Suteko Ni Narimashita Chapter 5
Expert Guidance
Today, I am hunting in the forest.
In the beginning, it was hard to catch anything. Even if I used magic to hit birds and small rats, I couldn’t hit them as hard as I wanted. So I mainly ate fruit and insect larvae and think that I was poor when it came to food.
When my magic had improved and my body had grown a little, I was finally able to kill a bird for the first time. But even then, there was another problem.
I didn’t know how to process meat. Of course, this was my first time preparing a bird. I had no choice but to skin it, take out what seemed to be the internal organs, pull out the bones, and then grill and eat the whole thing. I think I wasted a lot of meat when I gutted it. My teeth haven’t grown in yet, so I had a hard time chewing. There was no seasoning, so the taste was bland and gamey.
However, it was very tasty because of the animal fat and the juices, and because it was my first catch in this world. I still remember its taste up to this day.
It’s been more than two years since then, and I’ve gotten used to hunting. It doesn’t even take me an hour to catch a bird after I enter the forest. I can also eat sweet fruits.
I’ve also learned how to prepare meat. I followed a hunter and watched as he processed the prey he hunted. After that, I tried to do it the way he processed the meat, and after wasting countless birds, I could finally prepare bird meat. There were also other times when the hunters would bring in other kinds of game, or they would prepare the pigs they raised. However, I am unable to process the same types of meat, so I put off practicing it for later. But someday, I hoped to try eating other animals like foxes or bears.
Today, I prepared some bird meat by the river and used magic to fashion a knife out of water. It wasn’t particularly sharp, but it did the job just fine.
It was already dead so I didn’t drain its blood off, but it didn’t matter as long as I could eat it. I proceeded to cut off its head and dipped it in boiling water before plucking its feathers out. When I prepared my first catch, I think I made the mistake of taking all the skin off.
I made an incision on the base of the thigh, lightly scraped off the flesh, and pulled. The thigh meat came off with a ripping sensation as the muscle fibers tore and I did the same for the other side. Then, I moved the wing up and down several times and inserted my knife at the base. Next was the breast meat. I cut it open along the bone and removed the breast meat just as I did with the wings. Getting the meat off the wings was tedious, so I left it as it was.
And then there were the organs. I opened the ribs and cut them out. To be honest, I’m not really fond of internal organs, but I killed it. Emotionally, I didn’t want to waste too much of it. And although I said I didn’t want to waste any of it, the intestines are pretty hard for me to eat so I threw them away and kept the ovaries and liver to eat. As usual, I made a small apology to the bird.
Finally, I buried what was left of the bird which was the head bones, and some internal organs. I then washed my blood and mud-covered hands in the river and it was time to eat.
I sprinkled some salt on the meat and grilled it. Magic is handy for times like this.
After it cooked, I grabbed a handful of the delicious smelling meat and chewed on it. The meat was tough and smelled of blood, but it was delicious.
I was full after feasting on the meat and fruit.
While eating, I regret having not removed the bones from the wings, but I’d probably neglect to do it again.
I saw that Kisch was participating in the training when I arrived.
I watched him train from a corner of my eye. Of course, I did that while swinging my stick around too.
Kitsch was also sweating as he continued to swing his weapon. His swings and tempo were fast, and he was probably doing more than the adults around him.
“Alright! Stop your practice swings! Kisch is here, so we’re going to have a mock battle!”
When the Drill Sergeant made his announcement, Kisch’s eyes lit up as if to say, “alright!” However, the adults around him were not happy.
“It’s good to shake it up every now and then. Now hurry and line up by age.”
The Drill Sergeant urged the adults to get ready as he stepped into the middle of the crowd.
“Let’s not. We don’t need to do something that bothersome, don’t we?”
Kitsch seemed a little annoyed with all the complaints around him, but he kept quiet even though he was already shaking in anger.
“Come on, don’t be like that. The kid’s eager to join the training even though he isn’t old enough to be a guard yet. Besides, a little entertainment won’t hurt, right?”
The Drill Sergeant tried to break the tension, but the complaining continued.
“Battling against another human is a lot different than fighting beasts, but it’s still a good workout, you know?”
A man with a really loud voice reacted to the word “training” and the others followed suit.
“What’s the point of all this training?”
“Yeah, all we’re driving away are dogs and boars anyway.”
The adults looked at each other and laughed, but nobody moved to line up.
“What’s wrong with all of you? Don’t you want to protect the village!?”
Kisch finally shouted at the adults who didn’t want to move for some reason.
“Mr. Imeji’s, Mr. Shifa’s, Mr. Inte’s, and Mr. Iya’s fields in the east side were already attacked by boars! You guys can’t even do your jobs properly!”
It seems Kisch wasn’t angry because they were opposing the mock battle but because of the adults’ attitude towards the training.
Kisch was still a child, so he still couldn’t become a guard just like the adults who were required to undergo the training. However, he still participated in the training because he had his own sense of justice.
The Drill Sergeant looked at him and sighed while the man with the loud voice snickered.
“But we weren’t on guard when that happened, right? It doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
“He’s right!”
All the other adults nodded and refused to listen, saying, “it’s just a child’s opinion.”
“If you’re so concerned, then why don’t you take watch instead?”
“Hahaha, I’d feel safe knowing that young master Kisch is looking after the village.”
Laughter broke out. For some reason, it was very unpleasant to watch.
Kisch’s face turned beet red.
“Th-that’s right! I’m more dependable than you weak drunkards!”
Kisch shouted. The comment flipped a switch in the adults and they frowned.
“You’re just afraid of losing to a kid that’s why you’re refusing to move and saying that it’s unnecessary or it’s troublesome, right?”
“Hey, that’s too much!”
The man with the loud voice who was one of the adults that were told off stepped forward with his fists clenched…
“Enough!”
The Drill Sergeant who had been quietly watching until now shouted. The atmosphere seemed to tremble even from where I was observing them.
Kisch and the man looked at the Drill Sergeant with surprise.
“You’re a good man, Kasok. But what are you planning to do with those fists?”
The man who stepped forward earlier looked upset at being called out.
“Shium, didn’t you see how that kid just made a fool out of us?”
“It’s true that Kisch was out of line, but it’s not reason enough to get violent.”
“I was just going to teach him a lesson! That kid needs to be taught a lesson for saying all that nonsense!”
Meanwhile, Kisch seemed to have calmed down a bit but he was still shaking and visibly upset.
“Nonsense? Then are you saying that Kisch was lying?”
“Th-that’s right! He said we were running away and that’s not true!”
“Then let’s see it.”
“Huh?”
Shium turned around and walked away, then drew a large circle on the ground with his spear.
“Let’s do a mock battle. If you get a point against Kisch, then you win and what you were saying was right. But if Kisch gets a point, he wins and it would mean you’re running away from a child that is stronger than you.”
“W-wait, we don’t really need to do a mock battle for this, don’t we?”
“It’s not ‘we’. The one going against Kisch is just you.”
The adults gasped, and Kasok took a step back.
“W-why do I have to be the one to fight him?”
“Didn’t I tell you that it’s to settle your argument?”
“I’ll do it!”
Kisch shouted, holding his spear to his chest. He stepped into the ring full of courage, his nose high in the air.
“Come on, old man. Get inside the ring and show us what you got.”
“But I–”
“Don’t worry, you’re not doing this for nothing.”
Shium cut in, anticipating Kasok’s attempt to refuse the match.
“If you win, then I’m going to double the amount of alcohol everyone gets today.”
The crowd went wild at Shium’s declaration.
“Where are you getting the alcohol from”
“I’m going to take it from my stock, so that shouldn’t be a problem, right?.
The adults expectantly looked at Kasok. It seems he was thrust into a situation where he couldn’t back out now.
“Kasok, I’m counting on you to get us the good stuff!”
“Ah, dammit, why am I in this mess?”
Kasok reluctantly got into position and held his spear in an imposing way. Meanwhile, Kisch also got into position with his body slightly lowered and his spear tip down.
“The rules are simple. Please stop just before the spear actually hits and you get a point if the strike is considered valid.”
Shium raised his hand and swung it down with force to signal the start of the match.
“Start!”
The two faced each other and looked for an opening. After a few moments, Kisch closed the distance and thrusted his spear several times, but each strike was easily parried by Kasok. Kisch then pulled back seemingly trying to gauge the situation.
This time, however, Kasok was the one who initiated the attack. He tried to aim for Kisch’s neck, but it was blocked by Kisch’s spear. He tries to move behind Kisch with some speedy footwork, but the latter keeps his eyes trained on him.
From there, they began to fight in earnest. Neither side backed down, but moved apart after repeatedly exchanging blows.
To be honest, I was surprised at how strong they were. Kisch was a given, but Kasok was also pretty good. Their moves didn’t seem like something that could be done with half-hearted training even to the untrained eye. I couldn’t follow their movement anymore, so I switched from normal vision to sensory magic.
The exchange of blows continued. Kisch shifted around Kasok and attacked whenever he saw an opening. Kasok, however, would click his tongue while counter-attacking and when his opponent was out of range.
But strangely enough, it didn’t last long.
Kisch’s movements gradually got better.
His movements became sharper, smaller, and far-reaching. His quick blows were different from what they had been right at the start of the fight, and the way he was toying with Kasoku seemed ape-like.
Kasok calmly launched a strike. His seamless strikes and thrusts seemed to have been acquired through years of training, but none of those reached Kisch. He seemed to be losing ground even as he kept Kisch in check.
Meanwhile, Kisch stopped momentarily, as if deciding his next move. The air around him thrummed. When Kasok noticed this, he lowered his body and prepared to receive the attack. And then, Kisch moved and held his spear up. The atmosphere intensified as his spear was pointed at Kasok’s chest in the next moment.
And then it happened.
With an astonished expression, Kisch stopped moving and looked away. Not letting the chance slip by, Kasok took over and struck.
“Sei!”
Using the butt end of his spear, he makes a sweep from the side and grabs Kisch’s throat.
“Winner, Kasok!”
Shium announced the winner, and Kisch looked aghast. Feigning ignorance, Shium brought his hand down and faced Kasok.
“Congratulations.”
“Th-thanks.”
Kasok took a series of deep breaths to calm down and used his spear like a staff to support himself.
“…”
On the other hand, Kisch seemed speechless, and alternately looked at Kasok and Shium. His mouth was closed tight and his brows were furrowed as if he were about to cry. Unwittingly, one of the men who was watching the match asked Shium in a loud voice, “Hey, how much alcohol are we getting?”
“Just as I promised, everyone will have twice the amount as usual.”
I was annoyed with the man’s boorish voice, but the other adults were in a good mood and were praising Kasok.
And then there was Kisch. He finally turned his head down, and although I couldn’t see his expression, he looked quite dejected.
After that, we did some simple exercises and the training for the day was over and alcohol was handed out to everybody.
The adults split up as soon as they received their drinks. There were some who sipped on the sake, some who took it with the same expressionless faces as usual, and some who approached Kasok for some small talk, but everyone seemed to be happy in their own way.
The sun was beginning to set, but it was still a bit bright even as the sun dipped in the horizon.
I looked around and saw that Kisch was talking to Shium in a serious manner. Apparently, he was worried about receiving alcohol as a reward.
“Umm, excuse me…”
Kisch bowed deeply. He looked very worried, as if he were being backed into a corner.
“You can have it. It was my idea after all. Besides, you always go home without taking your share. Just think of it as taking some leftovers.”
Shium gave him a fatherly smile.
“But I…”
“Rather than that, I did want to discuss something with you. I knew I had to do it sometime soon, but I guess I have to do it now.”
Interrupting Kisch’s insistence, Shium took a seat at the back of the training area that looked like a resting place.
“Anyway, sit down. I wanted to talk about the reason for your defeat today.”
“My defeat…sir?”
Kisch looked at Shium with a troubled expression.
So it was about today’s match. Kisch’s moves earlier were also weighing on my mind, so I listened in too.
“So there’s something called Fighting Spirit.”
“Oh…”
Kisch and I were both confused with the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar word.
“I know it’s confusing, but hear me out.”
Shium started to talk quietly, reining in Kisch’s bewilderment.
“The term “Fighting Spirit” varies from school* to school, from “Spiritual Arts” to just “Chi”, but in the school I studied in, it’s called “Fighting Spirit” .”
Kisch and I continued to listen.
“Most people who fight for a living, or rather, most of the ones in the upper ranks can use it. Well, it’s more like they have to use it, though.”
“Umm, what is this fighting spirit?”
“It’s something that strengthens the body or objects. It revitalizes one’s life force and makes things stronger. That’s what you were using in the second half of the match.”
I was surprised. I knew it wasn’t just my imagination that he was getting stronger earlier. Rather, it was simply because Kisch’s physical abilities had improved. But how?
“Then earlier…”
“Yes, but that was also the cause of your defeat.”
“It’s easy to learn how to use Fighting Spirit. You simply need to train your body and you will naturally be able to use it. It depends on your nature, so how much you need to train depends on the individual.”
“Uh, umm, what did you mean when you said that this Fighting Spirit caused me to lose?”
Shium looked at Kisch directly. Kisch flinched a bit, but he repeated his question when he looked back into his superior’s eyes.
“Wh-what did you mean by it?”
Shium continued to explain with a stern expression.
“Do you remember that moment in the game when you had a crucial opening?”
“Yes, I felt something like a warm breeze or mist behind me, and I tried to turn around.”
“Activated Fighting Spirit has the ability to cancel out magical power.”
“Magic, you say?”
“Yes, magic. You reacted to the sensation of activated Fighting Spirit canceling out Magic Power just as you were about to strike the winning blow.”
I felt like my eyes had rolled back from what I heard. If he’s talking about Magic being canceled out, then that must be my Magic. Kisch reacted to it and lost.
Does it mean it was my fault? Blood seemed to drain from my face as I ground my teeth together.
Feeling guilty, I wanted to scream as loud as I could.
Without noticing me who was sulking nearby, Shium continued.
“As to what was giving off magic, it’s still unknown. There are neither Sorcerers nor Magic Users in this village, and the only thing that could have produced magic would have been a monster living deep in the forest, or a naturally occurring pool of mana. Or, just like in fairy tales, fairies or wild spirits.”
“Are… they dangerous?”
“I don’t know. Since we don’t know what magic it is, we should keep an eye out. It’s hard to imagine that it would come from a monster since there hasn’t been any monster attacks in years…”
“Well, I’ll try finding the source on my next day off. It’s a big problem if we don’t know what’s causing it, but since there’s been no damage so far, there’s no need to rush.”
With that out of the way, Shium continued,
“Now, let’s get back to the matter at hand. You have a talent. I had a hunch that you’d be able to use Fighting Spirit soon, but I didn’t expect it this soon.”
Kisch nodded silently and encouraged him to continue.
“You want to leave this village in the future, don’t you?”
“Ah, yes, I am planning to go to another town when I come of age.”
“Then I’m going to train you for that.”
“Umm, thank you very much…”
Apparently, Kisch was going to leave the village as soon as he came of age and Shium was eager to train him until that day came.
From what I’ve seen so far, Kisch is an aspiring hero. When he goes to another town, he could become a Knight, an Adventurer, or something else, but having fighting skills is advantageous.
And for that reason, Shium had been letting Kisch participate in the training in earnest.
They continued to talk, but it seemed to be mainly about adjusting his training schedule and household chores. I had better things to worry about than that, so I quietly turned around and flew in the direction of the setting sun.
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Translator’s notes:
*School – school in this context does not refer to the literal “school” as the learning institution, but school which means a style, approach, or method of a specified character. (i.e. school of ikebana, school of philosophy, etc.)
