Chapter 30 Hiiro's Worries
Time flies when you're really into something.
We're halfway through Taurus Month (April). It's been 2 weeks since I joined the squad.
We're finally at the halfway point before the selection test. The new recruits, who seemed a bit carefree before, are starting to look more serious these days at the knight's headquarters.
I'm standing there with my arms crossed, feeling like smoke is coming out of my head.
"I don't get it."
I feel like I'm stuck.
It's been about a month since I got here, and I think I've trained hard──maybe even too hard.
Especially in these last 2 weeks, I thought I was really pushing myself, but I don't feel like I've grown at all.
Some of the other new recruits are clearly getting stronger. I just don't understand.
(Am I the protagonist? But why do I feel like I'm not getting any results from all this effort? I don't feel stronger at all.)
Usually, the protagonist's growth is supposed to be fast, so what's going on? Even I, who was called a mediocre talent by my teacher, was improving a bit more back then.
Is it that I'm waiting for some kind of awakening event? Like, I suddenly get strong after that?
If that's the case, then I haven't even gotten past the tutorial yet.
Isn't the prologue a bit too long?
(And lately, I feel like my body is getting slower.)
The reason I'm worried isn't just about my slow growth. I feel really frustrated with my sword swings and movements.
I can do about 60-70% of the moves I want, but I just can't reach the rest.
It's like when I was a teenager and could touch my toes easily, but now in my thirties, I can only reach my ankles. It's like feeling old before becoming an adult.
But it's definitely not just in my head. I have no idea why.
(I really don't get it. I seriously don't get it.)
So, I can't just brush it off and say it's okay. I'm stuck here, worrying about it.
"What's the deal?"
"You're the one sitting there frowning and mumbling to yourself. What's up with you?"
"...Huh? Oh, it's you, Quollio."
"That's quite the greeting, isn't it?"
Quollio, the smart guy with glasses, interrupted my thinking time.
When I asked why he was here, he sighed and tossed me a towel and a water bottle.
Looks like he brought me a snack. It's hard to believe this is happening after just a week, but I didn't mention it since I knew it would just annoy him.
"So? Why are you making such a serious face on your day off while working out?"
"I'm hitting a wall."
"A wall?"
"Can’t get things to go the way I want."
"...As usual, your words are lacking in clarity. I can't understand what's not going your way unless you explain it."
He's right.
We're both not great at talking, but since he asked, I had no reason to refuse.
So, I tried to explain my struggles and the whole protagonist theory thing.
"I see."
"Did you figure something out?"
"Nope. You know your strengths, right? I'm not an expert in martial arts."
"...Tch, useless." (Right?)
"Useless? You're really rude. But... I do have a hunch about something."
"Huh?! Spit it out already!"
This guy is such a know-it-all.
He has that annoying habit of making things sound complicated before getting to the point.
"It's payback for how rough you usually are. Anyway, my hunch is about the practical training 2 days ago."
"Training? Oh, that one-on-one mock battle? Ugh, I struggled like hell during that."
"You really did have a tough time. But during that, Ms. Eshurareze was watching your fight right next to me."
"Shura was?"
I was surprised to hear that name.
Why is she coming up now? Did she really see me struggle? Even though it was after the fact, it felt embarrassing to have my rival see me fail.
I've already shown her my weaknesses before, and it just feels awkward.
Even though she's my rival, she has this weird way of being like a heroine.
"Well, I guess I was just nearby. She didn't seem to notice me at all. Plus, she looked like she was in a bad mood. Every time you got pressured, she would click her tongue and mumble things like 'pathetic' or 'just talk'."
"Tch, that girl..."
"But there was one thing she mumbled that caught my attention: 'He's struggling because he barely know how to use Magi'."
"Magi?"
Wait, why is Magi coming up here?
That's not really related to pure sword fighting.
After hearing Shura's name, I opened my eyes wide again. But unlike me, Quollio seemed to have an idea. He adjusted his glasses like a teacher and raised his index finger."
"Hey, Hiiro. Could it be that you're fighting without really using Magi?"
Could it be?
Wait, is Magi really necessary for fighting...?
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