Chapter 12

EP.12 Friend-1

Let's stay calm. The nickname "Joke Assassin" probably hasn't spread that much yet.

Look. Ariasfil...

"Is that... a new joke assassination technique you've developed...? Leonardo...?"

"......"

...Is there a pretty bridge nearby? A bridge that would be good for a fall or a drop would be nice.

"...What do you mean?"

Now that he has become an undeniable joke assassin, Leo asked with a gloomy expression.

"What are you doing..."

"What are you doing?"

"You're speaking formally to me... That's what I mean."

At this, Leo suddenly felt a doubt.

"...I should naturally speak formally. I am a servant, after all."

"But you spoke informally when we first met."

That's because...

"At that time, I wasn't a servant. Now that I am, I must show respect."

"Still..."

She crossed her legs and hands in a way that didn't suit her, and carefully spoke. This behavior, which was not often seen even in her previous life, intensified Leo's doubt.

"Before we decide on that, Leonardo, I want you to show me what I asked for first?"

Before the doubt could subside, Chris reminded him of her request. Come to think of it, he was supposed to demonstrate the mana cultivation technique.

"I'll show it to you right away."

"I'm looking forward to it."

At this moment, Leo didn't notice, but Ariasfil's expression was clouded with shadows. It was a pity that it wasn't clearly visible due to Chris's presence.

"Then, first..."

Leonardo took off his shirt, exposing his bare skin.

"Why are you taking off your clothes all of a sudden?"

"The cultivation technique is better when the skin is exposed. Wearing clothes doesn't drastically reduce the effect, but it's better to be sure."

[I thought it was the first secret technique of the Joke Assassin, Exposure Comedy...]

Ugh, I can't hear anything.

The old, old woman's ranting is probably just a hallucination because I'm tired. It had to be, it had to be.

"Great body. To be this well-trained at 13..."

The compliment on his body was a bit embarrassing, but Leo himself had a certain pride in his physical condition.

The firm muscles and healing scars on his body visually represented the training of that boy to some extent.

"...Ugh..."

For some reason, Ariasfil was not looking directly at him but glancing at Leonardo's body with her eyes.

Yet, she was clearly and precisely memorizing the muscles and skin.

Regardless, Leonardo was busy focusing on the mana around him.

"Huff..."

As he exhaled, Leonardo performed the mana cultivation technique.

[Oh, your skills have improved. This is the secret technique of the Joke Assassin, the mana cultivation technique...]

<It really kills.>

Apart from the ranting and jokes, Leonardo's training skills had grown to a new level.

The fragmented mana particles had become more refined, and he had become more adept at opening the qi points on his skin through cultivation.

"...This is... unbelievable..."

Chris, who was witnessing the scene, couldn't close her mouth. Even if she wanted to tighten her jaw muscles, they were as if paralyzed, being pulled down by gravity.

"How...!! How did you do it!?"

Finally regaining control of her muscles, Chris ran to Leonardo and asked.

"Excuse me?"

The overly excited reaction made Leonardo, who had just demonstrated, feel flustered.

"That technique I just saw!! The method of splitting mana and embedding particles into the skin's qi points!!"

She was that excited only when she saw the red-eyed black wyvern and the odd-eyed magician.

"First...! First... calm down...!"

"Calm down?! You must not know how great an achievement this is, given your limited experience!!"

Although it was hard to accept, as he was in his mid-20s in his previous life, he had to say he understood.

Saying no would be too scary with the excited middle-aged woman in front of him.

"Ms. Chris, please calm down first..."

"...I... I'm sorry. Ahem..."

Thanks to Ariasfil's words, Chris barely regained her composure and cleared her throat to calm herself down.

"...Leonardo, do you know about the basic mana breathing technique?"

"Yes, it's the method of inhaling air mixed with mana into the lungs and attaching particles to the body."

Reinhart's mana training method is also based on breathing techniques. Among them, the Reinhart family's breathing technique is considered the best.

"That's right. We believed that there was nothing better than breathing for training mana. But there was one fatal flaw."

Although the tone was a bit exaggerated, he had a rough idea of the flaw.

"During the time of mana breathing, you can't train your body. (You can't, right.)"

When they said the same thing at the same time, the sage was impressed.

[Surprisingly, they match well. Maybe those with nicknames have something in common.]

Ignoring the sage's absurd comment, Leonardo focused on the conversation with Chris.

"Right, during the time of mana breathing, you can't train your body. If you try to do both, your breathing will be distorted, and your body training will be clumsy."

The research to integrate breathing techniques and physical training was a hot potato, ongoing even before Leonardo was born.

However, physical training was like poison to the delicate mana breathing technique.

The basic form and rhythm of the mana breathing technique and the breathing for muscle use were distinctly different.

From the amount of air inhaled to the holding time, everything was subtly different, and the difference became more pronounced depending on the posture.

So, if you focus on mana breathing, your body will quickly tire, making physical training meaningless.

If you focus on physical training, your mana breathing will become irregular, reducing the amount of mana absorbed and potentially causing side effects.

That's why people have been conducting mana breathing and physical training separately for efficiency.

"But that was overcome with Reinhart's unique constitution and training method, right?"

Reinhart, with the constitution of a hero's blood and soul, could grow his body as well as physical training just by absorbing mana, and the traditional training method that had been passed down for 300 years had long surpassed ordinary training methods.

"Indeed, that's true. But... wait."

At that moment, the flow of the conversation was interrupted.

"...What's the problem..."

"...How do you know that? The information about the constitution and training method is not easily obtained."

He realized he had made a mistake. In his previous life, he might not have known, but in this life, he shouldn't know and shouldn't have known.

"That... I don't know the details, of course."

So, he tried to sound as natural as possible.

"I just heard rumors during my short mercenary life. I was sure when you, Ms. Ariasfil, perfectly mastered the training method I told you."

He needed to make the story fit.

"Hmm... Perhaps this is also the fate of a warrior."

The words came out naturally, but hearing them made his face contort unnaturally. He had to hold it back.

"Anyway, that's the regrettable point of Reinhart's legacy. The overall time is divided between physical training and mana training."

Now he understood the overall meaning.

"...The mana cultivation technique can be done simultaneously."

"That's the amazing part! Ultimately, it can save time, and with a little more refinement, it can surpass both the mana breathing technique and physical training in quality!"

It was indeed revolutionary.

Although he had created it himself, he hadn't fully grasped the significance of this achievement at the time.

[It's because I taught you. You know that, right?]

<I know.>

[If you know, put my name in the mana cultivation technique. It's an order from your teacher.]

<Are you serious? Ms. Chris is here too?>

[...Of course, it's a joke. The Joke Assassin has a great sense of humor.]

Killing with a joke.

"If I'm not in the way, I will definitely recommend this training method to the head of the family. If it's well promoted, it could change the landscape of mana training! I swear by the name of the Dark!"

The name "Dark" might not carry much weight, but he nodded anyway.

"Then let's go! I'll report this content right away!!"

"A... Yes..."

[The temperature difference is too extreme.]

Sir Sage, this is not my fault.

Saying this, Chris disappeared from the training ground like a shadow in the darkness.

"...A... Yes... What... happened."

Left alone, Leonardo said to Ariasfil.

"Clothes..."

"Yes?"

"Put your clothes on first..."

She picked up the shirt that had fallen to the ground and handed it to him.

"Ah, thank you."

Taking the shirt she offered, Leonardo put it on, expressing his gratitude. Even though he was young, seeing a woman's body, especially one with quite a few scars, could be unpleasant.

"Stop... that..."

"What?"

"...Don't say it like that..."

In Leonardo's calm eyes, Ariasfil's face was reflected.

The face reflected in his eyes looked sad for some reason.

***

When Leonardo first said he would come to the family.

Although she didn't show it, Ariasfil was jumping with joy.

'Leonardo is coming to our house? Tomorrow? Right now?'

Just thinking about it made a cheerful smile appear on her doll-like face.

'I can train with him every day. Talk, spar, and laugh together every day.'

Not only that, but she could see Leonardo's face whenever she wanted. Hear his voice, see his sword skills, and even feel his warm touch.

"...Hehe..."

With a girl-like laugh, a smile she had never shown before, the girl looked forward to the next day.

But

"...I want to eat an orange for the first time in a long time.

"Pwahahaha...!! Ah!! Ah! Hahahaha!! Gulp..."

After Leonardo suddenly knocked Alfred out, something felt off.

Of course, she was worried about Alfred, who had collapsed.

Alfred, who was at least twice the age of her father, had always looked healthy, so she couldn't help but worry.

But more than that, she was worried about...

"What do I do!? Leonardo...! Leonardo...!"

Leonardo, who had entered the interrogation room.

He had been in the interrogation room for 2 hours without coming out.

What if he's being tortured or something?

She suddenly remembered the story that if her grandfather or Alfred did something bad, they would be eaten by the monster in the interrogation room.

Leonardo would probably defeat such a monster easily, but she couldn't help but worry.

Fortunately, Leonardo was released not long after.

But

'Why is he going to the distant annex instead of the main house?'

Life with Leonardo didn't go as she had hoped.

She was dissatisfied with going to the annex instead of the main house,

and she was unhappy that Leonardo was a simple servant, not a knight like Jihard.

This way, even if she wanted to see him every day, it would be difficult.

Most of all.

"Ariasfil-sama."

"...I should naturally speak formally. I am a servant, after all."

The formality was so burdensome that it was painful to hear.

'Why is he speaking formally...?'

Is he upset that he was immediately taken to the interrogation room when he arrived?

If that's the case, she could easily make up for it.

Or is it because other servants bullied him?

If that's the case, she could just fire those servants.

Or... could it be that he...

Does he dislike me?

"...Why are you speaking formally?"

If that's really the case, what should she do?

Her mind went blank, and she couldn't think of what to say.

"Weren't we friends...?"

Since he was her first friend, her very first friend,

she couldn't think of the right words to say.

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