novelraw Chapter 45 : Swordsmanship Training
Chapter 45 : Swordsmanship Training
Weighing Rozelite’s sword seriously, Winnie suddenly laughed.
Not out of joy—she was laughing in disbelief.
“Damn it, with strength like that, what are you doing wielding such a light sword?”
The moment their blades clashed earlier, Winnie had felt as if she were facing a greatsword head-on. The same crushing pressure she had only ever felt from her captain, Thomas. That had never been her specialty to begin with, so of course she couldn’t withstand it.
But what weapon did Thomas use? A massive greatsword taller than most men.
And what weapon was Rozelite using? A one-handed sword, even lighter than standard issue.
“When was the last time you changed weapons?” Winnie asked.
“I just bought this one,” Rozelite replied, confused.
“I came to the weapon shop today to pick up the sword I had custom-made.”
“Custom-made?!”
“This is… sigh, such a waste.”
Winnie was speechless.
It was like a two-meter-tall bodybuilder carrying a dagger thinner than his own finger—completely mismatched. And yet, looking again at Rozelite’s slender arms and legs, maybe it really did suit her somehow.
Nonsensical.
Could it be? The Seventh Princess herself… was actually a swordsmanship prodigy?!
“Miss Winnie, does that mean I passed your test?”
Rozelite asked again.
“You… definitely have talent. But…”
Winnie hesitated.
It wasn’t that she wanted to go back on her word and refuse to teach. Rather, she felt that with Rozelite’s raw talent, her own style wasn’t a good fit. Winnie practiced the Swiftblade school—speed and killing in a single strike. Rozelite, though delicate on the outside, had shown terrifying explosive strength in an instant. Forcing her down the Swiftblade path would be a waste.
Rozelite, of course, had no idea what Winnie was thinking.
She thought Winnie was about to turn her away and pleaded again.
“Miss Winnie, please guide me! If you need tuition…”
“Tuition? Who cares about that nonsense!”
Winnie irritably scratched her head.
Finally, she sighed in resignation.
“Fine. But I’ll only teach you for three days. Whether you learn or not is up to you. The rest, you’ll have to grasp on your own. Understood?”
“Yes, yes!”
Rozelite nodded excitedly.
Three days…
She didn’t know how much she could learn, but any training was better than none!
She was determined not to drag Mr. Slime down any longer.
…
…
After leaving the weapon shop, Rozelite was in high spirits.
Even her steps felt light.
After besting Winnie’s test, she had arranged to meet her at the South Gate that evening for training.
“If I could become as amazing as Miss Winnie…”
On the way, Rozelite couldn’t help picturing herself cutting down monsters in a single blow.
“Mr. Slime, wouldn’t I be able to help you then?”
“…I don’t want to crush your enthusiasm, but I need to set you straight before you run in the wrong direction.”
Russell’s tentacle wriggled out from her chest, climbing over hills and valleys before poking free.
“Our main goal isn’t grinding monsters, leveling up, or finding some ultimate treasure at the world’s edge to become Pirate King. It’s getting back to the capital. Learning swordsmanship from Winnie is just for self-defense. Don’t get confused.”
“Eh?”
Rozelite froze mid-step.
Oh… right.
She was supposed to be going home.
She’d faced a lot of problems lately, but in the end… sword training, being an adventurer—those were side quests. The main quest was always going home. And once home, she’d help Mr. Slime search for a way to become human.
She remembered how, right after leaving the labyrinth, she had longed for home every single day.
But now… why had she completely forgotten about it these past few days?
Could it be… she no longer wanted to go home?
No, that was impossible.
She had to go home. For herself, and for Mr. Slime.
“Mr. Slime, what should we do next?”
Rozelite asked.
“Let’s see… I had planned to take more requests at the Adventurer’s Guild. But since you’re meeting Winnie tonight for training, it’s better to go rest and save your strength—”
“No!”
“Hm?”
“Rowing upstream—you either advance or fall behind!”
Rozelite clenched her little fists, eyes blazing with determination.
“We can’t afford to slack off anymore, Mr. Slime! From today onward, I’ll double my efforts. Let’s go chop more wood!”
Russell: “…”
“What got into this kid all of a sudden? Did something I said just trigger her?”
Seeing Rozelite’s unwavering gaze, Russell sighed helplessly.
“Hard work is important, yes. But balance matters too. If you go chopping wood now, will you even have the energy for training tonight?”
“I… I can handle it!”
“This isn’t about whether you can endure it. Either way, no chopping wood today.”
Russell compromised.
“If you really insist on a request, then pick something simple. An ordinary E-rank job. Like shoveling snow, clearing drains, or cleaning eaves.”
“…Alright.”
Rozelite agreed reluctantly.
So they went to the Adventurer’s Guild.
【Clear snow from Southeast Street】
【Reward: 9 copper coins】
She borrowed a free broom—made of bundled branches—and got to work.
With 【Magic Enhancement】 active, the broom felt light in her hands. Normally, adventurers had to worry about mana cost and use such skills sparingly. But Rozelite’s mana came entirely from Russell, and she was using it slower than he could recover it.
“Heeyah!”
Rozelite swung the broom, plowing through the snow in great sweeps.
Passersby stared at her in surprise, but she kept her head down and worked.
Before she knew it, the sun had tilted west. Dusk painted the rooftops and chimneys orange.
The biting evening air grew colder as she cleared the last patch of snow. She straightened, wiped her brow, and exhaled white mist.
After returning the broom to the guild, she collected 9 copper coins.
Then she hurried to the South Gate—though Russell reminded her to eat first.
By the time she’d finished dinner, it was already late.
The city lights flickered to life. The sunset glow faded, and night spread, sharp and cold.
At the South Gate, a lone figure stood in the snow, arms crossed, back against the wall, eyes half-closed as if dozing.
“Miss Winnie! Sorry to keep you waiting!”
Rozelite rushed over.
Winnie opened her eyes, gave a slight nod, then drew her sword.
The very same sword the bald blacksmith had called one of the Twelve Named Swords.
“I’ve never really been a teacher. But my own swordmaster once taught me something I believe with all my heart.”
Winnie leveled her blade and strode toward Rozelite.
“No matter what you’re learning, nothing beats a real fight.”
“Be ready not to get out of bed tomorrow!”