Chapter 7
The Next Morning
After a restful night, Lucian woke up bright and early. Ever since Effie had left his house the day before, he couldn't shake off her offer from his mind. But he also found himself wondering if he could really overcome his own feelings of inadequacy, even with her support.
"Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about heavy stuff this early," he thought, rubbing his temples as a headache crept in. He decided to set those thoughts aside for now and headed outside to the small water tank. A refreshing bath was definitely in order!
After a quick shower to wake himself up, Lucian slipped on his soldier's cloak, strapped his sword back to his belt, and stepped out of the house.
"Up so early?" a voice called out from behind him just as he was about to close the door.
Turning around, Lucian saw Betty, his neighbor, with her lovely oval face and dark eyes sparkling with a smile. Her long, flowing black hair framed her face beautifully, and she wore a light gray dress that suited her perfectly.
"Oh, Betty! What's up? Can I help you with something?" Lucian greeted her with a warm smile.
Betty lived with her elderly farmer parents and had always admired Lucian for his willingness to lend a hand whenever she needed it.
"Actually, yes! Are you free this evening? I could really use your help with something," she said, her hands clasped nervously. She had been curious ever since she saw a woman leaving Lucian's house the night before, and now that she saw him heading off to work, she couldn't resist asking.
Betty had developed feelings for Lucian a long time ago, and the thought of another woman around made her a bit anxious. She hoped that by inviting him to the market under the pretense of needing help, she could find the courage to ask him something important.
But Lucian's response dashed her hopes. "I'm really sorry, Betty, but I'll be super busy for the next few days. If it's not urgent, could you wait? I promise I'll help you out as soon as I can."
As he walked away, Lucian couldn't help but wonder why his predecessor had so many female friends. Here he was, in a new body with all the perks of modern life, yet he didn't have a special someone. It was a bit disappointing.
"Oh, I understand. We'll go when you're free," Betty replied, feeling a little let down but trying to hide it. She knew Lucian was working hard to improve himself, despite what others said about him.
With a grin, Lucian said, "Alright, I'll catch you later!" and headed off. After a moment of reflection, Betty heard her mother calling her and decided to head back home.
---
After a nice walk, Lucian arrived at the training grounds, completely focused on his goal of self-improvement and forgetting all about Betty's request.
As he passed through the large wooden gate, he noticed only a few people training, all of whom were too engrossed in their exercises to pay him any mind. Lucian appreciated the peace and quiet; he didn't want any distractions while he trained.
Finding a secluded spot that felt right, he dragged a wooden training dummy over and began to dig into his predecessor's memories once more.
"What is this? Is this really all he knew?" Lucian muttered to himself. He figured that since he was a soldier for House Crowfield, his predecessor must have picked up some sword techniques, even if they were just basic ones.
But as he delved deeper into those memories, he understood why everyone called him "waste." Despite years of practice, his predecessor had only grasped the basics of a downward slash and never mastered it. If that wasn't a waste, what was?
"Hmmm… Looks like I'll need to start from scratch. But maybe this is a good opportunity to build a solid foundation," Lucian thought, contemplating his next steps.
After a moment of reflection, he took a deep breath, unsheathed his sword, and focused on the wooden dummy. With determination, he thrust the sword into its neck.
*ktak!*
A small sound echoed, but Lucian's eyes were glued to the dummy's head, where the tip of his sword had only made a tiny hole. He quickly pulled the sword back, feeling a bit shaky.
"Not strong enough," he realized, looking at the damage he'd done. It was a sobering moment, and he felt a wave of disappointment wash over him.
With the build he had, Lucian had thought that focusing on swordplay would naturally improve his physique, but now he was reconsidering everything.
"Hmmm… I guess I should practice some basic thrusting and slashing techniques to see how much power I can really generate," he mused.
Even though he felt let down by his muscles, he knew they weren't just for show. Perhaps he just needed to learn how to harness their true potential every time he swung the sword.
The only way to figure it out was to keep practicing until it clicked.
With renewed determination, Lucian gripped the sword a little more loosely this time. He thrust it into the dummy's hand, tightening his grip just enough to keep control. He took a deep breath, focused on the dummy, and pushed the sword forward, putting more force into it.
*Ktak!*
He heard the same piercing sound and saw the same amount of damage on the wooden dummy's chest. But this time, something felt different. Instead of feeling like he was forcing a foreign object, the sword felt natural in his hand.
That feeling clicked for him, and with that in mind, he continued practicing, improving with every swing. Just then, a group of soldiers approached, laughing and teasing him.
"Oh, looks like someone's eager to prove himself!"
"With this intense training, it seems like he's trying to make Adam give up his wife!"
"Really? I thought that was just a silly rumor."
"What nonsense! Plenty of people say Effie is crazy about a loser like this guy."
Lucian had been so focused on his training that he initially ignored their taunts. But when he realized they wouldn't stop until he confronted them, he finally paused.
"Do you guys need something? Or are you just practicing your barking skills? If that's the case, I suggest you try barking in someone else's face because I'm not a dog person."