Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter SS3

Learning to Become a Swordswoman 

“I will become a swordswoman!” Mizuki had suddenly declared just a few hours ago. 

Ever since coming to this world, she had been worried about her lack of power. And, after dwelling on it all this time, she’d woken up with a certain idea in her head this morning: if her magical abilities were weak, she could supplement them with something else. At least, that seemed to be her train of thought. 

“Hah! Hyah! Hiyah!” 

In the garden of the inn where they were staying, Mizuki was swinging Reiji’s orichalcum sword while shouting loudly. Since she’d taken the time to cast physical reinforcement magic on herself, she didn’t seem at all bothered by the weight of the sword. But her form was terrible. Her shoulders were all over the place and she was leaning this way and that. It was obvious even from a distance she had no knack for the blade. 

“Um, Mizuki...” 

“What is it, Reiji-kun?” 

“I think you’d have an easier time if you straightened out your back more.” 

“Alright, got it! I’ll give it a try!” she replied enthusiastically, straightening out with a snap. 

Upon lending Mizuki his sword, Reiji had promised to give her some pointers while she trained. She was earnestly listening to his advice as she took practice swings, but alas, it didn’t seem to be making much of a difference. Because... 

“Raaaaah! Hiiiyaaaaah!” 

After another few swings, Reiji swore he could hear a creaking sound and her posture went immediately back to how it was. However, it seemed Mizuki didn’t notice at all. She just continued swinging. This cycle had repeated at least a dozen times now. 

“You know, Mizuki...” 

“What’s up, Reiji-kun?” 

“Well, I was thinking... Wouldn’t it be better if you stopped trying to use a sword, Mizuki? I mean, it’s dangerous.” 

“It’s dangerous no matter where you stand on the battlefield, isn’t it? After all, if I was scared of danger, I wouldn’t have come along with you in the first place, Reiji-kun.” 

“That’s fair, but...” 

It sounded like he wouldn’t get anywhere with a roundabout approach. Worse yet, what he’d just said only seemed to fan the flames in Mizuki’s heart. Her practice swings became more intense—dangerous, even. 

After that, Reiji tried several other ways to convince her to give it up, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. She was intent on swinging that sword. But while Reiji was racking his brains, Mizuki suddenly stopped. 

“Phew...” 

Taking a deep breath, Mizuki looked rather satisfied. But the important part—at least to Reiji—was that she’d stopped swinging the sword. He let out a sigh of relief. 

“Now that I’m finished with practice swings, it’s time to start practicing killer techniques.” 

“WHAT?! NO!” 

“Huh? Reiji-kun, what are you yelling for?” 

“U-Uh, Mizuki... by ‘practicing killer techniques,’ you mean what, exactly?” 

“Killer techniques are techniques that kill, duh. Any self-respecting swordsman has at least one! A good, proper killer technique! Now, here I go! HAAAAAAAAH!” 

With a shout, Mizuki hefted Reiji’s sword high overhead and swung it downward. Relying entirely on her physical reinforcement magic, it was an incredible slash. For a moment, Reiji was truly impressed. But really only for a moment. The sword slammed right into the ground and buried itself there. 

“Ack!” 

Watching the tip of the blade cut into the ground, Mizuki must’ve thought she’d really done it. She immediately yelped. 

“Mizuki, you...” 

“Ah... Ah, oh, this? This is proof of the tremendous destructive force of my killer technique, the Anou Grand Slash! So you could witness a glimpse of its power, I intentionally hit the ground.” 

Despite her confident words, her eyes were darting about. She’d likely never given a single thought to what would happen if she swung down with all her might. After trying to bluff otherwise with Reiji, she yanked at the grip of the sword to try and pull it out of the ground. She managed eventually, and, as perhaps was expected at this point, proceeded to act like absolutely nothing had happened. 

After hearing all the commotion, Titania came out into the garden in the midst of this. She took one look at Mizuki’s wild swings and turned to Reiji. 

“Pardon my asking, Reiji-sama, but what is Mizuki doing?” 

“Oh, that? She suddenly said that she wanted to learn how to use a sword too.” 

“I see... But what is she doing?” 

“Those are practice swings... More or less.” 

Titania hadn’t even recognized Mizuki’s movements as practice swings. Watching her from the sidelines, it looked more like she was performing some mysterious ritual from an unknown country. 

“HIIIYAAAAAH!” 

Mizuki, who had noticed Titania’s arrival, let out a deliberately loud shout in response to her badmouthing. She was doing her best to impress the two of them. And she seemed awfully proud of herself, but Titania observed all this with cold eyes. 

“...You call those practice swings? Are you mocking the sword? If you swing it like that, you’ll never hit your opponent. You really are mocking it, aren’t you? Or perhaps the real mockery here is you? Yes, a mockery. A terrible sham. A crying shame...” 

“Tia?” 

“Oh, don’t mind me! Ohohoho...” 

Titania had been mumbling with a dark shadow over her face, but it disappeared instantly as she laughed brightly. Mizuki then stopped swinging the sword and began doing something else with it. Seeing this new, curious motion, Titania’s face grew stern again. 

“Reiji-sama, what is Mizuki doing now?” 

“I wonder... I thought she’d given it a rest, but it looks like she’s twirling the sword around in front of her or something.” 

Mizuki had the tip of the sword pointed at the ground, but spun the blade to trace a sweeping circle in the air. Reiji felt like he’d seen this somewhere before. It was like something out of a historical drama... 

“Ah, yeah. It’s probably the deadly full moon blade.” 

“‘Deadly full moon blade’? Is that some sort of technique?” 

“Mm. Right now, Mizuki is making circles with the sword, you see? That’s supposed to ensnare her opponent’s focus, allowing her to cut in while they’re distracted. It’s kind of like hypnotism with a sword, I guess.” 

“Wha? That sort of technique exists?!” 

Seeing Titania’s surprise, Reiji realized—to his horror—what he’d done. Since he’d explained something fictional with a serious face, Titania had taken him completely at his word. He tried his best to laugh it off. 

“Haha, no, it doesn’t actually exist. It’s an imaginary sword style.” 

“What? It’s not real?” 

“Yeah, no way. Not at all.” 

“Does Mizuki know that?” 

“Of course. She knows it can never be done.” 

“...” 

Upon hearing those words, a shadow once more fell over Titania’s face. She then silently walked towards Mizuki, and stood behind her as she continued her strange practice. 

“Tia, it’s dangerous to...” 

Just as Reiji was trying to warn her, Titania kicked Mizuki’s legs out from under her. 

“Hmph!” 

“Hwah?!” 

Mizuki let out a rather comical cry as she fell to the ground. Reiji watched all this in confusion. But just as he was about to ask Titania what she was doing, she picked up his orichalcum sword that Mizuki had been using. 

“What was that for, Tia?! I was practicing my killer technique!” 

“As if somebody who just started swinging a sword today could use a killer technique! To begin with, ‘killer techniques’ are not just things you make up! They are an art you learn by earnestly, painstakingly practicing moves into sublime perfection! That is the true essence of a genuine killer technique! And so?” 

“But killer techniques are where it’s at!” 

“Silence! Who said that you could open your mouth?!” 

“Eek!” 

“Now, you sit right there and you stay there. Are you listening, Mizuki? First things first, know that becoming a swordsman is not something you accomplish in a single day. It is something you earn after pouring blood, sweat, and tears into countless days of training...” 

Titania’s lecture continued for quite some time as Mizuki sat there on the ground looking up at her. Even though she was a mage, it sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Like there was an undeniable truth to her words. Naturally, as Reiji was also a relatively amateur swordsman, her scathing lecture was painful to his ears. 

“Maybe I should also do some practice swings...” 

Reiji exited the garden, muttering to himself. He thought Mizuki called for help as he walked away, but pretending that he’d heard nothing, he went to borrow a sword from one of Titania’s knights. 

From that day forward, Mizuki no longer held any reckless notions about becoming a swordswoman. 

All’s well that ends well.