Succeeding as a Knight in a Gender-Reversal Game

3 – Swordsmanship Training

Sword Demon Rena Sartiang. A knight character with silver hair and clear eyes.

Close-range damage tank. It was written on my friend’s pad that she knocks down all enemies in front of her with her excellent swordsmanship…

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… This time, I’ll definitely protect you…!”

The woman she drew in the illustration was cutting down monsters with her eyes, which were different from her beautiful appearance.

Despite being an illustration, the dynamism of swinging a sword in madness seemed to be alive, and I was surprised at my friend’s drawing skills.

But the girl in front of me was definitely the same character as the illustration she drew, but very different.

Her eyes weren’t weird, and there was no gloomy atmosphere that was conveyed just by the expression I felt in the illustration.

Just a slightly naive girl who seemed to want to hide her interest in me was swinging a sword in front of me.

“Hooong!! Hooong!!!”

Watching her swing her sword from top to bottom without shaking in a proper posture, I thought this must be what a talented swordsman is like.

“Our Rena is good at using a sword, isn’t she, Johan? If our family’s situation was okay, it would be okay to send her to a knight academy… It’s a shame.”

Aunt Lana, who came to my side with her arms crossed and her silver hair flying, talks to me with a regretful face.

“It’s thanks to Aunt Lana’s good teaching. And I have a strong body that Aunt Lana passed on to me.”

“Oh, oh my… Johan is saying nice things today? Usually, he just shrinks when I talk to him…”

It seems that Johan was set to be a gloomy hikikomori before the possession.

Why did Park Hanna attach such a strange setting to him, who is handsome and tall…

I guess I’ll have to fix things like the surrounding reputation one by one.

“Thump!”

I firmly grasp Aunt Lana’s hand with both hands and speak seriously to appeal my changed self.

Until now, I’m sorry. I needed a little time to sort out my feelings. From now on, I want to live repaying the grace you have given me.

I don’t know how this body has been living, but I promise to stand on the side of this person taking care of me.

You said you were a former knight residing in this kind of village, there must be some circumstances. Raising me in such a situation while raising your own daughter must have been no easy task.

And above all, in the morning, the look of you taking care of me with Lena made me feel the same perception of the few friendly people in my past life. This was a decisive factor.

Before teaching me swordsmanship, there’s a part of me that wants to win your favor. But I want to treat people who show kindness to me as well as I can.

Knowing how cruel humans can act towards each other in times of weakness, I was all the more joyful for this kindness.

I wonder if you have noticed my kind gaze and intent

＜String＞So, so that’s it, Johan…! I’m happy to hear your words… but Johan, you’ve become extremely strong…?＜string/＞

Lana, no, the lady looks pleased while holding my hand and blushing. I can’t stop thinking of her as my sister because she looks so young.

I tightened my hand a bit to demonstrate that learning swordsmanship wouldn’t be a problem, but I hope it didn’t hurt or anything?

Her face seems to be gaining a bit of redness, maybe because I haven’t adapted to my body yet and gave excessive strength, I feel sorry.

Still, I have to win what I want by any means.

Could you teach me swordsmanship too, madam?

Swordsmanship…? Although Johan is strong like a woman, there is no need for you to use a sword. Lena or I will go to the battlefield and protect you. There are plenty of cases where noble boys learn swordsmanship along with self-defense…

Look at that.

I appreciate the kindness of being protective, but it’s a negative against teaching swordsmanship.

Kindness and judgment are separate.

You probably have a thought about man’s mastery of the sword. It’s a flipped-world of gender roles, so you could think that.

But the real man Johan never succumbs to this kind of opposition.

-Cry out!

Madam Lana.

Selection, excellent…?!

Once again, I grasp her hand and look straight into her trembling eyes.

Johan, first let go of this hand…

I absolutely aren’t learning the sword lightly or just for style. I am resolved to learn as hard as a man, no, harder than the woman. Please at least let me grasp the basics.

Johan, first, first… this hand!

When expressed sincerely, it goes through.

If the other person doesn’t understand my words, it’s one of two things.

Either the person was never going to understand me from the start, or my sincerity won’t pass to the other person.

I was convinced that Lady Lana was definitely not someone who wouldn’t understand me so I tried to convey my sincerity by gripping her hand harder.

Johan…

Can you, please?

I looked straight into madam’s eyes, showing my passion.

Madam looked at me momentarily startled and then

Okay, fine… I’ll teach you swordsmanship…

Thank you!!!

She bowed her head granting me permission to guide in swordsmanship.

Indeed, sincerity always finds a way.

…Mom, what are you doing?

Daughter?! Oh, nothing! Well, well Johan has asked me to teach him a little swordsmanship…!

“The man and swordplay? Wasn’t mom even more pessimistic about that?”

“Well, that’s a thing! Anyway, get yourself back into position. From now on, I’ll watch over Johannes in his training. Johannes, grab the wooden sword over there!”

Elena, seeming bothered by the disturbance between Mrs. Lana and me, paused her sword practice and approached us with a suspicious look.

“Don’t worry, Elena. From now on, I’ll truly dedicate myself to the training as well. I won’t interfere with your practice, I promise.”

This man, Johannes, had always lived a life refusing to break or surrender once he’d set his mind to something.

Even these dubious looks being thrown his way must someday be replaced with absolute trust. He also needed to return the great kindness he had received from Mrs. Lana.

So, at the height of the day, with a simple yet specifically carved wooden sword in hand, Johannes began receiving sword training from Mrs. Lana.

* * *

“Certainly, Johannes is very different today.”

A boy, rescued in the last battle of the war.

A child with a delicate appearance, completely out of place in the bloodstained battlefield.

He was Johannes, the child who had been crying amidst the dead, wrapped up in a blanket…

Remembering the past, Lana Sartiange wipes away her thoughts and looks at the strong man in front of her, now practicing with a wooden sword.

At some point, he grew up this way…

As much as the ordinary man would get nervous anticipating what might happen to him.

-JOONG! JOONG!

He was swinging his wooden sword from top to bottom with a firm waist.

He didn’t seem like an amateur at all.

Maintaining his sword stance and repeatedly swinging his sword requires unimaginable effort, physical strength, and talent.

All these things were unnecessary for men.

The sword for men.

If they bothered with such unnecessary things, they would rather enjoy learning ways to improve their farming work or pleasing their women – that would have been the typical reaction.

But as if not minding such things, Johannes shows more concentration than Elena and demonstrates movements that seem to be quite accustomed to the physical exertion.

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Lana Sartiange is captivated by his performance and gives Johannes, who is a beginner, a rather challenging request.

“Faster!! The tip of your sword must always be ready to react to the opponent’s attack, aiming at their vital points!”

“YES!!!”

-VROOOM! VROOOM!

“HaaaH!!!”

Even if it was difficult to control due to the increased speed of the sword, the sound of cutting through the air grew stronger, yet the trembling of the sword remains as tranquil as ever.

Along with it, Johannes’ spirit grows stronger.

His virus, which is impossible to think of as a man, especially as gloomy Johannes as of yesterday, is spreading through the square.

Even his daughter, Lena, who he thought was full of talent, breaks her concentration at his surprising spirit.

“Lena! Concentrate!! You must never lose focus on your sword under any circumstance!”

“I’m sorry!!!!”

As long as they hold swords, they’re not mother and daughter, but Master and Student. As it had been strictly taught, Lena starts to generate her own sword aura, focusing on her sword again.

The sword for men, especially for a son who was much more masculine than most men till yesterday, was a big concern.

But as for Johannes and the sword… Johannes, who just showed himself to be more feminine than any woman….

It wasn’t suitable for men at all, but it seemed to suit Johannes, as he seemed to imagine the figure of a knight. Lana Sartiange begins to picture it.

…No matter how much she had retired, she couldn’t just lose to a man with a sword.

The chest of her, who was once called the ‘Knight of Dawn and Twilight,’ starts to burn for the sword again because of Johannes.

* * *

“-Splash!!

“You’ve worked hard in your training! Dinner will be ready soon, so go wash up and come eat!!”

“”You’ve worked hard too!!””

Huahhhhh-!!! It feels refreshing!!

I had never learned swordsmanship before, but it’s incredibly fun now that I’m learning.

It’s a slightly different but similar feeling to using my fists and feet.

It’s like gaining an extra part of my body and refining how to use it.

As I briefly thought about the sword, Lena came over and threw something at me.

“Johan, here, catch this.”

-Splash!!

Looking at the item that Lena threw, it was a fragrant soap.

“You’re a man, so you should use this. There should be a tub for you in the back. Go wash up there.”

“What about you, Lena?”

“Why would a woman bother with that? I’m going to get a little finish-up exercise and bathe in the stream over there.”

Gaahhhhh whistle!!!!!!!

How does a man receive such consideration from a woman!!

Something inside me made me hold onto her just as she was about to leave.

“Hmm? What is it, Johan? Do you need something else?”

“I’m fine. You should use this soap.”

“No, I’m fine. There’s no point in a woman using…”

“Why not? I prefer women who smell fragrant, so I’d like you to use it.”

“Wha, wha wha wha what are you talking about!!!”

I’m a person who would rather enjoy the scent from others than my own.

If someone as pretty as Lena emanated a good scent, wouldn’t it feel even better?

“Really, it’s fine! Why are you being like this today…? Normally, you’re not one to insist…?”

Ugh, the previous Johan…! How could he live like that…?

However, I couldn’t stand living so frustrated, so I had no choice but to confront it.

“From the moment I decided to learn swordsmanship, I thought I’d gradually change. I’m going to be different from before, so get ready, Lena.”

“Weird, weird… not in a bad way, it’s actually good…”

“Anyway, either you use the soap or we divide and use it together. What will you do?”

As originally intended, I split the soap in half and handed it to her.

It would be nice to feel clean myself, too.

If money is the issue, I’ll earn so much later that we won’t have to worry about such things.

After staring at the half soap in my hand for a while, Lena said,

“…Then let’s use it together. Huh, I went through trouble to get this for you, a man, and… it’s pointless if I’m the one using it…”

“Pointless? As pretty as you are, using that soap will make you prettier, so it’s useful.”

“What… what, what are you saying!! Stop saying weird things!! Go take a bath! I’m going!!”

After saying so, Lena started running somewhere, much faster than when she was running before the training.

Lena is full of energy. It’s not easy practicing swordsmanship.

Heading to the place Rena directed me to, I undress to cleanse my body, looking around.

Is there really no one around?

After confirming that there’s no one,

“Status Window.”

For the first time since I arrived in this world, I voiced out loud the word that is a rule when possessing.

.

.

.

-Ding!!