The Villains I Taught Became Heroes

16 – Journey – 2

Although So Wol can use sword techniques, it was still not enough compared to Ryra.

From Noble mtl dot com

The difference in experience.

No matter how talented So Wol is, it would be impossible to fill that gap all at once.

While we were betting quickly, So Wol and Ryra began to approach each other.

When everyone watching them held their breath.

-Chaeeeng!!

The swords collided in midair. So Wol created his sword technique from the beginning, while Ryra strengthened her sword with aura.

Of course, Ryra’s sword was pushed back.

Whether it was amateur or not, a sword technique is still a sword technique.

“Ugh…!!”

But experience cannot be ignored, it seems.

Ryra, who was pushed back, rotated her body in the same position and quickly performed a spinning strike.

Taking advantage of the moment So Wol’s sword was pulled in, Ryra’s foot kicked So Wol’s abdomen.

-Bbwaak!!

“Ugh!!”

A momentary distance was opened.

Without needing to decide who was faster, So Wol and Ryra quickly rushed towards each other, and soon a flurry of sword strikes followed that was enough to make one’s eyes dizzy.

“Wow…”

“Is the lady really that strong…?”

“I heard that she learned properly from this Master, but I didn’t expect her to be this skilled…”

Of course, it can’t be denied that my teachings played a role, but Sowol’s skill was primarily crafted through her overflowing talent.

Teaching one lesson meant enlightening two or three, as a basic principle.

From the perspective of the instructor, the comfort of deception was immeasurable.

“Haahhh!”

“Iyaaahh!!”

Be it master and servant dynamics or friends who had been together since childhood, such relationships didn’t matter to them; both swiftly swung their swords at each other.

And the culmination occurred when Sowol’s blade halted in front of Laila’s chest.

“…It’s a draw.”

One of the onlookers whispered while observing the scene.

Considering Laila’s sword was also poised at Sowol’s chest, calling it a draw was no exaggeration; it would be fatal if both struck true.

…Good! It went as I expected! I was worried it might go wrong.

“Yeehaw!!!”

“Oh dear! I had faith!”

These folks. They should maintain a poker face like me. That’s how you properly tease them.

Watching those who followed my lead cheering for the draw, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

Observing Sowol and Laila standing dumbfounded, seemingly on the verge of tears, I shouted.

“What’s this! Did we agree to a bet?!”

“…I didn’t expect even the master to be like this.”

“It’s the joy of the journey. Since we won a lot, buy us something delicious when we reach the city of Roverin.”

I patted Sowol’s inflated cheeks and checked my pouch.

There’s a lot of jingling coins and bills. Indeed, there’s much to gain from making bets.

“What irritates me more is that the master didn’t bet on the side where I won.”

“Originally, the winning side is supposed to be on our side. If you’re dissatisfied, you should have been stronger.”

“Ugh…”

As expected, facts are hard to argue with. Sowol, trembling while clenching her fist, was rendered speechless.

While she was doing that, Laila approached, tapping me on the shoulder.

Her face was adorned with a rather bright smile.

“Wow~. This is really something! Miss, your skills have improved so much. Is it thanks to the teachings of Master here!?”

“It’s also thanks to this kid’s exceptional talent. But more importantly, Laila, when you wield the sword, there seems to be a tendency to tilt slightly to the right.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

I demonstrated the sword to Laila, who tilted her head in curiosity.

The swordsmanship she displayed earlier was a Roedbyan-style technique, emphasizing an aggressive approach to attacks. Although effective in the beginning, it would turn into a vulnerable counter-style technique in the mid to late stages. Teaching her defensive points would be beneficial for the future.

“It seems to tilt to the right because you’re right-handed. It might be better to use the sword with your left hand. If possible, learning a dagger technique like Terizen’s would be more advantageous.”

“Are you suggesting using two different sword techniques at once?”

“Yes. Right hand for attack, left hand for defense. It’s good to think of it that way. If you can, it would be beneficial to learn Terizen’s dagger technique.”

“Hehe… Thank you for the advice.”

It was just a few words of advice, but it was nothing to be taken lightly. After giving a light applause, I turned my attention to Sowol.

“So… next is you. There’s nothing particularly wrong, just that your sword energy is too weak.”

“Ugh.”

“Make meditation a part of your daily routine.”

“Understood…”

“And… why haven’t you used Moonlight Wave?”

“I think my training is still lacking.”

Good thinking.

It’s much better to fight with just the basics than to reveal flaws by using a sword technique you only know halfway.

“Alright. Good job.”

“Do I get a praise sticker then?”

“You didn’t win.”

You only get praised if you win.

During the journey to Robyne City, I continued to spar with them.

Since the first day’s draw, Sowol kept losing.

But that wasn’t a bad thing.

There was something to learn even in defeat.

As if to prove that, in the sparring session the day before arriving in Robyne City, we recorded another draw.

“I might lose if we do this next time.”

Recalling the results of the duel, Laila spoke with a sense of regret.

Unlike her, Sowol’s expression did not seem all that pleased.

It seemed he was disappointed about never having won before.

“Let’s spar again tomorrow!”

“Haha. Starting tomorrow, I’ll also have work to do…”

“That’s true, but if you go to the Robertine City’s Inspector Guild, you can learn the basics of the Terizen-style dagger technique. Learn it there and come back to challenge me again.”

“Then won’t I just end up losing again?”

“That’s a possibility.”

“Ugh…”

I playfully poked Sowol’s puffed-up cheek.

Sowol, exhaling loudly with a sound like a sigh, opened his ax-like eyes and looked at me. However, with the experiences I’ve had, just this level of gaze doesn’t make me flinch.

“By the way, will Master be joining us when he arrives in Robertine City?”

“No. I have something else I need to do. Move with Sowol.”

“Understood. Still, if anything comes up, please contact us towards the Logan Company.”

It doesn’t seem like anything will happen.

But it’s not a bad idea to not refuse the offer of goodwill.

I nodded casually to the soldier who spoke to me.

“Ah. We’re almost there.”

As we continued our conversation, the city walls began to come into view.

The city walls were several times larger than those of a typical territory.

Robertine City.

One of the major cities that also appears in the game.

“But why is Master going to Robertine City?”

“Didn’t I say there’s something to find?”

“You didn’t mention what it is.”

“You’ll find out when you see. And this will be a good experience for you, so quietly follow along.”

“Um, understood. How much money should I bring?”

There’s enough to cover the cost of obtaining materials. But isn’t it better to have more money in general? Since it seems I received a decent allowance from Lord Precious Yang, I’ll bring as much as I can.

“Will this be enough?”

“A lot!”

“How much did you give her as allowance?!”

I knew Sojong was a doting father, but this was beyond what I expected.

I took out five gold coins from the handful in my pocket and tossed them to Laila.

“Huh? This is…”

“You’ve been training hard. Use this for a drink or two.”

“Wow!! Thank you!”

“But… Father gave this money to honor the master…”

“This will suffice. Don’t worry too much.”

As I spoke, we arrived at the entrance to Robert’s at the west gate.

Starting from the carriages, there would be much to inspect on the way up, so it was better for us to go separately first.

“We’ll go ahead.”

“See you later~!”

Heading towards the gate with Sowol, soldiers began inspecting belongings.

As we didn’t possess anything notably suspicious, we easily passed the inspection and entered.

“Wow… It’s spacious.”

The sight beyond the gate, proving it was a metropolis, was a well-paved road.

It was almost identical to what I had seen in the game.

Amazed, I walked with Sowol along the paved road. Before long, we reached our first destination.

“This is…”

“The herb shop.”

True to its status in the metropolis, the herb shop occupied an entire large building.

We purchased basic medicinal herbs, detoxifiers, and various lower-grade herbs from the store.

“Come on in.”

“You came for these herbs? But we have these in the Eastern Market too…”

“These are just preparatory materials.”

The real deal was elsewhere. I moved on with Sowol. After walking for a while, we arrived at a place.

“…Master.”

It was a back alley. As we entered the alley teeming with dubious individuals, we attracted curious gazes.

Of course. The clothes worn by me and Sowol didn’t fit the atmosphere of this place at all.

“Why have you come here?”

“I have something to do here.”

I spread a leather mat in a suitable spot, sat down, and shouted,

“Sick ones! Those in pain! Come to me! I’ll save you!”

Help me accumulate treatment points.