Youngest Swordmaster

The horse did the running and Kallios did the riding, but I was the one who suffered most. My rear started aching before we’d even been riding for five minutes, and by the fifteen-minute mark, my entire body creaked with every jolt. Noticing my poor condition, Kallios brought the horse to a stop.

“It would be best to just turn back.”

“No.”

I firmly refused, clutching my stomach to keep the nausea at bay. Regardless of how I felt, it was a perfect day for a ride. The early morning breeze was a bit nippy but more refreshing than cold, and the sight of the roadside trees dyed in gold and crimson against the distant mountains was lovely. I wouldn’t have been able to savor this scenery in a carriage.

Besides, it was just the two of us right now. No guarding knights, no attending servants—just us. When else would a day like this come again? After staying still for a moment, my stomach settled. I tapped the forearm I was holding. He began to lead the horse forward again, more cautiously this time.

“Kallios.”

“Please do not speak.”

“The weather is so ni— ow!“

D*mn it. I bit my tongue. It wasn’t incredibly hard, but it definitely hurt. I frowned and rubbed the tingling tip of my tongue against the roof of my mouth. I heard a snicker from behind me. I quickly turned my head to check his face, but I met his expressionless gaze. Did I hear wrong? No, I definitely heard it.

Suddenly, the horse’s pace quickened. Unable to confirm the source of the snicker, I looked ahead again.

“Is this your first time riding a horse?”

“Yeah.”

I answered with my mouth tightly shut. I had ridden for twenty days straight when I was ‘Emperor Kaian,’ but those memories remained only as an impressive, vivid dream.

I stared blankly at the empty road before remembering something and looking back. My eyes met Kallios’s again. I spoke slowly this time, fearing I’d bite my tongue again.

“You said you received the memories.”

“Yes.”

“Then.”

“Yes.”

“The method to become a Swordmaster… did you receive those memories too?”

He tilted his head to the side. Clop, clop. I waited for an answer over the sound of hooves striking the earth. Kallios steered the horse to the left at a fork in the road and nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then.”

“Yes.”

“Will you become a Swordmaster too?”

I didn’t know exactly how strong a Swordmaster was, but I knew it was a big deal regardless.

“Do you wish for me to become a Swordmaster?”

“Yeah. It’s cool.”

In the distance, I saw people working in the fields. I saw turning windmills and small houses. I stared blankly at the peaceful, beautiful pastoral scenery. A gust of wind rushed over my face.

“I am not yet fully proficient, however…”

“Hmm?”

“It has been a little while since I reached that stage.”

I blinked, not quite processing his words, and asked, “What?” In the original story, ‘Kallios’ had earned the title of the youngest Swordmaster at twenty-five. But my Kallios was saying he became a Swordmaster at twenty. He told me once more, clearly this time.

“I am a Swordmaster.”

“Really?”

My goodness. I pulled at his hand that was wrapped around my waist. Following my lead, he obediently loosened his arm and showed me his palm. I looked down at his hand, calloused from both the sword and the pen. The hand of the youngest Swordmaster in continental history! …I didn’t feel any grand sense of awe. It was just the same hand of the Kallios I saw every day. Still, I was proud, so I stroked it gently before gripping it tight.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Was it something I had to say?”

“Yeah. It’s an incredible feat.”

He squeezed my hand back. His large hand had always felt reliable, but knowing it was the hand of a Swordmaster made it feel even more reassuring. Cool, great, amazing.

“That’s so cool…”

As I murmured to myself, he spoke. It was a voice as soft as the wind, but I heard it clearly. I will protect you. I grinned like an idiot and leaned my back against his chest. When I tilted my head back, my skull brushed his firm shoulder. Thump, thump. I nudged him playfully and looked up. His face, focused on the road ahead for safe driving, was so handsome that it made me laugh again. My goodness, my little brother.

I sprawled out on the grass. Kallios tied the horse to a tree and came over to sit beside me. I scooted over and used his lap as a pillow. Since we’d set out early, the sun wasn’t high yet. The grass felt damp with unevaporated dew. I figured my clothes would get damp and uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to move for a while. It felt like my joints were still rattling. I’m gonna die… I sighed and looked up at the sky. Aside from the wind and the rustling sound I made every time I shifted, it was silent. The sky, draped in clouds thin as curtains, was just as quiet. I closed my eyes as I felt him stroking my hair.

“Brother.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“How is it?”

“It’s good.”

The Siberian chrysanthemum hill smelled strongly of grass, just as Kallios had described before. Seeing it up close, it wasn’t as picture-perfect as I’d imagined. There were withered or bug-eaten flowers, and some had been flattened by the wind. But I still liked it. I hadn’t realized while climbing, but since the elevation was high, I could see the wide plains and the Imperial Capital laid out below. The pure white castle shining in the morning sun was beautiful. So this is why people travel to see great views, I thought.

It would have been even better if I had a camera, but just seeing it with my eyes was enjoyable enough. I had cleared my whole day for this. I planned to roll around, sleep, eat, and play until sunset. The hand stroking my hair vanished. I opened my eyes. His hand was blocking the autumn sunlight from hitting my face. I grabbed it, pulled it down, and put it back on my head. Kallios fiddled with my hair before moving his hand to cover my eyes.

“This is nice.”

“What do you like most?”

“Just…”

I rolled over from my back to my side. After readjusting my head on his thigh, I reached out and touched a nearby wildflower. The petals were soft.

“It’s leisurely. Quiet.”

Having lived a static life for ten years, I suppose the sudden busyness that came with my recovery had been exhausting. I thought I’d kept a loose enough schedule… but being in a place with no one around made all the tension drain out of my body. A petal I was fiddling with snapped off. I placed it on Kallios’s knee. A breeze came and swept the petal away.

“I just want to stay like this. Forever and ever.”

“If you wish for it.”

He took the hand I had resting on his knee.

“You can do so.”

“Oh, please.”

I laughed and sat up. This guy. It seemed he intended to turn his brother into a spoiled brat. You’ll do everything just because I say I want it? Of course, I knew he had the power to do so.

“I don’t want that.”

He looked at me. He didn’t ask why out loud, but his face was so full of the question that I answered.

“It’s pathetic—doing nothing but playing around all day.”

“It is not pathetic.”

“I don’t know.”

I’d already spent ten years… playing? But that wasn’t because I wanted to; it was because I had no choice due to my health. If a person with perfectly functioning limbs plays for ten years, even the most broad-minded Kallios would get sick of them. I grinned, touched by his filial words, treating me like a brother even though I’d done nothing for him.

“The tastiest food is always the bite you steal from someone else, and the most fun time is the time you squeeze out of a busy schedule. If you play every day, it gets boring, you know?”

“…”

“Ah. I guess you wouldn’t know since you’ve never played a day in your life.”

Seeing some dirt on me, he brushed off my back. I sat still, and once he seemed finished, I stood up. He followed suit. Since I had also plopped down on the ground, I brushed the grass off Kallios’s trousers.

We took a leisurely stroll around the hill. Whenever we hit a good view, we stopped. Even without a camera, if I found a spot that looked like it would take a good photo, I made him stand there while I admired the view. I used to hate it when my mom asked to take photos on trips, but now I finally understood how she felt. Having my precious “kid” and a stunning landscape together made me want to preserve it somehow.

He followed my strange instructions without a word of complaint. I found it so cute and funny that I laughed out loud. Holding a single Siberian chrysanthemum, he tilted his head curiously and approached. I took the flower he handed me and tucked it into his shirt pocket.

“Say.”

“Yes.”

“Why haven’t you visited until now?”

Kallios turned his head away. I cupped both of his cheeks and forced him to look at me again.

“Do you only come if I say I miss you?”

His brow furrowed.

“If you have a grievance, say it with words.”

“I have none.”

“Liar.”

“I have none.”

The way he’d grabbed his book and stormed out, and his behavior now—he was clearly showing his displeasure, even though he rarely expressed emotion. Simply denying it with his mouth wasn’t going to cut it. He lowered his eyes, avoiding my gaze.

“Kallios.”

“Yes.”

“Are you not going to tell me?”

“No matter…”

“Hmm?”

“…what I say.”

His face drew closer. I stared at him. Then, Kallios took a step back.

“It is nothing.”

I nodded blankly. He began to walk away with long strides. I watched his retreating back before belatedly chasing after him.

Scared me. I thought he was going to kiss me.

After that… well, things were a bit awkward for a moment but soon returned to normal. My stomach played a big role. It let out a loud rumble because I hadn’t eaten breakfast. Rather than embarrassed, I felt relieved. Kallios immediately unpacked the lunchbox he’d brought on the horse. It was mostly finger foods that could be eaten easily without utensils, which made it feel like a fancy picnic. My mood brightened instantly, and I kept urging him to try this and that. His face remained the same regardless of what he ate. I wondered if it would be the same if I fed him something full of wasabi.

I also took a nap. The ground was a bit chilly, but the sun was warm, so I wasn’t cold. That offer to give him an arm pillow and sleep together? Uh… I didn’t make it. He read a book while watching me prepare to sleep on his lap.

The picnic, which was supposed to end at sunset, ended earlier than planned because a messenger arrived looking for us. Kallios, holding my hand as I struggled to wake up, called out, “Brother.” Yeah.

“Time to wake up.”

“How long did I sleep?”

“You slept for about an hour.”

If I slept more, I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. I just nodded and sat up, then my eyes flew open at the sight of other people behind him.

Lamierre gave a small smile and a nod. Marquis Lomond approached us, clearing his throat.

“I apologize for disturbing your rest. An urgent matter has arisen…”

“It’s okay. What is it?”

If the two of them came together, it could only be about the Academy’s underground ruins. I let out a wide yawn, rubbed my eyes, and straightened my slouching torso, fighting off the lingering sleepiness.

“Duke Tephersa has moved.”

“Hmm?”

“He claims the Imperial Family cannot stop the excavation of ruins found on private land…”

In this world, ruins were essentially “treasure chests”—finders keepers. I knew that telling him to leave it alone for preservation and research because of its historical value wouldn’t work. Still, I didn’t expect him to move this fast. And of all times, while I was out on a picnic. I stood up with a pouty face.

“Where is Headmaster Herenso?”

“He is waiting for you.”

Lamierre answered quickly. I nodded and looked at Kallios standing behind me.

“Go ahead.”

After a short farewell, he left with Marquis Lomond. I followed Lamierre down the hill. My private carriage was waiting at the bottom. It seemed they had stopped by the Imperial Palace to look for me before coming here. Isaac greeted me in front of the carriage.

“Did you have a pleasant time?”

“Mm-hmm.”

After standing still while he brushed the grass off my sleeves, I climbed into the carriage. It started moving immediately.