TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 35
“Radiant…! Sparkle. Sparkle.”
A new hobby was born for the Young Lady, whose job was to laze around on the bed.
A luxurious hobby of reflecting the sunlight seeping through the window onto her necklace. The Young Lady’s complexion grew brighter day by day, boasting the necklace’s radiant sheen.
The smile on her lips was cheerful.
The Young Lady’s wallet was thick.
“100,000 gold… If I sell this, 100,000 gold!”
Seeing the Young Lady with a materialistic smile, I thought.
‘Good thing I gifted it.’
If I had said, ‘There’s no gift for the Young Lady,’… I would’ve witnessed her turn into a wilted spinach for a week.
Three months ago, I had been caught sneaking off to the marketplace to eat fried chicken without her knowledge, and I still remember the struggle of dealing with her spinach-like state for an entire day.
-I won’t bathe. Anyway, since I’m already a beggar, I’ll just go from being a clean unemployed person to a dirty homeless person.
To appease the Young Lady’s anger, I had to offer her chocolate and bath bombs. I don’t remember exactly how much, but it was quite a bit.
The Young Lady, who had become one with her bed, squirmed like a caterpillar. As if giving up on being human, she enjoyed the life of the unemployed. I asked her.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Yeah. It sparkles so much.”
“Are you planning to sell it later?”
“Ah… no… I won’t sell it yet.”
The Young Lady placed the necklace between her chest. With a generous heart, she hugged the necklace tightly.
Looking at the necklace, I thought.
‘So damn jealous.’
Lately, I’ve been finding myself jealous of objects more and more. It made me angry that items were enjoying welfare that even a Butler couldn’t. It’s definitely not because I’m some pervert who likes chests—it’s the welfare… the welfare, I swear.
“Hehe… 100,000 gold. Ten years’ worth of meat.”
Hugging the necklace dearly, the Young Lady chuckled. Like a miserly old man hanging a fish on his dining table and eating rice with it as a side dish, she patted her belly and smiled contentedly, grinning foolishly.
I guess just watching was enough to fill her up.
Leaving the Young Lady in her room, I grabbed the sword I had propped up in the corner.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to practice my swordsmanship. My body’s been stiff lately.”
“Practice?”
The Young Lady tilted her head.
She looked at me with an expression as if to say, ‘The guy who used to skip swordsmanship classes at the Academy is suddenly talking about practice?’ It was hard to explain since it was true that I lived like a delinquent.
Partly because the swordsmanship instructor discriminated against commoners, and partly because I’d rarely wielded a sword in front of the Young Lady.
The Young Lady, who was an exceptional Wizard, wasn’t interested in swordsmanship, and showing her plain swordsmanship felt a little lacking.
Unlike Mikhail’s heavy and honest swordsmanship that drew admiration or Histania’s swordsmanship that had flair, my swordsmanship was crude and monotonous, so it felt a bit unworthy to show.
“Where are you going to practice?”
“I’m thinking of practicing in the estate yard.”
I pointed to the estate yard, bathed in sunshine, visible through the window.
A place where the Young Lady on the second floor could see me directly.
The Young Lady stared at me intently.
Her face was full of annoyance.
Since I was going outside, she seemed irritated, thinking I might drag her along.
When she looked at the bright sunlight outside the window, she frowned deeply, clearly showing her displeasure, which made me laugh.
I asked the Young Lady.
“Would you like to come with me?”
The Young Lady shook her head vehemently.
“No. The sun is angry, and going out would be dangerous.”
“Just say you don’t feel like going out.”
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
Having her true feelings exposed, the Young Lady flopped onto the bed and waved her hand dismissively.
“Shoo─shoo─”
***
The estate yard, gleaming under the bright sunlight.
I loosened my right shoulder as if rotating a windmill.
After the battle with Ballack, I had felt insufficient in dealing with swordsmen wielding greatswords, so I stood here to address the flaws in my swordsmanship.
Raising my head, I saw the Young Lady on the second floor watching me, crunching on chocolate.
I waved lightly at her.
“Young Lady, where did the chocolate come from?”
“Chocolate?”
The Young Lady puffed out her chest confidently. Then, pointing at her chest, she proudly declared.
“Here.”
Today, I found myself envying chocolate.
I loosened up my body quickly.
Spinning the sword in a figure-eight motion, I loosened my wrist.
Stretching my legs out, I also did some stretches.
Softening my stiffened body, I grasped the sword with my right hand.
[The Genius of Weaponry senses the weapon ‘Sword’.]
-Proficiency increases dramatically.
-Understanding of the sword increases dramatically.
-You become a genius in swordsmanship.
An alarm went off. I recalled the previous battle in my mind.
-Is this something even a young swordsman can deflect?
The heavy, downward strikes of the greatsword.
-Impressive.
Me barely managing to block it.
I remembered the time when my hands trembled, and the greatsword loomed right in front of me. The moments when I was pushed back every time Ballack swung down.
Visualizing Ballack’s illusion before me.
I held my sword upright.
Swordsmen using greatswords are inherently strong.
Each strike felt as heavy as a hammer blow, and if blocked incorrectly, it was enough to break the blade.
The last battle was no exception.
I envisioned Ballack holding the greatsword before me.
Ballack, exuding a wide attack range and explosive aura.
Faced with Ballack’s stance, which was entirely focused on offense, I swallowed dryly.
‘He really was a monster.’
If it weren’t for Yuria, I probably would’ve run away without looking back, but seeing Ballack again now only fueled my desire to compete.
‘Alright, let’s do this.’
I lacked technique.
When it came to meeting a master, I had deeply ingrained habits that were hard to fix, and there were too many traces of experience embedded in me to start over from scratch.
My sole talent was the ability called ‘Genius of Weaponry’ and having a broad canvas to absorb.
Even though my canvas was already filled with many drawings, there was still plenty of blank space left.
A canvas that would be filled through numerous experiences and encounters with powerful opponents.
I gripped the sword.
‘Let’s go.’
At this tense moment.
I focused all my nerves on the sword.
Determined not to be pushed back like last time, I concentrated my strength from my core.
With explosive force, I swung my sword.
Whoosh. As the sword cut through the wind, I imagined it slicing through Ballack’s illusionary figure, swinging the sword with power.
In my mind, the illusion of Ballack swung his greatsword just like in that moment.
The instant when sword met sword.
-Clang!
At the same time as the sword slipped powerlessly from my grip, Ballack’s illusion slashed my neck.
Huh.
An awkward moment passed.
The sword that had slipped from my hand.
And my trembling right hand.
I alternated glances between the sword that had fallen to the floor and my right hand.
“What… is going on?”
I picked up the sword from the floor and adjusted my stance. Resolutely determined not to drop it this time, I gripped the hilt tightly with a creaking sound.
I swung the sword wide once again.
-Clang.
Once more, the sword dropped powerlessly to the floor.
Still bent over, I swallowed dryly. Cold sweat trickled down, and my fingertips trembled in strange anxiety.
This is odd.
Why can’t I put strength into my right hand?
Even this morning, I ate well and felt fine, so why isn’t my right hand cooperating? With an awkward smile, I looked at the Young Lady on the second floor.
Luckily, the Young Lady seemed oblivious, happily enjoying her chocolate.
I exhaled a sigh of relief.
The Young Lady shouted at me to come up quickly. If I wasn’t going to practice, she suggested we admire the necklace together.
I straightened my back.
Still staring at the fallen sword, I let out a deep sigh and headed back to the estate.
My right hand was trembling uncontrollably.
***
After waiting for the trembling to subside, I stood in front of the Young Lady’s room.
-The wardrobe?
-Yes. Chocolate Cake and … please prepare it.
Jingle….
-Here’s the money.
-No, Young Lady! You shouldn’t take money out from there….
-It’s fine. I have plenty of money.
-It’s not about the money…. And you’ve given far too much.
-It’s a tip. But in return, you must fulfill my request.
The Young Lady was having a meaningful conversation with the Honorable Maid.
Due to their hushed tones, I couldn’t clearly make out what the Young Lady and the Honorable Maid were discussing, but piecing together what I did hear, it seemed the Young Lady was giving the Honorable Maid an errand.
The Young Lady giving out errands…
I always wondered where she managed to get so much chocolate, but it turned out her supplier was the Honorable Maid. Discovering the Young Lady’s black-market dealings brought a small smile to my lips.
‘What a sly one.’
I didn’t want to disrupt the Young Lady’s small happiness.
By running errands, she learned about economics, and the Honorable Maid earned a tip—both sides won. So, I decided to observe a bit longer.
For about three minutes, the conversation between the Young Lady and the Honorable Maid continued, and then I heard the Honorable Maid politely bid farewell to the Young Lady before moving on to other tasks.
-I’ll have it ready by the date you mentioned.
-Alright. I’m counting on you.
-Creak.
As the door opened, my eyes met those of the Middle-Aged Man’s Maid.
“Butler…!”
“Shh. Please keep quiet.”
I placed a finger to my lips and silenced the Honorable Maid.
And so, time passed quickly, and three days went by.