If it was not that month's training, that seemingly unavoidable sword that lunged towards me during my deep sleep would have been fatal . My senses brought about something akin to a flash of electricity, which tore me away from the deep sleep that I was in .
What greeted me during the moment when I open my eyes, is the reflection of a sharp long sword which seemed to pierce my heart with a freezing chill .
It really makes my heart tremble!
To tell the truth, I do not know how I was able to react to that . Perhaps it was an instinct that was developed from the long training, and I twist my head to the sides at the last instant, and that sword stabs down and brushes past my ear .
I escape that in the nick of time .
Then I see the sword's design embedded onto a metal plate amidst the shining light reflected from the sword; the black rose that bloomed furiously, which can only be from Brumand .
I pause for a while before recognizing it .
“Madara's undead troops!”
It is as if a bucket of water was thrown onto me, and I completely sober up, fucking hell, why are these damn shit bastards appearing here?
I clearly remember I am taking my leave at the countryside Bucce . This land was left behind by my grandfather, and I received my old man's permission, and stayed here to take care of this old house .
My mother was a Kadireig, and it is probably the only bloodline within my body that is close to nobility . On the other hand, my father was a traditional middle-aged ordinary miller, and he did not resemble my grandfather who participated in the famous November's war and received the Candlelight emblem .
And I, am simply an ordinary youth who can be found anywhere within the kingdom . My biggest dream is to join the army or go out to adventure, and bring back great wealth .
Then perhaps at the end of things, I will find a beautiful wife to spend my life with, a perfect life indeed!
But I am digressing . Right beside my bed is a fearful undead trying to kill me, and it made my heart pulse with dread . Fortunately the things that my instructor taught me back in the days still remained in my mind, and are not forgotten because of my panicked thoughts . I recall in an instant that my sword is placed beside my bed, but that skeleton will surely not let me have the chance to take it . I realize now that this is a terrible habit, I must remember to put it below my pillow the next time .
These thoughts happen within moments .
I instinctively pounced towards the sides from the bed, and knocked that gleaming white skeleton onto the floor . Right now I remember my instructor every sentence from my first combat lesson:
“Remember, these soldiers from Madara's lowest ranks, solely use the 'soul's flames' to move . They are slow, lacking in intelligence and they are weak . ”
But before I can recall everything, a huge force came from below, as if I am not restraining a skeleton but a bull . In any case, a force that was beyond me threw me towards the sides, where I end up knocking onto the shelves . I can hear the grating sound made from my bones and shelves that would have made people pale . The intense pain throughout my body makes me grind my teeth, but I quickly shake that my dizzy head as I still remember what I need to do . In my blurring vision, the skeleton has already gotten up and intends to pull the sword that he stuck in .
His movements are apparently very rigid, but his strength has nothing to do with the words “weak” right?
But I turn my body and prepare to run as that bastard has already pulled out the sword and become a dangerous existence again . And I know my strength is not his match, or perhaps even three of me would not even make him 'sweat' one bit .
And the most important thing is I have no weapon .
He is in between my sword and I . Of course, I do believe that this is just a coincidence as skeletons do not possess the intelligence .
I half crawled, half ran towards the door, but I am unable to restrain my voice when I approach near it .
“Fuck my luck!”
That is because the door is broken down before my eyes, and a ray of bright moonlight poured into the house . It is certainly a artistic, picturesque moment, if it is not shining upon another white skeleton .
I note that it is another lowly ranked Madara soldier, and in its hand is a firmly gripped steel longsword . On its bones is armor made in the style of Madara, and on top of that it was wearing a black and heavy helmet .
The most depressing thing, however, is the fact that it is using a pair of obsidian eye sockets with dancing red flaming pupils to look at me .
Apparently I have been locked on as its target .
In front of me is a tiger and at my back is a wolf . This is certainly a bad omen .
Respected holy mother Marsha, I am unable to help myself but pray to my goddess in my heart . I am only 19 years old, I cannot simply die a dog's death in a poor rural village .
That's right, I have not even confessed to the girl I liked! The moment I think about that bewitching young merchant girl, I feel my heart pounding even faster . Her home is just opposite to me, and I cannot let my heart's beloved fall into danger .
I quickly calm myself, and try to think of a way to escape . As my thoughts spin quickly, the teachings of my instructor played out in my mind .
“You can fight battles only when you are calm!”
This way of thinking is certainly applicable to my situation, but my hands have no weapon! I can't possibly fight a wild animal with my bare fists right? I pant as I anxiously stick my back to the wall while my eyes search desperately everywhere . Even though this old place is not a desolated hut, but the living room has nothing that can be used as a makeshift weapon .
If only my grandfather is a high ranked noble . I had visited Earl Remington's home, and their living room was five times the size of this place, and there were many shields, swords and axes hung on the wall . If I am there, I can surely find a weapon that suits me .
Furthermore, my skill with the sword is not bad at all . I am not bragging about this, that old instructor personally commended me, and said I was the most outstanding out of that entire batch that time .
Even that bugger from Remington is not my match at all, although I'm envious of him to have a father who is a prefect . If my father is also a prefect, I am definitely able to enter the garrison forces .
It is certainly pointless to talk about these though . In any case my sword is not reachable thanks to that skeleton . Even though they cannot run and move rigidly, their speed is equivalent to a grown man .
If this happens on the training grounds I bet I can toy with them easily, but in this narrow space I'm going to get cut down .
As I mope around, the skeleton in my bedroom walks out, pauses for a while, then quickly walk towards me . I subconsciously step backwards, and strike against something hard .
I quickly figure out that it should be a painting that is behind my back . This painting is passed down from my grandfather's generation, and it is a family heirloom . That cripple in the Black Pepper Street once wanted to buy that painting with ten gold coins, but it was rejected by my father .
My father is a stubborn man, but I am not the same like him . I had frequently thought about selling this painting if I reached my lowest point, buy a pretty horse, and go adventuring in the capital with that girl with a merchant's dream . If only I am not facing an event like this right now .
I have reached the end of the line, this family heirloom is going to save me right now . I turn around and tore the painting with its wooden frame down . I can hardly care if I am going to ruin it even if it is worth at least ten gold coins . I suspect it is worth even more, as that cripple in the Black Pepper Street is reputed to be stingy .
Ten gold coins is a lot of money, the largest sum of money I have seen is only ten silver coins .
I cannot help but draw a deep breath, my hands are shivering like crazy . I prepare myself to throw the painting at that frightening undead, and slip by it while it defends itself . I will get the sword next and smash these two skeletons to bits with my sword skills .
Of course I can also use it as distraction and run to the streets . But I have no guarantee that the outside is not crawling with this damn shit . Dashing outside empty handed is completely asking to be killed . So I steeled my heart and find it is sometimes better to be braver .
Even though this is the more ideal outcome, perhaps it did not care at all and just eviscerates me, and I can go meet Mother Marsha soon enough .
I cannot help but think whether they will give me a plague,
“Poor Brandel, he is so dead wrong . ”
I shiver and shake my head to get rid of this horrifying thought . Cough cough cough, I am not going to die like this .
I glance at the gray looking painting in my hands, seriously, is this worth ten gold pieces? I wonder if that cripple will find it a pity if I throw this out?
That frightening undead is already before me, and I did not have the time to regret over the loss of ten gold pieces and the chance to adventure with the merchant girl . I have thrown at it without thinking .
My throw is strangely accurate, the painting flies towards the skeleton in a straight line . Damn, that stupid bastard really raised its sword and strike that down . That grey painting went with a 'pssszzt' and split into two .
What kind of ridiculous strength?! But the instructor did not lie, these skeletons are certainly lacking in intelligence .
While my mind comments on the resulting events, I have already rushed out .
My bedroom is not far now, thank Mother Marsha, I only need to take a few more steps to be able to see my sort peacefully lying there . That sword is also a family heirloom . My grandfather took it to battle, and it was said that he was a squire to a knight who presented the sword to him .
This sword should be from Year 32 . It has the emblem design of ivy on it, to commemorate the victory at the highland fight in Grinoires .
That year, his majesty changed the knights' longswords' form, from two arms length to one and a half, and the armguard's bronze accessory was changed to common iron with ornamental designs . This was done in order to adjust to the cost of 'November War' which was dragging on .
Indeed, this is a knight's sword . Hmph, just wait till I get that sword .
“You fucking Madara shit bastards, you're going to suffer now . ”
Notes: Ch 0 is Brendel's pov . I think he dies, actually .
Chapter end
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