Chapter 6 – Swordsmanship

Chapter 6 – Swordsmanship

— Leon Greyrat —

Winter had passed, and buds were beginning to form on the trees while flowers bloomed across the fields as spring began in earnest.

And as for me?

“You did well keeping up with your body exercises, Leon! Now it’s time you finally put it to good use!”

I was starting my swordsmanship class with my father, Paul.

Well... ‘class’ would probably be a bit too much praise, but I’d hold off any judgment until after.

“You know... originally, I thought we would only be doing exercises for another year or so, but you sure proved me wrong, eh?” Paul said with a troubled smile.

Well of course.

No normal three-year-old would be able to hold a sword at this point, even with the exercises.

But you see... I had healing magic.

At first, I was hesitant about using magic to enhance my physical training.

After all, if healing magic simply sped up cell recovery, then not only would I be messing up my natural development, but I would also be at risk of growing older too fast.

But healing magic, as it turned out, was pretty... magical.

It simply did whatever it needed to heal the target, even if it meant bypassing natural biological processes.

For example, with some advanced skill, someone being healed wouldn’t feel tired after it, when in theory, the healing magic should only be speeding up the natural process, which expends a large amount of energy for the target.

This would also explain why there was no record of people who used healing magic constantly dying earlier due to cancer or anything like that.

So basically, I knew I was safe to use it on myself, allowing me to expedite the process of growing my muscles to the point where I could now hold a wooden sword with no problem.

The toughest part of healing, though, was having to heal every spot through my hands.

I wonder if I could apply healing magic over my entire body... I would have to experiment with that later.

“Ahem! Anyway. I’ll teach you all that I know in the three sword styles, though I wouldn’t exactly call the North God a ‘style’,” Paul grumbled before tossing me a wooden sword.

It was a bit big, but I would grow into it as I got older.

“Hmm... where to start... so for the Sword God, it’s all about getting there faster. Like ‘swoosh’ and ‘kapow’!”

...Was he being serious?

“And Water God, it’s all about countering. So when the opponent goes ‘fwoosh’ you ‘thwoom’ and ‘shink’,” he continued, swinging his sword with practised ease.

Oh my god, he was being serious!

This guy was supposed to be my teacher?

I... had a feeling it would be a while before I got the hang of swordsmanship.

I knew he was an idiot, but I thought that when it came to swordsmanship, it would be a little different considering his skill.

I... guess that while he was still a genius at the sword, he was an idiotic genius who only knew how to swing a sword out of instinct rather than intelligence.

“Ahh, it’s hard to explain it!”

No... I think that’s just you.

“Here! Just watch.”

He then strutted over to the boulder in the yard before raising his sword overhead.

Taking a step forward, he then brought down his blade, causing a faint whistle to echo across the yard as a flash of silver streaked down the boulder.

His sword pointing downward, I watched as the boulder separated into two halves, a clean cut running through the centre.

...Truly ridiculous.

Physically, Paul was quite a fit and strong man, but he wasn’t strong enough to cut a boulder in half like that.

Unless... do sword techniques hold a special property to them?

Something like magic or mana... that would make sense.

Chantless magic exists, after all, and even if not everyone could use magic, it was known that every person had mana in their bodies.

Could they be using mana unconsciously to enhance their prowess? Some sort of enhancement magic that is separate from the known schools?

Ah, well... this idiot surely wouldn’t know, so I guess those thoughts could come later.

For now...

“But you can’t do that yet! Heh... who knows. Maybe you’ll never be able to do that? But for now, let’s get you swinging a sword properly, eh?” he said.

...While his words were annoying, they were right.

Just like with my magic practice, advanced theories and specialized skills could come later.

For now, I just needed to master the basics, and then build up from there.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Sword Styles

There are three main schools of swordsmanship that are common in the world. Only those who have studied one of these three styles are called Swordsmen; for other schools, even if they use a sword, they are called Warriors instead. The Three Major Schools are:

Sword God Style: The basic philosophy of the Sword God Style is to attack first and fast, killing your opponent before they can harm you. This leads to the style having a focus on attacking techniques while having a limited number of countering and defensive ones.

Practitioners are often short-tempered and belligerent as a result of their philosophy, and practitioners are encouraged to wear light clothing to react swiftly and properly use their techniques.

Water God Style: This style specializes in defensive techniques, emphasizing parrying and counter-attacking oncoming attacks. A skilled practitioner is also able to read the flow of mana and use their senses to block or counter any attack.

Practitioners often wear heavy armour, as they do not need to move great distances for their techniques. This style of swordsmanship is the most common among knights and nobles, as their job is to protect someone or themselves rather than focus on attacking.

North God Style: The main focus of this style is not techniques or specialties, but rather an approach to battle, one specializing in practicality and surviving the battle. This style involves tricks and tactics rather than using refined techniques.

The most varied of the three styles, practitioners can come in many shapes and sizes, with some dual-wielding, and others using non-sword weapons such as battleaxes.

Many adventurers and mercenaries learn this style for its versatility and effectiveness in unpredictable situations.

— Leon Greyrat —

It had been a few months since stepping into the world of swordsmanship, and luckily, I was able to quickly learn the basics, such as setting my stance correctly and swinging the most basic of sword strikes with the proper form.

While Paul was a horrible teacher, he at least knew when I was doing something wrong.

The only problem with that was...

‘No! Not like ‘fwish’! Like ‘swoosh’!’ Memory Paul said with his stupid face.

...Yeah. He explained it horribly, at least he could do it well.

So, by using him as a reference, and his corrections as my guide, I was soon able to work out any kinks in my form, and could then begin training in earnest, embedding the techniques into my muscle memory so that I could use them without a thought.

My sword didn’t whistle as I swung, nor did the air tremble, and I definitely couldn’t cut any boulders... but that was okay.

That would all come with time.

So for now, I would continue mastering the basics with this idiotic father of mine.

As we trained, Paul also slowly revealed more to me about the ‘Three Major Schools’ of swordsmanship, and I learned that the three styles boiled down to a couple of traits between them: the Sword God Style that specialized in attacking and speed; the Water God Style that specialized in defence and countering; and the North God Style that specialized in unpredictability and adaptability.

Learning this, I also came to a new appreciation for my swordsmanship instructor, as by utilizing the three styles as seamlessly as he did, he was able to cover the weaknesses of each style and form something stronger between the three.

Just what you would expect from an Intermediate-rank Water God swordswoman.

So it was only natural that when I was forced to defend the princess against a group of assassins, I had found myself completely outmatched.

Despite this, I had carried out my duty to protect the princess diligently, and eventually, one of the other palace guards put an end to the would-be killer... but the attacker had struck me with a blade, one coated in poison potent enough to kill royalty.

Luckily, the palace mages were able to save my life and my leg, but due to the troublesome nature of the poison, I was unable to continue my life as a fighter with the lingering pain.

And as expected, I was promptly discarded from my position right after.

I held no ill will towards their decision.

Rather, I was grateful they did not simply erase me in secret, considering my position in the court and my nonexistent political support as a commoner.

Besides... the disgusting leers that the nobles had sent my way had been getting on my nerves, so in a way, it felt good to finally escape that palace of lust and perverseness.

As the assassin’s mastermind was yet to be found, and considering how people might be privy to wanting a former Asura Palace handmaiden to their benefit, I quickly made haste out of the capital city of Ars, towards the rural Fittoa Region.

At first, I was hoping to gain a position with the local lord in the Citadel of Roa, or perhaps teach swordsmanship to the city’s civilians... but anyone out here in the agricultural lands that were willing to pay for my services would likely have connections back to the capital, and I wanted no part in that life anymore, so those options were thrown out.

So, after a month of wandering the region with no prospects, I finally found a job posting that caught my eye.

A housekeeper with the immediate duty of a midwife for some low-ranking knight in Buena Village.

The salary was... fine. If a little low for someone of my skills.

But what particularly caught my eye, was the name of said knight.

One Paul Greyrat.

To think him of all people would settle down with a family...

I had a... history with the man, so to say.

Back when I was being trained by my father in swordsmanship, he joined my father’s dojo and quickly cemented himself as a genius, reaching the Advanced rank in the Water God Style in a little over a year.

But just as quickly as he came, he left like a hurricane... right after forcing himself onto me and taking my virginity.

At first, I was bitter. Angry. Hateful toward the scoundrel that stole my innocence.

But after joining the Asura Palace, I quickly realized that losing my first time to someone as young and handsome like him was a gift in this cruel world.

And so, I accepted the job, and quickly made my way to join this young family.

Upon my arrival, I was surprised to see that there was already a child there, a kid that the two adventurers had picked up on their travels.

But seeing how the lady, Zenith, and the boy, Leon, interacted... it was hard to believe they were not bound by blood.

No, perhaps they were bound by something stronger.

At first, I was a little put off by the boy who could speak in complete sentences despite only being one year old, but after being told he was likely a Miko, I was able to look past it and see Leon for all that he was.

A boy.

A very cute, and absolutely wonderful boy, at that.

He was charming, for sure, with a nice face, beautiful eyes, attractive hair, and an adorable smile.

I was certain that he would grow up into someone who would win over any woman he wished, much like his adoptive father.

But luckily, I don’t think I had to worry about such womanizing traits... I hope.

After all, despite his young age, he was a gentleman who always tried to help me out with chores.

Truly, a blessed child. And a genius as well.

And then... the second child was born.

The birth itself was problem-free, but once the child was born... it did not cry.

At first, I was worried it had been stillborn, with its expressionless face completely devoid of life, but soon enough, such worries were cast away by the oddly reassuring sound of burbling.

Rudeus was the child’s name, and much like his older brother, he did not make a fuss, nor did he cry, save for the gurgles he made whenever he required feeding or needed a diaper changed.

I was confused... perhaps he was a Miko like Leon?

Or maybe he took after his older brother’s example in some way?

I would have thought that he was physically frail, being such a quiet child, but once again my worries were for naught, as once he learned how to crawl, Rudeus made his way around the house with relative ease.

Though, with all of his adventures, oddly enough, he never wandered outside.

Perhaps some sort of instinctual fear had been implanted into the child?

Anyway, Rudeus... he was always smiling.

Not the cute or charming smile of a child that would normally give one the instinct to protect, like Leon’s, but rather he wore a repulsive grin that reminded me of the lecherous smiles that various nobles and ministers sent my way in Ars.

And then there was how he would always search for my or Zenith’s undergarments before wearing them on his head, and how he always buried his face in my bosom with a gleeful smile... that was also worrisome. And quite disgusting as well.

The unsettling and perverse feeling he gave off in place of what should be innocent affection... It scared me to no end.

Even Paul, the womanizing tyrant of a man, didn’t give off such an aura.

But recently, Rudeus’ behaviour had changed.

Now, instead of his previous unpredictability, I always found him holed up in his older brother's room, flipping through books while muttering random sounds to himself.

And while I still found him strange, I no longer felt the usual revulsion I did toward the boy.

Although he did occasionally release a creepy laugh, it no longer sent a chill down my spine when he did so.

Perhaps that previous period of unsettling nature was simply a phase, and in place of it, a new sense of earnestness had sprouted.

So while it was odd to leave a toddler to their lonesome, I thought it best not to interfere, lest he revert to how he was before.

Now, I could say this house was stable.

And with Young Master Leon beginning to learn swordsmanship, despite Paul’s inadequacies at teaching, it seemed like this new year would be a period of growth.

Hmm... perhaps, if Leon has any trouble picking up the Water God style, I would give him some instruction myself.

While I was out of practice, I was always skilled at knowing what to do.

Rather, I lacked the physical ability to do any advanced techniques or movements.

That was simply the limit of my mediocre talent.

But for teaching... I should be more than enough, at least until the Advanced rank.

“I’m back, Lilia!” Leon said, entering through the front door.

Yes... this boy would do great things.

And with his good heart, I knew that I had nothing to worry about.

As long as Paul didn’t implant any bad thoughts into him...

“Lilia?” he said, tilting his head cutely.

“Yes, Leon. Would you like me to prepare you a bath?” I said, smiling down at him.

“Nah. I can get the water in there at a good temperature myself, remember? Rather, I should be asking you that. Do you want me to run a bath for you?”

Inviting a woman for a bath with such a charming, innocent smile... indeed, that was quite dangerous, but knowing that he was saying such a thing to me with no ulterior motives and only kindness warmed my heart.

I sincerely hope Paul would not influence this precious boy.