Chapter 152: The greatest skill under the heavens, part 5
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
◆Roland◆
Life had gotten slightly busier ever since I brought Almeria to Vadenhaag.
I was a guild employee by day and underground adventurer by night. Having completed the quest the previous day, I decided that I didn’t have to go to the guild that night. I had accepted the unusually low commission for assassinating the chairman, but that was probably my last assignment. Ever.
Ben Amstel had once again taken the helm at Welger & Co. He was working towards restoring his association’s former glory, and had already purged the branches that the previous Master had established of their staff. With him in charge, the possibility of the association controlling Vadenhaag from the shadows had become nothing more than a pipe dream.
「And on today’s itinerary is… protecting her Highness and that chibi-princess」, grumbled Frank as he stood beside me at work. 「Oh, joy.」
The commander had finally arrived the previous day. The quests I planned to assign the ‘chibi-princess’ involved taking a dog for walkies and babysitting young children. Needless to say, Almeria the newly-qualified adventurer would be accompanying her. As both royals had their own protection, there were almost twenty bodyguards around them at any given time, which inevitably invited curious stares on the streets.
「Instead of grumbling」, I replied, 「you should be getting ready to head out with Almeria.」
「Will they really get attacked?」, asked Frank.
I had been dispatching ‘Shadows’ to follow the two ladies in secret. Though I used them to observe the surroundings from their perspective once in a while, I had sensed nothing.
Yet…
「Honestly, if the enemy we’re up against would be so careless as to reveal their presence, I wouldn’t have taken drastic measures like these. I doubt I would’ve warned King Randolph either.」
「True, true. And if they target the chibi-princess…」
「They won’t. I’ll eat my hat if they do.」
「How are you so sure of that?」
「I’m positive that she only intends to assassinate Almeria. She’s not the type to implicate others… as long as they don’t get in her way, at least.」
To kill the target, and only the target, while unarmed, and then return without a scratch — I had been taught that those were the criteria for a ‘beautiful’ assassination.
「Some maintain that all’s well that ends well as long as you manage to get the kill. But that’s such a brutish way of doing things, and it essentially advertises your incompetence to the world. We do a little assassination, not murder.」
「I see. That’s the confidence of a professional, eh?」
As Almeria and Meiri waited patiently for their turn, I sent adventurer after adventurer on their way, making small talk with old acquaintances as necessary. When it was finally their turn, the two ladies made no secret of their displeasure upon seeing the quest.
「But I want to beat up monsters…」, muttered Meiri.
「Yeah! I’ll be going with her, you know?」, said Almeria.
「I found it a good opportunity for you to acquaint yourself with the troubles of the common folk… but it appears that monsters interest you more than lowly peasants?」
Met with my blatant sarcasm, they pouted and reluctantly accepted the quest. I saw the entire entourage out, and secretly spawned ‘Shadows’ to follow them.
How I wished for it to be another uneventful day.
The attack never came.
Perhaps the enemy was still plotting or simply hesitant to make a move, but one thing was certain — both princesses made it back safe and sound in the evening. Since their job scope allowed them to visit different places every day, it was probably difficult to think of a concrete plan to take Almeria down. On top of that, I decide where they go only on the day itself, leaving no room for predictions.
「If it were me, where would I go after receiving this quest?」
Almeria and Meiri were still in the lobby. They were informing Frank that they would be having dinner at the castle and where they were going afterwards. Leyte had insisted that she couldn’t possibly let the princess of another kingdom settle for subpar lodging, but I had rejected her offer on Almeria’s behalf.
No two days should coincide with each other — down to where she slept.
She may be a princess, but she’s also a princess who has been in the army before. As long as it shelters her from the elements, any place should do.
「Will you be done soon, Roland?」, asked Almeria.
「Almost.」
「Can today’s training be shorter? I’m expected at the castle.」
「Sure.」
Her training had been progressing smoothly. She had gotten increasingly used to my movements with each day that passed, and had no problem following them with her eyes by now. Although she was still unable to lay a finger on me, the swipes she took at me had become that much more agile.
I must say that she’s doing a good job, even if using my skill still throws her into disarray. The pace at which she had improved was nothing less than I expected of a Heroine.
Meiri headed back to the castle first, while Almeria and Lyla waited patiently for me in the lobby.
「Hey, Lyla. How does Roland usually behave at home?」
「Hm, you want to know?」, replied the black cat at her feet, leaping onto her lap.
「Eh, not really. But kinda…」, muttered Almeria, looking away.
「A fine fellow he is.」
Kukuku, chuckled Lyla. I watched the surprisingly friendly exchange between the two sworn enemies out of the corner of my eye while Iris conducted the closing assembly. After that, it was finally time to go.
「Let’s go, Almeria.」
「Aye-aye.」
We arrived at the usual square after a short walk.
「So this is how you turned the princess into a Heroine」, muttered Lyla at my feet.
「Taking care of her and the others was my duty back then. I started off by roughing them up, giving them combat experience without them having to fear being killed.」
I had imparted them with the physical ability and knowledge needed to survive — including but not limited to evasive manoeuvres, defensive manoeuvres, how to make sound judgments and decision priority.
「I think my foundations are solid enough, though…」
「If curiosity killed the cat, then it will be pride that kills the Heroine.」
「Uuu… you said the same thing during the war…」
「He’s right, you know」, cackled Lyla.
「You too?」
As the commander, Frank had instructed his men to watch the surroundings while he watched Almeria’s training with a grin on his face. Thanks to the daily training, the Heroine’s reflexes had regained their past sharpness. The usual schedule was to practice evading and defending against my attacks, then to try catching me after that.
Try as she might, however, she never quite managed the latter.
「Okay, I think you’re ready.」
I looked at Frank, the least busy person present.
「What?」
「I’d like you to spar with Almeria.」
「Huh? Me?」
「No skills allowed.」
「Fine, let’s do this…」
They stood face to face in the middle of the square.
「Hm. ‘Commander of the Cavalry’ isn’t just for show, eh?」, commented Lyla.
「Yeah. So you can tell.」
「On the contrary, I can’t see much strength from the way Almeria carries herself…」
After much observation of the princess, Lyla had apparently decided that she would have the upper hand in a brawl. A silence descended on the square as Almeria brandished her sword. Frank held his spear at the ready, and the air itself seemed to have frozen in place.
And then they moved.
「Uoooh!!」
Frank made the first move by thrusting his spear forward, the dark gray spearhead closing the gap between both warriors in a split second.
Almeria parried it with ease.
「A mesmerising attack… but Almeria blocked it perfectly too」, observed Lyla.
Both Almeria and Frank looked shocked, but for different reasons. Frank had probably not been expecting such a clean parry from his opponent. Thanks to her training, Almeria had improved by leaps and bounds.
She had at last noticed the product of her blood, sweat and tears for herself.
「So that’s why you trained her like this, making her try to catch you while evading your deko-pin…」
[T/N Note: Deko-pin refers to a poke on the forehead — おでこ, or o-deko. Unrelated fact, but there have been documented cases of child abuse where infants died after having it done to them.]
「If you assume her opponent to be an assassin, the raw power a Heroine has becomes unnecessary. What’s important is not teaching her to attack, but making sure that she can follow quick movements and practise approaching an assassin.」
Due to her specialised training, the spearhead had probably seemed to be in slow motion.
「The less you move to dodge or parry, the easier it is to return an attack.」
「Almeria’s known as the strongest in the world — as long as she’s against an army」, I explained. 「She struggles with split-second movements like these.」
「And you managed to whip her into shape in just a week?」
「It’s thanks to both her talent and her hard work.」
「Hogwash. The master makes the disciple.」
The master makes the disciple…
「Roland! What the hell did you do to her Highness!? I can’t hit her!」
「You don’t have to pull your punches, Oji-sama.」
「Shit! I’m not, and you know that!」
Her attention was focused entirely on dodging Frank’s attacks — just as I had taught her. All she needs is three minutes, including the time taken to dodge. Frank’s spear slowed for a second, and Almeria used the opportunity to strike Frank in the belly with her sheath.
「Ugu-fu…」
「I won! Without using my skill, too!」
The commander fell to the floor facing the night sky.
「I was expecting to weather a gale, but was blown away by a zephyr…」
「Ahahahaha. So I did become stronger! Who am I again, Oji-sama? Say it, say it!」
「Ah, fuck… fine. You’re the Heroine.」
「She’s the type to brag about herself at a bar, that Almeria.」
「She does have a bad habit of letting victories go to her head」, I agreed.
If you start thinking about how to attack your opponent, it consumes your entire being. But if you focus on defending instead, you can buy yourself a tremendous amount of time.
My win condition was very simple — as long as Almeria lived to tell the tale.
「…」
Although I was training her with the expectation that she would beat that person, she can probably do it if she forgoes personal appearance and style.
Lyla looked up at me worriedly.
「She just wants to sleep with you. She’ll readily do anything you ask of her.」
Well, look who’s projecting.
「Oh no, I’m running late for dinner! Wakey-wakey, Oji-sama! C’mon!」
「I know, I know. Don’t rush an old man like me.」
He got to his feet and chased after Almeria, while Lyla and I followed behind them.
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