I Became the Strategist the Monarchs Obsess Over

Chapter 14



The Princess offered me a scouting proposal. She even promised to give me a barony from her territory. Honestly, it was an incredibly generous offer—so good it was almost overwhelming. Where else would I ever receive such treatment?

But I refused. While the Princess’s proposal was excellent beyond compare, unfortunately, I had a strategy of my own. That strategy was to stay neutral and side with the winning party.

And at this point, it was still uncertain whether the Princess, the Crown Prince, or some other dark horse would emerge victorious. So, I didn’t want to pledge my allegiance to anyone just yet.

I planned to wait until the situation stabilized and it became clearer who would win before deciding on my lord. Does that make me seem cowardly? Games allow retries, but life doesn’t. Life is something you must play cautiously and, yes, even cowardly.

After declining the Princess’s offer, I began looking for a way to avoid failing the next exam.

The best method, among others, was to score high marks in the swordsmanship test, which carried significant weight. But then…

“What kind of sword is this?”

I hadn’t paid attention before, but the sword Charles was holding was missing several teeth. Was it because the Rochefort Family was poor?

“To think they can’t even afford a proper sword…”

What kind of life did Charles Jean Rochefort lead before I possessed him? He must have had a rough time.

“Well, now there’s money.”

A sword can simply be bought. With that thought, I headed to the armory in the capital.

The armory sold a variety of items, from swords to spears, shields, halberds, and armor. As I entered the shop, the clerk greeted me enthusiastically. Wearing the Arcadia Academy uniform itself signified nobility. And nobles, for the sake of their dignity, were known to spend lavishly.

“What are you here to buy? A sword? Armor? We have many excellent items. Please take a look.”

“Ah, I’m looking for a sword…”

“A sword, is it? What kind of sword are you looking for? A dagger? A longsword? How about a bastard sword? It’s a type of longsword that can be used as either a one-handed or two-handed sword, making it a stable choice you’ll never regret purchasing…”

The clerk eagerly began introducing various items. They showed me several swords, but I couldn’t quite decide which one to buy. Charles was frail, so a large sword seemed unsuitable. A smaller sword seemed better, but wouldn’t I be at a disadvantage in a head-on fight against a larger sword?

‘Damn, I should’ve at least learned some swordsmanship…’

Even if I had just practiced fencing, it would’ve been something to reference. Since I had no interest in physical activities, I was utterly clueless about swordsmanship, and as a result, I had no idea what type of sword to buy.

“I’m a beginner when it comes to swordsmanship. Is there a sword suitable for a novice like me?”

Hearing that, the clerk’s face lit up as they pulled out a sword from a rack.

“How about this sword? Its tip is diamond-shaped to pierce plate armor, and its blade is thick enough to deal with chain mail, making it versatile for any situation.”

“An Oakeshott Type XVI, huh.”

“Pardon? Oakeshott…? Haha, sir, that’s quite a dangerous thing to say! All the craftsmen who supply our shop are human.”

Ah, right, the Oakeshott classification system was devised in the 20th century. At this time, swords were still referred to as longswords or bastard swords.

“How much is it?”

“It’s originally 4 thalers, but if you buy it with boots, I can give you both for 1 ducat.”

“Boots?”

“Yes. Beginners often focus solely on weapons, but boots are also a crucial element in swordsmanship duels. Wearing good boots makes it easier to step in and out of your opponent’s range. These boots, in particular, have been highly praised by many swordsmen. How about it? For just 1 ducat, you can get both the sword and the boots!”

I had earned 3,000 ducats by selling books to the Princess. Spending 1 ducat was practically pocket change. To think I could buy both a sword and boots at such a low price… Could a shop this good even exist?

“I’ll take them. Both, please!”

As I said that, the clerk enthusiastically responded and placed the sword and boots on the counter. Just as I was about to put down 1 ducat…

“Huh?”

Someone grabbed my wrist from behind and pulled me back. Then, they returned the sword and boots on the counter to their original places.

When I looked closely to see who had done such a thing, it was Yuria Russell. The clerk shouted at Yuria in frustration.

“W-What are you doing, ma’am?!”

“If you’re going to do business, do it honestly. A sword with a diamond-shaped tip is difficult for a beginner to handle. Targeting the gaps in plate armor? There’s no way a beginner could perform such precise movements. This sword isn’t suitable for a novice.”

“T-That’s…”

“The same goes for the boots. They’re made of oiled leather, making them slippery. While experienced swordsmen might prefer such boots for better footwork, beginners would find it hard to manage. For a novice, boots with rubber soles, like those used by adventurers, are more advantageous. They allow for stronger footing in physical confrontations. For example, something like this.”

Yuria picked up a pair of boots and handed them to me. They were simple in design, quite different from the luxurious ones I had seen earlier.

“The same logic applies to the sword. Thin swords are for advanced users. As a beginner, you’d be better off with a moderately thick and blunt sword that can be used for various purposes.”

With that, Yuria handed me a medium-sized sword that was thicker than the previous one.

“These two. How much are they?”

“For those two… Please give me 1 ducat, as before.”

“Still trying to rip off an Academy student who doesn’t know any better? I told you to do business honestly.”

“…4 thalers.”

But Yuria simply stared at the merchant in silence.

“Fine. As an apology for recommending the wrong items, I’ll sell them at a price close to cost. 2 thalers and 12 groschen, please.”

2 thalers and 12 groschen—exactly half a ducat. So, I could’ve bought them this cheaply all along…?

In any case, I managed to purchase the boots and sword at an unbelievably low price. When I turned around to thank Yuria, she had already disappeared.

—–

“You’ve changed your equipment.”

Glasia remarked as soon as we met.

“Hmm… Honestly, I thought you’d get ripped off buying some overpriced, useless items, but these are surprisingly decent. I’m impressed.”

Glasia Ehrenberg seemed to have a newfound respect for me, but unfortunately, I hadn’t picked these items myself.

“Yuria helped me choose them.”

“What?”

“Yuria Russell. The Princess’s left hand. I happened to run into her at the armory.”

“Ah…”

Glasia chuckled, as if to say, “That explains it.” Damn, she was clearly underestimating me. But I couldn’t argue, as it was true that I was clueless about swords.

Which is exactly why I needed Glasia even more.

“Glasia.”

“What is it?”

“You’re a genius with the sword, right?”

“Some people call me that, but it doesn’t mean much to me.”

No, Glasia really was a genius with the sword. She would eventually become a Sword Master. In terms of swordsmanship, she ranked around third in this world’s hierarchy. She was undoubtedly a prodigy.

“You are a genius. I’m sure of it. So…”

“So?”

“Teach me swordsmanship. I’ll pay you 1 ducat per hour.”

1 ducat per hour. That would amount to 10 ducats for 10 hours—a huge sum. But…

“No.”

“What?”

“I said no.”

Glasia’s response was completely unexpected.

“Is 1 ducat not enough? Then how about 1 ducat and 2 thalers…”

“Even if you offered 2 ducats, I wouldn’t do it. Give up.”

“Why not?!”

“Because you have no talent for the sword.”

“How would you know that?!”

“I saw it during the last exam.”

To be fair, the disgrace I displayed during the swordsmanship test was embarrassing, even to me. Maybe I really didn’t have any talent for the sword.

“But if I don’t improve my swordsmanship score, I’ll fail.”

“…”

Hearing that, Glasia sighed, fell silent for a moment, and then replied.

“Do you just need to avoid failing?”

“Yes, but…”

“If it’s just about avoiding failure, it might be possible even without talent, as long as you put in the effort. Let’s give it a try.”

I almost cheered out loud at her words.

“But on one condition.”

“Condition?”

“If you can’t keep up with the lessons, I’ll stop immediately.”

Well, I’d have to work my ass off. Opportunities to learn from the third-best in the world didn’t come often.

—–

One hour later.

“Ow! Ow! Stop hitting me! I asked you to teach me swordsmanship, not beat me up!”

I was being mercilessly beaten by Glasia, who was wildly swinging a wooden sword.

“Defend yourself! Raise your sword! Lowering your guard, even when tired, is the same as asking to be killed!”

“Argh!”

In frustration, I swung wildly, but Glasia easily dodged by tilting her head and then tripped me with her foot.

“Agh!”

Glasia thrust her wooden sword down toward me as I lay on the ground. I barely managed to roll away and avoid it, then turned to her in protest.

“What are you doing?! I asked you to teach me swordsmanship, not beat me up!”

“The fastest and most effective way to learn swordsmanship is by taking hits. That’s how I learned too.”

Ah, so you’re the back-alley type, huh…

“Isn’t there a gentler way to do this?”

“Hmm, in that case…”

Swish. Glasia spun the wooden sword in the air and loosened her neck muscles by tilting her head side to side.

“I’ll hit you gently.”

With that, Glasia charged at me again.

…I should’ve asked someone else to teach me.

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