ushernet Chapter 4: A Friend Who Has Changed
Chapter 4: A Friend Who Has Changed
Chapter 4: A Friend Who Has Changed
It didnt even take him two years, right?
I feel like Im talking to myself a lot more lately.
I wonder why.
If I were to ask, I could lose my job as a butler.
Id say, I have to avoid it at all costs.
Well, you never know what life has in store for you.
I never thought Id see the day Id want to keep this s****y job.
Its been about a year and a half since I started teaching that kid no, Master Luke, the sword.
And today, for the very first time I lost.
How can I not laugh at this?
I feel like laughing out loud.
But Im a butler.
I cant let anyone see me like that.
So I held my mouth shut and tried desperately to bite down on the emotions that were rising in me.
Really he did it! No, not just that. He went way beyond my imagination!
Ah, not good.
Excuse me, I cant let my emotions get the best of me.
I was never easy on him.
On the contrary, I was going for the kill
Anytime I had a mock battle with Master Luke, I felt a thrill as if we were really fighting for our lives.
Even though its been a while since he started learning to sword, he really came to win.
Its been that way ever since the first time we did a mock battle.
If youre not careful, hell catch you off guard.
Thats what my instinct had told me as a swordsman.
And for that reason, I was always serious in every mock battle.
I was not confronting the kid who I taught.
I was facing an enemy I aint supposed to kill.
So I had to take it that seriously.
The title The dormer deputy head of the Royal Knights is not so light.
To be clear, even though Im old, Im still proud to say that Im still one of the best in the kingdom.
And that me was now defeated by Master Luke.
He did win, huh!
Ahh I cant get enough of it.
I cant get enough of this excitement.
Master Luke will go down in history, its an inevitable future.
No exactly.
Thats not what Im talking about!
Hes going to be a legend!
And I get the closest look at the man who will be called a legend.
How lucky I am!
Alfred-sama.
Then I heard a voice calling my name.
Its the maids voice.
Im not upset about this.
I instantly repainted my consciousness without any problems.
How can I help you?
Yes, Alfred-sama, you have a visitor.
A visitor?
I pondered.
A visitor for me?
I thought of the many possibilities, both good and bad.
But in the end, no answer was found.
The Lord has sent me to see you.
I see. I certainly understand.
Then follow me. Your guest is already waiting in their room.
Hearing my words, the maid bowed once and started walking.
Who could it be?
I dont have time for this.
Ive got to figure out Master Lukes training for the future.
I thought, but the Lord asked me to.
I dont have a choice but to meet this visitor.
So I followed a little heavier on my feet.
Eruka Ai Sutherland.
Thats my name.
I am proud to say that this name was once so well known in the kingdom that there was no one who did not know it.
Because I was the Chief Commander of the Royal Knights.
This is my pride.
Well, that was a long time ago.
A woman can never be a match for a man in brute strength.Vissit for updates
If you could use magic, it would be a different story, but unfortunately, I was not very good at that from the start.
Even so, I am one of the few women in the long history of the kingdom to have risen to the position of Chief Commander of the Royal Knights.
Thats what Im proud of.
The only one.
Now I have a dojo in the city where I teach swordsmanship to only those I like.
Thats why I came to see Al. (Alfred)
I really wanted to bring this up earlier.
However, I am not sure if it will work, and I have a lot of personal feelings about the management of the dojo.
I have no intention of teaching anyone I dont like, no matter how talented they are with a sword.
The reverse is also true.
It doesnt make sense that youd offer up such a prospect.
Thats why it took me so long.
I hope hes doing well
I still vividly remember the day Al quit being a deputy commander.
He was really stubborn.
Once he decides, he never bends.
That guy, Al, was too willful a man.
When was the last time I saw him?
I mean so long ago that I no longer remember?
After a while of being immersed in nostalgia, the door was opened with a thud.
Sorry to keep you waiting. Former Chief Commander of the Royal Knights, Lord Eruka Ai Sutherland.
Its me who cannot thank you enough for accepting my unexpected visit. Sir Gilbert.
I was somewhat surprised to be greeted by the head of the family himself.
Not that there are any bad rumors about the Gilberts, but there arent any good ones either.
For better or worse, the house is supposed to be nobility, aristocratic as it seems.
Nobles, as a rule, dont think well of the Royal Knights.
Most of them think of us as nothing more than a bunch of barbarians who cant use magic.
But what is this?
Somehow, their values toward the sword have changed, I suppose?
Come on in. I got you a room. Ill show you.
Thank you.
Is it because one is skilled with a sword that one has a strong heart? Or is it because the heart is strong that the sword is skillful? Your answer is always the same. Heart comes first right?
Yes, thats right. A righteous heart comes first and the sword follows. At least, thats what I believe.
It is this belief that sometimes I dont make disciples, no matter how talented they are.
I thought so too.
I was relieved to hear Al say that.
I knew it. He was the same Al I knew
No, thats what I used to think before.
I felt a grip on my heart.
what does that mean?
Its simple. Ive had a change of heart.
Sword comes first, you say?
No, thats not quite right. My answer is that the sword and the heart are completely unrelated.
Thats not true!
I couldnt help but raise my voice.
Well, listen.
I stood up and slammed the table with a bang, and Al admonished me in a very calm manner.
I too was ashamed of myself for being distraught at the question and answer with my friend.
Come here for a minute.
Al stood up abruptly and went to the window.
Why is that, I thought, but I kept quiet and complied.
Look.
I did as I was told and looked out the window.
And all I saw was a beautiful courtyard and a boy.
A boy with blond hair, blond eyes and a very handsome face.
I know this boy.
Hes Luke Withalia Gilbert, the eldest son of the Gilbert family.
But what about this boy?
Its almost time. As usual, Master Luke will start with his form. Watch it and let me know what you think.
Huh? Is he learning swordsmanship?
Yeah, He asked me to. So Ive been teaching him sword for about a year and a half now.
Hou.
I see, so this is what caused Sir Gilberts respect for me.
But still, I dont know what Als intentions are.
A year and a half with a sword is nothing to be proud of.
What on earth does he want to show me?
I looked at the boy thoughtfully.
Then the boy moved.
He took out his sword as it was.
And then my heart shivered at how beautifully he handled the sword.
A terribly sophisticated form.
It was no longer swordsmanship, but an exquisite art.
It was just that stunning.
My brain, which was supposed to be thinking about all sorts of things, was quickly replaced by the word of excitement.
Too beautiful.
Ive never seen such a perfect form before.
The answer does not override the fact that I myself am included.
No, wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
I realized belatedly how impressed I was.
This.
This swordsmanship.
A year and a half you say?
Yes. This is what talent is all about.
Suddenly, I looked at Al.
And I was astonished.
Because there was an incredibly creepy smile on his face.
As if the one who worships the devil had an audience with him.
That was a fanatics smile.
Al you
Ah, excuse me. Thats enough, have a seat.
My mind was still reeling.
I sat down, feeling zany.
What do you think? Tell me.
Amazing
Thats what I would say if I were shown something like that.
I cant find any better words to describe it.
I know. But if you ask me if Master Luke is good, he definitely isnt. If a commoner were to bump into Master Luke, he wouldnt hesitate to kick him. Thats the kind of man Master Luke is.
I see, that boy has changed you.
Talent is given out at the whim of God. There are no good guys and bad guys.
Thats
I wanted to deny it.
But I cant say the word.
Theres no way I can say that.
After seeing someone like him just now.
Looking back, the reason I couldnt beat you was simple. You had the talent and I didnt. Thats all it was.
Al muttered with a very distant look in his eyes.
No, youre wrong, Al
You were never that kind of guy
Again, Im going to have to decline your offer sorry.
I expected that.
Hed say so
When he didnt respond to me right away.
Well.
I saw it in his eyes, already.
I want to see it up close. I want to see what Master Luke will accomplish. Whether its good or bad, I want to see it up close. Haha, will you despise me for that, Eruka?
I had no more words.
I guess hes gone now Al from back then.
Abel was it? The kid may face Master Luke at some point. I sincerely hope he can resist as much as possible when he does.
Hearing those last words, I left the Gilbert residence.
Ive to raise Abel well.
Ill put my all into it.
Otherwise, hell never be able to beat that boy Luke.
I could certainly feel a hot flame bursting forth from deep within me.
Pushed by Erukas words, Alfred was to become a second mentor to the boy named Abel.
But it didnt happen, and Eruka and Alfred started down different paths.
Needless to say, the reason for this was the incomprehensible talent of the boy called Luke Wizaria Gilbert.
Yes, this story has already started to go haywire