The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 91

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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 91 37. You’re the Best, Teacher Lumian! (1)

What Lumian said to Tania could be considered quite rude.

It wasn’t simple advice, but a statement that crossed the line.

If you told someone who had trained with a spear their entire life to take up the sword from now on, and recommended a spear to someone who had only ever swung swords.

How many people would be able to accept that as words meant for their benefit?

Probably no one.

And what Lumian said was shocking enough to be compared to that.

‘To completely change your entire style!’

That’s why Tania had no choice but to harden her expression.

If it hadn’t been Lumian, she might have used harsh words. No, even though it was Lumian who said it, she was extremely displeased.

She said.

“Did I hear that correctly?”

“Yes.”

“To change my swordsmanship style?”

“Yes. I think that would be good.”

“Haa…”

Tania held her head and sighed.

Lumian made an apologetic expression.

This was the reaction he had expected. Since he was essentially negating everything she had worked for, she naturally had to feel bad.

He continued speaking with a careful expression.

“I’m sorry for saying this. But if I don’t speak honestly, I think that would be even more rude.”

“…”

“And in case you misunderstand, I’m absolutely not looking down on you, senior. Rather, I was quite surprised. I think you have much greater potential than I thought.”

“That potential can only be unleashed if I change my swordsmanship style?”

“…Yes. That’s why I brought this up even though I knew it was rude.”

Tania looked into Lumian’s eyes.

Lumian didn’t avoid her gaze. He thought that if he looked away here, he wouldn’t be able to give her his trust.

Was that thought correct?

Tania, who had been glaring at Lumian, let out a “Whew” sigh and put her sword down on the weapon rack. Then she gestured toward the outside of the training grounds.

“This seems like it’ll be a long conversation. Should we go outside to talk?”

“Thank you. For listening to me seriously.”

Lumian bowed his head slightly. It was fortunate. At least she was showing a reaction that she would try to have a conversation.

Tania chuckled and replied.

“No. I’m sorry. I overreacted. You’re not thinking of making a fool of me, and you must have brought this up for some reason. Let’s meet at the town square in a bit. I sweated a lot so I need to wash up.”

“Yes, alright.”

A little later.

The two who met at the town square moved to a suitable tea house.

After quickly placing their order, Tania immediately brought up the main topic.

Her expression still wasn’t bright.

“First, before I hear your story, let me speak.”

“Alright.”

“I admit that my swordsmanship might look quite lacking to you. Actually, I’m somewhat confident in aura training, but swordsmanship… I think I still have a long way to go.”

Perhaps because she was excited, Tania’s words gradually became faster.

She continued telling her story.

“But even so, I don’t think I’m at such a hopeless level that I need to change my style. I’ve worked hard in my own way and achieved results in my own way. I may be weaker than you, but I haven’t lost the top position even once throughout the first semester.”

“…”

“Besides, my current style isn’t something I created by worrying about it alone. It was made based on advice from the third-year professor.”

“Third-year professor? By any chance, Professor Ben Barret?”

“Yes. Why?”

Tania asked with a puzzled face.

Because Lumian’s expression didn’t look good.

“No, um… What advice did that professor give?”

“Advice? Well…”

“Ah, wait a moment. Let me guess.”

Lumian raised his hand to interrupt Tania’s words.

After looking down and thinking for a moment, he spoke carefully.

“By any chance, did he say that since Senior Tania’s aura has water-like characteristics, you should aim for flowing, gentle swordsmanship?”

“Oh!”

Tania made a surprised expression.

Her bottom even lifted as if she was about to stand up.

Lumian continued speaking.

“Since women lack physical power compared to men, you should focus on speed rather than strength, technique rather than direct attacks, and pressure opponents with light movements instead of lowering your center of gravity…”

“Oh, oh! How did you know?”

Thud!

Tania completely stood up from her seat.

A server, startled by her vigor, spilled the tea. The server bowed apologetically and went back to get more tea.

Even until then, Tania couldn’t calm her excitement.

Lumian, watching this, clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘As expected. That man seemed stubborn and full of prejudices…’

Ben Barret.

He was someone a second-year like himself wouldn’t have much occasion to clash with, but Lumian knew him.

Because he remembered words he had heard in his first year, that is, before he had entered this body.

‘Hopeless. Not even from a knight family, and you don’t seem to have persistence or passion either. You’re unlikely to grow.’

It wasn’t wrong. Actually, Lumian at that time had no motivation or confidence.

However, even so, his attitude of pouring out harsh words instead of encouragement to a first-year student who had just reached the starting line was utterly unpleasant.

Of course, regardless of his personality, his skills weren’t bad. Being at the beginning level of Sword Expert might be nothing in a powerful nation, but in a small country like Tarasan, it was enough to be treated as a strong person.

‘But he has no eye for people. He’s teaching students relying only on rigid stereotypes.’

Before, he was only somewhat suspicious, but hearing the advice given to Tania made it certain.

He had been right.

Lumian decided to push his thoughts even more strongly.

“Senior. Please calm down first.”

“Ah, sorry. I was so surprised…”

Tania sat down with an embarrassed expression.

But her face was still flushed.

She pressed Lumian.

“Quickly, quickly. How did you know?”

“Well, I was thinking about similar aspects to what that professor felt.”

“What aspects?”

“The point that senior’s aura nature is similar to water. The point that women lack muscle strength compared to men.”

“What, then Professor Barret’s words weren’t wrong at all?”

“No. They were completely wrong. They might be right in general cases, but not for Senior Tania.”

“…I’m different? How do you know that.”

“Because I’ve been watching.”

“Wh, what?”

Tania made a flustered voice.

Of course she knew too. He must mean he had seen her training with the sword, handling aura.

But regardless of that, her heart was pounding.

While she was wondering how to respond, the tea came out again just then.

Tania took a sip to calm her trembling heart.

And Lumian’s explanation continued.

“You’re right that my temperament is similar to water. And it’s also true that most people like that tend toward gentle swordsmanship.”

“Right.”

“But there are different types of water. There’s aura that flows gently and continuously like a river, while there’s aura that doesn’t flow well and sits heavily in place. Like a reservoir or lake.”

“…What. Are you saying I’m the latter?”

“That’s right. Oh, and just so you know, I absolutely don’t mean the latter is bad.”

When Tania showed signs of displeasure again, Lumian waved his hands dismissively.

He wasn’t talking about good or bad right now.

He was trying to say that even the same water could be utilized in completely different ways.

“Water that sits heavily in place boasts tremendous weight, comparable to rocks or mountains. It’s even better for someone like Tania who’s confident in their aura reserves.”

“….”

“Being a woman, having less strength than men – that’s not a problem at all. A heavy sword would suit you.”

“You’re telling me to wield a heavy sword?”

“Yes.”

Lumian answered with unwavering eyes.

A gaze that conveyed a firm resolve. It was enough to fluster Tania.

“No, wait, I’m so confused right now….”

“It’s okay. That’s understandable. Let me explain it to you once more.”

Lumian continued his explanation for Tania’s sake once again.

The content wasn’t particularly different. He was just repeating what he’d said before, a bit more slowly and in detail.

Tania gradually became absorbed in Lumian’s words.

First of all, what he was saying wasn’t complete nonsense. It had enough persuasive power that she could nod along.

More than anything, the atmosphere she felt from Lumian right now stirred her heart.

He approached her like a mountain, steadfast and unwavering.

His unshakeable appearance, coming to her with a heart full of concern for her, gave her no small amount of trust.

‘Has there ever been anyone who gave me such serious advice, caring this much for me?’

There hadn’t been.

Even Professor Ben Barret, whom she’d mentioned earlier, hadn’t been like this. Come to think of it, aside from the advice she’d heard as a first year, she didn’t think she’d ever heard anything particularly meaningful.

Just moderate praise and moderate encouragement. He’d only shown the kind of interest anyone could show.

Having those thoughts and looking at Lumian now, the temperature difference was indescribable.

‘Really, was there a style that suited me all along?’

She wavered. The thought that maybe Lumian’s words were truly right began to bloom little by little in her heart.

But it still wasn’t enough to abandon her stubbornness.

To overturn something filled with her life, effort, dreams, and various emotions with a single word – it hurt her pride.

It was still too much. She let out a small sigh and looked at Lumian.

And just as she was about to slowly open her mouth.

“Wait a moment, senior.”

“…!”

Lumian’s upper body suddenly came forward.

His face enlarged dramatically. Tania pulled her head back with her heart pounding wildly.

Coming to her senses belatedly, she spoke sharply to hide her embarrassment.

“Wh-what!”

“I know you’re troubled. A junior telling you that the professor’s advice is wrong and to trust his words instead. Even I think that would seem strange. So.”

“…So?”

“To make it a little easier to trust my words, there’s something I want to show you.”

Having finished speaking, Lumian sat back in his chair.

Then he looked around.

It seemed he was checking whether anyone was paying attention to them.

A question mark appeared in Tania’s head.

What was this? What exactly was he trying to show her by acting like this?

She was having those thoughts when it happened.

Whoosh!

Like a flame blooming, aura flared up on one of Lumian’s fingers.

It was an Aura Sword!

That very technique that only an Expert could demonstrate.

Tania stood up from her seat with a shocked expression.

“What is this!”

Clatter!

Crash!

“Ah!”

Had she gotten up too hastily?

The table shook and the teacup fell to the floor. People’s attention focused on them.

The flustered Tania looked toward Lumian, but the Aura Sword had already been withdrawn from his hand.

“Let’s talk somewhere else for now. Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll pay for the broken cup.”

“Are you hurt, customer?”

“I’m fine. Haha.”

Lumian conversed with the employee who had approached.

Watching him, Tania’s head was incredibly complicated.

* * *

A little later, the two left the tea house and walked along a quiet walkway.

They spotted a bench that looked suitable for sitting. The two sat there without saying anything.

Even after that, silence was maintained for quite a while, but eventually someone had to speak.

“You showed me the Aura Sword… that was to ask me to trust your words, right?”

“Well… that’s right.”

Lumian kicked a pebble at his feet. The pebble flew and hit a nearby tree.

“It’s a childish thought, but I figured if I showed that my skill is at this level, it might make my words more trustworthy….”

“Hahaha.”

Tania laughed.

It certainly was a childish thought.

My skill doesn’t fall behind a professor’s!

So trust my words!

Summarized, it felt like that.

But the effect was sufficient. Tania changed her thinking toward following Lumian’s words.

‘Since he tried to persuade me even while revealing his secret, I can’t help but trust him.’

Come to think of it, it was strange.

Even she, who had been paying close attention to Lumian’s every action, hadn’t known this fact.

It meant it wasn’t a secret he would reveal to just anyone. Probably everyone except Teoro, Bumer, and Cal Krone didn’t know.

But he had revealed that important thing to her.

Why on earth?

Tania decided to ask honestly.

“Why did you do that?”

“Huh?”

“It seems like a secret you’ve been keeping tightly hidden. What’s your reason for trying to persuade me even while revealing it?”

“….”

Lumian’s face remained calm after hearing Tania’s words.

But his inner thoughts weren’t. He was reproaching himself for his own patheticness.

‘It’s not that big a secret. I’ve even shown it at a bar to pick up women….’

He’d even demonstrated swordsmanship then.

Thinking about that, revealing it to Tania was nothing at all.

But revealing this straightforwardly was too embarrassing.

Therefore, Lumian decided to package his words nicely.

He said with a serious expression.

“Well, that’s because I trust Senior Tania.”

“…You, trust me?”

“Of course.”

Lumian nodded and said.

Hearing this, Tania’s eyes widened.

Her face also turned slightly red.

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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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