The adventurer identification card rested between Ray's fingers. He couldn't help but be curious about the Adventurer's Guild.
He turned it over once, examining the information engraved on its surface, before placing it on the table.
His gaze shifted toward the window.
There was still plenty of daylight left.
He had already decided that learning swordsmanship would be one of his priorities. Although mana and magic were important in this world, relying entirely on an unfamiliar ability without understanding the fundamentals seemed unwise.
He stood up, put on his outer clothing, and left the house.
After asking a few locals for directions, he eventually arrived at a modest training establishment near the residential district.
The sound of wooden swords striking against one another could be heard from outside.
Several students were practicing in the courtyard under the supervision of an instructor. Most appeared to be teenagers, though a few younger children were also present.
Ray approached the entrance.
"Are you looking for someone?"
A middle-aged man had noticed him from across the courtyard.
"Good afternoon. I heard that you teach swordsmanship."
"That's right. Have you trained before?"
"No."
"Then you're a complete beginner?"
Ray nodded.
The man looked him over briefly before introducing himself.
"Marcus. I used to serve as a soldier, but these days I teach swordsmanship here."
Ray introduced himself in return.
Marcus explained the available lessons, including their schedules and payment. The beginner sessions were held every morning, with additional practice available in the afternoon.
Ray listened carefully before agreeing to enroll.
"Come tomorrow after sunrise. We'll start with the fundamentals."
"Thank you. I'll be here."
After settling the payment, Ray returned home.
He had found a teacher.
That was one thing taken care of.
The following morning, Ray arrived at the training yard shortly after sunrise.
Marcus was already there, arranging several wooden practice swords.
"You're early."
"I didn't want to be late."
"Good. Come over here."
Marcus handed him a wooden sword.
It was slightly heavier than Ray had expected.
"Before you learn how to swing that, you need to understand how to stand."
Marcus demonstrated a basic stance.
"Your feet provide your balance. Keep them positioned properly, and don't put all your weight on one side."
Ray imitated the movement.
"Not quite. Your back is too stiff."
Marcus adjusted his posture.
"Relax your shoulders. You don't need to force your body into position."
Ray tried again.
This time, his stance was more stable.
"Better."
The lesson continued with basic footwork.
Forward.
Backward.
Sideways.
Simple movements, repeated several times.
At first, Ray found the exercises awkward. His movements were either too short or unnecessarily wide, and he occasionally lost his balance when changing directions.
Marcus corrected him whenever necessary.
"Don't look only at your feet. Keep your attention forward."
Ray adjusted his posture.
"Again."
He repeated the movement.
"Again."
And again.
By the time the lesson ended, his legs felt considerably more tired than he had expected.
Marcus collected the wooden swords.
"That's enough for today. Don't try to force yourself to learn everything at once."
Ray nodded.
"How was my performance?"
"For a beginner, acceptable. Your movements are still stiff, but that's normal. Come back tomorrow."
Ray thanked him before leaving.
The lesson had been simple, but it gave him a clearer understanding of what learning swordsmanship actually involved.
It wasn't simply a matter of strength.
Balance, coordination, timing, and proper movement were equally important.
The next morning, Ray returned to the training yard.
The lesson began much like the previous one, with Marcus reviewing his stance and footwork.
However, after noticing that Ray was becoming more comfortable with the basics, Marcus decided to demonstrate a few fundamental strikes.
"Watch carefully."
He positioned his feet and raised the wooden sword.
His shoulders remained relaxed. His grip was firm without being unnecessarily tight.
Then he moved.
A simple downward strike.
Nothing particularly impressive, but the movement was smooth and controlled.
"Try it."
Ray raised his sword.
Before moving, he recalled the demonstration.
The position of Marcus's feet.
The slight adjustment of his hips.
The movement of his shoulders.
Even the way his breathing changed just before the strike.
Ray attempted to reproduce it.
His first movement was imperfect, but considerably closer to Marcus's demonstration than expected.
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Again."
Ray repeated the movement.
This time, he adjusted his footing and corrected the angle of his arms.
The strike became noticeably smoother.
Marcus watched quietly.
"Interesting. Do it once more."
Ray followed the instruction.
As he continued observing Marcus, something unusual began happening.
The details he noticed seemed to connect naturally.
He wasn't merely remembering what the instructor had done. He was beginning to understand how the individual movements worked together.
The distribution of weight.
The relationship between foot placement and the direction of the strike.
The slight movement of the torso that accompanied the sword.
Even the rhythm of breathing appeared to correspond with the movement.
His thoughts became unusually organized.
It was as if the information he gathered through observation was being processed more efficiently than usual.
Ray looked at Marcus again.
"Could you demonstrate it one more time?"
Marcus nodded.
He performed the movement slowly, allowing Ray to examine each stage.
Ray followed his movements carefully.
Then he tried again.
The result was noticeably better.
His posture was still that of a beginner, and his physical execution lacked the refinement of someone experienced. However, the structure of his movements had improved dramatically within a short period.
Marcus stared at him for a moment.
"Have you actually never trained before?"
"No."
"You're certain?"
Ray nodded.
Marcus crossed his arms.
"That's strange."
He asked Ray to repeat the sequence.
Ray complied.
The movement wasn't perfect, but he had managed to reproduce most of the important details from the demonstration.
Marcus eventually let out a short breath.
"You're a natural."
Ray lowered his wooden sword.
"Is that so?"
"Your comprehension is unusually quick. Most beginners need several days just to understand what I'm explaining. You're already correcting your own movements after watching a demonstration a few times."
Marcus examined him with renewed interest.
"At this rate, you might be a swordsmanship genius."
Ray paused.
Then he shook his head slightly.
"I think that's an exaggeration. I've only learned a few basic movements."
Marcus laughed.
"Humble, aren't you?"
"I simply don't think I've done anything particularly impressive."
"Well, keep that attitude. Talent is useful, but it won't replace practice."
"I understand."
Ray returned his attention to the wooden sword.
He didn't particularly care whether he was talented or not.
What interested him more was the unusual improvement in his comprehension.
That ability again.
He had deliberately focused on Marcus's movements, but the amount of information he had gathered seemed far greater than what he would normally notice.
He could distinguish the instructor's breathing pattern, the shifting of his weight, and the subtle adjustments made before each strike.
More importantly, he could understand how those details influenced the movement.
It wasn't simply enhanced eyesight.
There was something happening between observation and comprehension.
However, Ray decided not to draw any conclusions yet.
He still needed to test it.
The following days continued in much the same manner.
Ray visited Marcus's training yard every morning.
His lessons gradually progressed from basic footwork to simple combinations of strikes and defensive movements.
Whenever Marcus demonstrated a technique, Ray paid close attention.
He observed the position of his feet, the movement of his arms, the distribution of his weight, and even the rhythm of his breathing.
His unusual ability seemed to become more apparent during these exercises.
After watching a technique several times, Ray could often understand its structure with remarkable speed.
He wasn't capable of reproducing everything perfectly.
His body still lacked the coordination, strength, and experience necessary to execute the movements as smoothly as Marcus.
But his comprehension was exceptional.
Sometimes, he would notice a small adjustment in Marcus's posture before the instructor even mentioned it.
Other times, he could identify why his own movement had failed and correct it without assistance.
Marcus gradually became more impressed.
"You learn rather quickly."
"I've been paying attention."
"That's more than most people do."
Marcus demonstrated another basic movement.
"Watch the direction of my weight. You're still leaning too far forward when you strike."
Ray observed the demonstration.
Then he adjusted his stance.
He tried again.
This time, the movement was considerably more balanced.
Marcus nodded.
"Better. Much better."
Ray lowered the sword.
"Thank you."
"Don't get too comfortable. Understanding a technique and executing it properly are two different things."
"I know."
And he did.
His ability could help him understand what he was seeing, but it couldn't instantly give his body the necessary conditioning.
He still needed repetition.
He still needed practice.
By the end of the fifth day, Ray had made considerable progress with the fundamentals.
Marcus was no longer treating him like an ordinary beginner, although he continued to remind him that there was a long way to go.
Before Ray left that morning, Marcus spoke to him.
"Keep practicing. If you maintain this pace, we can begin introducing more advanced fundamentals once your basic movements become consistent."
Ray nodded.
"I'll do my best."
He returned the wooden sword and left the training yard.
Rather than returning home immediately, Ray decided to visit the local library.
He had been thinking about it for some time.
The books he had purchased previously provided some information, but they were limited in scope. If he wanted to understand the history of the kingdom and its surrounding regions, a proper library would be considerably more useful.
After asking for directions, he eventually arrived at a modest building near the center of Town.
It wasn't particularly large, but its shelves contained a reasonable collection of books.
Ray entered quietly.
A woman seated behind the front desk looked up.
"Good morning. Are you here to read?"
"Yes. I'd like to look through some books about history and geography."
"Those are on the second row, near the back. You're welcome to read them here. If you'd like to borrow anything, you'll need to register first."
"Understood. Thank you."
Ray walked toward the shelves.
Several titles caught his attention.
An Introduction to the History of Midgar.
The Territories and Settlements of the Kingdom.
Neighboring Nations and Their Relations.
Trade Routes Across the Central Regions.
He carefully removed the first book and found a seat near the window.
Opening it, he began reading.
The book provided a general account of Midgar's history, beginning with the establishment of its royal authority and the development of its territories.
Ray learned about the relationship between the royal family and the noble houses, as well as the responsibilities held by different levels of nobility.
Some families governed extensive territories, while others controlled smaller settlements.
The kingdom's political structure was more complicated than he had initially assumed.
He turned another page.
There were references to historical conflicts, changes in territorial administration, and the development of trade between settlements.
Ray occasionally stopped to write down unfamiliar names.
He didn't intend to memorize every detail. Understanding the general structure was enough for now.
After some time, he returned the book to its place and selected another.
This one contained a map of Midgar and its neighboring regions.
He studied the locations of several towns and cities.
Bellford was marked as a relatively small settlement, situated along a route used by merchants and travelers.
Several neighboring towns were also identified.
Some were known for agriculture, others for trade and craftsmanship. A few were larger settlements that served as important connections between different regions.
Ray followed the roads with his finger.
So these are the routes connecting the nearby towns.
He began to understand why the Town received a steady flow of merchants.
Its position made it a convenient stopping point for people traveling between larger settlements.
The book also described the surrounding kingdoms.
Their relations with Midgar varied.
Some maintained friendly trade agreements, while others had more complicated political relationships.
There were occasional disagreements over trade, territorial interests, and diplomatic matters.
Ray read through the descriptions carefully.
He wasn't particularly interested in politics, but it was important to understand the situation of the kingdom he was living in.
After all, he couldn't assume that every neighboring territory was equally safe or welcoming.
A little knowledge about the surrounding regions could prove useful if he ever decided to travel.
He continued reading until the afternoon had nearly passed.
Before leaving, Ray returned to the front desk.
"Excuse me. Is it possible to borrow books from here?"
"Yes. You'll need to register as a member first. There's a small fee."
Ray considered it for a moment.
He asked about the requirements and the borrowing period before deciding to register.
The fee was affordable, and having access to more books would be useful.
After completing the registration, he received a small library card.
He selected one book about the history of Midgar and another containing information about neighboring settlements.
The librarian recorded the titles before handing them over.
"Please return them within the specified period."
"I will. Thank you."
Ray placed the books inside his bag and left.
The afternoon sun was beginning to descend.
He walked through the streets at a relaxed pace, thinking about what he had learned.
His swordsmanship lessons had progressed more quickly than expected, largely because of his unusual ability.
The library, meanwhile, had given him access to information he couldn't easily obtain from ordinary conversations.
Both were useful in different ways.
He still had much to learn about mana, magic, the kingdom, and the people living within it.
But there was no need to rush.
For now, he would continue attending Marcus's lessons, practice his mana control, and spend his free time studying.