How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game

Chapter 14: The Best Condition (4)

What the hell? Can you really be in such good condition?

Denif placed his plate on the table with a face full of excitement and surprise. Orhen, who was usually quiet, had a similar expression.

I guess that was how astonishing I was today.

To be honest, I was surprised too. I knew I could do well. My body felt so good.

But I didnt expect to be able to perform like this against Denif.

I had seen Denif practicing during physical training many times. I had been sincerely amazed by his skills.

How could he move like that? And at the age of 13? That was what I thought.

But today, I was able to move just as I had envisioned. Just like Denif back then.

Even though Marhan told Deninf not to hold back.

Yeah, I didnt expect it to go this far either. Its my first time holding a sword.

I laughed lightly and playfully twirled my utensils. I wanted to chat and build a friendship while my body was in such good condition, but time was running out.

Twenty minutes for eating and brushing my teeth was not nearly enough.

Thats why its so amazing! No, on the day you first hold a sword, you fought me on equal terms because youre in such good condition!

Denif blurted out.

Orhen, frowning slightly as if Denif were about to spill his food, spoke up.

Denif is right. Carlyn is strange.

The childrens reactions were expected, given how astonished Marhan was.

Still, yes, it was strange to hear it face to face. It wasnt a wrong statement, but it felt bittersweet hearing it from Orhen instead of Denif.

But Ive been like this before. Usually lacking strength, but occasionally overflowing with energy. My mind works well too.

How often does that occasionally happen?

Denifs eyes lit up.

Well, once a year? It can be faster or slower.

Its too infrequent.

When I relayed Marhans comment to Denif, he made a disappointed expression unexpectedly.

Thats true. But why are you more disappointed?

I asked him indirectly, and Denif shrugged his shoulders.

Rekun and Mohen have left, and Orhen is a wizard, so theres no suitable opponent for me. Marhan and Boutreaux are too strong.

Saying that, Denif took a bite of a roasted chicken leg and continued speaking.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed when I saw you.

Really?

Yeah. We talked about it before, about your slow growth rate. Even with your Mystic, it was honestly underwhelming compared to what I expected. Its similar to the ones Ive seen before maybe?

It was something I had heard before. Denif hadnt come here because he caught the dukes attention from the beginning.

As the Chief of Intelligence of a nation, the duke naturally created spies in various places.

Among them, he would bring in remarkable children and raise them to be used in important positions. Denif was one of those beneficiaries.

In other words, I was just an average kid one could see in such a facility.

Honestly, it wasnt a pleasant thing to hear, considering the limitations imposed by the penalty trait.

But since Denif wasnt someone who was usually concerned about others opinions, I didnt really have any strong feelings about it.

No.

Actually, considering the worries I had when I first came here, my current situation was something to be grateful for.

Even if it was just half of my ability due to the Mystic or my talent as a spy, it was still something.

Orhen nudged Denifs elbow, as if she thought my silence was negative.

Denif hastily added.

Huh? Ah, I didnt mean it in a bad way. I meant that they were top-notch even among those kids.

I agree.

Orhen nodded. I knew she wasnt an orphan, so I wondered what she meant by agreeing.

Is she just going along with it because she was a kind person?

Since I had food in my mouth, I waved my hand to indicate that I was okay.

I didnt know if it was true, but being considered top-notch with only half my power was quite a good evaluation.

Anyway, I now understand why the godfather brought you here after seeing you today. Even without the mystic, if you just solve the condition issue, youll soon surpass me, right?

You think so?

Of course!

Denif shouted excitedly, more than me. It was a question, but it wasnt incorrect.

I felt the same way. Especially in a state like today.

I knew that the penalty trait wasnt something that could be easily resolved, but

On the other hand, I found it fascinating.

He showed more enthusiasm and excitement than a competitive spirit, thinking that I might surpass him.

Well, maybe that was why he became an imperial terrorist.

Because it was not something an ordinary person would think of, opposing the empire on their own.

Ah, I really hope it gets resolved quickly. No, I want to do it once more today. Should I talk to Marhan? What do you think?

Me? I dont mind. But doesnt Marhan have to give permission?

Wouldnt he? It takes time to prepare for a duel.

Then go ahead and talk to him.

Saying that, I got up from my seat. I still had some food left, but my stomach was full. I didnt need to finish it all.

There were 10 minutes left. It takes quite a while for me to brush my teeth properly, so I needed to move quickly.

Ill go first.

Huh? Are you leaving already? To brush your teeth? Lunchtime is 20 minutes long, though.

Yeah.

Youre really something.

Denif, who said that, let out a groaning sound.

Hey, I dont know. I dont feel like brushing my teeth during lunch.

After saying that, his speed of moving the utensils was noticeably relaxed.

On the other hand, Orhen, who was sitting next to me, glanced at me and then got up from her seat. Denif looked up with a betrayed expression on his face.

Are you leaving too?

Yeah.

Ayyy.

Eventually, Denif also stood up from his seat. In the world of kids, the majority rule was absolute.

Well, it was a good thing for me. When we dueled earlier, I could smell Denifs breath with a sharper sense.

It wouldnt have been uncomfortable for me to our duel later if Denif was in a state where he hadnt brushed his teeth.

And it wasnt just good for me.

You guys, youll be really grateful later.

In this era, there wont be any implants or anything. It would be much better to suffer from cavities later than now.

I knew because Id spent some money on dental care myself.

Of course, back then, I didnt brush my teeth like I do now. Anyway, dental health was the best.

Whether Denif knew what I was thinking or not, he let out a deep sigh.

I didnt finish eating. If only I could eat a little faster

He should have just stayed quiet.

Without even realizing it, the corners of my mouth curled up slightly.

* * *

Boutreaux and Sally were guarding the practice grounds, which the children had left. It was because they received a request from Marhan.

Despite it being lunchtime, there was no sign of any complaints.

If one had even the slightest experience in combat, it was a talent that couldnt be helped but honed.

Marhan explained Carlyns usual condition to Sally and Boutreaux.

Boutreaux, who had been contemplating, spoke up.

Now that the report has been sent, the duke would probably bring a good doctor, but how about trying a sleeping potion for now?

A sleeping potion?

Dont you think its uncertain whether the childs claim of not caring about sleep is true? Lets try putting him to sleep once.

No, that wont do. It dulls the body. Its not even a good ingredient that accumulates in the body.

If we dilute it a little, wouldnt it be fine?

Marhan tilted his head at Boutreauxs words.

If it were a doctors prescription, it would be a different story. But using medicine among themselves was an inappropriate practice.

Instead of that, I called you here to gather opinions on how to make use of today, and what direction the future education should take.

Sally spoke up instead of Boutreaux, who seemed disappointed.

You said it seems like not only physical abilities but also intelligence improves, right?

Yeah.

Is it different from when the childs head doesnt work well due to lack of sleep?

After a moment of contemplation, Marhan nodded.

Its not certain, but it seems like that. Haisen swordsmanship is fundamental, but instantly transcending it into ones own style is in a different category.

Intelligence is naturally included in the talent of combat. There was no point in testing the five senses when raising a child.

Marhan continued speaking.

And Carlyn was naturally smart, to begin with. And I think we should think that hes getting smarter now.

For now, it would be better to teach him how much he can absorb today. The problem is whether he can do the same thing tomorrow

Boutreaux interrupted the conversation again.

And its also important how the usual training will work on days when his physical condition is good.

Marhan nodded. Even so, since they were working out together, Boutreaux accurately pinpointed Marhans concern.

He had called them together in the first place because of that doubt.

What do you think?

What would be extreme is to simply keep progressing and waste time if he cant reproduce it on days when his physical condition is good.

Then?

Shouldnt we separate a specific field?

Boutreaux smiled slyly as he said that.

I will teach him my swordsmanship.

Your swordsmanship?

Marhan asked, surprised.

Yes. Since it wont be finished in just one day, wouldnt it be possible to directly compare the difference?

Not a bad idea.

Creating a unique swordsmanship beyond a certain level was by no means an easy task.

Boutreaux was the one who accomplished that.

He couldnt be called the greatest swordsman, but if the continents swordsmen were lined up, he could confidently say he was among the top.

But swordsmen live by their pride.

Even the duke couldnt force Boutreaux to reveal his swordsmanship.

That was why Marhan asked Boutreaux about his intentions.

Are you okay with it?

Well, its not like its the best swordsmanship on the continent, but if its the talent I saw earlier, its a good opportunity for me too. Actually, I had Denif in mind already.

I see.

It was a fact known to Marhan and Sally that Boutreaux had a particular fondness for Denif.

Whenever he returned from a mission, it was as if he was looking at his own childhood, and he would give small gifts.

Im not sure if Carlyn will match my sword yet, but while teaching, it wouldnt hurt to give them a test and instill a sense of competition in the children. As we saw earlier, Denif didnt fully ignite, did he?

Marhan nodded. Denif tended to be lazy compared to his talent.

Today, he showed enthusiasm that hadnt been seen in a long time. Boutreaux smiled.

In that case, may I take care of the kids in the afternoon?

Sure. Then I will send a letter to the duke after consulting with Lena and come back.

Understood.

Marhan turned away, seeing Boutreauxs smile.

* * *

Unfortunately, Denifs wish was not fulfilled.

When we arrived back at the training ground, Boutreaux was waiting for us instead of Marhan.

Boutreaux dismissed Denifs argument of wanting to train with his own style by simply saying, No.

You will learn my swordsmanship. It may not be exceptional, but it will still be helpful since it is not significantly lacking.

After saying this, he began to teach us swordsmanship.

He mentioned that he would reveal the name of the swordsmanship on the last day.

Denif was taken aback and asked if he was serious.

Seeing that, I realized that his words were modest but undoubtedly impressive, so I lit up and focused.

And indeed, it was different from the previous Haisens swordsmanship. Should I call it finesse?

Even though the movements of the sword were similar, there was a deeper sense of thought within it.

While Haisens swordsmanship was faithful to the basics without any distinct features, Boutreauxs swordsmanship was smooth and relaxed.

It didnt seem to match me perfectly, though.

Anyway, this time I couldnt perform it perfectly from the beginning. Unlike Haisens swordsmanship, it was only a part.

However, after repeating it several times, I started to feel more familiar with it.

Boutreaux calmly nodded at my remarkable learning speed, and sparks ignited in Denifs eyes.

It was a positive sense of competition.

Clearly, Im faster in learning.

Even I, who knew nothing about swords before, knew that this didnt make sense.

No matter how great my condition was, this indicated that my basic talent was considerable.

Perhapsits because of Devils Blood.

It was an unbelievable trait for an orphan from the market. Maybe there was something related to Devils Blood.

I wasnt sure if my parents had died or if they had abandoned me due to circumstances

But I felt that someday I would have to find out the truth.

It wasnt just about becoming a recognized figure on the continent; there might be a moment when I would be entangled in unexpected events.