Chapter 32: I Have a New Master ②
Translated by AmaLynne
Edited by AmaLynne
Sam was in tatters, lying face down on the ground in the garden of Count Walker’s house.
(S-She’s a monster.)
His body ached all over.
Just moving his fingers caused a dull ache to run through his body.
「My? Are you finished?」
It was the second daughter of Countess Walker, Lieselotte, who mercilessly crushed Sam with a single wooden sword.
She was good enough that Ur, whom Sam admired, that she was stronger than him without magic.
(Even with Ur, I was able to fight reasonably well… You’re lying.)
If Ur was a master magician, then Lise was a master swordsman.
At first, they fought each other with empty hands, unable to hit each other.
Then, Sam was allowed to use body-enhancement magic, and Lise took up a wooden sword and was outmatched.
Sam, who had prided himself on having become stronger not only in magic but also in combat in general during the four years he had spent with Ur, had his confidence shattered without mercy.
Sam was covered in sweat and mud, breathing hard, while Lise was not sweating at all.
The difference in ability between the two was too great.
( ……It hurts just to move…… I might have cracks in my ribs and arms.)
Sam was not going to go easy on her.
He had a strong woman, Ur, as his mentor, so he wasn’t going to be some half-hearted feminist who couldn’t fight a woman now.
Even against Lise, he fought intending to defeat her from the start.
But this was the result.
「Hey, Sam. Can you use recovery magic?」
「……a little.」
「Then you can use it. Let’s continue.」
(And she’s as strict as Ur.)
After casting a healing spell on his aching body, he stood up and made a fist.
「Good. Let’s start.」
Before he could reply, Lise’s figure disappeared.
「―――!?」
It’s not that he took his eyes off her.
She simply moved at a speed that he couldn’t follow with his eyes.
But Sam has had a lot of experience in this area.
He quickly found Lise’s figure.
But it was already too late.
She was swinging her wooden sword at him.
A moment later, his body flew through the air.
「You can just barely follow my figure, but it looks like your body can’t react fast enough.」
As he listened to Lise’s voice, Sam felt intense pain.
After a beat, his back hit the ground and air leaked out of his lungs.
「―――*Gasp!*」
Sam couldn’t see Lise’s sword.
She was fast and sharp.
「You seem to have a good eye, but you’re still naive. You’ll need time to learn how to follow my sword properly.」
「……yes.」
「After a while, you will be able to dodge or catch my sword. When you can do that, I’ll stop holding back and we’ll get more serious.」
(―――That’s too much to ask for.)
「…You are very strong, Lise-sama.」
「Thank you. I was once a disciple of the Sword Saint.」
「The Sword Saint, huh?」
Sam asked Lise as she stood up, holding her aching body.
「My, you don’t know? It’s a title given to the best swordsman in the country. Right, if you’re a wizard, something like a court wizard.」
「I didn’t know there was such a title.」
「What’s different about being a court wizard is that when you become a sword saint, you can open your own dojo. I used to go there myself.」
「Hee.」
「Also, I hear they’re busy teaching and guarding the royal family.」
「You’re the disciple of the strongest swordsman… Right, that’s why you’re strong. Indeed, without magic, you would be stronger than Ur.」
「Do you believe me?」
「Yes. I do.」
Lise smiles at Sam, who looks bitter, as if satisfied.
「I’ve had a few matches with my sister, and she’s a good match, even with magic.」
「It’s terrifying.」
「My, excuse me. It’s not easy, because I have to defeat them faster than they can shoot magic. If you’re confident in your speed, anyone can do it.」
How many swordsmen can be as fast as Lise?
(This person is definitely a wizard killer.)
A wizard-killer is a term used to describe a wizard’s natural enemy.
For example, a swordsman who won’t let you use magic like Lise.
「My sister didn’t make it easy for me to win either. Every time we fought, she would come up with a countermeasure, and I would often lose.」
According to Liese, she is losing the match against Ur.
「But I envy you being a wizard.」
「Do you?」
「That’s right! It’s not fair that they have body-enhancing magic! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get to a point where I could move reasonably well? But Sam can move just as well with enhancement magic. It’s a little frustrating.」
「I was still no match for Lise-sama, though.」
「Fufu, I can’t let Sam beat me yet. I’m still the Sword Saint’s disciple, after all.」
Lise smiles happily.
She surely loves swords.
The way she is so lively, she looks just like Ur, who uses magic.
「I don’t have any magic power, but I was fortunate enough to become a discipline of the Sword Saint, and I was able to spend many fulfilling days. Thankfully, it seems I have a talent for words.」
「I’m jealous of you because I’m not very good with a sword.」
「I guess so. But then again, some parents were horrible, mistreating their children.」
「……You know that much?」
「I’m sorry if I offended you. It’s just a little letter from my sister.」
Sam shook his head and said that she didn’t care about it.
He had already severed ties with his family, and there was no point in worrying about the past.
For now, all he had to do was think about moving forward as a wizard.
「I don’t mind, because it was because of my lack of talent with the sword that I met Ur. In fact, I’m glad I did.」
「Fufu. You are so positive. And you love my sister very much, don’t you?」
「Yes, sincerely.」
「I envy you, sister. I wish I could be truly loved by a man.」
Lise looked strangely lonely when she said that.
「Lise-sama?」
「Hmm? What’s wrong?」
「Oh, no, it’s nothing.」
However, she immediately went back to smiling, so he might have misjudged it.
「Fufu, you’re so weird Sam.」
Sam was relieved to see Lise laughing like a child.
He knew he had been mistaken when he saw the sad expression on her face.
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