considering that i''ll be fighting the boss monster anyway..."i''ll do it."
i decided to accept ivan''s request.
and immediately after doing so, he smiled at me.
though, it''s weird to see an almost-skeleton face smile.
anyway...
"can i ask something?"
i said to ivan.
-sure, what is it?
he responded.
and hearing that...
"why are you so angry at the boss monster?"
i asked him that question.
-yeah, i was wondering as well.
-meep...
zephyrus and pyro followed.
-...
ivan became quiet at my question, and it started to scare me.
though...
"..."
i didn''t show it on my face.
then finally, after a while...
-remember when i said all the servants died?
ivan finally spoke.
i just nodded at his question.
-it''s not entirely true...
and then ivan declared that!
-one of the servants survived.
he said.
then suddenly, his already scary face became even scarier as he got angry!
and with that face...
-he''s the one that led the demon here. he conspired with them to destroy the territory!
ivan exclaimed in anger.
-for what?!
-for a fucking eternal life?!
his enraged voice sent shivers down my spine.
"..."
i just waited in silence, letting ivan calm himself down.
-...
-...
zephyrus and pyro did the same.
and after a while...
-raye.
ivan turned to face me.
"yeah?"
i responded.
-with your current strength, you can''t win against that bitch.
he said.
''his words are starting to get more vile now.''
it''s kinda funny seeing a skeleton curse.
anyway...
"well, i already kinda expected the boss to be stronger than me."
i replied.
hearing my words, ivan nodded his head.
and looking me straight in the eyes...
-i''ll help you get stronger.
ivan said that seriously.
"huh?"
i was stunned.
and before i could even respond properly...
-i''ll teach you how to properly wield the sword. i''ll be teaching you our family''s techniques.
ivan followed up.
"wha...?"
*****
"hup!"
swoosh—
swish—
fwip—!
i swung my sword again and again.
and seeing me do that...
-wrong! your posture, distribution of strength, hand and feet placement... all wrong!
ivan shouted at me.
"ugh..."
we immediately started training as soon as i accepted his suggestion to teach me.
-place your feet and hands like this, and swing like this...
swish—!
ivan said, demonstrating a simple but clean vertical slash.
"..."
fwip-
i imitated his stance and tried my best to copy his moves, and with that...
swish—!
i swung my sword straight downward!
-that''s better.
ivan muttered.
and his words made me smile.
though...
-but that''s not enough. do it a few more times.
my smile immediately disappeared after hearing that.
and so...
swish—
i continued swinging my sword again and again.
-meep!
pyro cheered for me.
-do your best, young man. he might''ve lost a lot of his strength, but ivan was a very strong swordmaster before.
and zephyrus did the same.
swish—
-no! your hand is holding the hilt too firmly!
ivan exclaimed.
"ugh..."
and i just groaned in annoyance.
...
...
after about 8 hours...
"haaa... haaa... huff..."
i was out of breath, tired from swinging my sword.
it felt like my arms were about to fall off.
and seeing me like that...
-that''s enough for today. you should rest first.
ivan stopped our training.
''thank god.''
i thought.
clank—
and then i let go of my sword.
thud—
i immediately sat on the ground, catching my breath.
i was so exhausted, hungry, and thirsty.
-meep!
pyro, concerned about my condition, quickly approached me.
"haaa... i''m... huff... fine..."
i said to reassure him, but he didn''t seem to believe me.
-good work.
zephyrus said as he flew over.
and looking at him...
"thanks."
i simply replied and nodded my head.
...
...
after resting for a while, i headed out of the mansion with zephyrus and pyro.
i then drank a lot of water in the spring, and while i was there...
i also ate the last stock of giant boar meat i had.
''ugh, my body is killing me...''
i thought, feeling pain all over.
it felt like my muscles were complaining about being overworked.
but even though i want to stop the training...
i can''t.
i need ivan''s teaching, after all.
''i need to get strong fast and leave this place.''
and so, i need to endure this.
*****
after eating and drinking on the 1st floor...
i cleaned up the left and middle rooms down there, killing the monster wolves and kobolds.
and after doing that...
i went back to where ivan was.
-you should rest properly, and after that, we''ll continue the training.
ivan said that as soon as i came back.
"yeah, i''m just here to say see you later."
and i responded. read exclusive content at empire
-meep!
-see you later, ivan.
pyro and zephyrus followed.
and with a smile on his face...
-haha, yeah, see you later.
ivan replied.
"..."
oddly enough, he didn''t look scary anymore to me. sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
and so, with that...
i went back to the 1st room on the left.
though, before doing so...
"i''ll be using your room."
i said to ivan.
and with a laugh...
-feel free to. so rest up properly.
ivan said that to me.
creak—
thud-
and i left the room.
...
...
and just like that, before i knew it...
10 days had already passed.
...
*****
swoosh—
-you''ve really improved a lot.
ivan said, seeing me demonstrate the moves he taught me these past days.
-you''re not really talented, but you make up for it with hard work and pure dedication.
he added.
and hearing his words...
"thanks."
all i could do was thank him.
"it''s all because you''re the one that taught me."
i added, smiling at him.
-is that so? i''m flustered.
ivan responded, smiling.
"yeah, you don''t really look like it."
and i jokingly added, seeing his creepy rotting face smile.
we''d gotten really close after spending so much time with each other.
-meep meep!
pyro then approached me and congratulated me on my improvement.
-you''re not that weak anymore, huh.
and zephyrus kind of did the same.
and proudly...
"haha, thanks."
i responded to both of them.
"anyway, i should rest now."
i added.
normally, i would train more until i was exhausted.
but today was different.
after all...
i''m gonna fight the cannibal tiger tomorrow!
-rest well.
ivan said.
and with that...
"yeah, i will."
creak—
thud—
i left the room with pyro on my shoulder and zephyrus on my head.