Knowing Nothing but the Sword

Ever since he had unexpectedly rescued Ghislaine in the outskirts, Cui Ciyou's journey was no longer lonely.

Though this "not being lonely" usually existed in an extremely quiet, even stifling manner.

He had saved Ghislaine Dedoldia, the "Sword God Style Sword King," when she was on the verge of starving to death.

Ghislaine's body recovered at an almost terrifying speed.

Beastfolk, especially the royal family of the beastmen—the Dedoldia Clan, the royalty of the Great Forest—

As a warrior race renowned for their powerful physiques, the beastfolk's vitality far exceeded Cui Ciyou's imagination.

Relying only on the food he provided, which could not be called plentiful but at least ensured basic energy and hydration:

It mainly consisted of softened black bread, a small amount of dried meat strips, and plenty of boiled water.

Privately, Cui Ciyou felt that it could be called "black bread and meat mush."

In just three or four days, she went from being curled up in the grass, her breathing so faint that it seemed ready to extinguish at any moment—

To being able to walk independently and even perform some basic activities.

Cui Ciyou witnessed the changes in her body firsthand:

During the first few days, she still needed his support to walk, staggering along. Her thin body looked as though the forest wind might blow her down again at any time.

But soon, her steps became increasingly steady, and her back gradually straightened.

Later on, she could even keep up with the normal pace of the sturdy white horse Cui Ciyou rode.

Her breathing was even, without the slightest sign of fatigue.

Cui Ciyou had suggested that she ride with him to conserve her strength. But Ghislaine refused every time, insisting on running herself.

Still, Ghislaine truly ran faster than a horse.

Whenever they stopped to rest, Cui Ciyou would occasionally see her walk alone to some secluded place, where she performed extremely slow stretching movements that carried a certain unique rhythm.

Or she would simply stand quietly and regulate her breathing.

Every breath she took seemed to stir the thin air around her into a faint current.

The muscles she had lost through prolonged starvation also seemed to be filling out again at a visible pace, becoming firm and packed with explosive strength.

Her bronze skin regained its healthy glow, while her once dry and tangled silver-gray hair recovered its luster.

It fell naturally behind her shoulders like silver-gray silk.

Beyond her physical recovery, what impressed Cui Ciyou even more was the light that had returned to her beastlike eyes.

They were no longer as lifelessly gray as when he had first met her.

In their place was the cold, sharp glint of a top predator.

When she watched her surroundings, her gaze seemed able to pierce the cover of the trees and catch every slightest rustle.

The powerful aura she unconsciously gave off even unsettled the white horse, making it whinny softly and dare not approach her.

Yet the rapid recovery of her physical condition had not fully dispelled the gloom surrounding her, nor that... indescribable sense of distance.

Ghislaine remained silent to the extreme, almost never taking the initiative to speak.

The exchanges between her and Cui Ciyou were limited to the most basic needs and questions.

He asked one question, and she gave one answer. If one word could explain it, she would never use two. Her tone was flat and devoid of emotional fluctuation.

Ghislaine strictly fulfilled the oath she had made—to "become his sword."

She had positioned herself as Cui Ciyou's guard, servant, and even... a weapon.

She always followed closely behind him, about half a step away.

Whether traveling or camping, she unconsciously maintained a posture that allowed her to protect him at any moment and respond to attacks from any direction.

Only when Cui Ciyou told her to rest would she sit down;

When he handed her food, she would first make sure that Cui Ciyou had eaten before silently and quickly finishing it.

As if she were merely replenishing fuel to keep her body functioning rather than enjoying the food itself.

At night, Ghislaine would even take the initiative to stand watch.

Like a tireless statue, she sat beside the fire with her sword in her arms, alert to any movement in the darkness.

Only when Cui Ciyou forcibly ordered her to rest would she close those sharp eyes.

Toward Cui Ciyou's "orders," she displayed an almost rigid, soldier-like absolute obedience.

That obedience even made Cui Ciyou feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Still, Cui Ciyou tried to learn more about this world from Ghislaine:

For example, he asked her about swordsmanship, beastfolk, and more information about this world, but the results were often disappointing.

Ghislaine seemed completely unsuited to—or perhaps simply unused to—complex conversations that required thought and organized language.

Her knowledge of anything outside swordsmanship was remarkably lacking.

Her understanding of the Asla Kingdom was limited to the most basic impressions: "the largest human country," "very prosperous," and "has many rules";

Her descriptions of beastfolk likewise mostly revolved around keywords such as "battle," "strength," and "survival";

As for the broader state of the world, its history, culture, magic systems, and so on...

She either knew almost nothing or could only offer vague, even contradictory answers.

More than once, Cui Ciyou sighed inwardly. This woman... really was a battle creature through and through.

He knew that Ghislaine was a Sword King of the Sword God Style, a powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

But when it came to common sense and social skills, she was practically like a newborn infant—or rather... a fighting machine programmed in advance.

That enormous contrast made Cui Ciyou's understanding of "Sword King Ghislaine" more complete and even more... absurdly amusing.

Cui Ciyou began to wonder how Black Wolf's Fang, that S-rank adventurer party, had managed to tolerate such an "odd" teammate and adventure with her for so long.

Perhaps it was precisely because of Paul's recklessness, Zenith's meticulousness, Keith's shrewd adaptability, and the way the other members complemented one another that the party could function?

And once she had left that group where they could tolerate and understand one another—

Ghislaine immediately fell into a survival crisis because of her own shortcomings.

The Black Wolf Squad had been a team that accepted one another, with Ghislaine, who understood nothing but combat, and Keith, who understood everything except combat.

It seemed there was no point hoping to obtain systematic knowledge of this world from Ghislaine.

Helplessly, Cui Ciyou abandoned the idea of treating Ghislaine as an "initial guide to another world."