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Divine power is an abstract force.

Magic that utilizes magical energy and aura.

Spirit magic that gains assistance from spirits.

Shamanism that draws forth the power of souls through mediums.

Unlike the numerous powers that exist beyond Europa, divine power solely derives from a believer’s sincere faith and prayers, with gods responding to lend their strength.

Of course, talent also plays a role here.

But that’s to be expected.

To deeply focus and immerse oneself in effort is also a part of talent.

The only thing Karem could do to thoroughly master the basics of divine power he learned in an instant was one thing.

“This power feels light!”

“Elder Iona is too heavy!”

“It must be the weight of time and knowledge!”

Like a salmon discovering an obstacle, Iona flicked her wooden sword with both hands. Naturally, her elbows surged forward as she moved her legs to strike the shield.

‘Crazy, this is just another meaning of fat Gordon!’

Of course, that was the standard set by Gordon, who was casually fending off with a spoon.

Karem flew back, staggering on landing.

It was no joke; the light movement that pierced like a butterfly felt like being hit by a speeding car after the impact with the shield.

Before the white trajectory of the wooden sword could even swing, Karem was struck by a fist named Ice.

However, it was different from the method Gordon endured during the trip.

Whether it was passive or active didn’t matter, given that both were being watched.

Gordon’s training was akin to trying to catch leaves scattered by a fierce wind.

But every time one tried to catch them, the leaves would brush past and hit here and there.

Karem thought, if Gordon heard that he hadn’t been pricked even once, wouldn’t it be odd not to get pricked at all?

‘It’s clear how to move, yet…’

This was all thanks to the violence disguised as Gordon’s training.

Whether it was pounded into his body or his experience of violence remained ingrained even after he grew, Karem could clearly see every gaze and motion of Iona, charging at him like a starving wild boar.

But he could only see it.

“You’re still young, so don’t just block! Swing that wooden sword and shield!”

Thud! Thud! Thud! Iona’s fists, resembling frozen hammers, traced a chilling path as they flew towards him. The only thing that appeared on Karem’s shield were the frozen marks of her fists.

“Could you give me a chance, come on!”

There were hardly any chances.

No, having a chance is itself a promising achievement.

Thanks to Gordon.

Of course, it was only natural that Iona’s movements were slower than Gordon’s.

Even a heavy chariot-like rubber ball moving like the wind was unbelievable.

There might be some leniency from that chariot-like rubber ball.

Karem deflected one blow with his wooden sword. He didn’t resist the impact as he fell back, adjusting his stance while in mid-air as Iona came charging with a benevolent smile.

‘Do I plunge in first? Or take the hit?’

Various thoughts sprung up, but ultimately, none were chosen. Whichever action was selected led to an obvious result. Blocked, parried, then knocked away.

‘Wait, but how is this any different from a dogfight?’

What was the reason for clashing with Iona?

Isn’t it all just to skillfully handle divine power?

How had I fought in class so far? I had merely wrapped my body and weapon with divine power and swung them. How is this different from a dogfight?

‘It’s just the same as facing a minor version of Gordon.’

I needed to change my perspective.

Divine power is a force utterly ambiguous.

I had been too focused on Iona’s figure uprooting a large tree.

Karem concentrated divine power into his shield.

And then he threw it at Iona, who was approaching.

‘Hoh.’

Iona’s curiosity was piqued. In the fight thus far, Karem naturally learned how to wrap divine power quickly and surely around his weapon and body.

‘Though I may not be good at much, I have some talent in fighting. That kid.’

It was surely as Gordon said.

He was more talented in a brawl than in any specific domain like swords or spears.

Just like now.

The moment after he threw the shield, the momentum shifted.

Though he sensed the divine power, it felt as light as a feather.

No, wait.

Kaaang-!

“Huh!?”

Divine power?

The impact conveyed to his fist was different than before. The ice that had covered his fist cracked and split, layered atop the shield’s frozen edges.

Yet attacking Karem posed no issue. As he cleared away the cracked ice from his fist, the once frozen shield got flung aside.

Boom-!

And then, the sharply frozen wooden sword flew straight at him.

‘Huh? Again?’

The amount contained in this one far exceeded what was in the shield.

At least it was more than double.

It was aimed not at his chest but his head.

He couldn’t block this one like before.

Was he switching from close combat to a long-range attack?

Indeed, this seemed to be an exotic strike different from all previous ones.

But ultimately, it wasn’t anything extraordinary. If he could just raise the power he had killed with slightly, he would have no problem.

But it certainly was a pass.

It was successful training—using power not as an extension of the body but from a horizontal position. Summing up the previous results, Karem deemed the lesson a success as Iona swung her fist upwards, sharply knocking away the frozen wooden sword.

“One Shot!!!”

In an instant.

“Huh!?”

Karem, still at a distance, had just reached her. Leading with his left elbow while his right fist was primed, he charged at her. No, he flew at her.

This was going to hit.

Thud-!

He quickly withdrew both hands. He caught the elbow aiming for his solar plexus. Without hesitation, he also blocked the right fist that intended to swing upward.

“Huff.”

Tap. But his response was half a beat late.

The back of the hand that blocked the elbow struck his chest.

“A surprise attack, wasn’t it?”

“Let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes.”

“How did you achieve that speed just now?”

Iona asked, lowering Karem to the ground. There hadn’t been any significant change in divine power to suggest a bodily enhancement. So what was the method that came to mind?

Thud, Karem landed on the ground and subtly slid sideways as if to show her the answer without words.

“This is, an ice pillar?”

An ice pillar, as thick as his foot, had sprouted diagonally from the ground where Karem had been standing, reaching just beneath the position it had previously flown by.

“I rapidly formed the ice pillar beneath my feet to propel my body forward?”

“The chance is in a fleeting moment when visibility is obscured. With little time to move my body, I utilized another method.”

“Huff.”

“So, is that a pass?”

Iona chuckled softly.

Using divine power in conjunction with the terrain? That was a solid hit.

“Right. Pass.”

“…Oh.”

“Your reaction is dryer than I expected.”

“True, I thought I’d be overjoyed.”

Hoo-oo-oo. As Karem released a long sigh like cooling steam, Iona shook her head.

‘Is this youth?’

They say that as you age, your thinking hardens. This was a fresh approach he had never considered until seeing it up close. Using the properties of ice itself before the divine power.

“As I mentioned earlier—”

“That’s the end of the basics.”

Karem walked over to the table, grabbing one of the kettles placed atop the tray next to the bundle.

One was lemonade, the other orangeade.

It was a beverage he had made ahead of training.

“Can I have a glass as well?”

“Sure. Orange? Lemon?”

“I prefer orange.”

Karem poured one glass of orangeade and one of lemonade, then halted. Just in case, he picked up the spoon he had brought along to remove any impurities.

‘Let’s eat it a bit cooler.’

Despite the cold weather, he was hot enough for sweat to form on his forehead.

That meant he would sweat like a waterfall at any moment.

That simply couldn’t happen. As Karem stirred the lemonade in his glass with his spoon at a constant fast rate, he lightly concentrated divine power.

Swirl, stir-stir-stir—

The melting point of ice is 0 degrees.

It takes quite a while for water to become solid ice.

So, stirring continuously while it froze.

“Karem? What are you doing, suddenly not drinking it?”

“I’m trying to chill it a bit.”

“Then you should just concentrate divine power.”

The temperature was just slightly below 0 degrees.

While continuing to stir the spoon rapidly.

The changes could be felt in his fingertips.

As the lemonade, swirling in the glass, froze and shattered like a snowflake, it began to form into a slushy state, resembling shaved snow.

Karem slowed the spinning of the spoon.

If it crushed when his spoon was too vigorous and melted completely, it would all be for naught.

From now on, he had to trust his sense of touch instead of his eyes.

With a slight infusion of divine power, the resistance felt from the spoon grew stronger.

Crack—crack—crack—

When he heard a sound like scooping snow with a shovel, he pulled the spoon out. The particles of the frozen lemonade separated, then broke apart.

The overflowing glass of lemonade slush that had increased in volume looked just like what he had enjoyed in his previous life as a child.

Karem made a slush from the orangeade as well and handed it to Iona.

“This is a freshly made sorbet.”

“It’s called slush, you know.”

Iona, who had been exclaiming in admiration, suddenly closed her mouth tightly.

Slush… a slushy mess…

“…Sir Atanitas was right.”

“What, about my naming skills?”

Dodging Iona’s serious gaze as if to say ‘do I even need to say it?’ Karem took a drink.

‘Mmm…!’

The exhilarating sensation of lemon tingled on his tongue.

As the sensation quickly spread throughout his mouth, the lightly melted slush began to gradually dissolve.

He could feel a painful sensation, as if he had a cut inside his mouth.

It hurt, but he had no choice but to keep drinking.

It might seem similar to sorbet at a glance, but it was indeed different.

First, the texture.

Sorbet is essentially frozen fruit juice, ice.

Until it melts entirely, there’s a crunchy sensation dancing around his tongue. Moreover, it risks clumping into icy fruit-flavored ice in the mouth.

But slush was different.

Each particle was frozen separately, making it soft like freshly fallen snow.

Most importantly, the flavor.

Unlike pure frozen fruit juice sorbet, the lemonade contained sugar beyond anyone’s imagination.

The zing of the sour lemon adapted by his tongue was now followed by the taste, something his weary body craved ardently.

The sweet sensation tingling along his tongue spread throughout his body through the cooling effect, radiating everywhere in a delightful manner.

He wanted to drink until the cup hit the bottom.

But Karem barely managed to resist the temptation of that forbidden sensation and glanced at Iona, who seemed to be savoring every drop from her empty cup.

“This is the most sacred ice cream in the world.”

“But doesn’t your head hurt?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, even if it’s soft, it is still ice shavings.”

If one consumed it too greedily, one’s head would ache.

“After a bit of training, this amount should pose no issue.”

Is that something one can train for? Passing by Karem’s aghast expression, Iona casually chilled the orangeade (with divine power) and gulped it down in one go.

“Ah. Also, there’s something important.”

“Of course.”

Karem put down his glass and tapped on the white bundle next to the tray. The tightly packed bundle resembled a triangle with its tip slightly rounded.

Iona blushed as if she were someone who had finally been allowed fried food after a year of managing her diet.

“Ahem. That bundle is truly…”

“Yes. It’s the mammoth’s tusk you’ve been waiting for.”

Karem lightly tapped the bundle affirmatively.

“Then let’s head straight to Sir Zigmeser.”

He could never forget the taste of the mammoth steak he had had last time.

Karem promptly took hold of the bundle and left the training ground with Iona, while she ordered servants and maids to tidy up afterward.

Their destination was the Exchange Meeting Place.

Zigmeser’s kitchen.

Winterhome has numerous kitchens, aside from the main kitchen of the manor.

However, Iona picked Zigmeser’s private kitchen specifically.

“I don’t have any complaints, but why choose Sir Zigmeser’s private kitchen?”

“Zigmeser’s private kitchen can block sound and smell. Thanks to a magic tool.”

Though it seemed casual, Iona shot suspicious glances at the decorative staff throughout the castle.

“Moreover, it can completely block out the authority of the head chef along with others’ attention.”

“To repel the meddlesome?”

“Exactly.”

Iona nodded vigorously, her fat neck shaking under her ample beard.

‘Is it that delicious?’

Karem looked down at the bundle he was holding with his right arm.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say he didn’t harbor any doubts, but everyone he met, although not to the extent of Iona, had praised the meat as the best and the tastiest, further feeding his curiosity.

As they passed by people bustling in the corridor, they paid no more attention than necessary as they focused on their own work.

Only when Karem felt they had reached their destination without any issues did he find someone loitering in front of Zigmeser’s private kitchen. Recognizing the identity was immediate.

Loitering—stopping. Loitering—

“…Elder Iona. That person.”

“Lord Alfred.”

“Oh, it seems he’s spotted us.”

“…Damn it. Where did the word leak out from!?”

While Alfred, deep in thought, looked over and approached them with a look of relief.

 

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