ALL NOVEL Chapter 56
Chapter
In the unexpected silence, Enok blinked. Did I say something strange? I didn’t say anything at all. As I pondered this, Jatum let out a hearty laugh.
“Ha ha…! I’ve received a great favor! I didn’t expect Count Estor to give us teachings like this.”
Count Estor? I know he’s referring to himself, but it feels so awkward. Rionne is also here, which makes it seem like there are two Counts Estor.
“Since you have the alias Swordmaster, it’s easy to distinguish. Count Estor will soon have an alias too, and at that time, you’ll probably be called by that name.”
“Oh.”
An alias… Rionne’s alias is Thousand-Year Swordmaster, so I hope one comes to me too. But I haven’t lived a thousand years, don’t use a sword, and ‘master’ is an alias attached to women, so it overlaps not at all. That’s a shame.
However, the knights seem more focused on the teachings than aliases, continuing the conversation.
“Usually, enlightenment is rarely conveyed so simply. For a martial artist, the most desired thing is enlightenment, which is far more valuable than a meager amount of money.”
“It wasn’t anything special.”
“When you look back on the path you’ve walked, it might seem trivial, but it’s not the same for someone just starting to find their way. Each word is precious, and noble families often lure talented individuals with enlightenment as bait.”
Is that so? I suppose it is. In any case, the fact that it wasn’t a big deal for me didn’t change, so I didn’t bother to worry about it. It wasn’t something to fuss over.
“Wow, how nice.”
Zikfrein patted Jatum on the shoulder.
“Why are you so fidgety? Your shoulders are practically bouncing.”
“No way would I be so rude as to run out during a meal, Young Master.”
“What’s the big deal? If it were me, I would have bolted.”
At that, Rionne let out a puff of laughter.
“How rude.”
“Why! Isn’t it reasonable!?”
For the first time, Enok agreed with Zikfrein’s words. When enlightenment tickles your brain, that becomes your top priority. Otherwise, no one knows when that enlightenment will come back around.
In that sense, he gestured to Jatum. If he felt something, he should hurry on.
“Uh, then, excuse me.”
And without hesitation, Jatum dashed out. Zikfrein stared blankly at Jatum’s retreating figure.
“Didn’t you just complain about manners?”
*
At the back of the estate’s lodging, Jatum sprinted to the training field tucked in a corner.
– When wielding mana, try to loosen up a bit more and turn smoothly to the back. If you can recognize something about your sword from there, it won’t take long to carve stars.
It was a very intuitive instruction. As one’s level rises, mental imagery starts having a significant influence, making explanations increasingly abstract.
Haven’t we all heard such airy nonsense as “place the clouds of the sky by your head and the extremities of earth beneath your feet”? Just being able to try out an insight is something to be grateful for.
‘Loosen up, turn back smoothly.’
I recalled that meaning while channeling mana. Loosened trajectory. To turn back smoothly means a larger and fuller circle.
The sword moved with the mana. Moonlight shattered against the silver blade, and his steps echoed softly in the night air.
The techniques Jatum had honed came from his father, a lesser but not entirely incompetent style. While not remarkable, it wasn’t terrible either.
However, at this moment, that simple manipulation was of great help. Along with Count Estor’s advice, he took a step toward the hazy path he vaguely felt.
‘Ah.’
At the threshold of trance, goosebumps raised on Jatum’s forearms.
Only now, having put the teachings into practice, did he realize. A few brief words of advice. That teaching, which had perfectly penetrated his situation, was something difficult to land unless one knew their own technique.
‘How on earth…?’
Did he somehow see right through me? Through these intricate flows of mana? If that’s the case, Count Estor could follow his techniques as well.
That absurd ability almost shattered his focus. It was too nonsensical a talent. No wonder he could reach such a level at such a young age.
Yeah, that’s the kind of person imparting wisdom. If he let this moment slip by, he would be left regretting it. He absolutely could not let it go.
“Ha────.”
He caught his breath and swung the sword. His feet etched a line in the ground, and the shattered moonlight settled on the blade.
Until the moment he turned that teaching into enlightenment, Jatum didn’t stop.
*
The next day, as Yonia stepped outside the lodging, she scanned the surroundings. Sure enough, over there, Enok was basking in the sun like a purring cat.
As if he were some kind of cat. He often disappeared and could be found soaking up sunlight in places like that. Sometimes it’s even under moonlight.
“Hey, shall we head out soon?”
As she spoke, her sleepy gaze turned. Oh, Eri was there too, joining in the sunbathing next to her master.
“…Yeah.”
“Weren’t we supposed to leave early because we had nothing to do?”
“Yeah, we should go.”
Sighing, Yonia headed back inside the lodging. Now that she had put it out there, he would likely drag things out for an hour or two before getting ready. Until then, she might as well rest a little.
Stretching, she headed toward the dining area when suddenly a commotion from outside caught her attention. Perking up, Yonia’s long ears twitched.
– Count Estor…!
Ah, that Kisan guy from yesterday? His voice was lively, indicating some progress. Peeking outside, she saw a knight bowing with gratitude.
“Thank you so much…!”
*
Jatum bowed his head to Count Estor repeatedly. Although he couldn’t peek right past the wall at once, that was only natural. The important thing was that he had made a small crack in it.
If he continued to advance like this, someday he would break through that wall. No matter how many times he bowed, he couldn’t fully express his gratitude.
“Please, come visit Demisto someday! No, if you let me know later, I’d be fine coming to visit!”
Perhaps they found the sight of Jatum repeatedly bending and straightening to be curious? Zikfrein and the other knights looked at him with a strange expression.
“I didn’t know the Commander could bend that well.”
“But I’d probably do the same.”
Jatum completely ignored their murmurs. However, when Count Estor, who had been keeping his left eye closed, opened it, he felt a shiver run through his heart.
‘It pierces…!’
Those empty eye sockets. Within them, a singular violet ring resided. Those strange eyes seemed to strip away everything about him.
“Well, see you later.”
That light reply couldn’t be undervalued either. Just what profound meaning lay within those words? For geniuses like him, the world they see is different. Each word was a treasure not to be exchanged for anything, even for mere folk like him.
“Thank you!”
“Uh? Oh, yeah, sure.”
What kind of thoughts does someone like that have on a daily basis? Once he returned to his territory, he would immediately sing the praises of Count Estor. Jatum made a vow.
*
‘What’s for lunch today?’
Enok absentmindedly scanned Jatum’s insides. The left eye of his felt clearer than usual, seeing through him completely.
His lower dantian was certainly stabilized. The flow of mana had become a bit smoother, and when needed, it would take on a sharper form. He had indeed made marked progress compared to yesterday.
‘That’s good enough.’
It’s only natural that someone with such ability would achieve that much with something as trivial as advice.
Though they say enlightenment isn’t easily shared, that’s just the talk of cowards. Regardless of what one does, Enok was confident he could advance far more quickly, so he had no reason to be stingy with sharing teachings.
With Jatum diligently bowing in the background, Enok stared vacantly at the sky.
‘I wonder how the Elf Union is doing.’
A place where elves reside. Since he would likely visit along with Rionne, he would surely receive a proper guest reception. It should make it easy to look around various places.
Maybe living in the Elf Union after marrying later wouldn’t be a bad idea. With that thought, Enok stood up.
“I’m off.”
“Yes! Take care!”
“Make sure to visit Demisto next time!”
As Enok stepped back into the lodging amidst Jatum’s booming send-off and Zikfrein’s enthusiastic waving, he noticed the world appeared only half as visible with his left eye closed.
With his own view halved, did that mean the world itself had shrunk to half? He paused, feeling a twinge in his hand as he attempted to wave it.
‘…That would have been a disaster.’
If he had swung his hand just now, either the inn or his own body would have surely flown away. Yet, a strange sensation still lingered.
Mind and action. It felt like he caught a glimpse of some clue.
“Hmm.”
If he had observed that, there was no reason he couldn’t achieve it. There was still plenty of time left, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to advance as far as he could.
“Enok, let’s get going.”
It seemed Rionne had finished preparing as well. She wore a particularly bright smile. Maybe she was in a good mood about visiting the Elf Union? At least, he certainly was.
While Rionne would likely leave when they did, that was beside the point. Though his feelings toward her would last forever, the time they could share on this journey was finite, so all he could do was fully enjoy the fleeting moments passing by.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
He stepped into the room to gather his belongings. The broken mask was shoved into his bag, and he strapped his sword visibly at his waist.
Enok Estor. My name. The place where it all began.
The Elf Union was truly just around the corner.