TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 21
After cleaning up the shards of the potion that transforms one into a woman, Darling placed a different potion bottle in front of Kraush.
“This is another Appearance Transformation Potion. The effect lasts a week, and it’s a specially crafted item made recently. It hasn’t been detected by magic or doping yet.”
Given that she had just broken the other one, it was clear she wouldn’t have brought out the same potion again this time.
So Kraush took the potion bottle and checked its contents.
“You’re saying I should use this for a disguise?”
“You can just register as a commoner from the kingdom.”
She should have done this from the start.
“By the way, the appearance is based on what I imagined when I thought about your personality as a kid.”
Even though Darling was spouting nonsense, Kraush paid no attention to it.
It seemed like it would come in handy during the Martial Arts Tournament.
‘This is perfect timing.’
He already needed to absorb more of the World Erosion’s power to use Extreme Blood Immersion Poison.
The Lawless Zone, located between the kingdom and the empire’s border, held a lot of World Erosion. He could absorb it on the way if time allowed.
“More importantly, do you think you can place in the top three?”
At that moment, Darling asked with a subtle smile.
Until recently, Kraush had been known as Balheim’s Half-Penny.
And now they were asking him to place in the top three of a grand Martial Arts Tournament held in the empire.
Honestly, it sounded absurd.
Of course, that was assuming Kraush was still the same as before.
“The participants in the tournament are just those who haven’t been confirmed to attend Rahelrn Academy anyway.”
Those already confirmed for Rahelrn Academy were busy preparing for the academy’s entrance exams and had no reason to participate in the tournament.
The downside was that it meant there would hardly be anyone among this year’s participants who had a contract with a god.
‘There aren’t that many who have contracts with gods to begin with.’
Balheim was exceptionally outstanding, but in most ordinary families, only about one in five individuals had a contract with a god.
That’s why Kraush absolutely had to go to the academy.
‘That place is full of people with skills.’
And above all.
“I’ll be 14 when the tournament is held.”
The Martial Arts Tournament Kraush was set to join was in the Boys’ Division for those under 15.
Kraush was still only 14 years old.
“I won’t lose to kids.”
No matter how talented they were, they were still at a level where he could overpower them with the gap in experience.
In fact, that’s exactly how Aniks had lost to Kraush.
Unless they had talent on par with Charlotte, even from the Skyborne Generation, Kraush was confident he could beat them all.
“Says the kid himself. Of course, I’m about to turn 16, so I’m no longer a child.”
Darling, whose eye makeup had recently become a bit darker, smiled coyly, claiming to be an adult.
Kraush could only look at her with pity.
Only kids like becoming adults.
In that sense, Darling was still just a kid.
“Enough. Just leave now.”
“Oh, come on, I came all this way. Let me hang out a little longer.”
“If you’re about to be an adult, you shouldn’t be playing with kids.”
“You’re really going to use that against me?”
While Darling resisted leaving and Kraush tried to shove her out, their bickering continued.
Then the door to the room they were talking in creaked open.
When Kraush turned his head at the sound, Bianca stood there.
Her hair was slightly flattened on one side, as though she had been sleeping. Bianca looked at the two for a moment before muttering to herself.
“…An affair?”
Where did she even learn such a thing?
Kraush silently decided that he would need to have a word with the maid who often chatted away near Bianca.
＊ ＊ ＊
The training ground of Balheim.
Kraush stood, sword in hand, facing the Crimson Garden.
Even with his eyes closed, Kraush sensed more information through his body than he ever could with sight.
It was the Sixth Sense he had honed through a secret technique.
Though still in its infancy, the amount of information it provided was overwhelming compared to his usual senses.
At that moment, Kraush felt a presence near his left ear.
Clang!
In a flash, his sword extended and swiftly covered the spot.
What appeared there was a Blade of Wind.
But strangely, Kraush’s sword had blocked the spot even before the Blade of Wind had fully formed.
If his sword hadn’t moved before the blade materialized, he wouldn’t have been able to block it at all.
In the midst of this, he sensed another presence near his waist.
Once again, Kraush’s sword preemptively moved to block the Blade of Wind.
It was practically a predictive maneuver.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
And that movement continued without pause.
Kraush’s sword repeatedly covered the spots faster than the Blades of Wind could form.
However, Kraush was in worse shape than if he had simply been hit.
His breathing was in complete disarray, and his arms were trembling harder than ever.
Sweat streamed down his entire body, threatening to push him into exhaustion at any moment.
“That’s enough.”
As soon as Crimson Garden’s voice echoed, the Blades of Wind halted.
“Gah!”
Kraush collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
“Hah, hah, hah.”
Desperate to supply oxygen to his lungs, Kraush opened his mouth as wide as he could.
Watching him, Crimson Garden let out a quiet laugh.
“Your Sixth Sense, was it? Interesting. Your accumulated experience has combined to create a fascinating form of swordsmanship.”
What Kraush had just performed was an advanced form of the Sixth Sense, reading the opponent’s intent and preemptively countering with a technique known as the Blunt Sword.
While even geniuses struggled to wield it, Crimson Garden had noticed during their training sessions that Kraush had a natural affinity for the Blunt Sword.
“The conditions for the Blunt Sword are, first, to feel no fear, and second, to perfectly read your opponent’s intent. Those two are more important than swordsmanship itself. And both are realms that can only be achieved through experience, not talent.”
Crimson Garden chuckled and lightly tapped Kraush’s head with her foot.
“In that regard, you’re quite exceptional. Your innate perceptiveness has combined with your Sixth Sense to create a near-predictive form of swordsmanship.”
Kraush’s only natural gift was his sharp intuition.
The endless battles against World Erosion alongside the Skyborne Generation.
And now, the Sixth Sense he had acquired.
Thanks to the synergy of these three factors, Kraush had reached the threshold of the Blunt Sword.
It was undoubtedly an extraordinary technique, but Kraush faced one glaring issue.
“But your body is pathetic. Seriously. What’s the use of predicting all your opponent’s attacks if your body can’t keep up?”
The Blunt Sword, by reading and dominating all of an opponent’s moves, ultimately achieved spatial dominance in combat.
To the opponent, it might appear slow, but the Blunt Sword meticulously controlled every move.
The result was that, before they knew it, the opponent could only helplessly watch as the sword closed in on them.
That was the essence of the Blunt Sword.
However, it was entirely meaningless if one couldn’t block the opponent’s attacks.
For instance, Kraush’s overuse of his muscles to block the Blades of Wind had left him in this state.
Kraush’s body simply couldn’t keep up with his predictive abilities.
‘This must be what they call the gap in talent.’
Kraush was born with almost no physical talent.
Fortunately, as a descendant of Balheim, he was sturdier and healed faster than most, but even so.
That, too, was at the level of an ordinary person—something geniuses naturally possessed from the start.
“Pathetic.”
When Crimson Garden gave her brief assessment, Kraush raised his trembling arms and lifted his head.
“…One more time.”
“Yet you refuse to break.”
Kraush’s determined, piercing blue eyes shone brightly.
Even after consuming all his experience, secret techniques, skills, and the power of World Erosion, this was the limit he could reach.
Anyone else would have realized their limits by now and given up, but Kraush’s resolve showed no signs of wavering.
Seeing this, Crimson Garden let out a stunned laugh.
“That’s why I took you as my disciple.”
A contract forged with the promise to erase his immortality had marked the beginning of their teacher-student relationship.
Yet, Crimson Garden found herself growing increasingly fond of Kraush.
To her, talent was utterly meaningless.
What mattered was a tenacious spirit capable of enduring her training.
With just that one trait, she could mold Kraush into the strongest.
“But for today, it’s best to stop here.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you say you had to leave for the Martial Arts Tournament starting today?”
Hearing her say they’d stop training, Kraush scowled deeply but quickly came to his senses.
Now that he thought about it, it was indeed the day of departure, just as she had said.
“Training is good, but from what I see, an elixir is what you need most right now. Nothing else will turn that pitiful body of yours into something respectable.”
Reluctantly, Kraush stood up after hearing her words.
His legs and arms were still shaking, but he endured it through sheer willpower.
“Damn it, I need to get ready quickly.”
Realizing he had spent too much time immersed in training, Kraush hurried away.
He swiftly washed up, got dressed, and headed to the waiting carriage.
“Mr. Kraush.”
At that moment, Kraush came face-to-face with Aliod, who was waiting in front of the carriage.
The day Darling brought the cure for Discoloration Disease—
Kraush had immediately handed over the cure to Aliod.
Although Aliod had initially been puzzled, upon realizing it was a cure for the disease, he had taken leave and gone to find his daughter.
And the day after—
Aliod had returned to Kraush, knelt before him, and wept as he expressed his gratitude.
He had cherished his daughter so much that he’d even contemplated betraying his master for her sake.
Knowing his daughter’s illness had been cured, Aliod felt he could die without regret.
[Don’t die.]
And Kraush had spoken to him then.
[I saved your daughter’s life. Aliod, don’t die until I permit it. I think it’s fair to say that’s the price you owe me.]
Upon hearing those words, Aliod had bowed his head deeply before Kraush.
He had etched into his heart exactly who his true master was, someone he must follow for the rest of his life.
‘That’s enough.’
Kraush felt he could now let go of the memory of the day Aliod had been poisoned to death.
While curing his daughter had been for Aliod’s sake, it had also been a way to erase that scene from his own memories.
Simply removing that first betrayal from his life gave Kraush a sense of relief.
“Take good care of Green Pine Mansion while I’m gone.”
“Yes, I’ll make sure no one enters, not even the patriarch.”
Hearing his firm resolve, Kraush gave a faint smile.
That much determination was enough.
Leaving Aliod behind, Kraush headed toward the carriage.
There, in front of the carriage, Kraush encountered a familiar figure.
A girl with white hair.
Bianca Hardenhartz.
She stood quietly, holding a single bag in her hand.
“Mr. Kraush.”
As always, she addressed him in her steady tone.
The reason she held a bag today was simple.
She was preparing to return to Hardenhartz.
Her return to Hardenhartz was none other than a request from Kraush.
She was going back to acquire one of the two materials Darling had mentioned—the White Snow Heat Sun Mushroom.
Given her status, it likely wouldn’t be too difficult for her to obtain it.
“Since it’s been a while since you’ve been home, you might as well take the opportunity to rest while you’re there.”
After all, it would take him quite some time to return as well.
But Bianca shook her head.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Back soon.
For Bianca, Green Pine Mansion had also become her home now.
Understanding the meaning behind her words, Kraush couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
In Hardenhartz, her treatment wasn’t particularly good.
Being considered cursed diminished her value as a noble.
And as for Kraush, being talentless in Balheim made him the least valued half-penny.
In a way, Green Pine Mansion might have been the only place where Bianca could truly feel at ease, much like Kraush.
Raising his hand, Kraush lightly tousled Bianca’s hair.
Her pure white hair swayed under his touch, giving him a small sense of satisfaction.
“I’ll come back soon, too.”
Unaware of how soft he had recently become toward Bianca, Kraush said those words.
Meanwhile, Bianca opened her bag.
Inside was none other than a lunchbox.
“Eat this on your way.”
So that’s what she had been preparing while bustling around yesterday.
“Who told you to make this?”
“Ellie did.”
Of course.
It seemed Bianca’s maid, Ellie, had chattered to her once again.
Didn’t he tell her to keep quiet last time? It must not have worked.
“Thanks. I’ll eat it.”
Still, since it was something Bianca had made, Kraush accepted it.
Besides, he was feeling hungry after all the training.
“Have a safe trip.”
Bianca’s departure would be after his.
Watching her see him off, Kraush replied with a “See you later” and climbed into the carriage.
As the carriage began to rattle and move, Kraush looked out through the window to see Bianca standing still.
Her familiar face wouldn’t be seen for quite some time now, he thought.
“You look terribly forlorn. Do you like that girl so much?”
Suddenly, Crimson Garden appeared through the window and asked.
“It’s like having a younger sister I’ve never had before. I’m just uneasy, that’s all.”
Their relationship had improved compared to before.
And there were many personal regrets he held.
“Tsk, tsk, calling her your younger sister when she’s your fiancée. Let’s see if you’ll still say that after she bears your child.”
“Say one more nonsense word, and I’ll pluck all your feathers out.”
“Heh, as if you could ever catch me.”
Seeing Crimson Garden deliberately display such a defenseless appearance while preening her feathers, Kraush could only click his tongue.
Instead, he opened the lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches and a colorful salad.
True to Bianca’s style, it seemed filled with only practical choices.
‘Typical.’
Taking a bite of the sandwich, Kraush recalled that Bianca had a fondness for sweets.
On his way back from the Empire, he thought he should at least buy some Empire-brand chocolate.