Chapter 63
Clang! Clang!
The sharp sound of swords clashing echoed through the training ground. Luwen calmly blocked Dedric’s attacks while regulating his breathing.
The once one-sided relationship gradually changed over time. Now eighteen and about to enter the Academy, Luwen could hold his own quite well against Dedric.
‘I want to win at least once.’
Although knowing it was unlikely, Luwen’s competitive spirit showed as he put strength into his toes. His whole body surged with power. He rotated the energy that began to boil from deep within his body.
Just as he felt all his senses sharpening, a faint energy started to form on his blade.
‘Oh no!’
Before he could withdraw the sword energy, Dedric moved at high speed. Luwen’s eyes caught his movement, and he instinctively knew how to block, but he was a step late due to his distraction.
As a result, Dedric’s large knuckle came down on his forehead.
“Ugh.”
“I told you not to draw out sword energy! Perfecting the basics comes first.”
“Yes! Please, once more!”
Luwen corrected his stance, gripping the sword handle tightly with both hands. The problem was that he unconsciously manifested sword energy when deeply immersed in battle, despite trying to be careful.
For the past three years, Dedric had taught Luwen how to fight while suppressing his sword energy. This was to draw out his physical qualities to their limit. Also, since sword energy quickly depletes stamina despite its power, it shouldn’t be used indiscriminately.
Luwen, who had reached a high level at a young age, could easily become overly dependent on sword energy, which would surely cause problems later. So Dedric postponed Luwen’s Academy entrance and invested time generously for the future of his second disciple.
‘I can’t call him a kid anymore.’
Dedric tried to maintain his composure as he received Luwen’s heavy attacks. Is this really the strength of an eighteen-year-old boy? Within the Vinter Knights, only a few veterans, including the vice-captain, could fight as well as Luwen.
‘But he’s still far from my level!’
As Dedric put more strength into his attacks, the once-even match quickly tilted to one side. Luwen began to be pushed back little by little. To give no opening, Dedric swung his sword continuously.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Block, block, and block again.
Swoosh!
The last strike flew towards Luwen at a speed incomparable to the previous ones. Dedric thought this would end it. But…
Clang!
‘He blocked it?’
Momentarily surprised, Dedric immediately used the rebound of his deflected sword to rotate his body and attack Luwen’s waist with the back of his blade. But as if predicting this too, Luwen avoided the attack by taking half a step back and grinned.
“Heh. Look at this guy.”
A pleased smile spread across Dedric’s face.
His second disciple’s skills were rapidly improving day by day. Even though it was just a simple sparring match, he was genuinely starting to enjoy it. It was different from the joy of teaching. Dedric, who had always held back against Luwen, was now getting serious.
“Huff, huff… I surrender.”
Luwen laughed refreshingly while catching his breath. Though trying to maintain his dignity as a master by standing straight, Dedric’s breathing was just as rough. It was no wonder, as their sparring session that started right after lunch was now approaching dinner time.
‘He’s surrendering because it’s time to go meet the young master, even though he could fight more.’
Dedric clenched his fist behind his back, hiding his slightly tingling hand. When subjugating monsters, they sometimes had to fight all day. Dedric thought this felt more challenging than those times.
‘He’s grown too big for me to contain now.’
By the time he graduates from the Academy, he will likely surpass me.
‘It would be good if Honorary Duke Cromwell takes interest in Luwen.’
Though still immature, Luwen had reached the level of a Sword Master. With the death of the previous Duke, the only Sword Masters in the current empire were the Second Prince and Cromwell, a commoner who received the title of Honorary Duke.
‘Will this kid also receive the title of Honorary Duke?’
Though not yet revealed, he already had the qualifications. Time would resolve his immaturity. To turn this rough gem that had begun to shine into a jewel required the skills of an even higher-level craftsman than himself.
“Disciple.”
“Yes, Master!”
“Do you still like the young master?”
“Of course. I like the young master the most.”
There was not a moment’s hesitation, as if there could be no other answer.
“And you want to stay by his side in the future?”
“If the young master allows it.”
“Good. Don’t forget that feeling.”
Dedric, who had formed a connection with Honorary Duke Cromwell at the frontline base during a monster invasion, learned that he was very interested in nurturing talent. Moreover, his duchy was close to the Academy. If he could look after Luwen even once a week or once a month, it would be a great help.
‘I should pay a visit to the Honorary Duke.’
Dedric chuckled as he saw Luwen constantly glancing at the sky. It’s time to go pick up the young master, isn’t it?
“I have some business to attend to, so there will be no lessons for a while. I’ll send word when I return.”
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
Dedric patted Luwen’s back, who looked disappointed.
“I’m counting on you to take care of the young master.”
“Leave it to me!”
* * *
Today, the medical treatment ended early, giving me some free time. I sat by the window to check the message that had arrived for me, planning to wait until Luwen finished his training.
[It seems you won the bet, young lord.]
It was a short but weighty message from the Second Prince. Since I never actually made a bet with him, it meant that the Kans’ exile had been decided according to the scenario I designed.
‘But why send this by messenger bird? My sister would have told me anyway.’
I was annoyed by these meaningless messages that occasionally arrived over the past three years. He still wants to keep me under him and use me. Especially irritating was his intention to send it to the clinic to avoid Irene finding out.
‘Maybe I should just tell him.’
I sighed as I stared at the ashes that remained after the message disappeared.
The poison my father ingested was discovered less than a month after I gave Irene a hint. However, the preparations for the area where the Kans would relocate were not complete, so time was dragged on as the First Prince led.
Because of this, after my father’s funeral and my sister inheriting the title of Duke, unfavorable rumors about me began to circulate. Some people started pointing to me as the real culprit who poisoned the Duke.
Given our poor relationship, it was understandable to receive such suspicion, so I suggested using this to buy more time, but my sister flatly refused with piercing eyes, saying it was absolutely impossible, and the stigma was quickly removed.
‘I didn’t expect it to take three years. I thought it would be a few months at most. The Second Prince is certainly capable.’
During this time, the Second Prince properly protected the Kans from the assassins sent by the First Prince. I wasn’t worried in the first place, as he wasn’t the type to carelessly lose the cards in his hand.
The unexpected thing was that they failed to subjugate the queen spider. They tracked the fleeing monster, but couldn’t pursue further as it crossed the border. However, the Kans elites who were secretly smuggled out said that after actually facing it, it wasn’t as notorious as its reputation, and they could live without problems, so the subjugation was considered complete.
After that, they began moving settlement supplies in earnest while avoiding the First Prince’s eyes. It took an annoyingly long time as they had to move bit by bit. Still, now that the Kans are to be exiled, they plan to return via the mountains and settle in the queen spider’s habitat.
‘Everything’s resolved. I really don’t need to worry about this anymore.’
But I felt uneasy. I sighed deeply once more and looked out the window. The sunlight was warm.
‘I wonder if the frozen lake is already thawing.’
The lake visible beyond the clinic window was always beautiful. I liked the winter scenery best. The snow piling up on the wide frozen lake was pretty.
However, recently it didn’t look so pretty.
‘When spring comes and the lake thaws…’
Luwen will leave for the Academy.
Although the preparations for his enrollment were meticulously completed and there shouldn’t be any problems, I occasionally found myself hoping something would go wrong.
‘What a wicked thought.’
I’m the master of my emotions, yet I felt pathetic that they weren’t under my control. Feeling stifled, I opened the window, and a cold wind that seemed capable of freezing the air poured into the room. If only I could open up like this and completely clear out my insides.
I stood up from my chair and leaned my upper body out the window. The strong wind tousled my disheveled hair. During consultations, I tie my long hair neatly, but as time passes, it always comes loose and becomes messy.
Although I’m quite dexterous, my hair always looks sloppy when I do it myself, probably because I always rely on Luwen for this. It was about time for Luwen to arrive, but since I’d have to do this alone eventually, I untied the ribbon to try and retie my hair.
‘Once I’m certain there won’t be a war, I’ll cut this hair short right away.’
It was cumbersome and inconvenient. As I grumbled and gathered my hair again, I saw a familiar ribbon brush past my face.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The ribbon that had been loosely held slipped from my hand and fluttered in the wind, falling onto the frozen lake. There was no way to retrieve it now.
‘Well, I have plenty of ribbons, so it doesn’t matter.’
With an inexplicable sense of dejection, I let go of my hair, and the wind-blown strands whipped my face. As I furrowed my brow, unable to see clearly, and tried to gather my hair again, the clinic door opened.
Luwen peeked his face in, then startled, he pushed through the cold wind to approach me.
