"La la la~."
As I figured out the method to defeat Lérang, a humming tune naturally flowed from me.
’Where could our Luna be?’
I needed to explain tomorrow’s plan.
Although I would be fighting alone, unexpected events could still occur.
I planned to have her wait at a distance, prepared for any emergencies.
"Zero! Over here!"
From afar, Luna waved her hand, greeting me.
Clank-clank.
Ah, I see. Even the chains are happy to see me, huh?
Hahaha, you guys.
The smile vanished from my face.
’...She’s still doing that?’
Not just Luna, but Rezé was also still wrapped in chains around her wrists.
Well, since they are a set, it was expected, but I thought she would realize the strange looks from people and quickly remove the chains.
"Ah, why are there so few people today? Did everyone go out?"
"Excuse me?"
"It’s such a shame. If we had met someone, they could have become friends with Rezé by striking up a conversation."
Luna grumbled.
No people? That can’t be. I passed by dozens of people on my way here.
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’Now that I think about it, it did seem like they were running away from something...’
Could it be...
"It would have been fun to walk around tied up together like this, right?"
Clank-clank.
The chains, illuminated by the sunset, showcased their beauty.
It seems I was right. The dozens of kids who passed by me.
They must have been running away from Luna and Rezé.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"...Excuse me?"
"Hurry up and come here. We need to find someone willing to become friends with Rezé."
"..."
And until I returned to the dormitory that evening.
We didn’t encounter a single person.
* * *
Late at night. Lérang’s office.
"Ugh..."
Lérang clutched his head with both hands, tormented by a terrible headache.
He reached for the medicine bottle.
Unknowingly, his right hand moved forward.
Having lived as a right-hander all his life, it was a natural reaction.
Crack-.
The medicine bottle crumbled in his hand, an action contrary to his will.
As if the hand had a mind of its own.
’Damn demon...!’
He picked up the half-crushed medicine with his left hand and poured it into his mouth.
The pain eased slightly. Just a bit.
Enduring the pain, he recalled his recent meeting with Zero.
"What? Your meeting with Renia was a lie?"
No. It wasn’t a lie that he had received direct instruction, but meeting her wasn’t a lie either.
Not to mention, he had stayed with the Lester family for a month, living as a guest.
"Ugh..."
Lérang struggled to lie down on his bed.
Was it because his body was exhausted? Naturally, the memories of that day came flooding back.
The day that made Lérang leave the Lérang family.
Filled with wounds, the memories of that day.
* * *
"No way..."
Lérang trembled at the unbelievable sight.
The head of the Lérang family, his brother, Raphael.
He had lost in a duel. To a fourteen-year-old child about to enter the academy, no less.
"Ha! You call that swordsmanship? I hoped to improve my skills before entering the academy... What a waste of time."
He spat in front of Raphael.
Seeing that, Lérang’s blood boiled.
"You bastard! It’s a duel! Draw your sword!"
Thump!
"Huh?"
Suddenly, the ground rose, hitting him.
A moment later, Lérang realized something.
It wasn’t the ground that had risen; he had fallen to it.
"Still, you’re somewhat skilled. But practicing such a sorry excuse for swordsmanship... What a waste of talent."
Spit!
Spit landed in front of Lérang, just like it had in front of his brother, Raphael.
"Well then, I’ll be going now. From now on, I should aim for houses with titles of Count or higher. It’s not even a warm-up here..."
And with that, the boy left.
Filled with humiliation, Lérang could do nothing.
The other was the grandson of a renowned Duke.
And this side is known by far fewer people than those who don’t know it.
Because it’s a third-rate noble family.
"Lérang, are you okay?"
"Bro, brother..."
How much more painful and sad must his brother, Raphael, be feeling since he himself is in this state?
Let’s not get angry. Even though he’s called Raphael of a hundred battles, a hundred defeats, let’s not get angry.
’I promised I’d abandon our family’s swordsmanship if I lost again.’
There are few families that sell secret sword techniques, but it’s not impossible to find one.
Right next door, the Tartel domain for instance.
It wasn’t a sword technique I particularly liked, but it was much better than our family’s.
It should suffice until I can find a technique from another family.
"I’ve been neglecting my training. I need to pay more attention. Next time, I’ll surely win."
"...!"
A warm hand reached out to him.
Lérang harshly slapped the hand away.
Slap-!
"Lérang?"
"I said I’d give it up! I said if I lost again, I’d give up!"
The sword technique of the Fleur family, to which he belonged.
No matter how he thought about it, it was a pathetic technique.
Other families draw their swords, and light flashes, or the surroundings freeze over.
’Why does our family only focus on the basics!’
It had style, but that was it.
The Fleur family’s swordsmanship had been crumbling for a long time.
Or maybe, it was a technique that was doomed from the start.
It was just a pathetic technique from the moment it was born.
And today, I became certain of that thought.
Because I lost to a mere fourteen-year-old child.
"Let’s abandon it already! There’s no hope in our family’s swordsmanship!"
"Lérang, that’s not true. Our family’s swordsmanship is excellent. It’s just me who’s lacking..."
It’s always like this.
Lérang couldn’t stand it anymore.
The dishonorable nickname of a hundred defeats attached to his brother, and still, the Fleur family’s swordsmanship that he wouldn’t let go of.
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The sight of himself, defeated pathetically.
He couldn’t take it anymore.
"If things keep going like this, I have my own thoughts!"
"...Thoughts?"
"Yes! I’m leaving! I’m leaving this damned third-rate family obsessed with third-rate swordsmanship!"
Haa, haa.
Lérang couldn’t lift his head. No, he couldn’t bear to.
Because he knew his brother would be wearing a sad expression.
He thought Raphael would hug him.
And he thought he would say to abandon the family’s swordsmanship.
But...
"If that’s what you think, then leave."
Raphael coldly turned his back.
Always so warm to him, why...
"Brother?"
"Abandon our family’s swordsmanship? As long as I am here, that will never happen. I will protect this place, so go out there and pursue your dreams, Lérang."
That was the end of his brother’s words.
The next day, Lérang kicked himself out of the mansion.
They’ll come after me once I leave the mansion.
They’ll come after me once I leave the village.
They’ll come after me once I leave the domain.
"..."
But no one came after him. Not a hair of Raphael was seen.
It was sincere. He valued the family’s swordsmanship more than himself.
’More important than the only family... Is it the swordsmanship?’
Ha!
After a loud laugh, Lérang, now alone, thought to himself.
He was different from his brother.
Because he loved both his brother and the family, he thought to protect both.
’What if I could combine the secret techniques of other families with ours?’
Wouldn’t the strongest swordsmanship be born?
Thus began Lérang’s journey.
He became a wandering knight.
"Please teach me your swordsmanship."
He abandoned everything for his family.
Pride, self-esteem, and even self-respect.
As time passed, and about five years later,
Lérang’s name started to circulate among people.
Along with the nickname ’Mimic Lérang.’
While wandering as a knight, searching for swordsmanship that would suit the Fleur family well,
He stopped by the Lester family.
’Well, they probably won’t meet someone like me.’
It was when he had announced his visit and stayed in an inn for about half a day.
A messenger from the Lester family came to him.
"The head of the family has invited you. Please, come inside the castle."
The drink dribbled from his mouth.
The Lester family. What kind of family was that again?
A family that elevated the Annwood Empire from a kingdom to an empire, one of the current eight pillars supporting the empire.
That the head of such a family invited him was unbelievable.
’Ah, it must be some boring prank.’
A prank by a high noble to make fun of a wandering knight.
With that thought, he knocked on the door. But then.
"Welcome. I am Renia, the head of the Lester family."
Flowing pink hair, eyes clear without a single flaw.
She looked to be in her early twenties, a youthful appearance, but with an undeniable nobility.
He couldn’t help but be captivated.
’To think she ascended to the position of family head with the body of a woman... And she’s a mother?’
Moreover, one of the ten great swords of the continent.
Indeed, prestigious noble families are different. Birth decides everything.
’My children will likely never escape the status of a third-rate noble.’
So, I must steal sword techniques and teach them.
Only then can we live with our heads held high in this world.
"Sir Lérang, it’s an honor you’ve visited our humble abode. To wander the continent polishing your swordsmanship, you are truly admirable."
"Yes... Well, that’s... nothing really."
As Renia gave a gentle smile, I was at a loss for words.
"They call you ’Mimic Lérang’ in the world, I hear."
"That, that’s an exaggeration. It’s rather embarrassing."
Renia burst out laughing.
All I could do was maintain the most respectful demeanor possible.
"Shall we go then?"
"Excuse me?"
"Didn’t you come for a sparring match?"
"Ah... Right."
I followed Renia, and soon we reached a vast training ground.
It was grand, fitting for the Lester family.
The peculiar thing was, the training ground seemed to be under repairs? 𝖋𝔯𝔢𝔢𝖜𝖊𝖇𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖊𝔩.𝖈𝖔𝖒
The exterior was neat, but from inside, it looked quite patchy.
"Sorry. I know it’s tiring, but I’m not one to delay such things."
I nodded.
Nobles are busy, after all. She probably wanted to quickly see my skills and then leave.
And perhaps laugh at me in her own space?
’But... where is my opponent?’
As I looked around,
"Sir Lérang? What are you looking for?"
"Ah... I can’t seem to find my opponent."
Then Renia burst into laughter.
"What are you looking for when your opponent is right in front of you?"
"Excuse me?"
Swoosh-.
Renia drew her sword, her gaze shifting at the same time.
"I am your opponent, Sir Lérang."
...!!
That the head of the Lester family, one of the empire’s ten swords, would personally face me.
’I thought at best they’d assign me a practice knight...’
This experience was priceless.
I immediately drew my sword.
And so the sparring began.
’This is sudden, but it’s nothing to me.’
Traveling across the empire, I’ve had good, bad, and astonishing experiences.
A sudden duel is comparatively a minor event.
"Here I come!"
I unleashed all the secret techniques I had learned so far.
But Renia simply swung her sword lightly to block or dodge.
Click-.
The sound of Renia’s sword returning to its sheath was so quick, I realized it through the sound alone.
And at that moment,
A beam of light shot towards me.
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading
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