Estimated reading time: 6–7 minutes
Chapter 11
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「You got me.」
She says as I point my sword at her throat after several exchanges of sword blows.
「I knew it, I’m just…」
She trails off, covering her eyes with her free hand and looking up.
She looks so small, her shoulders trembling.
There are no words she can say to me, having just met.
All I can do is stay by her side until she calms down.
○○○
Some time passes, and I ask her,
「Eris, do you love your dad?」
「…I respect my father more than anyone.
He is strict with himself and considerate of others’ feelings.」
Indeed, the Knight Commander is just as she describes.
Otherwise, he would not be able to continue training a novice to become a full-fledged warrior without rest for a whole month.
「Well then, if you believe in your dad who praises me to the skies, why not try believing in me too?」
「Believe in you…? That’s—」
「I know we haven’t known each other for long. It’s clear there hasn’t been nearly enough time to trust me.
But could you let me handle what comes next for you?」
「Eh… that’s… c-c-could it be, you w-w-want to t-t-take me as your—」
Seeing Eris turn red not just in the face but to the tips of her ears, it hits me.
Wait, is she misunderstanding?
Did I… cause the misunderstanding?
「No, no! That’s not what I meant!」
Either my words aren’t getting through, or—
「No! No! With a man! With Sir Yamada!? But…! Even so…! Hyaaaaah!」
Eris writhes, shaking her head round and round.
「You want enough children to form a knight order!?」
I’m not saying that! (interrupting)
Having strictly disciplined herself all this time, it seems she has no resistance to such matters and is unexpectedly clumsy.
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Eris, the sword saint, has been solely devoted to swordsmanship since she was little.
The base of her sword techniques comes from the same school as her father and the knight order, called the Sword Style.
I could sense her honesty from the swords we crossed.
The most efficient parries for the shortest strikes.
These were the fruits of her long-accumulated training.
However, there was a flaw in her sword skills that surpassed all others.
Her swordsmanship is too straightforward.
Innate honesty and sincerity can sometimes become a disadvantage.
I’m not saying she’s weak by any means.
If her opponent is at the same level of physical ability, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
Even someone with physical abilities 5 or 6 levels above her would quickly lose in a fight against her.
In the first place, besides her swordsmanship skills, she also possesses rare skills like 《Herculean Strength》 and 《Power Correction: Advanced》.
She freely wields the Sword Style with overwhelming power that far exceeds others. Even the vice-commander of the Arcana Knights would likely be overwhelmed by her with that synergistic effect.
But that’s the extent of it.
Eris is no match for me, and of course not for her father, the Knight Commander.
However, that’s only the current situation.
During our bout, I noticed her latent abilities.
She herself doesn’t fully understand all her strengths yet.
This is something I could tell thanks to my dynamic vision honed through hellish training.
In fact, some of the blows we exchanged were at a level that ordinary people (even the Knight Commander) wouldn’t be able to handle without their swords breaking in two.
Although far from her full strength, Eris was able to cross swords with me.
What made that possible was her own ability that even she is unaware of.
She has extraordinary, water-like fluidity, unlike ordinary people.
To me, it was clear that flexibility is the key for her to maximize her true potential.
It’s difficult for anyone to have an objective eye to examine themselves. No matter how much of an expert one may be, there are often many things about oneself that aren’t fully understood.
Of course, that applies to me too.
That’s why for her to reach even greater heights, it’s crucial that she understands herself better than ever before.
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I stay in the guild training hall and convey to Eris what I sensed.
「What! I have such…」
「Yeah, well, if you’re okay with me, I’ll train with you.」
「T-Train with…」
「That’s not it!」
Why is this clumsy girl…
「I’m saying I’ll train with you!」
「Be with…」
「I didn’t say that!」
「Is ‘be with’ referring to that, this, and those things that men and women do together in the novels I’ve read? Isn’t it too early for me… no, maybe not too early—You want to make two knight orders’ worth of children!?」
The girl mutters something while rolling her eyes round and round, giving some kind of testimony—
○○○
I explain the training plan to Eris, who has calmed down again.
I’ll keep striking, and she’ll keep parrying.
When she gets tired, she’ll recover with potions and resume training.
Basically, it’s the Eris version of the training I did at the royal castle.
Dungeon exploration is going so smoothly that there shouldn’t be any issues with extending the rest period a bit.
More like, I won’t let anyone complain about trivial things.
If they want to dive without me, they can go ahead and do as they please.
That’s what I’ve decided in my gut.
「Alright, meet here at the guild training hall at 6 AM! I’ll go hard, so be prepared! And don’t be late!」
「Yes! Understood! Master Ichiro!」
「’Master’ doesn’t suit me at all! Just call me Ichiro.」
「Yes! Master Ichiro!」
She said it right after I told her not to!
「Geez… Well, whatever. Then, dismissed! I’m heading back to the inn.」
I quickly finish my preparations to leave and set off for the inn.
Eris follows behind me.
「Is your inn in this direction, Eris?」
「That’s right.」
「Whereabouts?」
「The same inn as you, Master Ichiro!」
「Just a coincidence, right?」
「Yes! It’s a coincidence!」
Thought so, I’m overthinking it.
「The same room at the same inn as Master Ichiro!」
It wasn’t a coincidence!
「Get away!」
「I won’t!」
「Get awaaaay!」
「The same bed in the same room at the same inn!」
That day, I make a ridiculous fuss with Eris.
When I think about continuing to fool around with her like this, I notice that somewhere inside, I’m looking forward to it, and I can’t help but wryly smile at how fickle I am.
Although a wry smile, I later look back and realize that in this moment, I genuinely laughed for the first time in a long while.
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