The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 130

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 130 50. What’s Needed for Growth (1)

“Are you stupid? Did you get lost?”

“That’s right. Haah… What the hell have I been doing…”

Bumer sighed and hung his head.

When he started his journey after the second semester ended, he had been overflowing with confidence.

He had never traveled long distances alone before, but he thought nothing could go wrong if he just followed a map.

But he was mistaken.

Two days was enough. That’s how long it took for Bumer to realize he was directionally challenged.

“Phew. If I hadn’t lost my backpack, I could just hire a coachman to get there…”

Getting lost wasn’t the end of it. He had even had his backpack stolen while he was briefly distracted at an inn.

Fortunately, he had kept some pocket money separately, but it was nowhere near enough to hire a coachman to Rodigia.

In the end, he had no choice but to spend time in this village, sighing helplessly.

After a day of this, by an incredible coincidence, Lumian and Tania arrived at the same village.

From his perspective, it was like a lifeline dropping from heaven before he fell into the swamp of despair.

“Stupid fool. A guy who always traveled with attendants between the Academy and his family estate, what kind of confidence made him think he could travel alone…”

“Phew. I didn’t know I was such a serious case of being directionally challenged either.”

“It would be fortunate if you were just directionally challenged. You even lost your money, what a fine job.”

Lumian shot back harshly.

Nevertheless, Bumer didn’t show any signs of displeasure.

Rather, he spoke with an awkward expression.

“Still, it’s fortunate. I found companions to travel with.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Lumian and Tania both expressed confusion simultaneously.

Tania’s reaction was particularly intense.

She, who had only been shaking her head throughout Bumer’s story, finally opened her mouth.

“Companions to travel with?”

“Uh, huh? Aren’t we going together? Weren’t you going to Rodigia?”

“That’s right, but…”

Lumian trailed off.

Of course, their destination was the same as Bumer’s. Their plan was to go to Rodigia’s capital after finishing their wandering training and enjoy the Snow Flower Festival.

But…

‘No matter what, you butting in between the two of us is a bit much!’

These words rose to his throat.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say them out loud.

Because Bumer’s expression looked so earnest and desperate.

“Uh, um… Lumian. And Senior Tania. Really, I’m truly sorry for butting in between you two, and I know it’s a shameless request, but… couldn’t we go together? I don’t think I can make it there in time by myself…”

“…”

“Really… I’m really sorry…”

Bumer, who belatedly grasped the atmosphere, spoke in a crawling voice. Tania’s piercing glare made him unable to move. Terrible embarrassment, guilt, and frustration washed over him.

But he couldn’t give up.

She was his girlfriend, after all.

It was a promise he had finally made, and he couldn’t be late for it.

‘No, beyond being late… if I try to go alone, I might never arrive at all. I absolutely have to go together!’

Bumer’s eyes widened.

He knew it would seem shameless, but he had no choice.

If he backed down here, all that would remain for him was the pain of heartbreak and the mockery of Cal Krone and Teoro Shutgarn.

He met their gazes with desperate resolve. A brief moment passed like this.

“…Fine.”

“Th-thank you! Thank you, Senior Tania!”

Tania reluctantly allowed Bumer to join them.

Looking at her, Lumian made a complicated expression.

Along with the thought of wanting to beat to death the friend who appeared at a crucial moment to interfere, he also thought that he should understand since this was that guy’s first relationship too.

‘Damn it. Fine… I’ll let it slide just this once.’

Lumian secretly sighed.

Though tears of blood were flowing inside, he had no choice. He was a precious friend, after all.

While he was going through this process of resignation and acceptance,

A dry voice flowed from Tania’s mouth.

“Lumian?”

“Yes?”

“You must be tired from various things today, so go up and rest first. I’ll stay here and talk with Bumer a bit more.”

“Huh? I’m fine though. I slept a lot yesterday so I’m still okay…”

“Just go up.”

“…”

“Hurry.”

“…Then, see you tomorrow.”

Lumian hurriedly went up to Bumer’s room.

He absolutely didn’t look back. Carrying his luggage, he walked steadily forward, heading only toward the guest room on the second floor.

Only Tania and Bumer remained at the table.

“…”

“…”

Silence, and more silence.

In the continuing silence, sweat began to form on Bumer’s forehead.

He absolutely couldn’t meet her eyes. It was hard to even breathe properly. He prayed that Tania would please quickly state her business.

Fortunately, after a moment, his wish was granted.

“You.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“During the journey to Rodigia, you’ll have to be very quiet.”

“…”

“Like you’re dead, no, like you’re not a living creature to begin with. Like a rolling stone with no presence at all… without any interference between the two of us.”

“…”

“Not going to answer?”

Bang!

Tania slammed the table.

Startled, Bumer reflexively answered.

“Yes, yes! I’ll do that!”

“I’ll be watching.”

With a jerk.

Tania left those words and went up to find her room.

Bumer, who remained with a dazed expression for quite a while after that, wiped his sweat with his sleeve and muttered.

“Is this… an Expert’s presence…”

* * *

The next day, the trio’s journey proceeded without any particular problems, unlike before.

Lumian had performed all kinds of dispatch missions with Morghen. The route to Rodigia’s capital was so easy that he didn’t even need to look at the map multiple times, so there was no chance of problems arising.

However.

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just that Bumer over there…”

“Don’t mind him. He says he has things to think about and wants to walk quietly.”

It was just that Bumer, who couldn’t interject a single word into their conversation throughout the walk, was incredibly distracting.

It seemed Tania had given him some kind of hint, but seeing him act so awkwardly distant made her feel uncomfortable instead.

‘But it’s not like I can just ask him to hang out with us now… Ah, whatever!’

Lumian, who had been pondering for a moment, shook his head.

And he resolved to completely cut off his thoughts about Bumer.

When you think about it, he was the one in the wrong for intruding on a couple’s trip. Even if he told Teoro and Cal Krone about it, they would probably take his side.

‘Let’s just treat him like he doesn’t exist.’

Having reached a clean conclusion, Lumian looked toward Tania.

He smiled broadly and soon took her hand.

“Oh? Natural, isn’t it?”

“We’ve been dating for a while now, so if I can’t even do this much, that would be a problem.”

“It hasn’t even been a month yet, what are you…”

Even as she said that, Tania interlaced their fingers without showing any displeasure.

She did glance ahead occasionally, seemingly conscious of Bumer, but soon even that behavior disappeared. The two walked along the long stretch of road with relaxed and peaceful expressions.

‘Good.’

A gentle smile appeared on Lumian’s lips.

As Tania had said, they had reached the point where holding hands felt natural, but that didn’t mean he had gotten used to the feeling.

Rather, the excitement was even greater than usual.

Though they were just friends, there were other people with them. The thought that he was expressing affection in such a situation gave him a new kind of thrill.

‘Tania cares a lot about others’ gazes, so it’s not easy for her to do this normally.’

In fact, he was the same way. Unlike his two shameless friends Morghen and Valang, he still lacked both experience and courage.

Still, unlike before, he didn’t feel anxious.

He could feel that the distance between him and Tania had narrowed considerably over the past few days. They say many couples have huge fights during trips and end their relationships, but he thought he was doing quite well for himself.

Good. Let’s keep going like this.

At this rate, by the end of the trip, he might even be able to kiss her.

As he was dreaming such modest and sweet dreams while looking at Tania’s face against the sky once more.

Stir.

“…!”

He felt a change in his body.

More precisely, it was the aura inside his body, or more accurately, the energy he had recently begun to feel.

A mysterious power that was warm, comforting, and even conveyed overwhelming emotion.

Lumian’s expression hardened as he felt it increase slightly.

‘I’m certain. The energy has grown!’

He was sure of it.

He could feel it more clearly than when he had first noticed it upon arriving at the village. The newly generated energy naturally circulated through the pathways in his body once, then entered his dantian and became part of his power.

A process that differed from ordinary aura cultivation methods.

He stopped walking abruptly.

“What? Why are you doing that again?”

“Ah, no… I just had something to think about for a moment.”

“This guy. Are you going to keep thinking about other things in front of your beautiful girlfriend? What is it? Tell this big sister about it.”

“Hmm…”

There was no way he could tell her.

How could he explain a phenomenon that even he couldn’t understand?

Lumian made a troubled expression. Seeing this, Tania pouted with a sulky face.

And then.

“Geez.”

She unlinked their hands and attempted more active skinship.

Despite Bumer’s presence, she stuck close to him and linked arms.

Close enough that her chest almost touched his upper arm.

Lumian let out a surprised voice at her unexpected action.

“Huh? Senior, but Bumer is here…”

“Who? I don’t see anyone.”

“…”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but think about that later. Right now… just focus on me.”

As if embarrassed by her own words, Tania’s face turned bright red.

Nevertheless, she didn’t let go of his arm. Rather, she leaned her head slightly against Lumian’s shoulder, showing even deeper affection.

Lumian’s reaction went without saying.

His heart went beyond just beating fast – it felt like it would burst with loud thumping.

Not only that, but he could feel blood rushing to his center. Lumian’s eyes wavered with panic.

‘No! Not here!’

Despite the burden that was Bumer, it was very pleasant to see Tania being proactive.

But even so, he needed minimum self-control. To avoid walking awkwardly, he needed to calm his excitement.

For that, there was no better method than aura cultivation.

He quickly concentrated his mind and moved the aura within his body.

Whooooom-

Originally, he would need to assume a posture with both palms and soles facing the sky, but Lumian, having reached a certain level, could cultivate to some degree even while walking.

Whew, he exhaled lightly.

Feeling his alter ego return to normal just before getting excited, he felt relieved.

And at that moment.

Lumian could feel the mysterious aura growing again.

The amount was even much larger than before.

‘This is… could it be?’

A new hypothesis arose in Lumian’s mind.

He didn’t know the principle. He didn’t know the reason.

But from the perspective of cause and effect, he couldn’t think of anything else.

‘The more intense the skinship becomes… the more aura accumulates, doesn’t it?’

It was an impossible thing.

If someone could read his inner thoughts, they would either curse him to stop talking nonsense, or roll around holding their stomach and burst into laughter at such an absurd idea.

But there was no other way to explain the current situation.

Lumian carefully recalled yesterday’s and today’s events.

‘When I looked at Tania’s face, when I held her hand, when we linked arms. New aura increased in all cases.’

Moreover, the rate of increase was higher as it went on.

In other words, the more difficult the skinship, the greater the results.

‘What is this. How is this even possible? No, first of all, is this even certain?’

Lumian’s expression hardened.

Finding an answer to how this was possible seemed difficult to achieve in a short time. It was too different from the aura cultivation methods he had known so far.

However, determining whether the hypothesis was right or wrong was easy.

He just needed to engage in more intimate skinship.

‘No, damn it, now that I think about it, it’s not easy at all!’

For someone else, it might be a very easy thing.

But for Lumian, who had taken ages just to confess to Tania, there was nothing more difficult than this.

But he had to do it. He couldn’t not do it.

His ambition as a knight, and his curiosity and longing for higher realms.

These things pushed the desire that had been suppressed deep in Lumian’s heart. They made him move when he had been stuck in place, shy and scared.

Smoothly.

Lumian gently unlinked their arms.

And before Tania could make a puzzled expression, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

To be precise, it was around the area between her waist and hips.

As his hand settled on that subtle boundary line, and Tania made a slightly surprised expression.

Whooooooom!

Along with tremendous excitement, an energy much larger than before rushed into Lumian’s body.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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