WeTried Translations
Translator: Goku
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became a Villain Perfect for Leveling Up
Chapter 025
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25. Aquila Knights (4)
Having died during a spar in the past, I heightened the tension throughout my body even more than before.
Though I had hidden Freud’s Fang at my waist just in case, it was merely that.
“Have you ever held a sword?”
“I briefly held one when I was little.”
Since the sword I was holding now was a wooden sword, I adopted the most defensive stance possible.
Altair, holding a wooden sword like me, skillfully adopted a mid-stance.
“Then I will yield the first strike.”
“…Hup!”
As Altair gestured for me to come in, I swung my sword at her without hesitation.
A simple downward strike, swung from top to bottom.
“A clean attack.”
Altair, who easily deflected the attack with the flat of her sword, soon thrust her sword.
I pulled my leg back and narrowly dodged the sword tip.
“Your balance is also well maintained….”
Altair, who nodded a couple of times as if having grasped my skill level, began a series of attacks.
Downward strikes, swings, stabs.
The most basic attacks flew in a rapid succession, and I hastily defended.
Blocking attacks I could block, and dodging attacks I had to dodge.
“Well done.”
“…Thank you.”
Before long, a sword was pointed at my throat, and the spar ended.
Unlike me, whose training uniform was soaked with sweat, Altair, despite wearing armor, didn’t shed a single drop of sweat.
I focused as much as possible and tried to find an opening, but all I could do was defend.
If she had altered her sword path even slightly, or put more strength into it, I would have been defeated without even being able to react.
As I caught my breath and looked at her, Altair, whose gaze I met, smiled as if proud of me.
“You did really well, Dian. Your fundamentals are solid. You have talent.”
She, who had put away the wooden sword, nodded and gestured for me to follow.
“…Hey. You’re pretty good?”
As I passed by Pallard, who had been watching the spar, he gave a thumbs up, praising me.
…I, who wasn’t entirely pleased with the process of this spar, felt a question arise.
Despite having only defended in this spar, receiving praise felt awkward, so I walked with a bewildered expression.
“Sit down.”
When I returned to the Captain’s office, Altair brewed me some fragrant flower tea.
Since I didn’t touch it, remembering the opium-infused water, she wore a puzzled expression.
“Do you dislike flower tea? There is coffee, though.”
“…No. I will drink it.”
Repeating to myself that this was not a red-light district, I cautiously picked up the teacup and brought it to my lips.
I held the fragrant tea in my mouth, then moved my Adam's apple to swallow it down my esophagus.
….
Fortunately, there was no poison in the flower tea.
This place was different from the red-light district, and Knight Captain Altair was not the type of person to do such a thing.
She, who carefully sipped a cup of flower tea, subtly made a request to me.
“From now on, receive direct instruction from me.”
“…It is too excessive a luxury for me.”
A question arose at the sudden luxury, so I retorted.
There was no reason for her to take the time to teach me specifically, and it would be better to teach her already reliable subordinates.
“If I say ‘whim,’ will you understand?”
“It is a consideration difficult to explain as a whim.”
“I know it’s hard to understand. …However. It’s because you concern me.”
Altair, who nonchalantly uttered words that could be misunderstood, refilled her teacup with flower tea and drank it.
“If you receive direct guidance from me, you can become stronger in the near future. Will you still refuse?”
….
As if respecting my opinion, when the final persuasion came, I couldn’t answer rashly.
The thought that the Aquila Knights could become a space where I could set my mind at ease lingered.
My refusal, too, was due to wariness, not for any other reason.
If I just lowered my guard a little…, I could abandon my past life and live a new one.
“…I accept your opinion.”
“I will accept.”
If I could just break free from my weak self, wariness would only be an obstacle.
“Yes. You’ve made a good choice. I will try my best not to make you regret it.”
“…Please take good care of me.”
“From now on, come to the Captain’s office every day.”
“Yes.”
“Get up. There is something we need to do today.”
Altair told me the brief schedule, then rose from her seat and headed somewhere.
The way she skillfully lifted the massive greatsword with one hand and moved after equipping it was astonishing.
As we quickly passed through the barracks, the knights we encountered all looked at me with expressions of encouragement.
Since the absurdity they imagined was not happening at all, it was truly awkward.
Just what kind of existence was Altair to them?
And so, we left the Aquila Knights and came out into the city of Aquilian.
“The place we are heading to now is the blacksmith.”
Blacksmith. As I wondered if there was equipment to repair, Altair added a remark.
“Originally, armor is fitted after one becomes a formal knight…. But since you, Dian, will be accompanying me from now on, I will have armor fitted for you right away.”
“…Thank you.”
“Don’t mind it.”
Though it had only been a day since we met, receiving such great attention was burdensome.
For me, who thought of the Aquila Knights as a means to become stronger, a sense of guilt arose.
Though she treats me like this now, if she learns my true identity, it’s obvious that Altair will also become hostile towards me.
…The existence called Dean cannot blend in anywhere.
“Dian? Are you alright?”
“…I was distracted for a moment.”
“When walking, don’t get lost in thought. You’ll become vulnerable to surprise attacks, and you might not see people who need help.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Caught being lost in thought for a moment, I mumbled evasively.
For some reason, whenever I met Altair's gaze, I felt as if my true identity and inner thoughts were being seen through.
Thinking it was time to change my pessimistic way of thinking, I entered the blacksmith.
“Oh, oh! If it isn’t our Knight Captain! And beside you…, it’s about time the Captain found love, hmm hmm…!”
Despite being burly with a bushy beard, the good-natured blacksmith discovered Altair and chuckled amiably.
“I apologize, but this is not my lover, but a new recruit of the Knights. His name is Dian.”
“Hmm, I see… Wait? A new recruit?”
“He has talent, so I’m personally guiding him.”
“…That’s strange. Isn’t this the first time the Captain has personally guided a new recruit?”
The blacksmith, who seemed to be acquainted with her, also had a question mark appear on his face at the fact that she was personally guiding a new recruit.
At this point, even I began to feel a question arise.
Just why was Altair personally guiding me?
“We came because we need armor. Please make the best quality one that fits Dian.”
“May I speak with him privately for a moment?”
“By all means. I will return shortly.”
The blacksmith, having heard the purpose of coming for armor, his eyes narrowed, and he opened a private conversation with me.
“Was it Dian you said? Were you perhaps acquainted with the Captain when you were young?”
“No. Never at all.”
“Hmm….”
As we spoke privately, as expected, similar questions followed, just like with Pallard.
But I was equally clueless as to the reason.
I would have liked to have even a small clue as to why Altair was caring for me, but there was nothing that could be called information.
“I will take your measurements, so open your arms.”
Since prying further was impolite, the blacksmith asked no more questions and quietly took the measurements.
“Hmm. You were born with a blessed body.”
“…What?”
“To the extent that it doesn't matter what weapon you handle, your entire body's balance is well-maintained. Wasn't the Captain's statement that you have talent not a lie, after all….”
As my eyes widened at the unexpected praise, the blacksmith nonchalantly gestured and entered his workshop.
It seemed to also imply that I could bring Altair back, so I called her, who was waiting outside the blacksmith.
“Have the measurements been taken?”
“As soon as the confirmation was done, he immediately went to produce the armor.”
“I see…. And nothing particularly else was said?”
A question that was a little off from a professional inquiry came, and I hesitated to speak for a moment.
Saying, 'I received special treatment from you and was interrogated about it,' would be impolite.
“Other than that, nothing particular was said.”
“…Hmm.”
Altair, who had rested her hand on her chin and was lost in thought for a moment, soon met my gaze.
“Dian, do you believe in fate?”
“Fate…?”
“The fate of becoming entwined with each other. A bad karma that cannot be avoided, an inescapable inevitability.”
Fate, huh. I’ve never believed in it.
If asked if God exists, I would have answered yes without hesitation, but I think fate is a different matter.
“I don’t particularly believe in it.”
“Is that so. Actually, I don’t believe in it either.”
At her action of asking despite not believing it herself, I felt a little deflated, and Altair suddenly grabbed my hand.
“But, you, Dian, are different. As if fate truly exists….”
“…Captain. Just a moment….”
As I tried to pull my hand away quickly, it was held even more firmly.
I stepped backward to maintain distance from Altair, who was gradually closing in, and soon my back hit the wall, leaving no room to escape, when.
“New recruit! I’ve made a simple frame for the armor, so try it on!”
Due to the blacksmith, who appeared like a savior holding the unfinished armor, Altair hastily distanced herself.
“Ahem….”
She, who blushed and cleared her throat, received the armor from the bewildered blacksmith and handed it to me.
“Is there any uncomfortable spot?”
“…No… there isn’t.”
“Then I will proceed with making it like this.”
As soon as the simple fitting was over, Altair handed the armor back to the blacksmith, then waited for him to disappear.
….
As the blacksmith tactfully vacated his spot, Altair once again took my hand, and shyly met my gaze.
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