The real thing is different (1)
How much soul should I take out to overshadow Uncle’s soul, the swordmaster of this era?
200 years? 300 years? 500 years?
No. 100 years will do.
What I pulled out was only a fraction of the years I had lived.
That alone allowed me to completely overpower his presence.
Uncle’s eyes widened. His face was full of astonishment and disbelief.
Whether they noticed the quiet battle we’re having, the court knights narrowed their eyes to watch me, Uncle, and Adelia, who had a frightened face.
It looked unreal.
“I hate it when someone takes what’s mine,” I whispered.
There is no vigor or vitality in my voice.
The only thing I felt was the chill that came from my soul.
My body trembled. My teeth chattered.
It was a hot season, but I felt cold.
That was a sign.
This weak body is being eroded by the coldness and darkness that came with my soul.
I quickly buried the part of my soul that I had awakened, before it could eat this body up.
“One ordinary knight…”
Uncle was breathing roughly as he gazed at my eyes deeply.
“One excellent knight can save a hundred soldiers… No. A thousand.”
His voice and eyes were imposing, placing me under pressure.
There was a great sense of responsibility in him as the commander of the North.
He had a great cause.
“Soon, there will be a harsh winter. Hungry monsters will cross the border…”
“No.”
His face had a broken expression. He didn’t think I would immediately reject him.
“But she could save countless lives.”
“I said, no.”
My answer was the same.
His cause was his, not mine.
I couldn’t sympathize with him. I had no intention of giving up something that has this great value.
“You value her…”
“Sir Count Balahard,” Adelia spoke, cutting Uncle off.
It was surprising that she would speak to Uncle, who was considered her superior.
But there was something else more surprising.
Her purple eyes have a dry, cold look as she stared back at Uncle.
“Why don’t you ask me directly?”
Uncle, who had no reason not to, asked her.
“Would you go with me to the North?”
“I have no intention of leaving His Highness’ side.”
For Adelia, there was no cause greater than I.
“I have my own body and mind,” she added.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed, and it sounded hostile.
It was worthwhile to raise my soul’s presence, even though I knew my body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Adelia, the maniac, the shy but dependable woman.
[Servility] is only meant to be submissive to a higher-ranking being.
And my soul was enough to impress on her who the real ‘Master’ was.
“I cannot follow your words,” Adelia told Uncle.
He looked shocked because his noble cause has just been rejected twice.
I chuckled once more as Uncle looked exasperated.
“Thousand of lives are at stake! How can you be so rash!”
“I’m not worried about this. Why don’t you get out of the palace and find a thousand soldiers?”
Uncle stared at my blatant remark.
I coughed from too much chuckling.
“We’re not done with this. We’ll sort it out soon.”
At this point, it was important to draw the line.
“The request for Adelia is already over. In fact, there is no longer a reason why you need to come here every day.”
The Queen asked him to come for my discipline.
Now, I don’t get into foolish troubles, and I’m in a state of losing weight.
“But if you are willing to come, I will welcome you as a guest. But you will be expected to be as courteous as a guest.”
Don’t nag, don’t look at Adelia.
Uncle frowned by my condition and looked at Adelia with a lot of regrets.
* * *
Even after being so embarrassed, Uncle continued to visit the palace daily.
It was to watch Adelia.
However, Adelia treated him with little to no respect. Uncle grumbled around her.
It was too pathetic that even I felt sorry for him and chose not to say anything.
Occasionally, Uncle looked at me with a sulky face.
He seemed to want to say something, but he’s holding it back.
About two weeks after that, Uncle, who was usually silent, approached us in the training hall.
“What have you been teaching her?” he asked, looking disgusted.
Hmm… definitely, her posture was not good.
“Adelia, stretch out your elbows,” I told her.
Immediately, she corrected her posture.
“Lean your shoulders back a little.”
“Stare forward.”
Uncle cleared his throat meaningfully and stepped away.
I shook my head. I know what that meant.
Adelia was adjusting to the sword too quickly. At this pace, I would not be able to lead her anymore soon.
“Hoo!”
She took a deep breath. Aura gathered at the tip of her sword as she exhaled.
She repeated the action, slowly but surely, until a clear noise rang out.
Woo Woo Woo!
“Well?” Adelia turned and looked at me while her sword was shining.
“Uh, good job.”
She laughed shyly at my compliment.
Soon, the light from the sword faded.
She did well. But I couldn’t laugh.
I taught her how to put mana in a sword. However, I did not expect her to succeed in such a short time.
Even if she did not have enough mana yet to keep it running, she was successful.
It was terrifying progress.
I’m really nervous like a sword-wielding maniac is chasing me.
Goosebumps rose on my neck.
“You must not…”
I heard Uncle’s voice. When I turned my head, I saw his stiff expression.
“Mana heart…” It was obvious that he was trying not to speak, but blurted it out anyway.
“Why?” I asked him loudly.
“Isn’t it enough that you use that trashy technique alone? Why did you have to teach it to her?”
I pointed at the entrance with my finger. “Go. Leave!”
As I screamed at him angrily, Uncle spoke once more.
“She had incredible potential that you couldn’t have imagined. You ruined it.”
His voice was calm, but the anger contained in it was deeper than before.
I pointed to the entrance once more instead of answering.
“Why, will you have me dragged out?”
I stood up to call the court knights, but Uncle has already turned and started walking away.
As I watched him while clicking my tongue, Adelia approached me and asked.
“The technique you taught me was trash?”
I shook my head.
“No. Never.”
The Mana Heart sitting at her chest was exactly the same as that of her ancestor, Agnes Bavaria.
Even though it is small and insignificant now, it can exert tremendous power as her ancestors did in the past.
“But why does Sir Count speak of it that way?”
She had a lot of questions today than usual. Still, she seems to be highly motivated when talking about swords, as expected from a descendant of ancestors known for excellent swordsmanship.
“I don’t know…” I said as I watched Uncle disappear from a distance.
“People of this era have completely forgotten what the real mana heart is like.”
It was mana hearts that have defeated dragons and giant kings.
Now, it is treated as trash.
It was pitiful.
“If they hadn’t forgotten, they wouldn’t treat it that way.”
“I see.”
I’m not sure she understood, but she looked as if she believed me.
“Soon, you will know.”
I didn’t doubt that the day she would see it would come soon.
The day will come much faster than I thought.
After a week, Uncle came back, still seething with anger.
“Would you like me to never come back?”
He had a black wooden sword in his hand.
“Then, raise your sword.
He stared at me quietly.
“Prove yourself. Prove that you are not wrong.”
He raised his wooden sword.
“I will only use one ring. If you can make me move even half a footstep, you win. Then, I’ll admit defeat.”
I grinned. “What would you like to bet? In exchange for your wish.”
“If you want me to pass on the family’s secret, I will. If you want something else, I will also listen.”
I shook my head.
“It’s not what I want.”
“Whatever it is you want, then.”
I laughed at his words.
“Let’s finish the battle first,” I said.
This is going to be fun.
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