Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - One Who Understands Three Worlds (5)

Even though Godfrey was blind, he usually walked around with his eyes open. It was a symbol of his vow to leave the life of a knight behind and devote himself to religious life.

That man had closed his eyes.

Eugene, knowing its meaning, carefully regulated his breathing.

'I too was wearing rose-tinted glasses.'

Benevolence peeking out like moss beneath rock-like solemnity. That was the impression of Godfrey that Eugene held.

It had vanished.

Rather than a knight who revered honor and justice, it was the visage of a sword demon obsessed with the sword itself, much like the warriors of the southern continent.

Eugene glanced at his surroundings. He could enter the reed field if he moved just a little, but deceiving his master's ears with such petty tricks was out of the question.

-In the past, there was more than one bastard who lured me to such a place to fight, only to muddy their own vision and go to the afterlife.

He remembered a story his master told him once.

"I can hear your eyeballs rolling. Do not think of using cheap tricks."

"Was it to that extent?!"

To think he would be caught even though he rolled them slowly just in case. Indeed, his master's hearing was in the realm of the gods.

"It is a joke. Even I cannot hear to that extent."

"No, you should choose the time and place for jokes..."

Swish!

Unexpectedly, a blade flew at him.

A frontal thrust soaring upward at a 20-degree angle. A fast sword strike that an ordinary swordsman would give up their heart to without even reacting.

Evading was impossible from the point he lost the initiative. Whether stepping back or dodging to the side, the blade would chase him. It was enough to make the receiving end feel like they were seeing a flexible sword.

Then what if he blocked it with his sword? It would ride up the blade and slash his wrist.

There was only one way to respond definitively. Smashing it with overwhelming violence.

Eugene exploded his strength, recalling the sensation of smashing the monster wild boar's head.

Clang!

A sound that couldn't be thought of as swords clashing rang out.

Thwack!

The tip of the sword that should have reached Eugene's chest was buried in the ground, and Godfrey rested on one knee.

"Yes, that's it."

Staggering, he pulled out his sword, re-established his posture, and aimed at his disciple.

"Do not relax your tension for a single moment once you enter a fight. Always choose the best option."

"Have you never been cursed at for being dishonorable during your days as a knight?"

"I haven't. Because I didn't use it in tournaments, and the bastards who saw this all died."

"I feel like I'm learning many new things about you in a single day, Master."

"Are you not the same?"

The corners of the master and disciple's mouths curled up pleasantly.

Countless sword strikes were exchanged like that.

Going beyond simply drawing out Eugene's limits, it was a comprehensive test of everything Godfrey had taught.

Flash.

Godfrey's blade stood diagonally, reflecting the sunlight. The sting fiercely gouged at his eyes.

Eugene closed his eyes and pushed all his senses to the limit to evade.

Godfrey's blade missed Eugene's armpit by a hair's breadth. Only the hem of his clothes was cut by about two centimeters, but an ordinary knight would have had blood spurting from their armpit.

"Humans instinctively raise their arms when their eyes are attacked. And armored bastards die easily if you aim for the armpit. Though it's a useless trick against you, who can crush them armor and all."

"I remember all your teachings."

With every clash, everything he had learned while being alongside Godfrey from childhood until now was replayed.

The vision-blocking surprise attack just now was also something he learned two years ago.

-Vision is something that can disappear at any moment. Whether your eyes are slashed on the battlefield, dirt or dust gets in, you are poisoned, or you fall under magic. There are even bastards who die during a duel because a drop of sweat from their forehead enters their eye.

-That's a very futile death.

-If you do not want to die like that, do not rely solely on your vision. Train and refine all your senses.

Following that teaching, Eugene trained not to rely only on his eyes. Following the path his master had taken.

Clang!

The sword of Godfrey, attacking in earnest, was exceedingly tricky. Extremely fast, yet its variations were freely adaptable.

Though there was one sword, it felt like receiving two attacks with a time delay.

If he prepared to defend or evade the initial attack, Godfrey would read it with his superhuman hearing and an instantly modified attack would fly at him.

Since a sword held in a grip cannot move faster than muscle, Godfrey was bound to always be at least one move ahead.

Clang!

Just now as well, the moment he decided to parry an attack flying diagonally, it shifted into a thrust piercing his shoulder.

He wasn't called the Prophetic Knight for nothing.

Clang!

He knocked away an attack returning at a bizarre angle once more.

Eugene thought it was the most difficult duel among the fights he had fought so far, and the same was true for Godfrey.

'If it had been a life-and-death battle in real combat, I would already be dead.'

He didn't show it because he was in front of his disciple, but this was Godfrey's inner thought.

Cold sweat streamed down his back, but it was absolutely not because he was exhausted. His body was forged enough to push away the wrinkles sprinkled by age with muscles.

Every time he launched a sword strike at Eugene, the death knell warned by instinct. That was what caused the sweat to pour uncontrollably.

Clang!

The attacks that had severed the windpipes of renowned knights in countless real battles were all being blocked.

Even considerable bastards would have their hands and judgment scrambled before their heads flew off facing his unique flurry of strikes, yet it didn't work on his disciple at all.

Clang!

Because the flurry itself was impossible.

Stagger.

Every time Eugene defended, Godfrey's stance and breathing were completely dismantled by that overwhelming force.

Therefore, to defeat his disciple, he had to end it in a single deadly strike...

'How can I, against a bastard who overwhelms me in stamina, strength, speed, and talent?'

Experience is a more lethal weapon than anything else, but it's a different story if it's the only advantage one has.

Clang!

Furthermore, his disciple covered his lack of experience with innate sense and beast-like instinct.

He was a bastard who actively used even a completely unfamiliar weapon proficiently after swinging it a few times.

Their sword dance continued until dusk fell and the moon tilted to the opposite side.

Because Eugene considered this a graduation exam, he engaged in the battle focusing on defense.

However, at a certain moment, he realized there were no more problems left to solve.

"Hah! Hah!"

Listening to his master's roughened breathing, he realized it was now time to leave the examination hall.

Because the scabbard in his heart that Godfrey had made for him was torn a long time ago.

Crash!

Godfrey's stance shattered, and his sword flew spinning, landing dozens of meters away.

Eugene stopped his blade before the neck of his master, who had fallen to both knees.

"Hah... Hah..."

He waited for the graduation grading, but it seemed he had taken a massive toll from the last strike.

He was busy gripping his torn, bleeding palm, quivering and gasping roughly for air.

"...Kill me."

"This joke was a bit funny."

Eugene laughed, sheathing his sword, and supported his master.

"What I did during the first surprise attack was also a joke, you know?"

"People call that a scam."

Eugene dusted the dirt off his master's knees and shins.

"Enough, I can do it myself."

"Isn't this the little filial piety remaining that a disciple can offer? Please accept it."

Thud!

Instead of answering, Godfrey flopped down.

"Having faced off against a monster bastard wearing a human mask, it's hard to even stand."

"Not a monster bastard, a witch's bastard."

"Right, right, it's nice to see you taking pride in a mother everyone curses. Truly a filial son."

Godfrey mocked lightly.

Eugene also sat side-by-side next to him. Master and disciple cooled their heated bodies in the night breeze.

Eugene grabbed Godfrey's wrist.

"Let me look at your wound. You were bleeding."

"It's fine. It's a light one."

"Even a supreme ruler shrinks over a small boil, and a lion starves to death over a single thorn embedded in its paw."

"I raised a knight, but I don't recall raising a bard."

Contrary to his words, Godfrey quietly surrendered his hand to his disciple.

Eugene brought a waterskin from the bags he set aside.

"It will sting."

"Save such words for when you're looking at a noble lady's hand. In my life, I have experienced a blade plunged into my gut three times."

"You certainly stubbornly stayed alive."

Clean water soaked Godfrey's torn palm. However, he didn't even blink an eye.

Next, what Eugene pulled out was a thick-leafed herb.

"I thought you'd just wrap it in a bandage, but as expected, it's different."

Eugene bunched several leaves together. The usage method was to twist them like a pretzel to extract the juice, but when monstrous strength was applied, juice poured out with tremendous momentum.

On top of that, he sprinkled powdered medicine like seasoning with pepper.

"What trick did you play? The pain suddenly subsided."

"It's mushroom powder with a painkilling effect. It's quite a precious item. Please understand that it had to be sprinkled last in the sequence."

"You sure have good skills. Even if you become crippled, you'll have no trouble making a living as an apothecary."

"Direct your gratitude to Homi. Because she gathered it."

Godfrey laughed.

He had also seen through his inner thoughts, not saying it out loud due to embarrassment despite being thankful.

Body, swordsmanship, technique, wits. A completed man possessing everything necessary was in front of him.

Finally, after wrapping the bandage, Eugene held Godfrey's injured hand with both of his.

"Do you still have something left?"

"Yes."

Eugene closed his eyes and lightly parted his lips. It was a unique resonance—neither conversation, recitation, nor song.

A mysterious sensation, as if each of Eugene's syllables possessed form and was seeping into his grasp.

"Ca-Ca-Can it be, can you use miracles?"

Godfrey was as startled as when he defeated the monster wild boar.

It is said that truly outstanding priests can command wondrous miracles. However, their numbers were extremely small.

Among the priests of the Lord God faith in this village, only the Abbot was capable of it.

Eugene shook his head.

"No way. I lack faith, and I am the son of a witch. I cannot heal wounds like a famous bishop."

It was an era where rumors were heavily distorted because everything was passed by word of mouth. Especially regarding divine miracles, all sorts of false rumors were routinely mixed in.

However, having lived in the monastery and occasionally witnessed the Abbot's miracles, Eugene knew it wasn't all lies.

"My mother told me in the past. If priests blindly serve the God residing on the other side of the world, witches seek to understand the other side of the world itself."

Godfrey felt a sensation as if the herbal sap applied beneath the bandage was somehow moving.

"They say a talented witch sometimes calls forth something from the other side of the world and makes it dwell in the present world."

"Right now, my palm feels ticklish like something is crawling around."

For the first time, Eugene saw his master's frightened face. Sword thrusts and death couldn't shake him, but he seemed to fear superstition.

"Wouldn't living sap work better than just sap?"

Eugene smiled brightly.

"Take it off immediately, you bastard! The wine incident back then wasn't a coincidence either!"

"I was also surprised at the time. I didn't do it on purpose. The blood of my mother dwelling within me must have manifested on its own."

Eugene pointed at Godfrey's bandaged hand.

"It's good for your body, so rest easy. It won't gorge on your flesh like maggots or anything."

"!!!"

Eugene had to struggle for a while to stop his master, who tried even harder to tear off the bandage.

* * *

When wolf howls were heard in the distance and dawn was not far off, the two exchanged farewells.

"Are you truly leaving alone?"

"The place I am to climb is the path of pilgrimage. I do not desire secular things like wealth, honor, power, or subjects. Even if we're together, we would only be a hindrance to each other's dreams."

Godfrey pointed at the armor placed to one side.

"Those are yours from now on."

"What about you, Master?"

"Armor is a luxury for a pilgrim. A hood to cover my body is enough."

At some point, Godfrey's cloudy eyes had opened. The impression of the sword demon had vanished, returning to the usual ascetic.

"I understand. I will use it well."

"You could have declined at least once, but you just accept it readily."

"I know very well you hate such melodramatic play."

"Yes, you're the great one. Since we're on the subject, take one more thing."

Godfrey threw a ring to his disciple, who was looking at him with sparkling, expectant eyes.

"What is this?"

"It is the family signet ring of my master, Sir Lane Meyer. Since he has already passed away, it is your family from now on."

"Excuse me? All of a sudden?"

"You will leave the village after robbing the Sealed Chamber, so won't you need a good identity then? No matter where you go and get treated, a noble knight will get even one more piece of bread or meat than a commoner."

"Impersonating a noble is the worst crime, you know? It warrants hanging without a trial."

"It's not exactly impersonation. My master was the last survivor of his family."

Godfrey narrowed his eyes as if reminiscing.

"Everything of his, who had no children, was inherited by me, and now it is simply being passed down to you once more. A family with at best a name left is still better than having none at all."

Eugene quickly accepted it. Because he knew very well how useful a noble status in itself was in this world.

"Then from now on it's Eugene Meyer."

"It's an extinct family from a faraway place anyway, so there'll be no way to verify it. You have the accent, appearance, skills, and on top of that..."

Godfrey turned his face toward the forest.

"...even your squire is excellent, so you won't be suspected."

"It seems you covet Homi quite a bit."

"A disciple is someone to pass things down to, not someone to exploit."

And he tore off the bandage wrapped around his grasp.

"Ah! You shouldn't do that already."

"I can't stand the horrible sensation of something crawling around!"

Godfrey stroked his palm.

"Hoh, incredible."

The torn wound was half-healed. And the blood that must have seeped out abundantly had cleanly vanished as if something had eaten it.

Godfrey picked up his fallen sword, sheathed it, and silently faced Eugene.

Swooosh-.

Only the sound of the night breeze cutting through the bushes circled between them.

Godfrey looked as if he wanted to say more, but they had already exchanged all the conversation they had to share. Because he inherently wasn't a man gifted with eloquence.

"Aren't you giving me an investiture ceremony?"

A knight can appoint a new knight.

It was a right passed down in the form of customary law since very ancient times, so it couldn't be used indiscriminately. There were even occasionally knights punished by their lords because of it.

Of course, if a highly renowned knight of Godfrey's level bestowed it upon his sole squire, no one would be able to make an issue of it.

"Forget it. Such goosebumps-inducing acts. Just act as a knight from now on."

"..."

Godfrey, who seemed about to part his lips for a moment, quickly turned around and approached the horse tied nearby.

Eugene, suffering from severe stamina depletion, supported his staggering master and hoisted him onto the horse.

Then he grabbed the reins and led it to the highway outside the village. A few jokes exchanged in the meantime was all.

That was their parting. Thus the master left, and the disciple remained.