Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The two boys didn't seem to be exercising, and even less seemed to be training something.

One was just hanging on the pull-up bar, or sitting on the parallel bars with legs up after holding on a bit.

The other one was holding the leg of the parallel bars shaking his body back and forth, looking up at the boy sitting on top and talking about something.

Looking at the smiling faces of the two boys, it seemed they were having a childish conversation typical of that age.

10 years old, or 12 years old. Conversations useless and incomprehensible to adults, but most fun, important and serious to kids in the world.

Have you ever seen a turtle? Heard it's super fast in water. Then if rabbit runs on land and turtle swims in water who would be faster? Have you seen the sea? Heard there is only water until the end of the world. But strange thing is, if you taste it, it's salty like salt added. Must have put a lot of salt in, right?

Being far away conversation sounds weren't heard, but somehow it looked like they were having such conversation.

Wind blew occasionally to Rickart sitting on parallel bars, golden hair shining in sunlight fluttered.

It had been a week since Rickart entered Beringen Academy accommodation, whether become a bit close meanwhile, Bori-bori laughed and shook head and talked comfortably.

There was a person watching such two boys from afar. It was Bolka.

Bolka still couldn't understand how he lost to Rickart who looked just like a brat no matter how he looked, wondering if he used some magic.

Couldn't get out of shock and shame for three days, and from the fourth day started thinking deeply. Why did I lose?

Setting aside anger and unfairness, was purely curious. Why lost. No matter how looking just a brat.

Even looking back at the situation then, there was nothing to know. Because just flashing before eyes and fainting was all.

Bolka groaned alone then seemingly couldn't stand it anymore and walked towards Rickart with big strides.

Bori-bori seeing Bolka approaching in middle was startled and hid behind parallel bar leg not even covering body fully. And stared at Bolka with face half revealed like a scared frog.

Rickart was laughing comfortably talking with Bori-bori, then seeing Bolka changed to cynical expression.

"Hey."

Bolka called first.

"Why."

"Let's have a bout with me."

"Said I lost."

"You mocking me?"

"Then what. Said won't end unless dying or surrendering. But you don't surrender."

"Ha...... Fine. I lost. Done? So have a bout."

"Sigh......"

Rickart sighed. Then jumped down from parallel bars.

"Bori-bori. Bandage for me."

"Uh, uh."

Bori-bori ran to accommodation quickly and brought bandage. Bolka who lost to Rickart and got dumped by girlfriend wrapped bandage on hand himself.

As they seemed to fight, gazes of kids in training ground gathered. Wondering if it's a kind of revenge match, but judging by atmosphere neither Rickart nor Bolka seemed that emotional.

So unlike first day kids didn't flock to hype up atmosphere or anything. Just watched from afar.

This time didn't necessarily take off shoes and enter sand pit. Just confronted each other at edge of training ground.

Bolka unlike first day, sharpened nerves tight. Seemed intended to face properly without carelessness now.

Didn't lower guard, stared at Rickart piercingly with chin pulled at chest level. On the other hand Rickart just stood obliquely naturally.

Bolka moved shoulders as if riding rhythm slightly. While doing so moved sideways little by little centering Rickart, then stepped front foot hook and threw punch.

No, this time too couldn't throw. Because before that Rickart's punch exploded on his solar plexus first.

Thud!

"Kuh!"

Momentarily Bolka's breath blocked and mind dizzy. But didn't hit chin like first day so didn't faint in one blow. Rickart was considerate intentionally.

Bolka barely composed posture and inhaled breath forcibly to recover mind, Rickart was still just standing blankly watching. And said.

"How about using rear foot a bit? Too obvious."

"W, what?"

"Look. You do like this."

Rickart threw punch in air mimicking Bolka's movement. Not simply imitating, was perfect posture.

"You throw punch while front foot goes out like this. Good for hitting quickly momentarily, but too obvious. Moment front foot steps I just reach hand and you come to get hit on own. Then I can knock you down without using strength."

Bolka listened to what Rickart said as if possessed, feeling both absurd and dumbfounded.

"But look. Using rear foot is like this. Pull rear foot first, then step front foot. Then can narrow long distance at once so hard to react from opponent standpoint. Since cheating distance sense."

Using rear foot looked somewhat strange posture, but when Rickart showed naturally with continuous motion it was very cool.

"So have to do distance fight first. Not just thinking of throwing punch. People who fight a bit all acquire as basic. Distance you are confident, distance not confident, movement to narrow distance, movement to widen, whether to dig in and fight, or fight widening distance. But you know none of this. Then even if I want to get hit it's hard to get hit."

Bolka stood with bewildered expression. It was same for nearby Bori-bori, and other kids watching were same.

"Now, do anew. First don't think of throwing punch, come in with thought of narrowing distance."

Perhaps never thought he would be taught, Bolka was continuously dumbfounded. In that state took posture again, and raised concentration forcibly.

And as Rickart said rather than swinging punch right away, paid attention to steps.

Took fake motions few times against Rickart standing still, but Rickart stared at Bolka's eyes and didn't fall for any.

Then Bolka used rear foot as Rickart taught and narrowed long distance at once firmly. Moment will of "Now!" settled in brain, left leg bent sideways.

Thud!

"Ack!"

Bolka closed eyes tight. Don't know where such destructive power comes from that survive body, kick was like swinging a club.

Trying to widen distance urgently again, leg didn't move as wanted.

Tap.

Rickart's fist touched Bolka's chin lightly. It was defeat. Overwhelming skill difference. Bolka felt with skin not head.

"Hurting leg is fatal because of this. Wanna do one more time?"

"......One more time."

Rickart stood widening distance again. But Bolka limped left leg.

Afterwards wasn't sparring or match but essentially one-sided beating continued. Bolka got hit even on right leg and was hard to even stand properly, since legs hurt attention had to go there.

So didn't know where to block and moved arms up and down continuously, couldn't block properly even once and got hit evenly on toggle body.

Doing so naturally curled body, later lay on floor and curled body like bug.

Rickart looked down at such Bolka blankly then untied bandage wrapped on fist. And reaching out hand stood him up, and wrapped arm around shoulder to support.

"I'll hold you."

Bori-bori also hiding approached quickly trying to support from opposite side, but Bolka shook off barely with painful body and said.

"A, alone can walk."

Then tried to stand alone first, really looked hard to even stand.

Bolka breathed deep few times as if enduring pain while standing, took step by step barely. Still walked alone vehemently.

Rickart watching his back figure, felt heart attracted somewhat.

Last time too burned fighting spirit without surrendering till end, even now standing up with own strength and walking till end liked that appearance.

And on one hand, looked pitiful too. Pitiful not for other reason, but because felt he kept trying to isolate himself.

Rickart walked following Bolka's back, and Bori-bori also followed together bewilderedly.

"Can I visit your bed later?"

Rickart asked walking matching speed behind slowly walking Bolka.

Bolka felt absurd and laughter about to burst while whole body hurting so hurt more. Frowning barely said.

"I have no interest in things like rabbit and turtle race."

"......?"

"Can come though, won't be fun."

After entering accommodation Bolka walked touching wall. Kids in passage seeing Bolka moved to beds on own opening path.

But about five or six boys seen first time opened opposite door and walked over.

Bolka seeing them stepped aside. Rickart and Bori-bori following behind also naturally stuck to wall following Bolka. Eh? Wasn't Bolka the Captain?

Boys seen first time passed Rickart, among them boy at very front and Rickart's eyes brushed each other.

He was truly incredibly handsome boy as if melted silver applied on silver hair or descendant of some elf.

However, basically impression of cold and no interest in worldly matters. So perhaps withdrew gaze directed at Rickart quickly.

Those boys used innermost, upper floor beds. And seemed to stay for a while then left using back door.

"Bolka weren't you Captain?"

"What?"

"Asking weren't you rank 1 here."

"Not 1st. Captain is right though. Ouch."

Bolka made groaning sound climbing up to his bed. Rickart followed him up sitting on edge of bed, watching Bolka lying down.

Since question was already in gaze, Bolka answered on own.

"Ice Gang, those just now are rank 1 to 5 here. I am about rank 20. Just I introduce jobs to kids and if fight happens in city mobilize kids to go fight and do such things. But they have no interest in here itself. Never saw talking besides themselves."

In other words, practically acting Captain was just him, purely combat or swordsmanship skill there were kids superior to Bolka.

"If no interest what for came here."

"Well, aiming for Special Class probably. Further aiming to become Emperor's Champion maybe. Aren't you like that too?"

Becoming Emperor's Champion was truly story like dream. Because meant becoming noble oneself, born as bastard could surpass original family's prestige.

No longer persecuted, rather ordinary nobles crawled before Champion. Because Emperor's Solver meant having privilege to kill even nobles.

However Rickart had no interest in such at all. If had bad feelings towards Imperial Family which caused war 100 years ago then had, no good feelings.

"I'm not. Interested in that Mana Drive thing, Codex. So trying to take Ancient Language class."

Rickart watching while staying here for a week, seemed teaching just basics like swordsmanship or bare-hand combat.

If having absolutely no knowledge on combat skills taking that class or not would be big difference, but no relevant matter to Rickart.

So trying to take Ancient Language class, but there was no lecturer. Situation was waiting until Academy appointed relevant professor.

Academy didn't have people residing here teaching kids. Just person sent from guild teaching for few months or 1, 2 years then just leaving and replaced.

"......You also have some crazy temperament."

Bolka said as if absurd.

Interested in Mana Drive granting that, but paying money to take that difficult and boring class Bolka couldn't understand.

In fact there were quite many kids not knowing letters in Guild Academy. Can't even learn existing letters but learning Ancient Language? To Bolka's thinking impossible unless crazy.

"Hahaha, crazy is first time hearing evaluation."

Always hearing extraordinary genius sound then hearing crazy, Rickart rather liked it. Because meant seeing himself as is.

"Then can you introduce city a bit later?"

"......Do so. But have to take class this week. Let's go after that."

"Can Bori-bori go together too?"

"Bori, what?"

"Kid who was with me. Real name is Bori-bori."

"......Okay, let's do."

Rickart laughed slightly trying to jump down from 2nd floor bed. But Bolka called.

"Hey."

"Huh?"

Bolka seemed to have something to say, but hesitated. Then couldn't meet Rickart's eyes, looking elsewhere spoke with difficulty.

"......Thanks."

"For what? Beating you? You surely?"

"No. Teaching me."

This place was ultimately competition. So going to upper rank tried to hide know-how or skills tight, teaching someone couldn't exist.

Bolka somewhat beaten by Rickart, but receiving teaching realized something in his own way now.

From some moment feeling talent difference couldn't go above rank 20 no matter how hard trying, listening to Rickart's explanation seemed something blocked unraveled a little.

That was truly very thankful thing.

Rickart smiled slightly and said.

"No need to say thanks."

And jumped down below with hop.

Bolka watching spot where Rickart disappeared, was engulfed in unknown feeling.

Strange kid. Because here ignoring and bullying weaker student than self was natural world. Thorough rank supremacy.

However Rickart didn't boast his strength, didn't show off beating Bolka himself. So actually didn't suit this cruel and desolate place.

Teaching himself without hoping for return, just purely talking and asking if can do this and that, Bolka didn't know how to react.

Because almost never received pure goodwill and kind warm words.

Father's violence, half-brothers' bullying, mother's indifference. Bolka grew up just not knowing these were wounds of heart. So feeling thankful emotion was very unfamiliar and shameful.

Don't say sorry, don't say thank you. Don't know from when tradition coming down here, but Bolka accepted it as meaning strong can oppress weak. Seemed other kids thought so too.

If I am stronger than opponent, no need to say thanks even if provided something through exploitation. And even if I hit and curse opponent, no need to be sorry. Why? Because I am stronger.

But, to Rickart seemed not such meaning. Then what meaning?

Bolka didn't know well, but amidst whole body aching and hurting could clearly feel chest becoming warm.

Part 4 - Don't say thank you. End.