Chapter 116……………………………………………..
Grandma Mago was going to personally teach me swordsmanship.
Ever since she had gone and caught the person who had impersonated Mom last time, I’d already thought…
“Grandma Mago is unbelievably strong.”
Well, she is Dad Shion’s mother.
Of course she’d be strong.
Gasp. If I could learn directly from her… maybe…
“Could I… become a Sword Master too?”
It’s like being coached by a parent who got their child into a prestigious university.
All I have to do is cut straw with this sword?
“I’ll do it!”
As soon as I decided, I beamed and grabbed the wooden sword Grandma Mago had handed me.
Yes! I’ll follow Dad and become a Sword Master too!
Then Mom and Dad won’t be held back by me.
“Maybe I could even protect my parents!”
Just like Mom did when we fought the Demon King.
I’ll become a versatile player who can both attack and heal!
“You seem determined.”
Grandma Mago patted my head gently and smiled warmly at me.
“When Shion first held this sword, his eyes sparkled just like yours.”
“Dad too?”
“Yes. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing now…”
Her violet eyes sank for a moment, filled with worry.
Seeing that, I shook my head frantically as if to tell her not to worry.
“Dad Shion will be here soon too!”
“Hmm? How do you know that?”
“I sent him a letter myself.”
What I wrote was—well—
“If you don’t come right now, I’ll never speak to you again!”
Hehe… it was something like that, I think.
Saying it with such determination made Grandma Mago’s eyes go wide.
Not long after…
“……Ahahaha!”
Grandma Mago rolled on the floor laughing loudly.
The intimidating and composed demeanor I had seen at first was nowhere to be found.
“Grandma…?”
I didn’t think threatening Dad in a letter was that funny.
“Phew.”
After laughing for quite a while, Grandma Mago finally calmed down and straightened up.
“You really do resemble your mother more and more.”
She brushed the grass off her clothes and continued:
“Yes, after receiving a letter like that, he’d have to rush here no matter what. Now I understand why you asked me why he came running.”
“Hehe.”
Of course, Grandma Mago fully believed that Dad Shion would run here.
After all, the only one in the world who could run that distance would be Dad Shion…
“Thanks to you, I can finally see my son too.”
Grandma Mago reached out and stroked my hair gently as she spoke.
“It would be even better if you learned how to use this wooden sword before your father arrives.”
“Yes!”
Just as she said, I want to be able to show off as soon as Dad Shion arrives.
“Since Grandma herself will teach me swordsmanship, Mom and the other dads won’t stop me, right?”
Come to think of it, Dad Deric even taught me how to throw a sling.
They wouldn’t object to me training my body.
“I’ll do my best!”
I gripped the wooden sword tightly and shouted with all my voice.
Grandma Mago watched me proudly, then turned her gaze to the side.
Ah, toward Per.
That’s right.
Per had been beside me all along.
He’d been quiet the entire time, so I’d almost forgotten.
“This child…”
Her violet eyes, usually so sharp and cold, softened slightly.
Grandma Mago glanced at Per and continued.
“What an extraordinary child.”
“Gasp.”
Even from just a brief glance, she could tell that Per was unusual?
You really can’t underestimate adult experience.
“I’m not deeply versed in magic, so I can’t say for sure…”
She tilted her head slightly.
“But I can feel he’s no ordinary child.”
“……”
“Almost hard to believe he’s a child.”
“Hrm.”
At that, Per finally opened his mouth, which had been shut the whole time, and replied nonchalantly:
“You have sharp eyes.”
“Per, you—!”
That’s your first impression of my grandmother?
Not even a polite greeting?
“I suppose you were assigned to protect Cici?”
Unlike me, who was flustered, Grandma Mago didn’t seem to mind and continued speaking to Per.
Being between the two of them, I felt like the odd one out.
Maybe that’s normal, and I’m the one overemphasizing manners…?
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Well, it’s better for a child to have a child nearby.”
Grandma Mago looked at Per gently.
“I usually don’t like saying this, but it can’t be helped now.”
“……”
“Until Cici can protect herself, take good care of this child.”
“You don’t need to tell me; I’ll protect him well.”
Per arrogantly lifted his chin and answered confidently.
I gave up thinking about it.
Fine. Sure.
He’d been that bold even with the Emperor of the Empire, so there’s no reason he should behave differently with Grandma Mago.
“Anyway.”
After their gazes briefly met in the air, Grandma Mago quickly regained her warm expression and looked at me.
“I’ve given my little one a mission—or rather, a gift—so now I must truly go see His Majesty.”
“Gasp! Go quickly!”
She came to see me without greeting Grandpa first?
I widened my eyes and waved my arms, making Grandma Mago laugh heartily again.
She reached out, playfully tousling my hair:
“You’ll do well, I’m sure. But remember, that one is no easy opponent.”
“Waaah! My hair, it’s all tangled, Grandma!”
The braids Mom had painstakingly made!
Grandma Mago finally stopped, speaking in a teasing tone:
“If you underestimate him, you’ll regret it.”
In short, Grandma Mago was right.
This wooden sword is by no means an easy tool.
“Eek…!”
In a corner of the royal palace training ground, I sat down abruptly, having paused while swinging the wooden sword at the straw.
“My hands hurt…”
Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this tiring.
While rubbing my palms, Per handed me a water bottle and shrugged.
“You think cutting straw with a wooden sword is easy?”
“Well, sure.”
I had been chosen by the Scroll, the Divine Beast, and even Pardes.
I thought this would be easy!
“Heroes say otherwise.”
When heroes hold the wooden sword, they feel a strange power and even hear voices from it.
They immediately recognize it as their sword.
“But I feel nothing.”
No matter how hard I swung, the only thing I felt was that the sword was a sword, and the straw was straw.
And that I was a mess!
“Maybe my stance is wrong?”
But Grandma Mago gave me no instructions, simply saying: “Cut the straw with this sword,” so maybe it’s unrelated to basic technique.
“Hng, it’s hard.”
I had no idea what to do, and as I lifted my head in frustration…
“……?”
I looked around and widened my eyes.
The people hiding behind that tree must be the knights training here.
Why are they all acting like that…?
