Chapter 52

Why People Change (2)

“What are you saying again…” “It’s true though. Right?” Our conversation didn’t go on any longer, as the servant who had been on Leslie’s errand had returned. The servant held out the sword he was carrying to Leslie. “Come on, Annabelle. Would you like to hold it?” Leslie, who handed the sword, recommended it to me. “It was mine, and it’s a very good sword. In fact, it was a gift from Braden some time ago.’ “I see…” Then it was a sword with a very romantic history. I took the sword with a slightly trembling hand.

Seeing how well the shape was in, it was clear that Leslie had always taken care of this sword, even though she di not use it.

Even though I had only held it once, I could feel the essential difference from the sword I had been using.

I looked at the sharpened blade of the sword as if possessed.

“I’m glad you seem to like it.” “Yes?” Leslie smiled kindly. And then she added lightly. “It’s a gift, Annabelle.” I was so startled that I forgot to breathe for a moment. “Even if Ian continues to grow, we need a great rival.” Leslie continued to speak timidly.

“A child with chivalry like you is welcome. If so, shouldn’ we at least compete in a similar environment?”

My conscience began to prick me at the word ‘chivalry’, but now I can’t even say was actually a villain .

Therefore, even now, I had no choice but to become a chi equipped with chivalry.

“I always went to competitions with cheap swords, but Braden said that he wanted to compete under similar conditions in the last competition.’

“Uh…” “That is the spirit of Wade.”

The spirit of Nadit, which was told to win the final competition by committing even a crime, was incomparable.

Leslie added bitterly as if she recalled that time.

“In the end, I got injured and couldn’t compete, and I haven’t competed since. So this sword is practically new.

“Something like this… Do you dare me to accept it?”

There was no sound like ‘a garbage like me can’t accept this!’

Once I grabbed it, I couldn’t put it down.

“If it stays in my room, it’s just a decoration. It shines th – brightest when in the hands of a swordsman ”

“Still, it’s a gift from the Duke, can I use it like this?”

From what I heard, it was something that contained a lo story between the two of them, so it seemed that Leslie should not make a decision alone.

I asked anxiously in case there would be a couple fight later, but she shrugged her shoulders as if it was no big deal.

“I do not care. Even Braden didn’t think I’d keep this sword with me.”

“Um, really?”

“Really. He thought about passing it on to our daughter-in-law in the future.”

Leslie continued her words, kicking her tongue as if out curiosity.

“But what daughter-in-law would want to get a sword from her mother-in-law?”

“Ah, urn…”

“You have to think about handing over the best jewels or relics with a good value for money. But to get a sword…”

She let out a deep sigh as if imagining it was pathetic.

“Really, Braden has no sense. I told him last night.”

“I see.”

“Anyways, it’s better for it to go to someone who can handle it properly rather than just passing it on to my future daughter-in–law for nothing. So don’t be afraid.”

“Then… I will be grateful.” I bowed for a long time to express my gratitude. Even so, she made it seem like there was no possibility that Ian would not be able to meet a woman. “Okay then, let’s start training.” Leslie grabbed Ian’s arm and placed it in front of her. A short distance away, our eyes met again. In fact, after Leslie-sama said ‘training’, I was feeling a bi regretful inside without realizing it. `If I had known this would be the case, I would have bee training hard for just a few hours every day…’ In particular, I had never been able to compete properly, I was not sure how well my body would match.

After thinking about my life, I was very neglectful of my training. It was because I had given up on my desire to win over Ian.

I was already a good enough swordsman, so there was no problem.

I had already lost my earnestness and was barely training, but after finding my family, I did not touch a sword at all.

It was because it felt good to spend time hanging out with my new family, wearing pretty clothes and eating delicious food.

So my parents didn’t even think about buying me a sword.

‘If it’s an excuse I hated the life I have been living in the past, so I must have lived the opposite way.’

Actually, my training time was huge until I remembered my previous life.

Until now, I had never enjoyed wielding a sword.

I only slashed and swung a sword with the desire to defeat Ian.

But now seeing the excitement of taking Leslie’s sword as a gift and taking classes, it seemed that even though I hated the old life, it was not that I hated swordsmanship itself

After all, even when the inheritance right of the Marquis of Abedes was right in front of me, I never thought of quitting swordsmanship.

Leslie, who had her eyes changed with her sword in front of me, firmly opened the door to the class.

“Well, first… You have to learn the basic postures from <Oila’s Basic Swordsmanship>.”

If it was <Oila’s Basic Swordsmanship>, it was a book for children who were holding a sword for the first time

“And Ian’s posture is more accurate than the illustrations on it’

It was quite paradoxical.

After giving up winning over Ian, I had an opportunity to sharply improve my skills.

It was good for both Ian and I to become his real rival.

“Look at Ian and do the same. It is rather poisonous to imitate other techniques due to their different physiques and other things but it is better to learn the basic postures in the same way.’

I nodded resolutely, and Leslie added kindly. “It’s like looking in a mirror.” Leslie continued, asking Ian to try the basic posture.

“You must have had a lot of bad habits by holding the sword for a long time, but it would be nice if I could correct it even a little.”

I didn’t think that I would be able to follow the same basic posture.

It was a habit I’d had since I was very young, so it was obvious that it wouldn’t be easy to fix right away.

But with a little bit of anticipation, I quietly observed Ian taking a basic posture and started to follow him.

“Hm?” “Oh?” “Oh…”

As soon as I followed his first posture, all of a sudden I heard murmurs here and there.

Leslie’s eyes widened in admiration.

“Oh my gosh. It’s like looking in a mirror! I have never seen anyone other than Ian take such an exemplary posture.” I was also very surprised. When I saw Ian’s posture, my body moved completely different from my existing posture.

However, what surprised me more was the hypothesis that suddenly came to mind from the phrase ‘like looking in a mirror’.

`And the god said: every time you destroy the origins of black magic Annabelle will be blessed.’

“It’s good to learn the basic posture in the same way. It’s like looking in a mirror.”

`Maybe, after destroying the mirror, did I get the ability to imitate my opponent like a mirror? Is that a blessing from god?’

I hadn’t been training since I broke the mirror, so I didn’t know about my recent physical condition, but it was definitely different from before.

Amidst the commotion, Ian’s movements continued.

I looked at him seriously.

How strong his arm moved, how much strength was applied to a leg, how his back muscle was tense.

`… Even his exceptionally handsome appearance.’

Each time my eyes scanned him closely, his expression hardened more and more.

He, too, watched silently as I followed his posture. Our gazes were entangled in each other’s body in tension. As time went on, the strange tension grew more and more intense. “Ugh, Ian.” Leslie sighed and glared at Ian.

“Annabel said that the beginning itself was different from you. If you are a true knight, you should want to compete under the same conditions. Do you have to make a stern face and show that you don’t like it?”

Aaron also spoke right away.

“No matter how good she is at copying you, why are you so nervous?””

I think he didn’t want me to look at him for a long time so closely, so I didn’t necessarily intervene.

“…That’s not it.”

“You look like a little boy. You’re not nervous just because Annabelle is looking at you, are you?” (din: SPOT ON)