An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Swords Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Teacher, But My Successful Students Won’t Leave Me Alone! - Chapter 114

“Hoh! Hiyah! Taah!”

“Yes, yes, everyone is getting better.”

Cindy’s fighting spirit echoes under the blue sky.

I was supervising everyone’s drills, pointing out mistakes as appropriate, and having them repeat their basic maneuvers.

Everyone is still rough, but it’s a little better than it was in the beginning. After this class, if they repeat it every day while keeping their basic postures correct, they’ll develop decent sword arms.

“… Fuh! … Fuh!”

The movement of young men like Nazia and Lumitte is also decent.

After all, men and women were fundamentally different in muscle development. Assuming all else is equal if they train for the same amount of time, men will usually be stronger.

And to put it roughly, although it’s called “the art of swordsmanship,” all you’re really doing is swinging a heavy stick around. With that, of course, men with more muscle mass will have an advantage, generally speaking.

Well, it’s Alexia, Selena, Kuruni, Thyssel, and Rose that have overturned that common knowledge here.

Aren’t there a lot of women in my currently active disciples? I think the ratio was about half-and-half when I was still teaching at the dojo.

“Mnn.”

So, what is Thyssel, the original professor, doing? She was just watching my instruction from the side.

Well, I’ve got no intention of scolding her for that. I guess she’s trying to understand how to teach students herself.

The truth of the matter is, I’ve got no clue about Sword Magic. If things go like this, there is no choice but to just wish Thyssel the best. I want her to learn well from now on, for when that time inevitably comes.

“Oh, Master,” Thyssel said suddenly.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Class is about to end,” Thyssel said.

“Oops, is it that time already?” I asked.

By my estimate, it should have been an hour since we started the lecture. Hmm, when teaching swordsmanship, time flies.

“Alright, let’s all go back to the classroom today,” I said.

And with that, the students stop their swinging drills.

“Yes, Sir!” Cindy cried, pleasantly exhausted. “It was fun!”

This kid is really good. She’s a little naive, but it’s a good advantage, to be honest when it comes to teaching things. I hope she’ll continue to grow and develop.

And hopefully, she’ll make friends with Miu. I had a feeling Cindy would be able to bring down her walls.

“Thank you. It was an excellent lesson,” Lumitte said as he put down his wooden sword.

“No, no, you’re welcome,” I aid.

For the son of an aristocrat, learning swordsmanship as a hobby isn’t that strange. However, I think it is a little unusual to choose the Sword Magic Department, even if he had the magical capability. It’s not that I’m not uninterested in the situation around that, so I’d like to ask about it if I have the opportunity.

“It was an interesting time,” Feledora said.

“Yeah, that was fulfilling,” Nazia said.

“Haha, I’m glad to hear that,” I said.

And now a positive response from Feledora and Nazia too.

This does raise the question of how Thyssel’s lessons usually go. I wonder if she was watching them swing their swords without thinking too deeply, but that is also a way to improve in the future. I can’t watch them swinging their swords till they graduate.

“… Hmph.”

And Miu was the same as ever.

She also listened to my instructions obediently and swung her sword as she should have. She didn’t have anything particular to say to me. It seems that if she was, it would be after we got home.

“Oh, by the way,” I said, “there’s something I wanted to ask all of you.”

There is still some leeway to finish the class. So, I thought since I was getting closer to everyone, I’d ask something as we went back to the classroom.

“Why are you guys in the Sword Magic Department?” I asked. “If you want to be a magician, I think there are many other classes you could take.”

That’s right.

The Magician’s Academy is so widely known and beloved by the public. It’s no exaggeration to say that everything involving the mages and magic of this country is gathered here, and I wanted to ask why they dared to choose the Sword Magic Department.

For example, Lucy doesn’t use Sword Magic.

That means that Sword Magic is not the only way to harness the power of magic. She can use a wide variety of other magics, so I’m sure there will be classes for them. To this point, the number of students at the Magician’s Academy, about 600 people total, is quite small.

“Because I like to move my body!” Cindy said. “I don’t hate spellcasting, but… I was wondering if I could do what I liked while I do!”

“I see,” I said.

As always, Cindy has the most energetic answer to my question.

For sure, no matter how much magical capability you have, not everyone likes spellcasting. Some people, like Cindy, prefer to move their bodies, such as swordsmanship and other physical arts, rather than spellcasting.

“I was interested in it from the start,” Lumitte said. “I also practiced swordsmanship at home for a while.”

Well, if you don’t have the interest to start, you probably wouldn’t take on something this niche. Moreover, Lumitte is the son of a Viscount. It seems that even his parents were wielding swords as a noble’s hobby, so it’s not a strange trajectory.

Even so, I’m not sure why he didn’t quit, with Thyssel constantly telling him to repeat his basic swings

“I, um…” Feledora said. “saw Prof. Thyssel and wanted to be like her.”

“Hahaha. Happy to hear that, huh, Thyssel?” I asked.

“Mm,” Thyssel said. “I’m also happy to be idolized.”

Feledora also seems to be longing after Thyssel’s Sword Magic.

It’s nice to have your skills idolized. Even I feel better when people look at me like that. It makes my back itch a little, though.

“I’m about the same as Cindy,” Nazia said, toying with his wooden sword in one hand. “Swinging a sword fits me better than spellcasting.”

Well, he has a very straightforward personality. I’ve somehow got the impression he’s similar to Henblitz. Although I don’t know his actual age, his physical development is also the best of the five students.

“… It’s different. Kind of,” Miu muttered at the end.

And I could have almost predicted why she said that.

By Lucy’s account, she seems to be longing after my swordsmanship skills, but she can’t say something so embarrassing in front of me. There’s no reason to push her that hard. And, it’ll still be another problem if she starts sulking again.

If possible, take that admiration into a genuine interest. The sword is a little heavy to swing if you just long after some other person’s skill.

“Thank you, everyone,” I said. “Of course, I think you’re all after Sword Magic in the end, but I do hope you learn to enjoy swordsmanship for its own sake.”

It’s often said that if you like what you do, you’ll get better at it faster. It’s the same whether it’s study or swordsmanship. It wouldn’t be impossible for someone who didn’t like swordsmanship to pick it up and become stronger, but I don’t think there are many people like that.

“I won’t be able to see you all the time, so Thyssel will be looking after you,” I said.

“… I’ll make an effort,” Thyssel said.

“Ah, I’m counting on you…?” I said.

Is this alright? I’m getting a little worried.

However, my main occupation is Special Instructor of the Knights of Rebelio. It was a crisis that got me here this time. And to begin with, I’m not qualified to continue teaching at the Magician’s Academy.

I can’t use magic, and I’m not a professor here. Even now, I can’t predict what strings Lucy must have pulled to get me in here.

Therefore, the role of guiding the five of them is, in the end, Thyssel’s. If there are enough other users of Sword Magic, they might become alternative candidates, but that’s not my job.

“So you’ll only be for today, Mr. Beryl!?” Cindy asked, doubtful and astonished.

“No, I’m not going to be just for today…” I said. “The thing is, I’m originally an instructor for the Knights of Rebelio.”

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I would like to keep on instructing them on what I can because it’s too little to stop with this one session.

However, I also think that will only be until they can swing their swords properly, at the least. They didn’t come to learn swordsmanship, they came to learn Sword Magic. I must not mislead them.

“An instructor for the Order of Rebelio… that sounds about right,” Lumitte said, nodding and looking convinced.

Although the others haven’t spoken, I can see their thoughts were different.

At a time like this, this title is really convenient. If they can understand the weight of my title, other people’s expectations of me will be fixed at a good level.

I think that the role of Special Instructor of the Knights of Rebelio has something to do with it, at least here in the Kingdom of Rebelis.

Of course, I’m not going to do anything unnecessary with that power, but it’s great that I can quickly gain a certain level of trust and credibility. At first, I felt it was only a burden, but let’s continue to use it moderately.

“Woah… you must be amazing, Mr. Beryl!” Cindy said.

“Yes, Master is amazing,” Thyssel said, somehow.

It’s a complicated feeling, the admiration makes me itchy but happy. To be precise, I’m not a great man, only my title is great.

“Ah.”

“Oh?”

Gohn, gohn.

As soon as we returned to the classroom while chatting with the students, an unfamiliar bell-ringing echoed through the school.

“That’s the bell,” Thyssel said. “This class is over.”

“I see,” I said.

It’s nice that the schedule is firmly set by that bell. There was no such thing while training in the Knights, and even while I was teaching at the dojo in Bidden Village, there was nothing that made time so easy to understand.

“Well then, Mr. Beryl! Thank you very much for today!” Cindy said.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later,” I said.

With that, everyone gets their things and leaves.

That time is so clearly separated means they must have another class. They aren’t just learning Sword Magic, are they?

“Then, I think I’m going to head back to the Knights’ HQ,” I said.

“Mm. I’m going home, too,” Thyssel said.

I just came here this morning to teach swordsmanship, so I haven’t swung my sword myself. So, I think I should just go to the Knights’ HQ and train a little.

It seems that Thyssel is also leaving now, she may have nothing else to do other than the lectures of the Sword Magic Department.

“By the way, how often do you have Sword Magic classes?” I asked.

“Twice a week,” Thyssel said.

“I see.”

We were chatting after the students left.

If it’s twice a week, it’s about the same as a normal kendo dojo, or a little less. Although it’s common, I was in Bidden Village all this time, so I don’t know what’s going on in a place like this city.

Twice a week, it will be difficult to attend all the lessons from now on. As I told them, my main job is as the Special Instructor of the Knights of Rebelio, not a lecturer at the Magician’s Academy.

Alexia has told me that it’s okay if it’s about once a week, and I think it would be right to only go that often. Let’s talk to Alexia later about that.

To be honest, I told Lucy that I was going to visit this time, and I haven’t decided to teach. I can probably decline at this stage.

However, looking at what Thyssel’s teaching looked like today, it’s difficult to say whether she’s doing it properly. As I’ve already seen it once, it’s awkward to just say “Well then, good luck.”

So, I’ll supplement, to the extent that I don’t get in her way. And I thought that I would like to do a bit of that since I feel that would lead to Thyssel’s growth.

And there were five students, passionate enthusiasts who dared to learn the sword in a Magician’s Academy. There was also a desire to see them grow up a bit.

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“You also have to learn how to teach them, Thyssel,” I said.

“… Uu.”

“Don’t start sulking…” I muttered.

I’m a little worried about the future, is this alright?

To wit, it’s also a problem to repeat the swinging drills all the time in the future. I don’t know how many practical skills I should teach, but I’m sure I’ll do some sparring. Sword Magic is clearly a technique for live combat, so I have to teach them how to fight.

“I wish you would keep observing us, Master,” Thyssel said.

“If I could do that, I wouldn’t have a hard time, but you shouldn’t be thinking that Thyssel,” I said.

“… Uu.”

“Come on.”

“I know… I’ll do my best…” Thyssel muttered.

I can’t be her alter-ego. I only have one body. I can’t even use magic to start.

And no matter what the circumstances, it’s a fact that Thyssel is now a professor in the Magician’s Academy. I can’t disregard or ignore that fact and have them rely on me, because I can’t replace her.

“I don’t know what happened, but you were the one who took the job,” I said. “You have to fulfill your responsibilities.”

“…… Mm,” Thyssel went.

She mastered all the swordsmanship in my dojo and graduated properly. So it’s a little different to treat her as my disciple again, moving forward. As a mentor to others, not just a student, I may need a slightly different way of dealing with her.

Still, I’m glad that she’s moved from just learning swordsmanship to teaching others. If my skills and experience are useful, I would like you to bring out as much of her ability as she wants.

“Fufu,” Thyssel chuckled. “I still have a lot to learn.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Prof. Thyssel,” I said.

“Mhm.”

We left the classroom while chatting like that.