kscans

Chapter 196 - The Old Warrior's Scimitar 1. The Old Warrior

This took place after Faren, looking utterly exhausted, had departed from the mansion.

"Yuri-kun... um... are you alright?"

"What about?"

"Well... I had planned to introduce you to Amdal after this... but are you not tired? Faren-kun seemed completely worn out."

Amdal was the man who supervised and trained the guards at Adon's mansion. Though his skills had not yet faded, he was already in his old age and lacked confidence in his stamina, so his duties were more focused on providing technical guidance to the guards rather than actual guard missions. As he was also familiar with one-handed curved swords, Yuri was to receive instruction in swordplay from this old man.

"Oh, Faren-san was just mentally exhausted from the unfamiliar work. Once he gets used to it, he'll be able to do it with one hand tied behind his back."

Adon doubted that, but his current concern was Yuri's condition.

"I'm fine. I used a bit of magic power, but not much physical strength."

"Is that so?"

From the looks of Faren, he had gotten the impression that all his magic, stamina, and mental energy had been completely drained... but well, if Yuri himself said he was fine, it must be so. Amdal was no amateur either. He would be able to tell if a child was feeling unwell. Reconsidering, Adon decided to introduce Yuri to Amdal as planned.



He was a strangely mismatched child. That was Amdal's first impression upon seeing Yuri. Indeed, he was a child, but from the feeling he got, the boy should have been through his fair share of life-or-death situations. And probably in melee or close-quarters combat. He did not have the air of someone who shot magic from a safe distance. He may have grown old, but the discerning eye he had cultivated through long years of experience had not dulled. He was sure his judgment was not wrong. He had learned through several experiences that there were children you could not afford to underestimate. However... he could not tell what kind of weapon he used. There were no calluses on his fists, so it was not hand-to-hand combat. A child of his build would not be able to use a heavy weapon, so it was not a polearm, axe, or broadsword. His aura did not feel like that of an archer either, which left...

"I see, so you've been using a dagger until now."

"Yes. But a dagger alone is starting to cause some problems..."

Listening to him, Amdal felt he had a general grasp of the situation. He had probably been using a dagger due to his build, but now that his strength had increased a little, he wanted a weapon with a longer reach. It was a reasonable judgment.

"Why not a regular sword?"

"As you can see, I'm just a kid. It's plain to see I'd be at a disadvantage using it to cut things down with my body weight."

This also made sense. A child's physique certainly would not allow them to fully wield a weapon that relied on heavy slashing attacks. A curved sword, which was used with a drawing cut, might be a better choice. However, what bothered him was...

"...You know a lot about curved swords. I thought they were a rare weapon in this country."

"I heard about it from my grandfather, and I have one myself."

Saying so, Yuri took the "katana" out of his magic bag. It was, of course, the one made of normal iron, not the Mottled Blade Sword. He had been strictly ordered by Adon and Kudol to never show that one in public, ever.

Amdal's expression shifted as he saw the "katana" Yuri had produced. It seemed his professional interest had been piqued.

"May I see it?"

"Please."