KR Translators:
・StarrySkySailor
・KawaiiKage
・ImmortalInk
・KingPotato
・SugoiSenpai
Chapter 7: Why Take the Long Way When You Know the Short Cut? (2)
My brother ordered me……no, he commanded me.
“Hand over the letter of recommendation.”
“Father gave it to me. If you want to go, tell Father.”
“Are you defying me right now?”
“No. I’m just saying follow the order. Father told me to go. So I’m going. Azot was a country I’ve always wanted to visit anyway.”
Besides, I have something to do now. I really need to make that ‘idiot’ into a real idiot before he does something idiotic.
My brother clenched his fists as if trying to suppress his anger while looking at my easygoing expression. But a young man who can be considered a model of nobility would never swear or act like a common thug.
“I must go.”
“Why?”
“I don’t have to tell you that.”
“Oh. Really? Is that so?”
I chuckled and shook the letter of recommendation back and forth. It’s quite amusing to see his eyes follow the movement of the letter. Pfft! Such longing eyes, why didn’t I do this before?
My brother, who was fixated on the letter, seemed to realize he was being teased. He gritted his teeth and said,
“Are you trying to insult your older brother?”
“No. More than anything, I’m just curious. The road to Azot will be arduous, and the journey will be long. Besides, I doubt you’ll be welcomed in Azot. Also, since it’s a national mission, there’s a sense of responsibility. If inspecting the territory is like walking on a paved road, the Azot delegation is like walking through a desert at midday. I can’t understand why you would choose the difficult path, so it’s natural to be curious, right?”
In the past, my brother would have simply snatched this letter of recommendation from me without any of this. However, after I became Levidian’s disciple, he’s been cautious about how he treats me.
I fanned myself with the letter of recommendation, and my brother, with a frustrated expression, got up from his seat.
“Insolent bastard. Fine. I’ll talk to Father directly. Don’t blame me if the situation changes. Really, I thought the Sword King only knew how to teach swords, she completely ruined you.”
Ah, if Teacher Levidian heard that comment, she would laugh and say, ‘Pick up your sword. I’m a swordsman. I don’t deal with those without swords.’
My brother turned and walked towards the door with a measured gait, but he couldn’t hide the anxiety and resentment within. And I, leaning back comfortably on the sofa, muttered to myself ‘a little loudly.’
“Oh, right. I heard that Bring Count’s eldest daughter is joining the delegation. And Maltad Marquis’ second son too.”
“……”
“By the way, it seems Bring Count and Maltad Marquis are determined to tie their children together. Sending them together on a potentially dangerous journey. Surely, a man and a woman becoming conscious of each other in the midst of danger is quite a classic romance.”
“What are you……trying to say……?”
His shoulders trembled, his clenched fists turned white, and his lips twitched as if he was about to explode, but he was desperately holding back with his willpower. My brother’s appearance of not knowing what to do with his anger is……
Literally relieving ‘ten years of pent-up’ stress. Pfft!
I widened my eyes and said playfully,
“Huh? What? You haven’t left yet? Why are you eavesdropping on my self-talk?”
“Kugh……! You……! You bastard……!”
“Well, can’t be helped if you heard. Only three of the Empire’s nobles are going, so I thought it would be boring. Since those two already know each other. They’ll get even closer this time. Good for them, I’m envious.”
Embarrassment crept into my brother’s eyes as he gritted his teeth.
Bring Count’s eldest daughter is the lady my brother has his heart set on.
Three months ago, my brother attended Bring Count’s ball and fell in love with her at first sight. Of course, since they’ve only spoken a couple of times, no one but me would know that he has feelings for her.
How do I know?
Because she was my sister-in-law.
My brother’s persistence paid off.
Anyway, since that lady is joining the delegation this time, he’s anxious and wants to go with her. In the past, he used the letter of recommendation he practically stole from me to join the delegation……but it didn’t end well for him. Heh heh.
Now, let’s stop teasing him. If I go any further, I might get to see the rare sight of my brother completely losing his temper. I spoke in a relaxed manner.
“Oh, Sera brought her friends over today. Bring Count’s youngest daughter and Yogeon Baron’s only daughter. Before sword practice, I met the young ladies, greeted them, and chatted. But Bring Count’s youngest daughter talked about her older sister. Something related to the delegation. I thought it might be something you’d be interested in, so I just remembered it. Heh heh.”
“You, you……! How did you……!”
My brother perfectly portrayed surprise and anger while maintaining his noble posture. He was suppressing his anger with a dignified posture, looking noble even when enraged.
Even if I said this, my brother wouldn’t run to Sera and ask what they talked about. Sera is ten years old, but she insists on being a lady, so my brother has to respect that.
Naturally, it’s extremely rude to ask about the content of a conversation between ladies. My brother, a noble to the core, would never do that. It’s the same reason why he can’t show un-noble anger in a situation like this.
I smiled and said,
“Why don’t you have a seat?”
“What do you want?”
“My, my. No composure. As a noble, shouldn’t you always have 30% composure in your heart?”
“Don’t make me say it a third time. What do you want?”
My brother has reached his limit. If I say one more word, the glove in his hand will be heading towards my face. And the shameful event of brothers fighting a duel within the same family would occur.
This is risky. This is really it.
I hardened my expression and said shortly,
“A debt.”
“What?”
“I just want you to owe me a favor, one that you can repay anytime. Whenever I want.”
My brother glared at me with burning eyes, then took a deep breath and sat down. He said,
“Tell me everything you know.”
“Ah. Alright.”
And I pretended to know and told him a story that he wouldn’t find out until years later, purely by chance. It’s true that I met Sera’s friends.
Bring Count’s eldest daughter is not healthy enough for a long journey. She will hand over the letter of recommendation to her cousin in a few days and head to ‘Baekslan’ for recuperation.
Baekslan is a territory ruled by one of the vassals of the Herduke Dukedom, and it will be the main base for this inspection tour. In the end, if my brother quietly goes on the inspection tour, he can meet Bring Count’s eldest daughter.
However, my brother, unaware of this fact, insisted on going to the Azot Kingdom and ended up drinking a very bitter cup right after departure. Moreover, he suffers because of Damachi.
My brother’s eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape in surprise, and he hurriedly asked,
“Is that, really true?”
“I think you know more about Bring Count’s eldest daughter than I do, brother?”
I gave a meaningful smile, and my brother, who had momentarily shown relief on his face, looked at me with a humiliated gaze and an irritated expression.
He must have felt nothing but superior to me until now, but suddenly I became the Sword King’s disciple and gained the upper hand in the situation, even if temporarily. Naturally, our proud brother Donthernon would feel humiliated. Heh heh.
Moreover, his pride is the type that must be repaid in situations like this.
Haha! I’m a noble too, but being a noble is tiring!
My brother gritted his teeth and said as if spitting out the words,
“It’s hard to believe, but if what you say is true……”
“If it is?”
“I swear on the blood that flows through my body and the noble honor that flows through my soul, that no matter how unpleasant it is, I will definitely grant you one of those damn favors you speak of. However, if it’s something dishonorable or un-noble, forget it.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
I smiled and bowed elegantly. Anyone could tell it was an exaggerated and teasing gesture. My brother gritted his teeth once and left my room, expressing his anger in a dignified manner.
“Heh heh, one success.”
He’ll probably go back to his room and grind his teeth in frustration over the fact that he has to bow his head to me once. But this is something that could never have happened if he had pushed forward with his own will. So don’t resent me, let alone be grateful.
Even Father wouldn’t be able to refuse what my brother says. It’s always been like that. He snatched the letter of recommendation from me and stubbornly insisted on going. And in the end, he went to Azot and suffered the whole time.
This way, things are a little easier with Bring Count’s eldest daughter, right? I just gave you a bonus since you gained a powerful ally that can be used once. So do your best, brother.
“Now, shall we make a plan?”
Let’s erase my brother’s affairs from my mind. Now, what’s left is to go to Azot as a member of the delegation and succeed in the mission. And add a little extra income to that.
The political situation and rumors of Azot, which was an enemy country before I died and which I knew thanks to a friend before joining the military, still remain in my memory. And since my brother was part of the delegation before, I remember where they have to go.
It’s a hazy memory, but it will come back to me quickly if I look at the map. I have a surprisingly good memory for trivial things.
I spread out the map and started to recall my memories.
Now let’s get started on my own task.
Just like the purpose of the delegation is friendly relations, so is mine.
Of course, our respective fields are a little different.
June 2nd, 372 of the Imperial Calendar.
“Haa!”
Ttak! Tadak!
The three hours of daily sword training are spent entirely on sparring after muscle and flexibility training.
“There! Waist, knees, chest!”
“Haa!”
Tak! Tadak! Tak!
It’s more of guided sword practice than sparring, but the fact that the instructor is the Sword King is a huge help in itself. That is, when she’s in a normal or good mood.
I swing the wooden sword and attack as she instructs.
Her teaching method is to teach a few movements and have me repeat them until the technique is completely ingrained in my body. Adding blocking and dodging to the menu makes for a truly fulfilling time.
“Block it. Neck!”
Ttak!
I block the sword coming from the left side and counter with a frontal strike. She deflects it with the lower part of her sword and, in that opening, thrusts her left hand towards my face!
Pak!
If you can’t block or deflect, you have to dodge. The basics are to attack recklessly only when you can’t dodge. This one is difficult to block or deflect, so I dodge.
She and I widened the distance again, and I took a fully prepared stance, ready for an attack from any direction. She stared at me intently and then nodded.
“Hmm. Good. Let’s stop here for today.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Thank goodness. I didn’t get hit that much today. Only about 50 times, and I only rolled on the ground about nineteen times. Yesterday, I had to roll about forty times and get hit hundreds of times, so today is a good day.
……I’m still alive, somehow.
As I wiped my face with a wet towel, she drank water from the water basin she had brought. I was momentarily captivated by her grace.
Ah, truly beautiful.
A few beads of sweat formed due to the heat, and her skin was flushed after exercising. I realized for the first time that even the way she tilted her head back and drank water with her eyes slightly closed could look beautiful.
There were a lot of rumors about her even before I died, but seeing her up close like this, she’s even more magnificent. As expected, beauty is a precious natural resource.
“Phew, that’s refreshing. It seems like your skills have improved a lot lately. Seeing you calmly react even when a sword is flying towards you shows how much you’ve changed from the beginning. You’ve gotten used to killing intent too.”
“It’s thanks to your teachings, Teacher.”
I spoke with unadulterated sincerity.
I can only say it’s truly thanks to her, as you’ll realize after being hit over a thousand times in a week. It’s a good thing she applies medicine every night before I go to bed, otherwise I wouldn’t even be able to move right now.
On top of that, she releases killing intent during sparring, and if you freeze up in that state, you’ll really get hurt. Enough to make you lose your mind for a moment. You have to move somehow to get hit less painfully.
Ah, every day is a struggle.
“Don’t mention it. It’s all because of your talent. You can look forward to just a few months from now. To the point where I might have a chance if I use 40% of my skills.”
For reference, she said she used 20% of her skills when I managed to win. Even if she’s the Sword King, this is a rather pathetic number. I need to work harder.
“Likewise. Anyway, please continue to guide me.”
“Heheh. Look forward to it.”
She gave a rather meaningful smile. With an ominous feeling that something was about to begin, I felt a shiver down my spine.
Dangerous. That’s definitely the expression of someone plotting something. Shouldn’t I try to resist somehow? No. Struggling will only keep me within her grasp, so let’s just be a fish on a chopping board. But what’s the point of putting a chopping board on a fish?
Shaking off the random thoughts that came to mind, I cautiously spoke.
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