I Became the Strategist the Monarchs Obsess Over

Chapter 15

Two weeks later, I was diligently training in swordsmanship.

In truth, the training wasn't anything special. I would get beaten up by Glasia, get healed by the healer, then get beaten up again by Glasia before getting healed once more.

There were no physical scars. That's because the healers at Arcadia Academy were world-class. But even though there were no physical scars, the emotional wounds remained. The daily accumulation of pain turned into stress.

"Isn't there a less painful way!?"

I asked with frustration, but Glasia calmly replied, unfazed.

"If it doesn't hurt, it's not effective. Swordsmanship is a survival skill. You learn when your survival is threatened."

Damn it, she's not wrong, but it hurts like hell!

-Whoosh!

I swung hard at Glasia, hoping she'd feel some pain for once. But she effortlessly dodged my sword and aimed for my neck.

"Ack!"

I couldn't breathe for a moment. An unimaginable pain engulfed my throat. Can this even be healed?

"Damn it..."

Why did I have to choose to learn from Glasia? If I'd learned from someone else, they would've started with the basics and taught me slowly. This is why you don't mess with people from the back alleys... As I was thinking that, Glasia said something unexpected.

"You've improved a lot."

"What?"

"The attack just now was designed to force a counterattack. You have no talent, but you have good instincts."

No talent but good instincts? What's the difference? Aren't they basically the same?

"Your muscle flexibility, innate physical abilities, bone structure, and mana sensitivity are somewhat lacking. Your body is not suited for swordsmanship. You lack talent."

Yeah, I know that, lady. That's why I've been failing all this time.

"However, your ability to understand sword paths is exceptional. You have a natural aptitude for thinking about how to attack efficiently and creatively. Your body may not keep up with swordsmanship, but your mind certainly does."

So basically, my body has issues, but my mind doesn't. That's what she's saying.

"Since your body lacks strength, your mind has to work harder."

I ignored Glasia's unnecessary comment.

"However, as long as you remember that you are weak and fight accordingly, you'll always be able to hold your own. Avoiding failure won't be difficult either."

After two weeks of nothing but getting beaten up, humility was now ingrained in me.

"Knowing your abilities objectively is also important, so I'll prepare a stage for you."

"A stage?"

"A special stage where you can intuitively understand your current level."

A stage to intuitively grasp your abilities. What kind of stage could she mean by that? At first, I was puzzled, but I soon understood what Glasia meant by the stage.

-----

"I thought it might be the case, but you really came alone."

Someone's voice echoed through the training ground. It was Andre, Enrique, and Hugh—the trio who regularly bullied me.

"I read the challenge thoroughly. You want to face me one-on-one without Glasia? You've grown quite arrogant. Do you think you've become stronger?"

Andre sneered as he spoke. But what was he even talking about? I had no clue.

"What challenge?"

Andre clicked his tongue and stomped his foot.

"Don't play dumb! Wasn't it you who sent me this challenge?"

Oh... damn it. When Glasia said she'd prepare a stage, she told me to come to the training ground on Sunday at 8 PM. So, this is what she meant? It seemed everything had been orchestrated by Glasia.

"I have a bad memory, so what was it about again?"

"Haha! Just like the fool who failed the last test. Wasn't it a letter saying you wanted a one-on-one duel to avenge the humiliation you've endured?"

Yet he's explaining everything in detail... Could he actually be a decent guy deep down?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the guy picked up a wooden sword.

"Pick up your sword. Let me show you the difference in our bloodlines."

"Sigh... Fine. Let's do this."

I was starting to get fed up with these guys. Having earned the princess's recognition, I thought it was time to graduate from these punks.

When I picked up my wooden sword, Andre saluted me in a manner befitting a noble and then charged at me recklessly. I was caught off guard by the sudden attack, but while my mind was panicking, my body responded calmly. It was thanks to all the beatings I'd received from Glasia.

When I dodged his first attack, Enrique and Hugh looked shocked. This was a completely different side of Charles from the uncoordinated version they were used to.

Even Andre seemed flustered. When Charles had previously asked why he was being bullied, Andre had said it was because he was fallen nobility. But there was a good chance that wasn't the real reason. If so, why had they targeted Charles among all the commoners?

The answer was because Charles was easy to pick on. Charles had no talent for using a sword or magic. He was an easy target to bully. But things were different now. Even though Andre was attacking with all his might, Charles evaded or blocked every single strike.

'Compared to Glasia, this is nothing...!'

Glasia's attacks seemed effortless, yet each one was fast and deadly. By comparison, Andre's moves might resemble hers in form, but they were utterly lacking in substance. They weren't fast or sharp. I could block them with minimal effort.

"You damned fallen noble...!"

Andre's attacks grew more intense. But Charles didn't falter; he blocked every strike. As the fight continued, Andre eventually began gasping for air. Huff, huff...! Even his heavy breathing was audible from here.

'Already? We haven't even started yet.'

Glasia could beat me for an hour straight and still be fine. But Andre was out of breath after just a few minutes of attacking.

"Are you actually weak?"

Although I'd been beaten mercilessly by Andre, I'd thought he was strong. But now, fighting on equal terms, he turned out to be nothing special. Did I really get beaten up by someone of this level...? I felt an overwhelming sense of futility.

"Shut up, you lowly scum!"

Andre rushed at me, screaming. He attacked from the lower left to the upper right, spinning his sword before swinging from the left again—a basic move we'd been drilled on at the academy. Thanks to Glasia, I'd seen that move countless times. I ducked under it easily and counterattacked by striking his legs, attempting my first counterstrike.

-Crash!

Andre fell noisily after getting hit in the leg. He screamed in pain.

"Argh! Aagh! My leg, my leg...!"

His leg wasn't even broken. He was just hit, yet he was making a huge fuss.

"Are you actually incredibly weak...?"

Why did I get beaten by someone like this? If I'd fought back with all my strength, wouldn't I have won? Just as I was thinking that, Andre shouted.

"What are you two just standing there for?! Hugh, Enrique! Restrain him!"

"What? I thought this was supposed to be one-on-one!"

"Shut up, you lowly scum! Duels are for nobles only!"

Hugh and Enrique charged at me simultaneously. Andre quickly got up and joined the fight. It had been easy to defend against one-on-one attacks, but three-on-one was a different story. Charles backpedaled, trying to block their onslaught, but the numbers game was overwhelming, and he began to falter.

I held out for about three minutes. I kept retreating and luring their attacks into missing. But the problem was that the training ground had boundaries. When I was cornered, I couldn't block all three attacks at once.

The attacks coming from all directions were overwhelming. Andre, seemingly fueled by vengeance, attacked me mercilessly, and Enrique and Hugh were just as relentless.

Despite the overwhelming pain, I felt a strange sense of exhilaration. Although I lost today, I felt like I could win with a bit more training. I decided that from now on, I'd have Glasia push me even harder. And then, at that moment—

"Enough."

A beautiful voice echoed through the training ground, silencing everyone. We all turned to look at the source of the voice, and there stood Glasia Ehrenberg.

"That's enough. Return to your dormitories."

At her words, Enrique and Hugh hesitated, while Andre, the de facto leader, boldly stepped forward and shouted.

"Who do you think you are to order us around—"

"Unless you want to die."

Glasia said this while pulling out a wooden sword, and the trio quickly fled. Glasia approached me and extended her hand. I grabbed her hand and stood up.

"How was it?"

"It hurt like hell."

"I'm not talking about that. Didn't you feel like you had a chance to win?"

She was right. If I'd been a bit more familiar with swordsmanship, I felt like I could've won.

"Those guys may have learned swordsmanship, but it's the typical academy style—focused solely on form. On the other hand, you've been learning by getting hit by me, so naturally, you've become stronger. As I said before, swordsmanship is a survival skill."

She was right. I never thought I'd catch up to Andre in just two weeks. Though it helped that Andre wasn't much to begin with.

"Two weeks."

Glasia spoke.

"Let's train for two more weeks. I'll make sure you can beat those three fools on your own."

"Is that even possible in two weeks?"

"As long as you're prepared to get beaten to death."

So it's still going to involve getting beaten up, huh.

At that moment, a choice appeared in my mind.

[1. I hate getting hit. I think I can avoid failing, so let's stop here.]

[2. But don't you want to personally beat that bastard Andre?]

After thinking it over for a while—

I made my decision.

[2. Even if I quit swordsmanship lessons, I'll beat Andre before I'm done.]

For the next two weeks, a grueling path awaited me.