New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (2/10 chapters)

 

 

A Day Off (1)

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That afternoon…

Since the weather was clear, I decided to train with my sword for the first time in a while. The place was the rooftop of my house. It was fairly spacious, and there was no problem swinging a sword there. There was also a proper railing, so it wasn’t dangerous.

My house was tall, following the Large Tree Tower, so the village could be seen in full view. Various people were gathered and playing in the square below. It was quite a nice view and also great for taking a nap. However, today, Dia, Marcosias, and Wood had gone to play in the square. Only Stella and I were on the rooftop.

I held a sheath that might have been half-covered in dust.

“Phew…” (Elt)

I smoothly drew the sword from the sheath, took my stance, and swung. The sword was thin and short. It was light enough to be handled with one hand. I repeated that movement many times.

“Oh, what a sharp stance you have…!” (Stella)

She clapped her hands.

Hmm, she is probably complimenting me, but I feel a bit embarrassed. No matter how you look at it, her martial skill is clearly better than mine.

“But it’s surprising. I heard the nobles of this country emphasize magic… Elt-sama’s movements are not self-taught, right?” (Stella)

“Hmm, it is true that magic is the first priority. That is unquestionable. But the current royal family also encourages swordsmanship.” (Elt)

Now that I think about it, Stella does not have hundreds of years’ worth of knowledge. This is a good opportunity to explain. It is basic knowledge related to the current royal family as well.

“At one time, there was a large outbreak of monsters… it was suppressed by a prince of the royal family who used sword magic.” (Elt)

Sword magic, as the name suggested, created or strengthened swords. In games, it was quite difficult to use. Skilled kendo practitioners could use it effectively, though. Probably, that prince also had outstanding real sword skills.

“Since then, it became common among nobles to learn swordsmanship as a means of self-defense. It was because they wished to emulate that prince, and because the prince’s refined sword techniques were effective.” (Elt)

“A short and light sword used with one hand… I see. It is to protect oneself quickly in sudden situations.” (Stella)

“The world is harsh, but that is exactly right.” (Elt)

Magic also had weaknesses. First, it required concentration to cast. It was impossible to cast while panicking from an attack. And of course, without mana, being skilled at magic was meaningless. In the end, physical ability was what protected you last.

“At formal ceremonies, nobles also carry swords. It is a kind of symbol.” (Elt)

Books on noble etiquette dedicated many pages to swords. From handling them, to how to compliment someone’s sword, even to proper behavior at exhibitions. Other weapons and armor didn’t receive nearly as much detail. Probably, the sword alone was special. I understood it as something similar to the samurai’s katana.

“I see, it is an important thing.” (Stella)

Stella nodded as if she understood.

I continued swinging the sword.

Well, the reason I do not do this in public is simple. Many veteran adventurers live in this village. Although I have learned the basics, I think my sword skills are mediocre.

Yeah… well, it is about dignity. I do not want to be seen. On the other hand, Stella is so strong that she probably does not care. But she seems to be watching my movements quite seriously, which might be the instinct of a martial artist.

 

—

 

Meanwhile, at the square, many people were there. Some were doing muscle training, some were sparring. Others gathered tools and played hitting balls tied to strings. Wood was among them. He was very popular at the moment. The Nyaff tribe was pushing and crowding around, begging Wood.

“Nyaaaan, give me more nya!” (Nyaff)

“Over here too, nya!” (Nyaff)

“Ugo ugo, alright…!” (Wood)

Wood raised one arm toward the sky and focused on activating the skill Seed Bullet. The bullets were soft and slow. At the moment Wood put power into it…

*Pon… popon*

Soft dandelion seeds were continuously shot out from Wood’s arm. Of course, they had zero lethality. They were gentle seed balls safe even for children. Those many seed balls floated on the wind and fell at a moderate speed toward the square. The Nyaff tribe’s excitement grew, and they dashed off noisily.

“There nyaaa!!” (Nyaff)

“Nya nya nya!” (Nyaff)

The extremely excited Nyaff tribe chased after the falling seed balls. Yes, they had been playing this game continuously.

After a while… The dandelion-covered Nyaff tribe returned to Wood’s feet.

“Haa, it’s wonderful nya…” (Nyaff)

“My jiggly belly is tightening nya…” (Nyaff)

Then, Brown, who was also covered in dandelions, asked Wood.

“But is it alright nya…? Are you having fun, nya?” (Brown)

“Ugo ugo…” (Wood)

Wood searched for words from within himself. Recently, Wood had been thinking. The feeling of trying somehow to express himself well had grown.

“Ugo ugo… I’m having fun too! Throwing the seed balls!” (Wood)

That was a feeling without lies or deceit. He threw, and they caught. Though simple, Wood found it quite interesting.

“Mmnya… then I’m glad nya.” (Brown)

Brown nodded while brushing off the dandelion fluff.

“Still, it’s amazing nya… To be able to shoot out so many balls like this nya.” (Brown)

“Ugo ugo, it’s thanks to everyone’s help!” (Wood)

“That’s right nya… We’re going to form an Adventurer Guild soon nya. We’ll also work hard to power up Wood nya.” (Brown)

““Nyaa!!”” (Nyaff tribe)

The Nyaff tribe raised their voices together. Wood smiled warmly and raised one arm toward the sky again.

There was still plenty of time today. It was fine to play to the fullest.

 

—

 

Has it been an hour since I started swinging the sword…?

The sun still shone brightly. Today’s sunlight was strong. I wiped my sweat with a fluffy towel. Stella watched my movements without getting bored. She answered when I spoke to her, but unlike usual, she did not start a conversation. She probably did not want to interrupt me.

I think I have regained a fair amount of my feel, but hmm… it is hard to understand by myself.

“I wonder objectively, how is my swordsmanship…?” (Elt)

“I think it is very good. Fast and sharp. It aligns with the style’s intention.” (Stella)

It’s not completely terrible… but I’m curious. From serious Stella’s perspective, how skilled am I with the sword? Do I have a decent level? At my parents’ home, there was a sword teacher, but he only came occasionally and left little impression. I don’t really remember being taught much. After learning the forms, I only repeated them over and over.

Hmm, maybe I’ll ask…

“By the way… what do you honestly think of my swordsmanship? What level do you think it is at?” (Elt)

Stella groaned and crossed her arms.

Ah, no good.

“…I only lightly observed your training… but I think you are reasonably strong.” (Stella)

“Hmm… is that so…” (Elt)

I made her feel pressured.

Well, she is a true martial artist and a passionate batter… so it’s probably not a lie.

“…By the way, how about that bath-loving adventurer? He is probably one of the top users in this village.” (Elt)

I brought up the topic of the adventurer in his thirties. He fought on the front lines even in the flower archer extermination battle. I saw his fighting up close a few times, and I thought his movements were different. He is probably one of the most skilled close combat adventurers.

“…He is moderately strong.” (Stella)

“What kind of difference is that?” (Elt)

“Maybe, Elt-sama has better natural talent. The other is probably better in actual battle experience…” (Stella)

“Hmm, so I’m not hopeless after all. That’s nice to hear.” (Elt)

It was probably a compliment, but it didn’t feel bad. Sword skill was never the most important thing for me. What mattered was calorie consumption. Yes, confirming the forms was incidental.

One thing was certain. I had to adjust the Chinese food Stella made to make it easier to eat. That meant eating a lot while adjusting the taste. If I didn’t exercise, I would definitely get fat. Dia also ate a lot, but I needed to be careful. I must not grow wider instead of taller.

However, what I learned later was… Stella’s words were to be taken literally.

 

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