A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic
chapter-289

***Chapter 289 The Boy and Onee-san – The End***

The walls were lined with bookshelves, except for the entrance and the back door.

The counter was piled high with books under repair or maintenance.

When Kyuris was a child, he had thought about becoming a soldier when he turned fifteen, but he was repeatedly told that it was not suitable for him as he was easily distracted, and that it was absolutely impossible, so even now at fifteen, he still helped out at his family's rental bookstore.

He had half-resigned herself to the fact that he would eventually take over the business.

"If you want to read a book, why don't you borrow one?"

"I'm helping out at the store. The aunt asked me to."

Who was she imitating?

With her brown hair tied in two ponytails behind her ears, she had a face that was between pretty and cute.

Leaning casually on the counter without helping with the repairs, she kept her eyes on an open book and answered.

Although her appearance has changed, Shelicia has not changed since she was a child.

"Welcome. ...My, Elka-sama. Are you returning a book?"

As soon as the door opened and the bell rang, she smiled and started serving customers, a smile she never showed to Kyuris.

She knew better than Kyuris what kind of customers or what kind of books they like, and so on.

While Kyuris was putting away the books after receiving them, she lent out a book that had just come in, saying that it was a book she recommended to Elka-sama.

Rather than Kyuris it was her who ran the rental bookstore.

When a customer leaves the store, she snorts, ‘Fufun’.

"I don't just read books, I study what kind of books they read. I can't recommend books that I haven't read to customers, right?"

"I get it. I was wrong. ...I can't win an argument with you."

"It’s ‘even in an argument’, right?"

"... I'll pull out my sword."

Shelicia smiled happily, and Kyuris sighed.

Though Kyuris has learned body strengthening and can now fight the instructors evenly, he still keeps losing.

But Shelicia was already able to get a point from the instructors.

She was said to be close to becoming an assistant instructor, and was the most talented among the teenagers.

Naturally, he loses the sparring more often than winning, and Kyuris couldn’t be aggressive.

"I'm sorry, Shelicia."

"No, don't worry about it."

As Kyuris was about to say something after seeing her mocking smile, his mother appeared from behind.

"I've finished my business, so you can take Kyuris."

"Yes, but...is Oba-san okay with this alone? It must be hard for you, Oji-san is also bedridden..."

"It's just his usual back pain. Don't worry about it. ... Kyuris, make sure to see her home safely."

"I don't think there are many people who would attack Shelicia, though."

“...Kyuris.”

"*Sigh*, I know mom..."

He glanced at Shelicia, who was giggling, and left the store.

It wasn't exactly a stone's throw away, but it was quite a walk to the dojo.

As he went to the dojo while being teased by the high-spirited Shelicia,

“Krische-sama”

It was a silver-haired girl in an apron dress.

"Hello. ...Ehehe, you two get along well as always. That's good."

"Um, well, yeah, sort of..."

Usually Shelicia was very strong-willed and didn’t hold back when it comes to talking to Curis, but it was kind of unfair that she was acting strangely shy at times like this.

Seeing Shelicia blushing and looking away, Kyuris sighed, then looked at Krische, who tilted her head in confusion.

Today she was carrying a basket.

"Cookies?"

"Yes. They were gone so quickly last time, so Krische made a bunch today. There are a lot more kids now than before..."

Her smiling face was just like that of a neighborhood Onee-san.

Kids who didn't know Alberinea well remember her not even as Krische, but as the Cookie Onee-san.

No one would ever think that this Onee-san was the greatest swordsman of all time.

Kyuris also had thought the same about her before he actually saw it.

In a circle of over a hundred people, there was a tall man and a small girl with silver hair.

――The distance between the two was six ken.

Even among magic possessors, those who were called masters could shorten a distance of five ken in one breath and inflict a fatal wound on their opponent.

To those who weren’t magic possessors, this distance was far enough, but even if it was a bout between children, it was a rule at the Black Flag Sword Training Dojo that the fight must always begin with a distance of at least five ken.

The instructor said that it was not about whether you can step in or not, but you must intuitively understand the possibility that your opponent can step in that fast.

At first, it was difficult and bothersome, but once he realized that there were people like Kalua in the world, he obediently went along with it.

If they cannot recognize the possibility that five meters was within the opponent's blade range, they will be killed instantly, no questions asked.

Even more so if the opponent had a long weapon or physique.

For someone as tall as Wesliel, and from what he had seen earlier, 5 ken was easily within Wesliel’s blade range.

It wasn't just because Merkes was intimidated that he gradually opened the distance.

It was probably because he understood that the 5 ken distance he had unconsciously chosen was inside the opponent's blade range.

But Krische, who seemed to have distanced herself without thinking, was about one ken further away than Merkes.

A too bold statement. Her natural appearance. An expression as if she was not thinking.

But she seemed to be calmly grasping the limits of her opponent's range, and Kyuris gulped.

"...Even if it's just a sparring match, if you're serious, you could accidentally get seriously injured."

"It's okay. Krische won't get hurt, and even if the sword stabs Krische... uhh, Krische swear on Krische’s name that Krische won't complain."

A smile without any pretense.

Wesliel looked at Krische and said, ‘If you say so, then’ and pulled out his long sword from his waist.

The blade was three and a half shaku long. It looked slender overall, but it was thickly layered, and it had a mysterious sense of weight and sharpness.

When he held it with his right side forward――it seemed his reach was comparable to a spear.

The atmosphere became even more heavy and cold.

Did they notice the situation here?

People were starting to gather from other places, but no one made a fuss, just watched the two of them in silence.

At the very least, it was not the kind of atmosphere where they could chat.

"*Sigh9... Usa-chan, where are your gauntlets?"

"Hmm... It's just a little sparring, so it's fine for now. ...Ah, Krische is ok anytime, Zain-san."

"...anytime?"

"Krische, doesn't have any particular stance."

These words added fuel to the fire.

Kyuris felt dizzy.

Wesliel's eyes sharpened even more, and the room froze.

Everyone there must have felt his quiet anger.

He felt a chill, as if the cold blood was rising from his feet, up his spine, and to the top of his head, and suddenly, someone pinched his left sleeve.

Without even looking, he clasped the small hand and tightly gripped his trousers with the other.

There was such pressure in this place that he would not be able to stand if he did not do so.

Just by Wesliel holding his sword, Kyuris felt as if a blade was pointed at his neck.

And everyone around him seemed to feel the same.

Even Kalua as she had an exasperated look on her face, there was a serious look in her eyes.

"I'm afraid... Isn't your arrogance and carelessness going too far?"

"arrogance...?"

Krische repeated, placing her fingertips on her cherry-colored lips. She tilted her head.

Her silver hair sways, and her purple eyes look at Wesliel curiously. She replies that it's not like that.

"Krische just did things appropriately and without any excess. ...Krische does what is necessary, when it is necessary, and does the bare minimum that is sufficient. This is the way a great servant taught Krische, a philosophy that applies to everything from housework to cooking and even fighting."

She held up her finger and nodded repeatedly with a very serious face.

"There's no need to take a mop out of the cupboard and clean every hallway just for a little stain. Always be aware of your surroundings, and wipe it down with a rag when the time comes... that's the bare minimum that is necessary and sufficient. ...In this case, Zain is just a little stain. Krische can wipe it down with a rag, so there's no need for a mop."

‘Krische doesn’t underestimate or let her guard down’, she nodded with a satisfied expression as if she had just said some very good things.

However, no matter how positively one tried to interpret it, it only sounded like she was provoking Wesliel, and watching Krische words only adding fuel to the fire, made Kyuris' stomach churn.

Kalua also clutched his forehead and shook her head from side to side.

"If you say that much, I have no more words to say. ...Well then, without any reservation."

"Yes, go ahe――"

What happened next was likely seen by only a few among the sword master present.

Wesliel stepped in, as if to release his suppressed anger.

Zain's sword stance was not just a formality.

The words he spoke earlier were, after all, merely superficial concepts.

Its true essence lies in the quiet use of magic power within the body and its expression.

Physical strengthening――explosive kinetic energy was generated by instantly pouring a great amount of magic power secretly refined within the body into the imaginary muscles that form the body.

By using it to the fullest for propulsion, he was able to skip the motion and go from stillness to stillness.

Performing an instantaneous charge, accelerating like an arrow.

Those who study the depths of the Zain style spend many years building strong imaginary muscles that could withstand the explosive pressure of magical power, and only when they can maintain that strength at all times were they considered a full-fledged Zain swordsman.

The forms that most learn were merely the entrance, and were merely the surface techniques.

Only once one has mastered the construction of advanced imaginary muscles and the use of magic power can one acquire both sides, Zain swordsmanship would demonstrate its true value.

There was no escaping it.

A charge that exceeds the speed of human reaction――if unleashed, it was a sure-kill, lethal blow.

Even if sensed, it was a sword that couldn’t be caught.

At best, one could only put some distance, and there was no way that a human could dodge the next flash that would pursue them.

This sword never missed its target once set.

――That was the ultimate Zain sword.

Of course, even Wesliel did not think that this alone makes it flawless.

In the absence of a ‘perfect user’, there are situations where one was forced to take a defensive stance.

Walter Zargan, who was not of Zain blood but had mastered its depths, was chosen by Elmel Zain as his successor.

He heard that his death was also the result of a surprise attack by Alberinea.

The battlefield was a chaotic world.

Zain's sword was a deadly weapon, but whether or not one could create the opportunity to unleash it depends on the individual's ability.

Even after one had mastered both sides of Zain's sword, they were still on a never-ending journey of training.

Walter Zagan's death was only a personal defeat for him, but that did not mean that Zain's sword was defeated.

However, the public's opinion was different.

It was said that the legitimate successor to Zain-style swordsmanship was defeated by Alberinea without being able to do anything, and the people said that in the end, its true nature was a dojo sword, a swordsmanship used for recreational duels by nobles.

When Walter sided with the Royal Prince, Gildanstein, the nobles abandoned him for fear of incurring the Queen's displeasure, and the dojo, with its reputation tarnished, was temporarily on the verge of collapse.

‘There can be no sin in learning’, were the words of the Queen.

They invited Bagil Sandika, a master of Zain-style swordsmanship who had survived the battlefield, from outside and publicized his achievements, and finally succeeded in recovering. But that was why he couldn't stand Alberinea's words, which seemed to scoff at their efforts up to that point.

He knew she had no ill intentions.

Everyone could be unconsciously arrogant, born of their talent.

――But now that she had spoken it here, he couldn't overlook it.

Even the way she stood and walked was serene.

He had no doubt that Alberinea was a swordsman strong enough to kill Walter.

She was fully endowed with the presence of the strong.

Blessed with all sorts of talent, and with all that experience, her swordsmanship was surely outstanding.

But in front of Zain's sword, she allowed him to strike first, defenseless.

That was nothing less than contempt.

It was a deadly sword that there was no way for anyone to react once it was unleashed.

He hadn't gone easy on her.

The blade shifted so that it would pierce the side of his neck, but it accelerated to its maximum and delivered the best blow.

There was no chance it would hurt her.

Because it was a sword that surpassed human reaction.

It didn't seem like the sword had read his presence, and there was no movement the moment he charged in.

That's why Alberinea stood there, frozen, her right-side neck pierced――or so she should have noticed.

"!?"

In that moment that even Wesliel couldn't properly register――Alberinea moved after the blade was released,

"Gu, gh!?"

What he felt was the sensation of the sword being pulled.

Then his foot was caught, and by the time he realized it, he had fallen face-first onto the ground.

"Ehehe, guess it’s like this?"

――The heel of a reinforced boot was resting on Wesliel's neck as he collapsed face-down.

"Even with someone as heavy as Krische, if you push down hard enough, you can easily break the neck, so stepping on the neck of someone you've knocked down like this is quite effective. It doesn't splatter blood or get dirty, and it doesn't stain your sword."

With the exception of Kalua, who had been watching her ‘arts of murderer’ up close for many years, no one knew what had happened and was frozen in place.

All they could see was that Wesliel had suddenly appeared, having fallen beside her, and even Ka;ua couldn't see clearly what she had done.

But they only knew from experience.

"As you can see, a thrust is a fast and powerful attack, but the trajectory is easy to understand, and it's easy to predict how far it will reach from the position of the foot you step in."

After releasing her foot, Krische suddenly took a thrusting stance with her bare hands.

From the same Zain stance as Wesliel, as if thrusting out a sword.

"When the opponent's sword reaches its full length, grab it and pull it back, and then, oops..."

Then, as if the sword she thrusted was being pulled, she leaned forward and hopped up and down on one leg――and finally, the people watching realized that she was explaining.

"That's how you can make them lose their balance. If you trip them up and knock them over, it's roughly like this."

She calmly pointed to the Wesliel and told them to be careful.

The girl spoke without showing any sign of surprise at the impressive sword.

Even after hearing her words, only a handful were able to understand on the spot.

To begin with, no one was able to react to the Wesliel's thrust, and even Wesliel, who had been knocked over and had his neck stepped on, was in the midst of confusion.

Zain's sword. A lightning-fast sword that transcended human reaction.

In response, Alberinea picked up the blade and pulled it as if it were the most natural thing to do.

She wasn't even wearing gauntlets, she was completely barehanded.

In other words, using the springs of her entire body, starting from the tips of her toes, she concentrated all her strength to the limit, and then unleashed the fastest thrust――and controlled her hands to ‘match that speed’.

Even the slightest delay would have cut her hand away.

Even to Wesliel who aimed for the limits of humanity, it seemed impossible for a human to do.

Without the precision of her movements, without even the tiniest bit of deviation, and reaction speed that seemed to transcend even time, it would be impossible to reach the work of a god.

Only those who have pride in their own swordsmanship could recognize this enormous gap.

Those purple eyes that were like those of a dragon――Alberinea was the embodiment of heaven's will in human form.

Do not challenge, do not resist. Never try.

Humans had no choice but to hide in the storm, and bow down to the lightning.

Remembering the song that praised and revered her, Wesliel broke out in a sweat.

He understood in just one moment what it was that he had challenged and tried to resist.

"When you thrust, your body stretches out for an instant, so you have to launch it when the opponent cannot react and you are sure to kill them. There are many enemies on the battlefield, so Krische only uses it when she wants to randomly stab someone with a sword she picked up."

Hearing her smiling while saying that, Kyuris also remembered the words she had heard from Buck that morning.

The child who had been pulled down by his arm and fallen overlapped with the figure of the master in front of him.

There was an incomparable difference in the skills of the two, but the principle was probably the same.

Use the opponent's movement to throw them off balance.

It's simple and clear when you put it into words.

But Krische demonstrated it as if it were the same thing.

The master was being knocked down like a child right in front of his eyes.

Even the head instructor, Kalua, was an adult and was only like a child in front of Krische.

He had heard those words many times, and doubted them each time.

――Finally understanding them, a chill ran down his spine.

"Zain-san, what's wrong?"

"No... nothing..."

Wesliel, who still seemed to have not recovered from the confusion, slowly stood up,

"Then, one more time."

"...Haa"

He took a deep breath at those words and prepared himself again.

It took only a moment for the turmoil in his heart to be erased.

An icy pressure filled the air again, and after a beat, the next moment came.

"...!?"

To Kyuris's eyes, Wesliel had indeed disappeared.

He closed the distance in an instant, and the tip of his sword extended.

But the sword pierced only the air.

Alberinea stood behind Wesliel, her long hair like two tails swaying.

Wesliel was frozen for only a moment――as he turned around, she dodged the whirlwind-like flash with the tip of her nose, and by the second and third flash, it seemed as if the sword had slipped through her.

The girl's smile was like an illusion.

Any normal person would have been cut in half by the sword flash without even realizing what had happened, but her movements seemed slow, swaying back and forth.

And yet, she moved smoothly, as if she had nerves running through her hair and the edges of her clothing, without even touching a single strand of hair or the fluttering cloak.

"Your thrusts are pretty good. The rest of them aren't that bad individually either, but――"

When the sword flashes exceeded ten, Wesliel swung a freezing horizontal slash.

Alberinea, who should have been cut off from the torso up, slipped through and crawled along the ground, her curved sword reaching out from under Wesliel's feet.

"Maybe the link is a little loose."

The blade, bent in an L shape, crawled along the man's neck.

It was so smooth, as if caressing the soft flesh.

Her face was the same, a smile like that of a ‘neighborhood Onee-san’.

The only thing that was distorted was the curved sword in her hand, and the way she played with the neck of the man who should be called a master.

She twirled the curved sword in her hand and moved away, then turned around,

"It's not good to have to pause each movement. It's easy to kill someone without swinging a fast sword, so excessive speed is unnecessary."

With that, she stepped forward.

That was all――but the movement was frighteningly smooth, and the moment he realized it was a step, Krische's body was already in front of Wesliel.

Wesliel instantly leapt backwards, but Krische easily caught up with him, grabbed him by the collar and pushed him down, while simultaneously pressing the blade to his neck.

"Besides, if you try to move quickly or swing your sword fast, inertia would come into play, and you will be bound by that and your options become limited. With a sword, as long as the blade is aligned, it will cut automatically, so there's no need to worry about speed."

She quickly moved away and smiled at Wesliel, who stood up again with a look of shock on his face.

“If you step in as far as you can control, like you just did, Krische can match the tip of the back end of whatever sword the opponent is swinging. But that doesn't mean that if the opponent moves out of range, that's checkmate――the human body is built to move forward faster than backward."

This time, as she stepped in, she swept her right curved sword from the outside to the inside.

The horizontal slash was also strangely gentle.

It wasn't slow, but that didn't mean it was fast either.

He saw Wesliel instantly try to deflect the curved sword,

"Hs..."

At that moment, Krische's sword slipped through it――no, even her body slipped through Wesliel's body, and she turned backwards in an instant.

Kicking the back of his knees and forcing him to kneel, she pressed the curved sword against his neck from behind, slicing it.

"Situations where fast movements are necessary are like this, only when you can definitely kill the opponent with it. What you should think about in a fight is how to reduce the opponent's possible actions while leaving as many options as possible for you, and how to kill them by leading them to zero. The basic principle is to only use fast movements when the opponent's posture is insufficient――when they are physically unable to deal with you."

If she put in just a little more force, Wesliel would die with that.

There was a hopeless difference in strength between the two, beyond the word strong.

She stepped away again and raised her finger to explain.

"Everyone is distracted by instantaneous speed, but what's important is not speed but time to reach the target. A fast sword is not bad in that it shortens the time to reach the target and can kill with a small opening, but in the end, what's important is to create a fatal opening for the opponent――"

‘The philosophy of the Zain method is basically like this, right?’, Krische asked.

"Ts..., as you said."

"...In military operations, you can't see the enemy's situation, there are many blind spots, and it can be difficult, but when you're facing one-on-one like this, there are no blind spots and you can see everything, so it's very easy. You calculate all the possible actions of the enemy, eliminate them step by step, and break them down, and that's it."

She says it as if it was natural, and she never stopped smiling, as if she was having fun.

"Corner the enemy so that they can't do anything――"

She looked at Wesliel preparing again, and stepped forward.

She kicked Wesliel’s high-speed sword with her heel as if it was natural, knocking it away,

"――The ideal thing would be to leave them defenseless and then quickly slice their neck open, then move on to the next one."

She pressed her sword smoothly against his neck.

A one-sided, routine lecture on the art of murder, addressed to a master.

The neck was a vital part of the body, and protecting it was the most basic of basics.

There was no way Wesliel didn't know this, but there was no question.

She simply repeated it.

Alberinea had a morbid love for shaving off the soft flesh of necks so that her twisted curved sword wouldn't hurt them――she was nicknamed the Head Hunter.

Kyuris remembered many anecdotes about this.

From ordinary soldiers to heroes, masters, and brave heroes――Alberinea hunted their heads.

She cuts human heads carelessly, like harvesting wheat with a sickle.

"If you have the time, it's a good idea to kill someone while thinking about how to kill the next person Krische doesn't like to do this because it damage the sword, but you could just cut off their limbs first――"

Just as the anecdote said――the master swordsman Wesliel Zain was killed all too naturally.

That sword was unlike any other sword Kyuris had ever seen.

It had no overwhelming power, and no sense of pressure that would make one tense.

It was more like something that coiled around your feet up to your neck without you even noticing, like a snake.

It was the kind of unreasonable and sudden thought that made Kyuris imagine having his neck split open by a sudden gust of wind.

‘...She's the epitome of the unreasonable. There's nothing more unreasonable on the battlefield than facing her. She cuts through enemy lines as if parting grass, and takes the heads of generals as easily as picking fruit.’

There was no lie in Merkes' words.

It's precisely because she made human reason no longer valid that she was called the ‘Heavenly Sword’.

That's why she flatly denied even the deadly blade that Wesliel spoke of.

"――Well, guess that's the basics of swordsmanship. Of course, that's not to say that Zain's style is bad. Kyuris, wooden sword."

"Uh, ah... yes..."

Krische put the curved sword back into its sheath and took the wooden sword Kyuris offered her.

Then, standing about six meters away, she faced Wesliel, whose face was pale and covered in sweat.

The girl held her sword in front of her――Zain's style.

"When you hold your sword in front of your body, there's inevitably less preparatory movement, so it can be effective in some cases. After measuring the opponent's reaction speed, if there's this much of a difference in ability――"

She went from still to still.

She pierced Wesliel's neck right next to it with the wooden sword, and for a moment he lost sight of Krische.

Her silver hair and cloak fluttered down softly a beat later, as if to make up for lost time.

――The sword of Zain, which leaps even through time.

"This stance isn't bad at all, since it lets you take the first step in the shortest and fastest time possible."

Even Wesliel, Zain's successor, had his limits.

He fell on his buttocks, frightened by the wooden sword and its sudden appearance.

A beat later, the breeze that reached Kyuris felt strangely cold.

"Krische personally think it's best to swing the sword loosely and lightly, rather than with a sharp movement, but most people can't even swing a sword as smoothly and powerfully as Zain, so one option is to first learn how to step in and swing the sword quickly in Zain style."

The way he spoke remained the same from start to finish, and in terms of seriousness, she was more serious about cooking.

At least to her, a sword was only that important.

"Even in cooking, the bare minimum was to be able to use knives and cooking utensils skillfully. What's important is to think about how to use those skills to make delicious food. There is no answer to this, and it requires a deep, endless quest that even Krische’s teacher says she is only halfway there... but in that respect, swordsmanship is similar."

Nodding in agreement, she continued, not noticing that no one was saying a word.

"In the end, a sword is just a way to make cuts in moving meat. It can't be compared to the depth of cooking. However, both have in common that you first learn the bare minimum of skills and then increase the range of your possible actions, and it's important to be aware of and think about the bare minimum, regardless of one skill."

‘Do you understand?’ Krische turned around and looked at Wesliel, who was still sitting on his butt.

She didn't seem intimidating at all, and she smiled calmly like a child.

Her atmosphere and everything, including her purple eyes, were the usual ‘Onee-san’ she always was.

Without distinction between child and adult, amateur and expert.

He realized that she was someone who could look down on people like that and be forgiven for it.

The gentle purple color that the boy always saw now seemed incredibly terrifying, and he shivered.

"The Zain style... sword..."

Wesliel, who had been staring at her in amazement, rose to his feet, dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"...I have seen... the profound depths beyond..."

His trembling voice and the trembling fist touching the ground were visible.

What kind of being was Alberinea?

No one would think that he was foolish for challenging her without knowing that.

Everyone looked at him with pity, though even that gaze seemed cruel.

"...Hmm, Krische doesn't really get it, but well, if you understand, that's good. It seems like you're swinging the sword pretty well, so from now on, try to think about how to put it together overall, not with a 'kyukkyukyukyu' kind of feel, but with a 'fuwa, kyu, shuubi' kind of feel."

"...Understood."

"Please do your best. Kalua, we're done, so shall we go and check out something else?"

"*Sigh*...I'm starting to feel like this exchange event is going to end because of Usa-chan."

"...? Ah, Kyuris, here. This is a good opportunity for Kyuris, so let's get Zain and the others to teach you all sorts of things."

"Y-Yes..."

What could he possibly be taught in this situation?

He didn't think that a depressed Wesliel would be able to recover quickly enough to be able to give instruction, but Kyuris had no choice but to nod.

In the midst of the cold atmosphere, she was the only one in a good mood, not noticing it.

She looked satisfied as if he had given a good lesson, unaware that he had pulverized into pieces something that a man had probably risked his life for and acquired through extraordinary training.

When she rode off on Suiko with Kalua and disappeared somewhere, the only lively atmosphere disappeared from the venue――leaving behind only a heavy, hopeless atmosphere.

Everyone seemed to accept that the helpless defeat of the legitimate successor to Zain was inevitable against Alberinea.

Another big reason was that she continued to break the spirits of the gathered dojo masters.

In the forest, the trees were hidden.

Alberinea was not an opponent to challenge, but someone to receive instruction from.

An atmosphere that it was no shame to lose had naturally developed.

The following year, she also participated in the exchange meeting, which had become a regular occurrence.

Seeing her in an apron dress (when she showed up, perhaps because of that tragedy, they somehow ended up holding an outdoor cooking class at the sword-fighting exchange meeting), bowing deeply and asking for her instruction as if they were a pupil, even Kyuris, who had witnessed the tragedy, felt a sense of relief.

As soon as Krische entered the dojo, the children crowded around her, asking for cookies, and while she complained, she gave them to them with a smile――no matter how you look at it, it was the neighborhood Cookie Onee-san.

It was terrifying to think she was the same person.

Hearing Kalua say she was like that even on the battlefield made it easy to imagine her cutting off heads with that same smile, though they probably wouldn't get to see it again.

Kyuris didn’t particularly want to see it.

To Kyuris, the Queen's Sister Alberinea was a kind and strange older sister after all. And that's fine.

The image of her handing out cookies suited her better, and it completely cleared up any doubts that Krische was weak.

That sword technique was beyond their ability to learn, and it was easier for Kyuris and the others to understand and more fruitful if they were taught by Kalua, who had supposedly learned it from her.

"Oh, Shelicia. Kyuris too. I didn't think you'd come today."

"Sorry, Director. I've got some work to do at home..."

"Fufu, you don't have to apologize. Actually, I wanted to ask you to train the kids..."

The Director, Mia, showed up.

As always, she didn’t look very strong, but he no longer had any ‘misunderstandings’ about her.

The last day of the exchange meeting.

Kalua suggested that they take the opportunity to do some javelin throwing, and they got to see the rare sight of the Director throwing a spear, which dispelled the theory that the Director was weak.

‘See, it's not like she’s swinging a sword, and she’s good at it, right?’

‘...You know, it's been more than twenty years since I last threw a spear.’

"It's all right, Mia, whether the last time you threw a spear was yesterday or twenty years ago. ...Just throw it with all your might.'

'This...!'

After seeing Kahlua's brilliant javelin throw, it looked like a world apart.

Just as she said, it was a throw with almost no run-up.

However, the heavy melee spear she threw at Kalua easily pierced the tree behind her, breaking it.

The children who were watching froze at the tremendous force of the spear.

If it had hit, a human's torso would have been easily blown away.

Even if the opponent was the superhuman Kalua, the sight of Mia calmly unleashing such violence at close range was not something that an ordinary person could do.

Though she appears calm, she was also a monster who had survived many battlefields.

'Mia, how many pumpkins do you think the spear you broke would be worth? No, it's not a question of money. You shouldn't think that just because you bought it with your own money that you can use it roughly. It's a spear that a craftsman worked hard to make.'

'...I'm sorry. But I was planning to stab it into a tree and break it...it's been a while, so I'm not sure how much force I should use, you know...'

'Your excuses are unseemly, Director Mia. Everyone else is throwing it far, but you're throwing it at me――'

'Shut up!'

'Mia, Krische is lecturing you'

'Ugh...why me...'

It was a little disappointing that the javelin training was canceled because Krische had started lecturing her us, and they missed the opportunity to see Alberinea's spear throwing, which was said to be beyond the capabilities of a human, but whatever the case, after that, neither Kyuris nor the other children ever said that the two of them looked weak.

It was the first time in twenty years that she had thrown a javelin without a run-up, and it had such power――there was no need to imagine how powerful her javelin throws were when she was serious.

From then on, everyone respected her, never wanting to make her angry.

There was nothing more frightening than a person who normally didn’t get angry, and Mia was one of those people.

"I understand. Um... what's wrong with Zarka and the others?"

"Kalua and the others are hungover. I don't think they'll come out until around noon. Yesterday we all got together and drank for the first time in a while."

‘I stopped them halfway through’, Mia said in a sulky mood, but compared to the other warriors she looked very normal, but he was sure many were fooled by that.

The instructor's words, ‘Don't underestimate people by their appearances’, were deeply engraved in his heart.

Now Kyuris understood that appearing weak was also a skill.

"I see. I understand. ... That said, it doesn't look like we'll be practicing for a while."

"Well, with Krische-sama here, it's fine."

Mia gave a bitter smile as she watched the children crowd around the cookies.

Kyuris laughed, saying he had been like that at one point too.

Alberinea's homemade cookies were indeed the finest, they were not extravagant, but simple and somewhat rustic, with a gentle honey flavor.

Everyone was happy with the cookies she brought.

Mia said, ‘Please’, and bowed, going off somewhere, while Shelicia and him exchanged a wry smile.

"Why don't you get some Kyuris too?"

"...How old do you think I am? I'm already fifteen."

As he said this, he walked to the corner of the dojo.

While planning what he should focus on today, Krische came over after a while, bringing along a group of children.

He bowed his head and said, ‘sorry, and Cliche smiled and said, ‘Don't worry about it’, and handed me the cookies.

He gratefully accepted the cookies, then clapped his hands and lined up the children.

The number of children has increased every year, and now there are nearly forty lined up.

It must be the result of the reputation spreading that even mischievous children like Kyuris have settled down after attending here.

There are many days like today when the elementary school was not in session, and it was almost like a daycare center, but the directors didn't mind.

"――The more evenly matched the abilities are, the longer the fight will last, and the more tired you will become. You may find yourself unable to swing your sword as you intended, or even losing your weapon. That's why today I'm going to teach you some simple techniques to win a fight with your opponent."

Both Kyuris and Shelicia have been in charge of teaching the children for a long time, and were used to it, but standing next to Krische was still a little tense.

Unless asked, she doesn't interfere with the teaching, but Kyuris was still very inexperienced.

She was the ultimate swordsman, and the fact that she was observing him with her own eyes put a lot of pressure on her, so even Shelicia, who was usually so confident and used to dealing with children, had a slightly stiff face.

Since that time, Shelicia had come to have a strong admiration for her, so it must be even more so.

Shelicia is always trying hard not to show any shameful behavior, and her care was different.

"――First, do it like this, slowly, one by one. The important thing is the movement of the joints and the direction of the force. If you do it well, even I can easily defeat Kyuris, and you guys can easily defeat adults. The important thing is the bare minimum. Once you learn the principles, it's all about timing, don't try to do it with too much force. It will hurt your opponent."

Shelicia demonstrates the technique they would use today on Kyuris's body, told the children, and asked Krische.

"How was it? Krische-sama"

"Hm... Krische thinks that's a very easy explanation. The bare minimum is sufficient... as expected, it's a wonderful phrase that can be applied to anything."

Krische, who had been quoted, nodded repeatedly with satisfaction, saying that Shelicia had grown up.

Seeing this, Shelicia’s hair tied in two ponytails also swayed and she looked at Kyuris, smiling proudly.

Kyuris continues, half-exasperated.

"Now, let's practice this technique in pairs. It's best to pair people of similar height and with different abilities. If there are no questions, let's get started...Bolz?"

Suddenly, he saw a boy――Bolz looking down with a thoughtful expression.

A serious, dedicated boy who is the leader of the children, Bolz looked around at the children on both sides when asked.

The children nodded and looked at Bolz with expectant eyes, and Bolz clenched his fists as if he had made up his mind.

Kyuris tilted his head.

"What's the matter, is there something?"

"No, well... um, can I ask Krische-sama a question?"

"...? What is it, Bolz?"

Looking at the ‘Onee-san’ who also tilted her head, the boy asked with a very serious expression.

"Um, Krische-sama... is she really strong?"

――It was a question he remembered hearing a long time ago.

> Bonus Story <

"Anytime is fine, Wag Wag."

"Yes. Well then, here I go."

Many soldiers formed a circle, with the two in the center.

‘Heavenly Sword’ Krische Christand.

And the great swordsman who had mastered the Zain sword, Bagil Sandika.

Everyone had heard the rumor from the other day.

That the legitimate successor to the Zain style, Wesliel Zain, had been defeated without being able to do anything.

Why did Bagil challenge Alberinea? Many of the recruits assumed it was to avenge him.

‘A lightning-fast thrust too fast to even see――Alberinea grabbed the tip of the sword and pulled him down. Then she stepped on the back of his neck――’

‘――Did she step on him with her foot?’

‘Y-yes. That's right.'

'I see... it's worth a try.'

A rare serious tone in response to the words of the battalion commander who was at the exchange meeting.

It was so serious that even the battalion commander, who was old enough to have experienced the Unification War, shuddered.

Bagil Sandika was an old man over 90 years old, but even now, when confronted, he was a monster who would freeze you and seems to turn back into a child.

The battalion commander stiffened and told his men that something might be wrong.

His sword was on his right side――no one could see his charge with their eyes.

It was lightning speed.

However, Alberinea showed no sign of being shaken, and Bagil's body was leaning forward and floating in the air.

"!?"

Everyone there was astonished.

Even in that position, Bagil twisted his body into a spiral.

Everyone gasped at the split-second exchange and the incredible skill unfolding there, but Bagil fell flat on his back――

"...it's not the neck huh."

"Well...the inside of the skirt will be seen so...even then this much is enough to break the head."

Looking at Bagil's face――she stepped on his eye area and lifted her foot.

"... Um, Wag Wag? Is there any meaning to that...?"

What appeared on Alberinea's face was a genuine question.

"It's trial and error, and it's a failure in the process."

"Ah, I see..."

――Failure was a success in the verification that this will not work.

Bagil told his subordinates with a serious face.