Chapter 6

She didn’t know what a mercenary was and was just excited. At that time, there was no one around to stop her. The sword of the Empire, a Teneuarha, becoming merely a mercenary? A high noble descendant joining a mercenary group, the domain of commoners? Pechenik didn’t think what anyone else would have, and Erica didn’t know enough to think it. The child was simply overjoyed at her first experience of belonging somewhere. After leaving the Count’s manor, she had been constantly filled with positive feelings. She didn’t even notice when her body was tired. “Doesn’t your ankle hurt?” “I can even run now.” “You’re adapting quickly. Let’s stop by the blacksmith in the next village. We’ll need to double the weight of the iron bars.” Building Erica’s strength was simple. The thick steel shackles on her wrists and ankles grew heavier day by day. If someone had seen it, they would have been horrified, calling it abuse, but Pechenik thought this was the best method. Erica ate a lot, and then ate more, and ate even more. She didn’t gain much weight. It was because of the high intensity of her basic physical training. Even though she hadn’t even seen a sword, let alone learned to use one, Erica followed her master’s instructions well. For example, when camping in the mountains. Erica would hang upside down from a tall tree, dangling. “You have to pull yourself up using your abdominal strength. Don’t flap your arms.” Pechenik lay down next to the campfire and yawned. “Let’s do five hundred and then sleep. Wake me when you’re done.” “The blood is rushing to my head.” “You should raise your upper body to prevent that. I’ve tied your legs securely, so they won’t swing.” “If wolves come, will you save me?” “That would be interesting. Should I drive some wild animals this way while we wait?” “…Master, you seem like a bad person.” Erica did sit-ups diligently, her legs tied to the high tree. Sweat poured down like rain. After months of focusing only on building stamina and strength, the achievements were not bad. Even Pechenik, with his high standards, nodded in satisfaction at her rate of growth. Even after Erica’s physical strength had improved considerably, Pechenik didn’t teach her about swords. She just repeated simple unarmed combat movements hundreds and thousands of times. Erica was honestly bored. It was because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t develop thick muscles like Pechenik. “When will I start getting stronger?” “Hm?” “My forearms aren’t getting thicker. Look. They’re too thin, aren’t they? Am I progressing too slowly?” “No. You’re doing well.” Pechenik smiled and ruffled Erica’s hair. Although she didn’t gain weight despite eating well, her core muscles were already superior to an adult. Erica’s specialization in light and agile movements was because Pechenik had taught her that way. She was incredibly solid and fast. She must have been born with outstanding physical abilities. “Do you remember your parents’ faces?” “What? Pa-pa-pa?!” “Parents. The ones who sold you, as tiny as a mouse dropping, to the Count’s manor.” “That… I don’t know. It was when I was so young…” “I’d believe it even if you said your father was a Teneuarha.” “Yes… Wha-what?!” “I mean, your innate talents are that significant. It seems I’ve lucked out and picked up an extraordinary rough gem.” It was a compliment, but Erica wanted to hide in a mouse hole. Not knowing what to do, she clenched her hands, looked this way and that. Pechenik found joy in watching that small head, but he was confused whether this was the pleasure of teaching a disciple or raising a daughter. Pechenik and Erica traveled through various villages. During that time, they built a considerable rapport and exchanged much knowledge. She also learned to read in her spare time. “Chee… cheese?” “Adultery. That’s read as ‘adultery.’” “Adultery…” Erica was quick to learn. “Adultery… The nobles involved in the adultery incident were cut off.” Pechenik was surprised at how quickly she learned to read sentences. “I should show you books instead of cheap newspapers.” When they visited a big city, they even explored an elegant shop called a bookstore. “These are books.” Erica just nodded. She had learned how to read books, but didn’t particularly enjoy reading. It wasn’t fun for her. Pechenik taught her that carrying a poetry book in one’s backpack was true romance, but Erica pretended not to hear. Instead, she only listened attentively to Pechenik’s trivial stories. “There’s a place called the Lekankan Great Forest Zone. It consists of dozens of forests, and in the central Fantasy Forest, there’s a terrifying…” Befitting his high noble background, Pechenik knew a lot and was talkative. He shared many things with Erica generously. Scratch, scratch- When he drew pictures on the dirt ground with a branch, it became excellent visual material. “Look. This is the temple emblem, and if you add a shield shape in the background like this… it becomes the Holy Knights’ emblem.” “Are the Holy Knights as strong as the Teneuarha?” “They have many restrictions on their abilities. I’ve never properly fought them, but they’re certainly a notch below the Teneuarha. Still, you should show respect when you meet them.” “How do you show respect?” “Put your hands together like this, and repeat after me. May the mighty justice of the gods dwell in the righteous sword.” “May the mighty justice of the gods dwell in the righteous sword.” There was no need to read books. For Erica, her master was a book, a bookstore, and a repository of knowledge more impressive than the Imperial Castle Grand Library. That was enough for her every day. Erica thought these days were more than she deserved. Sometimes it was so overwhelming that tears would secretly well up in her eyes. Exactly one year after training began. Erica held a sword for the first time. It was a wooden sword carved from a tree, but when she grasped that shabby sword, Erica trembled. “I feel like I’ve become a Swordmaster.” “Stop talking nonsense and let’s begin. Watch me carefully and follow.” “Yes!” Suddenly, there was a gust of wind, but that was all. Pechenik stood still. There was no movement at all. That’s how it appeared to Erica’s eyes. “Did you see well?” “…?” “Try to copy it.” “What, what should I do?” “Just do the same.” “…Yes!” Erica stood still as he said. Silence- Pechenik furrowed his brow. Even after waiting for a while, Erica didn’t move. “What? Why aren’t you doing anything?” “I’m standing still as you showed, Master.” “…” Slide- Only then did Pechenik move his sword at a speed about a hundred times slower than usual. Swish- “Now, did you see?” “I saw it!” “Repeat five thousand times.” “Five thousand… repetitions!” After five thousand repetitions, many other movements followed. Erica absorbed everything like a sponge. She took in the swordsmanship as if it were her own. Some days the same training was repeated, other days she received new types of training. Even when she was at the Count’s manor, she had bruised and bled, but back then, she gained nothing from it. But now it was different. For every day she got hurt and rolled around, she grew stronger for certain. Ligament ruptures and shoulder dislocations from intense training were common, but like the ground hardening after rain, she became stronger afterward. One day passed, two days passed, and so several months went by. Erica’s sword became faster and faster. Around the time she could deflect the leaf, Pechenik playfully shot at her with her wooden sword. They visited a blacksmith’s weapon shop. As they entered the weapon shop, Erica’s heart pounded. ‘Finally graduating from the shabby wooden sword?’ Was he going to buy her a solid, shiny steel sword! She thought, but Pechenik handed her a different weapon. “This is the really fun one.” “This?” “Hiding far away and attacking cowardly is truly thrilling.” “…?” Hearing that, it sounded good too. “I’m already excited.” And so she learned how to shoot a bow.