Sword Training

Before I officially enlisted, I still had three months to wait, because Leivo wouldn't turn fifteen until then.

Under Demacia's laws, you had to be fifteen to join the army. Noxus's forces wouldn't arrive anytime soon, so there was no need to rush.

To be honest, I was puzzled. Why could I reduce the casualties on both sides? Had I gained some strange power after crossing into this world? I had no idea. I could only wait for time to reveal the truth.

In the days that followed, I spent nearly every day with Fiora. We were close, and she was pleased by how eager I was to learn.

Of course, most of my hard work was motivated by my desire for her. Sometimes I could barely control myself—for instance, when I gazed at her fervently, hoping to convey my feelings.

She always pretended not to notice, and occasionally even grew cold toward me. I didn't know whether she had figured out what I was thinking.

After a while, with Fiora's careful instruction, my swordsmanship improved greatly. I was especially good at a move that used my blade to parry an enemy's weapon.

I didn't need her to tell me what it was called: Laurent's Mind Blade.

As for Blade Waltz, she never showed it to me. I didn't know whether it was too difficult for me to learn in such a short time, or whether she simply didn't know the move.

Halfway through our practice that day, Fiora suddenly stopped. She told me that a few days earlier, she had commissioned the city's master swordsmith to forge a sword for me. I was to take it with me when I enlisted, and today was the day to collect it.

She had planned to go alone, but after I insisted, she agreed to take me with her.

I had been in this world for some time, but I rarely went out, and when I did, it was usually for some specific purpose. This time, I wanted to wander around Silver City and experience its local customs.

Silver City stood along the coast in western Demacia, where the sea breeze often swept through. The terrain was rugged, and many buildings had been built against the mountains. Some mountains had even been developed in their entirety, becoming places for people to live.

The houses here were all built from white stone. From a distance, the whole city looked blanketed in silver.

Silver City seemed to mean exactly what its name suggested. I'd heard that the white stone contained a great deal of Nullstone, which strongly suppressed magic. As a result, mages couldn't use magic freely here.

Laurent Manor, like the royal palace, had been built on a relatively open stretch of level ground. The place where we were going to collect the sword, however, was up in the mountains. Though both places were in the same city, the journey was a long one. Thanks to that, I got to see much of the city.

We climbed up a small mountain. Houses and residents lined the whole way, and there were plenty of streets even near the summit.

Most of the people there were merchants, selling all sorts of strange goods. I hadn't seen many of them before, so we ended up spending quite a while browsing. Fiora wasn't pleased, but she didn't stop me.

After turning a few corners, I finally spotted a smithy. Years of forging had left its walls blackened, and a long line of people waited outside.

Fiora explained that the smith, Harley, was Demacia's most renowned swordsmith. Whenever visitors from out of town came to Silver City to trade or sightsee, they would stop by to buy a weapon they liked.

I already knew without her telling me that Demacia's weaponsmithing was the finest on the whole continent. The incorporation of Nullifying Craft made these weapons useful in a wide range of situations. Some people traveled thousands of miles just to buy a weapon that suited them.

Just as the two of us were patiently waiting at the back of the line, a commotion broke out up ahead. Some people had started arguing.

One side didn't look Demacian; the other consisted of three men who looked like officers. The emblem on their chests depicted a broken axe—they were members of House of Dali.

"Just our luck. Why did we have to run into them here?" From Fiora's tone, it was clear she couldn't stand those men.

The people from out of town were soon driven away by the men from House of Dali. One of the latter then spotted Fiora and me and came over with a grin.

"What a coincidence, Miss Fiora. I'm delighted to see you here. I was just planning to buy a gift and visit your manor."

"There's no need to be so formal, Jon. I've been busy lately, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to entertain you properly. You should come another time."

"You're still as hostile toward me as ever. But my love for you grows deeper by the day. I've already spoken to my father. Once the war is over, I'll ask Lord Fili for your hand and make our union a reality."

"I'll decide who I marry. If you want to win me, you'll have to defeat me first."

"I'm sure I'll earn your approval. Hey, Leivo, do you remember me? I'm Jon, the big brother who used to take you around all the time. I heard you've been chosen as Demacia's savior. Congratulations!"

"Sorry, I don't remember you."

I'd already disliked Jon when I heard that he planned to ask for Fiora's hand. Now I was burning with jealousy, so naturally I wasn't about to be nice to him. Whatever our relationship had been in the past didn't matter. Someone else had taken his place now.

Jon's expression darkened. Apparently, no one had ever dared to treat him that way. "You'll regret this!"

With that, he left with his men. His arrogance reminded me of General Dali at the meeting in the royal palace. It seemed to run in the family.

"Hmph. Ridiculous."

Fiora scoffed, collected the sword she had ordered from Master Harley, and left.

The journey was long, and I'd already delayed us earlier, so it was late by the time we got home. Still, I practiced for a while before turning in. I didn't have much time left—by my rough calculation, only a little over half a month.

By now, I understood Demacia much better. I also knew that the country was currently controlled by five great families.

House of Lightshield, House of Lightshield, and House of Dali controlled the nation's military. House of Tabor oversaw divination and religious rites, and was also the only family in the country permitted to use magic. Our Laurent Family was like a prime minister's household, overseeing the kingdom's economy and most of its internal affairs.

I'd already been familiar with the world of League of Legends, and now my experiences had made it even more real to me.

I hadn't run into any familiar faces lately. I'd been hoping to meet Zhao Xin, but I still hadn't seen him. Strangely, when I asked Fiora about him, she said she didn't know of any guard at the royal palace named Zhao Xin. She also explained that she didn't visit the palace very often.

Time flew by amid the intense training. Before I knew it, three months had passed. I had committed the sword techniques Fiora taught me to memory and could use them with ease. I had officially graduated from my training.

Suddenly, I didn't want to enlist anymore. It wasn't that I was afraid of battle. I simply couldn't bear the thought of being separated from Fiora.

She was the first person I'd seen after waking up. She had treated me well, and I had fallen for her.

Of course, I wouldn't ask to stay. Only by protecting Demacia could I continue to live in peace.

I longed to distinguish myself and earn her approval—not as her younger brother, but as a man...

It was the third day before my departure. I didn't practice swordsmanship, because my Coming-of-Age Ceremony would be held tomorrow. After that, I would leave for the Dauntless Vanguard's barracks.

My reluctance grew stronger by the day. That evening, I went to Fiora's bedroom. A servant at the door was about to announce me, but I stopped her with a finger to my lips.

Since arriving here, I'd never been in her bedroom, even though ours weren't far apart.

I pushed the door open and immediately felt disappointed in two ways.

First, the room's furnishings. I'd thought that, despite Fiora's cold expression, she would have the heart of a girlish romantic. But her room was simply furnished.

Second, she was still wearing the training clothes she'd had on during the day. They were tight enough to show off her curves, and at first the sight had been a feast for the eyes. But after more than three months of seeing the same style every day, it was hard not to suffer from aesthetic fatigue.

She was sitting by the window, lost in thought. When she heard someone enter, she didn't turn around. She clearly didn't know it was me and assumed a servant had come in.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. We didn't practice today, and I found myself missing you."

"Leivo, it's you! Why didn't you announce yourself before coming into my room? You know that's very rude, don't you?"

"You come into my room all the time without announcing yourself. I'm starting to wonder if you've seen me naked while I was asleep."

"I watched you grow up. Why would I be interested in your body? What a smooth talker. Did you get bored today and decide you needed a beating?"

"My skin's itching—and so is my heart."

"Oh? Is there something you want to say?"

"My Coming-of-Age Ceremony is tomorrow, and then I'll be leaving. I couldn't bear the thought of it, so I came to talk with you for a while."

"Funny, I was just thinking about you too. It's a lovely night. Let's go for a walk."

Laurent Manor backed onto a small hill. I often watched the scenery there through the window, but had never gone over. Tonight seemed like the perfect chance to enjoy the view.

We left the courtyard and walked side by side in silence. I was simply enjoying the quiet. I didn't know what Fiora was thinking.

Before long, I spotted a flat patch of ground and led her over to sit down. It was the end of summer, just before autumn. The night breeze was crisp, the waist-high grass rustled, and stars glittered across the sky. It was beautiful!

"You..."

"You..."

Neither of us had said anything, but we started speaking at the same time. Fiora told me to go first.

"It's nothing much. I just wanted to ask why you haven't found a partner, even though you're not that young anymore."

"No one has met my standards. Anyone who wants to court me has to beat me first."

"Haha, that won't be easy. What were you about to say?"

"You... You're not really Leivo, are you? Or rather, you're not my younger brother?"

Fiora's words made my relaxed mood tighten in an instant. I met her eyes but didn't answer, and she continued.

"Our parents are busy with official business, so they don't pay much attention to their children's lives or how they change. But we've spent so much time together that I noticed your sudden change a long time ago. I suspect Nora and Noviya have noticed too, but they don't dare say anything."

"You figured it out a long time ago, but you never exposed me?"

"I wasn't sure who you were or what you wanted. And after spending time with you, I realized you meant no harm. You've just worked hard to learn swordsmanship. I often thought, if only you really were Leivo. But my awful younger brother couldn't suddenly become so sensible. Now I just want to know who you really are—and what happened to Leivo."

"I really don't mean any harm. I'm not from this world. I was in an accident: I was hit by a vehicle called a motorcycle, and I don't know whether I lived or died. When I woke up, I was here. As for your brother Leivo, I don't know what happened to him either. Maybe he's sleeping inside me, or maybe it's something else."

Fiora studied me carefully for a long while, then finally chose to believe me. "All right, I believe you. But you have to take good care of Leivo's body, because he could regain consciousness at any moment. By the way, what was your name before?"

"Zhao Xin. It's the same name as the person I asked you about earlier."

"Zhao Xin... From the sound of it, you might be Ionian. If you ever get the chance, you could visit Ionia. Maybe that ancient continent has the answers you're looking for. But first, you have to survive the war!"

"You seem to care about me a lot."

"I told you, it's Leivo's body. Don't get the wrong idea! And why would I care about a little brat like you?"

Her words sounded like a denial, or maybe an attempt to save face. Either way, they seemed completely sincere. That was part of what made her so captivating.

"I'm not a little brat. You just said that anyone courting you has to defeat you. I'll do it, and it won't take long!"

"Fine! If you can defeat me, then... No, that won't work either. To everyone else, you're still Leivo."

Fiora seemed a little hesitant. It was clear that my appearance and personality suited her.

I didn't press the matter. It was enough that I'd made my feelings clear. Maybe that was selfish, but love was like that—you just expressed your affection and concern.

After we'd said what was on our minds, we both felt much better. We lay on the hillside and chatted idly. Before we knew it, it was late at night. Only when the breeze grew a little chilly did we get up and head back...