Episode 31: Dreaming of Becoming a Great General
Six o'clock in the morning.
People had gathered in the courtyard of Valois Manor. Helena, Karl, Bruno, two maids, and Martha. It was the daily morning exercise time initiated by Martha.
At first, the servants felt awkward, but now it had become a habit. Everyone had come to realize that a light warm-up in the cool air before sunrise was beneficial before starting the day.
But today was different. Martha lacked energy. Her movements were slow. Usually, she led from the front, giving commands, but today she seemed to be merely following. Raising her arms was slow, and moving her feet was slow. Her gaze was fixed on the distant horizon.
The servants exchanged wary glances. Helena glanced at Martha, then at Karl. Karl signaled. The maids looked at one another. No one spoke. They simply moved quietly along.
The atmosphere was heavy. Maxim, who had been watching from one side of the courtyard, came over to Martha's side. He remained silent. He simply moved alongside her. Martha looked at Maxim. Maxim looked at Martha. They said nothing.
As the exercise ended and the people dispersed, Maxim spoke beside Martha.
"You must eat breakfast."
That was all. Martha looked at Maxim and said.
"I know."
Maxim nodded and went inside the mansion. Martha stood for a moment, watching his retreating figure. This old man. The breakfast table: Claude, Isabella, Edward, and Martha. It was the usual table. The food was the same as usual, too. Helena had brought out the soup, bread was on the table, and there was cheese and fruit.
However, the atmosphere was different from usual. Claude was silent. Isabella was silent. Edward tore off pieces of bread, glancing at Martha, then looking elsewhere. Martha took a spoonful of soup. She ate it. She could barely taste it. Isabella silently placed another piece of cheese on Martha's plate. Martha looked at Isabella. Isabella looked at Martha and nodded. There was no word. Edward looked as if he could no longer bear it.
"Serena."
Martha looked at Edward.
"You're so heavy-hearted. Did something happen?"
The table fell silent for a moment. Claude looked at Edward. Isabella looked at Edward. Edward looked at Martha even while receiving those gazes.
"Everyone is just watching each other. That makes me even more uncomfortable."
Martha looked at Edward. Then she looked at the table. Claude sat quietly. Isabella placed some cheese on the table. Edward delivered a direct remark. Maxim said that they needed to eat breakfast. Helena served the soup more generously than usual. The maids-in-waiting glanced at each other. Everyone knew. That something had happened. That they were being cautious.
Watching this, Martha thought. Pull myself together. I am Serena. Old Martha is gone. These people are here.
Martha put down her soup spoon and looked at Edward.
"It's nothing."
Edward looked at Martha. Martha said.
"Someone I knew passed away, so I was a bit upset."
Edward remained silent. Martha spoke.
"It's fine now."
Isabella looked at Martha. Martha picked up her soup again and said.
"Let's eat, brother."
Edward looked at Martha, then picked up some bread. Claude quietly scooped up some soup. The tension at the table gradually eased. Martha ate her soup.
In the afternoon, as Martha was looking at documents in the study, the door opened. It was Edward. He was holding two wooden swords in his hands. One was Edward's, and the other was Martha's. Edward had pushed open the study door with his shoulder, holding both swords in his hands. His expression was that of a man who had made a decision. Watching that, Martha already guessed. What was this brother thinking now?
Martha looked at Edward.
"What is it?"
"Come out."
"Where?"
"The garden."
"Why?"
Edward held out a wooden sword to Martha and said.
"I'll teach you swordsmanship."
Martha looked at the sword, then at Edward, and then back at the sword. It was a wooden sword made of wood. It was a practice sword, shorter and lighter than a real one. Martha looked at the wooden sword, then turned her eyes away as if she hadn't seen it, returning to her papers.
Just then, Edward abruptly propped the wooden sword upright on top of the documents. Martha looked at Edward with surprised eyes.
"Moving your body makes you feel better"
"I feel fine."
"You don't look fine."
Martha looked at Edward. Edward spoke while looking elsewhere.
"I'm the one who said the atmosphere was heavy this morning. I have to take responsibility. And moving your body really does make you feel better. It worked for me."
Martha looked at Edward for a moment and thought. It felt awkward for Edward to speak like that. To begin with, Serena and Edward weren't exactly close. She wondered when this older brother had become like this. He had been changing little by little since Martha possessed Serena. Martha knew it.
Thinking it was just Edward's unique way of trying to cheer her up, Martha took the sword and said.
"Then let's just do it for 10 minutes."
Edward said.
"30 minutes."
"Are you crazy? 20 minutes."
"25 minutes."
"20 minutes."
Edward looked at Martha and said.
"Fine. Come out."
"Ugh, so you were planning on doing 20 minutes all along."
The training ground next to the garden. The afternoon sunlight of July settled upon the flowerbeds. A scent wafted from the lavender beds. Bruno, who was tidying up one side of the flowerbeds, saw Edward and Martha. Seeing that they had come out holding wooden swords, he quietly moved to another spot. Edward stood in front of Martha and raised his wooden sword. His posture was upright. It was the posture of someone who had been learning swordsmanship since childhood.
His feet were shoulder-width apart, his center of gravity was stable, and the angle of his hand holding the wooden sword was natural. It was a stance deeply ingrained in his body. Edward said.
"Let's start with the basic stance. Spread your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your elbows, and relax your shoulders."
Martha did as she was told. Edward scanned Martha's posture and said.
"Your elbows are still too high. Lower them further."
Martha lowered them.
"Relax your shoulders."
Martha relaxed them.
"Widen your stance a bit more."
Martha spread her legs a fuller width apart. Edward nodded.
"Good. Now, let's start with the basic techniques."
Edward extended the wooden sword forward and let out a yell.
"Imperial Sword Technique No. 1, Quick Thrust!"
Martha paused. Edward swung the wooden sword widely to the side and let out another yell.
"Imperial Sword Technique No. 2, Wide Swing!"
Martha looked at Edward. Edward raised his wooden sword from bottom to top, letting out another yell.
"Imperial Sword Technique No. 3, upward strike from below!"
Then he looked at Martha.
"Repeat after me. Starting with the No. 1."
Martha thrust deeply toward a single spot, just as Edward had swung it for the first time. At that, Edward shouted from the side.
"You have to repeat it! Imperial Sword Technique No. 1, quick thrust!"
Martha put down her sword and said.
"Wait a minute."
Edward paused. Martha spoke.
"What kind of ultimate move is this? If you're going to swing while shouting, you should know where you're going to get hit beforehand. Do you really have to swing your sword while screaming at the top of your lungs? What kind of law is this?"
Edward froze as Martha continued.
"No 1, No. 2. If you come at me shouting, the opponent can just dodge. And why do you talk so much every time you swing your sword? Can't you just swing it quietly?"
Edward stared at Martha for a while.
"...This is the basic teaching method. This is how you're supposed to learn."
"That basic teaching method is strange. If a war breaks out, the sound of shouting swordsmanship techniques will be louder than the clash of swords."
"Did you come here to learn? Or to teach?"
"I came to learn, but I noticed something strange."
Edward said with a long sigh.
"Just follow along without saying a word. First Swordsmanship, Quick Thrust. Try it."
Ugh, I'm going to die. Martha picked up the wooden sword. She extended it forward.
"Faster."
She extended it again.
"You need to put more force into your arm. Like this."
Edward demonstrated. It was a fast, linear movement. Martha watched and followed along. She put more force into it. She put more force into her arm.
The wooden sword slipped from her hand. It flew away. The moment Martha saw it, she froze. A person was standing in the direction the wooden sword flew. It was Leon.
He had arrived at the garden entrance without anyone noticing. He had brought additional information regarding the Golden Lion Merchant Guild. Siegfried was a step behind him. The two had stumbled upon this scene on their way into the garden. A wooden sword flew toward Leon. Leon instinctively reached out his hand. It was a swift movement. A movement without hesitation. He caught the flying sword with one hand. Cleanly, with just one hand.
The garden fell silent. Lucy, watching the scene from the window facing the mansion, widened her eyes. She took out her notebook. Edward froze and looked at Leon. Leon looked at the wooden sword in his hand. Then he looked at Martha. There was something in her gaze. It was a look that was impossible to tell if it was panic, disbelief, or both.
Martha said.
"Oh, you caught it well!"
Leon was speechless. Martha had already reached out her hand as she walked toward Leon. It was a request for it back. Leon handed the wooden sword to Martha. She took it and returned to Edward. Leon watched her retreating figure. Then he looked at Siegfried.
Siegfried was looking straight ahead. Very calmly. He had no expression. However, his ears were slightly red. He was holding back his laughter.
Edward said to Martha.
"Grab it properly this time. Put some strength in your wrist."
Martha adjusted her grip on the wooden sword. She tightened her wrist. This time, it didn't slip away. Edward stood in front of her and said.
"Now, try to hit me this time. Lightly. It's just practice, so it doesn't matter where it lands."
Martha looked at Edward.
"Hit you?"
"Yeah. I'll try blocking it. Just go ahead."
Martha held the wooden sword and slowly approached Edward, thinking about where to hit. Edward waited, holding his wooden sword. Martha moved as if aiming for the right, shouting.
"Imperial Second Sword Technique, Great Swing!"
The moment Edward was about to extend his sword in that direction, Martha twisted her wrist and struck Edward's sword upward with the Third Sword Technique she had just learned.
Thud.
Edward's wooden sword bounced away and landed on the grass. Edward froze.
"Just now... 2nd Sword. Technique... but... 3rd Sword Technique..."
"Look at this, look at this. So rigid. If we go to war like this, we're all going to die."
Edward looked at his wooden sword again, then at Martha. He looked bewildered. After all, someone who couldn't even properly follow the basic techniques had just deflected his wooden sword.
Leon was also looking at Martha. His gaze held both disbelief and curiosity. It was a look that seemed to say he still didn't know what kind of person this woman was. It had been that look from the moment they first met until now.
Unable to calm his anger, Edward said.
"Serena, you really..."
"Ah, if war breaks out, I guess I'll have to be the Great General."
Martha shrugged. Lucy took notes in her notebook by the window. Siegfried looked straight ahead, suppressing a laugh. The dimple at the corner of his mouth sank in.
Lucy glanced at it, then lowered her gaze to her notebook. She gripped her ballpoint pen tightly. Edward picked up his wooden sword and said.
"I'll do a little more, Serena; you go inside."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to do a little more."
Martha looked at Edward. Edward looked back at Martha and said.
"Are you feeling better?"
Martha thought for a moment before speaking.
"Yes."
Edward nodded and picked up his wooden sword. Martha looked at Edward for a moment, then turned away.
Leon was standing beside her. The two entered the mansion together. They sat facing each other in the drawing room. The information Leon had brought consisted of new findings from the Duke of Ashford's side. It was that the Kreuz faction had recruited one more person from within the Imperial Palace. That person held a position related to the Imperial Household's finances.
Although the name had not yet been confirmed, the scope of the position suggested it could be narrowed down to two or three people. Martha took notes as she listened. Imperial financial position. Connection to the Duke of Kreuz. Meticulous. Without missing a single detail.
The conversation ended. Leon tried to stand up. But he did not. Martha finished her notes and looked up. Leon was still sitting. In an awkward posture, as if he had stopped halfway to stand. He seemed about to say something. Yet, he also seemed unable to find it.
Leon said.
"My Lady."
Martha looked at Leon.
"You look unwell."
Martha said.
"I am fine."
"You haven't looked well for two days."
Martha paused for a moment. Two days. That phrase bothered her strangely.
'Two days' meant that Leon had been observing Martha's complexion for two days. Yesterday, and today as well. Since yesterday, when Martha returned from her hometown. That this twenty-three-year-old novice had been checking the complexion of the person he had broken off his engagement with for two whole days.
Martha looked at Leon. He had the look of someone about to say something. He looked as if he wanted to comfort Martha, who seemed upset, but he had a look on his face that showed he didn't know how. That was just how he was. He was clumsy at expressing his emotions. He was someone whose actions preceded his words. So, it was evident from his expression that he felt he needed to do something right now, but couldn't find the right words.
Leon thought for a while before speaking.
"Have you had your meal?"
Martha looked at Leon. The drawing room was silent. Martha thought as she watched Leon. An eighty-year-old woman listening to a twenty-three-year-old ask if she had eaten. This little brat. He felt like he needed to do something, but that was the only thing he could bring up.
Suddenly, Martha burst into laughter. She tried to hold it back, but she couldn't. It was a laugh of disbelief. A laugh of bewilderment. However, it wasn't a bad laugh.
Leon froze as he watched Martha laugh. She could see the bewilderment in his eyes. He hadn't said anything funny, yet she had laughed. Martha calmed her laughter and said.
"Young Master asked me if I had eaten."
Leon spoke.
"I didn't mean to say something funny."
"I know."
"Then why are you laughing?"
Martha asked.
"That's what I always say. Asking if someone has eaten is my job. So, hearing that myself, it feels strangely funny."
Leon looked at Martha for a moment and said.
"I felt like I had to do something."
His words were honest. There was no pretense. It was the most honest thing a person who wasn't good at comforting could say. Because he felt like he had to do something, he had brought up the first thing that came to mind among the things he could do.
Martha said.
"I ate."
Leon nodded. And he stood up from his seat. Slowly. As he left the drawing room, he looked back at Martha once at the door. And he left.
Martha watched Leon leave. Until his back disappeared behind the door. Then she sat alone in the drawing room and looked out the window.
In the garden, Edward was swinging a wooden sword by himself. First Sword Technique, Second Sword Technique. Without a sound. Quietly, all alone.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 31]
Several things happened today.
Shock No. 1: The Princess seemed listless during the morning exercise. Everyone was watching her nervously. Butler Maxim stood quietly nearby, then said, "You must eat breakfast," and went inside. That was it.
Shock No. 2. At the breakfast table, Young Master Edward delivered a blunt remark. "You're making the atmosphere too heavy." The Princess looked at us all for a moment, then said, "I'm fine now." It seemed she had pulled herself together.
Shock No. 3. In the afternoon, Young Master Edward dragged the Princess out to the garden holding two wooden swords. As he was teaching her, saying, "The Imperial First Sword Technique: Quick Thrust!", the Princess remarked, "If you swing while talking, I know where you're going to get hit." The Young Master was flustered.
Shock No. 4. The Princess dropped a wooden sword, and it flew toward Young Master Leon. He caught it with one hand. The Princess said, "You catch it well." The Young Master couldn't speak.
Shock No. 5: Young Master Leon asked the Princess, "Have you eaten?" The Princess smiled. It was a laugh of disbelief, but it seemed like the first time she had smiled today. The Young Master said, "I felt like I had to do something." That remark strangely weighed on my mind.
Shock No. 6: Mr. Siegfried held back his laughter. His dimples deepened. I gripped my pen tight while taking notes in my notebook. I don't know why. The Princess seems to be feeling a little better today.
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