Chapitre 19: [19]
The Blante Swordsmanship Family.
In the novel, it appears as an antagonist family. Though labeled as villains, the Blante family wasn't scheming to threaten the continent or anything like that.
The real issue was the arrogance and haughtiness of its members.
The Blante's authority held no sway over the protagonist, and their fate was sealed from the beginning.
They were destined to face the hammer of justice from the protagonist.
However, that didn't mean they were utterly destroyed by the protagonist.
'The problem is they were hit from both sides.'
By the protagonist and the true mastermind.
Beaten by the protagonist and used by the mastermind, the Blante family collapsed pathetically, unable to live up to its name.
Of course, the protagonist's heroine, the third child Lisa, survives well.
'So what?'
Ethan couldn't care less.
While the Blante family held significant influence on the continent, they didn't play a major role in the original story.
At best, they were third-rate villains.
In the setting, they were indeed a prestigious family renowned for their swordsmanship on the continent, but their children were the problem.
Starting with Ethan, then Morun, and Karon. There wasn't a single character with a normal mindset.
Even without the protagonist, the downfall of the family seemed inevitable.
When Ethan, or rather Ryu, read the novel, he didn't feel that Blante had much importance.
'Bunch of idiots.'
That was the extent of his impression.
However, Ethan now had to navigate through this situation.
Therefore, he was using all the information he had…
— Why aren't you saying anything?
Is such an absurd and unexpected setup being revealed here?
It was ridiculous.
This place was originally a location the protagonist's party had passed through once.
They reached the depths of the cave and gained rewards without much difficulty, serving as a stepping stone for the protagonist's growth.
But at that time, this kind of description wasn't present.
The scene ended with them obtaining the dead tree, and that was enough.
— …Are you ignoring me right now?
At the menacing tone, Ethan shook off his stray thoughts and looked up.
As expected, nothing could be seen inside the cave.
Sigh.
Ethan let out a small sigh and spoke.
"Did you say you are my ancestor?"
— Yes.
Ethan pondered.
What were the chances it was a lie?
It wasn't impossible.
This was a world with monsters and magical creatures, a world where supernatural occurrences were commonplace.
It could be a ghost or some other entity trying to deceive him.
Sensing Ethan's suspicion, the voice echoed again.
— It's not a lie.
Ethan's eyebrow twitched.
It was hard to dismiss the feeling that it was a guilty conscience speaking.
"Why should I believe you?"
Ethan's words were curt.
Instinctively, he knew he could afford to be assertive here.
— W-wait, just listen to me for a moment.
The voice grew urgent, sensing the change in Ethan's attitude.
Accordingly, Ethan's demeanor softened a bit.
'It's hard to believe, but...'
There were more than a few suspicious aspects.
'Still, there's no harm in being cautious.'
Ethan spoke cautiously.
"May I ask your name?"
— Ahem, my name is Feon. Feon Blante. That damn Layla is my sister.
"If you mean Layla..."
— Yes, you should know. I don't know how much time has passed, but I was the head of the Blante fam—
"I don't know."
— What?!
Feon's tone was filled with bewilderment.
But it couldn't be helped.
Ethan's knowledge was only based on the original novel.
To reiterate, the Blante family didn't hold much significance in the story.
Internally, they collapsed due to the foolishness of their members, and externally, they were battered by the protagonist's party, who hogged all the adventures and privileges, ultimately being used by the mastermind.
There wasn't any detailed lore to explore.
Naturally, Ethan's knowledge didn't extend to the ancestors of the Blante family.
Realizing Ethan wasn't bluffing, Feon's voice turned gloomy.
— Kids these days...
"So, what do you want?"
Ethan's voice grew indifferent.
An ancestor of the Blante family.
It was quite an unexpected setting.
But that was all. If he was merely a ghost from the past, Ethan had nothing to gain.
And Ethan had no intention of expending effort on something unprofitable.
— Wait!
"For what reason?"
Ethan's words were brief, but Feon had no time to be offended.
— I will grant you power! From your movements, I see you don't wield a sword.
"…Go on."
Ethan began to show a bit of courtesy.
— Sigh, finally, you're willing to listen to me. To start, yes... In the past, I possessed brilliant talent, but...
Ethan's brow furrowed.
Even from the introduction, it was clear the story would be long.
As Ethan began to turn away without hesitation, a desperate voice stopped him.
— W-wait!
At the earnest plea, Ethan halted his steps without hesitation.
"Do you still have more to say?"
His voice was cold.
— ...Do you not have any human emotions!?
"It seems so."
— Wait! This time, I will really tell you something useful!
Ethan stopped again. Suspicion was written on his face.
— ...How did I end up like this...
As Ethan moved again, Feon hurriedly continued.
— I will teach you martial arts!
"Martial arts...?"
It was an entirely unexpected answer. A strange feeling stirred within him.
He didn't expect much.
It was an unexpected stroke of luck, and initially, the Blante family didn't hold much significance in the novel.
The talkative ghost from the past was intriguing, but Ethan wasn't going to be swayed.
He didn't expect to gain much either.
He thought the ancestor would speak about some family secret techniques or treasures.
But what Feon mentioned was entirely unexpected.
Seeing Ethan's reaction, Feon spoke triumphantly.
— Isn't that quite tempting? From observing you suppressing the monsters, I could tell. You don't rely on a sword.
"Is that so?"
Ethan tilted his head.
He held a dagger in his hand. It wasn't very large, but it had sufficient lethality.
Ethan had killed most of his enemies with this dagger.
Ethan's movements were swift and minimal. He killed monsters with the least effort, making it hard to infer much from his actions.
— You weren't a novice with the dagger, but I can tell. Those who use swords show reliance on the sword in every move. But you didn't. You wielded the dagger as if it were merely a tool.
"That's a rather unusual remark for someone claiming to be my ancestor."
— Hmph! Just because we are a family of swordsmanship doesn't mean one must practice with a sword. All swordsmanship aims to attain strength. I simply chose a different path to achieve that strength.
"I see."
Ethan smiled faintly, nodding slightly.
It was an interesting answer.
Someone from a family of swordsmanship choosing a different path...
It was quite interesting.
Feon seemed to feel a sense of kinship with Ethan, but the reality was different.
Ethan didn't shy away from using a sword.
It was simply that he was more familiar with hand-to-hand combat.
But no matter how skilled one was in unarmed combat, it couldn't compare to the lethality of a blade.
This was an unchanging truth.
Therefore, Ethan had always intended to train with a sword. He was not one to be confined to a single discipline and had no qualms about learning something new.
Having considered this, Ethan narrowed his eyes. His gaze indicated that he recognized his advantageous position.
Feon subtly sensed Ethan's intentions.
Though he felt a surge of shame, now was not the time to dwell on it.
"Your proposal doesn't particularly interest me."
Feon became even more desperate in response to Ethan's unexpected reaction.
— Y-you spineless wretch?! A man should commit to one path…!
"I disagree."
In MMA, a fighter with a well-rounded skill set was often stronger than one with a single outstanding strength.
Having a unique weapon was good, but relying solely on it would eventually lead to defeat.
The skills Ethan had honed were of this nature.
'But it does pique my interest.'
Ryu trained in modern martial arts.
In terms of martial arts, he had nearly reached the pinnacle. During his career, Ryu was nearly invincible.
But fundamentally, it was a sport.
In contrast, this world was one where swords and spears were common.
Combat meant killing; if you didn't kill, you would be killed.
Of course, one could kill with martial arts, but it couldn't compare to weapons.
Now, this supposed ancestor was offering to teach him martial arts.
Ethan's interest was piqued.
What kind of martial arts had been devised by a member of a prestigious swordsmanship family, specifically for killing?
However, Ethan had no intention of clinging to this offer.
Feon's proposal was intriguing, but it wasn't essential.
— Hoo… I concede.
Feon finally admitted his defeat.
The more he spoke to Ethan, the more he felt he was getting caught in his own words.
— I'll be honest about my situation.
"I don't have much time, so keep it brief."
— …You're irritating to the end.
Feon's sigh echoed through the cave.
— Everything I've said is true. Despite being born into the Blante family, I shunned the sword. Engaging in hand-to-hand combat made my blood boil. But, of course, it wasn't well received. It was seen as rejecting the path our ancestors had paved.
Ethan listened silently, frowning.
— Do you sympathize with my story now?
"No. Your introduction was too long, and I was considering leaving."
— ….
Seeing Ethan's demeanor, as if he might turn and leave at any moment, Feon had no choice but to summarize his situation as concisely as possible.
After hearing the whole story, Ethan slowly spoke.
"So, the bottom line is you need to parasitize me to avoid disappearing?"
— Parasitize is an unpleasant term. It's more of a symbiotic relationship...
"It doesn't sound beneficial to me."
Ethan had already outlined his plans for the future.
The urgent issue of mana had been somewhat resolved with the 'dead tree.'
Using the dead tree, he could significantly shorten the time needed for mana training.
— No. You'll need me. Are you planning to rely on that unpleasant thing you just mentioned? That's a poor choice. While it may grant you power immediately, it's not a good option. Mana absorbed through such means will cause problems from within.
"Is that so?"
Ethan tilted his head.
In the novel, there was no such depiction.
But Feon's words weren't entirely without merit.
The dead tree had the power to absorb the mana of the dead.
While it was depicted that the protagonist used it without any penalties, there was no guarantee it would apply the same way to Ethan.
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