Chapter 08
“Human, isn’t a sword just something you swing around?”
Decades ago.
Around that time, Cellus, polymorphed as a human, was traveling and met an old man at the foot of a mountain.
The old man claimed to be a great swordmaster. But to Cellus’s eyes, he just looked like a powerless old man, so she scoffed.
“A sword? Hmph. It’s nothing to a great dragon like me.”
Cellus swung a sword around in front of the old man. Infuriated, the old man struck Celus’s thigh with his cane.
“Hey! Even if you’re a dragon, you can’t treat a precious sword like that!”
“You… you hit me?”
Cellus thought about transforming into her true form and blasting the old man with her breath right then and there.
But the old man’s next words made her hold back.
“I’ll teach you what a sword truly is.”
Cellus wasn’t some weakling who needed to be taught by a human. Known as the great calamity, her power was immense.
But there was a certainty in the old man’s eyes that intrigued her. She grew curious about where that confidence came from.
So, she decided to indulge in this diversion for a bit.
“If you fail to teach me properly, I’ll devour you starting with your head.”
After that, Celus began learning the sword from the old man.
“Bend your knees more. You need to focus on your knees before attacking.”
“Keep your back straight. That way, you can dodge an enemy’s attack immediately.”
“Your vertical slash needs to be cleaner! No trembling!”
But it was damn tough.
Magic was something she could master from birth, but the sword was different.
Still, it was fun. The sweat she shed seemed somewhat worthwhile.
“Hey, human. At this point, am I close to being a swordmaster or whatever?”
“You’re a hundred years too early, you dumb reptile.”
“What did you say?!”
“I’ll have to see this foolish reptile become a swordmaster. Alright, get ready. I’m attacking first.”
“Argh! Slow down!”
And playing with the old man was kind of fun, too.
For about a year, Cellus learned swordsmanship from him.
During that time, Cellus grew astonishingly, going from a poser swordsman to someone who could aim for the level of an expert knight.
It felt like she could actually reach the level of a swordmaster in a human body.
Then one day.
“Hey, human! What are you teaching me today?”
Cellus kicked open the door to the old man’s house as usual.
Normally, the old man would nag, saying, “Late again, lazy reptile. When will you ever show up on time?”
But…
“Hey, are you still sleeping?”
The old man was lying motionless in bed, his hands neatly resting on his stomach.
“Human, get up. I’m in great condition today.”
Cellus grabbed the old man’s arm to pull him up. But he didn’t rise. No, he *couldn’t* rise.
Seeing his hand fall limply, Cellus finally realized.
Humans have short lifespans.
“…Are you dead?”
The old man didn’t answer.
“Are you really dead?”
Still, the old man didn’t respond.
“Didn’t you say you’d see me become a swordmaster or whatever?”
Cellus shook the old man’s shoulders and shouted.
“And you’re going to die so pathetically like this? Why?”
But the old man’s tightly shut eyes showed no sign of opening. His stopped breath wouldn’t return. Ever.
“I… still,”
Cellus lowered her head and muttered.
“I don’t even know your name.”
A bleak wind blew. It almost felt like it carried traces of the old man’s breath.
Cellus couldn’t quite understand what was flowing down her cheeks. She only realized one thing.
She was a profoundly lonely being.
So, after that, Celus stopped visiting the human world. She holed up in her mountain range, honing the swordsmanship the old man had taught her, trying hard to forget the memories of him. That went on for decades.
And so,
“You’re saying I’ve never properly held a sword?”
Cellus—no, Daphne—found Arius’s words laughable.
“Don’t underestimate me, you foolish human!”
Vertical slash!
Daphne swung the child-sized wooden sword with all her strength.
Her stance was perfect, and the strike was heavy.
But there was something Daphne had overlooked.
The fact that her strength was only at 1, and her stamina was only at 10.
“…Ugh?”
Daphne felt the world spinning before her eyes.
“W-Wait a moment…”
She wanted to say more but couldn’t continue.
Like a marionette with its strings cut, she collapsed with a *thud*!
When a five-year-old child collapses like this, anyone would rush to support her and take her to a physician. But no one in the training yard could easily move. No, they *couldn’t* move.
“….”
They were all shocked by the vertical slash Daphne had just performed.
Arius, who had boldly challenged Daphne to a fight, Lloyd, who was watching them, and the knights who had been paying attention to their duel—all remained silent. Only the sound of someone swallowing hard could be heard.
“Captain.”
Arius, barely regaining his senses, spoke. Only then did Lloyd, the knight captain, snap out of it.
“Uh… yes.”
“Did I just see that right?”
Arius said. Lloyd’s eyes wavered slightly.
“What… do you mean?”
“I mean!”
Arius shouted, tightly gripping the wooden sword he hadn’t even swung once.
“Did you see that five-year-old kid swing a sword with such perfect form?!”
Arius was genuinely astonished.
He had felt something unusual from the moment Daphne first gripped the wooden sword.
He’d heard she had never held a sword, was born frail, and had no interest in swordsmanship, never even visiting the training yard. So how could she strike such a perfect stance?!
But he thought it was just her stance that looked impressive. He assumed her swing would be different.
He was wrong.
Daphne’s vertical slash was so clean and precise it could be called marvelous.
He didn’t want to admit it, but it was far more skilled than his own swordsmanship, honed over three years.
“Damn it!”
Arius stomped his foot and gritted his teeth.
“Is this what bloodlines mean?”
He muttered bitterly.
He was just a lucky adopted son who caught his mother’s eye, but Daphne was the “real child” who inherited both her father’s and mother’s abilities.
Perhaps it was that damned bloodline that allowed Daphne to display such perfect swordsmanship.
Thinking this, his mouth tasted bitter. It was truly frustrating and unfair.
All the effort he’d put in, and yet Daphne, of all people…!
The wooden sword in Arius’s grip trembled.
*Hoo.*
He steadied his breath and squared his shoulders.
“Call a physician to take her away. And you…”
Arius ordered the other knights to carry Daphne away, then turned his gaze to Lloyd, who was still standing there, dumbfounded.
“Starting today, you’re my personal instructor.”
*Grind.* Arius clenched his teeth so hard they might break.
“I don’t want to be outdone by that little brat.”
For some reason, everyone in the training yard felt that a storm was brewing in the once-quiet household.
***
“Hiyaa!”
As soon as Daphne opened her eyes, she let out a loud cry and bolted upright.
All she could remember was her fight with Arius.
“…Hm?”
But as she came to her senses and looked around, she realized this wasn’t the dusty training yard—it was her room.
Only then did Daphne grasp the situation.
She had planned to say all sorts of impressive things to put Arius in his place, but she had collapsed after just one vertical slash.
“This is infuriating.”
Her lack of strength must have drained her stamina just from swinging the sword. So, her top priority now was to build her strength and stamina.
“But how?”
She had no idea how to increase stamina and strength.
A dragon’s body was so strong and sturdy that there was never a need to work on such things.
“If I’d known I’d end up possessing such a frail human body, I would’ve looked into it sooner!”
Daphne screamed internally in frustration, but regretting it now was like crying over spilled milk.
“Who can I ask about this…?”
As Daphne was deep in thought,
“Oh my!”
The door opened, and Anne and Anna entered simultaneously. Seeing Daphne, their eyes widened.
“You’re awake, my lady!”
“Thank goodness!”
Anne and Anna hurriedly rushed over to check on Daphne.
“Are you hurting anywhere?”
“Are you dizzy or having a headache?”
Daphne stared at their genuinely concerned faces.
‘They’re really loyal to this body.’
She didn’t know why, but it wasn’t a bad thing, so she figured she’d let it slide.
“I’m fine. So, can you move your faces? It’s overwhelming.”
“Oh, yes! Sorry!”
“Sorry!”
Anne and Anna quickly pulled back their faces.
“It’s such a relief that you’re not in pain. But just in case, we’ll call the physician!”
“I’ll go prepare your meal!”
“Do as you like.”
Daphne waved her hand dismissively, but Anne and Anna didn’t mind and bustled about.
“Oh, and!”
As Anne was about to leave, she shouted.
“The knight captain asked us to let him know when you woke up. What should we do?”
The knight captain?
That crazy psycho who threw me the wooden sword?
Daphne made a thoughtful sound and pondered for a moment.
Her deliberation didn’t last long.
“Call him.”
It was only natural to meet someone who wanted to see her.
“Yes, understood.”
After Anne and Anna left, it wasn’t long before Lloyd knocked on the door.
“My lady, may I come in?”
His tone was noticeably more polite than before.
This slightly improved Daphne’s mood.
“Yes, you’ve come.”
Daphne spoke to Lloyd as he entered the room.
Lloyd approached her and stood before her. Then, he slowly opened his mouth.
“I have something to ask you, my lady.”
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
By Anna 💓
