Episode 32: The Training Begins

Here comes the training Arc.

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—Ray’s PoV—–

Since then, the school’s qualifying rounds went smoothly, and some students who had already been confirmed to participate in the Magic Swordsman Competition began to appear.

　Among them, of course, was Amelia.

　So far, she had won all the matches.

　Most of her matches were less than a minute long. The only fight against Mr Allium had taken about five minutes, but she still grabbed the victory with ease.

　Even if she didn’t compete in the rest of the fights, Amelia’s participation in the Mage Swordsman Competition was confirmed. But I still had concerns.

　Amelia might be…..feeling impatient.

　Impatience. No, it could be something else……..but she’s fighting while having that feeling. What is one’s strength, how on earth can I become even stronger………………….It seemed that she was fighting while holding such questions.

　Then………there is something I can do as a friend.

　I can just say it’s none of my business, but I decided to at least try to talk to her and I was waiting for Amelia.

“…Ray, what’s the matter?　Got something to do here.”

　Amelia won this game as usual and was ready to pull up immediately. I was waiting for her in front of the passage leading to the waiting room.

　Folding my arms and leaning against the wall I look at Amelia with a sideways glance.

“Congratulations. Looks like you won this time, too.”

“Yes. I’ve already decided to participate in the Mage Swordsman Competition, and I can’t afford to skimp.”

“But somehow … it doesn’t feel right. You’ re feeling impatient. Do you think you can keep going or is this the right path for you……..?”

“…ah”

　She gasped.

　The way she looked at me was enough to tell me that my point was approximately correct.

“……Do you want to be strong?”

　I said those words.

　Then, what appeared in front of me … wasn’t the usual Amelia.

　She had something inside her heart, just like me. It was easy to understand that. And I knew that what she was looking for … was strength.

“……..The rookie competition at the Mage Swordsman Competition, I’m sure the eldest daughter of the Olguren family of the three great noble families will appear. And she’s……..stronger than me…….”

“I see… so that’s why you were impatient…”

“… yeah.”

　She’d a sharp look.

　It’s so sharp that if it weren’t for me, I’d be terrified. It wasn’t the usual expression on her face. And I could somehow understand that the answer was not all about her.

　Amelia-Rose is the eldest daughter of the Rose family, the first of the three major noble families, and she is an honorable being in both personality and magic. …I heard that’s what she’s described as…….but I’m sure we don’t know that yet. What is hidden deep within her heart?

　But I’m going to wait for her to reveal it. It’s not something I can pry out of her. And that’s why I can be of help when it comes to strength.

”Well there’s less than a month left until the rookie competition in the Mage Swordsman Competition, but I can coach you.”

“Are you sure?　Because you’re….”

“That’s fine. I don’t need to release my abilities if I’m just teaching. Besides, I owe this to my master.”

“…What’s that?”

“It’s an Ainsworth-style boot camp menu. I’ve built the foundation of my current capabilities through this.”

“…your origin, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“…you’re going to teach me that?”

“Oh. But this is the Shura Way. Even among the adults, this is a grueling training that even those mighty soldiers would run away from.”

“But Ray got over it, didn’t he?”

“I already completed this at a very young age.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Well that’s a good spirit. Then follow me, Amelia. It’s going to be a tough road from here on out. But if you can overcome it, you will become stronger. More than you are now.”

“Okay.”

　Amelia’s mood was as tense as ever. But I could understand that she had a strong craving for something. Then let me help you.

　If my friend was in trouble, I would help her. It’s a natural thing to do.

　◇

—-Amelia’s PoV—-

　Vain.

　Is there any meaning to this victory?

　I just plainly repeated the process that I couldn’t even call this match.

　They all stare in awe at me before they fight.

　Even though they were willing to fight it was clear that they had already admitted defeat before they fought.

　Frightened, terrified, impatient, I know it’s in my hands.

　But, of course, I won’t cut corners either. I just kept on going, ruthlessly, victory upon victory.

　And so I had already decided to participate in the Mage Swordsman Competition. Along the way, Albert-Alium , who had fought with and seen Ray’s fight, had trained himself and was more skilled than before, but…….he still was defeated without much difficulty.

　　Probably it will end up being a total win.

　It was only natural. If you were the eldest daughter of the Rose family, it was natural. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been told that. That the Rose family is the family that stands at the top of the sorcerer’s ladder.

　So I should always be at the top of that pinnacle with room to spare, they said.

　It’s fine to focus on the bloodline.

　But I wanted to say it.

　Are there any of the Seven Great Sorcerers among the nobility today?

　And.

　I’ve got the answer. The seven great sorcerers are not among the three great aristocracies, or any of the big ones for that matter. If they were, they would make a high public display of it.

　That the blood of the nobles is precious and the pinnacle of all sorcerers.

　But few of the current seven great sorcerers are open about their identities. I’ve never heard of a nobleman occupying that position, even in rumors. What is the pride of a nobleman if he can’t even stand at the top of that list?

　I wanted to spit that out.

“Amelia. You’re excellent. I’m looking forward to this Mage Swordsman Competition.”

“Yes. Father.”

　I was called into my father’s study to report that I had been selected to compete in the Mage Swordsman Competition. But there was no praise. Just as if to say that’s normal, my father tells me matter-of-factly.

“Speaking of which……..it seems that Amelia had a lot of losses to Miss Ariane of the Olgren family in the actual competition, but…….”

“At this year’s Magica Swordsman’s Tournament, I’m going to be the one to lead this time.”

“That’s the spirit. Don’t be defeated. You are the eldest daughter of the House of Roses, the greatest of the three Houses. And you should know that.”

“…Yes, Father.”

Ariane-Olgren.

　One of the three great noble families is the eldest daughter of the Orgren family. She, like me, also carries the weight of the three great noble families. But … there is one thing that is decidedly different. Ariane feels proud of it and turns that into her power.

　You could describe her as unattended, but to me, she seems like a bird flying free in the sky.

　Yet I am a bird in a cage. I’ll never get out of this cage. A poor bird.

　So today, too, I’m going to put my mask on and – in this cage of aristocracy – I’m going to crouch.

　As a fool…

　◇

“…Ray, what’s the matter?　Got something to do here.”

　Just as the match was over, I was walking down the hallway back to my dormitory and there he was.

　Ray-White.

　He is from a civilian background, and although he is derisively called a withered wizard on the school…….he doesn’t care about that at all.

　He has slightly bluish black hair and a neat face. The fact is, that neutral-looking face mask is popular even among the female students. He’ s also 180cm tall and has a slender body, but there are rumors that he is actually amazing when he takes off his clothes.

　At first, he was shunned for being a civilian, but his personality and the fact that he’s a sorcerer with a great deal of real-world experience has gradually earned him the respect he deserves. But what people around him think of him is the perception that he is a good sorcerer for a common man.

　But……..he wasn’t just an ordinary person.

　That’s right. Ray is the one who is claimed to be the strongest in melee combat among the seven great magicians…….

　He was the “Ice Blade Magician”.

　I saw that ability clearly with my own eyes. A non-standard sorcerer who possessed the unrestrained Bingsword and an impossible magic that completely nullified magic. His strength was so overwhelming that it was understandable why he was touted as the strongest in melee combat…….no, it was so overwhelming that one would think that there was no mage stronger than him.

　He was one of those free people, too. 

　Talking to him now was a little painful.

　The only reason for this is because it seems to me that I am being confronted with my own inadequacies.

”Congratulations. Looks like you won again this time.

”Yes. I’ve already decided to participate in the Magic Swordsman Competition, and I can’t afford to skimp.

“But … it doesn’t feel right. You’ re feeling impatient. Do you think you can keep going or is this the right path for you……..?”

“…ch”

Although he wasn’t able to see through all of it – he was mostly right.

　I feel impatient. Can I really win the Magic Swordsman Competition? Can I win against the, Ariane = Orgren? I was just so anxious and worried about that.

　So I tried to hide it in the fight, and I kept fighting… but kudos to him.

　I guess Ray could easily see how upset I was.

”……..Do you want to be strong?”

When I heard those words, I was a little lost.

　Do I want to be strong?　However, as I continued to wander, there was no choice but to go on.

　I believed that my true self was beyond the strength.

　I believed that the day would come when I would get out of this cage.

　I accepted Ray’s proposal.

　◇

“Well, Amelia.”

“What are you up to?”

　I thought we were going to the training grounds, and for some reason we were standing at the school gates. And somehow Ray was wearing a khaki-colored outfit with burnished pockets, although it wasn’t a military uniform. No………maybe it’s a military training outfit…….

　And he also wears a whistle around his neck. Furthermore, he even has a backpack next to it.

　What in the world is he going to do with it…?

“You’re going to go to Ainsworth-style boot camp. But this is too grueling. As I think I’ve said, even a military man would be reduced to nothing more than a helpless man in front of this. Would you still do it?”

I’ ll do it. I’ll do it.”

　I didn’t hesitate.

　I just didn’t want to stop.

　So if he was willing to help me I would accept it.

　Ray has always been serious, companionable, and a valued friend. If he was willing to help me, there was no reason for me to refuse him.

“Well Amelia. I’m an instructor from here on out. And you’re going to be a trainee. The response is Ranger. Is that clear?”

“What…?　What does that mean…?”

“I told you the answer was rangers!　Trainee Amelia!”

“….eh?”

　His atmosphere changed completely.

　His face was really sharp like a soldier’s, and it was very different from his normal face.

　Eh?　Huh?　

　What the hell is going on…?

　I think, but he is relentless with his words.

“What about your reply!!”

“Re, Ranger!

“Good. Now, we’ll start off by going around the perimeter into the Kafka forest and then back here. It’s going to be a light twenty kilometres or so of running, but don’t use the strengthening magic, okay?　You got that, Trainee Amelia?”

“…and 20 kilos without strengthening?”

“I told you the response was Ranger!”

“…the RANGER!!”

　So, without understanding the reason, I ran out of the academy with him.

“ha…….ha…….ha………dangerous…..I’m going….to die”

 ” Trainee Amelia, hydrate.

　When I came back after just finishing the 20km run, Ray handed me a water bottle in a swoop. I wondered why he was carrying a backpack on his back, but I was a little impressed with how prepared he was for a lot of things….

　But why is he running with it on his back and not nearly out of breath……………..with no signs of using physical strengthening……

”Hmm……..gulp…….gupl…..”

　Delicious. As soon as I realized that water was such a good thing, we moved straight to the exercise area. From there, it was more hell.

“‘Hey!　Come on, come on, come on!　One more!　You can do it, you can do it, you can do it!　Hey, hey, hey!　Come on, Amelia!”

”Hmmmmm~~~~~~~~!!!”

　From that point on, it was muscle training hell. Work that just kept hurting my whole body. Now I had Ray holding my legs and doing three sets of 100 sit-ups. And when I finished the last one, I spread out in a large figure in place.

“Alright that’s it for today.”

‘Ha … ha … ha … ha …’

“Cadet Amelia, salute!　Stand up!”

“Re, Ranger!”

　I stand up with all the energy I can muster, and I salute to Ray.

“Alright, that concludes our training for today.”

“yeah … this makes sense … hah … hah … hah …”

　After the training was over, I decided to ask Ray, whose mood had softened.

　Now he doesn’t seem too scary……..

“Of course. Listen, combat by magic swordsmen is still based on basic physical skills. Many mages try to rely on magic such as body strengthening, but the last thing that matters is how to train the body. I don’t want to sound too gut-wrenching, but it’s important to train your entire body from a psychological standpoint as well. No matter how strong your mind is, it’s meaningless if your body doesn’t follow you. That’s what my master told me when I first started.”

“Well that’s the way it is…”

　It is true that the perspective of physical strengthening is not widespread in the current academy and among the nobility. That’s probably because the main focus is still on magic.

　But he is different. He is a person who has actually stood and fought on the battlefield as a soldier. That’s why he’s a specialist, especially in battle. Without a doubt, that experience has led to my current teaching.

“Well, Amelia. We had a light session today, but we’re going to get serious tomorrow, okay?”

“What..!.?　Now that’s a light session!”

“I told you it was the Ranger in response!”

“Re, Ranger!”

　And so the tough days began………

　I might die……..mainly from muscle pain……..

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