“Actually, swordsmanship isn’t the only way to protect the Human Race.”
Sote was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then he asked, “Father, what do you mean by that? Are you telling me to give up on learning swordsmanship?”
“If that’s what you want to think, then yes,” Sodlan replied with a helpless sigh.
His eldest son, Soran, had already earned the Recognition of the Holy Sword through his own hard work and became a Sword Saint.
But Soran’s whereabouts were unknown, and after all this time, there was still no news.
Now that he had turned his attention to training his younger son, Sote, he realized after several days of training that Sote was like rotten mud—completely unable to be propped up when it came to swordsmanship.
It was tragic.
The Bernas Family was actually going to decline during his generation.
To prevent this, Sodlan made a decision that went against his ancestors.
He would have Sote try the path of Magic.
He knew the path of Magic was difficult and that talent mattered more than effort, but in Sote’s current state, learning swordsmanship was just waiting for death.
He could only treat a dead horse as if it were alive and give it a try.
After all, when they tested with the Cold Light Steel Sword last time, Sote was able to activate it, which meant he was born with a good Ice Element Affinity.
This path might not be a dead end after all.
It was just a pity for the ancestors that a swordsmanship family had actually produced someone with Magic Talent.
“Whatever.”
“A bunch of graves couldn’t talk anyway, right?”
Sote gripped the Cold Light Steel Sword in his hand, refusing to let go.
“But Father, I don’t want to give up on swordsmanship. Believe me, I can definitely learn it.”
“You can’t learn it, Sote. In terms of swordsmanship, you’re a natural-born Loser.”
“Father, you can’t judge me so haphazardly!”
“If I say you’re a Loser, then you are! Throw the sword in your hand away! It doesn’t suit you!”
“No!”
Sodlan moved to snatch the Cold Light Steel Sword, but Sote protected it in his hands like a precious treasure.
“I love this sword! I want to be a great Swordmaster like my brother!”
“You can’t. In swordsmanship, you’re just rotten mud that can’t be propped up! Don’t even think about comparing yourself to your brother. Your brother started practicing swordsmanship since he was a child. Did you?”
“So what if I didn’t? Can’t I learn now just the same?”
“It’s not the same. Do you think your clumsy talent can catch up to your brother’s years of hard work? Time doesn’t lie.”
Sodlan was furious.
He hadn’t expected Sote to be so stubborn and lack a clear understanding of himself.
He caught Sote off guard and snatched the sword from his hands.
“Father! Give the sword back! I need to practice!”
Sote became anxious and tried to take it back, but his strength was no match for Sodlan.
“Stop practicing. You’re not suited for it. Father will take you to find something that is.”
“I don’t want to! I want to learn swordsmanship!”
Sote stomped his feet in frustration.
To make him see reality, Sodlan decided to give him a reality check.
Sodlan returned the sword to Sote, then disassembled a broom in the house and took the handle in his hand.
“Sote, I won’t bully you for being young. Today, as long as you can use that sword in your hand to touch me, I’ll agree to let you continue learning swordsmanship.”
“Father? Aren’t you afraid the sword will hurt you?”
“Sote hesitated.”
“If you can hurt me, I wouldn’t be fit to be your father.”
Sodlan answered sternly.
As he spoke, he took Sote’s hand and led him into the courtyard.
“This wooden stick is the only thing I’ll use for defense. It’s very brittle. You just need to give it a light swing to break it. After that, touching me will be very simple.”
‘Is it that simple?’
Sote’s confidence surged.
“It was just a touch, right?”
“He just had to break the stick.”
“Father, come! I’m ready!”
“Good!”
The father and son began their duel.
Sote raised the Cold Light Steel Sword and charged blindly, swinging at the stick in Sodlan’s hand.
But the stick didn’t break as he imagined.
Instead, it blocked Sote’s attack and even knocked the Cold Light Steel Sword back.
‘That’s not right. Didn’t he say it would break at a touch?’
Sote refused to believe it and continued to attack wildly.
However, in Sodlan’s eyes, every one of Sote’s movements was full of openings.
If this were a real fight, Sote would have been hacked into a sieve.
As expected, Sote was simply not suited to learn swordsmanship.
‘Father is doing this for your own good,’ Sodlan whispered to himself as he parried Sote’s attacks with the stick.
After one round, Sote’s Cold Light Steel Sword was struck out of his hand by Sodlan’s wooden stick and landed point-down in the ground.
“Father, you lied to me. You’re doing this on purpose because you don’t want me to learn swordsmanship.”
Sote had lost, but he still wanted to struggle.
“You couldn’t even break a wooden stick. Sigh…”
Sodlan picked up the sword and placed the stick on the ground.
He released his grip on the sword, letting it fall against the stick under the force of gravity alone.
The wooden stick was smashed in two by the weight of the sword’s blade before the edge even touched it.
“You have no power, no speed, and no technique. You’re even worse than someone with absolutely no foundation in swordsmanship.”
“I said it already: you aren’t suited for swordsmanship. Give it up.”
Sote knelt on the ground powerlessly, holding back his tears.
This was the biggest blow he had ever received in his life.
“Father, I’m sorry. I let you down.”
Sote didn’t remain stubborn.
He realized that in his father’s eyes, he was even worse than an average person.
Sodlan pulled Sote up and brushed the dust off him.
“Don’t you want to protect the Human Race? Do you think kneeling will make those Magic Creatures spare them?”
“I’m sorry, Father. I… I really am a piece of rotten mud.”
“You only lack talent in swordsmanship. But in other areas, there’s still a chance.”
“Other areas? What areas? Can they compare to swordsmanship?”
“That depends on your luck.”
Sodlan walked back into the room and signaled for Sote to follow.
“Next, I’m going to take you somewhere. It might be a better fit for you.”
“Father? Where is this place exactly?”
“The Human Race’s Mages Association.”
“The Mages Association?”
Sote stopped in his tracks the moment he heard those words. “You want me to learn Magic?”
“That’s right.”
“But I’m a Loser who couldn’t even learn swordsmanship. Magic is so profound—could I really learn it?”
Sote doubted himself.
In his mind, Magic was much more difficult than swordsmanship.
How could someone who couldn’t even handle a sword learn Magic?
“If I say you can, you can. You’ll know once you go.”
Sodlan’s answer was firm, giving Sote enough confidence.
“No more ‘buts.’ When your brother Soran returns, you wouldn’t want him to call you a Loser, right?”
Of course, Soran would never say such a thing.
Sodlan was only teasing him.
Sote was silent for a while before lifting his head.
“Father, I… I want to try.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Sodlan showed a relieved smile.
Sote understood that he had already failed in swordsmanship.
He could only trust his father’s decision and try his hand at Magic.
‘I hope things go smoothly.’