Ais's Guidance Training

The next day, just as Liber finished washing up, he heard a knock at his door.

Liber opened the door to find Loki standing there with a sour expression on her face.

Loki looked at Liber, who had just opened the door, and spoke with indignation.

"I asked the other members yesterday, and someone specifically requested to instruct you. From now on, you are to go to the courtyard every morning where someone will be there to guide you."

"Someone wants to instruct me? Who is it?" Liber asked, puzzled.

Loki said resentfully, "You'll know when you get there, you wretched brat."

"Behave yourself while receiving instruction. If you bully her, I won't forgive you."

After delivering this harsh warning, Loki stomped off in a huff.

She left Liber standing at his doorway, completely bewildered.

"Her? Who on earth is going to be instructing me?"

"How strange."

Liber muttered to himself, then tidied his clothes and headed out toward the courtyard.

As he drew closer to the courtyard, he heard the sound of air being sliced through.

Liber suddenly thought, It couldn't be her, could it?

Carrying his doubts, Liber walked straight into the courtyard.

What met his eyes was the same beautiful and agile figure he had seen yesterday.

She was dancing with a sharp blade in the courtyard, her golden hair shimmering under the sunlight.

Liber confirmed his suspicion and sighed. He then stood by the side of the courtyard, watching the figure focused on her swordplay.

He didn't know if he should speak up and interrupt her practice.

Liber hesitated for a moment, then suppressed his urge to act and simply watched Ais, admiring her as she swung her blade.

Gradually, Ais stopped her movements.

She sheathed her sword and turned her head to meet Liber's gaze in silence, the atmosphere slowly turning awkward.

Unable to bear the lingering tension any longer, Liber spoke up.

"Excuse me, are you the one who will be providing me with combat instruction today, Ais?"

"Yes." Ais was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Liber then asked, "Why? I didn't think Ais was very accustomed to giving instructions."

Ais shook her head and said, "...The captain is busy, and the others aren't very suitable." Her voice grew quieter.

Liber looked at Ais, whose usually indifferent face now showed a hint of hesitation, as if she were hiding something.

He thought about it and decided not to pry further.

Liber said calmly, "Very well, I look forward to your guidance."

Hearing Liber's words, Ais nodded and gripped the Rapier hanging at her waist.

Liber said to Ais, "Er, I don't know if Loki told you, but the reason I requested instruction is that I currently have a need for intense combat. I hope to gain some guidance in close-quarters fighting and daily combat training."

Ais nodded briskly, and upon hearing Liber's request, she drew the Rapier from her side.

She held the hilt in one hand, pointing the tip of the blade diagonally toward Liber's face, and said, "No problem, we can begin."

Liber was stunned by how quickly Ais had entered her state of focus.

He nodded solemnly, and then ripples appeared in the space beside him as the hilt of a Broadsword emerged.

Liber gripped the hilt and pulled the Broadsword from the void, taking a stance with his right hand to face Ais.

Liber stared intently at the poised and steady Ais.

Suddenly, the stationary Rapier seemed to flicker. Liber felt a strong gust of wind hit him, the force of it stinging his eyes.

He squinted for a split second, only to see a straight Rapier appearing right before him, the sharp whistle of the blade cutting through the air reaching his ears only then.

Liber looked at the Rapier that had appeared before him before he could even react, lowered his Broadsword, and said to Ais in frustration, "I'm sorry, I can't react to that speed. It was too fast; I couldn't see it clearly."

Ais felt a bit embarrassed; a faint blush rose to her cheeks as she said in a low voice, "Sorry, let me adjust. Let's try again, you attack first this time."

Liber nodded. Watching Ais sheathe her Rapier and reset her stance, Liber also corrected his posture, preparing to strike.

The two opponents observed each other with intense focus.

A moment later, Liber suddenly called out, "Watch out." He gripped the Broadsword with his right hand and swung it diagonally downward toward Ais's left shoulder.

With a crisp "clang," the sound of metal striking metal rang out.

Liber saw his swinging Broadsword being parried by Ais's Rapier.

Feeling the immense power coming from the Rapier as he held his ground, Liber was suddenly shoved back by Ais. After parrying and striking, Ais dropped her Rapier and thrust it straight up toward Liber's chest.

Liber held his Broadsword vertically in front of his chest in mid-air, the blade blocking the incoming thrust.

Liber's body then flew backward rapidly, following the force of that thrust.

Suddenly, his speed in the air began to decelerate. After flying a short distance, Liber hovered in mid-air before slowly descending to the ground.

After a moment of calm, Liber reflected on the strength and speed Ais had utilized during their brief exchange.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Her strength and speed are right within the range I can handle; her control over her own power is simply too good.

Looking at the girl who was roughly his own age, a sense of unwillingness was suddenly stirred within him by this short clash. He steadied his stance.

He assumed a posture, lowering his body and holding his Broadsword at his side.

Watching Ais prepare her stance once more, Liber suddenly lunged forward, charging toward her.

As he neared Ais, he abruptly changed his posture, straightening his body.

He shifted the Broadsword from his right side to his chest, holding it vertically upright. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of the blade tilted slightly toward Ais, and he thrust it directly upward toward her head.

Ais watched Liber, who had rushed toward her and suddenly thrust his blade, her expression remaining unchanged, earnest and focused.

Keeping her lower body still, she tilted her upper body backward, narrowly avoiding the thrusting Broadsword, her eyes tracking the blade as it passed by.

Ais reacted swiftly, reversing the grip on the Rapier in her right hand and striking directly at Liber's forehead with the hilt.

Seeing the incoming hilt, Liber reached up with his left hand, which had been guarding his waist, to block it.

He caught the incoming hilt, and feeling the force transmitted through it, he bent his body to alleviate the pressure.

Liber prepared to swing the Broadsword that had missed its mark, aiming a vertical chop straight down at Ais's right hand.

He saw Ais react instantly; she curled her left arm slightly and struck Liber's ribs with an elbow.

Liber let out a grunt of pain and stepped back to create distance between himself and Ais. He hunched over slightly, rubbing his side with his left hand to soothe the dull ache before straightening up again.

He felt the slight pain lingering on his body.

Liber knew full well that Ais had slowed her speed and lowered her strength to guide him.

However, this feeling of being suppressed—especially by a girl who looked to be around his own age—made him somewhat displeased.

Liber cast a spell to make the Greatsword he had retrieved from his storage space float, weightless. Holding the Greatsword in his left hand and casting a spell to grip the Broadsword in his right, he said to Ais:

"I'm going to use as much of my full strength as I can. Even though I doubt I can do anything to you, I still want to see just how big the actual gap is."

Ais looked at Liber, noting his state of wielding two weapons of different sizes, and nodded, maintaining her stance.

Liber then turned the flat of the Greatsword toward himself, placing his left wrist at his waist so the blade rested diagonally across his upper torso. The tip of the Broadsword in his right hand rested against the Greatsword, the two blades touching.

He spread his legs slightly, lowered his hips, and crouched into a half-squat.

Liber exhaled softly, calming his mind. Then, with a loud shout, he hurled the Broadsword in his right hand toward Ais's face.

Immediately after, he gripped the Greatsword with both hands, holding it at his waist as he swung it horizontally toward Ais's waist.

The spinning Broadsword whirled through the air, rapidly closing in on Ais.

Ais watched as Liber followed closely behind the spinning Broadsword, charging straight at her while swinging the Greatsword in a horizontal slash.

Her expression was earnest, the image of the incoming Broadsword growing larger and larger in her eyes.