Chapter 93

EP.93 Love's Dilemma - 4

When was it?

Yes, it was during the 12th duel.

That day was the first time I successfully landed a valid hit on Aria.

I deliberately inserted my sword, lured her into attacking, and pretended to grab the blade, then used a shoulder feint to deflect her sword. Of course, I would get a wound on my shoulder, but afterward, I could use my clasped hands to counter with a strike to the wrist.

And just as planned, Aria, hit by the wrist strike, fell perfectly.

I added this to it.

[‘How about it? A kiss on the ground, our first one, isn’t it?’]

After that, I was beaten to a pulp, but the feeling of success remained in my hands.

In the 28th duel, I could exchange blows without being pushed back, about ten times.

By the 40th duel, I could even make her sword graze mine without any plan.

It felt like I was getting closer to Aria.

There was even a glimmer of hope that I might win someday.

‘I won.’

And that faint hope was completely shattered and torn apart through a hundred defeats.

Logically, I should have won at least once.

But my opponent was the descendant of a hero, the most talented person in the world, both past and present.

‘...How can you fight like that...? How... How...?!”

Now, thinking about it, it was a meaningless question. It was like asking a dragon how a crow can fly so fast.

‘I’ll get there with effort. Someday, I’ll...’

At that moment, I really exploded.

As I grew older, Aria became stronger, calmer, and more mature.

But I always felt like a child who was standing still.

I felt like I hadn’t grown at all.

I didn’t want to admit my inferiority.

So I burst with forced pride.

‘What do you know...’

Thinking back, Aria and I were both too young back then.

‘What do you know?!’

Such remarkable growth seemed so insignificant.

‘...Leo...?’

‘Did you know from birth that your father was absent? Have you ever worried that your mother might be a courtesan? Or have you ever thought that your bloodline might be mixed with theirs?’

Stop it. Don’t say any more.

‘Have you ever lived without any help? Have you ever almost been raped by a giant you thought was a comrade? Do you have any memories of a friend who betrayed you?’

I knew it too. It wasn’t Aria’s fault.

‘And do you know the feeling of swinging a weapon, getting your nails torn out, your hands full of calluses, and being mocked every time, yet always losing?’

...If I say any more...

‘It’s all unfair...! Family, money, honor, and... talent...’

I can’t be forgiven anymore...

‘What do you know...! You’ve never lost anything...!’

Yes, you’ve never lost anything.

That applied to me too.

A proud child who thought his pain was the greatest.

‘...I’m sorry.’

A friend and comrade who was so consumed by inferiority that he couldn’t even accept an apology, that was my true nature.

‘...Shut up...’

I had to shut up.

‘If you’re human, get angry...!’

If I were human, I would have to control my anger.

If I had, I wouldn’t have regretted it so much.

***

“...So, did you win or lose?”

Leo’s first love

The story was reaching its climax. Even Aria, who was burning with jealousy, was already immersed in the story. Thinking about it, it was also an experience she had never had, so there was a natural sense of being drawn in.

“I wouldn’t be here if I had won, would I?”

“...T...That’s right...”

It was too obvious, but to Leo, it was not at all obvious.

Originally, he couldn’t win, so he couldn’t return to this place.

As a weak and inadequate self, he shouldn’t have been standing in this position.

“By luck, I managed to push back a few times. But I couldn’t reach her.”

Every time I barely managed to improve, she soared even higher. It was as if Aria’s abilities multiplied with Leo’s growth.

“Eventually, I left that place. Then I came here. It’s a boring story, so...”

Leo unconsciously delved too deep into the story. This wasn’t a good story in many ways, so he wanted to end the love advice...

“What happened with that person? Do you still keep in touch?!”

<Aunt! You’re too excited...!>

Chris couldn’t resist adding to such stories. Regardless of Lios, Chris couldn’t resist adding to stories like this.

Lios also wanted to hear the ending of the story, so he didn’t stop her.

“It would have been nice if it had, but unfortunately, first love never ends well.”

***

After that, it was a life of wandering again. It was hard to stay in the capital, so I traveled to various regions, intensively training.

Starting from the harsh northern regions, the barren and desert-filled western regions, various coastal areas, and even islands, I made a pilgrimage to all of them.

Along the way, I met fellow warriors, wanderers, and local inhabitants, gaining various knowledge and, in exchange for lodging and meals, helping to clear the local gates and monsters, thus accumulating combat experience without delay.

I had heard from Luminé that the places I was traveling to were the regions where the legendary hero, who received the sacred sword’s trial and set out on an adventure to defeat the Demon King and his army, had traveled.

Without intending to, I felt like I was living the life of a hero for a moment and also reflected on my life with Aria.

It must have been around that time.

That I started writing letters.

I wrote and sent hundreds of letters over several years. Each one was filled with different content and greetings, serving as a journal of my journey.

But I never received a reply.

After the pilgrimage where the hero’s breath reached its end, Leo briefly crossed over to the East.

There was no attachment to the empire anymore.

Rather, if I could learn Eastern martial arts and combine them with my current skills, it might make up for my lack of ability, and it would be a fair trade.

‘...Have you seen it?’

In the East, I had become a well-known swordsman. An old man came to find a half-breed with black hair, a demon, who had come from the West.

He challenged me to a duel and showed me three sword techniques.

‘The Three Sword Techniques, these three forms contain all the subtleties of swordsmanship.’

It was obvious. There is no sword technique without horizontal, vertical, and thrusting cuts. If you follow this logic, it’s no different from saying you know all the subtleties of mathematics with just addition and subtraction.

‘Hahaha, you’re right. Swordsman from the West.’

The old man laughed heartily, as if my criticism affirmed his intention.

‘You’re right. Knowing the basics makes you a beginner. But performing these basics is the realm of a true warrior.’

And what he showed was the deepening of the basics, and the final burning of the remaining soul, the heart fire. The sword blade split, and he showed all the forms simultaneously.

It was a mesmerizing scene, like looking through a kaleidoscope. The pursuit was symmetrical to Aria, but a similar sense of awe washed over me.

The young man asked, his tone formal.

‘Why... are you showing me such sword techniques?’

It wasn’t out of fear or intimidation.

It was genuine respect, and the young swordsman showed respect to the swordsman who demonstrated the basics and the fundamentals.

‘Because I saw myself in you. I hope you use this experience meaningfully.’

Later, I learned that the old man was a martial artist who had lost his hometown in a factional war.

But there was a difference between him and me.

I had left my hometown on my own.

But the sword techniques he showed must not be used in vain.

Because I still had a place to return to.

The meaning of the Three Sword Techniques could only be learned through action, not just knowledge.

The principle itself is simple.

A sword technique that is completely faithful to strength, direction, angle, and speed.

That’s why it was difficult.

It was an abstract principle, like ‘To become a sage, you must do good deeds.’

It was a practice that seemed real but became an illusion the moment you approached its essence.

It felt like looking at Aria.

‘...Yes. That’s how you learn the taste of it.’

After that, I went into the mountains and only swung my weapon.

Thinking about it, I had always focused on practical combat, without a firm image of theory and technique.

I thought that the ultimate technique was in the realm of talent.

In reality, I couldn’t create a unique technique like Aria, Chris, or other famous knights.

But if I changed my perspective, the Three Sword Techniques were very basic sword techniques.

If finding the essence from the basics was lacking,

I would trace back to the origin from the basics.

Not just sword techniques.

All martial arts are connected.

A versatile ultimate technique that can be applied to all the techniques I had already mastered, such as combat, spear techniques, archery, and hidden techniques.

It started with sword techniques.

Starting with the Three Sword Techniques, I connected the martial arts of cold weapons in sequence. Since they all used the body, there were inevitably overlapping parts.

I selected these parts, divided them in sequence, and improved their versatility and applicability.

The result was ten basic techniques.

Four types of cutting: Hal (割), Cham (斬), Ju (誅), Jak (斫),

Two types of thrusting: Chong (衝), Cheok (刺),

Two types of striking: Ta (打), Geuk (擊),

Two types of throwing: Tu (投), Sa (射).

After mastering all ten techniques, I descended from the mountain.

When I returned to the empire, satisfied,

Rheinhardt was in ruins.

***

“She’s dead. A long time ago.”

Recalling old memories, Leonardo told a colored story to Chris (and the eavesdroppers).

“...Dead...?”

<...This... Can’t be...>

‘...Dead means...’

Everyone instinctively knew. This was a memory that Leo would never forget.

“...Letters were all ignored, and there was no contact at all.”

No matter how many times I tried to contact, there was no response.

It was then that I realized it wasn’t that they didn’t respond.

It was impossible.

“When I shamelessly went to find the mercenary group, the mercenary group itself was already gone.”

It wasn’t just Rheinhardt. Most of the empire was in ruins, as if it had faced a massive war and disaster.

It wasn’t as bad as hell or purgatory, but it was impossible to think of the once glorious empire.

And when I arrived in Rheinhardt, it was a nightmare, a hellish scene that made my face contort with blood.

“...The mercenary group...”

“It was a common occurrence in this industry.”

Later, I learned that a massive gate had opened in the sky over the empire. It was about a few months before I arrived, but the exact timing was uncertain.

Even those who survived the sight had all gone mad.

When I entered Rheinhardt’s mansion, the first thing I saw was not any servants or knights.

‘...Leonardo...?’

‘...Lady Silica.’

As if all the glory of the past was gone, Silica greeted me in a very poor state.

‘...I’m sorry. The house has become very shabby...?’

There was nothing to deny.

Rheinhardt’s main house was as quiet as an abandoned ruin, and there were no knights or servants in the house of knights.

‘...Where is Aria?’

It wasn’t important.

If she was there, if