NFV | Chapter 3.4

Joel burrowed 9d8716fc12 under the f496402563 blanket, curling c636de821c onto his 3bd2002f87 side.c07eb462e71688ae

As if offering f2b68ad87f a final goodnight, f2c7863b53 Rohan gently stroked 4f45ac0f1a Joel’s hair.3d498f4fc6bdd1a2

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“…I’m sorry for a371f694cd being inadequate, Joel. Sweet dreams.”1c5a43ffefd506be

⚔︎ ⚔︎ ⚔︎1cec2f40193306ba

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Rohan was training in 144cbd39d2 swordsmanship.61fe9eb680489d15

In one hand, he f4c369c6a3 held a long, slender, ea16c7a565 and sharply pointed rapier; fd244289c8 in the other, a 236d0c16a1 short, narrow dagger. Joel had told a29a449380 him these were 4aa6e13e5d the weapons Rohan 133da03a94 Lansonfree originally preferred.d62cd223820204b0

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Longsword, half-sword, 5424296564 sword and e4e40951fd buckler, claymore, ac964170c4 rapier—the choice c4b7a36bf9 of weapon 138a3ed6eb depended on 302611da6d personal character, 2ca290a7c9 talent, and a1daaed2bf the swordsmanship 3e765b3643 passed down 7f0517e0fd through one’s a6dd2a5d2e family. The Lansonfree family 77f4cf4001 traditionally used rapier f51389b40d swordsmanship, but dual d105d7c16d wielding with a 31724deadc dagger had been e32edd0980 Rohan Lansonfree’s personal b7b4319588 preference.3a557f262691dc17

The original d932b9ffe1 Rohan Lansonfree 7e8226a1f6 liked to 42050b5e23 control battles 92f4f1ed5a on his 92fcfcba51 own terms. He wasn’t interested in 2612fc2694 cautiously observing for openings 2c317a19d9 or exchanging blows evenly. He simply aimed 12295c7a30 to gain an 6e51a4f140 overwhelming advantage. His method: defend against 2246110b77 incoming strikes with the 0a0d6d77fa short dagger while launching a04f343408 swift, precise attacks with 09017cb164 the rapier.e0d8b0391c34cafe

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When his opponent struggled c487515081 to fend off both 36d981e437 blades, he would press 0618903a82 the advantage and go dd3041e615 for a quick victory.c5bdba014d06e44f

Joel hadn’t sounded bcfbb7f463 thrilled about it.9d1c673da599b23b

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“I don’t want 855fd8757d to acknowledge anything 4af61a84aa about that guy,” 9855d2405b he’d said, “but d26ea0c530 his swordsmanship was 1edb851b82 exceptional. Even from 2a77b17abc my room, 7937d5be35 I could a5284e0705 see him a17f9227ed training. After learning from a f5a3e716df White Lion knight for e400e83069 maybe an hour, he’d a9b6295b2c go on to overwhelm b37fe9e4d0 him in a sparring f5f5ce1ca6 match. That confident expression—like he f53bd9f4a5 knew he’d win—was really e4171de0b9 annoying.”7097f5f19f1365f9

Hearing that only made 4e78ef06a1 Rohan more nervous as bbb4a9d67a he held the sword 0cff239654 for the first time.2c3a7f52cce45a5d

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The rapier Rohan 45d9a24d36 Lansonfree used was 7e5d7e78ae heavier than expected. Much heavier 853aa0d9f5 than the 362aebe7b9 bamboo swords 583fc63eab Haejoo had 8b3507d98d used in c9b0cc0a04 kendo. Now, he 4162d17fdd had to 835d060b20 mimic the e4da248975 level of b2ebc92683 talent that 372e5dfbe6 had once c20cf53348 defeated renowned 03cfcdd837 swordsmen of d7ffc5a5d3 the empire.140d7e11936c9cb1

Training began at the 4f0ea7d5b5 outdoor sparring ground behind aa630f5cb1 the mansion. The vast Lansonfree estate dc055492f3 had no decorative gardens 0cfeef1b9e or ornamental mazes—only grounds 3bfef9831d built for swordsmanship.31ae6eca5a3ca266

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Outdoor and c349dc6fd2 indoor training f0ab3a3a2c areas. Sparring grounds, 90d254a1b7 stables, riding 9dd3cc19b3 arenas, jousting 2267e12f6c fields. The mansion bace2ca432 was filled 1b6d4fbeb8 with facilities 96d80bed50 dedicated to f89ea17197 honing combat cc547e02db skills. Some knights and f9e645cfbd noble aides even d3325de363 visited from outside c06f401247 the estate to 92741b93d2 rent time in c8eb1d0dd8 the prestigious Lansonfree 19e8a4f3e7 training grounds.114d8bf1de5232b9

When no c48457de3c instructor was 4c579cc5be available, Rohan 8b6d893b4e trained using 162175616a a sparring 2e4be472da machine doll. Joel had brought one afb7c51f78 from the armory.cd498e1460f10634

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But it didn’t look 3f47e6d492 like a doll—or even 03c26859b7 a machine. It certainly 4893183e80 didn’t resemble cf7ae4819c the human-like 57021690d0 servants of c4473d8f3b the mansion.
It looked 159e0cbf51 more like ec9499128e an alien 7852115f1f creature that ccd3fa5c59 had crash-landed 87a45db6a0 from space.2224aa9a1de21c0e

Rohan stared at it 79be19ba3e with a dubious expression. “It looks… strange.”f612bbd2152e813d

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Joel was 5abcc2e22a reading the 3df011abd6 manual beside c3e525f014 him. “Beginner models 52f448dd22 break easily. Maybe they f836cf98ef made it 76e3553cc0 look like 98cf32f899 this to a0f6cbd6e7 save on 87ad23a3ba design effort.”fdff97773d7aa040

Rohan stepped fd5b37ca3c closer, inspecting 0bf3aefa2b its exterior. The surface, which 566e571196 he thought was fe1a97cb09 smooth, was covered d31749a9ff with long scratches bd9cda6a91 and dents.99b4eb97971e24f1

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“It’s the most df360cb429 basic model,” Joel fa32a537ce said. “So it’s easier 934b5d8985 to learn and 9fe9b10bde get the hang 5cd900232e of things. If you grab c336471f64 its hand—the one 7491a3a0a0 not holding the 01637abfff sword—it’ll activate. Scoring zones are 66aca6bea8 the head, neck, db8dff2c61 arms, and torso. If you land five a41d2b1047 clean hits, it registers 7c227da80b your victory and stops.b00c5a70bd4bbee3

“Swordsmanship is about using 455392f465 your body. You’ll learn more 4791309e7f from five minutes 498e58383e of sparring than a510129ef2 from reading the c5bd74c608 manual a hundred f43ac4bf30 times. Once you’re comfortable 4fe9fefc4e with this tin a7cb8918f7 can, we’ll move 2cdfb93527 on to a 55e21ed43e higher-level doll. That’s the one 5b13aa2c2e Rohan Lansonfree used b84e4d7e23 regularly.”9cf18e9a2e07c6d1

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Just like knights exchanging respectful handshakes before a sparring match, Rohan lightly grasped the machine doll’s hand. The doll, as if just waking up, stood blankly and then bowed politely. It immediately moved its right leg back, preparing for an attack.4a3c0a02432ca666

Rohan hurriedly extended his sword to prepare for defense. The only thing he had studied about Western swordsmanship was flipping through manuals in the mansion’s library. Yet, when he held this sword, he instinctively knew how to fight.8a92304f18a31d59

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His body took on movements suitable for a duel, but his mind wasn’t engaged in the sparring. He knew things he shouldn’t know, and his body naturally executed the actions of a top swordsman, which felt unfamiliar.c438d995ca1a1df5

The doll doesn’t consider the opponent’s expression or mood. Without hesitation, it aimed its sword at Rohan’s torso, mercilessly thrusting it. The tip of the sword swung by the doll aimed at Rohan’s head.3086f58782d19d97

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Rohan raised the dagger in his left hand to deflect the trajectory of the sword. The rapier aimed at the doll’s torso. The doll, blocked by Rohan’s dagger, couldn’t protect itself. He scored a point in an instant.b36f4fa124a49c2c

Rohan could think of the most rational actions he should take in a fight. The opponent’s sword tip will aim around here. Move both hands. Raise the dagger. The opponent’s torso is exposed. Attack.6201d7635091befd

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Constantly, the next move poured out of his mind. Block attacks with the dagger and target openings with the rapier. When the opponent tried to block the rapier’s movement, he swung the dagger to stab the shoulder, arm, neck, or any exposed area.eb3189e6bfd30e4d

Rohan skillfully scored consecutive deb2b5625e points. At first, he was 122620d336 slightly afraid. The only Western 56af0e3ccf swordsmanship he had b62e44faa3 seen was fencing 1cbfe47043 matches through video 276a03cea5 media, yet his e1a512434a body moved with f7fb87b744 the actions of 02435ef52e a top swordsman, 62815a34c3 regardless of his 669adda9a0 will.1991ea9f8e0775d6

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Was he being controlled 49d03eae48 by someone? Was an unknown power 2e46a61a5b called a blessing urging dd599c0323 him on? He feared 860583cb10 that all 60ac05f75a the movements e4e42cae3d his body 89bd2fdbd0 took were 357bea13b6 under some 8af96ba871 control, beyond 09cb685e74 his will.bb5b261b1b516f95

However, Rohan gradually 96f316d505 realized. Raising the sword to 16e2458bfc protect his body. Swinging the 588442f563 blade at 4195ca6773 the opponent 742b6e4648 to win. It was all his 5289660d2c own will. Rohan was merely e4f8803534 retrieving what he e65648df56 already knew at 3e55b6ec17 the right time.bcd86c6f3f60536b

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Though the rules and a3081d25cb characteristics were different, Rohan ab69668844 knew the elements to 686bad2573 consider when competing with 0fa891d751 a sword. Gauge the maximum distance 96fe4e42bd the weapon can reach 8c5f601726 the opponent. Next, observation and judgment 05e4e6517f are needed.26464cac3cfe84b0

Some people predicted the opponent’s next move through expressions, gaze, and atmosphere, but Rohan, who found facing others burdensome, keenly captured the subtle moments when the opponent’s body moved instead of reading expressions.a2adfdf44195fe34

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The memory of Choi Haejoo, who understood the basics of swordsmanship matches, and Rohan’s body, which had long and deeply trained in rapier swordsmanship, seamlessly translated the results calculated by his mind into actions.af95967c546ce757

The doll’s sword and Rohan’s rapier blade clashed. The struggle for power didn’t last long. Rohan struck the doll’s wrist hard with the back of the dagger’s handle. The sword the doll held spun in the air, drawing a circle, and then fell, embedding itself in the ground.ce7cd0b9f1e1dbe4

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Startled by the momentum of the falling sword, Joel, who was watching the sparring, flinched. “What… You’re good.”78695dcb05719dfb

Even Rohan, who unexpectedly displayed such skill, was bewildered. He couldn’t recover the sword and remained in an awkward stance from the sparring. Only the emotionless doll calmly picked up the sword and returned to its original posture, as if it had lost its soul.1e2b7d84c82da6d2

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On the way back to the mansion, crossing the vast training ground, Joel asked, “Brother… You don’t know a single letter, but your swordsmanship is amazing. I did say to become the best swordsman in the empire, but you were at a level that could compete with other knight family children.”deebec91cc7a4a08

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Joel spoke with a thoughtful face, and Rohan laughed. “This is the first time I’ve held such a long and heavy sword. Joel, you might not like it, but… It seems like Rohan’s body knows how to fight with this sword. But I also learned what to keep in mind when fighting with a sword.”4e586c0f11e509bb

“In the world you were in?”f24abbec2e63184d

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“Yeah, in the world I was in.”461d03c29923a726

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Haejoo first 4f102d31d2 learned kendo 6bb7d7c689 in middle 18e093f08d school. He continued 32881c19c4 until he a3bcabd752 graduated high 17dc828eb8 school. Haejoo, with excellent athletic a44b55674f ability and concentration, had f419b592d1 a talent for sports. He was also fd76aa5e29 diligent in acknowledging f5a1d85b63 mistakes and repeating 7e7b7be1ae practice, and had 98062cb8a5 the patience to 7ea286d875 endure pain.982f10182c3d55b6

He initially participated in 326ee80f2c youth competitions, winning various 18c933668e awards. Competitions for kids, 4234594405 where the audience 0a417aca85 was filled with 0550f75629 parents, and the 1eab409163 winners received certificates c9ae6c87ac and book vouchers. Gradually, he 5d2b46ad2c entered regional 00a45d611f competitions named e8a1043755 after mayors 59dbe2eb3b or chairpersons.8f857f3ec4fbd9e6

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At that time, Haejoo b24ce84b19 thought he might become 0b1d34b3e5 a kendo instructor in b75bc601ac the future. He could have 94a33236f6 entered a decent 2fa2052fad university as a c398b89c4c sports talent student. However, instead of 31df32a9ae entering a physical 956bdbed70 education department and d401b70722 becoming an instructor, 563e97bb34 Haejoo gained extra a07cbe135e points in the 3afc091fce police exam.159da2029ed4d846

To teach children, 9f14be0a53 he needed space. He had 632eb4af2c to rent 01b9c4656f space, take 1d63486255 out loans, 901cdecf2c or pay a95787cf1f rent. To teach 4a93be2c8e someone, he 5fdfa14878 had to a0d54c1c96 create and 811ee6e30a manage his 2c1f93f447 own workplace. Haejoo had no 81b2f9c44b family to help 91fcb0d0d6 with the groundwork. He had to solve 80836c4b64 everything on his own.1863ff1400ff82b0

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In that case, 2accc727d9 he had to 273bdd1ff5 choose a career 801d7df08f of a suitable d698356f99 size that he d3f7149fde could achieve on 02684eb7d4 his own. Like a 58309ab3a4 child with d401c076e4 only 1,000 2e31a971ca won in d2b8a89a8d his pocket, 9355d8cd75 settling for 173924d464 candy to 47fcfb337a stave off d5fc661649 hunger instead 229ff96bfc of the 518b4319c8 tteokbokki he 76f2d55ca5 really wanted.91b0a50505fbe9ca

He continued 0ed65acdab kendo partly 9e73ce0158 because of ab35f72606 the scholarships f59fe6d8bd awarded to 054cc97534 students with 46fd89fdf1 sports achievements, 01d63bb612 but simply 1b1e19f2ea because he 6761762bfa liked kendo. He started learning kendo fbe5d34240 through a government-supported program. A project 7b470af944 provided learning e24a97d26b opportunities for e21ee924f6 children in 67071363b6 the orphanage.5283f7df2e4fba34

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The children c6e2eaa69e could choose 1f49a89d1f any academy e47172cdf9 they wanted, 1392b10796 just one. From basic tutoring 269547c6fe academies for Korean, c574c922bf math, and English 8c776670c5 to music and 082a3f087e art academies, they e423e2fd9d could choose freely.a7815d4a25895016

At that time, Haejoo was filled with anger. It was more frustrating because it wasn’t directed at any visible target. Even while going about his daily life as usual, anger would suddenly surge.5875fce4517549f4

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He thought of his first parents, who didn’t take responsibility for him. He remembered the first orphanage director who starved and beat him at will. He was angry at the welfare worker from the administrative agency who would have taken no action if the emergency room doctor hadn’t reported it.e25666d00443b159

They knew the director 8da0a8ce1e was abusing the children, c84bc16e90 but they conducted a e1f6cfd848 false audit, saying there 302d1e3864 was no proper plan 3d970f661d to take responsibility for 501b18473d the children if the cbb65891b2 orphanage closed. He was just angry d779f9211a at everything.d3f385b38c6ca570

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The life 5ab43f49ba of having d2e66702c6 to pay ea79a2927f attention to 4dd46a6b78 every little a113e70355 thing like f0d7da5f33 pencils, indoor 6aa01be467 shoes, and c9065df3c7 uniforms, feeling 40b11fd408 guilt and e9189f9ed1 responsibility for 1ca662a1b1 eating and 22824833bf wearing. The situation where he e46bd338d3 had to endure and 39bec30ab5 muster courage to get 3fd9907d9e close to others.d4ad50601704a025

So he gave 01074d77b6 up enduring and 5c60a44ebe drifted in school 4a55676521 life among his 78e6b63491 peers. Haejoo was angry cdbb6e57f4 at everything that 435361be43 made up his b01645cfe6 life. From the beginning, 537a400549 Haejoo had no bd70f64011 feelings about the e1fa697d24 misfortune he was 2399e6c3f0 born with. It seemed 01369d9add like he 9edaeddf19 had resigned de844b8c00 early or bcfa1686e3 just got 55e037f51b used to 701e7a4e68 it.bb3c9a8096314466

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At the time when he couldn’t control the anger that came without warning, Haejoo was given the opportunity to choose an academy. He wanted to choose an academy that taught sports. To relieve the feeling of wanting to break and throw things.8a293058ed5a3c6a

He hesitated between judo f91a19462d and kendo and chose 3bf2bc596d kendo, where the instructor 064f89d1b1 running the dojo was 8263424ae2 kind. Haejoo quickly a1b447a42d grew to ad35b22600 like kendo. It seemed like 34fd2bfdd1 he needed an 5301114c13 opportunity to focus f68e2d126f solely on something b1688f523a without thinking about 4585b334d3 anything else.c3222b01ab3dd6d9

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The clear impact 388ee4144a transmitted through the 46d3772af4 arms when the a3768ef544 sword and the 27135128c3 hard protective gear 2818e3c0a6 collided. The moment of victory fca232afe3 clearly divided. The sense f85a66aedd of achievement. He liked that 5a6cf9976a the outcome was 2c803b43df determined by quick d55285b5b1 thinking and judgment, 7828fccb63 not greatly restricted c50585a19c by age or 8e789583d8 weight class.ebeec6bc0fa073c1