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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Weight of a Sword
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"Huh?"
The reaction came not from behind Loan, but from in front of him.
The swordsmanship instructor, Diego, narrowed his eyes, bringing his blurry vision into focus.
A child he'd never seen before, running at a furious pace.
His momentum was extraordinary.
Though the clouds of dust kicked up with each step obscured the boy's face, Diego felt a mix of tension and exhilaration.
Unconsciously, he drew mana up from his core.
The muscles throughout his body contracted smoothly, preparing for a command.
As if awaiting battle.
"Hah..."
Had this ever happened before?
After retiring, his days teaching children had always been peaceful.
Why would he, a Seeker-class operative who had served in the Harmony Division, feel tense around a group of teenagers who hadn't even reached the level of Oz?
It was just that this situation was incredibly unique.
And yet.
*So, it was the new kid after all.*
The moment the child's face became recognizable, Diego felt a pang of embarrassment for having felt threatened by him.
After all, he couldn't sense a shred of hostility from the boy running toward him with an innocent laugh.
In fact, he felt an eagerness, a desire to reach his new teacher as quickly as possible, which was almost heartwarming.
Still, he was curious.
Just who was this boy who was leaving all those other talented children far behind in the dust?
And what was with that speed?
A speed that shouldn't be possible for a body with underdeveloped bones and muscles.
It was impossible without using mana.
*Which means he's at least trained in mana circulation.*
But he didn't sense the domineering aura of mana characteristic of the powerful.
That was to be expected from a child, but that made it even stranger.
To use mana that smoothly was simply unbecoming of his age.
Something didn't add up.
*Let's see a little more...*
In that moment, Diego revised his lesson plan for the day.
He shouted to the approaching Loan.
"Keep running! Let's see who can last to the end!"
Loan's gaze followed Diego's pointing finger.
To the track built around the training field.
Immediately understanding Diego's intention, Loan ran past him and onto the track.
"Are you all going to fall behind like this? Get moving and chase him!"
The children, not knowing what was going on, followed after Loan.
Loan glanced back and saw Sophie chasing him, her jaw clenched.
*Is this the game of tag I read about in the storybooks?*
A game where you win by catching and lose by being caught.
That was Loan's understanding, and the teacher had just said so.
"Chase him."
Then that must apply to him as well.
He was in the lead, but this was a circular track.
In other words, from another perspective, he wasn't in the lead at all. To be the last one standing, he had to catch others too.
*Ah, everyone is 'it'.*
Loan immediately understood the teacher's profound intention and faithfully followed it.
He still had plenty of mana to draw upon, so it was only natural to increase his speed.
"Hah!"
Sophie's gasp from behind quickly faded into the distance.
In an instant, Loan had put more than half a lap between himself and the long ribbon of the main group.
Meanwhile.
"Ugh, I can't run anymore."
The children who couldn't use mana properly, those with meager reserves, began to collapse to the ground.
Panting breaths heated the air from all around, but the majority of the children were still running on the track.
Most of them had parents affiliated with the Union, so their talent was considerable, and they had also managed to find their own pace.
"Don't get carried away."
As if following someone's murmur, they controlled their breathing and solidified their group.
They formed a single pack, with no one breaking away or falling behind, waiting for an opportunity.
They were patiently waiting, wondering when Loan, who was clearly overpacing, would collapse, and when Sophie, who was maintaining her position alone in the middle, would fall behind.
*It's going to be a battle of attrition anyway.*
That was what everyone was thinking.
Everyone except for one person.
*I've almost caught them.*
The rear of the group soon came into Loan's view.
He had nearly lapped them, and from behind, their shoulders were heaving so violently they looked like they could collapse at any moment.
So much so that he wanted to let them rest quickly.
With that in mind.
Loan lightly came up behind them—
"Tagged you."
he said, tapping the children's shoulders one by one.
The children flinched, startled, and stopped in their tracks.
Some even lost their balance and fell, their tension suddenly released.
"Are you okay?"
Amidst it all, Loan helped the fallen children sit up before picking up his pace again.
He had read that one should be considerate of the weak, especially in urgent moments, and that this was a sign of true character.
"What the... how is he so fast?"
"Is this even possible?"
The astonished voices of the children who had given up.
The unexpected commotion from the rear caused a stir among the children clustered at the front of the group.
They looked back to see Loan chasing them with a smile.
He had lapped them by an entire circuit.
"Aah!"
The boy who had seemed endlessly beautiful and mysterious was, in this moment, utterly terrifying.
The screaming child, the child trying to flee with gritted teeth, and the child who stopped dead in their tracks out of sheer disbelief—all had to face Loan's touch.
*Just one left.*
Only Sophie remained.
To catch Sophie, who was about half a lap ahead, Loan focused a little more on his mana circulation.
Suddenly, he remembered Blake carrying him as he ran, dodging the Runners.
As if to wash away the unpleasant feeling that seeped through his enjoyment, Loan forced himself to even his breathing.
With that, a torrent of mana rushed from his thighs to his calves, and down to the soles of his feet as they kicked off the ground.
As he stepped, he made the mana explode, *thump*—
Just like the image in his memory, Loan gave it his all with every moment.
"Tagged you, Sophie."
"..."
Sophie stopped, her body trembling as if she'd had a seizure.
She slowly turned her head.
Her expression was as if she had seen a ghost.
"Why are you here..."
"Stop! Everyone, assemble!"
At the same time, a shout rang out.
Loan gave Sophie's shoulder a light pat and walked over to where Diego was standing.
It had been quite an enjoyable experience.
He thought it would be wonderful to have classes like this every day.
As he approached the group of children, they once again parted to make way for him.
At the end of the path, past the flood of praise and admiration, Diego spoke to Loan.
"Loan. I am Diego Cruz Sanchez. From now on, I will be teaching you basic swordsmanship."
"Hello, Instructor Diego."
Despite running so much, his breathing was steady. His posture hadn't faltered in the slightest.
Just how much mana had he accumulated, and how well did he wield it, to be like this at his age?
Diego intended to continue unraveling this overflowing curiosity.
"Alright, then. Everyone, go grab one of the wooden swords displayed over there."
The children, who had been collapsing to the ground one by one, grumbled softly as they struggled to their feet.
They shuffled over and began to choose from the wooden swords on the rack.
Exquisitely carved wooden swords. Their length was no different from a standard longsword, making them excessively long for the children.
"Ugh..."
A few children groaned as they carried the swords back with both hands.
They were never light for children to begin with, but they felt especially heavy now that they were completely drained.
The children had exhausted not only their mana but also every last bit of their strength, so just bringing the swords over was a struggle. But Loan was an exception.
Compared to the mana he drew from the human tree, this was nothing.
The amount he had consumed was replenished just by running and breathing.
From the very beginning, it was a game with no limits for him, as an infinite supply of mana flowed through his body.
And yet, for some reason, Loan just stood in front of the rack, staring blankly at the swords.
Diego asked.
"Loan, have you never held a sword before?"
"No."
"Are you hesitating?"
"It's just... I don't feel like I want to hold one."
Diego's eyes curved into a gentle arc.
"A sword is a tool inherently made to wound and kill. It is rather desirable to feel the weight of that when facing one."
Loan knew the purpose and power of a sword all too well.
A 'sword' was present in the direct memories that made him angry and sad.
That was why his hand wouldn't reach for one.
"But a sword can do nothing on its own, and in that, it is also pure."
"..."
Loan tilted his head slightly, not understanding the meaning of his words.
Diego continued.
"It all depends on the person who wields it. The sword is what proves what kind of person you are."
"Ah..."
He was moved. It was a perspective he hadn't considered.
Then, Loan remembered.
If the tool Blake had wielded wasn't a sword but a staff, or a ladle, would it have been different? Would he have come to hate ladles?
"Humans always need the courage not to run away. That doesn't just apply to swords. It all depends on your heart."
He still had no desire to learn swordsmanship or become a swordsman.
Even if it were a condition for becoming a member of the Union, he believed he could prove himself with something else.
However, just as Diego said, he had no intention of running away either.
*Shk-*
Without choosing a particular one, Loan unhesitatingly picked up the wooden sword in front of him and quietly felt its weight.
Even though it wasn't a real sword, the sensation of gripping the hilt felt somehow cold.
Reading his expression, Diego was silently impressed.
Separate from his mana and stamina, his attitude alone showed he had more than enough potential to become a fine swordsman.
Forcibly hiding his joy at discovering a diamond in the rough, Diego addressed the class.
"Now, you will pair up and spar. It doesn't matter if you've learned swordsmanship or not, or what style you use. Just focus on subduing your opponent."
"Um... Instructor."
Suddenly, Sophie raised her hand.
"Everyone is exhausted right now. Can't we rest a bit before we start?"
Though she asked the question, Sophie's own breathing was quite stable.
She was fulfilling her duty as the class representative.
Diego retorted in a dry voice.
"Are you going to say that in a real battle?"
"..."
"Swordsmanship is the art of handling a sword. There is no 'right time' to wield one. Whenever, wherever. If you need to, you must draw your sword, no matter what condition you're in."
Making it second nature.
Practicing swordsmanship when the body is tired and weary would naturally be helpful in an actual combat situation.
Sophie had no choice but to accept it.
Diego crossed his arms and continued.
"Furthermore, swordsmanship requires a variety of abilities, such as strength, balance, and reflexes. So what about when your body is at its limit? What should you do then?"
"..."
"Anyone care to answer?"
Loan's body had never broken down, but his heart had.
The day he met Pauline again.
Amidst anger and sadness, hatred and self-blame, fear and disillusionment, Loan had focused on the single goal of defeating Blake.
Loan slowly raised his hand.
"You have to shed all unnecessary thoughts and movements, and focus on the single purpose of taking down your opponent."
He answered exactly as he had experienced it.
"Hmm..."
A look of surprise flickered across Diego's face.
It wasn't an answer based on speculation. He could see from the boy's unwavering gaze that it was based on some kind of realization.
A very profound one at that.
How could someone so young have such depth? It made him wonder what kind of life the boy had lived.
"A good answer. This sparring session is meant to have that very intention. That's why I wanted to see you handle a sword while exhausted..."
Diego's voice trailed off.
Loan felt a small sense of bewilderment that he hadn't reached the state his teacher desired.
Fortunately, it seemed Diego didn't intend to reprimand him, as he read Loan's expression and gave a small smile.
Then he spoke in a somewhat gentler voice.
"I suppose that won't be easy for you and Sophie. For the sake of fairness with the other children, you two will have to pair up."
Loan and Sophie looked at each other.
"Ah..."
A small gasp came from among the children.
Perhaps from the moment the two had greeted each other, the children had been anticipating, or even hoping for, a moment just like this.