Chapter 70: 1 (Part Two)

Chapter 70: 041 . Imperial Prince is Searching for a Weapon -1 (Part Two)

**

The drill hall was located within the citadel .

As befitting of the empire’s mining area, which was also renowned for being its greatest armoury, all corners of the drill hall were decorated with every kind of weapon imaginable .

Hilda began picking out weapons that matched my physique and tossed them my way .

“Even if you’re my younger brother from a different mother, I still should have paid more attention to you . ”

She tossed a spear, mace, sword, greatsword, morning star, steel chains, a pair of gauntlets, and then finally, a shovel .

I stared dazedly at the weapons strewn about on the floor before looking back at Hilda .

“Now that I think about it, this is our first meeting since Lady Yulisia’s funeral, isn’t it?”

A few dwarves walked up to me . Even if Hilda said she wouldn’t attack, this was still a duel . At the very least, as a formality, they began putting leather armour on me .

“Back then, I was also too young and was recently given stewardship of this territory, so I was unable to look after you properly . When I heard the rumours that you had become a mangnani, I couldn’t help but wonder how a child as kind as you would change so much like that . ”

While talking about her past regrets, she reached out and grabbed a spear shaft nearby . It was a spear meant to be used in sparring sessions with its edges made out of wood .

“But now that I look at you, that doesn’t seem to be it, either . I don’t know what you’ve experienced during your banishment, but seeing how much your atmosphere has changed, you must’ve gone through some unimaginable things . ”

She sucked in a deep breath before fixing her gaze on me .

“If you haven’t come to see me like this, then I still wouldn’t have paid you any attention . For that, I can only apologise to you . ”

She then tightly gripped the spear shaft .

“Even though my mother wouldn’t be too happy about this, we are still siblings, so I shall make sure to look after you during your stay here . ”

I ended up smiling bitterly at what Hilda said .

The first impression I got from the Holy Emperor Kelt Olfolse was ‘disinterest’ . As for Luan, it was ‘hatred’ .

But at least with Hilda, I could sense ‘consideration’ from her .

It seemed that someone in the Imperial Family really did care about the Seventh Imperial Prince, then .

“Now, come and attack me . Let us discover what kind of weapon suits you the most . ”

I picked up the sword first, and then glanced at Hilda .

Her expertise in spearmanship was truly extraordinary . Even if someone handed me a treasure sword, I still wouldn’t be able to touch her hair, never mind her main body .

Even though I knew that, I still gripped the weapon tightly and rushed towards her, before taking an almighty swing .

Hilda’s spear brushed aside my sword and quite easily flung it out of my grip .

“Next . ”

I picked up the spear next . She flung it out of my hands too .

We tried the mace, the morning star, steel chains, and other available weapons . Eventually, even the shovel was flung out of my grip in the end .

The dwarves standing in the corner of the drill hall watched us and diligently jotted down something on a piece of paper .

After Hilda glanced at them, they shook their heads in response .

She ruefully licked her lips, then while gripping the spear, she addressed me, “Again . Let’s start from the beginning once more . ”

Just like that… How many hours passed by like this?

“L-let’s just stop, please!”

I was lying spread-eagled on the drill hall’s floor, completely exhausted . My breathing was heavy and rough .

My eyes caught the sight of Hilda’s grinning mug as she squatted beside me .

“You did well,” said Hilda .

“…This is unfair . Someone’s collapsed on the floor out of exhaustion, but the other person hasn’t even broken a sweat?”

“Well, that’s obvious since I train every single day . ”

Hilda then stood back up . She turned her head as the dwarves walked over to us .

“Your highness . His highness’s proficiency with all the weapons seems to be about the same . However, we don’t believe he’s particularly talented in handling any one of them . ”

“As for the shovel, we can tell that his proficiency with it is quite good, but it’s still not suitable for combat, judging from his movements . ”

“In addition, everything seems to be somewhat inefficient . Although his movements do indicate that he’s used to actual combat, his physical attributes are simply too lacking, your highness . As such, determining what his highness’s potential weapon can be will remain difficult . ”

“I see . ” Hilda rubbed her chin in contemplation . “His physical attributes are lacking…”

She glanced at me still lying flat on the ground .

“…In that case, we just have to improve his physique . ”

“If you want me to train, then I’d like to politely decline now . ”

There was no bloody way that a training regime Hilda comes up with would be a simple exercise routine . No, I bet it’d be as hardcore as the training that the Imperial Court’s Paladins go through, which was designed to bring out one’s best during an actual combat situation .

An extreme training that broke your bones and tore apart your tendons, that sort of a training regime . I came here to take a break, so I would have to unequivocally decline any invitation to partake in such training .

Hilda continued to stare at me on the floor and pondered something for a bit before opening her mouth . “Allen, I heard that you’re capable of using ‘Divine Aura’ . That ability probably strengthens the essence of a weapon . Am I correct?”

“How did you know that?”

“Master weapon craftsmen live in this area . They read the reports about you and made a judgement based on the information provided . ”

After hearing her say that, the dwarves around us suddenly began standing taller with straighter backs .

“Let’s find your most suitable weapon while you activate that power . ”

“Hang on a minute here, we gotta do this again?”

“Finding a weapon that suits you is not a matter that can be solved in one or two days . ”

I facepalmed at Hilda’s response .

And so, I spent the following week sparring with Hilda . A few dwarves were always present to observe our matches .

I collapsed to the floor in exhaustion several times .

Incredibly, I couldn’t even land a single blow on her during that time .

Luan’s movements back then were dulled by his body rotting away, but in comparison, Hilda was a skilled fighter with a skillset moulded in the heat of actual battlefields . I was told that she was powerful enough to hunt a lycan all by herself, even if that lycan was only a blood-creation .

I plopped down on the floor in exhaustion yet again . And the dwarves were shaking their heads again as well .

“As we thought, his highness’s physical attributes are simply too lacking . At this rate, making a decision will be too difficult, my lady . ”

“Is that so?”

I could only tut inwardly .

This body of mine belonged to a mangnani . Let’s not forget that I was a Priest, and a Necromancer, to boot .

I wasn’t some monster who started training from a young age, so my physical abilities and reaction speed must’ve looked really pathetic from the standards of these dwarves .

“In that case, Allen . ”

“…?”

“Use divinity from now on . ”

“Divinity, you say?”

“I heard that you’re quite talented in the ways of magic . And you must know by now that divinity can be utilised to fortify one’s physique . ”

“Yes, of course . However, I’ve never actually tried that before . ”

I nodded slowly . Honestly, I couldn’t remember a single time when I tried to raise this body’s attributes in that manner before .

“In that case, try to strengthen yourself during our next sparring . Use Divine Aura as well . I’m sure it won’t be easy in the beginning, but if you do have the requisite talent, then you might uncover something from it . ”

I nodded once more at her suggestion .

That evening, I got permission from Hilda and entered the citadel’s library to go through the magic grimoires stored there . Most of my focus was with the body reinforcement type magic .

As I delved into my studies, someone suddenly called out to me .

“Your highness?”

It was Alice . After arriving at this place along with her grandfather the archbishop, she basically confined herself in the library, devoting all of her time in studying magic .

I looked behind her before saying anything . Thankfully, Archbishop Raphael wasn’t with her this time .

She stood there with a lantern in her hand, her face clearly frozen stiff under the flickering light . It was an expression of fear .

She probably ended up recalling what happened in the past .

Even if I resurrected Luan and earned the trust of the Imperial Family again, to her eyes I was still the same villain that tried to force himself on her .

Her gaze eventually headed to the book in my hand . Only then did her frightened expression disappear in an instant as if it was all a lie . Curiosity began filling up the sparkling light in her eyes, instead .

“…Don’t mind me . You go ahead and do what you came here to do,” said I, before returning my eyes to the book .

While standing at a safe-enough distance away from me, she cautiously asked . “Could you perhaps be researching the topics of body reinforcement type magic, your highness?”

I tilted my head at her question .

**

Night came to an end, and morning came to visit us once more .

As usual, my sparring session with Hilda commenced again . The dwarves were still present with notes in their hands . They also didn’t forget to prepare towels and water for me to drink .

They were fully expecting me to collapse in exhaustion again today .

They shifted their gazes to look at me and Hilda, and that served as the signal for the sparring to begin .

And when that happened…

“…!!!”

Almost as soon as it began, everyone’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets . Even Hilda and I had to clamp our mouths shut from the pure shock too .

…Because the moment the weapon I wielded collided with her spear, the latter’s weapon which was meant for sparring purposes broke and shattered into pieces, that’s why .

Fin .