The Nature of Possession

194 – EP.9 The blade does not cover the hand of the holder-5

***

– dang dang

The sound of distant bells spread across the night sky.

The heavy, perhaps dreary sound could not travel far and gradually fell to the ground.

And on the ground, it was heard even by me and Maria, who were swinging the sword.

This is the second time the bell has already rung. It must have been 2 hours.

I raised my sword thinking that I would relax for a while…

I don’t know if it’s because I lived in a martial arts world or if it’s useless, but I swung my sword without realizing the time was passing.

“Uhh… hah… hah…”

And the result is the appearance of Mary in front of my eyes.

She couldn’t even stand properly and was out of breath. It looks as if it will collapse if you touch it.

It was a series of one-sided battles.

When she swung her greatsword, I let go of it with my wooden sword, found a gap in the chain attack, and stabbed her with the tip of the sword to subdue her.

If we were to judge Maria’s skills by the standards of the martial arts world, she would be in the middle between second-class and first-class.

At least, it was a little surprising that Maria had a skill that was in the upper-middle class among the Heretic Judges.

Considering that the Paladins’ skills are first-class and at the peak of entry, it will be difficult to break through the preliminary round, let alone win a prize in the tournament.

After rolling her for 2 hours, I hoped her posture would improve a little bit, but she didn’t get any better.

I wonder if I’m losing my senses this way, so I decided to stop teaching.

“thank you for your effort.”

When I lowered the wooden sword and said, Maria sat down on the ground.

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Dirt from the training ground clung to her nun’s uniform.

Maria could barely breathe.

Is it because, unlike the paladins, they did not receive intensive training? It seems that your basic stamina is weak.

“after….”

I inhaled the fresh night air and exhaled it.

It hurts from living a quiet life, but it seems to get better after swinging the sword like this.

…I’m sorry I bothered Maria so much.

“Wake up.”

Feeling uncomfortable sitting on the cold floor, he reached out his hand to Maria.

“…….”

But she doesn’t respond.

Under the bowed head, something dripped down.

“Sister Maria?”

Worried and bent over.

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Did he know I was getting closer? Mary’s head went further down.

“Sister Maria… are you crying?”

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Drop by drop on the floor, like tears, I carefully ask.

Maria shook her head without answering.

It was negative.

However, it was rather positive.

More and more teardrops fell to the floor.

In the middle, you can also hear the sound of stealing your nose.

“…I’m sorry. Did I make it too hard for you?”

I looked back at myself swinging the sword excitedly and scratched my head.

He said he would teach me, so I studied hard, but he must be sad.

“……”

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Despite my words, Maria still showed no sign of raising her head.

In a situation where you can’t do this or that, you end up going round and round around her.

“…Saint.”

a few minutes like that. Maria cried and called me.

“Saint…”

“Yes, please.”

“I… I can’t do more.”

“yes?”

“I… I can’t do it anymore. Interpreting the Bible every day, improving my skills enough to beat the Paladins, and putting up with jealous glances from people around me saying that they are the Holy Son’s entourage…”

It seemed that something that had been piled up in Maria’s chest was gradually being pulled out.

Maria started talking about the things that weighed on her one by one.

Bible.

training.

gaze around.

Behavior as a heresy judge.

and…

“I am afraid of the expectations that the Holy Son has placed on me.”

Maria raised her head and met her gaze.

I don’t know what to expect from her.

“I swung my sword hard for 2 hours…but it didn’t reach the saint. I keep allowing gaps…nothing gets better…how am I going to compete and prove my qualifications…?”

Maria murmured as her shoulders moved up and down little by little.

What qualifications do you want to prove?

I wanted to ask, but I didn’t ask.

One thing is certain, that she did not volunteer to participate in the contest.

And I have a hunch that the existence of me is mixed to some extent in that decision.

Maria, who had vomited up everything, buried her face in her lap and cried silently.

I felt something salty.

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During my training, there were times when I was blocked by a wall.

It was like that before the first utterance, and even after that, I had to face small limitations.

Learning martial arts was fun for me, so I was happy to accept its limitations.

Because martial arts was my goal.

However, Maria is different.

Swordsmanship was a means to her. A means to satisfy the expectations that oppress her.

That’s why she’s being chased.

but i know

If you work with a chased heart, your skills will not grow.

I slowly grabbed Maria by the shoulders and raised her up.

It was impossible to raise her with my own strength, but Maria, realizing my intentions, stood up on her own halfway through.

It became the form of me and her facing each other.

Maria, covered in tears, kept trying to turn her head that way, probably feeling embarrassed belatedly.

“Sister Maria, I’m terribly sorry, but would you like to grab your weapon just one last time?”

I put strength on the hand holding my shoulder.

That’s right, since you said you’d take care of your posture, you should be responsible for what you said.

I just think you need to change the teaching method a bit.

***

At the saint’s words, Maria obediently raised her sword.

Not because I believed his words, but because it was the order of the saint.

‘I’m sure I’ll collapse again anyway.’

She was like this even while holding the sword.

The palm of her hand holding the sword was already full of blisters.

She put up with the bitter touch and firmly gripped the hilt of the greatsword.

holding the sword firmly.

That was the only realization I got through a saint.

Maria recalled the image of a saint who would draw out a sword in front of her, but she tilted her head.

It was because the presence of the saint, who had been facing him until just now, was felt from behind.

“Saint?”

Maria’s voice was full of questions.

“Sister Maria. Keep your posture.”

The voice of a saint heard from behind him.

Maria tilted her head, but took the posture she had learned from the textbook.

Legs moderately spread, sword raised upwards posture.

While taking that neat pose, the saint suddenly hugged her from behind.

“Aww!”

Maria’s scream echoed through the training ground.

“Don’t be alarmed. I’m not trying to do anything weird.”

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Despite her reaction, the saint’s voice was calm.

Rather, at that calmness, Maria was ashamed to see if she had made a fuss for no reason.

The saint folded his arms behind him.

She swallowed involuntarily at the firm feeling that came from behind her back.

“Swords and axes and spears. These are just blades.”

A soft voice ran down his back and into his ears.

“If the wielder has no will, they are not very dangerous.”

The saint moved her arm and swung the greatsword meaninglessly, and her arm moved as well.

– Booung

The greatsword cut through the air without stinging.

“What is the most important thing in handling a weapon?”

To the saint’s question, Mary answered as she had learned.

“It’s the correct posture and use in practice.”

“Ding. Unfortunately, that’s not the correct answer.”

Inho laughed. Maria felt her ears burning red.

“The answer is that you have to handle your weapon with willpower. Let’s look at the first stance.”

In-ho moved Maria’s leg with his foot, then swung her arm with his arm.

– Booung

The greatsword came down from above.

It was the most basic swordsmanship that Maria showed in front of In-ho throughout the fight.

“And the second posture was this?”

In-ho moved her feet and arms again, making her second pose.

– Booung

The greatsword, which had risen diagonally, was drawn down from left to right.

“In the textbook, this was a continuous movement, right?”

At Inho’s question, Maria nodded.

“In the textbook, it’s called a cascade, but when Sister Maria used it, it seemed to be separate.”

“That’s because I’m not good at it…”

“Now, relax your body.”

Inho cut off Maria’s words.

As Maria relaxed, Inho moved Maria by moving her arms and legs.

Maria’s legs moved as if sliding across the training ground, and the arm holding the sword swung wildly.

However, the appearance was not random cutting.

Each movement was precise, and the sharpness was indescribable.

“Well, how is it? Is it different?”

“Saint? Just this…”

Letting go of the tight body, Inho spoke. Maria hurriedly turned to look at him.

Inho smiled and took the bayonet from Maria.

“The swordsmanship here emphasizes efficiency. Accurate and clean movements. At first glance, it may seem reasonable, but… I have a different opinion.”

In-ho, who had distanced himself from Maria, swung his greatsword a few times as if warming up, then straightened up.

“It is the will of the sword-wielder that must precede efficiency.”

In-ho starts swinging his sword.

“The mindset of having to get rid of the person in front of me… makes this sword.”

Like a beast’s front paw, a fierce and strong blow appears.

“Maybe you feel like subduing your opponent through softness, right?”

Suddenly, the greatsword dances like flowing water.

“…….”

Maria had the illusion that all the light in the world was shining on him.

No, it was not an illusion. The saint was shining.

‘Ah… I’m spending time with someone like this right now.’

Maria felt like she was about to burst into tears because of the excitement that welled up in her heart.

While Maria stared at In-ho in dismay, In-ho finished the sword dance and handed her a sword.

“Sister Maria. I don’t move with the hand of the person holding me. It moves with the heart of the person holding me.”

A saint who speaks puzzling things.

Maria mechanically nodded.

I’m not sure, but I feel like I’ve got a clue.

And in fact, she was just fine.

– Excitement

And it was because my heart skipped a beat at the warmth that still remained on my hand, as if I had folded my arms.