Despite the promise of good praise stickers as a reward, Sowol rarely managed to withstand my sword.
After losing her grip on the sword several times and clenching her small palms, she finally frowned.
“How am I supposed to do this?!”
“Well.”
“At least teach me how before saying such things…”
Her pouting lips showed she was genuinely upset.
I should offer a carrot before she gets more upset.
I approached Sowol and placed my hand on her pink hair.
“There are two reasons why you can’t block my attacks. First, you lack the strength.”
“Well…”
No matter how talented Sowol may be, the fundamental difference in physical strength cannot be ignored. So it was only natural that she couldn’t block my attacks.
“To bridge that gap, you need mana.”
“Mana?”
“Yes. The power is also known as magical energy.”
“Isn’t magical energy only used for casting spells?”
“Once you reach a certain level, mana is also necessary for physical actions. Here, watch.”
I picked up a wooden sword and moved to a nearby rock.
I swung the wooden sword at the rock, but of course, it just bounced off.
“Now, if I infuse it with magical energy…”
This is where it gets real.
I took a stance and swung the wooden sword, and simultaneously, the rock was cleanly cut as if it were tofu.
Perhaps because she saw my skill in cutting rock with a wooden sword, Sowol’s eyes sparkled.
“This time, I infused it with magical energy. Once you reach a certain level, you can infuse weapons with magical energy like this. It’s also called an ‘aura’.”
“That’s amazing! Can I do it too?”
“Of course.”
Basically, everyone has magical energy. It depends on whether you awaken it or not, but with Sowol’s talent, it should be quite possible.
“Alright, sit down there.”
I’m about to teach you an awesome training method.
As Sowol obediently sat down as instructed, I went behind her and placed my hand on her head. Then I poured mana from within my body directly into her.
“Ugh?!”
A groan escaped Sowol’s lips, seemingly in pain.
Ordinary people would faint at this point, unable to endure, but Sowol was different.
Her overflowing talent was accepting the mana I was pouring rather than resisting it, guiding the magical energy within her body.
As it naturally harmonized with my magical energy, creating pathways for the energy to move, I stopped and removed my hand.
Nevertheless, the magical energy inside Sowol continued to rotate rapidly, permeating her body.
“Keep breathing and accept the magical energy from nature. This will unite your body with nature. This state is called ‘oneness with all things.'”
“……”
There was no response. She had fallen into a trance, accepting the flow of magical energy as her own.
Her talent really is something else.
At this rate, I might be able to teach her everything and leave within a year or two.
“Phew…”
Sowol, who had been in a trance for a while, came to her senses with a heavy sigh.
This should be enough for her to have awakened to magical energy, right? I handed her the wooden sword again.
“Now, you should be able to withstand it, right?”
Sowol nodded in response and took her stance.
It’s different from before.
Emitting a calm but strong aura like a vast, gently flowing river, I swung my wooden sword at Sowol.
-Thwack!!
Indeed, this time was different from before.
Although she staggered, she definitely blocked my attack.
“Good. From now on, let’s continue training with the goal of constantly maintaining your magical energy.”
“…Alright, mister.”
“Hey, after teaching you this much, don’t you think you could start calling me master?”
In response to my words, Sowol just slowly shook her head.
What an expensive kid.
.
.
.
“Excuse me? You want to take Sowol on the subjugation mission?”
“Yes.”
When I told So Jung-yang that I would have Sowol participate in this Skull Gang subjugation, his reaction was as expected.
Looking surprised, he let out a sigh and started looking around.
It’s an understandable reaction if anything.
The Skull Gang was much larger than just an ordinary band of thieves. That’s why even the lord had to ask for help from the Eastern Trading Company.
This means that this subjugation mission would involve dangerous battles, and no father would easily allow his daughter to be taken along, let alone anyone else.
So Jung-yang was about to refuse, showing a clearly negative attitude, but that wouldn’t do.
Opportunities for such extra lessons aren’t that common. We should do it while we can.
“I believe that becoming the owner of a large trading company requires understanding the weight of things.”
“The weight…”
“The weight of people. I think one needs to accurately understand the weight of life and death to run a trading company.”
In running a trading company, dealing with death is almost inevitable.
Not only do you have to deal with thieves encountered during trade journeys, but you also sometimes have to eliminate those who interfere with the company’s operations.
The company’s fate is determined by the decisions made at such times.
Therefore, accurately grasping the weight of life and death from a young age would be of great help in the future.
For that reason, I earnestly tried to persuade him that experiencing it firsthand in this subjugation would be beneficial for her future.
“But… isn’t it too early…?”
“Parents tend to think their children will always remain children.”
Of course, she is actually still a child. But someone like Sowol should be fine.
“Sigh… Alright. Then please take good care of my daughter, Master.”
“Thank you.”
Great. It’s done.
Although he seemed quite reluctant, So Jung-yang couldn’t deny my opinion.
After all, he too wants his daughter to do well.
He wasn’t unaware that this opportunity could be a chance for her to grow.
After getting his permission and coming out, Sowol, who had been waiting outside, approached me. I nodded in response to her questioning gaze, and she lightly clenched her fist.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes. I’m a bit excited.”
Most swordsmen tend to get excited about their first kill.
“But what’s important is…”
“I know. Detachment, right?”
“Yes. Killing someone, saving someone. You shouldn’t attach too much meaning to it.”
Detachment. Detachment is important.
I reached out to pat Sowol’s head, but she twisted her head to avoid my hand. After a moment of silence, she asked.
“…How was it for you at first, mister?”
“Me?”
My first time killing, huh.
After coming to this world, I killed many to build my strength.
There were those who were after what I needed to obtain right away, and those who were hiding in places where I needed to go.
Besides them, there were countless others who needed to be killed.
What was I thinking when I killed those guys?
“…I don’t think I had any particular thoughts.”
“Then does that mean you have talent too, mister?”
I can’t say I don’t.
Instead of answering, I walked forward.
The next night, all the troops heading towards Moon Fang Mountain were dressed in black. Only the red insignias on their arms, which distinguished friend from foe, were faintly visible in the darkness.
“Then we’ll take the vanguard.”
The plan is as follows:
While the lord’s soldiers draw the attention of the Skull Gang near Moon Fang Mountain, the Eastern Trading Company’s warriors will attack from the rear to cause confusion among the enemy.
And in the process, I will take down the Skull Warrior Lungbit.
That can be seen as the framework of this operation.
I looked at Sowol next to me. Although I had to face a strong enemy like the Skull Warrior Lungbit while taking care of Sowol, I wasn’t particularly worried.
“Then let’s begin.”
As So Jung-yang, who was at the front, raised his hand, the black-clad members of the Eastern Trading Company began to move.
It began as we carefully climbed over the rear of Moon Fang Mountain and approached the Skull Gang’s mountain fortress.
– Waaaaaah!!
The lord’s soldiers began to attack, shouting from the foot of the mountain, and the Skull Gang members inside started to move.
Naturally, the rear guard weakened, creating gaps for us to enter.
“We’re going in.”
Warriors with grappling hooks threw ropes over the palisade.
They quickly climbed up and started lowering ladders.
“Who are you?!”
Oh no. We’ve been spotted.
I quickly climbed up the ladder, cut the guy’s throat, and looked around.
There it is.
The back gate in the palisade.
I jumped down towards it and opened the bolt on the gate.
Shouts were heard as the gate opened, and the Eastern Trading Company warriors began to rush in quickly.
“We’re under attack from the rear!!”
“It’s a diversion! A diversion!!”
These bastards. They caught on quickly.
“Master Lee!!”
“Yes, I understand. Sowol. Follow me.”
“Yes.”
Sowol, who had been near So Jung-yang, scurried over to me.
Taking her with me, I raised my sword against the oncoming Skull Gang members.
“Lord of Fire.”
A massive flame formed at the tip of my sword flew out, burning several Skull Gang members.
As those who died burning without even a scream collapsed, I said to Sowol.
“This is the boundary between life and death. The extra lesson starts now.”
“What… should I do?”
To Sowol’s question as she gripped her wooden sword tightly, I pointed my sword at the enemies who were starting to charge at us.
“Survive.”