Chapter 4: The First Disciple Leilia(4)

‘…A real sword in reality. If I put my mind to it, can’t I just use it?’

Given Leilia’s current level, she could probably wield a sword without being caught.

!!!

Since I wasn’t watching Leilia all the time, she could wield it on her own… Does asking for my permission mean she depends on me that much?

I felt a slight pleasure, but also a burden about the expectation.

-That’s why everyone gets hurt because of your ambiguous attitude… You’re not decisive, and you always leave room for doubt.

-Shut up.

-Because of your personality, you’re going to get into big trouble. So… come to me, and I’ll take responsibility for everything.

…Unpleasant memories resurfaced.

“Teacher…?”

Leilia called out to me, and only then could I gather my senses.

“Oh, yeah, go ahead and wield a sword in reality. If you want, do it to your heart’s content.”

Perhaps, with her rate of growth, she might really reach the realm of a Swordmaster if she holds a sword in reality.

If Leilia becomes a Swordmaster and the quest ends… I’ll have to leave her.

Today, too, she wields her sword, but I had a bad feeling, seeing Leilia who seemed to be conscious of me for some reason.

‘Yes, I’ll leave quickly after seeing Leilia become a Swordmaster.’

There would be nothing good for her if she got too involved with me.

The third son of the Atilen family. Atilen Richard was complaining to his father.

“…Father, why are we going there ourselves? They’re just fake nobles, and they’re being arrogant.”

Richard couldn’t acknowledge the Haisen family, a family from a higher class, as a noble family.

“Richard, don’t talk like that.”

In case someone heard them, the head of the Atilen family rebuked Richard.

“In the first place, isn’t it because you bought the ‘skin of blue gold,’ a specialty of the kingdom, on credit to give a gift to Her Imperial Highness?”

“That… I’m sorry.”

“Still, don’t worry too much. It’s just an ‘engagement,’ after all.”

It seemed as if all of this was Richard’s fault, but in reality, it was the result of his father secretly encouraging Richard.

If it was just because of debt, there was no reason to ask for the help of the Haisen family.

‘The Haisen family. Although they have great wealth enough to help the kingdom, they still don’t actively use their wealth.’

If the Atilen family could only utilize the wealth of the Haisen family…!

While thinking about the countless plans, the head of the Attilen family smiled sinisterly.

After arriving at the Haisen family.

Richard was slightly surprised by the size of the castle, which was larger than he expected.

‘Hmm. Well, they’re just merchants from a lowly background, and they have a lot of money, so they have to look the part.’

Without denying that his own family’s castle was smaller, he was busy disparaging the Haisen family.

However, that thought didn’t last long.

“Greetings. I, Leilia, will greet you.”

Leilia greeted them, as she always did to the nobles who came to visit from time to time. Without any emotion.

Her perfect manners even felt restrained.

The moment Richard saw Leilia’s face, he could realize what it meant to fall in love at first sight.

Her long, platinum-blonde hair reaching her waist and her snow-white features.

She was graceful and elegant as she greeted them with her slender arms and legs.

The beauty that rivals the imperial princess, Richard’s first love, and the most beautiful woman in the continent.

“…I love you.”

“…Pardon?”

Leilia frowned at the words that came out of his mouth unintentionally, but Richard felt that even that distortion was beautiful.

Leilia felt uncomfortable with Richard’s expression, who kept staring blankly, and in the end, Richard’s father, unable to bear it any longer, called him.

“O…I, I’m sorry. I was just so… the young lady’s face is so beautiful…”

‘Such a rare… a great beauty in this remote area.’

If it was a beauty like this, he could even seriously consider dating her.

Richard began to imagine various scenarios, such as marrying her and spending his later years.

Of course, Leilia had no interest in Richard whatsoever.

Because she had her teacher, who was more than enough, in her heart.

Haisen Felia, the head of the Haisen family, smiled with satisfaction as he looked at Richard’s expression.

‘That guy.Looks like he’s rally fallen for Leilia.’

At this point, he could take a bit more control. Felia calculated the pros and cons in his mind.

And so, everyone except Leilia was dreaming their own dream.

“Young lady. I will show you the swordsmanship I learned in the capital…!”

Swish, swish- Richard desperately displayed his swordsmanship, trying to win Leilia’s favour.

‘You’ll have no choice but to be charmed by this splendor, because I learned it from the best swordsman of the kingdom, hehe.’

The Aion Kingdom didn’t have a Swordmaster, as a frontier kingdom, but there was someone who had reached a level close to it.

The kingdom’s best swordsman, Lional Callan, who reached Sword Expert in his old age.

Although his lifespan was short now, he was treated with great respect in the Aion Kingdom.

Because reaching the end of Sword Expert wasn’t a realm that could be reached with ordinary effort.

Perhaps, he might become a Swordmaster before he died.

However, the realm of the kingdom’s best swordsman was similar to Leilia’s, or rather, she was a little superior.

In other words, to Leilia, Richard’s swordsmanship was just pathetic.

Even if Lynel kallan came and demonstrated in person, it would not be enough, and Richard’s swordsmanship, which he learned by just skimming his sword, was not even noticeable.There can be so many flaws…”

In many ways, he was a person who couldn’t even be compared to, or rather, compared to her teacher.

Not knowing that Leilia was looking at him pitifully, Richard swung his sword diligently.

After swinging the sword for a long time, Richard was tired and took a short break.

And then. Leilia spoke to him.

“…Can I try holding the sword, too?”

“Haha. Young lady. You’re joking. This sword is a real sword, so it’s heavier than you think…”

He was a little puzzled by her firm answer, but to gain her favor, Richard handed her the sword without saying much.

Leilia, who received the sword, took a breath and slowly held the sword with both hands.

*Crack-

The sword she was holding for the first time in her life.

‘…This is a real sword.’

She had held it thousands, tens of thousands of times in her dream, but the feeling was definitely different.

The warmth of the sword felt in her hand. And………

Leilia couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

“Young lady? What’s wrong? Are you feeling heavy? Then, I’ll show you my swordsmanship again…”

Richard, puzzled by Leilia’s reaction, spoke to her, but nothing reached her ears.

Or rather, from the moment she held the sword, she couldn’t hold back.

Tuduk-

Her dress suddenly stretched.

Leilia’s body, which had been trained countless times, had grown a lot, and to hide that achievement, her teacher had taught her the eastern secret technique, the bone-shrinking technique.

This secret art of shrinking bones and muscles hid the fact that Leilia was practicing well enough, and no one could tell.

Although she shouldn’t have dissolved the bone-shrinking technique here while Richard was watching, she felt that it was all meaningless the moment she held the sword.

‘Ah, I was born to hold a sword.’

At the moment she realized this. Leilia felt that she had crossed the wall that was blocking her.

Wooong-

The clear emission of aura from the sword.

It didn’t waver, nor did it scatter.

Beyond the perfect control of sword qi, it compresses it and emits sword light.

Ignoring Richard’s stunned words, Leilia began to swing her sword.

*Whoosh-

Swordsmanship without a set form or style.

It looked very messy, like swordsmanship.

Leilia’s goal and desire was to seize her own freedom on her own.

Therefore, her swordsmanship was free, without any limitations.

Even Richard, who was walking the path of swordsmanship to some extent, could see it.

‘Swordsamanship…Can something be this beautiful.’

The essence of swordsmanship was, in the end, to hurt and kill someone, but Leilia’s sword was not.

Like a bird in a cage that came out for the first time and flapped its wings, it was beautiful and also lively.

Regardless of Richard’s gaze, Leilia continued to swing her sword.

It was so enjoyable to use the sword. It was so joyful.

If she could, she wanted to swing the sword like this forever.

And, she wanted to show this to her teacher quickly.

As the time she spent using the sword increased, she felt not only Richard’s gaze, but also various gazes.

The knights of her family gathered at the training ground.

The shocked looks of her half-siblings, who rushed over at the shocking news.

Finally, even Felia, her father and the head of the family.

Awe and admiration were evident in everyone’s gaze as they looked at Leilia.

She didn’t put down her sword even when people gathered.

Rather, she displayed her sword more actively.

Leilia no longer wanted to hide herself.

And, she showed all her will with her sword.

Felia also realized that he was making a big mistake while watching Leilia’s swordsmanship, although he hadn’t learned swordsmanship.

That is, he was arbitrarily deciding his daughter’s happiness.

‘…My daughter is better than me.’

After swinging her sword for a while. In a sweaty state, Leilia said to Felia.

“I’ll break off the engagement.”

Her words held a resonance that couldn’t be defied.