CH 225

I Trained With Mr. Ekenhart

“I see. Weed Cultivation… The Gift really is a strange ability.”

“Yes. But it won’t activate on humans easily, so there shouldn’t be any risk of it happening when I touch someone.”

“I’m relieved to hear that information. However, as for whether or not it will with monsters…that is another issue.”

“Yes. If what Ms. Isabelle says is true, it also depends on the magic energy. So I am really not sure.”

Perhaps it will only activate on monsters with a certain degree of magic energy. Regardless, I was not likely to be able to find out for a long time.

It would be much too dangerous to go out and seek a monster just so I could put my bare hands on it…

“I see. If it was something you can do easily and count on, it might help you during combat… But though it is a Gift, I suppose it can’t do everything.”

“Yes.”

I shouldn’t expect it to solve all my problems.

Besides, while it was supposed to be related to plants, it could not make any farm produce.

Instead of being able to do everything, it was something that made certain things more convenient.

And I felt that if I relied on it too much, things might head in a bad direction.

“Well, you should train then. While it’s too bad you froze during combat, you need to teach your body so that it doesn’t happen again.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

“Wuff!”

“Kyau!”

Said Mr. Ekenhart, and the tense training began.

Even if I’m thinking about something else, my body would be able to move naturally and dodge attacks… That would certainly be ideal…but difficult. And I would have to train all the harder.

After Tilura and I answered enthusiastically, Leo and Sherry answered as well.

I knew that Leo was worried due to seeing my injury…but Sherry probably had no idea what we were talking about.

Now that Mr. Ekenhart had joined us, things became much more severe then when it was just me and Tilura.

Especially since I had now experienced a real battle, there were a lot of mock fights.

Unlike my training with Leo, Mr. Ekenhart would also attack with a wooden sword.

While it was soft wood, if his precise blows landed, I would still get bruised.

“Hmmm. I can see that the way you fight is now different from Tilura, Mr. Takumi.”

“Is it really?”

“I don’t know what is different…”

After our training was done, I used Loe to heal all of the bruises while talking to Mr. Ekenhart.

…Should you really be using Loe so casually…? Mr. Ekenhart seemed to ask, but I ignored him.

Of course, I was very thankful to Weed Cultivation.

If I didn’t heal the bruises and scratches, Ms. Claire and the others might worry about me.

“Tilura. When you fight, what do you target first?”

“The vitals! If you cut them, then you can defeat your opponent quickly!”

“What about you, Mr. Takumi?”

“I…would target the vitals if I could…but perhaps the arms or legs. It will be easier to fight once they are slowed down.”

“There. That is the difference between you two.”

Tilura said that she would target the vitals in a battle.

But I had a different opinion… Was it really just because I had fought in a battle?

“If there is a difference in skill between you, then aiming for the vitals first is not a bad idea. Once you reach a certain level…it will be about how fast you can take someone down. However, if the skill level is the same, then I doubt either side will be able to land such a blow easily.”

“…Really?”

“Mmm. Trade blows and wait for an opening…that is what will usually happen. But not always. So Mr. Takumi is smart. Target the legs and arms and slow their movements. If your arm is cut, then you will not be able to hold a sword. If your leg is cut, you will not move as well. Once they are weakened, the rest is easy.”

“…I see.”

Tilura and I nodded at Mr. Ekenhart’s explanation.

When I had fought the orcs, I first targeted the arms that held the spear.

It was because with my skill level and sword length, I would not be able to reach its vitals very easily. And I suppose I had been right to think this.

I had thought and searched for the right way to fight, and I suppose that was what set me apart from Tilura now.

“Your Grace, Lady Tilura, Mr. Takumi. Dinner is ready.”

“Ah, good. That’s enough training and lecturing.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you!”

Ms. Gelda came to call us, and so the training in the garden ended.

Thanking the person who instructed you was something they did in kendo. And I suppose it was the same anywhere, once your relationship became that of master and apprentice.

“Tomorrow…we’re going to the store…”

After dinner, I took a bath and retired to my room.

As the training was more severe than usual, Mr. Ekenhart told me to rest without doing my swings.

Perhaps he was worried because of our work tomorrow.

By the way, during dinner, Ms. Anne sat at the same table, but was the farthest away from Leo, because she was scared. I nearly burst into laughter.

Mr. Ekenhart ate his meat in the same ill-mannered way as before.

And Ms. Claire had to admonish him again.

“Well, I don’t want to stay up too late. Good night, Leo!”

“Wuff.”

We were finally going to confront them. I didn’t want to be tired.

…Though, I’m sure it wouldn’t turn into a fight.

As it was related to the herbs, Mr. Ekenhart said that I would accompany them.

And I had always meant to go.

And so I moved my hand away from Leo, who I was petting, and rolled into my bed.

Leo rolled into a ball next to the bed, and I said goodnight before drifting off into a dream.

I would be very glad to see that store gone, and to have only good quality herbs sold throughout Ractos.