Chapter 65: Swordsmanship and Test Results
Lucian and I went to the garden, but no one was there.
Huh? The teacher hasn't arrived yet? Just as I thought that, Jack-san appeared in front of us.
What's wrong? You're always watching Lucian's back.
"Well then, shall we begin the practice?"
"Jack, since Leon is here today, I'll leave the basics to you."
Huh!? Jack-san is the teacher!?
But it makes sense; he's always with us as a guard, and he's probably perfect for being a teacher.
"So, Jack-san is the teacher?"
"That's right, I'm tough, you know."
Jack-san said to me with a teasing look on his face. That's what I'm hoping for!
"Please be tough on me!"
"Oh, you're motivated. Have you ever held a sword?"
"No, I haven't."
"Then let's start with how to hold it."
Saying that, Jack-san handed me a wooden sword.
"Lucian-sama, please do some warm-up swings."
"Understood."
Lucian seems to be practicing his swings alone. He looks quite dignified and cool. I want to try it soon too.
"As for the grip, the basic is holding it with the right hand on top and the left hand below. However, if your dominant hand is left, there are those who hold it the opposite way."
"Understood."
Are swords in this world all two-handed swords? Do they not use shields?
"If you're holding a two-handed sword, do you not use a shield?"
"Mostly not. Occasionally someone does, but generally, defense is provided by armor. Well, even if you were to use a shield in the future, it's still essential to master the basics of the two-handed sword."
"Yes, please teach me!"
"Alright, try holding it."
I grasped the wooden sword as instructed, holding it out in front of me. It's surprisingly heavy.
"Is this okay?"
"That's fine. Well then, let's start with the most basic swings. Fifty downward swings from top to bottom. It's actually a hundred, but since you're a beginner, we'll start with fifty. Begin!"
"Yes!"
I began practicing the downward swings as instructed.
This is tougher than I thought... The wooden sword is heavy, and my arms are getting sore. Plus, my accuracy and speed are diminishing.
"Twenty more to go! Don't slow down your pace."
"Yes!"
Even though he said not to slow down, this is really tough. In addition to practicing magic, I've been working on building stamina and strength, but swinging a sword like this is way harder. It's tough on a kid's body...
However, Lucian keeps swinging his sword while sweating. Consistent practice is indeed important. I'll do my best too.
I could use body enhancement magic, but that magic enhances the original physical abilities, so the more trained the body, the more effective it becomes. So, I want to train without using it, except during real combat.
"Fifty!"
Finally done... My arms ache, and I'm quite out of breath. This is tough. I prioritized practicing magic, so I've been neglecting building stamina. I need to do more.
"Next, downward swings from upper right to lower left. Another fifty. Begin!"
"What?! There's more!?"
"You didn't think it would end with just that, did you?"
Seriously... If there are downward swings from upper right to lower left, does that mean there are also opposite swings? Seriously...
I urged my tired body forward and started the swings again.
"One... Two... Three... Four... Forty-nine... Fifty!"
"Huff... Huff... Huff..."
Uh-oh, I'm extremely tired. I'm on my knees, breathing heavily, and covered in sweat. This is too much. Jack-san is really tough!
"Can you go on?"
"W-Wait a moment! Can I rest a bit?"
"Well, fine. Just a short break."
As soon as I heard those words, I sat down on the ground. I didn't expect it to be this tough...
Lucian, does he always do such demanding training? I looked towards him and saw that he was taking a break too.
"Jack-san, Lucian seems to be quite skilled, but do all nobles handle swords as well as Lucian?"
"Not everyone. It's true that second sons and below among the nobles tend to aim for knighthood or civil service, so those aiming for knighthood tend to be skilled. However, the eldest sons who inherit the family and those aiming for civil service often can't handle swords well. There are basic swordsmanship classes at the royal school, so most nobles can at least do the basics, but few go beyond that level."
I see. If there's no reason to train in swordsmanship, most wouldn't want to endure something this grueling.
But Lucian is the eldest son, right? Why is he taking this so seriously?
"But Lucian is the eldest son, right?"
"That's correct. Lucian-sama just loves the sword. He became interested in swords when he was little and has been practicing diligently every day since. He also seems to have a talent for it. Even though he's just ten years old, his skill is quite remarkable."
Lucian is amazing... I need to work hard not to lose to him. I gathered my resolve and stood up again.
"Please continue!"
"All right! Next, fifty downward swings from upper left to lower right."
"Yes!"
And so, I continued with the downward swings, then the upward swings from lower right to upper left, and finally the upward swings from lower left to upper right. The practice swings came to an end.
I'm seriously exhausted...
"I didn't think I could make it until the end. Those with determination are suited for swordsmanship."
"If you practice every day from now on, you'll definitely become stronger. I'll lend you that sword."
Thank you very much!
With a sense of accomplishment, I was somehow moved. I'll practice with this wooden sword every day!
While I was determined to do that, Lucian came over.
"Leon, did you manage to do fifty swings? Impressive, I thought it was impossible. Even I find it tough."
Huh? Wasn't it a hundred swings normally?
"But, wasn't it a hundred times according to Jack?"
"That's Jack's usual way, right? Since I'm still a child and my body isn't fully developed, I started with ten swings at first, and now I do thirty swings."
What's that!? I thought it would still be pretty tough!
"Jack!"
"Sorry, sorry, I meant it as a little joke. But you really kept up with the practice more than I expected, so I let you continue because you seemed to be enjoying it."
Jack scratched his head while giving a wry smile.
It was just a joke, but it was so hard!!
Well, it was a beneficial practice, so it's okay. From now on, I'll start with about thirty swings a day and gradually increase it. I might break my body if I do this every day.
"Well then, let's finish today's practice here."
"Sounds good, Jack. Thanks."
"Thank you very much."
Slightly reluctantly, I bowed my head. Expressing gratitude is important after all.
After that, we returned to our respective rooms.
As soon as I got back to my room, I washed off the sweat in the bath. I felt so sweaty and uncomfortable. I feel refreshed now!
And as I was resting until dinner time, a servant came to my room. It's someone I haven't seen before. I wonder what they want?
After Roger handled it and came back to the room, he had an envelope in his hand.
"Leon-sama, it seems the results of the royal school's entrance exam have arrived."
Oh! Already? That's fast.
I carefully opened the envelope handed to me by Roger and checked inside. There were two sheets of paper.
The first sheet seemed to be the exam results. A big "Pass" was written on it!
Thank goodness. I was pretty sure I'd pass, but I was a little nervous. At least now I can relax. I took out the second sheet.
The other sheet had the schedule for the entrance ceremony. So there's an entrance ceremony. I wonder if it's totally different from the ones in Japan? I'm a bit excited.
I wanted to report the results to Lucian, so I asked Roger if it was okay to visit Lucian's room.
As I waited a bit nervously, Roger returned with a slightly puzzled expression, accompanied by Lucian.
"Leon, did you pass!?"
"Lucian-sama!? Why are you here? I was planning to go..."
"It's faster if I come here."
"Well, that's true but..."
Normally, I would be the one visiting Lucian-sama, I think... Well, it's not necessary to be so strict within this mansion, I guess.
"Anyway, how did it go? You passed, right, Leon?"
"Yes, I passed. You did too, right, Lucian-sama?"
"Of course. Alright, now we can go together!"
Lucian was innocently delighted. He's rarely this innocent, he usually acts so mature. Well, when it's just the two of us, he can be quite childish at times.
I was a bit surprised, but I felt even happier seeing Lucian's joy.
"I'm looking forward to going together. Please take care of me from now on!"
"Of course. Likewise."
Leon and Lucian shook hands and smiled at each other. Somehow, I'm starting to look forward to what's to come.
"Oh, right. I brought this as well."
Saying that, Lucian handed me a book on etiquette.
"Thank you. I'll read it carefully. How long can I borrow it for?"
"I already memorized its contents, so you can keep it as long as you need. Just return it when you've memorized it, Leon."
"Understood. Then I'll borrow it for a while."
Now I won't make mistakes in etiquette anymore. If I can't remember everything, maybe I should consider copying it down on paper. I should buy a lot of paper next time. I'll probably need it at the royal school.
"Well then, since it's almost time for dinner, I'll head back to my room. Sorry for barging in."
"No, thank you very much for coming."
Lucian left like a whirlwind. He must have been really happy about passing. Even though he usually acts mature, he's still a ten-year-old child at heart. I realized that and felt a somewhat heartwarming sensation.
"Leon-sama, shall we head to the dining hall soon?"
"Yes, let's go."