NOVPUBChapter 0516 Sword and Music
Translator: Jay_Forestieri
Editor: Tseirp
“…From the next day, the grueling training under Master Abel began. His terrifying training regimen, seemingly designed without regard for human limits, gradually gnawed away at both Mifa’s body and spirit. Abel’s relentless strikes with his sword— an embodiment of his nickname, ‘Mad Swordsman Abel’— proved to everyone that the title was no exaggeration. His merciless blade was…”
“…Ryo, what are you mumbling about?”
“Huh? Oh, don’t mind me. Just a passage from ‘The Starving Swordsman Abel Series: Side Story – The Trials of Disciple Mifa’. Pure fiction, of course— completely unrelated to any real individuals or organizations.”
Ryo wasn’t writing on paper or anything.
He was just idly rambling.
“And the ‘Abel’ mentioned here isn’t you, Abel. It’s a fictional character from the story.”
“Anyone who reads that will think it’s about me.”
“T-that’s just a misunderstanding on the readers’ part! It’s not my fault!”
“A misleading book, huh? The kingdom might need to ban it.”
“Don’t you dare! Censorship is tyranny! Protect freedom of expression!”
Ryo raised his fist in protest.
The world, it seemed, had its share of complex issues…
Of course, in reality, Abel’s training was thorough in its own way.
As promised, he sparred with Mifa, identified her weaknesses, and offered suggestions for improvement.
While it sounds simple on paper, identifying problems and proposing effective solutions is a skill few possess.
It requires expertise.
And Abel was a master.
One particular request Abel made to Director Mogok.
Was to provide a variety of blunted weapons for the training.
The primary purpose of these sparring sessions was to make up for Mifa’s lack of experience.
Abel used different weapons in each session.
Teaching Mifa how to adapt to various combat scenarios…
As a woman, Mifa had less physical strength compared to men.
With a one-handed sword, it was difficult even for a strong man to directly block an opponent’s full-force strike.
Instead, the key was to deflect the blade with proper angles.
A skill only honed through experience…
Abel taught patiently, and Mifa applied herself earnestly.
This was evident even to Ryo, who often observed the training.
What was Ryo doing, you ask?
He sat in a chair in the courtyard, reading books borrowed from the library.
With full permission from Director Mogok and his wife, of course.
Occasionally, the lady of the house would join him to watch Mifa’s training.
And ask Ryo questions about it.
Which he answered.
On Abel’s behalf.
“I’m not just loafing around, you know!”
“I never said you were.”
Several days into the training, during a lunch break, Ryo suddenly felt the need to defend himself against Abel.
“But your eyes seemed to say, ‘Those who do not work shall not eat!’ ”
“…Is that so.”
In truth, Abel bore no grudge against Ryo.
However, he was curious about the book Ryo had been reading.
“‘The History and Applications of Talismans and Charms’?”
“Yeah. I found it in the library. It’s an introductory book on charms used in sorcery, a fascinating read.”
“Whoa.”
“I’ve already learned from the librarian that there’s a more advanced sequel, so I plan to dive into that next.”
“You’re quite studious about this sort of thing.”
“Fufufu, feel free to call me ‘Studious Ryo’ if you’d like.”
“I’ll pass.”
After lunch, Abel and Ryo visited Director Mogok’s office.
As they had been summoned earlier. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Director Mogok, pleased with Mifa’s progress.
He called the two to express his gratitude and shared updates on their schedule.
“Two weeks from now, Sue-sama will travel to the capital, Jonjon. Mifa will accompany her, and you two will travel to the capital as well.”
“Understood.”
“You’ll stay at my residence in the capital. I hear… you plan to journey further north afterward?”
“Eventually, we aim to return to the Central Countries.”
When Abel took Mifa as his disciple, he had been honest with Director Mogok about his future plans.
Since the director had entrusted his daughter to Abel.
It was only fair to be forthright in return.
Director Mogok nodded and then spoke with a solemn expression.
“Mifa will serve as a lady-in-waiting to Her Highness, Princess Shio Fen, the king’s third daughter. She’ll accompany the princess to her new home. After her marriage to the Sixth Prince of Darwei.”
“Hmm.”
Abel listened without betraying any emotion.
Ryo, seated beside him, tilted his head in thought.
(Darwei? Why does that sound familiar…)
“The sixth prince isn’t involved in the imperial succession struggle… in fact, he’s not even considered a candidate. While he’s well-liked by the people, he lacks the sharpness often associated with power-hungry rulers. This makes him an ideal match for Princess Shio Fen, as it spares her from the dangers of political intrigue…”
“Indeed, succession battles can be lethal.”
“Exactly. That’s one of the reasons Mifa is so dedicated to her training…”
Director Mogok let out a deep sigh.
“I hear Mifa and Princess Shio Fen are quite close?”
“Yes. Mifa is sixteen, and Princess Shio Fen is one year older. My wife is the princess’s aunt, and I spent many years in the capital, so the two grew up together like sisters. When the princess’s marriage was decided, Mifa immediately volunteered to accompany her as a lady-in-waiting…”
Director Mogok sighed once again.
“Is this Darwei a troublesome country?”
“Yes… Ah, since you both are from the Central Countries, you might not be familiar with it. Darwei… in the terms of the Central Countries, it might be better referred to as the Darwei Dynasty. The name of the dynasty is synonymous with the name of the country. That’s because that country is ‘the Eastern Countries itself’.”
“Oh, I see! That country… In the Central Countries, we just learn about it as ‘the Eastern Country’ because the dynasties keep changing. So it’s the Eastern superpower. I see, it’s the Darwei Dynasty now…”
The fact that Abel knew this seemed to surprise Director Mogok.
“You knew? Yes, outside the Eastern Countries, it is sometimes called ‘the Eastern Country’. Among the people of the Eastern Countries, it’s always referred to by the current dynasty’s name. About 150 years ago, a new dynasty was established. That’s Darwei.”
“Uh…how big is it?”
Ryo, who had been silent all this time, couldn’t help but ask.
It was Abel, not Director Mogok, who answered.
“In terms of the Central Countries, it’s as vast as combining the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Union—the three major powers. The disparity in national power compared to its neighboring countries has always been said to be tens of times greater, in every era.”
“That’s… incredible.”
“Our nation of Bosuntar also cannot oppose Darwei’s will. However, they don’t interfere in our internal politics.”
Ryo was astonished by Abel’s explanation, and Director Mogok elaborated on the relationship.
In Ryo’s mind, the term ‘tributary system of ancient Asia’ surfaced.
Essentially, as long as you offer tributes, they won’t meddle in your affairs, and the superpower’s prestige also bolsters the authority of your ruler…
It could be described as a kind of international order.
“If you two plan to return to the Central Countries, you will inevitably pass through Darwei. There’s no other route to the Central Countries except traveling through Darwei’s northwest and passing through several oasis states.”
“I see.”
Both Ryo and Abel nodded at Director Mogok’s explanation.
“Let’s think about what to do after reaching the capital, Jonjon. For now, our focus is Mifa’s sword training.”
“Is Mifa prepared for everything else? She’ll be going as a lady-in-waiting, won’t she? Though her manners seemed fine…”
“Yes…”
Abel asked without much thought.
But the sigh Director Mogok let out this time was the deepest yet…
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, not a problem per se… Originally, Darwei was a country that valued martial prowess. However, after reigning as a superpower for 150 years, it has shifted from military might to emphasizing culture.”
“Well, that’s a natural progression for any country.”
Director Mogok spoke, and Abel agreed.
Even Abel knew that much about common historical patterns.
“Exactly. In the current Darwei, among cultural pursuits, they particularly value the arts, especially music and instrumental talent. As a result, countries sending personnel to Darwei prioritize those areas.”
“Is Mifa not good at that?”
“Actually, she’s rather skilled. Since childhood, she’s played many instruments alongside Princess Shio Fen. Particularly the violin.”
“Ooh!”
“Among the ladies-in-waiting accompanying Princess Shio Fen, she’s the most proficient. She exceeds the basic standard by a considerable margin. However… in Darwei, the better you are, the better it reflects on the status of the princess in the court.”
“Mifa is a smart girl. She must understand that, right?”
“Yes. But she insists that she can’t do both… the sword and the violin. She says she’s irreplaceable when it comes to the sword and prefers to leave the music arts to other ladies-in-waiting.”
“I see. That reasoning isn’t entirely wrong.”
Abel sighed as he nodded.
“Ah, I apologize for venting. Please, forget I said anything. Abel-dono, just focus on training Mifa’s swordsmanship. We’ll handle the rest somehow.”
As they left Director Mogok’s office, Ryo seemed to recall something and looked up.
“I remember now!”
“Remember what?”
“Darwei!”
“The current dynasty of the ‘Eastern Country’, right?”
“Not that… well, yes, but where I heard about it! It was at the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Society in the Autonomous City of Kwebasa.”
“The mutual aid society? Really?”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s the country with lots of top-tier adventurers!”
Ryo remembered the President’s comment.
Among all the Eastern Nations, only ‘Darwei’ has a concentration of top-tier adventurers.
“Now that you mention it, he did say that. You’ve got a good memory for such things.”
“Fufufu, my memory isn’t bad, is it?”
Ryo beamed, pleased by Abel’s praise.
“So, they have an abundance of talent as well. Truly a superpower in every sense.”
“Even though it’s been 150 years since its founding, why hadn’t I heard the name ‘Darwei’ when I was in the Central Countries?”
Ryo asked, voicing a question he’d been wondering about.
“Yeah. The Western Countries sometimes see adventurers coming and going, but you rarely hear of anyone from the Eastern Countries coming or going.”
Abel said this while his gaze shifted slightly.
“Ah! Abel, you didn’t pay attention to that part of your lessons, did you? “
“T-That’s not true! I remembered ‘Eastern Country’, didn’t I? That’s good enough, right? I’m not perfect.”
“I don’t think anyone expects you to be perfect. But cutting corners back then is coming back to haunt you now. The skill of cutting corners is something only master players can afford to use!”
“Yeah, I don’t get what you’re saying.”
Ryo’s explanation, based on the origins of the term ‘cutting corners’ in Go, went completely over Abel’s head.
Cultural differences can indeed be a tricky matter.
“Milady! Today, you must practice the violin!”
“Vaya, I’m busy with my sword practice.”
“But for the sake of the princess…”
“I understand that. But I’ll leave the music to the other ladies-in-waiting…”
At that moment, Ryo and Abel walked past the scene.
“Master! Please train me again today!”
“Hmm. Mifa, play the violin for me.”
“Huh…? Wh-why? It has nothing to do with swordsmanship.”
“Mifa, I’m your master. You promised me at the start you’d obey whatever I said, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
Reluctantly, Mifa picked up her violin and began to play.
It was a piece neither Abel nor Ryo had heard before, but in one word, it was excellent.
Even Mifa’s personal servant, Vaya, who was listening nearby, was enraptured by the performance.
During the performance, Abel didn’t close his eyes but instead kept them fixed on Mifa’s fingers, particularly her left hand, which pressed the strings.
The performance itself had no visible mistakes… or at least none that Ryo, unfamiliar with the piece, could detect.
So, Ryo clapped.
Vaya also clapped… quite enthusiastically, at that.
“Not bad.”
Abel said this in a single phrase, pausing for a moment before continuing.
“Rhythm is an element that cannot be ignored, not just in music but also in combat.”
Abel had experienced this countless times.
Especially in battles against formidable foes… those where the skill gap was minimal and the fight dragged on— this became glaringly apparent.
For example, it happened during his battle with the hero Roman.
“A break in rhythm can cause the tide of a battle to shift dramatically, even when things were going well up until that point.”
“Yes.”
Mifa replied, nodding, though she didn’t seem to fully grasp where Abel was going with this.
“Being able to play an instrument is not a disadvantage, even when it comes to swordsmanship.”
“Yes, but…”
“Let me borrow that violin for a moment.”
“Huh? Uh… here.”
Receiving Mifa’s violin, Abel stood up.
And then, he began to play.
The piece was one Ryo recognized.
It was something he had heard back when he lived in Rune, after Abel had ascended to the throne as king and performed at the Frontier Count’s mansion.
It was the same piece from back then.
“Paganini… Caprice No. 24.”
The legendary violinist Paganini, said to have sold his soul to the devil to attain his skills.
Had composed this famous piece.
In the Knightley royal family, every member was required to practice the violin from a young age.
This tradition dates back to King Richard, the founder, who was renowned as a master violinist.
Ryo had learned this from an explanation given to him later.
Naturally, Abel, as king of the Knightley Kingdom, could play the violin.
And remarkably well at that.
Among the many violin pieces known for their extraordinary technical difficulty, ‘Caprice No. 24’ stood out as a masterpiece, and Abel performed it flawlessly.
It was comparable to the performance of a modern virtuoso whom Ryo had once heard described as the “modern-day Paganini.”
Incidentally, that violinist had been 193cm tall— about the same as Abel…
Indeed, tall violinists leave a striking impression.
But even more than that, Abel’s playing seemed superior… or perhaps the fact that it was being performed live right before his eyes made it all the more compelling.
Of course, Ryo couldn’t play the violin.
Yet, he found himself completely absorbed in Abel’s performance.
And so did Mifa and Vaya.
Even the servants nearby, who had been walking or working, stopped what they were doing and listened intently to the music.
This was the power of music.
Like fine cuisine, music transcends borders, races, and even worlds to captivate the hearts of all who hear it. That’s the essence of music.
Beautiful music leads listeners into a realm of enchantment.
And Abel’s performance did just that.
After four minutes, Abel’s performance came to an end.
What followed was complete, albeit brief, silence.
Then,
“Bravo!”
Ryo applauded, praising the performance.
Although Ryo was the only one to voice his praise, Mifa, Vaya, and even the servants who had been listening began clapping as well.
It was applause that arose naturally.
Receiving such acclaim, Abel’s face reddened.
Despite being the one who had requested the violin, he seemed embarrassed.
“Mifa, balancing the sword and music is not impossible. Just one hour a day is enough. Play the violin every single day. It would be a shame to lose a skill you’ve nurtured since childhood. Whether in swordsmanship or music, it can become a source of strength for the princess. Will you give it a try?”
“Yes. I will!”
Mifa’s face lit up as she responded to Abel’s words.
It wasn’t because she felt cornered or had no other choice. It was because she truly wanted to.
Her respected master had shown her firsthand.
How to harmonize swordsmanship and music. That figure…
She, too, wanted to strive for that ideal.
Abel guided his disciple not just with words but by example.
TLN: Please read my translations at tseirptranslations.com, I did not give permission to any site to host my translations.
