It had been a while since I could practice at the academy training ground.
Most of the noble knights of the royal family primarily used swords. While firearms weren’t entirely dismissed, they were generally seen as secondary tools.
Of course, there were also gendarmeries armed with firearms within the palace. By their standards, swords were secondary tools, while firearms were the main weapons. Although there were training grounds for these people…
Honestly, it felt a little off to go train there alone.
It wasn’t that there weren’t any women, but the majority of the roles were held by men. Moreover, all the knights and gendarmes inside the palace worked under the royal family, and it was clear that my presence would put a halt to the training. Talk about a nuisance!
When I practiced with a gun as a child, it was because I learned by shooting at flying birds or just firing at random things indoors. Even as a kid, they probably wouldn’t have taken my training seriously, even if I went there.
So, a training ground where I could hog it all to myself and practice shooting bullets as I pleased was a very appreciated space for me.
Hoo…
As I stepped out of the training grounds and exhaled while checking my gun, I heard clap clap clap from behind me.
I turned around, thinking it was the esteemed Sophia Bianchi, but it was actually Rena standing there.
After confirming who was clapping, I felt a little embarrassed.
Just a moment ago, I had been circling the training grounds, and without a doubt, I had realized something by meeting the masked woman twice. If I relied solely on my abilities, I’d become completely useless once they vanished.
Just as the Sword Saint had said, I was not talented in that regard. I’ve shot so many bullets till now, so honestly, I could hit something when I aimed, but that was it.
That said, I wasn’t going to vow to seal my powers or to never rely on them here. But at the very least, I should be of some use compared to the trash rolling on the streets when my powers disappeared. I was the type to curse useless characters in games and comics. I didn’t want to become that kind of existence.
To avoid that, all I had to do was practice a little more, so I could be of some help in situations like that.
“Excellent!”
“Is that so?”
I was straining hard to avoid showing a shy face at Rena’s words. If I had been turning back time while rotating, I might have been indifferent, considering it was a result I had orchestrated.
But to receive compliments like this without turning back time at all… it at least meant my skills weren’t seen as lacking in Rena’s eyes.
…Though it was probably because I had already turned back time several hundred times at this training ground.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t go with you yesterday.”
“It’s all right. I had a lot of equipment to check, so it couldn’t be helped.”
It felt a bit strange having this conversation just the two of us. Was it because both of us were using extreme honorifics?
Rena said her equipment only arrived yesterday. Because Jayden monitored and bombarded the enemy, the autonomous region got tense, causing the Empire to respond by deploying troops closer to the warlord areas, resulting in a rapidly freezing atmosphere nearby.
What’s more, Rena’s weapons were transported to the Imperial Capital, made by the noble bloodlines gathered at the academy. With the complicated procedures, they had been stuck at the border for a while, and it was only yesterday that she started checking them one by one, so she couldn’t come to the cafe with us.
She didn’t seem to care all that much, but… honestly, if the Empire swept the border area like that, anyone would be terrified, no matter how much they had asked first.
It was no ordinary weapon; it was a naval cannon. Even if they had one for each ship, the size of it was similar to the Dreadnought over Rodalium. Considering the number of ships, it could practically lead to results as if the actual Dreadnought had come and bombarded the area.
After causing such an incident and having the autonomous region move its troops, it was a bit ridiculous for the imperial army to respond.
“Did you come to train?”
“Yes. Since I received my weapons after a long time, I thought to check them as well.”
I nodded and stepped out from my place.
*
Rena’s skills were still outstanding.
Given her personality, there was no way she had slacked off during the break. Rather, I could say her movements had become even more refined than before.
Hmm, in some ways, I could see similarities in our movements.
Previously, she would shoot with two handguns; now she was carrying a submachine gun on her back.
“Excellent!”
As I clapped my hands, just as Rena had after completing a lap around the training ground, I noticed a rosy blush spread across Rena’s face. It wasn’t just because she had been running.
“I referenced the movements of Lady Sylvia.”
Those words almost made my face turn red as well.
Thank goodness it was dark at night.
She had merely mimicked my movements; I had never been in a special forces unit. I had just pulled out every little knowledge of a pretender’s secret skills I had and moved as if saying, ‘This should be right.’
But still, it seemed to appear somewhat practical to those around me, so I was relieved.
“Is that so…?”
“Yeah!”
As I responded to Rena, pondering what to say next, I heard a voice shouting from behind.
“The Crown Princess was incredibly cool!”
…
When I turned around, this time, it was truly Sophia Bianchi.
“I couldn’t even think of such movements!”
Well, that was to be expected; she was a swordswoman.
Thinking about it, it seemed that the Chronicles of Aetherna had too many swordsmen. Wasn’t it a game set in an industrial revolution background? No, using swordsmanship in an era where trenches were dug and machine guns were mowing people down… Of course, those who wielded swords here were only monsters who could survive against those wielding guns.
Still, they all would die if they got shot, too.
“While there are many professions handling firearms in Velbur, I’ve never seen anyone move like you two.”
“…”
Rena’s face seemed a bit dazed as she listened to this.
She definitely knew about Sophia Bianchi. They were in the same class and hung around me a bit. Since Rena was one of our group, it was natural she had opportunities to talk.
It seemed Sophia Bianchi was making her move to conquer at least around me if I wasn’t able to do anything.
“Is this training ground made just for you two?”
As Sophia Bianchi asked that, Rena shook her head.
“No, it’s open for other students as well, but…”
…They probably wouldn’t have thought to use it with me here.
After all, most students dealing with guns were commoners.
“Is that so?”
Sophia Bianchi tilted her head and then shrugged.
“How did you come all the way here at this hour?”
“Oh, I just came for a little stroll when I heard sounds and came to check. If there’s such a nice place, I’d like to use it too, um…”
Sophia Bianchi stared at the training ground for a moment before speaking.
“Is it possible for me to use it as well?”
Rena turned to look at me.
“I have no right to stop you.”
“Oh, then could you tell me how to use it? How do I make that wooden board there with the enemy draw go back up?”
“…”
If I could, I’d want to say, ‘Why don’t you go and wind them up yourself?’
But… Sophia Bianchi was terrible with machinery. She was practically breaking something at least once a month, most like with watches.
She’d break parts due to winding too tightly or completely jamming the mechanism just by pressing a button. While it had been a comical element in the game, it would spell disaster in reality.
“…I’ll help you,” I said, barely suppressing a sigh.
*
And the result was disastrous.
My complacency was the issue.
Yeah, to be honest, I thought it would just be enough to wind the spring.
Who would have thought the recoil from hitting the target board too hard would split the parts in half?
As I watched Sophia Bianchi come out with a proud expression after taking a lap around the training ground, I looked back at the board once and confirmed it was bent in a strange direction and indeed in that state.
“…I’m sorry.”
And just like that, Sophia Bianchi apologized immediately.
It seemed she was quite accustomed to such situations.
“…”
I had to put in an immense effort to avoid wiping my face in exasperation.
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