Have you--have you ever really wielded a sword?
At my question, Yulina frowns.
''Seriously, you mean? What does that mean?
''As the saying goes. You''ve probably never really wielded a sword.
When I assured him of this, he was indeed angry.
''Don''t be silly. I''ve been swinging my sword every day. With every swing, of course you''re swinging it seriously.
Yulina, who said it in a rugged way, continued her words.
''Eric, I got to know your sword from fighting you. Probably you have been swinging your sword seriously every day, just like me. I thought that you and I, who have crossed swords, would know that much...
The words were not meant to be angry, but discouraging.
I certainly got to know Yulina-san''s sword in that duel.
I also know that she wielded her sword seriously every day.
But that''s not what I mean by seriousness.
''''There is a difference between Yulina-san and my seriousness. If you want to compare them, I''m more serious about swinging my sword.
''What ... are you trying to tell me that I haven''t been diligent?
If I had a sword, I could see that she was so angry that she was about to slash at me.
''''Yurina-san--have you ever killed someone?''''
Do I...?
You''re probably wondering again about my rambling question.
''A sword is a tool for killing people.
They say you swing a sword to protect yourself and your loved ones, but that means hurting someone other than yourself or your loved ones.
''Did you swing your sword every day with that resolve, Yulina-san?
You mean you''re prepared to kill people?
Yes, I do.
....
Ms. Yulina can''t answer.
That would be true. There aren''t many people in the Order who wield a sword every day with the determination to kill people.
''''I''ve killed people before.
-Oh!
You probably guessed it by my question, but I''m still a little surprised.
I killed Felix who attacked my village in this life as well.
Even in my past life, I stood on the battlefield and slashed and killed dozens and hundreds of people.
And I have no regrets about it.
It''s a choice I made for the people I want to protect.
However, that still doesn''t make killing people justifiable.
''''Of course I didn''t kill them indiscriminately, but only when they were evil to me. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be able to join the Order.
I see.
Yulina is a little relieved by my words.
That''s true, I wouldn''t be able to sleep at night if the person I''m going to be living in the room with from today is a pleasure killer.
''''I wielded my sword every day with the intention of killing people. That''s the difference between Miss Yulina and me in earnest.
I see... So, to you, my sword is nothing more than a game.
If you go that far, it''s a polar opposite, but you may have a point.
I don''t think there''s any point in wielding a sword that isn''t prepared to kill someone, for example.
''''I thought I could never lose with a man of my generation.......but I''m not there yet, either. I never thought of swinging a sword with that much resolve. I just thought about it because it was fun to be strong, I didn''t want to lose, etc.
''I think that''s normal,''
In my previous life, I became strong because I thought I had to be strong or I would die and no one could protect me.
In this life, I thought I had to be strong, too, and I''ve wielded my sword with that resolve.
''I wish I could wield my sword with that resolve right now I think I would, but I don''t think it will be easy.
A sword is a tool to kill people, and even if you think so, you usually can''t be that prepared.
Unless, like me, you want to risk your life to protect something.
''''Will I also be able to wield a sword for real one day...?''''
Well if there''s something you really want to protect, you can.
You really want to protect it, don''t you?
Even so, it would be hard to find such a thing.
At best, it would be my life, or my family''s life, or something like that.
And that would never be possible just by thinking about it now.
You won''t be able to really think about it until your life and your family''s lives are at stake.
''I think the thought of not wanting to lose and being strong is enough for me right now. Besides, that''s not enough to convince you that that''s the only reason you lost to me, is it? It''s such an uncertain thing, the strength of our feelings.
''Well, I thought the reason I lost to you was the technical side, and then the mental side. If I can work on that, I might be able to beat you one day.
When you look back on that fight, you know what you''re missing.
That ability to analyze oneself is also an absolutely necessary ability to become strong.
Tomorrow we''ll start training again and I hope we''ll meet again then.
Of course I''ll take it. I''m not so easily defeated, though.
''Next time ... no, I''d better not say anything unrealistic. But one day we will win.
Yulina says that and holds out her hand to me, smiling a little.
I receive that hand and return the smile.
It''s not a weak handshake when the duel is over, but a strong handshake this time.
''It''s almost time for dinner. Let''s go to the cafeteria.
Yes.
I''ve been given a tour, but it''s already that time.
Well, today, we left the village in the morning, met with His Majesty as soon as we arrived in the capital, and then had a duel when we arrived here afterwards.
It''s been quite an intense day.
I''m going to walk in front of you to the cafeteria that you showed me to earlier as a refresher.
It''s not that I don''t have a good memory, and I don''t have a bad sense of direction, so I got there normally.
There were already quite a few people in the cafeteria, and they were each getting their meals and sitting down to eat.
Yulina and I also got our meals and took our seats face to face.
As we were chatting and eating for a while, I heard a voice calling my name.
''Eric! Let''s eat together!
It was Tina who approached me as she said this.
Without hearing my reply, Tina sat down next to me and immediately started talking about what she did while I was gone.
She went to town, did something, etc., what she bought.
I listen as she talks with a big smile on her face, and I listen to her as she talks with a smile on her face.
''You guys really get along, don''t you?''
Yulina, who was sitting across from us, looked at us and spoke to us that way.
''Well, we''ve known each other since I was zero, so we''ve been together for sixteen years.
I''ve had memories of you since I was zero it''s been hard, you''ve been hugging me so hard at zero that I''ve almost died many times.
I don''t have anyone like that I''m a little bit jealous.
''Yulina-san it''s okay, it''s okay, we''re going to be friends from now on.
''Well I guess I''ll get along with Eric. He''s not like any of the guys I''ve seen before.
It''s not that our personalities are different, it''s just that we''re stronger than Yulina-san, but.......well, I''m honestly glad to hear you say that.
''''Mmm.......you two are getting along.
Hmm? Well, maybe a little.
Tina hears me and Yulina-san talking and says so with a puffy face.
Would you say that we''re getting along well in Tina''s eyes?
''Hey Eric, give me an ear,''
Hmm? What is it?
Tina put her face in my ear and whispered in my ear.
Just because it''s just the two of us in the room doesn''t mean you can''t start acting weird, okay?
He told me so.
''''Wow, okay........''''
Even though I didn''t feel like it at all, for some reason I feel like I''m doing something wrong and I''m being respectful.
In front of me was Yulina-san, who was eating her meal and tilting her head when she saw that my behavior changed after she hit my ear.