* Requirement(s): Training every day earnestly against the capacity of an F-rank apt.i.tude for more than 10 years.
* Effect(s): All the abilities will operate as if the apt.i.tude’s rank is risen by one level. “…Haha, hahaha. So it’s not useless after all. My spear.” If one without talent continues to put desperate effort, that foundation will become the “know how”. Isn’t that what a Skill sublimation like? I’m the only one who can obtain an apt.i.tude surpa.s.sing S-rank. If I missed out a training for just one day, I wouldn’t obtain this Skill. This is the fruit of my stubbornness and tenacity. What I gain from my hard spear training is not this Skill, but something else, things that Jorg would never be able to obtain. The principle of martial arts. The body movement. Breathing. I’ve been learning them along with the spear. I grasp the spear that I’m holding onto. Thank you for these past ten years. I’ll take my next step forward now. “Let’s go, Tina. I’m alright now.” “Yes, Kurt-sama. Let’s go back home to our village.” Tina and I walk forth hand in hand. When I fetched my favorite horse that I left in the mansion’s barn, Jorg was already there with his spear. There are two of his followers waiting on his sides. “Geez, Brother, you’re so slow. You’ve got the nerve to make me wait.” “I don’t remember having any business with you.” “But I have a business with you. You see, I’ve been thinking about a lot of things. I think that it’s important to punish my unfair brother. A penalty of making me embarra.s.sed from winning over a foul play, you know? Actually, I just can’t stomach the feeling that you’re actually still thinking to win against me. I really should teach you where you’re really standing.” Jorg shows a vulgar expression. His followers also looks the same. The one who actually stares at those three people is Tina, not me. Feeling in danger, Tina cowers in fear. “I understand the gist of your thoughts, but let’s hear it once.” “Why don’t you hand over that girl, Brother. That girl clears my gloomy mood. I really can’t wait until I become the feudal lord. You should go back home alone, Brother.” “I refuse.” “Hey, Brother. Should you really oppose me? Haven’t you understood well from today’s match that I’d inherit the t.i.tle? Oh, well, if you don’t want to hear what I’m saying, I’ll just steal her by force. It’s just so much fun to say it in front of you.” While facing this way, Jorg points the tip of his spear towards me. “Oh my weak brother, don’t try to anger me too much. You’ll regret it.” I suck a deep breath. “You, Jorg. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. Aren’t you actually misunderstanding something here?” From way back, I thought that my younger brother’s strangeness couldn’t be helped. But, honestly, why would he mess around with me to this extent? “What? Even if you show me a scary angered face, there’s no way I’d get scared.” Jorg takes a step back. “Don’t tell me that you think that you’re stronger than me?” Upon my question, Jorg and his followers burst into chaotic laughters that they’re hugging their stomach. “Ahyahyahyahya! Hi, hi. I’m tearing up. Brother, you’re jesting. Have there even a time when you win against me?” I see, this brat is a real idiot. “Jorg, get ready for a fight.” “Heh?” “I said, hold your spear and get ready for a fight.” Feeling my killing intention, Jorg holds his spear while still being so slowminded. In that moment, I fill my body with mana to the brim and lunge forward. The ground is dented. My footsteps clearly imprints the ground as I rush forward. Jorg thrusts his spear in a reflex. I grasp that spear with my hand, knocking it off with full strength. With his spear flying, Jorg was swung along with the spear, resisting the centrifugal force, and hit the stone wall of the barn. “Gah!?” “It does seem like you’ve misunderstood something, so let me teach you. You are weak. You’re just better than me in spear. Without the ability to use mana, did you honestly think that you were stronger than me?” I step closer towards Jorg who seems to be ina great deal of pain after being hit against the wall, slowly daunting him. “Ee-eeek, Brother. Wh-why are you so mad. J-joke, it’s just a joke.” In the matches before Father, mana can’t be used. Exactly due to the rule of fighting only with spears that I can’t win against Jorg. If there’s no such rule, there’s no way I’d lack anything against a boy in this level. “You terrified my precious girl just because you were joking?” Crouching down in front of his eyes, I grab his hair with my left hand and tilt his head, pinning his right arm. Then, my fist flies out. With a squished sound, I heard something get crushed. “Ah, agh, aghh, b, brother, eeek, eeeeek!” My fist grazed Jorg’s left cheek, crashing into the stone wall. Jorg was so terrified that he p.i.s.sed inside his pants. “For me, I could accept anything you’ve done to mess around with me until now. Do you understand why? It’s because you’re the most probable candidate to become the feudal lord. I thought that it was bad to have a discord between a single village and the future feudal lord, so I endured them.” “That, that’s right, Brother. I- I would be the next feudal lord. You shouldn’t op-oppose me, ee, eeek!” He was so irritating that I punched with my left hand this time, grazing his cheek and crushing the stone wall. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve wanted to kill you? I no longer can count them with both hands. If I wasn’t thinking about troublesome things, I should just kill you to automatically become the feudal lord. If I really wanted to, I would’ve done it anytime I liked.” That way of thinking pa.s.sed through my mind so many times. It would really have been easier than baking a cake. “Even so, either from sentiment of being related by blood or my fair spirit, I kept my good sense and desisted it. In a way, you live because I let you, you know? If I’m short-fused, you’d die a long time ago. Be grateful that you have a kind brother. However, there’s a limit to my patience too. Too bad, it doesn’t matter when you’re messing around.” “Fo, forgive me, Brother, don’t kill me, it’s my fault, it really is, so.” With tears running down, Jorg pleads for my forgiveness. As I see that, my head cools down a little. “Jorg, this is the first time I voice out what’s truly in my mind. Why do you think I convey these thoughts to you?” “B-because I lay my hand on your precious person, B-brother.” “That’s one big reason. But actually, there’s another reason. If I fight normally now in the selection ceremony, I’ll still win. That’s why, I don’t have any reason left to avoid a discord with you. I’ve had enough of your rudeness. If you don’t want to die, choose your words carefully. This is my war declaration. I’ll win fair and square against you in the arena.” I wanted to say those lines. “Tina, shall we go now?” “Ye-yes, Kurt-sama.” I straddle the horse, then Tina who is fl.u.s.tered runs up to me, climbs up the horse, and wraps her arms around my waist. “I’m sorry, Tina. Looks like I’ve scared you.” “Ah, no, I’m fine! I was a little scared, but you were really cool today, Kurt-sama.” She blushes, her voice’s pitch rises. Somehow, it seems that she’s not actually scared. I feel relieved from the bottom of my heart, then races up the horse.