MFWSP 44

Chapter 44

Lysian and Aken were each handed a practice sword.

It was made of real steel like a real blade, but with a blunted edge and tip so it wouldn’t cut even if it hit.

“Can you even lift it? It’s heavy.”

“Shut up! I’ve run off with money bags way heavier than this.”

“You can back out if you’re scared.”

“Why don’t you back out instead? Arrogant before the fight even starts.”

Despite his words, Lysian’s hands trembled slightly as he gripped the hilt. He was probably holding something heavier than a wooden sword for the first time.

“You can do it, big bro!”

“Go, Lysian! If you lose, I’ll tease you forever!”

Kyle and Lin waved their fists in the air, cheering.

“Aken-sunbae! Go easy, please!”

“Yeah, Aken, take it slow or he won’t last.”

The knights watching from the side began shouting as well, with Jurik’s voice booming louder than all the others.

“Alright! If this little pickpocket faints, Aken wins—”

“My name is Lysian.”

“…And if Lysian manages to land even one hit on Aken, then Lysian wins.”

Morve, acting as referee, finished his explanation while nodding at the defiant Lysian.

“The match ends the moment someone surrenders. Now—begin!”

Morve’s raised hand slashed through the air and dropped.

“Let’s see what you’ve got—what the?!”

Aken, who had been spinning his sword lightly in one hand, froze.

Whoosh—

Lysian was already right in front of him.

“What the—!”

Lysian didn’t waste time trying to read his opponent or hesitate. No, he had already judged Aken somewhat. He knew this wasn’t someone he could beat in a fair duel. So, he struck first.

I smiled slightly. That was just like Lysian.

Clang!

Aken instinctively twisted his body and deflected Lysian’s sword.

“How’s he so fast? He’s not even human…”

Swish—

Before Aken could even gather his thoughts, Lysian spun and launched another attack.

Aken had to step back several times to block it.

“Look at him swing that sword…”

Jurik murmured with wide eyes.

“Does it look like he’s held a sword before?”

“Not just held it—he moves like it’s part of his body. He’s quick like a fox too… but the way he swings, it’s like he’s never seen proper sword forms.”

“How far do you think he could go, Uncle, assuming he gets proper training?”

“…I don’t know. He’s too strange.”

Jurik, who had been watching with the intention of mocking him, unknowingly leaned forward.

“He clearly never learned the right way to hold a sword, but he moves like flowing water… Look at that turn! That speed! His reflexes are honestly on par with your father when he was young!”

Even as he spoke, Jurik kept throwing out words of amazement.

“That’s the highest praise I’ve ever heard from you.”

I smiled softly.

I told you, Lysian—

No one in the empire is as gifted with a sword as you.

You were born to fight… and to protect.

Claaang—

Aken swung his sword and sent Lysian flying.

Lysian twisted mid-air, landed at the center of the arena, and pointed his blade at Aken again.

“Mmm…”

Aken narrowed his eyes and adjusted his grip. Sweat was beading on his forehead.

“Alright then. I’ll take this seriously.”

He growled. The calm look he had even while fighting an entire squad earlier had turned into the sharp gaze of a wild beast.

Swish—

“Haaahhh!”

Lysian charged again, and Aken let out a loud shout, swinging his sword horizontally.

Lysian dodged back, leaving Aken’s body wide open. Spotting a gap, Lysian lunged straight in.

“It’s a trick, you brat!”

Aken suddenly lowered himself, twisted, and slammed his fist into Lysian’s midsection.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Lysian’s body was flung through the air and landed hard at the center of the arena.

He twitched his arms and legs a few times but couldn’t stand back up.

“Match over! Aken wins!”

At Morve’s declaration, cheers and applause erupted from the crowd.

“Wow! That’s our Aken-sunbae!”

“Cocky brat got what he deserved!”

“Wait, did that guy almost win just now? That was close, wasn’t it?”

“Nah, sunbae must’ve gone easy. Still, he’s better than you or me.”

“He really did go easy. He didn’t show us that kind of mercy.”

While the crowd voiced their thoughts, Aken wiped the sweat from his brow. His eyes looked as if they’d pop out in shock, and he was breathing heavily.

“Whew… did you really go all out against that kid?”

Jurik asked, and Aken slowly nodded.

“It felt like I was fighting a leopard, not a human. Weird stance, reckless attacks, ridiculous speed… If I’d let my guard down for even a second, I would’ve lost.”

He shivered slightly.

Morve slowly walked up and helped Lysian to his feet.

“Have you ever trained with a sword?”

“…Sometimes, with wandering knights. But even they weren’t better than me. So in the end, I trained alone.”

Lysian, clearly frustrated, managed to sit up. Kyle and Lin, who had been holding their breath with wide rabbit eyes, finally sighed in relief.

“I lost. So kill me or throw me in jail. Do whatever you want. But let my siblings go.”

He growled. His sharp eyes were fixed on Aken.

“You want to die?”

Morve asked, but Lysian didn’t answer.

“Do you want anything? The duchess values talent.”

Guessing my thoughts, Morve tried again to coax Lysian.

“Have you ever dreamed of becoming a real knight? It’s not impossible, you know.”

“I don’t care about that! I… I have to go back.”

“You brat…”

Morve frowned, but Lysian didn’t even look at him. From the moment the duel ended, his eyes had never left Aken.

“Uncle Jurik, where did you find those children again?”

“In the Bennett alley. There’s an old abandoned house where abandoned street kids gather.”

“Lysian.”

I called his name, and he flinched, finally turning toward me.

“How many kids are there in total?”

“…”

“Kyle, you tell me.”

“Thirty-eight. Lysian hyung is the only adult.”

Kyle, always quick to speak, answered immediately.

“You couldn’t leave them behind, could you?”

Lysian’s eyes trembled slightly at my question.

“No need to answer. I already know.”

Because it had been the same in my past lives too.

Lysian had always tried to protect the people around him.

In my first and second lives, I’d visited pawnshops near the slums looking for magic stones. Both times, Lysian had stolen my wallet and gotten caught by guards.

I liked him, so I invited him to come with me. But even after we became close, he didn’t come easily.

He said his siblings would starve if he left.

In the first life, I forced all the children into a hunting guild and hired more people to manage them.

But there were too many. Most weren’t suited to hunting or didn’t cooperate, and I had to go through endless trial and error.

In the second life, I used what little money remained in the house to support the kids, and only brought Lysian, Lin, and Kyle as the core members of the guild.

That small elite guild grew fast—until Grace ruined everything.

She led the capture of the slum kids, who had stayed in the capital and kept pickpocketing.

She offered them a generous deal: if they helped her, none would be punished, and they’d be given enough money to live comfortably forever.

They left me.

“I’ll come back to you, Iris.”

“Do what you want.”

“Promise me. That you’ll wait for us. That you’ll give us a chance to die for you.”

“Fine. Now pick up Kyle and leave. I drugged him so he wouldn’t resist.”

Lysian’s promise had never been kept. But I didn’t blame them.

It was my fault for letting their family be taken hostage. I hadn’t had the power to protect them back then.

But this time, I had to be thorough.