Chapter 79

The next morning.

With Barin returning at dawn as he had declared, the three of them finished their breakfast. After breakfast, while taking a short break, Valletta listed the items to be procured in Japan in a university notebook, chatting with Ichirou. Since Ichirou would be away in Isteria for several days, they carefully confirmed the list to avoid any omissions.

After about 30 minutes of thorough checking, Valletta saw Ichirou off from the entrance of the mansion. She quickly washed the dishes at the washing area in the entrance hall, then left the mansion carrying a basket of laundry and a bucket of soapy water. She headed straight for the water channel by the river, which was outside the village entrance.

(Still, it would be nice to have a water channel that constantly flows through the village.)

When the water wheel is not sending water to the village pond, the water it pumps is returned to the river downstream just before the village entrance, so there is no water flowing through the water channels in the village. Therefore, when the village pond is full, as it is now, it is necessary to go outside the village to use fresh water. Before Ichirou came to the village, the water used for cooking and washing was stored and used sparingly, having been carried from the river using a backpack and water bottles. Although life has become much more convenient compared to those days, it is only natural to want an even more convenient life.

Incidentally, the water wheel currently installed in the river has been replaced with the one Ichirou procured from Japan previously.

When Valletta arrived at the water channel, the servants of Isaac's unit were already doing laundry by the side of the channel. After greeting the servants, Valletta squatted down by the channel like them, filled her bucket with water, and began washing the laundry with soap. After about 10 minutes, she finished washing all the laundry and stood up to look around.

A little away from the water channel, many tents were set up in the campsite, and wagons were tied up beside the tents. Valletta spotted the back of the person she was looking for at the edge of the campsite and ran over to him with the laundry in her arms.

"Mr. Isaac, good morning."

Isaac, who had been talking to a nearby soldier, turned around at the sound of Valletta's voice and smiled.

"Good morning. I'm sorry for keeping you up late last night. Has Lord Kazura already gone to the realm of the gods?"

After dismissing the soldier he had been talking to and confirming that no one was around, Isaac inquired about Ichirou's whereabouts.

"Yes, he just left. He said he would return by noon tomorrow, but he might go out again after that."

"I see... In Isteria as well, Lord Kazura has been working tirelessly for our country. When he returns, I hope you can make sure he can relax while he's in the village. If there's anything I can help with, please let me know."

Isaac's smile showed no trace of the arrogance of a noble. Valletta was happy to realize that he was indeed different from other nobles. Although Haber and Nelson had also treated her very politely, Valletta felt that there was something different about Isaac. If he were by Ichirou's side, he would be the first to lend a hand if anything happened around Ichirou.

"Understood. Actually, I have a request for Mr. Isaac. Is it alright?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"I would like you to teach me martial arts."

Surprised by Valletta's unexpected request, Isaac looked puzzled.

"Martial arts...? Why?"

In response to Isaac's question, Valletta looked serious. Given the height difference, she had to look up at him.

"Last time the village was attacked by bandits, I was so terrified that I couldn't do anything. So, if something like that happens again, I want to be able to fight properly this time."

After saying this, Valletta hesitated for a moment about whether to continue, but when she noticed Isaac's serious expression, she resolved to speak the truth.

"I want to be able to protect Mr. Kazura. For that, I need martial arts."

When Valletta said this, Isaac narrowed his eyes.

"Martial arts, too, huh?"

"Yes, martial arts, too."

For a few seconds, Isaac was silent, then he took a breath and spoke.

"You want to protect Lord Kazura, but martial arts are not something you can master overnight. It will take even more time to learn the skills needed to protect someone. Besides, I can only come to Gricia Village once a month at most. I'm afraid I can't be of much help with martial arts training."

"Even so, please. If you can teach me the basics and how to train, I'll practice on my own when you're not here."

At Valletta's words, Isaac frowned.

"I might be able to come to Gricia Village once a month, if that. Even if you say you'll practice on your own, if you develop bad habits while I'm away, it will be hard to correct them. Besides, I don't think you are particularly suited for combat. You should focus on other areas."

"Then, please try."

"Try what?"

Valletta looked straight at Isaac, who was giving her a puzzled look.

"Please spar with me. If I win, teach me martial arts. If I lose, I'll give up."

"..."

Isaac looked at Valletta as if to say, "What is this girl talking about?" But he could sense no hint of joking in her demeanor. She was dead serious.

Isaac sighed and scratched his head in exasperation.

"If you insist, let's spar. But if you lose, that's the end of this conversation. Is that clear?"

When Isaac agreed, Valletta smiled in relief, as if she had already won the match.

"Yes, thank you. I'll just hang up the laundry, so can we do it after that?"

"Alright. I'll prepare the equipment. Would a sword and shield be fine?"

"That's fine. A heavy shield is okay, so please give me a round shield like the ones your men use. And, the place for the sparring should be in the forest at the edge of the village."

"The forest at the edge of the village. Understood, let's go there once the equipment is ready."

"Yes, thank you."

Valletta bowed and ran back to the village with a light step. Isaac, feeling a bit uneasy, returned to the campsite to fetch the equipment.

---

About 30 minutes later.

In the forest at the edge of the village, Valletta stood facing Isaac, holding a round shield and a wooden training sword. The wooden sword had a bronze-reinforced handle to prevent it from breaking easily. The shield was a round shield with a bronze-reinforced edge, commonly used by the unit's soldiers. It was designed to be securely fastened to the forearm with a leather strap and to distribute the weight of the shield when the handle was gripped. Isaac was similarly equipped, and they were about five meters apart.

"Um, please be gentle. How should we determine the winner?"

"Let's say the winner is the one who can make the other admit defeat. Or, we can judge based on the situation each time."

Valletta, who was a bit nervous, asked, and Isaac looked at her as usual.

Isaac had no intention of letting his guard down or going easy on her just because she was a young, small girl. He thought Valletta probably expected him to go easy on her. However, he had no intention of fulfilling that expectation. Half-hearted kindness could cost her her life in the future. He believed that being strict would be for her future good.

"Please come at me with all your strength. Don't hold back; fight with all your might."

"All my strength...?"

When Valletta heard "all your strength," she looked a bit anxious, unsure of what to do.

"Yes, all your strength. Come at me as if you want to kill me. Imagine avenging a hated enemy, and come at me with all your might."

"But, how can I...?"

"Then, imagine that I am the enemy who killed Lord Kazura. Now is your chance to avenge the one you love with your own hands."

Isaac tried to get Valletta to fight with all her strength to prevent her from having regrets or lingering feelings. Fighting with anger can cloud judgment, so it's not a good way to fight. However, in this case, such details should be ignored. There was a vast difference in combat skills, quick judgment, and physical abilities between the amateur Valletta and the seasoned soldier Isaac. The important thing was to get her to fight with all her strength and accept the result of her defeat, which Isaac believed would be the case.

"Lord Kazura's... enemy."

Valletta murmured, closed her eyes, and focused her mind.

"..."

She imagined Isaac cutting down Ichirou in front of her.

The long sword swung, and Ichirou's arm was severed. His body was pierced, and blood spurted from the wound. Her beloved person was cruelly killed and collapsed lifelessly on the ground. She stood there, unable to do anything, just staring in shock.

She replayed this scene over and over in her mind, and a dark, intense hatred began to rise from the depths of her heart.

I will kill you, she whispered to herself, and the flood of murderous intent filled her mind.

"!"

When Valletta opened her eyes, Isaac was taken aback by the change in her aura. Her face was expressionless, and her eyes were filled with an overwhelming killing intent. The sounds of birds and insects in the forest had stopped.

"I'm coming."

With a short declaration, Valletta kicked the ground with all her might and charged at Isaac. The five-meter distance was closed in the blink of an eye. Just before impact, Valletta swung her wooden sword horizontally with all her strength.

"!"

A powerful, destructive blow, devoid of any technique, but filled with immense force. Isaac barely blocked it with his shield by reflex. The impact was so great that it reverberated through his arm. Staggering backward, he swung his wooden sword diagonally at Valletta, a genuine, unrelenting blow from an unstable stance.

However, the blow that was expected to hit Valletta's shoulder missed, slicing through the air.

"..."

Valletta quickly twisted her body to avoid the attack, then took a backstep to regain her balance. She crouched low, kicked the ground again, and closed the distance in an instant. She swung her wooden sword horizontally with all her might once more. Isaac, anticipating this, stepped forward and pressed his shield against Valletta's sword as she raised it, trying to neutralize her attack.

"!"

Just before their weapons collided, Valletta's right hand, which had let go of the wooden sword, grabbed the edge of Isaac's shield. Using the momentum, she pulled him forward with her extraordinary strength.

"!"

Off balance, Isaac was knocked to the ground by a powerful leg sweep.

"Match over."

Valletta pressed the edge of her shield, which she held in her left hand, against the back of Isaac's head as he lay face down.