I Became the Academy's Sword Expert - Chapter 2

I gazed endlessly at the feather gently swaying alone in the blue sky.

After approximately 15 years of training in swordsmanship, upon seeing the falling feather, my initial thought was not about what kind of bird it belonged to but rather whether I could cut it with my sword.

Could I cut it?

The answer to that question would soon be revealed.

With one hand on the scabbard and the other on the hilt, I took a deep breath and assumed a stance.

The feather falling to the ground, swayed by the strong wind, hovered leisurely in front of my eyes, unaffected by the gusts.

As soon as the feather entered the range, I didn’t miss the moment and drew my sword.

With a speed akin to a flash, my sword was drawn out, heading straight towards the feather without a hint of deviation.

“Hu….”

A moment later, as I looked at the neatly sliced feather lying on the ground, I couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

“Hu huhu!”

After numerous attempts, I had finally succeeded!

Feathers, easily swayed away by even the slightest breeze, were harder to cut than steel.

Due to the slightest breeze created just by swinging the sword before it even reached, they easily fluttered away.

After continuously attempting to cut this feather, I finally succeeded today.

As if to bless my success, a message announcing the birth of a new attribute appeared.

[Trait ‘Sword Mastery’ has been added.]

[Sword Mastery] [Grade: A+]

[An attribute granted only to those who have reached a higher level among warriors. If only you hadn’t engaged in foolish things like swordsmanship, you might have obtained it sooner.]

Ignoring the words in the second sentence, I had acquired a quite favorable attribute thanks to my training in swordsmanship.

Sword Mastery – this attribute was not only possessed by the original novel’s protagonist but also by notable swordsmen within the story.

From the moment of acquiring Sword Mastery, the proficiency of all sword-related skills increased dramatically.

If the opponent was a swordsman below Sword Mastery, it was said that, according to the novel’s description, one could anticipate the opponent’s movements as if they had read the future.

The difference between a regular swordsman and one with Sword Mastery was overwhelming, almost as much as the difference between swordsmanship and other sword skills.

‘Well, that aside, I didn’t expect to gain the Sword Mastery attribute so soon…’

As expected, it was all thanks to Swordsmanship.

If it were any other sword skill, I might have just reached this level at around the age of thirty.

Putting the sword back into the scabbard and feeling satisfied with gaining the Sword Mastery attribute, I sensed someone’s presence in the distance.

“Ha…! Sir Ian!!”

Upon turning my head at the familiar voice, I found Paul, the butler.

“What’s going on? You shouldn’t be rushing like this, especially with your bad knees.”

“Well, my lady… urgently summoned Sir Ian…”

“Mother? Alright, I’ll go right away.”

Feeling curious about why my mother was urgently looking for me, I hurried back to the mansion, where she was waiting for me at the entrance.

“Mother, I heard you urgently called for me. What’s going on?”

“What’s going on… Ian!! Is it true that you submitted an application to the Royal Academy?!”

“Yes? Well, yes, but why?”

I hadn’t mentioned the story of submitting an application to my mother yet.

It hadn’t been that long since I remembered submitting the application, but it seemed that a reply had already arrived.

“You should’ve told your mother first! Considering that the Viscount’s child is entering this year, do you know how much there is to do, including greeting the Viscount?!”

“Ah… It’s about politics. I’m not really interested in that, so I haven’t been paying much attention.”

“No! What if you end up being ignored?!”

“Well, just send some letter. They won’t want to waste time on someone like me anyway.”

Mother seemed worried about being ostracized by the Visount’s family, but honestly, they wouldn’t have cared about someone like us from the beginning.

Even if they engaged in some unreasonable behavior, I could handle it with diplomatic swordsmanship.

“Academies are not just places for learning academics but also social arenas! It’s important to make many connections that will be helpful in the future! Do you understand that?!”

“Yes…”

Why did I have to get on the good side of a woman who couldn’t even use swordsmanship? I couldn’t understand, but I nodded my head to avoid a longer conversation.

But where was the Visount’s family from again?

I had heard the name from my mother, but it wasn’t a significant family in the novel, so I had forgotten.

“Mother, what was the name of the Viscount’s family again?”

“Ian, you really… It’s the Pongrind family. The Lady’s name is Jessica, and if you don’t even know her name, it’s disrespectful, so remember it!”

Jessica Pongrind, a name I hadn’t heard even in the original novel.

Even hearing it again, there was no connection.

It wasn’t deeply entwined with the original story, so as long as I greeted her briefly and left her alone, it should be fine.

“But Ian…”

“What is it, Mother?”

“Why does Ian want to go to the Academy? Honestly, I thought Ian had little interest in academics.”

“Oh, that… Well, there is a mission that can only be accomplished by going to the Academy.”

“A mission?”

Suddenly, using such a grand term made Mother look surprised.

“Indeed, to showcase the strongest swordsmanship, the unparalleled art of the sword, at the Academy and let the world know. That’s the important mission I have.”

“……Hu.”

***

A few days later, the day I secretly hoped would never come arrived—the day when Ian would go to the academy.

I stepped out of my room to see Ian off at the front door.

However, with each step towards the entrance, an unsettling feeling welled up in my chest.

Was it the first time I felt the sorrow and loneliness of parting with my son, whom I had raised and lived with for a lifetime?

No, it was a bit different from those emotions—more like anxiety.

It felt like the anxiety of a child who accidentally broke a cherished item, wondering when they would be scolded.

If someone were to ask why there was such anxiety about Ian going to the academy, there wouldn’t be a definite answer.

“He’s not a bad kid, but a bit… no, quite peculiar.”

I was completely ignorant when it came to magic, and I had no idea about the extent of Ian’s swordsmanship skills.

If there’s anything known, it’s just a remark he made once about how he might become a sword saint with such joy.

However, honestly, compared to true experts, he wasn’t that strong, so I wasn’t sure how credible those words were.

“If… if Ian’s skills are not outstanding, what should I do if he gets discouraged?”

Conversely, if Ian’s skills were too outstanding, and he ended up outshining noble children, what then?

Ian was not proficient in politics or social skills, and he had an odd obsession with footwork, which might lead to conflicts with nobles who valued swordsmanship.

“Talking about a mission and boasting about footwork… If Ian’s abilities are not exceptional, what if he faces setbacks?”

Unpleasant thoughts about what might happen to Ian arose in my mind.

Was there any way to stop Ian even now?

“Mother?”

“Oh, uh?”

When I came to my senses, I found myself standing in front of the entrance where Ian was waiting, not on the stairs.

How deeply lost in thought had I been? Regaining my composure, I looked at Ian, who was waiting for me.

“What were you thinking about so deeply?”

“Ian…”

Ah! What on earth should I say?

Should I cry and beg him not to go while clinging to his sleeves?

No, considering Ian’s stubborn personality, such actions would likely be meaningless, especially regarding matters related to swordsmanship.

“Sigh… Ian.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“When you enter the academy, buy a gift and go greet Lady Jessica first. A small dessert like a piece of cake would be nice.”

“Isn’t sending a letter enough?”

“It’s not enough! Since you already sent a letter asking Victor, the young master of the neighboring territory, to accompany you to the academy when you go to greet him, you should go with him! Do you understand?!”

“Alright…”

Looking at Ian, who nodded as if he found it bothersome, I barely held back the sigh that threatened to escape.

Now, all that was left was to pray.

Pray that Ian had done something crazy that I could understand.

Pray fervently that from today, he would pray as desperately as if he had practiced swordsmanship.

If God really existed, it was certain that He would take care of me, who prayed in such a way, to ensure Ian didn’t make foolish decisions.

“Let’s pray… pray.”