Chapter 78

78. Changing Daily Life (7)

A heavy silence hung over the outdoor training ground.

"House Lester?"

"They're a family of traitors."

"Well, they do have the famous Isshin technique..."

Rumblings.

The children were thrown into confusion.

It was because Yuridia had mentioned a family of traitors.

Even if not a major noble house, the Roventer family, to which she belonged, was currently making a name for itself.

There was no need to bring up something unpleasant and invite gossip.

Yet, she had brought up such a topic that others could easily tear apart.

'It's because of me.'

The Yuridia of the past would not have asked such a question.

It was a foolish question.

A question so poor that it could be evaluated as such.

Even the great Yuridia could not resist her curiosity.

She must have been curious about the [Isshin] I demonstrated in the dueling arena.

It was powerful enough to crush Dyke in one blow.

"..."

What was strange was that Teron remained silent.

It was odd that he remained quiet even with such a topic that could be easily torn apart.

Suddenly, the voices of the children around him could be heard.

"Lord Teron? Should I step in?"

"No, I will step in."

"What arrogance... to mention a family that has insulted the empire!"

Luna, standing beside him, began to tremble.

She was about to explode.

I gently held her hand to calm her down.

"Shut up and stay quiet. Why are you making such a fuss?"

Teron's voice was sharp.

The children of the Teron faction fell silent.

I wondered if he was doing this to owe me a favor, but he did not even look in my direction.

'What is it? Just being considerate?'

Just as I thought Teron was a good guy.

Teacher Leang adjusted his glasses and muttered.

"House Lester... Yes, such a family existed. I also stayed there to receive training and even exchanged swords with the head of the house."

"Then...!"

"But it's impossible. I learned it, but I couldn't use it."

"Why?"

Leang approached the wooden dummy.

"Before, I mentioned that each family's sword technique focuses on different parts of the body."

He stabbed the wooden dummy with his sword.

Foot, calf, thigh, abdomen, chest, arm, wrist.

"Because there were too many muscles to train."

"Then, can't you just train them?"

"Yes, you can. Miss Yuridia, how much do you know about Isshin?"

"Well..."

The basics involve footwork when drawing and sheathing the sword.

It flies, swallowing light.

"Other than that... I don't know much."

"Hmm, Miss Yuridia, have you seen Isshin before?"

"Uh? Ah... Yes, I saw it once. When I was young."

Yuridia's naive lie.

But it seemed sufficient to deceive Leang, who did not know the details.

He nodded.

"You were lucky. Yes, the sword techniques of House Lester are all based on footwork."

Leang immediately followed up with a question.

"What do you think the principle of footwork is?"

"Um... using arm strength to swing?"

Leang chuckled.

"Many people make that mistake. Well, for a general footwork technique, it might be, but the footwork of House Lester is special."

"Special?"

"Yes. Let's see what it's actually like, shall we?"

Leang took his stance.

Footwork stance. He bent his waist a bit more.

"Miss Luna."

"Yes, I'm watching."

"I mean, you shouldn't watch. It could be a problem for developing insight..."

"Shut up."

She immediately closed her mouth. I'm a good child who listens well.

'It's going according to plan.'

Refusing direct instruction under the pretext of developing insight.

I need to pretend to object to avoid any issues with my alibi later.

"We start with the feet."

It immediately began. Leang's [Isshin] private tutoring.

"One foot is firmly planted on the ground, and the other is slightly lifted due to the bent waist. Then..."

He twisted his foot and pushed off the ground.

The force moved from his calf to his thigh, then to his waist, abdomen, chest, and finally to his arm.

"And here, the ankle and wrist move again... Kuk!"

The first secret technique of the Lester family.

Isshin (一閃).

Crack!

The waists of three wooden dummies broke and they floated into the air.

It was a cut. Even though the sword didn't touch them.

"Wow! What is that!"

"That's Isshin? I've never seen it before!"

"Crazy! I'm going to practice that from today!"

Leang picked up his glasses from the ground and blew on them.

"No, everyone. This is not Isshin."

"Huh?"

"If this was Isshin, the Lester family wouldn't have become famous. Right, Miss Yuridia?"

Leang seemed quite angry.

The children tilted their heads, not understanding the current situation.

To them, the [Isshin] Leang demonstrated was an incredible technique.

'The people who know real Isshin react differently.'

Teron, with his eyes tightly closed.

Yuridia, with a look of having seen something she shouldn't.

Her mouth slowly opened.

"...Yes, it's quite different."

"Disappointed in me?"

"No, I think it's impressive."

She glanced at me.

That's why popular guys are popular.

"Isshin is a technique that slices the air in a straight line while compressing, and compressing again."

It slices the air in front as it flies.

It slices the air in front of that as well.

It continues this compression process until it reaches its destination.

"The problem is that the compression process is very short. How much air is sliced and how much is compressed in that time is the key to the technique."

"..."

"In short, the speed at which the sword is drawn is the most important."

Luna started taking notes frantically.

How good it would be to study like this normally.

It was a moment of realizing my parents' hearts.

"Well, if you focus on the drawing speed, the angle will be off, and you won't be able to send it in the desired direction."

As Leang was moving his wrist.

Yuridia raised her hand again.

"Why did you give up?"

"...You're really poking at my sore spot today, Miss Yuridia."

Leang's glasses glinted.

After glaring at her for a moment, Leang adjusted his glasses.

"...To learn Isshin, I had to abandon all other families' sword techniques."

"Why?"

"Because the muscles that develop are limited. Only the muscles required to generate explosive power needed to be trained."

There are many attractive sword techniques besides the Lester family's.

So, he gave up.

That's what Leang was saying.

"If... there is someone who uses real Isshin."

An incredible hard worker, a fanatic, and.

"A genius who surpasses me."

Ding.

The bell rang.

The bell signaling the end of the morning class.

Leang tidied up his seat and glared at Yuridia.

"Time's up. I will give Miss Yuridia one demerit point for causing fear among other students by mentioning House Lester."

"...Yes."

"Then, everyone, see you next time."

Leang left the classroom.

The children continued to talk about Isshin and House Lester.

Luna, who would normally have stormed out of the classroom.

But now, she had her head buried in a piece of paper.

Muttering.

She was undoubtedly memorizing and visualizing the movements in her mind.

"Hehe."

I laughed, covering my mouth.

I never thought I would get an opportunity to help Luna grow here.

Today seems to be a lucky day.

* * *

"Huh."

"Did you come?"

"Yeah, you said you were looking for me?"

The rat bowed slightly and said.

"Yes, a student named Zero mentioned the password. I know you're busy, but you said to classify it as top priority..."

"Good. I'll take care of the rest."

"Understood!"

The rat melted into the darkness.

Caron looked around.

The academy, which he had returned to after ten days, was unchanged.

"But, I have to go out this weekend, no matter what?"

"I love you!"

"Teacher, free the students from homework!"

Friends inviting him to go out.

Lovers whispering sweet nothings.

Students active in the homework liberation front.

It was peaceful. Different from where he had been just a moment ago.

"Please, save me! I only followed out of fear!"

"No! He was in charge of kidnappings! He infiltrated the village and handed people over to us!"

"Hehehe! I can see it! I can see my insides!"

A place where blood and flesh were strewn and the black mage's insides were hung.

It was so different from there.

Ignoring the ringing in his ears, he moved toward where that guy was.

'Zero, arrogant guy.'

Not only his tone, but he also seemed to have superior information compared to the rat.

It was probably just a few coincidences.

But this time, he received a lot of help.

It was an undeniable fact.

'Tsk, I'll have to give him a reward.'

Caron rarely gave rewards.

Not only because of his personality, but also because the information brought to him was often something he already knew.

Ha ha ha!

Ho ho ho!

The academy, filled with the laughter of children.

It was incredibly peaceful.

'Huh... the devil should avoid this place.'

Huh?

As he moved toward the boys' dormitory.

He heard the voices of children from a bench on the path.

"...So... Miss Luna..."

Luna?

Caron found it strange.

Luna lived a life of isolation at the academy.

Yet, her name was being mentioned?

'...It's probably a bad rumor.'

Swoosh.

He hid in the shadow of a tree and eavesdropped on the children's conversation.

Caron knew who they were.

They were children of the Yuridia faction.

"So, the other day, something happened at the training ground."

"She got on top of someone? Oh, how hot."

"Oh! Oh! They say a woman in love is unpredictable. It seems to be true!"

...?

Caron wondered if he had heard wrong.

He thought Luna only got on top of someone to beat them up.

But no matter how he thought about it, it was the same.

She must have started dating someone.

Luna.

"Huh."

Caron couldn't help but laugh.

She seemed to be living only for revenge, but now she had started dating?

It was good news. It meant she wanted to live like a normal person.

'Maybe she'll let go of her revenge.'

Realizing that her enemy was too powerful for her to handle and deciding to be with the person she loves.

Not a bad ending.

Just as Caron was about to leave.

"Hehe, you haven't heard about what happened yesterday, have you?"

"Yesterday? What happened yesterday?"

"Oh, this is too high-level information, but I can't help it. Gather around for a moment. It's a bit of a sensitive topic."

The three girls huddled together.

Caron subtly joined them.

Then he heard.

"Well, it seems... they did an interrogation at the training ground?"

"Interrogation? What did Miss Luna do wrong?"

"No, you know, there's that thing. Pleasure."

"Oh, that? Then, could it be...?"

"Yes. They say Miss Luna was tied up very tightly with ropes?"

"Oh! Oh! My goodness! How scandalous!"

Giggle.

But contrary to their words, the three girls laughed hysterically.

Caron frowned.

Dating is fine, but it seems she met a pervert.

'How could she do such a thing after just a few days? Kids these days...'

Listening to more personal matters.

Just as Caron was about to leave.

"So, why is Zero good?"

"Maybe it's his type?"

Click. Click.

A strange sound came from Caron's body.

As if he had a devil inside.