Chapter 53

"Is this weapon made like this?"

The guard with one ear, who had been freely swinging the wooden sword-like object handed to him by Sora, was impressed by Gorge's story of his manly tears.

The location was a square two kilometers south of the capital. Situated in the middle of a forest, it was little known even to the locals, and due to the low possibility of being seen, it allowed for training without the Chaf side learning about their strategy.

The wooden sword devised by Sora weighed half as much as an iron sword, yet had sufficient strength, and would only sustain minor damage even when struck by an iron sword.

The blade and tip were reinforced with iron, a suggestion by Luly, who had developed an interest in mechanics due to pressure molding, and were designed to increase the sword speed through centrifugal force.

"This is interesting. It's light and has some give. And it's slightly flexible."

The guard, who was checking the form with a playful look, had his right elbow burned. His comrades nodded in agreement.

"It won't bend unless you swing it pretty fast, but it might surprise someone who's seeing it for the first time."

The guard, who was performing solid swings, had the left half of his face burned. He looked at his comrades with a crooked but curved lip.

"You've even prepared something like this. We have to win and meet your expectations no matter what."

"Of course. You idiots!"

Gorge shouted. His gravelly voice, full of satisfaction, echoed.

"Victory for Lord Sora, victory for Lord Sora!"

"Gorge, you're being a bit too loud."

His head was tapped by two colleagues, forcing him to close his mouth.

"There are only fifteen days until the duel, so use your energy for training. Lord Sora is also getting annoyed."

"That won't do. Alright, let's start the training. Form the formation."

Gorge clapped his hands and gave instructions to everyone.

Under the watchful eye of Sora, who was sitting in the shade, Gorge and his team lined up as Sora had explained beforehand.

Two people in front of Sora, and the remaining eleven in a horizontal line in front of them, forming the basic formation to hold back the enemy. With nearly twice as many guards to face, it was a bit daunting, but there were no other countermeasures.

Therefore, the training focused on improving individual movements and deepening coordination.

"The movement is unnatural. The angle when retreating is fine to be gentle. The spacing is acceptable, remember the distance."

Sora called out from the shade, imagining the movements of the Chaf side.

While making appropriate corrections, Sora picked up the glass bottle tied to his waist and gave the signal.

At Sora's command, Gorge and his team accelerated their movements. The actions to fulfill their assigned roles were gradually becoming more complete.

"– Alright, today's training is over. Take a break and then prepare to pack up."

When Sora announced the end, the guards collapsed into sitting positions.

The reaction to training to the limits of their physical strength, but no one used the wooden sword as a cane. If they did, they would be poked by their comrades.

"It's tough. You're merciless despite your cute face."

A guard lying on his back next to Sora spoke.

Sora threw a dry cloth to him.

"I'm training you so you don't get caught in the fire bottles, so it can't be helped."

"True, I'd rather avoid getting caught in those."

The guard chuckled, remembering the fire bottles. At the same time, he felt a bit of sympathy for the guards.

The possibility of getting caught in the fire bottles was highest for Gorge and his team. He didn't want to be targeted by the national army, so he intended to use them in a way that wouldn't hit the guards.

"Fire bottles are just a substitute for 'steps.' Since Gorge and his team's movements are the most important part of the strategy, it also helps improve your physical strength."

"What do you mean by 'steps'?"

Gorge asked, sitting down next to Sora.

Sora looked at the distant mountain ridge with a slightly melancholic expression.

"A toy I saw in a dream from long ago."

He gazed at the high sky with a voice that conveyed a sense of nostalgia and loneliness beyond his seven years.

Gorge, sensing something indescribable, also looked up at the sky. He saw a hawk soaring high, its wings gleaming.

"… What kind of dream?"

"– Secret."

Sora said briefly, following the hawk with his eyes.

"But it was a good dream."

"… I'm glad. I hope you have good dreams again."

Gorge, speaking sternly, nudged Sora's side with his elbow and smiled mischievously.

"I already am. I'll show you too."

"That's great. I'll look forward to it."

Gorge also smiled in the same way.

After the break, the guards stood up, sheathed their wooden swords, and walked towards the capital, escorting Sora in the center. They arrived at the slum area just before dusk.

It might be more accurate to call it a former slum area.

Most of it had burned down, leaving blackened household items scattered around. There was no sign of people. It was simply not a livable environment.

It was said that over five hundred gangsters and vagrants had lived there, a place that gathered the dirty parts of the capital.

However, it was precisely because of such a place that shady money had gathered.

Targeted by arson thieves, the slum area turned into a sea of fire.

Thanks to Gorge and his team, only a dozen people died, but the slum residents, who were already despised by the capital, were not even allowed to take shelter and were chased away by having water poured on them while they slept on the streets. Three years later, all the slum residents had moved to nearby towns and villages.

Gorge and his team also had their thoughts on this abandoned area.

"The arson thieves who did this are now in the Belse Marquisate."

When Sora told Gorge and his team, their gazes focused on him.

"Have they been caught?"

"Not yet. They turned the area around the forestry city into ashes and are still hiding somewhere. It's causing a big commotion with the Belse giant soldiers being mobilized."

"Giant soldiers are involved. Then, it's only a matter of time before they're caught."

Sora shook his head at the guard's optimistic prediction.

"The giant soldiers are powerful, but they are lagging behind and not fully utilizing their strength."

The giant soldiers seemed preoccupied with city security and patrols. The arson thieves had likely already moved to a new location.

Sora didn't want them to come to the Kleinzelt territory.

When Sora returned to the Kleinzelt residence, he was greeted by the butler's stern face.

"Lord Sora, please stay in your room until someone comes to call you."

"Is something wrong?"

"The High Priest has arrived."

"I see, showing my face would just complicate things."

Sora thought that his appearance, connected to the magic users, would ruin the opportunity.

Understanding, Sora went to his room.

"Lazette, are the anti-slip gloves ready?"

"They arrived around noon. What are you going to use them for?"

Lazette tilted her head.

She probably thought Sora, who had no knowledge of swordsmanship, had no use for them.

"To throw without hesitation."

Sora smiled with a hint of malice.

After trying on the gloves and being satisfied with their quality, Sora heard footsteps approaching his room and looked at the door.

Shortly after, the door opened quietly.

"Excuse me."

Sora didn't recognize the young man who entered the room with a polite greeting.

Not trusting the Kleinzelt residence's staff, Sora had been in acting mode with a smile, but he was internally wary of the young man who entered.

His shining golden hair was as delicate as silk spun from sunlight, and his well-defined features, with a smile, were irresistible.

His refined gestures were efficient yet playful, designed to please others.

The visitor looked at Sora with a smile.

– He's observing me. Who is this guy?

Sora also observed the visitor without showing it, but the visitor quickly shifted his gaze to look around the room, his eyes gleaming as if he had found something interesting.

"You have a 'Board Battle' here."

The visitor's gaze was on a game similar to shogi, called Board Battle.

It was a game played on a 20x20 grid, with each player placing 20 pieces of 12 types on the board to capture the opponent's king. Unlike shogi or chess, the initial piece placement was not fixed, and players could arrange their pieces freely within their own territory before starting. Additionally, there was a concept of resupply outside the player's territory, making it highly strategic.

Sora had learned a bit about it as a noble's pastime, but lacked opponents to play with, so it was a game he had little use for.

"Would you like to play a game?"

Sora responded with a forced smile to the visitor's invitation.

Lazette placed the board on the table, and Sora and the young man sat facing each other.

"Who are you? I'm sure you're wondering."

The young man asked while arranging his pieces with a playful air.

Sora also arranged his pieces, maintaining a playful atmosphere, but he had a good idea of the visitor's identity.

"I'll tell you after the game."

"Very well."

The young man didn't break his smile even when Sora immediately declined.

"Then, let's begin."

The young man made his first move.

From the initial piece arrangement to the first move, it was a well-known opening.

In contrast, Sora's piece arrangement was chaotic and seemed to be a poor match for the young man.

The young man, probably thinking the same, had a relaxed expression. As the game progressed, his expression gradually changed to one of boredom.

The opening was a series of moves optimized over a long period. The young man was following the opening flawlessly, leaving no room for Sora to exploit.

Sora's position gradually worsened. His piece arrangement ignored the opening, and many of his pieces were floating without resupply.

When the young man decided to end the uninteresting game and launched an attack, he hesitated.

"… What's wrong? You've stopped moving."

The young man looked at Sora, who was stifling a yawn.

The young man returned his gaze to the board and hesitated over his pieces.

No matter which piece he used to attack, he could see it being repelled.

The young man, trying to increase his offensive power, moved pieces to the front line, but Sora immediately reinforced his defense. The pieces Sora used to reinforce his defense were also targeting the young man's resupply lines. The young man realized that this was a piece arrangement that required reading the resupply lines.

The young man hurriedly defended his resupply lines.

Then, the roles were reversed.

Sora pinned the young man's front line and constructed a bypass, launching a strong assault on the young man's base.

The young man, forced to sacrifice front-line pieces to defend his base, struggled to hold the line.

Both players consumed their pieces, and the roles of attack and defense rapidly changed, fighting for control of the center of the board and launching surprise attacks on each other's territory.

And the one who won the intense battle was – the young man.

"Checkmate."

"I concede."

Sora shrugged, acknowledging his defeat, and the young man chuckled.

Even in a board game, they had fought fiercely. Both of them felt like saying "I concede."

"So, did the High Priest's visit alone pay off?"

"You noticed. Yes, I learned that you won't die from a duel."

The young man, identified as the High Priest Leul, stood up.

– A troublesome opponent.

Leul looked at Sora, maintaining his smile, and thought. Sora, who was thinking the same, was unaware that the young man was thinking the same thing.

– How should I crush him?

– How should I outsmart him?

Both paid careful attention not to reveal their thoughts and shook hands with a smile.

December 26th revision

June 16th revision