LOTCH 11 Meaning Of The Sword

“Don’t stand like a girl! Your right foot is bent too much! Don’t stand bowlegged!”
“A, ano~, Sarah-san? Please go easier on me.”
“Don’t attach -san to my name!”

Whenever I made a mistake (Also then I put -san in the name) Sarah strike with a wooden sword in her hand.
It’s alright if its just that but, sometimes fireball also fly by. Scary.

If I took off my clothes now, you can see my body that is full of bruises. Should I think she’s being gentle for not using metal sword?

“Good grief, you can’t even win against common soldier with this you know. Really, you are so weak.”

Gununu. Even though you are behind the class in history and warfare strategy that you panicked… Yoshi I’ve decided.
I won’t go easy on tomorrows warfare strategy study meeting. I will also use the whip.

“Oh well. 15 minutes break. Then we will practice the basic again.”

Finally a break. Even though it’s been one hour, it feels like its only been 10 minutes.
Now muscle pain has occurred here and there already. I wonder if could take a 15 hours break instead of 15 minutes.

“…So, what are we doing now?”

Sarah and I sat on the edge of the practice ground resting. Side by side. What is this… This throbbing in my heart…? could it be, heart failure!? (TL Note : Face palmed)

I don’t understand. I’m feeling nervous. Sarah-san is so close.

“What do you mean what. It’s practice.”
“No, that’s not what I mean, what is this practice for?”

Even though I’ve been taught the basic strictly just now, what is this useful for.
No, I understand the basic is important… but what’s with the awfully ancient stance. I don’t understand swordsmanship so I can say nothing though.

“Aah, So it was that. ….Didn’t I told you about it?”
“For the time being I never heard about it”

I never heard so it was never talked about.

“Currently, the swordsmanship we practiced is the type that’s used on one on one duel.”

…How old fashioned. I was so surprised that my mouth was hanging down.

“Well, I understand what you want to say. A duel doesn’t occurs on battlefield so it’s useless right?”

So you understand. If a commander accepted a challenge in battlefield a lot of thing will be finished.

“But, there is no problem. Believe in me”
“I believe you however I will be thankful if you explained it…”

Well I do believer her. It’s not a wrong.

“Explanation… un, explanation is it……. I’m not good at explaining though….”
“I know. I will decipher it so it’s alright.”
“What do you mean decipher… well its alright. I’ll do my best to explain.”

I will also work hard to decipher it. By the way, because the other languages except Imperial Language died out, the word “Decipher” is almost dead to.

“Eeto, now we are practicing duel.”
“And the point is?”
“The end of term exam of swordsmanship is a duel.”

Fummu. I understand.
The mid term exam is the type where we have a light bout to show the teacher.

“Is we win the duel then it’s a pass?”
“Well. If you build the foundation you can get more than 60 points.”

I see, so it was for the sake of that.

“And also. The 5th grade end of term examination for swordsmanship graduation test is a duel with 3 person you know”

Swordsmanship branch is one of the department of this military school. The students may choose the one they like at the 2nd year.
I will talk about it later, now it’s about the graduation exam.

“3 person? 1 is the teacher, and the other 2?”
“1 person is a drunk teacher.”

……Ehh?

“Was that a joke?”
“I hate lying.”

In other word it’s the truth? Eh, really? The teacher will drink as they like while examining? I wonder if he’s addicted.

Please, explanation please! I try to appeal with my eyes.

“I will explain even if you didn’t look at me like that you know…. Eetone, he is surely drunk, it was to stimulate excited soldiers in the battlefield that is hard to predict.
“Fumu? In other word?”
“There are only few humans who can keep their sanity in the battlefield.” Especially drafted farmers.”
“Then the examination is to defeat a soldier that lost their sanity and in the state of confusion?”
“That’s right. The confused soldier will attack wholeheartedly and charge without fearing death. Only first class swordsman can deal with a person like that… or so Father said.”
“By the way was your father a first class swordsman?”
“Father is a second class” (TL Note : Ouch daddy)

is that so?
Sarah throat is tired and she cough. If I remember correctly, this is the first time she talk this long.
Furthermore it was a serious talk. Is this person really Sarah? I won’t be surprised if it’s actually another person.

“And, the 3rd person is?”
“Death row prisoner.”

…..What?

“Death row prisoners to kill.”

Eh?

“Eh, wai, um, eeh? Really?”
“I told you. I don’t like to joke.”

….That is, what to say, pretty extreme.

“When I heard it first I was also surprised you know. However, I understand at once.”
“Why?”
“Because, here is military school right? It’s a facility to train to murder you know?”

I think it’s misleading to say facility to train to murder …. however I understand what she’s trying to say.

“When we graduate we will be a soldier. Stand in the battlefield as commander. At that time, we can’t hesitate to kill enemy soldiers. Because, it might lead to the dead of your subordinate.”

Returning with even 1 more soldier to their hometown alive is the job of the commander. For this reason, you can’t hesitate.
Also sometimes you need to kill with your own hand.

“Of course there is only few students that can actually kill a death row prisoners in the test. Most students can’t kill because of their conscience. Even though the opponent is nefarious dead row prisoner. After all they never killed a human before.”

Though her tone is calm i felt sadness at the same time. I don’t know why she’s sad now.

“What happen if you can’t kill?”
“There is no problem. The 3rd exam is not actually examined, it can’t be learned from text book anyway. It’s just mental training.”

I don’t think killing a death row prisoner is just a mental training though.
However, a guy who can not bear killing someone and got mental breakdown is useless in battlefield.

In other word it might be such thing.

“I’m going to the swordsmanship department.”
“……”

I understand. I’ve heard about it a few times already.
But it can be done now.

“Yusep, what do you want to do?”

I want to go to Warfare Strategy Graduate school.
But I won’t say that.
Instead I will say this.

“I will work hard so Sarah won’t die”

I deceived her. When I heard about the current graduation exam I can’t say such thing.
But this is also the truth. The cheat hero entered Military School without looking at the reality. I though it was impossible before but now, I’ve made a friend.

Then, I will work hard for that very few friends. ….We’re friends right? It’s not my misunderstanding only right? it’s alright right?

“…..is that so”

She looks away from me and gaze at the front.
In that direction the setting sun in the horizon was seen.
She stands up and walk away. Then she face me again.

“Thank you.”

She said that while smiling.

“…wait, it passed 15 minutes already! Quickly return to practice! How long are you going to rest!”

She turns into the usual Sarah immediately.
Shouldn’t we enjoy the moment more…..

“Come on, stand up! Take your stance”
“Yes ,yes.”
“One yes is enough! Also your voice is small!”
“Yes!”

For now let’s make an effort to protect her.