Chapter 21 - Training
13 min read ·
“... Now this is a strange sensation.”
Aiden surveyed the barren space, devoid of any scenery.
Sitting opposite him with his chin propped lazily on one hand, Meyer chuckled.
“Everyone feels that way their first time.”
A mindscape was a spatial manifestation of what lay inside someone’s head. That was where Meyer and Aiden were now.
Aiden looked down dubiously at the bracelet on his wrist.
< Item Info >
[ Soul Connector ] [ Rare ]
[ A bracelet containing the supreme soul of ‘the Knight of Dawn.’ Grants access to the unique space < Mindscape >, which can be opened by those who have attained mastery. Within this space, direct contact with spirits is possible. ]
... Those effects must be what made this possible.
The bracelet itself was merely an old relic with no effects at all, yet simply housing Meyer’s soul had saddled it with all sorts of properties.
‘Just how much of a monster is he?’
As Aiden gave him a look that conveyed that question, Meyer looked him up and down, his neck still craned forward. His searching gaze made Aiden shrink back involuntarily.
He hadn’t really felt it when confronting Meyer as a spirit, but now that they were face-to-face, he was certain the man was anything but ordinary.
Aiden knew one word that aptly described the man before him.
‘... Predator.’
People who existed on such a different plane that they seemed like another species entirely.
Noel and Katya were about the only people who had given him a similar impression. But even compared to them, this man’s presence was distinctly—
‘—Scary.’
Unlike Noel and Katya, who usually concealed that aura out of consideration for him, Meyer had no intention of hiding anything.
Just being in front of him made Aiden feel smaller. The pressure was particularly intense, even compared to those two.
‘Should I be grateful I’m learning to fight from someone like him...?’
The bargain Aiden had offered was to reach the heights this man had never managed to attain himself. This was one step toward that goal: one-on-one instruction every night in the mindscape that unfolded in Aiden’s dreams.
In a world constructed inside someone’s mind, nothing that happened would affect the real world.
“Now, about that bargain of yours. Let me ask a few things before we start.”
Aiden’s expression grew serious at Meyer’s words.
“Let’s be honest. You’ve got fuck all going for you.”
“...”
“I know you can wield multiple supernatural powers, but put all that shit aside for a moment. You’ve never actually fought anyone, have you? Give me a kitchen knife and I could kill you ten times in three seconds.”
One thing was certain: this man had no talent for empty pleasantries.
“And there’s something even more serious. You don’t look like you particularly want to do this.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You don’t like fighting itself. You’re the type who runs at the first sign of trouble, aren’t you?”
Good lord.
“Does becoming a ghost give you mind-reading powers?”
“I established more than half the methods of wielding supernatural powers on this continent, you little snot. You think I’ve only taught one or two disciples? I can tell at a glance.”
That much Aiden already knew.
The Knight of Dawn was still celebrated as a hero across the continent, yet most tales of his exploits actually understated what he had done.
... With that in mind, the assessment Meyer delivered after thoroughly examining him was quite unexpected.
“... How the hell does someone like you have powers like these?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve seen plenty of people wield multiple supernatural powers, but you’re the first I’ve seen who’s actually mixed them. How did you do it? Did you con the gods or something?”
“... Is it really that impressive?”
“Is it really that impressive? Is it really that impressive...? You fucking little—”
Meyer visibly forced the string of curses back down his throat, then continued with a deep sigh.
“Supernatural powers are the exclusive domains of the gods. How does mixing them make any sense? What’s even more ridiculous is that nobody around you has raised hell about it. I mean, ha—”
“... I’m told His Majesty the Emperor has been working hard to conceal information about me.”
“The fact that he can suppress it at all is absurd. It just proves how little this era understands supernatural powers. In my day, you might already have been captured and dissected alive.”
... Honestly, even hearing that, Aiden still didn’t understand what made it so impressive.
He did understand that he was fortunate not to have been born in Meyer’s time.
He scratched his head. Well, he certainly hadn’t expected such high praise out of nowhere.
“Well, fine. With this, you won’t be short on power wherever you go. Learning how to wield it can wait until much later.”
“It can wait?”
“To be precise, I need to study you a bit myself. I’ve never seen anything like this either. There’s not much I can teach you right now.”
... That was another development he hadn’t imagined.
Still.
“... Isn’t there anything else you can teach me?”
With his urgent need to improve himself however he could, Aiden had no choice but to press him.
♠ Main Quest
◈ Act 1, < Rift in the Capital >
▶ Chapter 1 will begin soon!
▶ A related event will begin soon. (D-4)
... The problem was that the next stage of the Main Quest was rapidly approaching again.
The reason he needed to get stronger fast, by any means necessary, was tightening its grip on him with every passing moment.
“Hmm...”
At his request, Meyer scratched his chin and stared at him.
“It’s not as though there’s no way.”
“Really?”
Aiden brightened with a smile, and Meyer gave him a small nod.
“First, let’s ease into things by dying a few times.”
Then he swept his hand horizontally. It was an effortless motion, little more than a casual wave.
And...
Aiden’s head, which had been in its path, went flying clean off.
“...?”
His severed head soars into the air. His body collapses to the ground. Blood gushes like a fountain. His vision goes black. He dies—
“—?!”
Then, in the blink of an eye, those sensations vanished.
Panting, Aiden checked himself over. His head was still firmly attached to his body.
But...
‘... Just now.’
He had definitely died once.
The sensation of his head being cut off and rolling across the ground was still vivid.
“It’s a false sensation. Dying in a mindscape doesn’t harm your physical body. You can ‘come back’ like that, too.”
The words were tossed casually at Aiden as he poured cold sweat.
“What, just now, what the hell—”
“Frankly, you haven’t even reached the starting line. First, you need to get used to violent situations where blood and flesh go flying.”
Meyer spoke affably as he loosened up. His voice held something like the kindness of a teacher guiding a beginner step by step, but his next words were anything but kind.
“So you’ll have to fight while dying over and over.”
“...”
“Getting used to fighting itself comes first. We need to toughen up that peace-addled mind of yours fast, don’t we?”
“... Wait, senior. Are you sure this is ri—”
“Theory, technique lessons... This looks like the most efficient approach for now...”
Meyer continued, still wearing a broad smile.
... By now, though, that friendly smile looked positively demonic to Aiden.
“... Try to survive by any means necessary, junior.”
The instant he finished speaking, death struck Aiden a second time.
▣
“... Aiden.”
At the unexpected voice, Aiden jerked upright.
“Are you all right...?”
Noel studied his face as she asked cautiously.
His face really was haggard. He was deathly pale, too, and had seemed distracted all day.
He couldn’t very well tell her he looked like this because Meyer had tormented him all night.
“If you’re unwell, please retire to your bedroom. There’s no need to stay here in the office...”
“... I’m fine.”
There really was nothing wrong with his body.
It was just that the memory of Meyer hacking him to pieces all night was utterly horrific.
‘... That damned bastard.’
With that thought, Aiden glared at the window floating before his eyes.
-System Log
▶ You have engaged in intense combat. You have gained new combat experience.
▶ Accumulate combat experience to learn techniques from various schools!
▶ Learn techniques from 2 more schools to unlock the ‘Combat Styles’ category.
He had died more than a dozen times last night alone, at the very least, but perhaps thanks to that, a new ability had become available.
‘This is definitely...’
It was a concept distinct from skills.
While skills generally produced their effects when actively used, combat styles were abilities arising from the sum of a character’s accumulated experience.
It was essentially the difference between active skills that had to be used and passive skills that were always in effect.
That meant another kind of skill he could copy. He ought to be welcoming it with open arms.
Normally, anyway.
‘I feel like I’m going to die...’
It was bad enough that Noel had voiced her concern first.
Ever since returning from the banquet, things had somehow been so awkward between them that he hadn’t been able to say anything to her.
“...”
Aiden watched Dame Noel silently press her lips together, her mouth twisting slightly.
The moment he cut her off by saying he was fine, she had turned sharply away rather than say anything more. As though she didn’t want to exchange another word with him.
How should he put it?
Lately, it felt as if she was trying to keep all their interactions below a certain limit.
-Quest Info
◈ Sham Marriage
- You have been chosen as Dame Noel’s spouse. Maintain your contract with her to the end!
- A related event will occur soon. (D-?)
Between her abrupt change in attitude and the words displayed here, something had clearly changed in how she felt.
‘But I can’t figure it out...’
He genuinely had no idea what she was thinking.
As he continued staring at her with those thoughts in mind, Noel let out a deep sigh and removed her uniform cap.
‘Oops.’
Had he been staring too openly? He flinched, wondering whether she was about to get angry, but she spoke calmly.
“Aiden.”
“Yes?”
“If there’s anything else I can do to help, please tell me. You’ve been looking unwell all morning.”
“...”
“If it’s difficult to talk about, I’ll wait...”
... No, really.
Just when he thought he understood her, he didn’t.
Usually she avoided him altogether, yet at times like this she offered to help as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
‘Well, then.’
There was something he could ask for right now.
“Did you ask me to teach you swordsmanship?”
Noel’s eyes widened at his request.
“Teaching you... swordsmanship isn’t particularly difficult. But what’s brought this on? I thought you weren’t interested in those sorts of techniques.”
“... I want to live.”
“...”
Noel gave him a look that asked if he seriously considered that an answer, but it was the best excuse Aiden could come up with.
From now on, getting beaten to death by Meyer every night would be his routine. Surely he needed something he could fight back with...
‘And more importantly...’
A few of Noel’s descriptions in the game came to mind: the Lionhearted, the Empire’s greatest knight, and a master of the sword.
She might not be a monster who could dominate the entire setting through swordsmanship alone, like Meyer, who had lopped his head off dozens of times last night, but her skill with a sword still placed her among the very best of the superhuman elite.
Now that he had satisfied the conditions for opening the Combat Styles category, there was no reason to turn down the chance to learn from her.
“...”
As he sorted through those facts, he noticed Noel rubbing her forehead.
How should he put it? She seemed to be considering his proposal very deeply.
“... Um, Aiden.”
“Yes?”
“When you say swordsmanship lessons, do you mean one-on-one instruction?”
“... Pardon?”
“... I mean, would it be just the two of us?”
“...”
Well.
Aiden hadn’t given that much thought either.
“... Does that matter?”
“It does.”
“...”
“It’s an important consideration.”
Watching Noel emphasize it twice as if it truly mattered, Aiden scratched his cheek.
“... If it matters that much, shall we make it one-on-one?”
“...”
This time, Noel clamped her mouth shut and stared at him.
What on earth was going on?
“... You’re rather forward.”
“...”
“I have no objection, for the moment.”
“... Right, well...?”
What was she trying to say?
As Aiden blinked in bewilderment, someone barged through the office door.
“What’s this? What, what, what? Sounds like an interesting conversation!”
Noel’s expression stiffened.
She and Aiden spent most of their time in the office alone together, and others respected that enough not to enter uninvited.
Even Dame Stella, Noel’s aide, scrupulously observed that boundary.
Which meant there was only one person who would casually throw open the door and walk in without so much as knocking.
“... Your Highness. Aiden and I are speaking. Would you please leave us?”
“Oh, come on. You’re talking about the very person I’m serving as an aide! How could I?”
As Katya answered with a sunny smile, Noel’s eyebrows drew sharply together.
If her expression had merely stiffened before, it was downright menacing now.
‘... I guess they haven’t quite buried the hatchet.’
Clearly, their lingering resentment hadn’t entirely faded. The strange tension between them left Aiden certain of that at once.
“... Aiden asked me. Not you, Your Highness. This has nothing to do with you, so—”
“Well, hardly anyone can match me when it comes to handling divinity, can they? Wouldn’t he be more interested in wielding a noble power than something as antiquated as swordsmanship?”
Noel’s expression grew more menacing still.
She placed both arms on her desk and propped up her chin. Her face was as serious as it would be going into battle.
“Your Highness, I believe you ought to be grateful to me simply for not bringing you before a court over the trouble you caused earlier.”
“... Hmm?”
“I’m saying I would appreciate it if you stayed out of our affairs whenever possible. I can hardly let Aiden be dragged into unnecessary trouble.”
“...”
Katya grinned at that.
Her eyes, however, weren’t smiling at all.
There was enough intent behind that expression to send an unbidden chill down Aiden’s spine as he watched from beside them.
“You can’t even decide how you want to act around him, but you still want him all to yourself?”
“... What did you say?”
“Nothing?”
At Katya’s reply and tilt of her head, sparks flared in Noel’s eyes.
“... Fine, then.”
She rose from her seat with a growl.
“If you insist on being so arrogant, you must be confident you can help Aiden.”
“Hmm?”
“Shall we put it to the test? See which of us is better suited to be his instructor?”
Her next words rang like a declaration.
“The loser stays out of whatever the winner does with Aiden.”
“...”
Katya’s expression twisted.
She apparently hadn’t expected Noel to come on so openly and forcefully...
“... Now that’s interesting.”
Katya let out a breathy laugh as she spoke.
“Just be ready for a humiliating defeat, Lionhearted.”
“I was about to say the same to you, Your Highness. I imagine being royalty has made life far too easy for you, but this won’t be so simple.”
“You’re the one who should prepare for a real taste of bitterness this time—”
“...”
Somehow, things were getting out of hand again.
Aiden couldn’t help thinking so as he broke into a cold sweat.