Didn't I Say To Make My Abilities Average In The Next Life?! Volume 9

by Funa

  Thus far, Mavis had presented only her basic Godspeed Blade here. If combined with the True Godspeed Blade, which used her “spiritual power,” she believed she could generate an impressive display of strength… Naturally, the use of her EX True Godspeed Blade was limited to actual battles, when it was a matter of life and death. Anyway, she could not reasonably call that a use of her own power.

  “I see…”

  Reina and Pauline’s magic was probably on the level of A-rankers. Mile was…well beyond that. Compared to them, she could only just measure up to the level of A-rank via her trick of drinking Micros. She could just barely match them by relying on a medicine that someone else had provided her, and which only worked for a short amount of time, ruining her body in the process.

  Her heart plummeted at the realization of her own worthlessness.

  Besides, the mages could take on scores of opponents at once, while she could only fell the enemies who stood right before her, one at a time. Of course, she did realize that this was a swordsman’s role by nature, and their functions would never be the same. Still, Mavis could not help but be overtaken with a sense of powerlessness.

  “Master, could I ask you to let me train in an all-against-one?”

  “What?”

  By “all-against-one,” Mavis meant that she wished to practice facing down an army’s full forces all at once. In other words, she wished to have all the disciples serve as her opponents, fight them all at the same time. By this time, the short-term students from the afternoon period had already gone home, with Mavis remaining behind by special permission to train alongside the regular pupils. Therefore, only twelve now remained—all of them fairly skilled senior disciples. They were the sort of swordsmen against whom even B-rank hunters could not hope to win.

  There was a possibility that she could win in a short bout if she imbibed some Micros, but of course, that would mean nothing in terms of training.

  “You do understand what it is you’re asking, yes?”

  “I do.”

  “Are you fine with being removed if this is received as an insult to your seniors?”

  “I would never insult them!”

  “Do you believe that you can win?”

  “No…but I hope to practice so that I might be able to someday win. And so that I can catch up with my friends, just a little bit.”

  Ladimarl, fell silent and then asked, “Are they really that strong?”

  “Yes. Even our healer, who has the weakest attack magic among the three, could probably snuff out several A-rank swordsmen in the blink of an eye.”

  “What?!”

  At this, the disciples behind her froze.

  “Please! I don’t want to drag them down—I don’t want to be dead weight! I have to make it over this hurdle! I must surmount this wall!!!”

  A single tear dripped down Mavis’s cheek.

  Everyone present was a martial man.

  They knew the days of writhing in anguish as a result of hitting a wall in terms of their strength. The days of wanting to die from the weight of self-loathing, being stained with bitterness and envy at how far they had fallen behind their friends. The days when they futilely banged their heads against that wall, saddled with the regret of not protecting someone that they failed to save due to their own inadequacy.

  There was not a single person among them who’d never experienced such things.

  “I will not allow a disciple of the Ladimarl School of the Sword—nay, any swordfighter—to be made to look a fool beside three mages. I will train you as you like. You will learn well for your three half-gold a day!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “You will all assist me in this, for the sake of your dear junior, for the honor of your school, and for the pride of followers of the sword the world over. You will not hold back. To do so would be an insult and a betrayal of your fellow student!”

  “Yes, sir!!!” the others chorused.

  And so, Mavis’s special training began.

  It was hell. But her dreams were coming true, and by that measure, it was also paradise.

  ***

  “Thank you very much!” cried Mavis, all in tatters.

  Once again, after all the other short-term students had gone home, she’d remained to train with the full disciples. They had just finished an all-against-one bout—all-against-Mavis. Now, the disciples would clean and tidy the training hall, head into the backyard to wash up with water from the well, and then change their clothes.

  Though she was being treated as a disciple, there was no way that Mavis, who was paying quite a bit of money, would be asked to clean the hall along with them. Mavis offered to help anyway, but the master shooed her away. Furthermore, no matter how egalitarian their shared training might be in regards to gender, the idea of Mavis washing up half-nude and changing her clothes alongside her seniors gave everyone pause. Instead, she would do her washing and changing after returning to her inn. As a result, Mavis left the hall a bit sooner than the rest.

  As she headed toward the inn, Mavis thought to herself, I didn’t really make very much progress today, either. By our initial planning, I have two days of training left. Could I stay a bit longer? No, that would just cause trouble for the others.

  So, what if I ended it here now? When I think about it, I’ve already learned quite a bit. The excellent sword technique that my seniors taught me and also the tactics, practical skills, and repertoire of dirty tricks—my ability to battle against other hunters, brigands, soldiers, and the like has been elevated by miles.

  I’ve received so many valuable gifts from the master and the other disciples in exchange for the money I paid. No, it’s even more than that…

  Mavis had half-resigned herself when something that Mile had once said floated through the back of her mind.

  “Mavis, if you give up, then the battle is already lost!”

  What in the world am I thinking?! How could I give up and waste these few precious days that my friends have allowed me, at the expense not only of our party’s funds but also of their time?! A maiden’s most precious resource—something that we can never get back!

  It’s not that I have only two days left, it’s that I still have two days! I’m sure that Mile would think that way!

  Think, Mavis! I must think of some way to get stronger in just these two days! It’s not often that you get the chance to gain experience in battles of one versus many. You must not waste this opportunity!

  Think! You must think of something, Mavis von Austien!

  A number of thoughts then ran through Mavis’s mind.

  “Um, well, actually, there is a way that you could probably win…”

  Mile’s words from the day of the fight against her older brother suddenly came to the forefront of her memory.

  “You just need to get used to my speed… Strengthen your muscles with the power of your mind…

  “Pain is nothing more than a warning signal. So all you have to do is tell yourself, ‘All right, all right, I get it already!’ and keep on pushing…

  “You have to harden your heart!…”

  “Use your speed to raise your power…”

  “It’s centrifugal force or something like that…”

  “Cats are so adorable…”

  The smattering of phrases crossing her mind gave her an odd sense of déjà vu. And then…

  “That’s it!”

  With that cry, Mavis rushed back to the inn, quickly cleaned herself and changed her clothing, and hurriedly ate her fill of dinner. No proper knight would ever neglect food and hygiene, no matter how much of a hurry they were in. A knight’s body was their greatest weapon. Being in robust health was necessary to do their masters proud.

  With all of her preparations complete, Mavis slipped into bed with her beloved sword, clutching the scabbard tightly, and began to channel all of her spiritual energy and powers of imagination.

  When she had expended all of her spiritual energy, she promptly fell into
a coma-like sleep.

  ***

  “Please, allow me to use this one today.”

  As the standard training drew to a close and it was time for Mavis’s final all-against-one training battle, she produced something from her pack.

  “This is…”

  “Yes, my own sword—in other words, a real sword, wrapped in cloth.”

  After giving her a good, hard look, Ladimarl said to her, “Very well. With the blade so carefully wrapped, it is unlikely to cause injury. It might be harder to swing than a wooden sword, though, and less convenient. If you’re fine with that, then you are welcome to use it.”

  “Thank you very much!”

  The senior disciples appeared to accept this too, and they all silently nodded.

  “All right, everyone, please prepare your hearts… Mavis von Austien is now entering the ring!”

  “Splendid!” Ladimarl cried, leaping to his feet as Mavis thanked her seniors, her twelve seniors, who had all been knocked out of the ring, no longer able to fight…

  No matter how many hits Mavis took, she persevered. The rules of the battle were that, if any of the other disciples took a hit that would have rendered them unable to fight on a real battlefield, they were to step out of the ring. All of the battles so far had been run under the same conditions, but previously, Mavis had succumbed to damage and fatigue before she could wipe out all of her opponents.

  This time, while she had taken a number of hits in the opening moments, she had managed to dodge the rest of the blows after that, going on to fell all twelve of her opponents.

  “Did something happen to you since yesterday?” the master asked.

  Mavis, beaming, replied, “I found new strength in the words of my friends!”

  “I see… You have yourself some wonderful friends.”

  Then came the final day of Mavis’s training. Having managed to avoid any wounds that would be deemed fatal in her final battles against the disciples, Mavis received Master Ladimarl’s final decree.

  “Our school has no proof of enrollment, nor certificate of mastery. We have no need for such things. Our skill is our testimony. While there are those who can study the art of the sword for ten years with no results, there are also those who can make leaps and bounds in just three days. Whether one can truly grow in such a short amount of time…well, that isn’t a question you need anyone else to answer, now is it?”

  Mavis shook her head.

  “You came here as a customer, just a short-term student, but I don’t believe anyone here now thinks of you as merely that. You are a disciple of the Ladimarl school, and fellow to all who study here. From now on, I permit you to bear that title. Never forget, there will be many who are your seniors, and from now on, many more who are your juniors. Whenever you are in trouble, rely on those allies. And now, you must go to the friends who await you!”

  “Yes, sir! Everyone, thank you for everything. I will never, ever forget your kindness. Now then, I will say farewell!”

  Bowing her head deeply, Mavis left the hall behind. Tonight, she would rest again at the inn, and tomorrow morning, she would set out to the next town to meet up with the others.

  “Gone, is she? Haven’t had that much fun in quite a while! All right, all of you, clean up, get changed! Let’s all go out for a drink, my treat! I’m feeling good today! Can’t pass up a chance to celebrate, can I?!”

  The disciples let out a cheer, while the master’s wife, who was tighter with her purse, forced a smile—which was to say, she gave the master’s announcement her approval. The disciples cleaned the hall with great vigor.

  “Later on, find out for me what country the noble house of Austien hails from, would you? If she gets famous, it’ll be great publicity for us. And if she’s ever in trouble, let’s give her a teeny bit of help. And when she gets married…perhaps we’ll send her a gift.”

  “Yes, dear.”

  Ladimarl’s wife, of course, understood. When her husband said, “a teeny bit of help,” he meant that he would be willing to devote the rest of his “teeny bit” of remaining life to aiding Mavis.

  “Say, if our daughter were still alive… No, never mind.”

  “Yes, dear.”

  Mavis von Austien slept, her beloved sword in her arms. She knew not the trials that lay on the horizon, but whatever dreams she dreamt, the look upon her sleeping face was a happy one.

  ***

  “Hehehe! They’re gonna be so surprised. Now, I wonder when would be the coolest time to make my big entrance…”

  Mavis strolled down the road with a slightly crooked grin upon her face.

  Without Mile around, she had neither tent nor bed nor blanket, though of course, most normal travelers did not carry those sorts of things. As long as you had a cloak, there was no need for such conveniences. She was traveling for two days, one night at most. As for food and water, she had what she needed inside the pack slung over her shoulder. There would be places to draw water along the way as well.

  Incidentally, she did not use the type of bag that you carry on your back—in the event of a surprise attack, she would be unable to drop it quickly enough, and it would get in the way of her ability to fight. This would not be a huge issue if she were a mage, but such things had a fairly drastic effect on swordsmen.

  Mavis walked along, making all sorts of exciting plans in her head, when suddenly she heard a harried, desperate voice.

  “Please, hold on! If a wagon passes by, we’ll ask them to let us ride with them! Then, we’ll be able to make it to the next town… If we get to town, we can get you to a healing mage or doctor, so please, endure just a little while longer!”

  There was no one else along the highway. Mavis turned to follow the sound of the voice, only to see—a girl, fifteen or sixteen years of age, sitting in the grass along the side of the road, leaning against a tree. Three men stood around her, all appearing to be in their mid-30s, and armed with swords. They were probably her bodyguards. They did not appear to be hunters, so they were likely the hired entourage of a wealthy young noble or something of the sort.

  At first, Mavis thought that the girl might have taken ill—in which case there was nothing that Mavis could do for her. Even if the other members of the Crimson Vow had been here, she would have had to take a back seat. Resigned to this fact, she started to simply pass them by…when suddenly, the smell of blood wafted into her nostrils.

  Reflexively, she directed her power into her eyes, and the nanomachines inside her body sharpened her vision. It was the same kind of unconscious body strengthening she employed in her True Godspeed Blade. What she saw with her now-strengthened eyesight was…

  Blood?

  Sure enough, there was dark red staining the girl’s clothing.

  “What happened to her?”

  As Mavis stopped and called out to the four beside the road, the men reflexively put their hands to their blades and took a protective stance.

  Ah, I messed up! Though she carried a sword herself, she was just a young woman, all alone, strolling casually down the road. She was neither a particularly strange nor threatening sight…or so she’d thought.

  The fact that they were so terribly on guard had to mean one of two things: either the men themselves had a guilty conscience or they had recently come under attack.

  It was probably the latter.

  Perhaps realizing that Mavis was clearly not the enemy they had imagined, the tension between the men seemed to lessen, and their hands moved away from their hilts. Of course, they did not really let down their guard, remaining poised to draw their swords at any moment.

  “Forgive us, but would you happen to have anything on you that can stop pain or bleeding—or do something about this wound? If you do, we desperately beseech you to help us. Naturally, you will be appropriately rewarded!” pleaded the man who appeared to be the leader of the trio.

  Unfortunately, Mavis was not carrying any kind of medical supplies. The Crimson Vow, who had two supremely skilled
healing mages, had no need for expensive medicines, and of course, Pauline would never permit such an excess expenditure.

  “My deepest apologies. I haven’t any… Oh!”

  Mavis looked surprised at herself, as though she had suddenly realized something.

  “Would you allow me to take a look at the wound?”

  A young woman’s bare body. If she were a man, she would never be granted permission, but Mavis was a woman, and moreover, she appeared to have some sort of plan. Hoping against hope, the leader nodded.

  Mavis approached and gently pulled back the girl’s clothing.

  “Nn…”

  Earlier, one of the guards had mentioned holding out until they could reach a town by wagon, but the odds of such a thing didn’t look particularly likely. Such was the severity of this wound.

  “A stab wound, inflicted by a dagger. She was able to avoid a fatal wound by dodging at the last minute—or because someone intervened?”

  She exchanged a look with the guards, but they appeared to be at a loss, standing by helpless. Mavis decided to put into motion the plan that had occurred to her. She was not the type to stand by and watch a girl die, after all.

  “I am going to attempt to treat this girl. This technique is a family secret of mine.”

  “Oh my!”

  The guards voices were filled with admiration and hope.

  “Oh, oh blessed day! We will most certainly repay…”

  Mavis waved her right hand to interrupt the guard.

  “However, there are some conditions.”

  Did she intend to take advantage of their situation and demand a ridiculous sum in return for her assistance? The guards looked a bit grim, but Mavis paid them no mind.