“What do you mean, we’re going to duel?” I asked.
“Bastard, if two swordsmen came to a dojo, that would be the only thing they would do,” Pops said.
I can’t read Pops’ intentions. I know what he means. I don’t understand why he’s saying it.
While I was distracted and confused, Pops picked up two wooden swords that were leaning against the wall of the dojo and threw one over to me.
“I want to confirm my son’s ability after he’s finally pulled his weight and left for the city…Is that unnatural?” Pops asked.
“No……” I said.
For the time being, I can understand what he’s getting at. He’s not talking nonsense.
However, if that’s the case, there would have been many opportunities since I returned to Bidden Village, and I still can’t read the intention of a duel at this time. Even though she was accepted by the village, it’s not a good idea to leave Miu alone. No, this may be too overprotective of me.
However, it is also true that it is difficult to refuse because I can’t say that it is unreasonable.
Well, it’s useless to think about this person’s mindset. Maybe it’s just the usual whimsy or something like that.
Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a match with Pops.
When I was younger, we used to duel almost every day, but since I took over the dojo’s signboard, the frequency has dropped sharply. Even if I weren’t the current master of the dojo, it wouldn’t be possible to beat him up, and there’s also the fact that Pops simply couldn’t resist aging.
My back hurts, my back hurts, I sometimes feel miserable hearing him grumble that, but I understand how important his back is.
Although there are some individual differences in the human body, once it reaches its peak, it just declines thereafter. Do your best to maintain the status quo. I am fully aware that it will become more difficult as the years go by. I understand that if you are an old man who is much older than me, you must be having a hard time.
Ironically, I’ve come to understand that because I’ve gotten older. When I was younger, I didn’t really have any physical problems.
However, despite knowing all that, I still don’t have the slightest desire to win against Pops. In fact, I’ve never really won before. It was the end after being toyed with and beaten to a pulp.
Although I feel that my skills have improved somewhat compared to when I was young, I still have an absolute sense of weakness.
“Alright, we’ll do it when I’m ready,” I said.
“No, you’re ready…” Pops said.
This old man really doesn’t have ears to listen to me.
My counterargument was like wind blowing in one ear and out the other, and Pops held his wooden sword in the center. This is the basic ready stance of our dojo. Well, most swordsmanship is based on this middle posture.
“Haa… understood,” I said.
No matter what I say, he always refuses to listen. So it’s better to just follow along.
The other party is an old man and I don’t have that kind of feeling to cut corners. He’s not the kind of guy you can get away with most of the time. If I fight in such a lighthearted way, I will just be beaten up like before.
Even though no one is watching, I want to somehow avoid a situation where I lose clumsily. Because I have a sense of purpose.
“Sshya!”
“—-!”
As soon as I showed my ready stance, Pops’ foot kicked off the ground. Isn’t there a signal to start!? Seriously, it was out of the blue.
Pops’ first move was a thrust that was probably to see the opponent’s movements. A strike that requires the fewest set-up among sword attacks, and at the same time has the fewest openings.
Block or dodge. As a result of less than a moment’s hesitation, I chose to dodge by shifting half my body.
Dodging, rounding up from the bottom with the wooden sword that I held skillfully. The counterattack should have been almost perfectly timed but Pops quickly pulled back his wooden sword and blocked it.
“Soriyah-riyah!”
With the momentum of our clashing wooden swords, Pops stepped forward and launched a series of attacks.
Mid-section horizontal sweep, a thrust, a round-up, a cut-off slash, change to his front, a horizontal sweep again, return cut, thrust――.
“Fuh!”
I parry all of them.
Pops’ sword is fast and elegant. No matter how much his body declines, the skills he has cultivated so far will not disappear.
And I’m sure he’s made an effort not to extinguish the light of that skill when I can’t see him. He wasn’t just a swordsman who lamented about his back pain and put his sword down for many years.
This is just a guess, but he’s just a little slower than Alexia――……
“Sei-ii!”
“…………”
Yes.
Pops is strong. Definitely strong. If the opponent was an average swordsman, this would have ended long ago.
But I can see it all.
I’m dodging.
I have blocked them.
Whether the attack is a little slower than it appears, my brain is able to judge. It has judged so.
“…!!”
Until now, I have not been able to see Pops’ swordsmanship properly. Simply, my eyes should be better, but this person is strangely good at attacks that weave through the gaps in your attention.
Certainly, the sword tip’s speed is important, but if it’s just a fast attack, it’s relatively easy to see through. In other words, the key to Pops’ strength should not be simple speed.
“Come on!!”
Pops stepped in with enthusiasm. A splendid charge with unnecessary movements removed.
But I can see it. I can’t return an attack, but I can handle it.
“Pops, your waist is—”
“Bastard, was that an insult at me!?”
“…!”
Pops’ appearance showed a decrease in physical strength due to aging, but it didn’t look like he was exhausted. It doesn’t look like he’s suffering from back pain.
It’s been a while since we started dueling. At this stage, it’s good to be disqualified as a swordsman if you get tired this quickly.
I know. I’m sure I know it.
Pops, Mordea Gardenant, his physical condition isn’t bad. At least there’s nothing wrong with him now. You can see it. He is now dealing with Beryl Gardenant with all the power he has.
And then there’s me. Beryl Gardenant.
I can beat Mordea Gardenant.
""
“Shii!”
“…!”
I parry Pops’ sword thrust, step in, and slide in my wooden sword.
It’s not like I’m holding back. I swing my wooden sword with all my might now.
And the tip swooped straight into Pops’ neck.
My sword stopped when I was about to touch the thin layer of skin there.
“… Kaah! Did you win?!”
“… Pops…”
Pops saw my sword and quietly lowered his sword to the floor as he yelled.
I didn’t feel any tragic feelings from Pops, who saw the sword just stopping before the skin of his neck. Well, I can even feel that he should have lost as if he didn’t want to win from the beginning.
“Pops… I’m…”
How should this feeling be explained?
There is certainly a feeling that I am happy to win against Pops. His sword attacks, which I had been unable to see for many years, were all successfully captured by my eyes. It’s terrifyingly good. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the best result. Why am I not happy?
“Ahn? You won, but are you complaining about something?” Pops asked.
“Ah, no…”
But what came to my mind was:
It was a vague, lonely feeling.
“… Thank you very much for your help.”
“Ouh. … You’ve gotten stronger, Beryl.”
“…!”
It’s strange. Why am I crying right now? I just beat Pops, which has been my goal for many years, without any complaints. I beat that Mordea Gardenant, who is usually aloof and annoying at times, but who is ridiculously strong. I should be happy. I can brag more. Until now, no one will complain even if you make a fool of yourself, or even if you get in the mood for one of those grudges. Because I won. To begin with, Pops also has his personality. Isn’t there such a thing as frustration to lose against your son? He’s been winning all along.
“… I’m sure I’ve weakened, haven’t I? Both my physical strength and my sword arm have declined.”
“…”
Pops begins to speak in a rather light tone. It was such a witty way of speaking as if a possessed person had fallen. Even if I misunderstood something, the tone of his voice didn’t show any feelings of frustration at losing a duel to his son.
I don’t know his complexion. Because I couldn’t lift my head with my hips bent to bow. I didn’t even want to imagine what he looked like now.
“However, I have never once thought that my rank as a swordsman had fallen, you know?”
“…!”
In other words, Pops is still active and can move if he wants to. But he didn’t allow it. He surrendered himself to me, his student. To me who was just a young man at the time.
I was able to win the mock battle now, but I still didn’t think I could beat him when he was young. Or rather, I would lose.
“Bastard, you think I just handed the dojo’s sign to you because I could feel the decline with age, didn’t you?”
“… Was I wrong?”
“That’s bull.”
I know my voice is trembling a little. However, Pops didn’t point it out. Normally, he would be happy to mock me for it.
However, what is important in this place was why retired, what I had thought for so many years, it wasn’t a decline in his abilities. So what was the reason?
“Because I thought you were stronger than me. There’s no other reason for me to give up the sign. Well, the time has come to tell you that you’ve come a long way.”
“…”
I’m stronger than Pops.
I didn’t complain.
I’m sure I wouldn’t have been convinced at that time no matter what he said to my face. I tried to dodge such foolishness and jokes and dodged them. That’s why I didn’t take him seriously.
I think there was also who Pops was. If it’s coming from this guy, it must have been difficult for him to say frankly that his son is stronger than him.
As a result, such strange misunderstandings between us, a parent and child, continued for a long time.
For no reason, a pitiful feeling wells up.
“Beryl.”
Pon. Something suddenly touched my still-hung head.
“You’ve gotten stronger. You’ve definitely gotten stronger. Be proud. Stick your chest out.”
“… Uaaiii…!” I sobbed.
It was useless.
Being roughly caressed by rock-like hands that were so calloused from sword handling. Somehow, something inside me broke.
This day. I am Beryl Gardenant.
Finally, in the truest sense, I inherited the blessing of my predecessor.
I have certainly been liberated from my mental restraint, what you could have called the curse that plagued me for many years.
Message from the Original Author:
This concludes Chapter 5. Thank you for your continued readership.
I’m trying to make it so that you can read it without problems even if it’s posted on Syosetu, but in the book version, I’ve written new chapters in the interludes and chapter ends, which I think you’ll enjoy even more if you read them, too.
If you are interested, I would appreciate it if you buy the book version as well.
We look forward to your continued support as we see how Beryl’s story will unfold in the future.
Message from the Translator:
I don’t have access to the paid content and likely never will, sorry, so only the free Syosetu content for you all.
