Chapter 46: Even If It Rots, It's A Herring
I came out because I thought Id be in the way.
Shiron walked around the mansion grounds after leaving the training room. He wasnt sure where to go since he didnt leave with a specific purpose.
Now, what should I do?
He had planned to practice his internal techniques in the morning, but now that he found out he couldnt master them, he had a lot of free time.
I already practiced with my sword at dawn.
Even after thinking about it, Shiron couldnt come up with anything else to do.
Siriel had mentioned that training through internal techniques took longer than expected.
According to the schedule Johan prepared, Siriel spent about 4 hours a day mastering and utilizing her internal techniques.
Shiron had also allocated 4 hours of his day for it.
By the way, why is she following me without attending her classes?
Walking aimlessly, Shiron, who found himself in the mansions garden, turned around to look at the groaning Siriel behind him.
Siriel.
Uh, huh?
Are you skipping the internal technique training today?
Was it because he approached her so suddenly? Siriel, visibly startled, froze for a moment, tilting her head in confusion.
What do you mean skipping? Ive never heard that word before.
It means missing the training. You couldve trained with Lucia even if you couldnt with me.
Upon hearing Shirons question, Siriel hesitated for a moment before answering.
I just wanted to follow you because I was worried about you.
You were worried about me?
Yes.
Shiron chuckled in surprise, but Siriel didnt laugh and instead lowered her head.
It seemed like you and Lucia were fighting.
Uhm
Shiron hesitated to deny her words. Anyone could see that he was out of spirits. As if his heart softened at her genuine concern, no excuses came to his mind.
Come to think of it, the atmosphere wasnt that great earlier. Shiron tried to imagine how he looked from the outside.
Did I appear to Siriel as if I ran out in disappointment?
He unintentionally caused her worry. He couldnt directly confirm his expression at that time, but if even the usually cheerful Siriel was concerned, his face must have looked troubled.
Shiron laughed brightly and put his arm around Siriels shoulder.
We didnt fight, so dont worry.
Why are you laughing
At this, Siriel lowered her head more, tapping her foot as if feeling teased.
Over the past few weeks, Siriels social skills have improved. She can now read the atmosphere and react even without being told directly.
I just find you adorable.
Shiron took out candy from his pocket. It was lemon-flavored, Siriels favorite.
Seeing her favorite candy, Siriel hesitated for a moment. However, unable to resist the temptation, she closed her eyes and quickly popped the candy into her mouth.
Mmm, yum.
Siriel shivered slightly, savoring the sour taste.
Like this, every time Siriel did something cute, Shiron would give her candy. The count of candies he gave her easily exceeded two digits.
At first, he kept the candies for personal taste, but now, they primarily served the purpose of raising Siriels favorability.
It was fascinating when he thought about it.
Even what seemed like trivial items could come in handy when used correctly in the game. Shirons inventory was filled with various items.
Shiron comforted Siriel as if handling a tiger cub.
I hope you grow up just like this.
That was Shirons small wish. The emotions of a child, who was neither a reincarnated nor a possessed being, were simple and easy to deal with.
Come to think of it.
While watching Siriel enjoy her candy, Shiron looked around.
Spring had just begun, and the flowers bloomed lavishly.
He hadnt had a proper rest since he was transported into the game.
If he wasnt training or researching, he spent the remaining time giving a good impression to the game characters, hoping they would help in the future.
I need to organize my thoughts about the method of storing and handling Mana inside me Ill think about it later.
The best way to clear ones mind was by taking a walk. Shiron decided to wander around the gardens scattered across the mansion.
By the way,
Huh?
Arent you worried youll get scolded for missing the meditation lesson?
Ah
I know Lord Johan might not care, but the Great Madam might reprimand you.
Well, if I explain properly, itll be fine!
With that, Siriel, who had been speaking, walked alongside Shiron in the garden.
To anyone watching, they seemed inseparable. Holding Shirons hand, Siriel introduced various spots in the garden.
After a few rounds around the mansion grounds, Shiron finally returned to the annex.
The dry spring weather made him thirsty, so Shiron pulled out a water bottle from his shoulder. A relic with the feature of inventory expansion. He manifested this function after absorbing the relics abilities.
Its still cold.
Even after several days, the well water he fetched in the early morning still maintained its coolness.
Shiron would occasionally check to what extent he could utilize his current abilities.
The ability Shiron named Storage was very useful; he could retrieve stored items from anywhere on his body without any decay or damage.
So, I can only use the relics ability and the Holy Sword now
Since he couldnt circulate Mana, he naturally couldnt use the martial art called Aura.
However, not being able to use Aura wasnt a big problem for Shiron. After all, he had the sharpest sword in the world, the Holy Sword. Its sharpness was so formidable that it could even cut through Ophilias skin, the Guardian of Dawn.
Its better than a mediocre Aura.
While his offensive measures were sorted, defense was an issue.
Being unable to harness Aura meant he couldnt envelop himself in a protective Aura barrier to bolster his defenses.
While the system allowed for natural defense increases as he trained, nothing could replace the invisible shield-like protection of the Aura, which could negate damage up to a certain level. Lucias Aura from his memories could even negate minor monster attacks.
And if someone like Lucia could, then for Shiron, playing without any buff was perilously dangerous, especially with only one life left.
Shiron pulled out a notebook from his pocket.
I have to discard the Mana absorption path.
Shiron tore out some useless pages and threw them into the heater.
After mastering Aura, He intended to gather relics, but one of his plans was completely ruined.
Next plan.
Shiron flipped the pages of the notebook.
Through experiments, he found out that items in Storage could be retrieved not only through his hands and feet but also his mouth and forehead. He could even halt the retrieval process.
Once, he had tried pulling out the Holy Sword just a tiny bit from his fingertip. When he scraped it against a plate, the plate neatly split in half.
I wonder if this would work?
A sudden curiosity arose. What if he summoned a shield from beneath his skin, not in an equipped state? Would it block an attack?
Without hesitation, Shiron pulled out a fork from his waist. Where should he stab? The thought didnt take long. A place hidden from others: his thigh.
Shiron thrust the fork with all his might.
Clang-!
The sound of sharp metal clashing echoed.
When looking at his clothes, four red marks appeared. While only a droplet of blood formed on his thigh, the fork was horribly crushed.
The relatively soft fork was stopped just beneath the skin by the summoned gauntlet.
This is it.
A shiver ran through his body.
Shiron quickly noted what he had discovered.
I might be able to block most of the attacks, right?
Then he thought of an item.
[Shield of Chesed]
Reincarnation of the Sword Saint was a game with no leveling system, and players couldnt directly adjust the games difficulty.
However, the combat difficulty drastically changed depending on which character a player met, which item they wore, and which choices they made.
The Shield of Chesed, which nullified direct attacks, possessed an overpowered ability. But, it also had a significant drawback.
However, in a state where Shiron couldnt use his protective Aura, he wasnt in a position to be choosy about the risks.
Several utilizations came to mind, and Shiron smiled with delight. However, a sigh of regret escaped his smiling lips.
Unlike the holy sword, which was easily obtainable in the starting area named Dawn Castle, the Shield of Chesed was in the Castle of Blessings, a place where Shiron couldnt go yet.
Its too dangerous to go there now.
To become stronger, you needed to gather sacred relics, but to gather sacred relics, you needed to be stronger.
Resolving this contradiction was the priority.
Still, its not like theres no way at all.
Shiron prepared to meet Hugo.
Hugos office.
Sir, Id like to do something crazy. Please allow me.
Hmm
Upon hearing his nephews words, with a solemn face, Hugo groaned.
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