N Chapter 8

: Preparation

[Claude POV]

D*mn it, Paul just got a new move?!

Well, if he’s getting stronger, it should be good, and knowing him, I guess a new style will be created. I’ve already done my part and only need to advance and crystallize what I learn from all my experiments.

It’s not like I want to make a dojo myself, but I need to step up more in increasing my prowess, and growing faster seems impossible in the short run.

Well, for now, let’s increase my dexterity since it’d be helpful for me in the long run. If my enchantment and smithing skills can be used for crafting, I will be able to make more magical tools for emergencies.

Still, I can’t help someone perfectly as I’m not perfect.

I can only plan while my fate is decided by God...

"Sigh... I wonder how many deaths there will be...."

…

..

.

[N POV]

The still world revolved as Claude was in a depression of his own incompetence.

Right now, he’s filled with pessimism about the fact that someone could die when the teleportation incident happens.

Everyone can die, even their own parents and neighbors.

He unknowingly became more attached to the villagers; his main priority was always the villagers' safety.

It might be the attachment of the late Claude, since he knows plenty of the villagers will die in the teleportation incident, and the fact that those that survive will be sold as enslaved people or something else that creates a scar on the child’s memory.

As someone who can reason, he never thinks about his diverse personality and never once reflects on his mistakes.

He puts other people before himself, which makes him more interested in the sword's style and magic.

Meanwhile, currently, Rudeus is busy with his new teaching material.

It can be seen from the window that as he teased Eris, he was being punched and kicked by the mad Eris.

"Howwwww, how, how dare you! Stupid Rudeus! "

Ah, ah, ah, please stop it, my lady! If you continue doing this, a new fetish will be created. Ah, ah! Nooo! "

It took some time for the beat... the lesson to end.

When the time came, Rudeus received information about the letter sent from Buena Village.

It’s Claude’s report as always. However, there’s a bonus Claude gives hidden in the envelope.

"Oh, is that your sister, Rudeus?"

Eris asked while looking at the painting Claude drew.

The pictures showed two girls smiling cheerfully at him while waving their hands.

There’s also Lilia and Sylph’s paintings, and Claude's painting.

The letter said,

"You better send them your painting too, since the kids didn’t remember you. Be aware that you might not have the chance to see them in a normal way. I know you’d definitely impregnate a girl or two before you come back to Buena Village... lol. "

"Well, you’re Paul’s son. There’s nothing weird about it. " Ghislaine said.

"...." While Eris just stares dumbfoundedly.

Rudeus just sweated a bullet because of that note since Eris glares at him.

"D*mn it, this b*stard dares to mock me..."

"Anyway, there are a few things I'd like to send you.But you better give me some nice material to make a better magic tool. You can probably make one, but it won't be as good as mine. Wasting the material, just send me one. "

"This person sure is cocky. I’d smack him if he’s in front of me... "said Eris.

"He did. I almost killed him on the spot that day," Ghislaine said while remembering the past. "It’s been 2 years since then, huh." Rudeus, you’ve grown up too. But this Claude’s body got sturdier than the past. "

"Yeah, he’s only a year older than me but always asked me to call him ‘big brother.’ Well, he’s strong... stronger than me in the past, and I believe he's already stronger now...."

"Stronger than you, Rudeus?" Eris asked

"In the past, yes, but I’m stronger now!" Rudeus said, smugly.

Ghislaine smiled at their childishness and remembered the day he met Claude. She still remembers the bloody smell she sniffed.

It’s something she knew very well.

The blood of monsters and beasts

Claude had already been killing monsters and wild animals since she picked Rudeus. It could be argued that, rather than Rudeus focusing on his job of teaching rather than learning,

Claude, who can learn with all his focus, would be way stronger than a standard knight of the Household.

No, knowing how strong Paul is, even an elite knight of the household will at least be on par with the kids.

Well, ability aside, Claude might lose against them as the elite knight had more experience. But someone who had a vast amount of expertise rarely worked as a household knight.

"Can I beat him? Ghislaine...." Rudeus asked Ghislaine, knowing fully well that the Sword King is strict in her judgement.

"I don’t think so, since his build is unbelievable for a kid under 15... No, even among those S-rank adventurers, it is definitely hard to find that kind of compact body... " Ghislaine said, as she saw the picture of Claude and his muscles.

"Pssh, you guys are exaggerating. I mean, this thing is clearly a forgery. Look at that 30 cm bicep, and that body looks like a bodybuilder. There’s no way something like this is possible without a special device. He should be exaggerating. There’s no way he could be that kind of muscle box. He’s Eris's age, you know? A human skeletal muscle can’t be trained that much at that age..." Rudeus said, rationalizing the unbelievable body build.

Is this guy someone from the same place as me, or has he just had too many imaginations?’

He already felt some doubt when Claude suddenly asked Paul for teaching that day, however, as he’s not that close to the other villagers and Claude himself.

He can only doubt as much as he wants.

He has forgotten his doubts for some time now, and he has already forgotten them. He once again remembered that doubt.

‘Well, there’s no use to thinking about it... It’s not like Claude’s an evil villain or some harem lord that wants to NTR everyone in the village anyway. and from what I see of him, all I can see is a kid... ’

Different from him and Paul, Claude is someone that looks at everyone with sanity. While Rudeus and Paul, even the other men, somehow look at women with lust. That boy is just a boy with a pure look, so much so that even seeing Zenith in underwear didn’t make him lust in the slightest.

Forget about lusting for her. Claude even threw his head in disgust, which made Zenith hurt.

There was also his dislike of Sylphiette’s green hair, no matter how much he wanted to hide it. The fear and disgust were known to the others, especially Sylphiette, who became sad whenever the feeling arose.

Only later does he know of the curse Laplace gave off and counter the hex. By that time, Sylphy’s hair would already be white, though.

*

As Rudeus read the letter, at the night within the Buena village.

In the end of the pathway before the asphalt road.

“Who’s there!”

Slash!

Splat!

A stab in the neck is all it took for a slavers to die, as soon as the blade punctured his back neck the man died.

With a cold blood, Claude easily took the guys life.

He slashed the knife in his hand to clean it, and moves slowly. Under the guise of the night, Claude took the life of another person.

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[Edited 09/29/2022]

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