Chapter 14

In the courtyard, whitened by the first snowfall of yesterday, Rio stood with a wooden sword, practicing his footwork.

He felt a steady gaze observing him but ignored it, as it was nothing new.

Swinging the wooden sword in a ready stance, he stepped forward with his right foot at a diagonal. He focused on keeping the centerline perpendicular to the ground.

Noticing a pause in the observing gaze, Rio looked towards the house.

"Shiraha, is something wrong?"

"...I saw a movement I've never seen before."

Shiraha, tilting her head, her peculiar gray hair tinged with blue in the light, replied.

Indeed, it was a footwork technique that Rio had devised and had not used before.

While continuing his training, Rio explained.

"Did you notice that this morning, you got the towel for me?"

"I did."

It was when Rio returned from his morning run.

Before Rio could go to get the towel, Shiraha had already fetched it and thrown it to him. This included a separate towel for wiping his feet, which had gotten dirty from running in the snow.

"I was wondering how you knew I was going to try to wipe my feet with a towel instead of going to the bathroom like I usually do."

"You raised your hand a little."

Shiraha answered.

Swinging the wooden sword, Rio nodded in agreement with Shiraha's words.

"You make it sound so obvious. In essence, you read my initial movement and predicted my action. I aim to use speed to confuse and land attacks, but being read is fatal."

Rio thought he needed to develop a counter quickly. The solution he came up with was to read the initial movement and then counter.

The idea was to use footwork to shift away from the point of attack and then counter.

"I have a few other ideas, but the core is to avoid and attack simultaneously. To keep moving without stopping."

Even while talking, Rio's movements remained steady. He had been practicing with the sword for several months, and even with the new technique, he did not become careless.

However, he also felt a wall.

Hearing the sound of footsteps on the snow, Rio turned around.

Karril was walking towards him, holding a strong drink in his left hand.

Even when their eyes met, Karril did not greet him and instead sat on the fence, watching Rio's practice while drinking.

Karril had often come to watch, but since winter began, he had been coming almost daily, as he had no other serious activities.

"Rio, you've changed your movements."

Karril noticed the change after just one practice swing. Rio nodded while continuing his practice, thinking that Karril would understand his intention without needing to explain.

Indeed, Karril accurately read the underlying thoughts behind Rio's changed movements.

"There are such movements in the practical styles of knights who go to battle. In the heat of battle, when swords clash, you have to dodge and cut, or parry and cut."

"Is that something Mr. Rakudoi teaches at the dojo?"

"The style taught at the dojo is the Ox style. It's a hard, forceful style where you parry the opponent's sword with your own, but you don't dodge. The original style was for heavily armored knights, so even if they wanted to dodge, they couldn't because of the weight of their armor."

Karril took a sip of his drink and narrowed his eyes, looking at the tip of Rio's wooden sword.

"Hey, Rio, have you noticed? That you don't have a talent for swordsmanship."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed?"

In a whisper-like tone, Karril spoke, and Rio nodded.

"I've been training, but I know I'm struggling with strength. I think my body's enhancement is also weaker than others, compared to my father."

"Your keen eyesight is a talent in itself, allowing you to recognize your lack of talent."

Karril laughed, not mockingly but with a self-deprecating tone.

Rio remembered what Furlau had said about Karril, that he had continued going to the dojo despite not having talent.

Karril got up from the fence and walked towards Rio.

"Body enhancement involves circulating magic power within the body. Some people are good at internal circulation, while others are good at external release, and this is innate. You'd need a mage to determine it, but Rio, you're probably good at external release."

"Does that mean I'm suited for magic?"

"Maybe. Magic is a world where talent matters even more than swordsmanship. The amount and burst of external release, as well as rhythm and vocal range in incantations, are crucial. There are even stories of mages who could chant as children but lost the ability after their voice changed."

Standing in front of Rio, Karril finished the contents of his bottle and thrust the empty bottle at Rio.

"If you recognize the wall of talent, it's easier to talk. You're overworking yourself. It's foolish to waste time when you know you won't succeed. Just slack off."

"Slacking off is what's foolish."

Rio lightly deflected Karril's bottle with his wooden sword.

Just as he was about to return to his practice, Karril struck Rio's wooden sword with his bottle, sending it flying.

The force of the blow, which seemed impossible with just one arm, nearly knocked Rio off balance. Rio quickly regained his stance and glared at Karril.

"What's your problem, Karril?"

"Out of frustration, as a senior, I want to stop you before you become miserable."

"Miserable?"

"Yeah, miserable. The wall you're hitting is innate. You might climb halfway, but you'll never overcome it. You can't give up the time you've foolishly spent, and you can't turn back in front of that wall—miserable, right?"

Rio pointed his wooden sword at Karril.

"Are you taking it out on me?"

"It's out of kindness."

Shrugging, Karril waved the bottle provocatively.

"Without talent and with only one arm, if I can handle you, you'll finally give up. Come on, attack me."