Chapter 473
I swiftly chased away the evil veterans targeting the newbies. If Ainter breaks his sword because of those old-timers, I’d be in big trouble. The Emperor himself told me to keep an eye on things, and not executing that order would be a failure on my part.
And to top it off, they report the reason as “My younger brother and a foreign prince are bothering him!”? Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
‘But surely, it shouldn’t come to that.’
After Erich and Rutis stepped back, I watched Ainter, who was still maintaining his perfect posture, while I rubbed my chin.
As long as I can effectively block those veterans’ attacks like earlier, Ainter won’t be breaking his sword. From what I’ve seen, Ainter isn’t the type to throw in the towel just because it’s tough or boring. If he were that impulsive and lacking perseverance, he would have been swept away with the Prince when he died.
“Just a week or two more to refine your posture. After that, we’ll move on to swordsmanship.”
With a glimmer of hope, I initiated a conversation while observing Ainter, who remained utterly still.
As Erich mentioned, Ainter is already doing quite well compared to his peers. If we assume positively, he’s at an upper-middle level? So, we need to refine his posture a bit more before moving on to techniques. It’s great to solidify the basics, but if you only focus on that forever and don’t advance, it becomes a drag.
Of course, this is a secret with the veterans. Those guys would flip out and jump at the chance to see Ainter wielding a sword.
“Will you be personally teaching me swordsmanship?”
“Yeah. Unless you prefer someone else?”
“Not at all! It’s an honor.”
With a bright smile, Ainter returned to his silent stance of concentration.
This is satisfying. The more diligent a student is, the happier a teacher feels.
‘Should I put him through the wringer for a year?’
Eventually, it hit me seriously. If I put him through the paces properly before the academy graduation ceremony, he could reach the level of a decent knight. If Ainter’s talent supports that, he could aim even higher.
At first, I hesitated to push Ainter, who was both a royal and a marquis, too hard, but seeing his dedication, there’s no way I can take it easy. It’s only respectful to really put him through the wringer.
But before that, I need to confirm something.
“Ainter.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Is there a specific reason you suddenly decided to pick up the sword?”
First things first, I need to understand Ainter’s true goal.
If the reason he’s picked up a sword is merely for the dignity of royalty or for health benefits, then we should avoid harsh training. If the target point is a kilometer ahead, it’s unreasonable to make him go through a full marathon practice. Overdoing it might sap a student’s motivation and diligence.
“The reason…”
Ainter trailed off, seemingly struggling to find his words.
“It’s not anything grand.”
“I felt the same way. Normally, people pick up swords because of their family’s expectations, not for some profound reason.”
“Haha, that’s true.”
After a moment of pondering, Ainter chuckled and replied.
“I want to become a warrior worthy of my wife. If the only son-in-law of the northern marquis family is weak, that wouldn’t be good, would it?”
I lost my breath for a moment. A warrior worthy of his wife? If the son-in-law is weak, that wouldn’t be good?
‘What?’
What on earth is this?
An unimaginable reason popped up. Ainter is unlikely to have thought of this on his own; did he hear something from Shati?
Now that I think about it, I did hear that they’ve been in contact quite often since the New Year’s Ball. Barandi mentioned it with a smile.
‘Did they exchange their ideal types or something?’
That’s a plausible guess. Barandi is from a tribe where his ancestors played the role of priests, meaning he has a peaceful demeanor, but at the end of the day, he’s still a nomad. Compared to settled folks, they can be more fiery and impulsive.
Given that influence, if Shati’s ideal type is someone “strong and brave,” it’s not hard to understand. If Shati, having lived as a nomad, liked a frail and delicate man, that would be a curious case.
‘Nice.’
Before I knew it, my bewilderment faded and pride began to swell. The fact that Ainter, who walked the path of learning, is accommodating himself to Shati’s ideal type shows that he is sincere about her. From a matchmaking perspective, that’s quite satisfactory.
And Ainter’s and Shati’s arranged marriage is also a marriage for the sake of the empire and the royal family. It signals Ainter’s willingness to fulfill his duties as a royal, which is great news for the nobility of the empire.
I could almost cry. Despite having a national educational institution right where they belong, seeing actual “normal” royalties like this is heartwarming.
‘See, homegrown is the way to go.’
Your kingdom’s royalty can’t even compare to our esteemed royalties.
“That’s a wonderful reason. To connect with the most prestigious family in the north, you should aspire to be the best swordsman there is.”
“Yes?”
Thus, I made my determination. Since Ainter picked up a sword for such normal and beautiful reasons, I would respond wholeheartedly.
“For this year, and possibly after your graduation, I’ll teach you rigorously, so aim to be the best in the north!”
“No, I didn’t mean for such a lofty goal…”
“Don’t worry too much. All the warriors of note fell in the last war. If you put in the effort, you could definitely be the best swordsman around.”
At my assurance, Ainter’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he dejectedly nodded.
Right now, my words probably sound like nonsense to him. No matter how much sword experience he has from when he was young, he’s essentially a novice now, so aiming to be the best swordsman sounds ludicrous to him.
But as long as there’s effort, EFFORT, it will work. The northern monsters were exterminated during the war six years ago, and what little danger remained was cleared out last year. Anyone who could wield a sword in the north is essentially nonexistent.
‘It’s doable.’
As an expert on the north, I’m confident. This is a perfect opportunity for a home invasion.
Through my teaching, Ainter could become the best swordsman in the north, becoming the son-in-law of the esteemed Gurt Marquis family.
It’s the ultimate plan. The Emperor might even be moved by this.
*
The contact from Marquis Idripen, which used to light up my communication device, has decreased recently.
Thanks to that, I’ve been feeling pretty relaxed these days. Watching that irritating guy act all single was painful, but after not seeing him for weeks, it’s refreshing.
‘Now I’m seeing results.’
I hummed a tune while polishing my sword. The layer I’d built since the New Year’s Ball was finally showing benefits.
Yeah, a flower that grows peacefully in the garden can’t possibly thrive against the harsh winter of the north. It seems he boasted about his training, but in the end, he must’ve given up. That’s why he hasn’t contacted me and is keeping his mouth shut.
Though, judging by how he’s gone radio silent, it seems he has at least some awareness of shame. That’s a relief.
‘…Or maybe not.’
But just as I thought, the communication device began to light up.
I bit my lip without realizing it. The tribes—no, the folks from the territory—usually come to visit if they have something to say. The only person who contacts me through this device is probably one person.
“Shati Gurt here.”
After sighing several times, I finally grasped the comm device. I would have preferred to ignore it, but pushing away is different from ignoring.
– It’s been a while, Lady Shati. This is Marquis Idripen.
As soon as I grabbed the device, the face I didn’t want to see appeared.
True to form, he had the same irritating, cocky grin. Seriously, I want to knock him out.
“Yes, it’s been a while. I don’t even know how many weeks it’s been.”
Since he’s been quiet for a few weeks, I wish it had been a few months instead—
– Oh dear, have you felt hurt from my lack of communication? I’m so sorry.
“Hurt? Me?”
At his remark, I clenched my invisible fists, managing my frustration.
Hurt? Me? Just because I didn’t get your messages? That’s absurd.
– I wanted to talk to you often, but with a strict teacher, I had to hold back. This is the first chance I’ve had to reach out.
As if he could read my thoughts, Marquis Idripen continued to speak with his annoying smile.
If it were a usual day, I would end the conversation right here, but luckily, I now had something to counterattack with.
“If your teacher is strict, that only means they’re genuinely teaching. They’re doing it for you, Lord Marquis.”
I seized the opportunity to poke at the Marquis, who was whining about his strict teacher.
Whoever that teacher is has earned my gratitude. Thanks to them, I’ve been able to avoid the Marquis for a few weeks, and they’ll likely continue teaching him rigorously, right?
– Haha, it’s too much for me to handle. Who would have expected I’d be trained by the Minister of War—scratch that, the Minister of Intelligence?
“Yes?”
I let out a shocked voice.
Wait, who did you say?
– Ah, Lady Shati, I’m sure you’re more familiar with Count Wyridia.
His careful clarification didn’t lessen the shock. I at least knew who the Minister of Intelligence and Count Wyridia were. After all, it’s hard not to know the title of the northern nobles’ leader.
The problem lies in the fact that this leader is personally training Marquis Idripen.
A warrior who cut through the skies and slayed the Heavenly Reverser and the False Khan. A warrior considered the best swordsman on the continent is his teacher.
‘Uh…?’
My mind went blank. Being a strong warrior doesn’t necessarily mean they’d be a master teacher, yet a strong warrior does serve as a source of inspiration for others. Even a simple step or a short strike can motivate other warriors.
If—if Marquis Idripen possesses even a shred of talent in martial arts…
‘He’ll truly get stronger.’
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
– As per your advice, I’ve been rigorously training lately. Someday, I might have to live in the north, and it would be trouble if I wasn’t fit for it.
And the words from before suddenly replayed in my mind.
The shield I thought would be my last resort is now on the brink of being breached.
*
Seeing Ainter’s daily development, I reached a conclusion.
‘Being royal truly makes a difference.’
Since they’re an aristocrat reigning above the noble class, their growth is much more impressive than I anticipated.
If I put in a solid year of training, he could easily reach knight level? I was massively underestimating him. At this rate, he could even reach the level of a brigade commander.
“I’ve swung it five hundred times!”
“Make sure you aim for a thousand. Five hundred more.”
“Yes!”
Even still, his enthusiasm never falters, and he follows my commands obediently.
Occasionally, when a student recognizes their own growth and realizes they have innate talent, they can become rebellious and rowdy. I’m grateful I don’t have to worry about having to knock around Ainter.
‘Hmm.’
Watching Ainter swing his sword while perfecting his posture, I took a swig of my water flask.
Thanks to Shati mentioning her ideal type, a pillar supporting the empire is about to be born.
‘What a patriot.’
This new noble, who became a citizen just last year, is already making great strides. Truly, he’s worthy of the future consort to a royal.
And as a celebration of reaching 14 million views, I’ve switched to the preferred cover worth 10,000. Erich must have felt pleased after having held the cover for over two weeks.
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