That evening, Ghyslaine arrived at the [Space of the Present] audience room.
There sat the Sword God Gul Farion and a guest, 『North Emperor Auber』.
He had an eccentric hairstyle and odd clothing. Ghyslaine was frowning a little. However, she didn't pay it any heed and rudely entered. She then immediately got to the point.
"Shisho, why aren't you teaching Eris?"
Hearing that, the Sword God gave a short laugh.
"I am teaching her, aren't I?"
"How to do practice swings?"
"No, how to forge herself."
The Sword God answered as if natural. His voice had none of the usual wildness. It was a calm reply. Ghyslaine couldn't stomach such an attitude. That's why she racked her dull mind and chose her words.
"This is something that Shisho always says. [Do everything rationally], you say."
"I did say that."
"Eris spends everyday doing sword swings like an idiot; just what part of that is rational?"
"Hah...?"
The Sword God looked at Ghyslaine like she was a nuisance.
"When did you start to talk about annoying things like this?"
"Before I returned here!"
"...Will you no longer listen to what your Shisho says?"
"However... Uh!"
Before Ghyslaine had noticed, a sword was pointed at her. To an ordinary person it would've looked like the sword had suddenly appeared. Ghyslaine had seen the movement of the sword. However, she hadn't been able to respond. Even if she was a Sword King, in the face of the man who was this generation's fastest, she wasn't skilled enough to react properly.
"Ghyslaine. You know, I kinda regret teaching you a little."[4]
"..."
"That old Ghyslaine who was like a hungry tiger lost her fangs and turned into a little kitten. Even though had you stayed as you were, you'd be a Sword Emperor by now."
Ghyslaine gulped at the Sword God's words. Lately, Ghyslaine herself had sensed that she had become weaker.
However, it wasn't something that she had thought of as a bad thing. Indeed, her growth as a swordsman had stopped. She wouldn't become any stronger than this. However, in exchange she had gained something great: they were wisdom and knowledge. They were things that she would never gain from swordsmanship.
"I won't pull out anymore fangs."
The Sword God was dedicated to the sword. He expected Ghyslaine to understand with just that. However, Ghyslaine irritably asked,
"I don't understand. Why aren't you training her? Isn't Eris pitiful like this?"
The Sword God sighed. He sighed as though Ghyslaine was a child who wouldn't understand unless you spelled it out from A to Z for her.
"Listen up, Ghyslaine. If you just wanted to surpass me, then following rational methods to the end, you could surpass me one day. I myself ended up where I am by following rational methods, after all. Well, of course to become a Sword God you'd need effort and talent as well, but let's leave that aside. What that girl is aiming for is the Dragon God. The Dragon God Orsted. He's 『an existence beyond rationality』. HE's a monster in a completely different league. With only my teachings, you'll never defeat him."
The Sword God narrowed his eyes as if recalling something nostalgic. He himself had actually fought with Orsted once. It was before he had become a Sword God, back when he was still a stubborn Sword Saint. Though it had been a complete loss, for some reason his life wasn't taken; on the contrary, he didn't even know why he was left without even a limb missing. His stubbornness had been completely broken, and after that he continued to train with Orsted as his goal. The result of that was his ascension to Sword God. It was exactly because of this that he didn't feel like being interrupted further on this topic.
"Hey, Ghyslaine. Training isn't the same as practice, yanno? Even more so if you have a goal. There's no point if you just blindly accept what someone else tells you. Right?"
"...Shisho always speaks of difficult things. I don't understand."
"Hah!"
Ghyslaine replied. The Sword God snorted.
That's right. She's an idiot who won't understand even if you carefully spell it out from A to Z.
"Well, the point is that she's not just gonna be taking lessons from me. For that purpose, I've prepared various things. To start with, this guy."
Saying this, the Sword God pointed at Auber. Auber gave a small nod and greeted her.
"I am the North Emperor, Auber Corvette. I'm known as 『Peacock Sword』."
Ghyslaine frowned. It was because an indescribable odor was coming from Auber's body. It was a strong, citrusy smell. It was probably a perfume. To a member of the Beast Race like Ghyslaine, it was an unpleasant smell.
"What business does the North God Style have here?"
"I've been called here by Sword God-sama. He wanted me to train one of his students, he said."
Ghyslaine made an even more doubtful expression. She then questioned the Sword God.
"Why the North God Style? Eris isn't suitable for their kind of makeshift style."
"Because the Dragon God uses it."
The doubt on Ghyslaine's face deepened. She had never heard that the Dragon God used the North God Style. If he were a North God Style, then the Second Place was likely the North God.
"Just what kind of person is the Dragon God?"
"Like I'd know... But that guy, whether it's the Sword God Style, or the North God style, what he uses incorporates all of that. Of course if you can use it, then you can deal with it, and that guy uses it. In that case if we don't learn to use it too, we won't be able to fight evenly against him."
The grimness on Ghyslaine's face disappeared. After all, learning to use the techniques that the enemy used was an extremely rational approach.
"I see, so in the future you'll call for the Water God Style as well?"
"Yeah, I'll send a letter."
"I see."
Ghyslaine's tail started swaying in a good mood. Seeing that, the Sword God chuckled bitterly. As long as it was a reply she could easily understand, she would consent. In this respect, she hadn't changed at all since the past.
"Well then, North Emperor-dono, please stay at your leisure."
Because her doubts had cleared, Ghyslaine had stood up and greeted the North Emperor. She got down on one knee and performed the particular etiquette passed down in the Sword God Style.
"Mmn, Sword King-dono. I'll be in your care."
Auber once again placed a hand to his chest and returned the greeting. And so like that, Eris would begin her training from the beginning again.
------
Eris would eventually become a 『North Saint』 a year from that point.