3. The grim reality chokes the breath.

I took care of lunch and came straight away, so I had enough time to spare.

-But you don’t seem to care more about me clinging to you than you thought?

Quiet in the library.

However, the size of the library was considerable against the number of people in use, so it would be enough if you did not raise your voice.

“… What changes because I care and do something?”

-No, that’s why it’s suspicious to accept it so meekly.

learned helplessness.

Self-esteem at the bottom.

Besides that, there are many other reasons.

‘Rather than being passive, did he give up on thinking for himself?’

In other words, it would mean that they were pushed to the corner.

It’s a ghost, but it’s a demon king.

But does it go smoothly?

That would mean you’re not insane.

-Well, it would be difficult to gossip around here and there and spread strange rumors, I understand that.

“… … .”

It’s an expression that says if you know, don’t ask.

The demon king laughed silently.

‘Does not paying attention to the surroundings and not stimulating them bother me more than my existence?’

There is no absurdity.

-Rather than that, don’t you think I’m harassing you one-sidedly?

“… … .”

After being silent for a moment, Kariel wrinkled her brow and replied.

“If it was done intentionally, maliciously… I would have done something to survive.”

-Yes, dear? Do you think it’s worth living?

“At least.”

Kariel took a short breath there.

“Just thinking about it, I thought it made sense.”

-uh? what?

“… If you endure and overcome that situation, at least you will be better than now, right?”

-… … .

No, you take it this way?

What the hell happened to this guy’s heart?

Let’s assume that you can understand and accept the benefits of this with your head.

However, accepting it with your heart is another matter.

‘Isn’t living and dying actually an experience that one can handle sanely?’

My body is fine, so in the end I can endure even this… What kind of tough mindset is that?

‘It’s also strange to say that he always has a strong desire to advance.’

If the desire for approval is strong, it is not.

Indifference, contempt, and lack of affection, which crave positive attention due to insults, are somewhat captured… .

Even so, this was a very unusual way of thinking.

What kind of guy is not a gold mine.

It is said that gold nugget continues to pop out after digging incessantly.

Or did you understand it instinctively?

No matter how much he resisted and struggled.

Unless she reached the level she was aiming for.

… That this senseless way of growing up will never stop.

-okay. If you accept it positively, this side will also be motivated.

“… Wouldn’t it be a real torture if you wanted more than that?”

– It’s originally training, so training is like torture. If there is a difference, one is that the ultimate goal is to destroy and destroy the body and mind, and the opposite is the process of breaking and reassembling the body and mind into the correct form.

“… … .”

I say it seems like it is, but the bottom line is that both sides are hell, right?

“what if.”

-yes?

“I… If you can stand it… How far can I grow?”

-Did I tell you? I’m just giving you a chance The rest is up to you. Anyway, let me tell you one of the most important things.

“what is that?”

– Isn’t experiencing it faster than talking about it?

After saying that, the demon king turned his gaze to one side.

– You’re not planning to break out here, are you?

Under compulsion rather than coercion, Kariel took a seat in a corner as much as possible.

yet.

Kariel’s consciousness went straight to the bottom, to the point where it was colorless to say that he was suffering from insomnia.

—-

“There are three things you need to know.”

“Three?”

Rather… .

“Why are you like that?”

“yes? What is it?”

She is a mature woman when she is a wanderer who usually wanders around.

However, the one in front of me was a girl.

From a golden woman, she transformed into a girl… Although she was still showing off her exquisite beauty.

“It’s a suspicious look.”

“It can’t be.”

“But what can I do? Because my human form was born by imitating your ideal form, your ideal type.”

“Yes? What nonsense is that… .”

“I’m not human, kid.”

The young woman, with the face of a girl, raised the corners of her mouth while smiling with the force of the demon king and her unique vigour.

“What you perceive as a human being is an expression of your imagination, that is, a conception in your head.”

“It feels… I’m not doing well.”

“Is it because I have been persecuted by the world until I get sick of it? Thinking ability and imagination are impoverished.”

to blindly accept.

In other words, acceptance is good.

… Because I’ve been educated and brainwashed like that.

“Well, the noise is gone. The point is, you can see my current image as the image of the ideal woman you’ve been imagining, combined with my golden attributes. Isn’t it simple?”

“… … .”

“Then the main point. 3 is also very simple. First is accuracy. Second is efficiency. Third, sincerity.”

“… … ?”

“why? Is it too ordinary?”

Kariel involuntarily nodded.

“Even if it’s because of your father or the spirit of the empire, you know because you’ve held a sword for a long time. If you train in the wrong posture, your efficiency will drop. Even if you try hard, then you will betray you boldly. Rather, it’s more difficult to correct your posture later and only wastes time. is not it?”

“… Yes.”

“Isn’t magic a waste of time if you memorize useless formulas or equations? As with everything, the method is important. That’s why countless families and schools research, develop, and develop their own best and optimized methods.”

everything is a theory

“On the other hand, guys who don’t know that, no matter how hard they struggle, they eventually give up and get frustrated after snooping around the low level. Even if you don’t give up, you will definitely hit your limit.”

sometimes go

“There are kids who come out of that valley, and that can’t be explained by how lucky they are. I don’t know if luck follows.”

Therefore, unless you are a genius, you cannot be a self-made man.

Even a genius must overcome all kinds of hardships and trials to stand up alone.

“What if I had the right guidance? What if the level achieved by desperately rolling and rolling after dying for 10 years was actually a level that could have been achieved in less than a year, let alone 10 years? But I made a bad habit and made a bad body… What if you hit the limit without even realizing it? Do you want me to come and throw away what I have worked hard for my whole life? What? To learn from scratch like a toddler? Do you think this is possible when you are old?”

“… … .”

What a sad story.

“At that time, the only property left to you is experience, only years of experience. But can it really achieve strength? I’m sorry, but that’s simply a good trick. It’s kind of a survival technique, close to a life-saving technique.”

“So, you have to build a foundation and develop your skills in the correct way, is that what you are talking about?”

“You get the point right? The attitude to learn is great.”

I’m passive right now, and my creativity is low… Rather, for now, that is the correct answer.

Rather than clumsily scribbling on a blank sheet of paper, it is much better to use a blank sheet of paper.

to learn something new.

but… .

‘I’m not in a good physical condition.’

It’s even more painful that it’s the product of hard work.

The Demon King clicked his tongue briefly and asked.

“That’s why the swordsmanship you learned is also a problem.”

“My swordsmanship?”

“In the current Berg Empire, it is said that the Berg Empire swordsmanship is Class 6, Class 9, and Class 13, so everyone has been learning this equally, right? So is the emperor, so is your father.”

“It’s a story over 300 years old.”

300 years ago.

The time when the existence of knights was just born.

The strongest of the time.

The swordsmanship that Eland, who was called the strongest knight in the Empire, compiled and dedicated to the Imperial family.

Currently, the most popular and general-purpose swordsmanship belonging to the official imperial swordsmanship manual.

“It’s true that it’s an excellent swordsmanship. If you solidify the foundation, you can reach the level of a top-notch knight with just one of these. That’s for sure.”

However.

“… With the current imperial sword, that’s impossible. Unlike 300 years ago, it has changed a lot.”

“transform… You mean?”

“okay. Shall I show you properly?”

The Demon King, who created an iron sword in the air, briefly demonstrates.

exactly six movements.

It didn’t have to be tidy.

It was sober and short-lived.

“What do you think?”

“It’s a little different from what I’ve learned, is that the Imperial Sixth?”

“no.”

She shook her head.

“In the early days of the imperial swordsmanship 6, this is all that was just shown.”

“uh? Is it different from what I learned?”

“I told you. Transformed.”

The wormy things, the wormy tricks.

“The pretentious bugs and the arrogant bugs have been modified by adding them in their own way to improve, and these are the swordsmanships you are learning now. Has it changed and stretched a lot?”

“… … .”

“It’s true that that’s an improvement in its own right.”

instead.

“It is a style suitable for those who are in line with their talents and innate temperament, so-called aptitude.”

The first 6th Imperial Empire, regardless of physical condition or talent level, anyone can raise the level depending on how much effort they put in, if it is truly a masterpiece swordsmanship that can lead from the basics to the advanced level.

“The imperial swordsmanship you know now is the so-called aristocratic swordsmanship that thoroughly meets the conditions.”

“… What does it mean to meet the conditions?”

“The first is the innate understanding of mana, and the second is the physical flexibility to handle it. Finally, extraordinary concentration.”

“… … .”

“okay. All of these are talents you don’t have. So.”

Without such talent, time and effort were buried in the semblance of imperial swordsmanship.

“So far, your skills are the same as they are.”

“… … .”

“If you try a little harder, you will grow. Effort was lacking. We need more time. When you wield a sword, risk your life and wield it with all your heart. If you go through actual battles and keep polishing, you will surely reach the stage you are aiming for.”

how is it? Pretty familiar consolation and advice, right?

“Indeed, it is the worst kind of deceit that makes people rot, but surprisingly, even the authors who give this kind of advice and consolation do not recognize that they are committing such a sin. Isn’t this a comedy?”

Why can they say such a thing?

“Because I am! Because we’re done! So if not! that! your wrong! your fault! I’m done! you can’t? Couldn’t you have put in a little more effort? With sincerity, risking one’s life, and wholeheartedly!”

But.

In other words, it is like asking an armless person to hold a sword and wield it.

It’s like urging a person with no legs to run hard.

“What do you think? Isn’t it too similar?”

“then… .”

“That’s your story! your story! With no arms or legs, all limbs severed, how the hell are you going to hold and wield a sword? How to get on your feet? Swing the sword with your arms and not with your shoulder strength, but with your waist and lower body? You still don’t understand any of this, do you? You vaguely thought that was the case, didn’t you?”

“… … .”

“Can I tell you a more interesting story?”

The demon king laughed mischievously.

I vomited the worst confession.

“I mean. Don’t you even know the word ‘sword’ in swordsmanship?”

That would be too.

“I’m more about tearing with claws than holding a sword! why do you need that? In the first place, the structure of my hand is not the structure of holding something?”

how is it? Isn’t it fun?

“But why do you not know and why do I know that the truth of your imperial sword, like a treasure that has been kept like a precious relic for 100 years and 200 years, is like that?”

I don’t know why, but Mogol gave up.

Even so, Kariel reflexively brought out a specific word.

“ji… Hye?”

“Oh, that’s a little off the beaten path, but it’s on point. right.”

so i

“He’s the Demon King of Wisdom.”

Possessing simple knowledge alone cannot reach the realm of wisdom.

amount of knowledge.

Big and small, many and vast.

This is not even close to wisdom.

So wisdom is soon.

“It is the ultimate knowledge, the correct and legitimate understanding and grasp of reason. That is, insight into the essence. That is wisdom.”

And if you reach more than that.

“It is finally the realm of truth. Ah, the next is the realm of providence. There is no end to the realm and the realm like this.”

In that sense, aren’t you curious?

“Am I, who was beaten by your father and mother, a failed demon king? Could I really not have foreseen my defeat and death?”

Suddenly, Kariel realized belatedly that he had even forgotten to breathe.

The cold sweat that came out to the fullest cools down coldly.

His mouth was dry before he knew it, and even the inside of his throat was stiff, like the bark of a dry tree.