Chapter 19: The Sword and You (1)

The Sword and You (1)

Around the time the morning sun rose, I opened my eyes in my temporary residence.

“Yaaawn......”

Though I call it a temporary dwelling, it has now become a proper living space. Thanks to the fireplace, it’s warm, the bed is soft, and the interior is somewhat cozy, like a log cabin.

“......I’m so sleepy.”

The current time is 8:40 AM.

It’s Thursday, the day of my elective course.

I changed into my crumpled school uniform. I didn’t forget to take my sword with me.

The family sword passed down from my grandfather, a treasure of the Ascal family.

Today’s elective course is “Swordsmanship.”

There’s no particular reason why I chose this class.

My father, Dale Ascal, was also a knight who wielded a sword.

* * *

“Good morning. I’m ‘Jeoly,’ in charge of the Thursday morning elective, Swordsmanship. Please take your seats.”

The location for the Swordsmanship class was a regular classroom. There were quite a few seniors. At a glance, about 70.

It’s said to be the most popular elective, and it seems to be true.

“First, let me make this clear. I do not teach swordsmanship. You should have already mastered that. Swordsmanship is a class that builds on your base.”

It’s a shame for someone like me who lacks a base, but it’s true. At the senior level, it’s not about learning something new, but applying what you’ve learned.

“So, how much do you all know about Swordsmanship?”

The teacher named Jeoly asked the students. Then, someone raised their hand.

“Swordsmanship not only involves the practice of swordplay but also involves dissecting its elements for study and analysis, and sometimes even creating new techniques.”

It’s Elise again.

Why does she always take the same electives?

I glanced her way and our eyes met. Elise silently cursed at me with a blank expression.

“Yes, that’s correct. As Elise said, Swordsmanship is a discipline that involves practicing and studying swordplay.”

Jeoly looked around at the seniors as she continued.

“Therefore, a ‘Swordsmen’ and a ‘Knights’ are quite different. Really different. Amongst many renowned swordsmen, there are many who are not knights, and there are many knights who do not use swords at all. The same goes for Lord Centre, who established Swordsmanship.”

In reality, swordsmen and knights are quite different.

While swordsmen are pure swordsman scholars who devote themselves to swordplay with only a sword and a pen, a knights belong to a group who values magic more than swordsmanship.

Of course, nearly 50% of knights use swords as their primary weapon.

“You’ve all probably heard of this. Swordsmanship passed down through families or dojos. What they call ‘Arcane Swordsmanship’.”

Jeoly spoke seriously.

“But the term ‘Arcane’ cannot be used lightly. Only the ‘Swordsmanship Association’ can recognize an arcane. Any arcane not approved by the Swordsmanship Association is a scam. In that regard, there seems to be a descendant of the Arkne family here.”

She pointed to the very back of the classroom.

At the mention of the name Arkne, my eyes widened, but I deliberately held my breath.

“The Arcane Swordsmanship of the Arkne family is indeed a 5-star swordsmanship recognized by the Swordsmanship Association.”

Instead, I slowly looked back.

There was a Soliette with a slightly stiff face, flushed red with half the intensity of her hair color.

Some might mistake that expression for shyness, but no.

It’s disgust.

“Anyway, Swordsmanship is not about swinging your sword here and there to create a technique. First, let me demonstrate.”

Jeoly drew her sword.

“I will use magic.”

As she infused magic, her blade glowed blue.

“Like this, if you swing your sword imbued with magic.”

———That’s when it happened.

......Shion. What do you think a knight is?

Suddenly, my father’s voice whispered in my ear.

At that moment, time rewound.

Back to a distant past, as if my consciousness was being sucked in.

......A knight is, well, a protector.

Once, I had seen my father wielding this.

It was a very old memory.

To a mere four-year-old child, it was the sight of the coolest and strongest person in the world.

......Chang!

The sound of the sword rang out sharply. My father’s figure faintly appeared in a corner of the garden like a mist.

I just stared at him.

......A form, simply put, is a sequence of movements. Horizontal cuts, vertical cuts, thrusts, pull cuts, push cuts, these single stroke movements add up to form one sequence.

Fantasies buried in a corner of my memory drawer vividly resurfaced.

......A routine is the movement that performs this form. This is why the same form can vary greatly from knight to knight. Some wield the form as softly as a petal, while others strike down as bluntly and heavily as a hammer.

My father clenches his sword as he looks at young me. I meet his face, his wrinkles, the blond hair he passed on to me.

As vivid as last night’s events.

......A sword path is the way of the sword that this form and routine embody. Once a sword path is completed, it remains like a swordsman’s fingerprint. Because there are infinite possibilities for a sword path, there can be no ‘same swordsman’ in this world.

With the most perfectly refined posture, without a single deviation, a sword path that was as stubborn and direct as his personality.

...This was it.

Somewhat belatedly,

Clearly before my eyes,

His swordsmanship comes back to life.

......This is the Ascal family’s swordsmanship.

The father of the past cut down the straw mannequin.

——Swoosh!

Immediately after, as if a switch was flicked.

My Mana Heart activated on its own. Mana surged up suddenly. The pathways in my veins opened. Mana overflowed like steam, scorching my whole body, and at the same time cooling and sending shivers down my spine.

I slowly opened my eyes.

“.......”

My retinas were dyed blue.

The world lit up brightly.

The lighting inside the training room was intense, and I could see particles of drifting mana. My father’s swordsmanship entered that space. The sword path that had been engraved in the wooden sword rose like an afterimage.

I moved my body naturally. I followed the trajectory of memory with the Ascal sword. My father’s basic form sprouted from my grip. The sword flowed, turned, and sprang up. Blue mana seeped in between the strokes like petals.

The realm of selflessness.

In such a euphoric resonance of the sword and self, I realized.

This is not a mere “memory”.

It transcends mere recollection, turning memory entirely into my own———

「Manifestation」.

“......Ah.”

At some point, I stopped my sword dance. The vibration of the sword blade belatedly rushed into my heart. My whole body shuddered violently, then slowly subsided.

Suddenly, I looked up at the balcony.

“Who.......”

For a moment, a presence brushed past and disappeared.

It was red hair.New n0vel chapters are published on