Chapter 38 – Understanding (2)

“Fun?”

“Simple fun. You are an interesting guy, Henry. To be honest… at first it was just a little interest. Since people out there were clamoring so much, it was impossible not to become interested, wasn’t it?”

“That’s a plausible explanation.”

“Right? But your performance didn’t end there. Look even now. This isn’t an environment that would be permitted for an ordinary trainee, is it?”

That was also true.

But it was a kind that deviated from the main point.

What Henry asked was the reason Austin followed Henry around.

If it had been another trainee, he would have guessed they were trying to get some crumbs, but the other party was a child of the Ducal House.

“Anyway, there shouldn’t be any benefit you can get from me?”

“If you mean benefits, I’ve gotten plenty.”

Austin unfolded his index finger.

“First of all, I skipped classes.”

Next, he unfolded even his middle finger.

“Every single day is enjoyable. Thanks to you. It would be close to saying I found back the joy I had forgotten. Because recently at the academy, I didn’t have any reason to do these things… for example, sparring, or grabbing weapons I don’t use.”

“Recalling past memories…”

“No, it’s not that. Let’s go a bit more fundamental. In order to relieve my precious friend’s suspicion.”

Austin spoke with a smirk.

At a glance, it was the kind that would feel no different from usual, but Henry felt clearly that it was different.

Austin in this state was sincere.

“I chose freedom over the honor of being a member of the Ducal House. What would be the reason?”

“Because that is more enjoyable.”

“That’s it! Something new… Actually, when I stayed in the family, I experienced pretty much everything. So just like now…”

Austin spun the weapon he was holding.

“I know how to do various things.”

“…”

“Anyway, I have quite demanding standards. In order to receive the evaluation of ‘new’ by my standards, it must be truly unique. That is you, Henry. You are a guy who is more unique than the world I have experienced.”

“Is that all?”

“Not only right now, but I’m also looking forward to the path you will walk in the future. To watch that, it won’t do to be stuck in an academy like this… and to watch it properly, I have to go up to a similar height, don’t I?”

It was a extremely simple reason, and that was why Henry obtained certainty.

Although it was a reason that others might dismiss as a crazy guy when they heard it, the Austin in front of him was a real crazy guy.

‘The environment he experienced since childhood must have created this personality. He enjoyed everything too early.’

And it was not just Henry who thought so.

[A typical crazy character lol]

[Usually, among characters portrayed as crazy like this, there are none who stab you in the back lol. Frankly speaking, it’s more realistic for Rousseau to stab you in the back than Austin]

[If he had squinty eyes on top of this, it would be 100% lol. But even without that, his eyes are too purely crazed lol]

The mages also had the same thought as Henry.

Austin could be trusted.

A person whose mental state was slightly strange and who grew up in an environment that would make him so. In the first place, his criteria for value judgment were different from ordinary people.

“I’m convinced.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. Actually, I was worried you might keep your distance, saying I’m a strange guy. You are indeed a good friend.”

“I am relieved because you are strange.”

“That probably means you’ll see me as I am, right? As expected, Henry Camilton is different from other fellows…”

“Guest is here.”

Austin shut his mouth.

The moment when the exam was one day away.

Naturally, Rousseau had promised that he would prepare something special for Henry.

The one who opened the door and entered was Rousseau, as usual.

Following behind him, two more people entered.

“Hey, nice to see you. Austin was here too? Were there two people for Lauren to face?”

Chief instructor Alex, who smiled as if it was interesting.

And it was his beloved disciple, Lauren.

***

Except for cases that occurred recently, families that came to observe the academy only paid attention to trainees of Class B or higher.

It was not simply because the level of the trainees was different.

What was important was the difference in teaching methods.

Up to Class C, classes dealing with a kind of theory were most of it.

Although they swung swords, in the end, it was only moving on the board set up by the instructor.

It was the same for the opportunities of sparring given occasionally.

Experiencing it in a normal environment with an opponent of similar level was the limit.

But from Class B, the content changed completely.

Although there were classes that taught theory, the point of emphasis became completely different.

Practical experience.

It was something that must be accumulated to act solely as a knight, and accumulating sufficient experience within the academy was practically impossible.

Therefore, the academy adopted a special method.

“The one who went through all of those is Lauren. Since he is a fellow already belonging to Class B, this sparring will surely be of great help to you.”

Rousseau spoke like that.

Anyway, Alex had known from the moment Henry first felt mana, and now the rumor of Henry had spread throughout the academy.

Since he also happened to be the closest instructor, he secured the sparring with Lauren.

“Nothing helps growth as much as practical experience. It is fine even if you do not win. It is fine to lose, so try to examine what you need to obtain. If it is you, Henry, you will be able to do it.”

Of course, it was not a deal from which only Henry benefited.

Because Lauren was also very interested in Henry.

Lauren also willingly accepted the proposal that Alex happened to hand over.

However.

‘He said I might lose. While telling me not to be too disheartened.’

To Lauren, who had just thought of it as an interesting opportunity, Alex handed a strange remark.

‘You might lose.’

‘Henry is a peerless genius, and even if you are pushed back, it is not something to be ashamed of.’

‘Master is not someone who would simply try to provoke me. It must be what he meant sincerely… is that Henry Camilton that great?’

Right after entering Rousseau’s training ground.

Lauren carefully examined Henry Camilton.

No outward singularities were visible.

He did not look strong enough for Alex to warn him, either.

Let alone that until recently, Henry was in a position of staying in a separate lodging, wasn’t he?

‘Although they say he grew rapidly, he is still only in Class C. He must be someone who knows how much effort is required to rise to Class B…’

But Alex was none other than a chief instructor.

There was no way he had misjudged.

His warning was sincere, and Lauren decided to accept that advice.

At that time, Alex, who was talking with Rousseau, approached.

“Shall we begin soon? There isn’t much time.”

“Yes.”

“What about you, Henry? Are you okay right now?”

“I’m fine.”

“Good, prepare yourself. There are no special rules, and nothing in particular to watch out for. If anything happens, either Rousseau or I will intervene immediately, so feel free to go all out.”

Rousseau was already waiting at a reasonable distance.

He was empty-handed, but in the first place, if he made up his mind, he could subdue both of them even with bare hands.

The same went for Alex.

With the chief instructors flanking them on both sides, Henry and Lauren stood facing each other.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lauren.”

“Henry Camilton.”

“Is the weapon that sword? It looks good.”

“It’s a good item. The same goes for you. When you rise to Class B, does everyone hold such weapons?”

“It’s thanks to Instructor Alex’s efforts. It’s not an item I could obtain with my own ability.”

Lauren spoke calmly.

Because he knew that he would not have reached this point if it weren’t for Alex.

He had a personality that was very different from any fool who believed only in talent and acted up. That was why Alex cherished him even more.

“You are humble.”

“Since it’s the truth. Is this enough for greetings?”

Henry adjusted his grip on the sword instead of answering. Lauren did the same.

The tension was pulled tight like a taut thread. There was no bluffing like yielding the first attack, only aiming for a gap to penetrate the opponent’s openings.

Tap.

The one who moved first was Lauren.

An invading movement while lowering his upper body. He struck diagonally with the honestly held sword.

‘If he blocks, I will end it immediately.’

Alex had said.

That Henry had no practical experience.

Henry was someone who had never sparred properly with an out-of-level opponent, and had zero experience facing non-human opponents.

Lauren was now painting the situation that had been the most difficult to adapt to right after he was assigned to Class B.

However.

‘Hmm, as expected. He won’t be taken down that easily, I suppose.’

Henry stepped back greatly instead of clashing swords.

What if he had tried to block just now?

It was thanks to intuiting that the sword, which had slipped away, would have stabbed his empty flank.

Lauren moved again.

An honest movement this time too. But it was not a fake like a moment ago.

Clang! Cl-cl-clang!

The two swords collided fiercely.

‘He knows how to distinguish the fake.’

The trainees who had simply learned the basics belonged to Class C, and all they knew how to do was counter incoming attacks.

But there was bound to be an attack that became dangerous just by receiving it.

Henry had the ability to distinguish that.

‘Then.’

In an instant, Lauren’s right arm sharply turned its angle. The tip of the sword, which rushed in as if to cut the waist, plunged into the floor.

What he aimed for was the ankle.

But it was blocked. At the moment he tried to launch a counterattack using that recoil as power.

Clang!

At the sword bouncing back once more, Lauren ended up feeling a strange sense of incongruity.

‘What is it?’

Lauren stepped back. He stared blankly into Henry’s eyes with even his sword lowered.

Those calm eyes.

An attitude in which even a trace of tension could not be found.

A response that sprang out as if it had been waiting when he extended the sword.

Even the sword just before was more dangerous.

Because the reason Lauren had backed off was not simply due to the sense of incongruity.

‘I was almost dragged in.’

If he had gone just one step further there.

From that moment on, it was a situation where the initiative would have completely passed to Henry.

A certainty created by numerous experiences.

Yet, wasn’t Henry trying to bring about such a situation despite not even having experience like Lauren’s?

‘A real genius. Only now do I understand master’s words.’

Although he lacked experience, Henry possessed the talent to bridge that gap in an instant.

It was clear that he had figured it out just by exchanging swords with Lauren himself a few times.

‘He grows rapidly. Things that others must experience a hundred times to understand, this fellow Henry Camilton satisfies in a single go… That is why Instructor Rousseau requested so. To clash swords just once.’

Sparring with an instructor had limits.

Because it was all too overwhelming.

In fact, growth required an honest process, and if one skipped the middle steps, it was bound to become half-hearted.

Therefore, the stage right next to Henry.

Lauren, who had tasted in advance things Henry had not yet experienced, was indeed the optimal sparring partner.

Of course, unlike such a Lauren, Henry was having a completely different thought, though.

“I can see it all. So rather than saying it is visually visible, it is more correct to say I can know it. Just as it is natural to strike down if you hold a sword.”

This was Henry’s honest impression.

The trait ‘Understanding’ gifted Henry with an immense sensation.

Only within the weapon techniques he had already learned, Henry could predict the opponent’s movement. It was a situation where the expression ‘seeing right through it’ fit exactly.

“If it were the previous me, I would not have been able to block it. Even if I had managed to avoid the first attack somehow, it would have ended at the attack aiming for the ankle just now. I can be certain.”

Henry certainly possessed outstanding swordsmanship.

Although the standard was a trainee, in fact, it was to the extent that he would not fall behind in basic skills even if he sparred with anyone else.

But Lauren’s swordsmanship had already departed from the realm of the basics.

“I think I also know what the experience of Class B trainees is. This friend Lauren must have faced monsters. What I learned was, to the end, facing humans. A technique like cutting the ankle just now exposes too many openings.”

But what if the opponent’s height only reached up to the waist?

A movement like that just now was a necessity, not a choice.

Because only then would he be able to land an effective hit with the sword.

‘I knew it, but these mages probably wouldn’t.’

In the first place, it was a fact Henry already knew.

Since he saw through everything from what classes they did in Class B, to even what they learned in Class A.

‘Actually, it wasn’t a secret either.’

However, what was important was.

[Lol so from Class B they fight monsters, right?]

Rather than the current match, the fact that he felt interested in the sight these mages would soon face.

BJ Swordmaster