CH 96

Without thinking about anything else, I was running lightly, feeling the brisk morning air on my face. I could hear the currents of air flowing past me and a pleasant breeze blowing against my faintly perspiring body. Enjoying this sensation was part of my daily routine.

As a result of this daily routine, in order to not be disturbed as I partook in the joys of running, I searched for the most secluded route possible and spent several months creating the perfect running course. For several years, it was the perfect route where not a single person would disturb me. But starting the other day, a boy started showing up in front of this one rundown inn every morning to swing his sword. It was early in the morning before sunrise, and I felt like he was disturbing the morning bliss to the extent that I had even considered changing my running course. But… the boy’s sword swings were sloppy and childish, perhaps because he had just started learning the sword. It was truly like a child playing around with a sword that they just happened to pick up. Since that was the case, I figured he wouldn’t last, and before long he would give up.

Thinking that as I saw the boy’s swordplay, I decided to continue running without changing my route.

……….Argh. He’s there again today.

It had been a week since that day when I thought he would give up soon, but that boy was still swinging his sword desperately. As usual, the swing of his sword was no good, but it seemed to be getting faster and faster. If he just changed his grip a bit, he’d be able to get a sharper swing though…

No, no, no. Running felt good because I didn’t have to think while doing so. But since I couldn’t help but see him every time I passed by the rundown inn, it would weigh on my mind. He had good sense, but his foundation was totally lacking… that imbalance made him even more conspicuous as I passed by, so I couldn’t help but be bothered by it.

If it interferes with my running, which is supposed to be my stress reliever, it would probably interfere with my daily life too, so I should probably consider changing my running course…

I had this thought often, but every time I ended up reasoning to myself, ‘if I didn’t change the course at the beginning when he first started, why should I, who’s been running this route for so many years, change my course now?’

Having said that, I figured that it was also impossible to tell that boy to stop doing his sword training at this time… And so, enduring the agony every time I passed by the rundown inn, I continued to run every day without changing my course.

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Aah, he’s totally not using his right hand correctly. His center of balance is off, and his footwork is all over the place. Plus, his strength isn’t being transmitted properly to his sword swings.

Another two weeks had passed since then, and the boy’s sword swings were getting sharper and faster every day at a dizzying rate. However, it seemed that the person who taught the boy how to use a sword must have had a very unorthodox style. The boy was probably trying to imitate it, but, since he didn’t have the proper fundamental technique, his swordplay was messy and his movements were full of openings. I felt that if he could fix his swing, he would be able to transmit his full power to the sword without any waste, but…

―Tch, I want to teach that boy to use a sword from scratch. But… I don’t want anyone to interfere with my morning runs.

Although these thoughts were clashing in my mind, my body was more honest, and I ended up running full sprint up to the road in front of the rundown inn. As I passed by, I slowed down while I jogged along, staring intently at the boy as he trained. And once I finished passing by the front of the rundown inn, I once again went back to running at full sprint until I came back around to the front of the rundown inn, where I would then slow down and watch him as I passed by once more.

Running was fun for me because I didn’t have to think about a thing, but my purpose for running seemed to have changed lately. I was now looking forward to seeing the boy’s growth each day. As I watched this boy’s swings go from child’s play only a month ago to today where his sharp swings would even put an adventurer’s swordplay to shame… I think I may have fallen for this boy’s talent with the sword. Lately, even when I wasn’t running, I found myself thinking if there was any way that I could teach him.

…..Ahh, I really wish he would let me teach him.

As I earnestly wished that, I once again ran by the rundown inn as I watched the boy’s sword swings, enduring the agony.