parallel to that big sister from kindergarten. Faced with this and my past memory, I honestly reflected on my mistakes. I had become too engrossed with cheat fever to the point I forgot about common sense.

“Sorry, Kevin. I won’t ask you to train me seriously until I’m ready. I promise. Rather than that, though, how’s your wound?” I asked as I took out the handkerchief in my pocket. Taking Kevin’s hands into my chubby ones, I used the handkerchief to bind Kevin’s wound.

After all, though I knew that such a small wound would heal immediately, there was still no way I could just ignore it. Especially since Kevin had deliberately wounded himself to teach me.

“It’s okay. This kind of scratch will heal in no time just by spitting on it. Anyway, you sure are a kindhearted boy, Young Master.”

What’s the meaning of that look on your face, huh? I’m seriously reflecting on my unreasonable request you know! I complained inwardly, pouting.

“Well, it’s a good thing that you understand what I’m trying to say. Oh right, can you wait for a while, Young Master?”

I nodded my head and waited as Kevin went back into the mansion from the back door. Fortunately, he did not take long. Returning with two rolling pins in his hands, he leisurely walked toward me.

By the way, the rolling pins here weren’t the type that had handles on them. In fact, it was more like rolling pins that were used to make soba or udon noodles. However, the lengths weren’t as long as the one I knew of.

Was the reason behind the length because it was for home cooking, I wondered? To make it easy to keep, perhaps? Since it was shorter…

“Then, shall we have a match with this?”

“Really?!”

“Whether it’s good or bad, you’ll definitely receive proper lessons sooner or later. That’s why we might as well start on your foundation right now. However, since I’ve yet to prepare a wooden sword for you, let’s use this for the time being.”

YOSH! Since we couldn’t fight with a real sword, then I’ll astonish you with this wooden sword (It was a rolling pin!!!) of mine!

Anyway, the fault is definitely on my young body! I still haven’t confirmed it yet. You know, whether I have a swordsmanship cheat or not… Yosh~! Let’s go~!

Thus… we returned back to the beginning.

E~h?

◇

Alas, the conclusion was out.

I didn’t have a sword cheat either.

Well, even though Kevin had told me that I was just starting out, I knew that it was only flattery because of my position as his employer’s child. So, the reality was that the sword path wasn’t for me.

Still, I enjoyed our mock combat. As such, despite my disappointment for not having a cheat in swordsmanship, I would follow Kevin’s advice and continue my sword training. Anyway, I was sure I could grind slowly to become strong in it.

However, we got caught by Martha, and the head chef. She had been waiting for us to finish our mock battle in the name of training before scolding us. Unfortunately for me, the scolding went on for a long time, enabling me to learn a precious lesson.

Never use cooking tools for a mock battle. Ever.