Memory
While everyone else is resting in their private rooms
I just swing my sword
Vertically
Horizontally
Diagonally
"It's heavy..."
When we started practicing swordsmanship in earnest
We were all given iron swords for training.
It's different from the wooden sword I wielded until I came to this world.
It has a heavy feel that makes me feel like I might drop it if I let my guard down.
"…Fuu!"
I exhale and swing the sword down vigorously.
The weight of the sword gives it more inertia than I expected.
I can't stop the sword exactly where I expect it to be.
I swing the sword horizontally from right to left
Stopping the arm at the expected position
Flexing my wrist
"Ouch!"
It puts a strain on my wrist and causes pain.
"That's not a good swing, is it? Alex."
I hear a voice from behind me
"Commander!"
The owner of the voice was Commander Shiro.
"If you want to use that technique, build more muscle in your arms. Also, that sword isn't designed for that kind of handling."
"Well, yes..."
"Have you seen it? A swing like that?"
"Only once when I was young."
"I guess. Watch."
Saying so, the Commander grabs the sword at his waist.
"Ninety centimeters, single-edged, arc-shaped, draw."
The Commander drew his sword while chanting that.
Longer than the scabbard
A sword with a shape clearly different from the scabbard appeared.
"This is the sword suited to that technique."
He then swung the sword at a nearby rock.
Horizontally from right to left
Stopping his arm just before the blade hits the rock.
Flexing his wrist and touched the rock with the tip of the sword.
Immediately afterward, shaking his wrist to the left and right several times.
"You want to use this?"
The rock was bisected horizontally as many times as he shook his wrist.
"I think you're good enough to be the best this batch, even if you don't use this sword technique, you know?"
"That doesn’t make any sense."
"…What will you accomplish with this sword technique?"
"It’s not about achieving something."
"Then what for?"
"For me, this is what swordsmanship means. That's all there is to it."
I only saw it once
A skill I'll never forget
"As I said before, I won't teach you anything until you become a knight."
"I know"
"But let me tell you this first."
"What is it?"
The look on the Commander's face was sad.
"Don't be consumed by memories. Your existence belongs to you and you alone."
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