TSMRG 32

Chapter 32

Shooo—

“Woooow!”

Sylvia’s reaction was both amazed and full of wonder.

“How is it? Do you feel a little more used to it now?”

Watching her, Ruin asked with a faint smile.

“Mm-hm, I think so. Wow! I still can’t believe it. This is really a spirit of the wind?”

“That’s right. A wind spirit, a ‘Sylph.’”

A tiny, translucent wisp circled around Sylvia.
Of course, it was still nothing more than a lowest-rank spirit that couldn’t even communicate properly yet.

But the very fact that Sylvia, a total beginner with no connection to spirits, had summoned a lowest-rank wind spirit in one go—carried tremendous meaning.

“Hahaha! So cute!”

Sylvia laughed brightly as she watched the spirit of wind draw near.
Ruin, however, only looked at her with eyes that sank deep.

“Does this even make sense?”

He didn’t show it outwardly, but he was utterly shocked.

Even someone with no talent or only average affinity needed at least six months to a year of training to learn and realize spirit arts on their own.

And yet Sylvia—

“Barely three months? No… maybe two and a half.”

In that short time, she had understood the fundamentals of spirit arts and gained the ability to summon a lowest-rank spirit by herself.

Which meant—

“Just as I thought.”

As Ruin had suspected, the “potential ability” he could see represented that person’s possibilities and future.
In other words, if certain external factors or special circumstances came into play, they could acquire or master abilities far faster than others. That was the realm of true “talent.”

That’s why Sylvia had absorbed Ruin’s basic teachings like a sponge soaking up water, rapidly mastering spirit arts at a pace several times faster than others—and blossoming into her gift.

“That means she might even excel in cooking or cleaning too.”

On the surface, her talents might look like the makings of the perfect housewife.
But now—

[Character Information]

• Name: Sylvia Felton

• True Name: None

• Title: (Unable to Interpret)

• Race: Human

• Traits: (Unable to Interpret)

• Current Abilities: (Unable to Interpret), Spirit Affinity, Spirit Arts

• Potential Abilities: Cooking, Laundry, Cleaning, Surroundings Detection, (Unable to Interpret), (Unable to Interpret)

• Current Emotions: Anxiety, Confusion, Nervousness, Embarrassment

Due to the limits of Insight, further interpretation is impossible.

Since “Spirit Affinity” and “Spirit Arts” were listed as her current abilities, her future as a spirit user seemed far brighter than simply being a homemaker.

Just then—

“Hey, Ruin!”

“Hm?”

Turning his head at Sylvia’s sudden call, he saw her staring at him with a slightly darkened expression, even though she had been enjoying herself with the Sylph moments ago.

“What’s wrong, Sylvia?”

“Oh, um… there was something I wanted to ask.”

“Something to ask?”

“Yeah. It’s not a big deal.”

Her hesitant attitude, looking like she wanted to say something but holding back, only made Ruin tilt his head in confusion.

At that moment, the Sword Spirit spoke sharply:

[Did you do something wrong to that sweet child?!]

‘I didn’t do anything!’

Ruin’s inner reply was filled with frustrated innocence.

Then Sylvia spoke again.

“Ruin. Remember that girl who came from the Mage Tower before?”

“…Huh?”

Hearing Sylvia suddenly bring up Cabella’s name, Ruin couldn’t help but look flustered.

“The girl who said she was Mr. Lenovan’s disciple—are you close with her?”

“Uh, well, that’s…”

Sylvia blinked at him with a very innocent expression.
And on her cheeks, the faintest blush had spread.

[Keh-heh-heh! Youth, eh?]

The Sword Spirit burst out laughing at the sight of Ruin and Sylvia.

Ruin shook his head lightly and answered.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding. I’m not involved with Cabella at all.”

Cabella of the Serion Mage Tower had sought him out on her own, calling herself his “mistress” and running around his place as she pleased.
True, she was the granddaughter of Tower Master Adorno.

“She did have some interesting items, but… that’s all.”

To Ruin, that was the extent of their relationship.
Especially since Mr. Lenovan had been quite firm about drawing the line.

But—

“Oh, so it was Cabella. That girl.”

Sylvia muttered quietly before speaking again.

“Mrs. Daisy spoke about her in such a scary way. She said some sharp-tongued stray cat no one knows the origins of is trying to snatch you away.”

“…What?”

Ruin knew his mother didn’t like Cabella, but he hadn’t imagined she would phrase it that harshly.

“Well… Cabella isn’t exactly the type to act sweet and win people over. She’s unpredictable.”

As he pictured her, Sylvia’s voice came to his ear again.

“But I’m glad you said you’re not close.”

Her face showed a pure smile, yet Ruin suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

“What’s this feeling?”

[Heh-heh! What else? That’s just youth, boy!]

The Sword Spirit teased him.

‘Shut up.’

Ruin snapped back firmly, then answered Sylvia as politely as possible.

“Haha, yeah. Glad that cleared up the misunderstanding. Let’s get back to practicing how to handle spirits, okay?”

“Mm-hm!”

Seeing her nod cheerfully again, Ruin finally let go of the tension that had tightened him earlier and let out a silent sigh.

Phew.

But the Sword Spirit immediately grumbled.

[Every time you’ve got nothing to say, you just tell me to shut up.]

‘Keep it up, and I’ll stop learning swordsmanship altogether.’

[Ha! And that’s supposed to be a threat? Do as you please. Between a student and a teacher, who do you think loses more if it ends?]

The Sword Spirit, unusually forceful, began airing all his pent-up grievances.

[You never listen to me properly! Haven’t I told you over and over? Training only in mental space has its limits! Swordsmanship must be engraved in body and muscle memory even when will and mind falter—that’s the only way to reach completion!]

Ruin listened to the outburst with a nod, then asked calmly:

‘So… are you saying my sword training is finished now?’

[Would I ever spout nonsense?]

‘That’s a shame. I thought I’d finally found a great teacher in swordsmanship, but if that’s your wish, then I suppose our master-disciple relationship ends here…’

[What?! Wait! What did you just say?!]

The Sword Spirit cried out in panic, while Ruin wore an invisible smile.

‘What is it, Master? Or no, since you said it’s over, I guess I should just call you Sword Spirit… or maybe Mr. Dark Shadow?’

[W-wait!!]

He remembered clearly: when he had first decided to receive direct instruction in swordsmanship, the Sword Spirit had ranted endlessly about how the first patriarch, Bellion, had taken all his teachings without ever acknowledging him as master.

That rant had revealed the truth:

“He desperately wants to be called ‘Master.’”

There was no way the Sword Spirit would willingly throw away this long-awaited chance at a disciple.

[Ahem. What I said just now… that was just me speaking strongly for effect. Don’t misunderstand. I only meant I need to discipline you firmly as a teacher, that’s all…]

‘Mm, but that’s not how it sounded earlier.’

[Ruin!!]

The Sword Spirit called his name in a panic and then quickly folded.

[I—I’m sorry. I let my anger slip earlier. But surely, cutting off our master-disciple bond so lightly would be wrong. So…]

Watching the Sword Spirit squirm, Ruin nodded.

‘All right, all right. But then I’ll learn swordsmanship more slowly, step by step.’

[What? That’s—…]

‘Hm?’

[…That’s a sound method. Taking it slowly and steadily is also an excellent choice. Teaching a disciple of such outstanding talent is truly rewarding! Hahaha!’

The Sword Spirit laughed awkwardly, while Ruin quietly smiled where he couldn’t see.

Time flowed like a stream again, and before he knew it, Ruin turned twelve.

“Happy birthday, son!”

“A very happy twelfth birthday, Ruin!”

As always, he celebrated quietly with only his family, sharing a warm dinner together.

“Thank you, Mom, Dad.”

Ruin bowed his head with a bright smile.
For someone who still carried all the memories of living as Subject 1872, such simple family happiness was something beyond words.

And—

“So about one year left now?”

The Linegrime Family’s summons order.

At thirteen, all direct descendants of Linegrime were called into the main family’s training hall to undergo harsh training and examinations to qualify as swordsmen.

There they would learn the orthodox Linegrime sword arts, the mindset of a swordsman, and more.
Only those who passed all the trials would be recognized as true swordsmen of the Linegrime family.

But—

“I’ve already mastered the orthodox sword arts from the Sword Spirit.”

Knowledge, experience, and skill from the training hall—Ruin could already acquire on his own.

And—

[What are you brooding over? Time to get to training. You need to complete the Seven-Star Sword Form this year, don’t you?]

Over the past two years, Ruin had long since mastered the seven basics of Linegrime swordsmanship and even perfected the Refining Seven Arts.
That alone meant he was already qualified as a Linegrime swordsman.

So technically, there was no need to respond to the summons.

But—

“Becoming a Linegrime swordsman means…”

Ruin let the thought trail off as he spotted someone approaching from afar.

“Ruin, you’re coming hunting with me today, right?”

His father, Cavell, smiled brightly and waved.

He had long since been expelled from the Linegrime family and excluded entirely from succession.
Now he looked like nothing more than a simple village hunter.

But—

“The Northern Sword Duke drew a complete line between Father and me.”

Looking at Cavell’s cheerful, rustic face, Ruin thought quietly.

“Maybe it’s vague to say it’s all because of me, but…”

It was his father’s choice—giving up everything just to win his mother’s love, even if it meant fleeing here.

“And the result of that choice… is me.”

If Ruin responded to the summons, passed the training, and was acknowledged as a swordsman, then—
Ruin Linegrime would gain the qualification to officially succeed as the next patriarch.

“The Master of the Northern Sky.”

If he wanted to reach his final destination quickly, perhaps that title was essential.

Just then, Cavell called out again:

“Brion said a herd of red deer was spotted near the northern forest. Want to head there today?”

Ruin gave a faint smile and nodded.

“Yes, Father. Let’s go together.”

And in a whisper no one could hear, he muttered:

“I’ll take it all back for you, Father.”