Count Welton, holding his glass said.
“Zenith bastards are completely cornered.”
“They are keeping silent about what happened.”
After the incident in Apton, the Zenith church had completely shut their doors and cut off communication with the outside world.
All those actions were an acknowledgement of what happened, and the world was only getting angrier at their actions.
“They will soon choose something.”
“I guess so.”
Silence is, after all, just time-buying, and they won’t be able to stay like that forever.
“Is it war or the dissolution of the church, they will have to choose one.”
The dissolution of the church was no different from Zenith giving up the status of God, so it was an impossible act.
So if they had to choose, they would pick war and inevitably, it would be a great war which would bring chaos into the world.
But it won’t happen right away.
“Is the leader of the Seven Knights still missing?”
“Yes, brother. According to the information given by Tigris, he hasn’t returned to the homeland.”
Tigris is a secret intelligence organization and has been a business partner of the Eastern nobles.
“I can guess what might have happened.”
“He is a monster.”
Count Welton recalled Kreon, Zenith’s strongest sword under the pseudonym of Sable.
He hadn’t crossed swords with the man, but he heard that even Beryl couldn’t be an opponent to him.
Even if there is a difference between Sword Masters, could they be so overwhelming to crush the opponent?
‘If it’s a Sword King, it is possible.’
It wasn’t looking down on Beryl’s skills, but it would be possible if the opponent was too well versed in swords.
If so, then if Kreon’s skills were comparable to the level of a sword king, then it was possible.
‘If we clash swords.’
It wasn’t known.
But the Count knew it wouldn’t be easy to know who would win and lose.
He would have to fight to know.
“I don’t know what happened to that monster, but war would be delayed till he comes.”
Kreon is the core power of the Zenith church.
A strategic weapon which could change the flow of the battlefield.
If such a person wasn’t there, then Zenith church would keep hiding.
Hearing the Count’s words, Viscount Balle responded.
“They know it a lot better than anyone. Aren’t they a war church?”
Zenith is the God of War.
So the Zenith church was called ‘War Church’. Which meant, they were more aware of their current situation than anyone else.
“We will keep an eye on them.”
“Yes. More so than ever.”
“You said Jamie was learning the sword. Why?”
This was the same question the Count had when he heard Jamie say it.
The Count smiled and gently swirled the wine in his glass.
“Needs it.”
“You mean Jamie?”
“Right.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to just focus on magic?”
Viscount Balle couldn’t understand it.
Jamie’s talents were well known to everyone.
The one to challenge the legendary 9th class. The magic world was paying attention, but even the famous magicians around the world were looking at this kid.
“He showed me his resolve.”
“Resolve?”
“A secret between rich people, so don’t ask.”
Count Welton joked about it.
And to give a little reassurance to the Viscount.
“You don’t have to worry, he didn’t put away magic.”
“But trying to catch both rabbits…”
“He showed me his resolve, so I trusted him. Jamie is confident.”
The words of Marquis Linmel reassured the Count to some extent in recent times.
-Just give him support both physically and mentally. And he will be completed on his own.
With that said, Jamie went to Apton and grew a lot.
It could be because of the many incidents that happened, but what Marquis Linmel said wasn't wrong.
“Don’t ask more.”
“Fine. But will brother teach him?”
“No way. Is it reasonable for a Sword Master to teach a kid who just picked up a sword?”
“You are so strict.”
“You? Normally too, there is an order to be followed. You don’t directly involve yourself in the training of your kids, right?”
“I do.”
The Count coughed at how nonchalantly he agreed.
“Anyway. Hamilton is teaching him. Once the foundation is laid, I will teach him the family swordsmanship.”
“If it is Hamilton, then it must have been amazing. Is he learning well?”
“It was the first time Hamilton reacted like that.”
“Like what?”
Instead of answering, the Count smiled.
He himself took basic training for a year, but his son would be done sooner than one could imagine.
“I apologize for greeting you this late, Viscount.”
Jamie greeted the Viscount the next day at breakfast.
Originally he should have done it the day before, but thanks to the adults who took the duty, he was able to finish his training.
“No need. Learning the sword now?”
“Yes.”
“Work hard. I have high expectations of you.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Jamie answered and saw Ash who was waving at him. He lightly pushed her aside and looked to the side where a girl was bowing her head.
Rebecca Balle. The reincarnation of Jane.
She bowed her head with clasped hands.
‘What is it with her?’
As Jamie titled his head, their eyes met and she looked away.
Jamie frowned.
‘Di-did I ever do something wrong to her?’
This was his first time seeing her after the banquet.
He didn’t even have the time to do anything wrong.
And the meal started, but Rebecca didn’t utter a single word during that meal.
‘What could it be?’
Rebecca’s expression haunted him.
She tried very hard to look at him.
Did he really do something wrong?
‘Wouldn’t it be a problem?’
Again, he never saw her after the banquet!
And he hadn’t seen her till breakfast time.
No matter what he thought he couldn’t understand.
Jamie took a deep breath.
“Is trainee breathing like that because of this situation?”
“Ah no!”
“No, what no?”
Jamie closed his eyes at Hamilton’s scream.
Jamie was currently doing a headstand against the wall.
Sweat was forming on his forehead.
He was told that this was good for blood circulation. Since he overworked the body yesterday, he was asked to do this to make the blood flow in his body.
He had to do it whether he wanted to or not.
After all, his body was back to normal by the morning because of the Orb of life.
“Up.”
“Yes!”
Jamie got up.
Blood rushed to his head and his face turned red.
“Did you finish the thousandth one yesterday?”
“I made it till the end.”
“Show me.”
Jamie went ahead and grabbed the wooden sword.
It was the first time he held it since yesterday, but he could still fully remember the flow.
Before heading to bed, he made sure to review the video which Black had recorded.
Truly an exemplary student.
“Start.”
At Hamilton’s signal Jamie began to perform the chain of movements he learnt yesterday.
And Hamilton couldn't help but be shocked.
It was clean.
No need for other words.
Jamie’s movements were very clean.
Even if he did it a thousand times, there was a huge difference between a person who simply repeats a movement and one who understands it.
Both would do the same thing, but the former's actions would be awkward to look at.
The latter’s movements would be a clean flow.
In that respect, Jamie was the latter.
‘I have nothing to say.’
Hamilton’s heart was feeling complicated.
A training which was already skipping steps, and a thousand repetitions, which was too much for a beginner.
He thought he would show better movement than yesterday, but Jamie’s movements were perfect.
‘Not someone I can teach.’
He was sure today.
Hamilton had a history for raising the knights, but he felt that he wasn’t enough to understand the talent of Jamie.
Before that, there was one last thing he had to check.
‘Let’s see that. Let’s look at it and make a decision.’
It was too early to teach a kid who was just starting out with swords, but if he could do that well.
‘Then it can be said that he is truly loved by the martial arts.’
Jamie lowered his sword and looked at Hamilton.
“Instructor, how was it?”
Jamie's eyes were full of confidence.
He knew he did them perfectly.
“You did good.”
“Thank you.”
At those short compliments, Jamie felt satisfied.
After a few days of training with Hamilton he realized that this man would never give praise.
So if this man said he did good, that meant Jamie did really good.
Jamie wanted to smile brightly, but held himself back.
“We are going to learn another step today.”
“Step?”
“Right. What I did yesterday was a combination of movements. There is also a step involved, but the step we will learn today will be a little different.”
As mentioned, this was too early for Jamie, but Hamilton was convinced Jamie could do it.
“This is a method which the previous Lord, the trainee’s grandfather, made.”
“… grandfather?”
Jamie only knew the man through portraits.
He passed away 10 years before Jamie was born.
The former Lord was also a Sword Master and had the reputation for being the best in the world as well as the kingdom.
In fact, the man liked to fight and won after fighting against many strong people.
“Right. It was the realization that the former Lord gained when he endured Rogers, one of the 6 Great Killers who gained notoriety across the continent.”
Jamie didn’t know who Rogers was, but it was clear that the man was strong.
And Rogers was a Blade Master.
“The former Lord of the family refined it to train the successors, so he completed it to the present form. All the knights of Welton are learning it now.”
It would have been nice to give the gait method only to his blood, but the former Lord let it known to the knights too for the revival of the family name.
Thanks to that, now the Welton Knights made a name for themselves all over the world.
“The name of the gait method is Hundred Sea.”
Sea of Hundred.
Hundred of Seas.
It meant huge.
“This is the flow of the Sea of Hundred.”
Hamilton kicked the floor twice with his foot.
And then the footprint began to shine.
It didn’t last for long, but it was bright enough to make one frown.
Jamie narrowed his eyes and followed it.
‘Is this right?’
It was too messy and didn’t look flashy at all.
And he was skeptical if that could even help him.
And it was difficult to even do it.
Hamilton looked at Jamie’s expression and said.
“You wonder if this is right.”
“Honestly? Yes.”
“I was the same at first.”
It was a mess to look at.
But it is a different story once it is learnt.
“Take a good look.”
And Hamilton took the first step.
That was when Jamie’s expression changed.
‘No way!’
He kept thinking it was messy because he was slowly following it.
But now Jamie couldn’t close his mouth which was wide open in shock.
Hamilton moved as if he was dancing.
The steps, where the legs felt like they were twisted, continued to move naturally; it was similar to a freely flying butterfly.
Still, when needed the footing was strong and cautious when it seemed excessive, and bold when the advances were made.
Above all, it was huge!
It could be called as simple moving, but it was too huge to be called a movement.
‘Mana is running rampant.’
As if resonating with the movement, the surrounding mana followed Hamilton without an error.
It occupied the entire space.
The gait, ‘Sea of Hundred’ contained the essence of the Sword Master, which opened up a new world for Jamie.
And the test was over.
“How…”
Hamilton was about to ask Jamie.
But didn’t.
Jamie was keeping his eyes on the place he just moved.
The emerald eyes moved non-stop chasing the path Hamilton showed.
As if trying to find an answer.
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