22

After returning from Nordburg, Id changed the method of his manna training. Id sat with his legs crossed at the inn in Nordburg, circulating manna on the floor next to Andrew’s bed. It was a completely different posture from how he had been training, standing in the magic circle. Id placed his feet on the opposite thighs with the soles facing up and hands on the knees on the same side with the palms facing up. Id had long realized that some manna entered his body through the palms as well during the manna breathing, not only through the respiratory organs. That night at the inn, when he could not use a scroll, training his manna breathing on the floor, he wanted to experiment whether manna could be absorbed through his soles as well as palms, so he put his feet on the thighs with the soles facing up. As a result, it turned out that the quantity of manna that entered through the soles was much greater than that through the palms.

Having returned to the forest residence, Id trained alternatively using two different postures. He sometimes trained standing on the magic diagram and sometimes sitting on the floor, placing his feet on the opposite thighs with the soles facing up to the sky, not using the scroll. The amount of manna entering through his breathing was higher when he trained on the magic diagram. Still, combining the amount of manna flowing through the breath, palms and soles of the feet, there was no significant difference between the two different ways of manna training. The amount of manna refined and piled up in the manna hall during the manna circulation was much more when he trained without magical assistance. Id gradually reduced the number of training sessions using scrolls and completely stopped a year later. As they did not have to buy scrolls, they no longer went to Nordburg. Except occasionally dropping by Derevnya to sell fur to merchants who visited there and purchase daily necessities, they did not leave their forest house. Id concentrated on training swordcraft and manna circulation.

After he started manna training without scrolls, Id became suspicious whether the manna training needed a magic diagram at all. It might be possible for anybody, who could perceive the existence of manna, to create a manna hall in their lower abdomen by constant abdominal breathing and circulation of manna. It was outside the magic circle where Id’s manna hall first appeared. Id thought that distorting the flow of manna by magic force would rather hinder the refinement of manna and accumulating the refined manna. Id’s hypothesis developed further; Human beings, like other living things, lived by relying on the vitality of Mother Nature’s manna. There might be people with less affinity to manna, but there should not be people without manna affinity at all. Id assumed even those with less intimacy with manna could make a manna hall in their body as long as they constantly trained manna circulation according to a correct method. It would only be a matter of time.

Id taught Sasha the details of manna training and recommended him to practice his manna circulation every day. Sasha did not feel the need to make a manna hall in his body, but he followed Id’s lead. Sasha considered manna training sessions to be the time to meditate on his understanding of swordsmanship. Even after several years since Sasha had begun to carry out manna circulation, a manna hall did not build up in his lower abdomen. However, Sasha kept circulating manna in his body every day as it gave him mental tranquility. The manna circulation in itself helped improve Sasha’s swordcraft regardless of the establishment of the manna hall.

Though Id’s manna hall did not grow anymore after reaching the size of an apple, the amount of manna being refined and accumulated in it gradually increased. Id could not even imagine how much more manna could be stored in the small manna hall. Id was never in a hurry when it came to dealing with manna. To him, manna was still an intimate friend and a warm protector. While Id was training, manna wandered throughout his body, pioneering manna passages, and it breathed the vitality into all other organs as well as muscles and skeletons.

A cool wind blew, proving that autumn was coming. Andrew was sitting in an armchair covered with saber-tooth tiger fur, watching the sparring match between Id and Sasha. Id was wearing thin leather armor covering the torso over his tunic and carrying only a sword. Id made the leather armor himself, carefully tanning the deerskin as he wasn’t too familiar with tanning leather, he wasn’t able to use the tougher saber-tooth hide. He designed it to cover only essential parts of his torso to minimize interference with his fast movement. The hilt of his sword was shorter than the average longsword’s hilt since it had been designed for the Nordburg Mayor’s young son. Though Id had grown up enough to handle Andrew’s longsword with ease compared to some years prior, he still preferred the ‘Training Sword’ made by Blackanvil since it was more compatible with the swordsmanship created by him. His swordcraft emphasized quick and spectacular attacks and excluded most defensive formulas, utterly different from Andrew’s orthodox swordsmanship. The shorter hilt and blade of his sword helped him to unfold his skills. So Id decided to use his ‘Training Sword’ instead of a longsword, naming it a ‘Middlesword’.

On the other hand, Sasha was wearing chainmail, holding a longsword and a shield in each hand. With a mace and a battle axe on his back, he was fully armed with Andrew’s equipment. Last month Sasha turned seventeen years old, and Id would turn seventeen next month. Sasha attacked Id, wielding the sword fiercely. Sasha’s attack, as he was treating the match like an actual fight, was already at a considerable level. Looking at his sword, Andrew was convinced that Sasha would be able to fully embody his sword in its heyday in several years. It was an outstanding achievement at a young age.

Id’s blade, which sometimes struck Sasha’s sword or shield dodging his heavy attacks with a leisurely step, was covered in a brilliant blue aura. Id has not created an Aura Beam yet, but the power of his Aura Blade has already surpassed Andrew’s Aura Blade. Id has consistently produced his own creative swordsmanship over the past few years. His swordcraft, which at this point was near completion, was superior to any other swordsmanship Andrew knew. Watching Id’s manna training process, Andrew had confidence that Id would obtain Aura Beam sooner or later. If Id, who had superior sword skills, could even use Aura Beam, he would beat William Cronos’ Bloody Beam. Closing his eyes and recalling William’s face, Andrew spoke to himself in a low voice.

“I want to see the puzzled look on your face when Id’s sword overwhelms you.”

In the next moment, replacing William’s face, Andrew recalled his brother Peter’s face. Though it was an inevitable choice for him to leave the title of Marquis to his brother Peter and wander alone, it was always on his mind that he burdened his little brother too much.

“I’ve always felt sorry for you, Peter. However, I did my best in my own way. Id will help you raise our family back up.”

Thinking of seeing Peter for the last time, Andrew fell into a deep sleep and did not wake up again. When Id approached Andrew after the sparring session with Sasha, he was already cooling off. The expression on the face of the dead Andrew looked tranquil.

Id and Sasha built a tomb where Andrew’s armchair was located. It was Andrew’s favorite place since it was sunny and a cool breeze could be felt. Id dug deep into the ground and built a solid tombstone.

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Id and Sasha, Sasha was the term of endearment for Aleksandr, burned down the log houses and wooden fences. If the place were left empty, hunters and herb collectors would come to stay. They did not want to disturb Andrew’s tranquility. Looking at Andrew’s grave for the last time, Id said.

“I’ll pick you up when I get the gold mine back. In the meantime, please rest comfortably.”

Carrying tanned hides, Id and Sasha first headed to Derevnya. The villagers welcomed Id and Sasha. Sasha was also familiar with the villagers because he had visited the village several times with Id before.

“You’ve grown up a lot, boys. Long time no see.”

“You guys could even get married now.”

The villagers mourned when they heard of Andrew’s passing. At that point, Id felt the simplicity of the mountain villagers who mourned for someone they had never known well.

“Now that your master is dead, why don’t you come and live in town?”

The chief spoke in a slightly uncomfortable voice. He remembered that he tried to send Id to Nordburg when he was small and orphaned.

“We have to go to the Empire to keep our promise with our master. Thank you for having taken good care of me in many ways.”