Future Knight

Chapter 14

The two of them sparred whenever they had the chance.

Of course, Jaina, who was still a novice with a sword, wasn’t a match for Kang Chan, who had even outmatched Keremion.

However, Kang Chan enjoyed teaching Jaina the combat senses ingrained in his body, so much so that he lost track of time.

“No, Jaina. You can’t just stand there like that.”

“Why? I did exactly as I was taught.”

“Yes, the movement is correct. But if you stand so stiffly, you’ll be caught off guard in a real fight like this.”

In the blink of an eye, Kang Chan struck Jaina’s wooden sword hard, creating an opening, and then pushed her body with his shoulder. He lifted her foot with his right hand, causing her to fall backward.

He then pressed down on her right hand, which was holding the wooden sword, with his knee and held a wooden dagger to her neck.

“See, you’re dead.”

Jaina was frozen, stunned by the swift and fierce movements that were hard to follow with her eyes.

“Jaina, are you okay?”

“Uh-huh… I’m okay. But that was a bit scary.”

“What I can teach you right now are practical tricks that you can use in real combat. So, for now, don’t worry too much about the tricks I’ve taught you. Just focus on practicing the basic moves. Just keep in mind that such tricks exist. This will help you a lot when you spar or fight other Elves in the future.”

“Okay! Got it.”

“Shall we continue?”

“Sure, bring it on.”

Seeing Jaina’s cute pose, daring him with a flick of her sword, Kang Chan’s face broke into a smile.

“Be careful, you might get hurt.”

“Heehee!”

After that, they swung their swords diligently until their bodies were soaked in sweat, then collapsed onto a rock, catching their breath and looking up at the sky.

The sky was clear and refreshing, as if it could burst open one’s chest with its expanse.

“Mister.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever killed someone?”

Jaina’s sudden question made Kang Chan flinch.

“Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“Sometimes, when you hold a sword, you seem incredibly scary. It’s like I can feel a murderous intent. When I sense that, I wonder about it.”

Kang Chan remained silent.

To the eyes of a pure and innocent girl, he appeared so gruesome. Regret surged within him for being too immersed in the sense of combat.

But he didn’t want to lie to Jaina.

If he did, he felt he’d truly become a bad person.

“Yes, I’ve killed people before.”

Kang Chan stood up without a word and walked toward the well, splashing a bucket of water over his head.

He then shook his body vigorously, scattering water droplets everywhere.

To Jaina, watching him, his actions seemed sad.

It looked as if he was desperately trying to shake off his sins like the scattering water droplets.

“I shouldn’t have asked. I’m so stupid.”

Regret came over her belatedly.

* * *

Elradian had the day off today and planned to rest thoroughly at home.

He intended to read ancient texts with his favorite pomegranate tea.

However, contrary to his plans, his mind was not at ease.

Right in front of his house stood that man, stubborn as a rock.

Every morning, without fail, he would come and kneel, seeking guidance.

It had already been six months since he had started this extreme behavior.

During those six months, having to deliberately ignore him every day was truly a great ordeal for Elradian.

“Tsk… Why are humans so reckless, even when they know it’s futile?”

That day, as usual, the man came to him in the morning and knelt. The hours passed, and it was now lunchtime, but he was still there.

Elradian, who had been eating lunch alone, could no longer stand it and got up from his seat.

He felt that if he continued eating, it would weigh heavily on his conscience.

How could he not worry when the man was kneeling outside in the scorching midday sun from morning till noon?

Opening the front door, he spoke to Kang Chan.

“Why do you persist in tormenting me like this?”

Under the scorching sun, Kang Chan was sweating profusely, his lips tightly sealed.

Remembering the last time he had sat out in the sweltering sun all day and ended up being carried away on a stretcher due to exhaustion, Elradian felt a tightness in his chest.

“Are you really going to continue like this? Answer me.”

“P-please, teach me…”

Hearing his parched voice, Elradian grew anxious.

He worried that Kang Chan might be carried away on a stretcher again due to dehydration.

“Really, I can’t take this anymore. Come inside.”

Kang Chan, who couldn’t believe Elradian’s words, quickly tried to get up but fell forward due to his legs being stiff from kneeling.

“Are you okay?”

Elradian quickly ran out and helped him up.

“Y-yes, I’m okay.”

“Good.”

Receiving Elradian’s support, Kang Chan entered the house, sat on a chair, and drank a glass of cool water handed to him, catching his breath.

“You’re truly stubborn.”

“…”

Kang Chan responded with a silent, bitter smile.

“Why are you so obsessed with swordsmanship? Tell me the reason.”

After hesitating for a while, Kang Chan finally spoke.

“I want to become stronger.”

“Is that all?”

Everyone dreams of becoming stronger.

But Elradian sensed that Kang Chan had a particular reason for wanting to be strong, so he asked again with a firm tone.

After another moment of hesitation, Kang Chan slowly opened his mouth.

“It’s because of what you said to me.”

Elradian grew curious when Kang Chan mentioned something he had said.

He wondered what he had said to drive Kang Chan to such extreme actions.

“What did I say to you?”

“You told me that anyone can surpass their limits through effort.”

“Yes, I did say that. But why did that mean so much to you?”

With a somber expression, Kang Chan replied.

“You once asked me if anyone had tampered with my body. You were right. The reason I’m several times stronger, more agile, and have exceptional healing abilities is because I’ve undergone numerous surgeries to enhance my body since I was young.”

“Surgeries to enhance your body? What are those?”

“Surgical procedures that replace muscles, bones, and some organs with artificial parts to strengthen the body.”

Elradian’s face was filled with astonishment at Kang Chan’s shocking revelation.

“Is that really true?”

Kang Chan slowly nodded, thinking there was no longer anything to hide, and began to honestly recount his past to Elradian. He spoke of his painful history of being abandoned by his parents as an infant, sold to a special facility, and subjected to numerous body modification experiments as he grew up.

He had never shared his story with anyone before. He had neither the reason nor the leisure to do so. For the first time, he revealed his painful past to another, and as Elradian gradually learned about it, his face reflected disbelief.

Despite having traveled across the continent under the guise of training and witnessing many atrocities, Kang Chan’s childhood was unbelievably horrendous.

“To think that in this world, someone would use their own kind, and an infant at that, as experimental material! This man has lived a brutally cruel life. I had no idea he carried such a dreadful past.”

Elradian couldn’t even begin to imagine the horrors of Kang Chan’s past.

Kang Chan calmed his rising emotions and spoke.

“That is why I want to become as strong as Keremion or you with my own strength. I believe that true strength comes from one’s will and effort, not through their cruel and narrow methods. So, please, give me a chance.”

Elradian was surprised by Kang Chan’s burning determination but soon smiled gently.

He realized that, despite the mysterious nature of this outsider, his desire to become stronger was genuine.

It had already been two and a half years since Kang Chan arrived here. Although he spent one year unconscious, in the following year and a half, he had grown close to Jaina, showing that this cold yet kind-hearted alien had a good nature.

Moreover, Elradian had personally saved him from a monster, forging a deep connection.

However, no matter how he felt, he couldn’t defy the decision of the Elder Council.

‘Hmm, what to do?’

From the beginning, Elradian had wanted to teach him swordsmanship, but he had to ignore him due to Arteon’s opposition.

Still, over the past six months, he had been deeply moved by Kang Chan’s sincerity.

Which Elf would kneel and plead to learn swordsmanship from him?

Which Elf would endure the scorching sun to the point of collapse just to receive his teachings?

Knowing the Elves, they would prefer easier skills like archery or spirit magic over the difficult and time-consuming art of swordsmanship.

To Elradian, who knew Elves well, Kang Chan’s earnestness to learn his swordsmanship made him fond of the man.

He looked out the window at the sky, lost in deep thought.

Though it was only a few minutes, it felt like hours to Kang Chan.

Finally, Elradian seemed to come to a decision and slowly turned his gaze to Kang Chan.

“Do you really need to learn swordsmanship?”

“Yes! I really want to learn.”

Elradian shook his head and asked again.

“No, that’s not what I meant. As someone who uses a dagger, do you need to learn the swordsmanship of Elves who wield rapiers?”

Kang Chan was momentarily confused by his words but soon understood their implication.

“Then?”

“Elves have many ancient weapon techniques. Among them is the dagger technique of the fairies…”

“The dagger technique?”

Elradian’s hesitant tone suggested a story behind it, but Kang Chan felt overjoyed at the mention of a weapon he was most familiar with.

However, his joy was short-lived as a question arose in his mind.

He wondered why learning the swordsmanship of the fairies was permissible when their sword techniques were not.

‘Could it be that he’s planning to teach me something trivial?’

Kang Chan asked Elradian cautiously, his voice tinged with slight anxiety.

“Elradian, I’m curious about something.”

“What is it?”

“Why can’t I learn the fairy’s sword techniques, but I can learn their dagger techniques? I’d like to know the reason.”

Elradian paused again before speaking.

“Hm, the truth is, you can’t learn the fairy’s dagger techniques either. Though no one tries to learn it, it’s still a secret technique handed down from ancient times.”

Elradian’s sudden change of stance filled Kang Chan’s expression with disappointment.

“…”

Kang Chan couldn’t understand Elradian’s intentions as he flipped his words like turning a palm over.

“What I intend to teach you isn’t actually the fairy’s dagger technique. It’s another swordsmanship derived from it.”

“Derived swordsmanship?”

“Yes. This swordsmanship is remarkable and unique, yet it has become impossible to even witness among us Elves. It’s a tragic swordsmanship.”

The mention of it being a forbidden technique grabbed Kang Chan’s attention once more.

‘Could there be something wrong with it? Why do I find it so hard to trust this…’

Despite his growing unease, Elradian brought out an old book and showed it to Kang Chan.

“What is this?”

“This is the dagger technique I’m suggesting to you. Would you like to take a look?”

With a very serious expression, Elradian handed the ancient book to Kang Chan, who took it with trembling hands and read the title.

His eyes widened in shock as he read the title, his face reflecting his astonishment.