Chapter 13 – Know Yourself

“And what do you use this ladder for?”

『It’s ladder training.』

“What’s that?”

Fully motivated, I changed into my exercise clothes of short-sleeved half-pants, went out to the large garden of the mansion and sat down.

I’m not just sitting down, I’m flexibly loosening my body.

Tre’ainar calls it “stretching”.

And the problem is the mysterious use for the ladder.

『Tis about increasing one’s agility and perception. To grant you the Ultimate Step… gain the 【Magical Step】technique.』

The technique has a shitty name… but I won’t say anything……

『…… Come up with the technique name yourself.』

“Oh, rather… keep going…”

Even if I don’t say it, he would find out what I’m thinking. Well that’s enough. If it’s for the boobs, I’ll take it seriously.

『Fine, we will settle this later. First, stretch your body firmly, gradually. Concentrate.』

“No, haven’t I done enough already? I’m pretty limber.”

『Still. Tis to improve physical ability and make a daily habit of it.』

“Geez… fine. But can you tell me what kind of training we’re going to do? Do I have to be flexible, what’s the ladder for, and anything else?”

『Hmm… Training schedule or… Well, if you’re curious…』

I’ll do whatever I’m told for the time being, and put in a serious effort.

But I wanted to know what the hell I was going to do.

Then, Tre’ainar……

『First of all, you take the time to warm up by stretching then ladder training. After that, body technique exercises, and practice magic and forbidden arts which best suit your physique.』

”…… Huh? Oh, wait a minute.”

『…… What? Surely you have no complaints, right? 』

Hearing to words “Forbidden Arts” mentioned so casually at the end made me anxious, but, well, the other party is the Great Demon King.

If the Great Demon King teaches you magic, you may end up with a curse.

But one more thing that bothered me was…

“When do we train my swordsmanship?”

『…………』

Yes, I’m the category of 【Magic Swordsman】, same as my father.

I’ve been practicing it since I was a kid, and am still swinging 5,000 times a day. Even if Tre’ainar says too many times for training is useless.

『About the sword… I will not use it.』

“Ha? …… You mean you yourself don’t use a sword?”

『No. You…… do not possess the aptitude for the same heavy-handed swordsmanship as Hiro.』

”…………?”

『In other words, you lack the talent to be as Hiro.』

Oh, you’re wrong? A ridiculous remark was uttered as if somehow my life so far would be completely denied!?

『It seems you have mixed feelings about your father, yet at the root you probably long for him. Hence apparently your techniques and swordsmanship imitate your father.』

“Well, well… I’ve been imitating him since I was a kid.”

『But tis just an imitation. Enough for a second-class opponent, but you can never achieve a breakthrough.』

”………………”

I’m the son of a hero, but I’m not cut out to be a magic swordsman…… It can’t be, all my life I’ve been told and been compared to my father, now you say I was ‘never talented’…..

『On our first meeting between the seals, you tried to attack me with a 【Magic Sword】, did you not?』

“Oh, at that time….”

『Yes. At that point I was already aware. You have no talent for that style.』

I still could not easily accept the sudden remark.

It’s only natural. I was denied all I’ve accumulated in my lifetime, even though it was short.

“Well, seriously… how do you know that?”

I wondered how he could say that to me though we had just met yesterday.

『Hmm, can’t be helped… tis a long-winded explanation, but… Humans, demons, and demonic beasts each have distinct forms and distinct masses. Features, such as speed and reflexes, also differ. Nothing in this world can fit everything the same. Do you understand this?』

“That’s true, but…”

『At the same time, the swordsman uses a sword, and the brawler brawls… meaning each has a body and function that suits them.』

Then, to my question, Tre’ainar explains it in a very theoretical manner.

『For instance, a giant orcs may have an ideal body for swinging a club and attacking with power. Do you believe that giant orcs are good at ballet and such?』

”…… That is…… Sure…”

『Following that logic, for you a 【Magic Swordsman】… rather, Hiro’s fighting style is unsuitable. He is the type to focus a suicide attack on a single point without thinking ahead. He utilizes the firepower of his magic in the sword to the utmost in order to defeat his opponent. This is realized when the person possesses great muscle mass, a tremendous amount of magical power, endurance and fortitude to resist a half-hearted counterattack. None of this applies to you.』

Rather than understanding, the more I listen to the long explanation, the more depressed I feel.

『You are Hiro’s son, but your inherent strength and magical power differs from your father’s. No matter how much you imitate Hiro, you can never surpass him.』

Above all, it’s as the Demon King says, so I guess that explanation is really true.

I can’t be my father.

I don’t have that talent.

Naturally, it was a shock.

However, by being given clear guidance by someone like this, I immediately had a lot on my mind.

”…… Haha…… Ever since I was little… all that time, I was swinging my sword.”

It became a habit. On rainy and windy days, I never missed my practice.

The skin on my hands peeled and my nuts got smashed… Even so……

『On the other hand, for a hard sword style like Hiro you have ample flexibility, as you have mentioned. Tis a supple body that springs. Perhaps you… are more akin to your mother.』

“Huh!?”

『If you to use a sword, your fighting style will inevitably be built up around the sword. But first of all… you, the function of your own body…… In other words, by facing your individuality, you must begin by making the most of yourself. To reexamine the functions of the body, physical techniques are the best.』

I was in the middle of a shock, so I couldn’t hear everything, but his last words reached my ears.

I have another “talent”.

『If you are bound as a swordsman, you may be best suited to wielding that gentle, flowing sword. However, if you are to wield it, first of all, you must be intimate with the functions of your own body rather than the arm of the sword. If so, to master it in two months time might be feasible.』

I looked up naturally and tried to listen to Tre’ainar’s words without speaking.

Tre’ainar said to me, “I’ll never be able to beat my father, even if I imitate my father,” because it sounded like she was saying, “I have my own talent.”

Unlike my father, my personality is my own. I never thought of it.

『And Hiro is a single-cell idiot.. He can only use simple, power-driven magic with an emphasis on destructive force, but fine spells were beyond him. Magic is not just about having magical power, it also requires a brain to understand the theory behind events. You are better than Hiro in that respect. Expand the magic more.』

It’s not just the sword. It is true that my father can use the “Blow-All System” in terms of magic, but I have heard that his grasp at the more detailed ‘Auxiliary System’ of magic is not good.

That? Surprisingly, father has a lot of faults?

『Do you understand? If you diligently apply yourself to training, of course, you will win the championship in two months. If you bestow more time, it is possible to raise you to the level where you can defeat Hiro!』

Those words, it wasn’t just big talk or being swept by the momentum of our conversation.

There was simply an idea and the chance of the victory in properly following Tre’ainar.

And the rest depends on if I can put it into practice or not.

『How is it? Child …』

Yes, the rest is up to me. I could not help laughing at such a question.

“Haha-ha… My father… everyone around me… they would be surprised. The son of the hero ‘Hiro’ will not fight as a 【Magic Swordsman】.

『You do not approve?』

“I-it’s not… Somehow, I have a rather pleasant feeling about this! Not like I’m my father’s son……exactly, more like I’m myself! I feel like a curse upon me has been reduced a little bit, and it made me feel better.”

I got it. I was shocked, depressed, but I felt a weight off my shoulders.

I felt liberated from something.

I’ve already found that I don’t need to imitate my father and feel a complex.

And now that I’m free of such a thing, I’d rather have the elation of something new that suits me.

“Please, Tre’ainar. Lead me to the right path.”

At this time, regardless of Sadiz’s boobs or any motivation, I myself felt ‘I want to do it’, and I was genuinely saying that.

Author’s Note

Everyone, I am always indebted to you.

When I looked at the ranking of the day this morning, it was the second place overall.

I’m here to thank you for being here.

Suge!!! But it’s nice and frustrating!? I remembered a certain thing in a place where I had mixed feelings.

The main character Earth also said the word that someone somewhere used to say in the story.

“Do I have to be in first place? Can’t I be in second place?”Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa