The One Who Guides Wind and Flame (9)

The Child of Flame's name was apparently Juyal.

The day after capturing Juyal, I came to the square on the outskirts of the settlement with him, Tseren, and Shuro, who had volunteered to come along.

More precisely, two Barm warriors had been assigned to guard Tseren—or perhaps to keep watch on me—but either way, the distinction was negligible.

"So, starting today, I'll teach Tseren how to draw even more on the wind spirit's aid—specifically, how to fight. Juyal, I'll teach you how to use your ability, as well as how to fight without relying on it. And Shuro... the sword should do, right?"

I looked at Tseren, Juyal, and Shuro in turn.

Then, after confirming that Shuro had nodded at my words,

"Good. Then I'll teach each of you what you need to know."

I declared.

I had decided to do this because Tseren had asked me last night to teach her ways to attack by borrowing the wind spirit's power.

She had probably sensed the battle between me and the Daria from afar by borrowing the wind spirit's power.

I had no idea what she had felt or thought then, but Tseren wanted that power for herself.

I had been debating whether I should do so myself, but... if she truly wished for it, I had no intention of refusing.

Shuro, who had been listening in beside us, then asked me to teach him something as well. Since my way of handling a bow differed too greatly from the Barm people's, we decided that I would teach him the sword instead.

"Wait, what? You and I are enemies, aren't we? How did this turn into you teaching me how to fight...?"

Thus, Juyal was the only one left unable to follow the conversation.

Ah, no—the warriors standing watch in the distance, who nodded in agreement with him, were in the same boat.

But Juyal had one major misconception.

"No, Juyal, you're not my enemy. It's more that you're not strong enough for me to think of you as one. To put it plainly, you're weak."

That was because I didn't even regard him as worth taking seriously.

Rather than looking hurt by my words, Juyal looked plainly shocked, but it was an unavoidable fact.

But that didn't mean his ignition ability, pyrokinesis, was weak.

It was true that pyrokinesis was not particularly frightening to someone who could borrow the fire spirit's power, but Juyal's weakness was a problem that went beyond such compatibility.

Because for him, the ignition ability was not merely one card in his hand for battle—it was everything.

Thus, there were no feints or tricks involved. If I fought Juyal, all I had to worry about was his ignition ability.

Honestly, when the target and timing of an ignition ability were so obvious, there were quite a few swordsmen I knew who could knock it aside with a sword, just as I had.

Kaeha, of course, could do it, and so could Clayas and Shizuki. Win probably could as well.

In short, Juyal was nothing more than an artillery piece capable only of firing his ignition ability.

That was true both of his individual capabilities and of how the Daria employed him on the battlefield.

Even if someone told me to regard him as an enemy, I would find that difficult.

At the same time, I found it a little wasteful.

It seemed dull that such power and talent were being celebrated in a narrow world and used merely as tools without ever being developed, even though it was none of my business.

"Then I'll teach Juyal the sword for the time being, too. Oh, since we're at it, Tseren, would you like to learn as well?"

Juyal was still dazed, so I carried on without waiting for him.

He had probably never been told that he was weak before.

Juyal had always been treated as one of the strong, receiving both respect and fear, and his entire outlook was being shaken.

But this was only the beginning.

From here on, as he lived with me, his values would continue to change.

"Huh? Um, I'm a woman, though... Is it really all right for me to hold a sword?"

Tseren asked me timidly, looking deeply surprised.

That was the closest I'd seen to her unguarded expression.

I was a little pleased, and nodded.

"Of course. The woman who taught me the Yosogi style of swordsmanship was incredibly strong and beautiful."

Whenever I spoke of my teacher, Kaeha, I felt very happy and proud.

Unfortunately, I could never introduce her to these children, but... I'm sure Kaeha would be glad that I was teaching them swordsmanship.

I didn't know what place women held in the culture of the people of the plains, but Yosogi was a style of swordsmanship women could wield, too.

For now, though, we would start with practice swings using wooden swords, not real ones.

I would make the wooden swords myself by carving them from timber.

Ah, since we were at it, why didn't we start by shaping the wood together?

Once they were able to swing the wooden swords well enough, I would be ready to forge them proper weapons.

The quickest way for them to obtain the straight swords they would use in the Yosogi style was for me to forge them myself.

"Then let's start by making the wooden swords we'll use for practice. Don't worry. I'll help, so it won't take very long."

I roughly cut the timber into the shape of swords, and they carved and polished them until they were finished.

Juyal, too, followed my instructions and silently carved and polished the wood.

Both of them had been expected to fulfill a role because of the powers they were born with.

Whether that was right or wrong was probably not for me to say.

But precisely because of that, I would have them learn a different kind of power.

I would give them the Yosogi style—the guiding light of my own life—as well.

I had no idea how the future would unfold.

Nothing was certain yet.

But I would pull them toward what I believed was a better place, dragging them there if necessary, until we arrived.