In the Kingdom of Remno

Lets go back a little in time.

In a corner of the Royal Castle in the Remno Kingdom, there existed a training ground exclusively for the Royal family.

In a country that emphasised military prowess, the Royal family was also expected to have adequate strength. Therefore, the men of the Royal family dedicated themselves day and night to refining their sword skills on those grounds.

At the training ground, Gain Remno, the first prince of the Remno Kingdom was wholeheartedly practising his sword swing.

He raised the sword above his head and swung it down with all his might. This was the first stance of the Remno Kingdom swordsmanship style. It was the most basic stance: raise the sword, step in and swing it down.

Swift as the wind, sharp enough to slice through water, and powerful enough to crush a rock.

He was simply refining that single strike into a sophisticated movement, following the same direction as his younger brother Abel.

At that moment someone called out to him.

Oh, impressive. You are showing spirit, Your Highness Gain.

Grammateus?

Gain halted his movements and turned his gaze toward the elderly man standing at the entrance to the training ground.

I heard that youre heading out with Abel as his protection.

Yes. Ill be leaving the day after tomorrow, so I just stopped by to offer my greetings.

Hmm

Gain casually tossed aside his sword and shrugged his shoulders.

Well, well. I got needlessly carried away when I thought of knocking down my impudent little brother.

Then, he wiped his face with his sleeve. He must have been swinging his sword for quite some time, as beads of sweat glistened on his forehead.

I see. Having a clear goal is important. It would be a great thing if you and your brother could elevate each other.

Wield your sword with a strong will and pure heart. Grammateus would never utter anything fanciful like that.

The sword was a technique to strike down the opponent. What was necessary for that was to train the body and wield the sword with optimal movements.

No matter how despicable the motivation for training, Grammateus wouldnt deny it. If it resulted in strength, there was nothing to complain about.

However, at that moment, it was not the only reason.

Grammateus looked at Gain with gentle eyes as if he could see straight into his heart. Perhaps that made Gain feel uncomfortable, as he picked up the sword that he had cast aside and flung it towards Grammateus.

Its been a while. Would you join me for a practice session, Swordsmanship Instructor Sir Grammateus?

Yes, I would be extremely delighted to see the results of your training, Your Highness Gain.

Grammateus said in response to Gains insolent remark veiled in faux politeness. He assumed a stance with a hearty smile.

I will serve as your sparring partner.

Without waiting for those words, Gain stepped forward.

A downward swing from above a slashing attack the same as Abels single killer strike technique.

Grammateus calmly intercepted the roaring oncoming strike.

Hmm, not bad. Quite a formidable strike.

Grammateus pushed back and readied his sword once again.

A surprise attack without any hesitation against an average opponent, it could bury them into oblivion with a single strike.

Gain stepped forward once again without responding and unleashed a strike. However, this one too fell short of reaching Grammateus.

Dont block it easily.

Hahaha, I am the swordsmanship instructor, after all.

Gain grimaced at Grammateus hearty laughter.

You said that it wasnt a bad strike, buthow does it compare to Abels? I guess its pointless to ask you that.

Oh? You mean to say that I misjudged His Highness Abels ability?

You wouldnt hesitate to fake an evaluation just to motivate me to train. Thats the kind of man you are, arent you?

Well, well. Thats unexpected. I was faithfully carrying out my responsibilities as the sword instructor. However, your strikes are remarkably direct.

I never thought I would lose to my younger brother. That just infuriates me further!

Gain swung the lowered blade upward with force. Grammateus effortlessly evaded it by arching his body and nodded in understanding.

I see, I see. Certainly, based on my judgement, in terms of pure talent I see no reason for Your Highness Gain to lose. It seems that His Highness Abels efforts have been rewarded. His swordsmanship has transformed beyond recognition.

Grammateus laughed and in response, Gain snorted in displeasure.

I never thought I would hear such words from your mouth, Grammateus.

Hmm? What do you mean?

Effort being rewarded thats nothing but nonsense.

Grammateus frowned upon hearing Gain spit out those words.

Oh, is there something that has upset you?

Its just that I recalled something unpleasant. A foolish woman who worked harder than anyone and fought against injustice, only to end up dying in vain.

He swung his sword. This time, it wasnt a straightforward strike. Transitioning from a mid-level stance to a capturing move, it was a crafty display of the true nature of his original swordsmanship.

As someone who taught my older sister swordsmanship, you probably know that. She never missed a day of training. She worked harder than everyone to master swordsmanship and acquired sword skills second to none in this castle. Thats not all. In every aspect, from her studies to princess etiquette training, she put in an extraordinary amount of effort. However, she died abruptly, losing her life without accomplishing anything. She failed to achieve what she was supposed to, and what she herself had wished to. Her entire existence was void and meaningless.

He stepped in for a strike, then advanced another step. Just when it seemed like he would continue to strike, he unexpectedly pulled back.

With irregular movements, he tried to disrupt Grammateuss stance. However, for a man known as the Sword Saint, the movements were nothing short of childs play.

As each of his slashes was skilfully parried, a self-derisive smile appeared on Gains face.

Saying that hard work will be rewarded is nonsense. If that were true, it would have been impossible for my sister not to be rewarded.

With that, Gain abruptly tossed aside his sword.

The training session was pointless. You didnt even break a sweat, did you.

Gain snorted in dissatisfaction and left the grounds.

Grammateus stroked his chin and watched his departure.

I see. His Highness Gain seems to be still tethered by the spirit of his older sister.