Chapter 34: Facing My Master

I am currently training in the garden of our home. My sparring partner today is none other than Lord Wii Taa, the zashiki-warashi of the Notos family.

That’s right… I am now receiving direct sword instruction from a real zashiki-warashi.

He is a master of the North God Style, who survived the battle against Father and the others, later surrendering to Her Majesty Ariel’s banner.

Lord Wii Taa, once the fellow disciple of Lord Auber—the tengu who taught Mother Eris and passed his North God knowledge to me—has inherited the role of instructor in Auber’s stead after his death in battle. With various ties pulling us together, he now serves as the leader of the “Eccentric Faction.”

Thanks to Father and Lord Orsted linking the teleportation circles between the Asura Kingdom and the Dragon God Shrine Father built with magic, we were finally able to meet face-to-face.

"You’re stepping in too shallow, Edith! You’re focusing too much on the shield hand, and your attack and defense are out of balance!"

"...Y-Yes, sir!"

"This time, your feet are stuck! If you take a stance against someone who doesn’t let your sword flow, they’ll crush you with sheer power! Always shift the battle—never let it come down to brute strength!"

"Yes! I understand!"

The Sword God Style and Water God Style both rely on perfected secret techniques, imposing a rigid strategy and overwhelming force. But with my body still immature and untrained, I cannot hope to win on such ground.

That’s why Lord Wii Taa’s instruction is invaluable. Though he has the strength of a King-ranked swordsman, his body is no larger than mine. His martial arts and footwork prevent opponents from even using their ultimate techniques, and every move he demonstrates instantly translates into lessons I can absorb. Beyond skill, he shows me the polished discipline and seasoned experience of a true warrior without holding back.

When his sword slashed down diagonally from the right, I tried to catch it with my shield, angling it to deflect the strike. But he immediately released the hilt, caught it again with his left hand, and in the same motion drew the scabbard like a thrown weapon, thrusting it at my throat in the shortest path possible. Point scored—one to him.

Still holding the scabbard at my throat, Lord Wii Taa lightly bonked me on the forehead with it before returning it to his waist, stepping back to reset the match.

He charged in low, blade flashing upward as he unsheathed. I attempted to crush the motion with Arm Drop—but he stopped short just two steps away, using the momentum of his rising slash to spin. Turning sharply, he kicked sand into my eyes with his leading foot.

I hastily used Fang Sever to block the grit, but he knocked aside my shield—arm and all—then pinned my right arm when I tried to defend. Using the sword that had struck away my shield, he brought the flat down to my shoulder, pulled back at the last moment, and gave me a light tap before breaking away. That made two.

I tried resheathing my sword, planning to strike in that instant—but he anticipated it. I launched my full-force Boar Drum at him, yet he casually punched aside the shockwave without slowing, drew his blade, and flung it at me.

I barely deflected it with my shield, but by then he was already rushing me barehanded. I tried cutting him with Shadowless Sword—but just as I drew, he stomped on my hilt, breaking my posture. Using the momentum, he kicked upward with his other foot, stopping the tip of his toes just beneath my chin. That was the third strike… and of course, my complete defeat.

"Good! That’s enough for today! Take a break, then head home!"

"Hah… hah…! Th-thank you very much!"

I was fully armored, yet Lord Wii Taa had only a single sword and his martial arts, still overwhelming me completely. No thrown weapons, no spares—nothing. The same armor that had pushed Ghislaine to her limits was useless against him.

The fact that he beat me on my own ground, with less equipment, left me utterly stunned.

"For someone barely half my size to fight using eye-blinding tricks… Ghislaine must have struggled greatly against you."

"And yet, even with all those advantages, I still couldn’t finish her. The power of a Sword King truly is monstrous. Unlike me, Auber and Nuckelgard had all their strengths stripped away. ‘Bog Swamp’ and ‘Silent Fitz’… or rather, Fitz was actually a woman, wasn’t she? Against a silent-casting magician of such caliber, North God Style—with no absolute ultimate technique—suffers greatly. Yes… it may be an age where even swordsmen must prepare countermeasures against magicians."

He spoke with the weariness of an old veteran, yet his face brimmed with excitement. Father and his companions are prodigies who will reshape the history of magic itself. Though North God Style prides itself on adaptability, such rivals must seem like troublesome challengers. Then again… it also means North God Style is the very art best suited to match Father’s magic head-on.

"Her Majesty Ariel says she’ll have my broken armor reforged. I must also reconsider my weapons for combat without armor. Mark my words, Edith—the Eccentric Faction will grow even stronger."

His voice was brimming with confidence and conviction—the words of a man who leads an entire faction.

If such a good-hearted zashiki-warashi has sworn loyalty to the Notos family, then perhaps Great-Uncle and the others aren’t as terrible as their reputation suggests.

"Hmm, fine expression you have there. I’ve heard you constantly break cheap wooden shields in battle despite being a shield-user. Take mine."

"Your personal shield!? Are you sure…?"

"I only use shields when armored. Since I’ll be getting new armor, I’ll be getting a new shield as well. Better you put this one to use. A warrior’s core weapon should always match their skill."

"Lord Wii Taa… thank you!"

I saw him off with repeated thanks, then returned home to wash away my sweat before joining in the evening chores.

"E-dee, done…?"

"Ah—wah! Lady Lucy, you were waiting this whole time!?"

Right by the entrance stood Lady Lucy, cheeks puffed in a sulky pout.

Nearly three years old now, Lady Lucy’s legs are sturdy enough for her to run freely all over the house. Today she must have opened the front door herself to peek at my training.

(Maybe it looked like I was just playing outside with some stranger…)

"Edith, we’ll handle dinner, so go play with Lucy-chan!"

"Thank you, Miss Aisha—please, I’m counting on you!"

I already owe Miss Aisha so much, and now I had to trouble her again. Feeling guilty, I tried to soothe Lady Lucy’s mood, but she still wouldn’t smile.

Just as I was wondering what to do, she clutched my sleeve tightly, her face filled with worry.

"E-dee… not hurt…?"

Ah—I was wrong. She wasn’t sulking. She was worried because she’d seen me getting struck during training. If she can see me sparring, I might end up scaring her.

"It doesn’t hurt, Lady Lucy. Thank you."

I hoisted her onto my shoulders to reassure her, all while wondering how to make sure Ghislaine wouldn’t frighten her when she came to visit next time.