Chapter 9 Strongest Sage, Join the Sword Practice

 

The next morning after that terrible mock battle.
My brother Reich, Biffgel and I have assembled in front of the entranceway, getting ready for practice.

Looks like Biffgel who was late yesterday (our father, Castor caught him as he was trying to run, and then he declared five consecutive surrenders at the speed of sound, astonishing us three) is early today.
Father nodded when he saw us.

"Alright, everyone's here! Let's start the practice right away! First, all of you swing your sword 100 times!"

As told, we took up wooden swords and began to practice swinging.
I don't know what kind of training it is so I mimicked my brother Reich, doing diagonal slashes.

Magic Combatants don't mean that they only fight with magic. Close quarter combats are also important, slashing with a powerful magic sword reinforced with several dozens of buff magic was one of my specialties.
I had repeatedly used diagonal slashes many times in my past life, I couldn't possibly count the number of times I used it in actual battles.
Since I already know the basic, I match that knowledge with my current body for the practice swinging.

"Biffgel, your posture is all wrong, do it like this!"

"Reich, your swinging has gotten quite better, but the part after that is no good! Reduce the interval more!"

Father instructs us while overseeing our practice swinging.
He stopped in front of me.

"As for Mathi...."

Father went silent after that.

".....Nay, I don't see anything that needs correcting. Isn't the sword heavy?"

"No. I think this much weight feels just right."

The important thing is not brandishing a heavy sword, but brandishing a sword with the right weight.
Since I can't change the weight of the sword at present, I'm adjusting the Physical Reinforcement instead.
That's why a heavier sword for the practice swinging only means that I consume more mana to adjust the Physical Reinforcement.
It might be difficult for someone who can't control Physical Reinforcement well, but it's really nothing to write home about for the current me.

"Is that so. Then continue to swing like that.... Huh? If it's that perfect, I guess there's no actual need for the practice swinging?"

...Fumu.
Now that you mention it, that's certainly true.
I've gotten quite used to this body, the current me can already use  Physical Reinforcement and 【Mana Strike】 easily. <TLN: Mana Strike was translated as Magic Strike earlier.>
I'd like to raise my fundamental strength and mana.
I want to go the forest and hunt animals to increase my mana but....

"No matter what genius Mathi is, he must have a weakness somewhere! First we should look for that!"

Well I should've expected this. This is the time for sword practice after all.
Indeed, there's no guarantee that I have no weakness.

If I'm not mistaken, I was 120 when I started to wield sword in my past life. In other words, I was already relatively able with magic.
Of course that condition persisted while I mastered the way of sword.
The thought of fighting to the limit with just the 【Mana Strike】 never even crossed my mind.

"But, how?"

In many cases, you can only learn the right way to move in battle in an actual battle.
The current me don't have time to design a Simulator which took several dozens of years in my past life.

"Of course by having me as your sparring partner. It'll be a good practice for me too. It's a different story in the royal capital, but there's no one as good as Mathi as a sparring partner around here you know."

Sparring with father huh. That's most welcome.

"So we really weren't good enough to be one...."

My brother Reich seemed dejected when he heard that.

"Don't get the wrong idea, it's just Mathi that's weird here. Reich's swordsmanship is at the level where you can easily pass the entrance examination of the Knight Training School you know?"

And he got encouraged.... I was treated like some kind of weirdo, I'm not satisfied with that somehow.
By the way, it seems the Knight Training School is one of the elite rearing facilities in the current world.
It seems they don't deal with magic and sound stiff somehow, I don't wanna go there.

"Alright, first you can assume that your opponent will swing straight from above the head orthodoxly! Here I go!"

"Wait a minute"

I stop father who was rushing in while shouting out.
What is he trying to do announcing his strategy before the match.

"There's no point if you're announcing your moves beforehand!"

The point of sword stances is using them to flexibly deal with the opponent's movements.
Of course normally you'd change your sword stance depending on your the moves your opponent used, but that is only after you've seen through the their habits and movements, not by believing the announcement they kindly provided.

"No but. That'd be too difficult for y..."

"In real combats, there is no one who fights by shouting 『I'm gonna swing my sword straight!!』 and actually following through that, isn't there?"

"You're right, but you know... No. I was misled by your appearance. I have a hunch that Mathi can do it.... Let's do it!"

"Yes!"

◇

--30 minutes later.

"....I can't find any weakness...."

"Mathi isn't just at the level of a genius is he....?"

In the end, he couldn't find any weakness of my swordsmanship.
Since my fundamental strength and mana are lacking, I've lost in a contest of strength, but that's the weakness of my body instead of my swordsmanship.
It's not really a problem since they will be improved as I continue to train.

"C...Cheat! He must be using some sort of trickery!"

"How again?"

"H...he must have used some kind of underhanded method!"

And Biffgel seemingly couldn't stand losing in swordsmanship to me anymore, he began to scream out some weird things again.
By the way Biffgel. You can't call that an answer you know.

"So that's what Biffgel thinks. ...Didja know that the easiest way to find out the trick the other party uses is by fighting them. If you insist on treating Mathi like that, you can fight--"

"It was just my imagination."

And he immediately amended himself. Even being unsightly has a limit....
I should stop thinking about this guy, it's not good for my mental health. Think about fun things, fun things....
....I remembered something important.

"Oh right, father."

"What is it Mathi?"

"You said that I could leave the village if I learned the sword, does that mean I can go out now?"

Unfortunately, the Hildesheimr territory where I am now isn't really ideal for magic training--.
That's just something I made up to deceive myself.

The real reason is that I want to see the world.
Even though I've succeeded my past life's memories, a six year old is six year old. It's an age where one holds an interest and yearns for adventures in the world outside.

"I... it's true that your strength is already good enough for that, but don't you think it's too early?"

"I also think that it's too early."

But they objected it.
I also had an inkling of that. It's maybe too early for a six year old child to go outside the territory alone.

"Yeah! Go away! You should hurry up and scram. Rather, leave, now."

Unusually enough, Biffgel seemed to agree with me.
Please stop. Getting Biffgel's approval makes me think that I've made a mistake.

"You can't lead a live by relying on your skills in combat alone. At least when you've turned 15.... No. 12 year old depending on the term. That's the most I could compromise."

"Term?"

Wonder if I have to win against father with a sword.
If yes, I should be able to do something about it in two years--.

"You have to pass the exam of the Second Royal School as a scholarship student."




























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