Vol. 3 Chapter 83: Start of Sword Training (Patreon)

I tightened the laces of my boots, getting myself ready and make sure nothing fucks it up. For I will be going into physical practice. Swordplay!

I wore brown trousers, quite a stretchable fabric, so it didn’t restrain my movements. Then a gray shirt with a leather waistband. My hair was tied into a ponytail. Although still lengthy. I have not cut my hair ever since I arrived here in this world. Gonna be Rapunzel but white-haired and more beautiful.

I stretched my body, getting ready for the action! Conquer the sword and you conquer hearts! Does that make sense? Maybe.

Currently, we’re in a large room of a building, one sometimes used to train beginners. Like some sort of dojo, but not exactly a dojo…? Anyways, this building was cleared for me to use. Well, not like we have enough trainees to fill up every training building, anyway.

My servants stood in the corner. Meanwhile, Elson waited at the center in his casual clothes, a sword in his hand. Once I finished stretching, I picked up a nearby sheathed sword. I felt its weight. My muscles have grown, but still a little heavy for my liking. I drew it out, my pretty face faintly reflected on its blade.

I cast away the scabbard. I tried swinging the sword with both hands. In the end, I used just a little amount of Physical Enhancement. Ready, I stood in front of Elson.

He spoke. “To use Armament Magic, you need to learn the basics of using a weapon. Especially a sword. To use my technique, learn the basics of applying Armament Magic to a sword. That’s how we all start.”

Rogan uses a spear, but he uses a sword whenever we’re inside the palace and guarding me. And he was quite proficient with it. Must be because they all begin with a sword, and he just switched to spears when he learned the basics of Armament Magic.

“But as you already know the basics of magic casting, I will prepare you for daggers while training with a sword. It is quicker that way, if you can keep up, your highness.”

“A trivial thing.”

“Trivial? Where does that confidence stem from?”

I shrugged. “Just some words.”

“... Raise your sword as if I am your enemy.”

I held my sword with both hands, making a stance I saw people do.

“You observe well, I see.” He approached beside me. “Although with tiny flaws.”

He lowered my arms a tiny bit, pointing out mistakes in my leg positions and my overall posture.

“Keep that posture for a minute.”

Oooh, that would be straining. But this was nothing compared to my training in the past. Now I was feeling reminiscent. Remembering the time where they beat us to a pulp at the early stages just for us to experience pain, to get familiar with it. I cried and cried. No one to save me.

Don’t even try to mention the electric chair.

“No using of any kind of magic, please, your highness. You don’t even tremble.”

I awkwardly chuckled. “Sorry.” I turned off my physical enhancement. My arms and legs started shaking. Dammit, so much for making it easier.

A minute passed. “Alright, that’s enough.”

I sighed and broke my stance, breathing just a little heavily. Maintaining a posture was sometimes more tiring and numbing than frequent movements.

“We’ll take a couple minutes for a breathing rest.”

He’s being soft on me, I being the princess and all.

“No, let’s be continuous. Next part, now.”

His eyes blinked in surprise. “... If you say so.”

We practiced swinging the sword. Needed a bit of learning, but I got it pretty quick, to Elson’s surprise. Learning physical weapons was something I’m used to anyway. Unlike magic, though. It was just a simple up and down swing and a step forward.

A while later, we proceed to different kinds of swings and thrusting while stepping forward and back. Basically leg work mostly. I pretended to struggle but got an average score at the end. Would maybe fool Elson, but likely confuse Rogan and Vernon.

“Huh, you learn surprisingly quickly, princess. Are you sure you only practice magic casting?”

“Well, I have been learning physical enhancements from Vernon. You learn a thing or two about moving your own body around.”

“Then it makes things easier. That said, there are some needs for improvement. We will focus on this training for today.”

“Alright.”

“Still, you’re learning way too quickly than I have imagined.”

“I suppose I am a fast learner. Besides, I easily get tired. I can’t do everything smoothly all the time.”

Getting stripped of my magic sucks! I know, I know, I have grown reliant on my magic and all. But it just makes everything so convenient. And besides! I need magic to survive. Sadly, this time, I must go full physical despite this beautiful weak body. Work out? Barely work anymore, don’t know why. But I think it had something to do with my magic use. But then again, this could mean to work out a little harder. But as I said, barely works. I easily get tired no matter what.

Don’t want to suddenly collapse out of nowhere because of overwork or over fatigue or something. But hey, nothing bad about relying on magic if it works. But if it doesn’t, then fuck…

Anyways, we continued training in how to properly handle and do swordsmanship. I sweated hard in the training's course, my body strained and tired, even more so without the use of magic to give me strength. We’ll see if this kind of training improves my overall physical performance. If barely, then something’s going on that I should be worried about.

Once noon came, we took a lunch break, Elson and I going our separate ways for now. I returned to the palace to change my clothes before eating. Not taking a shower yet, gonna do that in the afternoon.

I sighed as I drank a glass of water. My lips and throat still craved for more. Still so tired despite finally sitting down.

“Your body aching already, your highness?” Vernon asked.

“Guess so.”

“Perhaps you have grown too reliant on Physical Enhancement when doing strenuous activities.”

“Of course, I’ll drop in minutes if I don’t use it.” A little bit dramatic… But it delivers the idea.

“Then this will be a good opportunity to learn moving without the help of the technique.”

“As much as I dislike it, that is precisely what I will do.”

Rogan was also eating at a small table nearby. He drank some water. “The princess is learning pretty fast, she’ll master the sword in a month, I know it.”

“You’re exaggerating,” replied Vernon. “It takes years to master swordsmanship.”

“I am exaggerating. At least she’ll be proficient enough to fight a knight sword by sword. Princess, please stop your discrimination against spears and also learn how to use them. It’s pretty good, you know.”

I frowned. “I barely have time for myself, no way. I’ll do just fine.”

Besides, a weapon’s a weapon. I can use them well without allocating too much time to them. I may suck at first, but after taking it in hand and swinging it a few times, I’ll get the sense of it.

“... Your loss.”

“Besides, the primary goal here is for me to learn how Elson uses his technique. I’m not losing my focus on that.”

“Why do you like his technique that much, anyway? You’ll still need to learn how to use daggers properly in a proper combat.”

“I will do just fine, Sir Rogan. Focus on eating your food!”

“... Alright.”

With a pout, I looked away dramatically.

***

I collapsed on the nearby chair in the training room, breathing heavily. My hair stuck on my sweat beaded forehead. I felt disgusting! All the sweat, ugh, terrible terrible. More than that, I’m beat!

I leaned on my back, trying to get in as much air as I could and rest my body. Elson’s training really pushed me too far this time. I didn’t expect he would suddenly intensify the training in the afternoon session. Did he get some sort of enlightenment while he was having lunch? Or did I do something wrong to warrant this?

“Princess, here.”

Vernon handed me a towel and I immediately rubbed my face.

The sword swinging, the sparrings, the prancing, just holding the sword in the air, all wore me out. If it was my old body, I would be barely sweating. This would have been nothing. But right now, not in the luxury of extreme and continuous physical activities.

As tough as I am, despite my body basically screaming at me to stop, I kept going. What can I do? I am competitive… But I shot myself in the foot with this. I’m gonna die! I have never been like this since I was a kid.

“Did I overdo it?” Elson approached, expressing his concern.

I’m d-dying…

I wanna say that as a joke, but that may be too much for a knight I ordered to train me. Could give the wrong impression and them taking it seriously. “N-No, just need to rest for a while… for a long while. Water.”

Vernon quickly gave me a glass of water. I drank it all in one go.

“More.”

One was simply not enough. When I had my fill of the second glass of water, I heaved a long sigh.

Thinking about it, it felt like my body just worsened. I sort of exercised this body when I first arrived in this world. Sure it was not as intense just now, but it just felt I got tired more easily. This confirms it, my body was deteriorating. What gives?!

Dammit, if my body just had a reduction in performance, then I just have to push myself some more. Did that sound contradicting? Hm. I think magic did some permanent damage to my body due to excessive use. I may need rest and some exercise, as exercises improve the body. It should work. You know, keep it balanced.

If I deteriorate, just have a good exercise and improve a little.

But then again, I’ll just use my training as an experiment if it works. Gonna be learning Armament Magic soon too, I guess I have to make sure I don’t use a lot of mana that would strain my Mystic Medium.

“At this rate, I fear that you cannot continue your training for tomorrow, princess.” said Elson. “You’ll be sore all over.”

“N-No problem, I’ll use my healing magic.”

“Hm, if you say so.”

“By the way, Sir Elson, what do you think of becoming my direct subordinate?”

“... Pardon?”