Sword Whisperer - Chapter 11
Chapter 11. The Genius Who Wandered In (1)
The castle in which the head of the Cho family resided seemed more like a big house, rather than a castle.
In fact, it was not tall as a castle. It was just that countless houses were linked and linked again, and the house which was at the center of them all….with slightly higher roofline was his castle.
“Dolby, are you nervous?”
“….Wouldn’t you be? It would be earth shattering to be meeting our regional lord, but to meet the head of the Cho Family…..”
“Don’t get nervous. It’s not that we are going there for punishment, rather to receive a reward. So, why be all shaken up?”
Of course, the fact that Van’s palms were moist with sweat would remain as a secret, only to himself.
Van looked on the back of Wooryung who was walking ahead. The words that were said by him were still vivid in his head.
-Let’s go to the academy.
-We, the Cho Family, will be your supporter.
‘Academy. Hm.’
Van fell into a deep thought. He was wondering what it would be like to go to the academy in the capitol. There would be pretty girls, and friends to share hearty laughter with. Then train swords along with them….
“You’ve arrived. Everyone, it is recommended to not make eye contacts with the lord until you’re called upon.”
“….Understood.”
“Father. Here I am, your son Wooryung.”
There was no reply. We looked at each other, thinking perhaps he wasn’t in, but Wooryung remained steady with his head lowered while looking down at the door.
And after some time, a response was heard.
“Enter.”
The door opened. And as soon as they entered, Van couldn’t help, but be amazed at three things.
First. There was no furniture there.
To elaborate, there were a several chairs, but they looked quite shabby compared to the space which was as expansive as an ordinary castle.
Second. A countless weapons were hung on display.
Even at a rough guess, there seemed to be over one hundred items. The wall wasn’t a wall, but was more like a weapons display area and every servant and even the servant girl was sporting, at least, a sword on their waist, without any exception.
And lastly, the third.
The head of the family was not in human body.
‘…..This is crazy.’
Van unconsciously gulped down his saliva. He did think that Wooryung had great physique when he first encountered him, but it was a completely different story for the family’s head. On his bare upper body, big muscles bulged and wiggled as if a mountain was moving, and white vapor spewed upwards from the top.
It was a relief that their eyes did not meet, because had they met, he would have had a tough time to even breathe due to the overwhelming force he felt. Similar to running into a bear in the mountain, he felt like screaming out of his instinct.
“Are you the ones? Who helped my son.”
“…..I’m Aidan, the captain of the Shionel village. It is my great honor to meet you, the great leader of the Cho Family.”
“No need for empty formalities. You were instrumental in delivering a blow to the detestable insurrectionists. And I have no need to get worked up over getting my son’s tombstone prepared, either. You’ve probably heard, already, so I believe it’s my turn to hear you. All right. What is your wish? Starting from you, captain.”
The head of the Cho family was lifting huge iron weight the whole time he was speaking. After subtly surveying the area, Aidan spoke cautiously.
“My wish is not easy to speak of before others. Therefore, If I may show it to you with writing…..”
“Hm. A man with many secrets. There. Bring a brush and paper to this man.”
Although he probably did not have many opportunities to write, he moved the brush rather skillfully as he began to write something down. And when the servant girl brought the paper to the head of the Cho’s family, he raised the tips of his lips, and exploded in great laughter.
“Hahahaha! Gosh. A trouble brings forth a new trouble, they said. This is exactly that situation.”
“Are you able to…make good on my wish?”
“I’m Cho Mooryung, the head of the Cho Family. I keep what I promise. You have no more reason to worry about this matter.”
What the heck did he write down. As Van and his companions stood there, blinking their eyes in curiosity, the head of the family’s focus has moved on to them. He asked, suppressing his laughter.
“All right. And your wishes are?”
“I’ll be completely satisfied if I could receive a good parcel of land and some money.”
“Hm. Is that so. Not a tough wish, at all.”
That was Goad’s wish. Having lost one of his eyes, he said he was getting sick and tired of the life of sword. And for Dolby…..
“I….want to be a farmer and live a peaceful life.”
“That, too, is not difficult.”
Slowly, bored expression began to cover Mooryung’s face. Although they might have thought whether it was acceptable to ask for something this big or not, as far as Mooryung was concerned, they were just the run of the mills, ordinary wishes.
How different would the last one be? Mooryung looked at Van as he was thinking that.
Van spoke.
“I want to be the most powerful swordsman in the world.”
They were the same words which he spoke of to Wooryung, sometime ago. In the natural course of making his wish, a request for his support would have followed.
However, as soon as he saw Mooryung, Van’s calculation has changed. The ferocity, and power that caused even his instinct to shudder. Seeing the visual of overwhelming the people around him with just by breathing….he couldn’t help, but say the following words.
“For that, I’d like to request Cho Family’s teaching.”
§
When he heard Van, Mooryung laughed out loud as if he has heard a very interesting joke. Even after returning to his room, Dolby could not get rid of the puzzled look on his face.
“What led you to ask for a wish like that at that place?”
“….He looked to be the most powerful man on earth, no matter whose opinion that might be. I wanted to learn.”
“You…are certainly different.”
Dolby shook his head wildly. At one point in time, he tried all he could to overcome Van’s skills, but now, he thought it was natural that he could not grow beyond Van’s level.
‘…..Certainly, I want to distance myself from swords.’
His abdomen was still throbbing from the wound suffered at the hands of Number Five. Whenever he thought about himself gasping for air and the fact that he could have died….He could never utter the words to say that he wanted to be a swordsman, ever again.
However, Van who was in the same battlefield still wanted to be a swordsman. And be the most powerful one, at that.
Van placed his hand on Dolby’s shoulder.
“Make a pretty farm. Later…I’ll come and visit after becoming famous. By then, Yoori would most likely have a baby, too.”
“…Right. That’s probably right. You, too. Be the….most powerful swordsman.”
How could he feel so cheesy even when he was talking about someone else’s dream. Van smiled as he saw Dolby turn red.
“I’ll be. No matter what.”
It was the following day when Kintnell came to visit. He called on him even before the sun rose, and spoke as he looked down on dazed Van.
“You’ve asked for Cho Family’s teaching.”
“What? Yes.”
“Get up. Cho Family’s morning is much earlier than you think.”
When he arrived at the training center after a quick wash, he saw the place was already filled with others, sitting there. Van asked as he found their sitting positions somewhat strange.
“….Why are they all sitting like that?”
“It’s called the lotus position. You meditate in that position. You think about the swords’ paths and the opponents they faced, and swords’ edges of the opponents that they may not face. And also take inner look into your mind to see the hidden stubbornness and hurdles. Think of it as the process of emptying your thoughts.”
“Ah, OK…..”
The daily task was simple. Meditate and make body strong. On top of that, by adding in martial arts and sword training, it would be the same as how the ordinary swordsmen of the Cho Family trained.
“The swordsmanship of the Cho Family will feel much different than what you’ve been used to. It may even take several months just to get over the basics. So, do not rush, and take your time.”
“Yes, I understand.”
He said so, but Van had no such intention. It was because the sword that he was given was just waiting to be memorized by him.
[You’re holding the long sword held by ‘Cho Family’s young swordsman’.]
Material: Steel
Quality: Ordinary
Master: Cho Jiyeun (1 Star)
Memory Retention Rate: Low
Note: It is the long sword, personally, made by the ironsmith of the Cho Family. It is specialized for slicing, rather than piercing.
[Your current swordsmanship level is 2 stars. The memory synchronization will be adjusted to the maximum level.]
As his swordsmanship rose to 2 stars, it wasn’t even much work to absorb the memory of 1 star swordsman. If he had obtained five repetitions worth of experience when he had first swung Jansen’s sword….With a single swing of the sword, he could accumulate experience level of fifty times, or even higher than that.
One week was sufficient to make expressionless Kintnell to be all shaken up.
“….Was he truly a genius.”
He murmured in a shaking voice while watching Van from a distance.
He just thought that he was a hungry wild dog. It was the audacity of wanting to become the most powerful swordsman in the world that made him shine, not that he was likely to make that a reality.
However, he no longer thought Van’s ambition as being only an ambition.
In only one week.
Van’s sword has perfectly drawn the path of Cho Family’s sword.
