Chapter 17

"Kent-sama, please keep walking without changing your pace."

"Huh? What's up, Reinhardt?"

On the way back from the guild, where I had impressively managed to surpass three people in the daytime training session and secured a ticket to participate in the Wind Day training, Reinhardt spoke to me in a slightly cautious tone.

"Just keep walking, someone is following us."

"Eh, what... What do you mean...?"

"Well, I don't think it's anything serious, but just to be safe."

Just to be safe, what could that mean? It's really worrying, but I keep walking without turning around or stopping, heading for my boarding house.

"Someone is following us..."

"Yes, but the ones following are the four people we were with in last week's training, so there's no need to worry. They were even peeking from the shadows during the daytime training."

"Damn, Manon and Ridnel both said they had something to do..."

"That's why they didn't approach you and are following from behind."

When I heard that someone was following us, I was momentarily startled, thinking someone might have suspected my true identity, but with those four, it doesn't seem like there's anything to worry about.

"But why are they following us?"

"Kent-sama, they are probably trying to find out why you suddenly became so strong."

"Hmm... Are they trying to spy on what kind of special training I'm doing so they can become stronger too?"

"Exactly, that's probably it."

While thinking about what to do, I ended up back at the boarding house.

"Amanda, I'm back!"

"Ah, welcome back, Kent. Dinner will be ready in a bit!"

"Okay, I understand!"

After greeting Amanda, I returned to my room and melted into the shadows, heading towards the alley where the four were hiding, and observed them from the shadows.

"Hey, Ridnel, isn't this Kent's boarding house?"

"Yeah, probably. The special training might be after dinner."

It seems that Ridnel and Manon are leading the tailing.

"Hey, what kind of special training do you think Kent is doing?"

"Hmm... I don't think it's just regular practice. Maybe there's a higher-ranked adventurer living in the boarding house who's training him."

"Ah, I see, so he's getting training from that person?"

"Yeah, that's the most likely possibility."

Hmm, you guys have pretty good intuition.

But you probably don't think that the person living with me is a vicious skeleton, and that the training ground is the Demon Forest.

"Well, what should we do, Kent-sama?"

"Yeah, I just had an idea..."

Using shadow movement, I returned to my room and went downstairs with a wooden sword in hand.

"Amanda, I'm going to practice with the wooden sword in the back. Please let me know when dinner is ready."

"Okay... Kent, what about the dungeon...?"

"Don't worry, I'm not going there, I'm fine!"

"Ahaha, that's good... Good luck."

"Thanks!"

The backyard of the boarding house has a communal well surrounded by a space like a backyard. I stood with the four hiding in the alley behind me, holding the wooden sword in a standard stance. I stood still, as if meditating, and then slowly raised the sword to an upper guard position, stopping again. From there, I began to sway my hips from side to side, like a hula dance, and then quickly stepped forward, swinging the sword down.

"Ugh!"

Returning to a standard stance, I lowered the sword, twisted my neck a couple of times, and returned to the original position. I repeated this, slowly raising the sword to an upper guard position again, and this time, swaying my body like seaweed drifting in the sea before sharply swinging the sword down.

"Yah!"

After finishing the swing, I lowered the sword, twisted my neck, and returned to the original position. I repeated this, changing the movements in between, such as circling my hips, swaying them back and forth, and twisting my neck, choosing movements that would look bizarre to the four.

"Kent... What are you doing...?"

Amanda's exasperated voice was exactly what I was waiting for.

"Is this it? This is the practice method of the most famous sword school in the country where I lived."

"Huh? Such strange movements...?"

"To someone as inexperienced as me, they might look strange, but the essence of the Kokubu style is in the hips."

"Hips, huh..."

Of course, there is no such thing as the Kokubu style, but because I spoke with confidence, Amanda stopped laughing and listened to me.

"Yes, a sword cannot be swung properly if the hips are not firmly grounded, but conversely, if there is too much tension in the hips, the movements become stiff and the sword cannot be swung as intended."

"Hmm... Is that so?"

"Well, I'm just imitating what I've seen, but the balance between relaxing the hips and grounding them is important."

"Hmm... I kind of understand, but I also don't..."

"Yes, I'm in the same state... Actually, if I could fully understand this, I would reach the level of a master, so it's not easy to understand."

"I see... Well, masters of martial arts are probably like weirdos to ordinary people, so it's hard for us to understand."

"Yes, I'd rather have dinner than worry about the balance of my hips."

"Ahaha, that's right. Come on, wash your hands, dinner is ready."

"Okay, I've been waiting for this. I'll leave the wooden sword here!"

I went upstairs to put the wooden sword back in my room.

"Reinhardt, how were the four?"

"Hahaha, Kent-sama, you're quite mischievous. At first, they were trying to hold back their laughter, but after hearing your conversation with Amanda, their eyes changed, hahaha."

"That's the punishment for abandoning me when Donovan targeted me. They should practice the Kokubu style's hip-swaying sword technique for a while."

The four returned to their respective homes from the alley while I was having dinner. As for me...

"Ugh... Ugh... Ugh..."

Tonight, I ended up practicing self-healing in the Demon Forest again. During the daytime training, I realized the lack of practical experience, so I decided to step into the forbidden territory and practice with Reinhardt. Honestly, I thought it was suicidal to practice with a vicious skeleton that could obliterate goblins and kobolds with a single strike, but I believed it was the quickest way to break free from Donovan's curse.

Donovan probably won't release me until the combined training for both mages and knights on Earth Day. After that, the training will focus on physical enhancement and magic, so I don't think he will require much from me until then. If I can clear the Wind Day and Earth Day training, I will be free from the special training. So, I decided to clear it in the shortest time possible, two weeks.

I told Reinhardt to be careful and hold back, but there was still a risk of me getting hit if I failed to defend myself. Therefore, I decided to practice in full armor. I equipped a brand new leather helmet, chest armor, gauntlets, and greaves.

What? Where did I get the armor?

Hehe... This is something Fred smuggled from the Lastock garrison. Since the country provided this equipment to feed me to the monsters, I have no qualms about using it.

As for the actual practice, I was on the defensive the whole time. The wooden sword, which should have been a single weapon, looked like multiple swords, and there was no opportunity for me to strike back.

"Whoa... Wait... Uh..."

"Too slow, too slow, Kent-sama. I'll keep it up!"

"Wait... Hold on..."

"No, no, I won't stop. Look, you're full of openings!"

"Whoa... Bang... Ugh!"

Compared to the battle with the Rock Ogres, this was like playing, but I couldn't keep up at all and was knocked down with a hit to the chest.

"Kent-sama, I apologize, but if we are to train, I must be strict."

"Ugh... That's what I want... Come on!"

"Hahaha, that's the spirit, Kent-sama."

After that, I was hit, knocked down, and kicked multiple times. When I was hit hard on my left thigh and used self-healing to recover, Reinhardt announced the end of the training.

"Kent-sama, that's enough for tonight."

"Ha... Ha... Thank you, Reinhardt."

"No, no, I'm amazed by your effort, Kent-sama. Even in our time, few people worked this hard."

"Ha... Ha... But I've been lazy until now, so I have to work hard to make up for it..."

"If you keep this up, you'll finish the training in two weeks."

"I hope so..."

Honestly, I want to finish it in two weeks because I'm worried about the backlash from such intense daily training.

"Shall we head back and wash up?"

"Hmm... I think I'll practice a bit more with magic..."

"Magic practice?"

"Yes, the light attribute attack magic takes too long to activate..."

"I see... How long does it take you now?"

"Let me try..."

The light attribute magic beam attack involves compressing magic power, setting the target, and converting the magic power to light at the moment of release, which takes about thirty seconds.

"I see, it takes longer than a regular mage's incantation."

"Yes, it's powerful, but it takes time, and I'm not confident I can hit a moving target."

"What about using an incantation to help visualize it?"

"Hmm... I'd rather be able to activate it instantly..."

While casting an incantation might be a fun middle-school fantasy, considering the time loss, it's better not to use one.

"Then, how about using a gesture like drawing a bow?"

"Gesture... Hmm, a gesture..."

If I use a gesture to visualize, the simplest way would be to form a pistol with my fingers, focus magic power at the tip, aim at the target, and release it. This strategy was surprisingly effective, and as I repeated the gesture, I was able to significantly reduce the activation time. The concentration of magic power, aiming, and release became as quick as one, two, three. Yes, you have to practice to master the weapons you acquire. With more practice, I think I can reduce the time even further. I was about to end the practice and head back when a visitor arrived at the training ground.

"Kent-sama, it's Rock Ogres."

"Yes, four of them... Alright, Reinhardt, back me up if I miss any."

With a quick flash between my eyebrows, the Rock Ogres collapsed silently. One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, I defeated them without giving them a chance to react. Hmm... The light attribute attack magic is too overpowered.

"K-Kent-sama..."

"Oops, sorry, Reinhardt. I should have left one for you, sorry, sorry."

"N-No, that's fine... But four Rock Ogres without any effort..."

Just when I had a chance to vent some stress, I took it away, and Reinhardt looked quite disappointed. I got carried away and did something bad. While Reinhardt was collecting the magic stones, I took a bath in the river and returned to the boarding house.

When I collapsed on the bed, it felt like I woke up the next moment. Well, it was probably about three hours, but it felt like a time slip. I recovered with self-healing, but my hunger doubled. Amanda prepares a normal breakfast, but she always makes a generous amount, which is very helpful.

"Kent, you eat a lot in the morning... Do you thrash around in your sleep?"

"N-No, what are you talking about... If I thrashed around, you'd hear the noise from my room, Meisa."

"Hmm... That's true, but Kent seems suspicious."

"No, I'm not suspicious. I need to eat well to work hard today."

"Right, Kent is right. Come on, Meisa, eat up."

"Okay..."

Meisa, despite being a kid, has a surprisingly good intuition, which is quite troublesome. After finishing breakfast, I got ready and headed to work.

"Amanda, I'm off!"

"Kent, where are you working today?"

"Yes, I'm going to check out the construction site of the city walls today."

"Ah, I see. Be careful."

"Yes, I'm off!"

Instead of going to the guild, I headed straight to the construction site of the city walls. The walls of Volzard are still being expanded, and the construction site is always looking for workers. This job is hired and paid directly without going through the guild. Additionally, those who take on jobs outside the guild or do business in the city have a tax obligation, but if they can't pay, they can work on the wall construction to cover it.

The walls of Volzard stretch north and south along the Demon Forest, intersecting with the road. The walls form a C-shape around the city. The city has grown by repeatedly adding new walls around the old city walls. The current construction is adding another layer around the newest wall.

Those who participate in the construction register at the entrance, start working, and receive their pay at the same place at the end of the day. The daily wage for the wall construction is 350 helts, the same as the Garm potato warehouse. It's not a high daily wage, but many people participate because it's for the protection of their own town.

Many men in the city help with the wall construction at least once a week, and some do it once a month. Today, I'm participating in the construction because I heard from Basten that a certain person works here every Wind Day. The person I'm looking for was standing with his arms crossed next to the registration desk at the entrance.

"Good morning, Claus."

"Ah, Kent! What brings you here? Did you lose your job?"

"No, I heard about the wall construction and wanted to contribute to the town, even if it's a small effort. I'll start as an apprentice, so please take care of me."

"Wow... Really? A lot of people come to the town, but you're the first to say something like this. Alright, I'll teach you myself today. Let's work hard together."

"Really? You're working on the site too, Claus?"

"Of course, I can only come about once a week, so the site supervisor gives the instructions. I'm just another worker."

Claus, with his bulging muscles and laugh, really looks like a worker and not at all like the lord of the town. According to Basten, Claus appears every week and works alongside the workers. He really is skilled at tasks like tying ropes to transport stones and carrying them with a partner.

"Here, Kent, keep your hips grounded when you carry. If your center of gravity is too high, you might lose balance and it's dangerous."

"Yes, sorry, like this...?"

"Idiot! You're not an old lady. Keep your back straight and lower your hips when you carry."

"Yes, I understand."

Since coming to Volzard, I've been doing physical labor, but carrying stones is quite tough. By noon, I was completely exhausted. I'll need to use self-healing to get through the afternoon. Man, this old guy is energetic!

"Alright, Kent, let's have lunch!"

"Yes... It's tough..."

"Hahaha, right? But for a first-timer, you're doing pretty well."

During lunch, I asked Claus a straightforward question.

"Why do you, as the lord, come to the site and work?"

"I come to the site because there are things you can't understand unless you see them yourself, but I might also be anxious."

"Anxious...?"

"Yes, I'm anxious to make Volzard a safer town and pass it on to the next generation... as soon as possible."

"Is it because the Demon Forest is nearby?"

"Yes, it might look safe now, but it might not be safe tomorrow. We can't be sure when a large number of monsters will attack..."

The Demon Forest produces a large number of monsters every few years. The types of monsters that proliferate vary, but they are usually goblins or kobolds, though sometimes more powerful monsters appear. Claus, while drinking tea after lunch, told me about an incident that happened eighteen years ago.

Eighteen years ago, a group of Rock Ogres approached Volzard from the Demon Forest. Soldiers from the defense force and skilled adventurers, as well as ordinary citizens, fought with weapons in hand. At the time, the lord of Volzard was Claus's older brother, who was killed by a Rock Ogre that entered the town.

"Goblins are manageable, but Rock Ogres are tough. Only A-rank adventurers can handle them alone. Donovan was a big help back then, but if the same thing happened now, it would be a tough situation."

Rock Ogres are the ones Reinhardt instantly killed three of last night, right? Wait, they were the test subjects for my light attribute magic last night. Does that mean I have the power of an A-rank adventurer?

"Are Rock Ogres that strong?"

"Yes, they're not usually around, but they are large and strong, and their bodies are hard, making it difficult for swords and spears to penetrate. It would take about three people like Gilik to take one down."

"R-Really... Wow... They're that strong?"

"What's wrong, Kent? Are you scared?"

"Well... When I think about the Rock Ogres wandering in the Demon Forest..."

"Yes, I see. That must bring back some chilling memories."

Indeed, the memory of kicking a Rock Ogre's head off like a balloon still gives me chills. I'm glad he's on our side.

"Claus, how many more years will it take to complete this wall?"

"It won't be completed."

"Huh? It won't be completed...?"

"Well, this section will be finished, but when it's done, the next one will start. The wall construction will continue as the town grows."

"I see... The wall will expand with the town, and the town will grow with the wall."

"Yes, it's a job that will be passed down from our generation to yours, and then to the next."

Looking at the construction site, Claus's face showed pride in his work, and I genuinely thought he looked cool.