Chapter 19: CH 19

19 - The Old Man From The Country Side Dodges

“TAKE THIS AND THIS AND THIS!” Lucy screamed.

“Kuh… this is…!” I groaned.

It’s spell, after spell, after spell in a constant barrage.

Sometimes, it was fire, sometimes, it was freezing cold air, and sometimes, it was lightning, but I was able to handle the Super-Class Hell Zone at my feet.

I have never fought a mage.

I had mock combat with my disciples and knights, and the native wildlife and the monsters that roamed around the vicinity of the village.

I have never once faced an opponent who could use magic.

That’s why I’m only learning how to now, while I’m forced to half-seriously fight Lucy.

The odds of a fight between a mage and a swordsman were, honestly, the worst.

“–Shi…!”

“Oh, you’ve cut it down? Hahaha, how fun!”

I slashed at an approaching ice projectile and knocked it down.

Whoah, that was dangerous. If I was a little too late, it would have been “Shink.” for me.

“Does every mage cast spells like you?!” I yelled.

“No way!” Lucy cried. “You haven’t even seen the kind of output I can make so far!”

As I dodged the flames, cut the ice, and handled the lightning, I couldn’t help but complain.

No, honestly, it’s such a farce that even a court jester wouldn’t have had this much material to work with.

This battle began with a one-sided declaration.

Our starting positions were so far away that we couldn’t teach each other if we reached out, but now I can’t shorten the distance as much as I’d like to, I just have enough time to dodge the spells coming from beyond my sword’s reach, I was just killing time.

If my opponent was the usual, I could still handle it and move forward.

However, there were many magical attacks that you couldn’t block with a physical sword.

And honestly, to add on that, whether this was because of who Lucy was or how all magicians were, the magical hail constantly coming down on me has me at a severe disadvantage.

“I think it’s okay to work you a little harder, though!” Lucy said.

“Hmm, what did you just say?” Lucy said. “I already told you that I’m older than you!”

As soon as I tried to close the distance, I stepped on a flurry of flames spewing out from the ground.

This fight has made me keenly aware that physical defense tactics have a hard time working against magic.

This is because there was no “wind-up” that weapons generally had.

Although there was the preliminary action of holding out your hand, you can’t predict when and where the attacks will come from after. I have to hesitate a moment after seeing it, and it’s really tough mentally.

“How about this?!” Lucy cried.

“Oh, fuck you…!” I yelled.

She unleashed a spell like a compressed water gun alongside the fire, ice, and lightning.

I block the water blast with the flat of my longsword and deflect it.

Unlike fire and thunder, water is a physical substance no matter how far it goes, so I’m perfectly capable of handling it with a weapon like this.

“Hmm, I didn’t think you could handle this much,” Lucy said. “That’s impressive.”

“… You’ve got a lot of nerve…!” I growled.

No one wants to start dancing around in a circle thanks to magical spells. I just want to have a nice dance with a pretty girl. I’ve never learned how to dance, though.

If you saw this battle as a spectator, you could say we’re even.

You could also say that we each lack a decisive factor for victory.

I can’t get close to Lucy, so I have no angle of attack.

Lucy is Lucy and can’t hit me with her spells, so she can’t get a decisive hit in.

Perhaps her power could let her shoot magic in a wider range.

But this isn’t a serious battle. It’s a test of skill, at best.

If she expands the range of her magic any further, it’d have a considerable effect on her surroundings. She probably knows that and is intentionally limiting her spells to single-target attacks.

“I can’t help it, I was trying to hold back so far…” Lucy said. “But, this will be a special one.”

“…?”

I observe her as I half-dodge the flames bursting into the area.

… Can I step in now?

I don’t know what she’s decided to do now, but now that there’s a gap in her assault, this may be my chance. It’s too much to cut her down, so if knock her down with the hilt, I should be able to end this meaningless battle.

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My whole body is wet because of the water magic, my bangs are slightly singed from the fire, and my clothes are also lightly burnt due to the lightning sparks. It’s not a good idea to stretch this battle any longer.

“–Tsua…?!”

It was the moment I tried to close the distance, trying to do it as quickly as possible.

I got a terrible premonition similar to chills down my spine, I was forced to move my body sideways.

“… What?” Lucy asked. “Didn’t you realize I could avoid that, too?”

At that moment:

The place where she was standing a moment ago has become distorted.

–Oh no! This is bad!

What is it this now?! This wasn’t like fire or water. It’s as if the space itself was devoured by something.

Maybe, but if it was being devoured, half of my body would have been twisted by the distortion. I felt that much fear.

“–Hah, THAT’S ENOUGH! STOP, STOP!” Lucy yelled.

I was overwhelmed by such an unprecedented situation.

Along with Lucy’s loud cry, this spontaneous and useless battle ended as abruptly as it had started.

“… Are you satisfied?” Lucy asked.

I’m not sure what exactly Lucy is saying, as she gingerly raised her arms skyward.

Well, I’m only dissatisfied! Suddenly being thrown into this ridiculous battle. I’m not some battle maniac.

“Mnn,” I said. “I got a little serious with that last one, though. If you could avoid that, it seems your usual means would keep me from attacking at all.”

“I’m glad to see you’re pleased with yourself, and above all…” Lucy said.

Her straightforward expression makes me drop my shoulders and relax.

For the moment, was it okay to say that she was testing a magical experiment or the results of her research? I don’t want to be her partner again.

“You’re quite strong, aren’t you Sir?” Lucy said. “I can see why Thyss longs to reach your level.”

“No way, that’s too strong of a compliment,” I said. “If you weren’t restricting yourself, you could have killed me over and over as many times as you wanted.”

I naturally had to reject her words.

With Lucy’s power, she should have been able to beat me as many times as she pleased. If she engulfed me in a sea of flame, it would be crazy if it didn’t end me there.

Well, that’s only if her purpose was crushing me.

If she wanted to test my skills like right now, that method may be a little inappropriate.

“… Hehe,” Lucy chuckled. “You don’t seem to be angry, Sir.”

“Huh?” I asked. “Oh… well, let’s just say you were just a nice inconvenience, for the moment.”

“Hahahaha! Forgive me,” she said.

She’s apologizing, I’ve suddenly been put into a disadvantageous fight by a superior opponent, and I could have been killed if I made a single mistake. Normally, the correct response would be to get angry and start yelling at them.

But, somehow I didn’t feel like doing that.

Maybe I’m exhausted, maybe it’s because I’ve resigned myself to accepting it’s useless, or maybe it’s because I felt a lot of emotion, having faced magic for the first time.

There’s all manner of emotions mixed in but for some reason, anger is not one of them.

“Well on that note,” Lucy said. “I’m the one at fault for assaulting you. As an apology, please visit me at the Magician’s Academy next time. I’m sure we can work something out.”

“I don’t have any magical aptitude…” I said. “But well, if I get the chance.”

The Magician’s Academy was the training school for magicians run by Revelis, for the sake of its Magic Division. Since people who can handle magic are so precious, it falls to the entire state to secure these talented human resources.

If you’re with the Head of the Magic Division, it’s plausible that you could get a good look at the academy.

But I wonder if it would help me.

I am a swordsman, after all.

For the moment, I think it’s a plus that I was able to tangle with the Head of the Magic Division without any damage.

So long as I’m based here at the royal capital, I’ve got a lot of connections. Though, I don’t mean to do anything concrete.

I’m just a mentor, just an old man.

“Well then, if my research on new magic shows progress, I’d like to do this again, please.”

“Oh, I think I’ll refuse,” I said.

“Why so?!” Lucy cried. “I believe you had fun, too?!”

“Isn’t that the opposite of what happened?!”

I don’t know how many lives I’ve got for such a dangerous job.

And that was how I and Lucy met.

And how that hectic morning passed.

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