Chapter 5.  The Guard Unit’s Sword (1)

To add to the exaggeration, it was a mesmerizing down swing.

It was a perfect one with nothing to fault with respect to speed, power, posture, angle, or anything else.

It wasn’t fast enough that it couldn’t be seen with naked eyes.  It wasn’t as heavy as if it had the power of a giant man.  It was just that there was nothing to fault it for.

So, it was all that surprising that Van’s wooden sword broke off Dolby’s.

“…..Uh?”

Dolby blankly stared at his own wooden sword.  It wasn’t an often occurrence to see a wooden sword break.  If clashing wooden swords were to crash into each other with enough power to break them then dropping the wooden sword would occur before they would break.

Dolby wasn’t the only to be having that strange feeling.  Immediately at that point, even Aidan suddenly got up and watched them.

‘That downswing is…..’

The down swing that Van has just demonstrated caused everyone to be in awe, but the down-swing that he just showed was special.  It wasn’t only because it broke the wooden sword.  That path….Aidan knew of the downswing that made the perfect perpendicular angle with the ground.

‘Jansen’s down-swing?  How could that be…..’

Worrying about it has been pushed out for a later time.  Aidan raised his voice.

“Enough!  That would do.  Van.”

Van loosened the hand with which he was holding the sword.  Van smiled as he was looking over at Dolby who wasn’t able to come out of the shock.

“I’ve won?”

Dolby could not respond.  He was just looking down on his broken wooden sword, perhaps because he wasn’t able to escape from the shock that he has just lost to Van who has never held a sword in his hand.

“Whoa!  Van!  You, slimy boy!”

“How and when did you train like this by yourself?”

“I knew that he would make it.  I knew it?”

The members of the guard unit cheered as they rushed towards Van.  There was no one, among them, who thought that Van was going to defeat Dolby.  It was because there was a fundamental difference that couldn’t be overcome between the one who fought for work against someone who didn’t.

“The final down swing was the killer!  Damn, even I won’t be confident enough to make it look like that.”

“How long have you been training by yourself?”

“I, not sure.  Fairly long?”

“You cocky lad.  Alright.  Will let you get off this time.  Kraahh, Dolby, so why did you bluff so much?  Just to get embarrassed in big time, like this.”

Upon hearing the guards, Dolby turned his back and his face turned red.  Looking at Dolby as he moved away, Van smiled.

Van didn’t initially think that he could defeat Dolby.  It was because all of his experience had belonged to Jansen.  He wasn’t sure whether that would also work in a real fight.

And that question has now been answered.

Jansen’s experience would become his own.

That was, every sword that he would hold from now on….the experience of the owners of those swords were to be his own.  He could become stronger.

§

“Good job.”

It was in the captain’s office.  Aidan spoke calmly to Van who was looking around the well organized room.

“Your swordsmanship was beyond what I had expected.  Maybe….It appears that you’ve been training for a while now.”

“Yes, sir.  I have.”

It wasn’t a complete lie.  Although the time that he has trained might not have been very long, Jansen’s memory certainly wasn’t a short one.

“Must have been tough.”

In fact, his questions haven’t been completely answered, but Aidan did not probe further.  If it was something that he could talk about, Van would have said it first, Aidan thought.  What he wanted to know were just two things.  Was Van a good swordsman.  And was he a good man.

The former one has been verified as of today, but the letter one has already been verified since he has known Van for a long time.  Aidan spoke.

“Our ‘our guard unit’ has never let any village people to succumb to death unfairly for the past 10 years.  Everything was taken care of at our unit whether there were thieves, beasts, and even dead spirits were overrunning the village.  Do you know what that means?”

“Um….That means the guard unit is awesome.  And also honorable.”

“Right.  And you are now one of the members of that awesome, honorable guard unit.”

Aidan placed his hand on Van’s shoulder.

“The guard unit always welcomes an excellent swordsman.  You start tomorrow.  Any objections?”

“No sir.”

“Good.  You can go now.  You probably have more to talk about with Jansen than you do with me.”

That was what Aidan said.

However, contrary to his expectation, or beyond anyone else’s expectation for that matter, Jansen spoke as soon as he got a glimpse of Van, entering the house.

“Did you pass?”

“…..Yes.”

“Good job.  Go rest.”

Jansen appeared that he already knew everything.  Van was overcome with emotions upon seeing Jansen like that.

“…..Thank you.  Master.”

“Thank you, what a BS.  Stop saying cringing things and just go to bed.  You’ll be busy starting tomorrow.”

“And I’m sorry.  I should….should have told you sooner.”

Jansen looked at Van’s hands, instead of answering.  His hands did not have time to heal recently.  It was like how his, own hands were at one point in time.  Jansen murmured.

“Children would become like their parents.”

“…..Sir?”

“Pupils and teachers must also become alike.  Seeing that both you and I are stubborn.”

Van momentarily groaned upon hearing that.  Come to think of it, Jansen, too, was a swordsman at one time.

Was it appropriate to ask him questions.

‘No, not today.’

As Jansen did not ask Van about much, either.  Instead of questions, Van made a promise.

“I’ll let you live in luxury after becoming the ultimate swordsman in the world.”

“Live in what luxury.  Speak after you’ve become the ultimate in the neighborhood first.”

“Just watch me.  I’ll make it!  I promise!”

Yes.  He promised.

§

“Hey, Van.  I heard that you’ve joined the guard unit?”

“You didn’t get beat up to the point of pulverization by Jansen?”

“At any rate, congratulations.  You’ll be protecting us, from now on, huh?  Huh-huh, gosh…..”

People congratulated him in their own ways.  Although the village grew big enough to have its own guard unit, it was still a small enough village such that everyone there knew everyone.

Van raised his shoulders high, and walked audaciously.  Alright.  He was now a member of the guard unit.  All that was left for him was to be successful.  After learning more swordsmanship, and gallantly winning in the king’s tournament later, even….And in a united force, would wipe out the enemy in the war against the rebels, as well.

By catching the king’s eyes that way and possibly marry the princess then…..

“What are you laughing about like that?”

“Ah, gosh!”

It was Dolby.  He was sullenly staring at Van.  Van spoke, calming himself down.

“What is it.  Loser.  You’ve come to be my guide?”

“…..Don’t be so cocky just because you’ve won once.  I’ll turn the table around next time.”

He seemed to have been so upset.  That was understandable.  He unilaterally lost to someone he used to tease by calling Van a geek.  Grunting, Dolby spoke.

“The captain sent me.  He has asked me to tell you some basic information.”

“Ah, I see.  Which unit am I supposed to be part of, now?”

“A new member is always responsible for the gates, no exceptions.  Once you put in some experience under your belt then you may be able to hit the back of the neighborhood punks and suck some juice out of them, but it won’t be possible even after a few years.  You will be holding the torch by the gate for a long while.”

“Oh, am I going to be checking on the merchants and stuff like that?”

“What were you hearing.  I said that all you will be doing is to hold the torches and walk around the village wall?”

“What if an outlaw appears?  Do I fight?”

“…..Never mind.  What can I say to a deranged person like you?”

Dolby shook his head widely as he looked at Van who appeared to be filled with delusion.  His head would be filled with heroic events and marrying the princess in the end, Dolby thought.

“Let’s just go get your supplies first.  Now that you’re a guard member, you should have an armor suit and a sword.”

“…..Ah, right.  I would get a sword?”

Van’s eyes sparkled.

A sword.  Finally, Van would have a sword.  Dolby giggled as he looked at Van in such an excited state.

“Don’t expect too much.  You will get a hand me down sword used by the old timers.  To receive a new sword, you’d have to be at least a deputy level.  Or make a great accomplishment.”

“Used one would be much better!”

“…..Much better?”

Dolby shook his head as if to say that he couldn’t understand it.  Instead of clarifying, Van laughed with a smirk.  If it was earlier, he would look forward to receiving a new sword, but the situation was not the same now.

Entering the supply warehouse like that, Van couldn’t help, but brighten up as he surveyed the surrounding.  The warehouse was filled with all kinds of weapons.

[You are holding the old saber that was held ‘by a novice swordsman that only studied the kingdom’s swordsmanship.’]

[You are holding the small sword with the stains of ‘an ordinary swordsman who studied pleasant swordsmanship.’

[You are holding a long sword polished by ‘exemplary swordsman with and without any pros and cons.’]

It might be an ordinary warehouse to someone, but to Van, it was a paradise.

Having held this and that in his hands, Van put on a jubilant smile.

‘Joining the guard unit was a great idea….!’

It was a happy selection time.