The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 189

22. Conclusion: The Dreaming Scoundrel

[The World Tree Yggdrasil is with you.]

[An aura of nature permeates the area.]

[All stats of allies are increased by 300%.]

[Recovery, bloodsucking, and regeneration amounts reach max.]

Even sleep felt like a waste of time.

My physical fatigue was instantly restored by the World Tree’s aura, and I only slept for two hours a week to relieve mental fatigue.

As expected of a Grand Sword Master, Heavenly Demon Teacher was a powerhouse beyond common sense.

He faced me and my companions all at once, and Sion, Campbell, and Coco were constantly getting hit without even properly wielding their weapons.

I, who had become a Sword Master and reached a certain level, managed to hold out a little longer.

But I could only hold out; I couldn’t even think about attacking.

Even after becoming a Sword Master and gaining various experiences through life and death, I couldn’t objectively grasp the Heavenly Demon’s strength.

Looking at the Teacher, he seemed to be in harmony with the void itself, like nothingness itself. It was like he was visible but questionable whether he existed there.

If the Heavenly Demon Teacher is this strong, how strong will the Demon King be? Will we be able to lead the fight even remotely close to victory against Baal? Worry crept up.

Demon King’s resurrection [D-120]

*

Time flows like water.

It’s a common expression that time is fast, but I haven’t been able to relate to this expression as much as recently.

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and a month passed with a few clashes of swords.

In this situation, comparing the flow of time to water was a luxury. The perceived speed was faster than sound, almost like the speed of light.

[Mana Awakening Status.]

[Mixing Rate Status]

[Green Mana Awakening 99%] [↑4.0%]

[Blue Mana Awakening 99%] [↑4.0%]

[Dragon Blood Awakening 99%] [↑4.0%]

[Mixing Rate 99%] [↑10.0%]

Perhaps the cramming for the past few months wasn’t in vain, as the 100% mark for mana awakening was just around the corner.

The green mana, blue mana, and dragon blood that make up the Three-Origin Mana had all risen to 99%.

Even the mixing rate was at 99%.

It feels like just yesterday that the distinct and temperamental energies were rampaging and colliding on their own, but now that we’re about to reach the peak, I’m deeply moved.

The Mermaid King’s Orb, a component of blue mana, was completely melted down within the dantian [energy center], and the same goes for the Wish-Fulfilling Orb, a component of dragon blood.

As for the green mana, I’ve collected all the items that can be obtained from the outside by acquiring the last golden branch.

The last 1% is a problem I have to solve myself.

‘It feels like something is blocked.’

Is this how it feels to get indigestion from eating five packs of ramen and ten hamburgers in one go?

There was definitely a stuffiness in my chest, but I had no idea how to resolve it.

But at the same time, I had a feeling that if I could break through this, a new world would unfold.

Originally, I would have taken a long time to gain enlightenment, but in this situation where the Demon King’s resurrection and the continent’s destruction were fast approaching, there was no room to be leisurely.

At this point, all I could do was swing my sword more fiercely. I shook off the complicated thoughts in my head and rushed at the Heavenly Demon.

Demon King’s resurrection [D-90]

*

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Invisible strikes emitted a roar in the air.

I realized the combat method using the domain during the battle with the Twilight Church Leader, and I became much more familiar with this skill while sparring with the Heavenly Demon.

Even now, I was wielding my sword with my body while simultaneously deploying a domain with my mind, performing multitasking.

The Heavenly Demon’s domain deployment was even more natural than mine.

In fact, I don’t know if I can even call it a domain.

He could turn the entire Lloyd estate into his domain if he wanted to.

I tried to expand my domain following the Teacher, but when I exceeded a certain range, a splitting headache came over me, and my concentration broke.

“Heavenly Demon, how are you so good at handling domains?”

“How do you breathe?”

“Huh?”

“That’s the question you just asked. What should I say to someone who has been breathing well since birth if they ask me how to breathe?”

Perhaps because my face was full of worries, the Heavenly Demon softened his tone and said.

“I know you’re facing a wall right now. But the way to break that wall varies from person to person, so I have nothing to say.”

The Heavenly Demon is right.

The way to overcome difficulties differs from person to person.

Whether the indigestion that is causing the stuffiness in my chest is a physical or mental problem.

Whether the reason for the limitation in domain deployment is because I missed an important concept, and if so, what concept did I miss?

Whether 99% mana awakening is the highest value or whether there is potential to exceed it.

My head is dizzy.

With less than a hundred days left until the day of the final battle.

Why am I making so little progress?

“Young one, put down your sword.”

“······”

“I said, put your sword away!”

Thwack!!

The Heavenly Demon flicked my forehead. Thanks to that, stars flashed before my eyes, and I came back to my senses.

“Ugh!”

“Stop it. That’s enough.”

The Teacher suddenly went to the corner of the training ground and cut the bamboo, which had been grown for landscaping, to a certain length.

Then, he tied a thread he took out of his pocket around the bamboo trunk and attached a small wooden fish-shaped piece to the end.

“What are you doing?”

“Can’t you see? I’m making a fishing rod. Heave-ho!!”

The Teacher, with a fishing rod on his shoulder, headed for the exit, stopped, and looked at me.

“Aren’t you coming? Make one for yourself and come.”

The Heavenly Demon really left the training ground.

I was speechless for a moment.

The Demon King’s resurrection is only a few dozen days away.

What is he doing when we don’t even have enough time to sleep and train?

The Heavenly Demon Teacher’s mind has always been hard to guess.

I guess he’s having another strange quirk this time.

I followed him for now.

I didn’t bother to make a fishing rod.

When we reached the inner gate, the knights guarding the gate saluted me in a motionless posture.

“We greet the Young Lord!!”

Come to think of it, this is my first outing since coming to the estate. As soon as I arrived, I jumped into the training ground and stayed there all the time.

The Teacher walked silently, and I followed him without saying anything in particular.

Finally, we arrived at our destination.

The destination was Heinz Lake, which is considered the estate’s lifeline and landmark.

The scenery of the lake was amazing.

It was 4 p.m.

The sun was heading west.

The slightly tilted sunlight reflected on the lake surface, scattering sparkling gold dust.

The refreshing air cooled my nose, and the slightly trampled fallen leaves and red-dyed maple leaves deeply conveyed the autumn atmosphere.

With fantastic weather and good scenery, it was natural for people to be crowded.

Along the lake, children ran around with bright smiles, and women with free hands watched the children with satisfaction, chatting among themselves.

In the center of the lake, several boats gently glided over the surface.

The young men and women sitting on the boats shouted at the top of their lungs to unleash their boiling energy, and sometimes exchanged hot glances without saying a word.

The Heavenly Demon sat down on the edge of the lake, where people don’t often go, and cast his fishing rod.

I sat down next to him.

The Heavenly Demon’s fishing skills were terrible.

Not a single bite came for 30 minutes, and the basket was empty.

“Let’s go back now. If the Heavenly Demon is not there, there will be no sparring partner, so the training efficiency will decrease.”

The Heavenly Demon said something else to my words.

“Young one, isn’t it truly beautiful? It was rare to see such a peaceful sight even in the continent I was in.”

“So we must work harder to protect the peace. If we stay still like this, everyone will perish in a few months.”

Even with my anxious request, the Heavenly Demon remained unmoved.

He didn’t take up the fishing rod.

Then he quietly started talking.

“Young one, the reason I called you here is because further training is meaningless.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your mind has long been dulled, eaten up by pressure and tension. There’s no use in mechanically swinging your sword in that state, so I brought you out.”

“My condition is fine.”

“You just don’t realize it yourself, but your mind and body are already greatly fatigued. You’ve been holding on with the sacred tree until now, but the limit has come.”

I was definitely in a hurry.

But I couldn’t stop training.

Because the Demon King’s resurrection is just around the corner.

Just as my chest was about to feel stuffy again, I heard the Heavenly Demon’s voice.

“In the meantime, you have grown at an astonishing rate. Even I, who was called a genius from birth, was less than you.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ve looked into why in many ways, and I think it’s because you’re a druid.”

The reasons for holding a sword vary from person to person.

To defend myself, to protect someone, or to kill someone, or simply to make a living.

There are many reasons, but when you reach a high level, the concept of Taoism [a philosophy emphasizing harmony with nature] is embedded, and you begin to value communication with the surrounding environment.

Mind, Energy, Body.

Swordsmanship that was only focused on the body manipulates energy, and eventually, it controls the mind, so enlightenment comes the moment the mind, energy, and body are in harmony.

It’s easy to say, but it’s too difficult to actually reach this point.

The body is dominated by the five senses, and the soul is dominated by such a body.

How can a simple blade dream of a vast world and glimpse the universe beyond it?

“Most swordsmen can’t overcome that crisis and sit down. But you have overcome the crisis incredibly easily.”

“Is it because I’m a druid?”

“That’s right. A swordsman who communicates with nature without much effort. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s the ideal of all warriors.”

What happens when someone who uses a sword breathes with nature from birth?

The understanding of the world increases, and the affinity skyrockets.

It’s not just about being good at swordsmanship, but also about valuing communication and harmony.

These elements are accumulated and used as a foundation to increase the potential of the soul and move on to the next level.

Finally, when the level of the sword rises and tries to break through the limits of the body, other swordsmen who have encountered a new world limp like newborn fawns, but I, who have already finished my prior learning, am said to freely run through the vast prairie.

“In this language, it’s called a Sword Master? The growth rate should slow down at that level, but in the meantime, you’re growing at a crazy speed. There’s no one in the continent who can handle you except me.”

The Heavenly Demon’s boast didn’t resonate well.

Strength is always relative.

When I get beaten up by the Teacher every time I train, I don’t really feel that I’m strong.

“It’s just my personal guess, but at this point, your development is more likely to be determined by mental aspects than physical aspects. So put down the burden of your heart and let’s go fishing.”

After explaining at length, the conclusion was fishing.

“I don’t know if we catch fish. It’s been a waste of time, so what kind of fishing is it?”

“Ahem!!”

“Still, it’s not bad to rest like this for a day.”

It’s a pretty good feeling to spend time peacefully with the human Heavenly Demon, not the Heavenly Demon trapped in the sword.

While I was looking at the scenery of the lake for a long time and emptying my head, a girl who looked about twelve years old approached from afar.

The hesitant gait, the twisting body, and the bright red face showed that she was a shy child.

“What’s wrong?”

“A-Are you perhaps… the Hero?”

“I am.”

“!!!”

When I nodded and readily affirmed, the girl’s eyes widened, and she soon smiled brightly and hugged me tightly.

“Hero! I love you!”

Correction.

This girl was not shy.

She was a super-insider among insiders [extremely sociable and outgoing].

“Haha, okay.”

“My mother told me. She said that even a few years ago, people looked at the residents of the Lloyd estate with pity. They said it was an estate that would soon be ruined.”

“Is that so.”

“But it’s not like that now. A friend I made at a merchant group I visited recently told me that she was jealous of me! She said I live in the Hero’s hometown!”

“Aha.”

“My father also says that it’s getting better to make a living these days, and he says it’s all thanks to the Hero. Thank you so much.”

The girl bowed deeply and ran away with a red face, as if shyness had come over her again.

“Hehe, you’re popular.”

Is this what they mean by a world of change?

Just a few years ago, I was called the Scoundrel of the estate and was ostracized by everyone.

Wherever I went, people were horrified and kept their distance, and even in the inner castle, there was not a single person on my side.

Before I knew it, I was called a Hero and received everyone’s adulation and cheers.

It would be a lie to say that I didn’t feel good, but on the other hand, one corner of my heart became chilly.

The happiness I’m feeling right now is just a piece of tissue that will crumble without a trace the moment I lose to the Demon King Baal.

“Heavenly Demon, let’s go now.”

“Let’s stay a little longer. I have to catch at least one to save face, right?”

“Then I’ll take a nap for a while. Wake me up when you leave.”

“I will.”

I leaned half my body against the tree next to me.

It was getting dark.

The children were still playing affectionately.

The girl who suddenly confessed her love to me was also among them.

The girl looked up at me and waved her hand, embarrassed. I waved back.

The adults were slowly packing up their things to go home, and the boats on the lake were still floating on the surface as if they had forgotten the time.

‘It’s peaceful.’

I was troubled at first, but now I thought it was a good thing to go out.

Take some time to relax and look back on yourself.

I agreed with the Heavenly Demon’s advice.

The moment I filled my eyes with that happy scene, a sudden wave of sleep covered my consciousness with darkness.

* * *

Flash!

I opened my eyes.

I was lying on a soft bedspread.

The scenery of my room, reflected beyond the white silk curtains, was familiar yet awkward.

‘Did the Heavenly Demon carry me to my room because I fell asleep?’

I let out a hollow laugh.

Was I that tired?

On the other hand, I was also wondering that I, who had become a Sword Master, was defenseless while coming here.

“I slept too long. I have to go to the training ground quickly… Cough!”

My body was heavy as if I had lead weights on it. Because of that, I rolled off the bed as it was. After rolling on the floor for a while, I stopped only after hitting the wall.

“What’s going on?”

I got up.

My appearance was reflected in the mirror hanging on the wall.

I had no choice but to freeze like a statue at the sight of myself in the mirror.

“!!!”

My appearance was still the same.

Jet-black hair and bewitching green eyes.

Intelligent appearance and white skin.

But the crucial difference is…

‘There are no muscles on my body.’

Where did the muscles all over my body, which had been as hard as a rock from intense training, go? My whole body became thin like a balloon with holes.

‘Why?’

First, let’s circulate mana in my body.

I tried to draw the Three-Origin Mana from the dantian, but a problem occurred.

‘There’s no mana either.’

The muscles and mana disappeared.

Is this a dream?

But it’s too vivid to be a dream.

When I pinched my cheek, a tingling pain traveled through the pituitary gland and touched the nerve cells.

First, I opened the door and went out.

I decided to go out and find out what was going on.

I hurried down the hallway, and two maids approached from the opposite side.

“How many days have I slept?”

“Kyaa! I’m sorry!!”

They overreacted and trembled just because I spoke to them.

The reaction is strange.

Recently, the maids of the inner castle smiled or blushed whenever they met me.

They couldn’t even look me in the eye and hid their embarrassment.

But it’s a little different now.

Their gestures clearly showed their intention to get out of this moment as soon as possible.

That reaction is like the old days…

Before I could continue thinking, I heard a familiar woman’s voice from behind.

“It’s pathetic that you’re still harassing maids at your age. How long are you going to live like a scoundrel?”

I turned around and gasped.

It was an unexpected person.

A fat middle-aged woman with a lot of fat.

Philip’s biological mother and my stepmother.

Rosalyn Lloyd.

A person who had died a long time ago was glaring at me with her hands on her hips.