Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 6: Way of Walking / Magic Training
Fourteen days have passed since I was confined. Immediately after breakfast, I began meditating and have been pursuing the teacher continuously within the spirit realm.
“Yaaah! Taaaah! …Take this!”
I’ve tried various things so far, but I feel like my attacks are becoming too monotonous.
“Don’t rely solely on force. Do you have the will to strike down your opponent? If you don’t imbue each strike with that intent, it won’t be enticing.”
“I- I know… but, I just… don’t feel like I can land a hit…”
“If you hesitate even a little bit, your meditation might break. You mustn’t get bored of it even for a moment.”
(Bored? Does that mean bored of it? I’m not bored, but when I feel like I’m not landing any hits at all, I just want even a little bit of hope…)
Even when I try to guide the teacher’s movements to create an opening, no gap appears.
Ad
If this were a game, it’d probably show a zero hit chance. The teacher avoids my full-force strikes with minimal effort, only making the barest movements.
He’s no longer even holding a branch; he’s reading a book instead. It was as if he didn’t even need to look at me—it’s almost enough to make me cry.
“Oh… Did I write something like this in my old days?”
Turns out, the teacher’s book was his own writing, and so I thought that now was the perfect chance to seize an opening, but…
“—There…!”
With a sharp snap, the teacher closes the book. I thrust forward, but to my surprise, the momentum was deflected by the book the teacher was holding.
My vision spun around as I was thrown off balance. When I regained my , I was lying face-up in the grass, gazing at the sky.
“Haah, haah…”
Even inside the spirit realm, I was out of breath and exhausted just like in the real world. As I lay there, the teacher crouched beside me, placing a hand on his cheek, smiling.
“Even if you can’t hit me, chasing me will help you improve your training. There’s no need to rush.”
“Hah… but, you said to try to hit you, so I really want to land a hit.”
“You’re going to hit an old bones like me with all your strength… but I’ll refrain from teasing you. The reason I can avoid your attacks is because you’re distracted when you attack.”
The teacher is older than me, but still young enough to be considered an adult. I understand that “old bones” doesn’t refer to appearance, but to his lifetime of experience.
“Distraction… I admit that trying to guide your movements or overthinking this is presumptuous,”
“Being humble isn’t a bad thing, but when wielding a sword, you must clear your mind. If you want to hit the target, if you want to win, that intent will inevitably show in your movements.”
“…Oh…”
I had been able to keep my mind blank during continuous swinging, but ever since I started engaging in combat with him, I had not been able to do that—and I hadn’t even questioned it.
“That feeling of being one with the wooden sword when I swing it – that state of mind- is something I want to continue even when in actual combat.”
“Yes. You’ve been chasing after me for seven days now, and in this world, it’s just gone from early morning to late afternoon.”
“That’s right. One day in the real world equals twenty days in the spirit realm.”
“…Even I want to emulate your carefree attitude. It’s admirable. Well, it’s about time for a meal, so maybe you should head back?”
Speaking of mid-afternoon, it seemed like quite some time has passed since I ate – Reis-san wasn’t the kind of person to rush me at mealtimes, so I’ve really been fortunate.
“Master, I’ll take my leave for now. Once I finish eating, I’ll immediately resume meditation.”
“It’s good that you’re so dedicated to your training, but you should also keep track of what’s happening in the real world. When the situation becomes urgent, you might need to change the training schedule.”
“got it.”
I stood up and bowed to the teacher. When I open my eyes after ending my meditation, what I was seeing had changed.
There was a gentle knock on the cell door. At first I couldn’t react, and it was only when the knock came again that I finally realized what was happening.
“Y-Yes. Sorry, I couldn’t respond immediately.”
“Your Highness, is there something wrong with you…”
(Saying “I’m fine” sounds like superficial cheerfulness… but overall, I feel fine.)
“I was just lost in thought.”
There’s nothing else to do, so I didn’t say anything. Reis still seems to be standing on the other side of the door.
(…Huh?)
I hear a faint sound like metal scraping. Ever since I began training in the spirit Realm, my senses had become sharper than before.
“I’m sorry, it was an unnecessary worry. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you… Ah, um, Reis, do you ever go outside? I heard horses yesterday.”
Ad
At that moment, I was in the middle of meditation training, but the teacher told me about the outside.
“I am always in this castle. That’s my duty.”
“I see…”
“Would you like to know what the other soldiers are doing?”
“No, I’m only curious about you.”
Regarding the other soldiers, I think I might have to fight them if I escape here. Especially the man who shackled me—I realize now, during this training, that he’s quite skilled.
(Though, among everyone I’ve seen so far, the strongest is Muraku-sensei.)
“Even though they’re royal soldiers, they act on the orders of the nobles.”
“…”
There’s no need to tell me – Reis-san is telling me things he probably shouldn’t even tell me.
When I heard the word “noble,” the first person that came to mind was Count Vandel. From the moment I arrived at this castle, I was also worried whether he might do something since he’s been hostile toward me.
But I can’t ask about that here. Just mentioning Vandell’s name might make the situation I’m in worse.
I wish I could rely on Reis-san, then it wouldn’t be that hard to get out of here… Even as this thought crossed my mind, I shook my head.
“Reis-san, you don’t take orders from a nobleman, do you?”
“I serve the royal family. You may wonder why I’m locking Your Highness in a place like this…”
Ad
“That’s understandable. Still, I believe I wouldn’t have survived this long without you, so I’m grateful.”
It’s not an exaggeration—those words come from the heart.
I don’t want to appeal to emotions, but even saying this makes me seem selfish and stubborn.
“…When you’ve finished your meal, please set out the dishes as usual.”
His tone is mostly formal, but I hear a slight tremor in his voice.
Steam was rising from the soup, which should have cooled down by now. Maybe he noticed it hadn’t been touched, I wonder if he reheated it.
The soup, which should be bland, tastes surprisingly good now. As I take a bite of bread, I hear a small animal cry that I haven’t heard in a while.
◆◇◆
The next time I enter the spirit realm, I was carrying a mouse on my shoulder.
“…Since I am also a wooden sword, I find it a bit terrifying to see this little creature. I never imagined you’d be able to tame it this much.”
“Ahaha… I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would turn out like this either.”
I never imagined the mouse would come along during meditation training. Maybe it became a companion after I started feeding it.
Mice also gnaws on wood, so it might be considered an enemy by the teacher— but in the spirit realm, it’s much more docile than in the real world. When I set it down, it runs over and hops onto the stone where the teacher usually sits.
“Wow, you’re so clever… Ah, but it’s not just because it’s sitting on the stone; but it feels like you understand what I want to say.”
“Why are you overthinking so much… Honestly. But, yes, it’s quite smart. let’s practice water magic today before practicing walking again.”
Ad
“Eh… M-magic!?”
“Your eyes are shining brighter than when you were learning swordsmanship… training doesn’t mean you’ll be casting spells straight away. Follow me.”
Taking the mouse with me, I follow the teacher as we walk into the forest. After a while, I hear some sounds.
Then, the forest opens up again, revealing a small waterfall flowing down from a considerable height.