How the Cult Saves the World

"Levi, good morning. Wake up. Come on."

It was none other than Helena Holden, my grandma who came to see me early in the morning.

"Grandma...?"

Still half-asleep, I greeted her while barely opening my eyes. She walked over to me, not minding that at all, and helped me up.

"You're a grown man now, so you should wake up early."

"B-but it's way too early..."

"It's already 7 o'clock. Hurry up, wash up, and come out. Let's have breakfast first."

This was the first time anyone had treated me like this since I came to this world. So, I had no choice but to get out of bed, rubbing my sleepy eyes.

-Good morning, child.

'...Yes, Lord Kyros.'

Though I was still worn out from yesterday, I shuffled to the bathroom because of my grandmother's nagging.

"I'll show you the way."

A servant was waiting outside the bathroom door. After taking a quick shower, the servant led me to the dining room.

"Good morning, Levi."

"Come on and have a seat, my puppy."

As soon as I entered the dining room, seated at the table already, Sevenus and Grandma greeted me. A lavish breakfast fit for the Holden family awaited me on the table.

"Good morning, Grandma. Good morning, Brother."

I replied, taking my seat. The moment I sat down, Grandma began piling food onto my plate.

"Eat this salad first."

"Oh, okay."

"Next, the soup."

"Okay."

"And this as well."

Actually, it felt less like recommendations and more like instructions, but no matter how you'd describe it, I ate everything she gave me without complaint.

-I've noticed this since yesterday, but it seems like she's especially taking care of you more.

'It's probably because I used to be sick.'

Last night's dinner was even more overwhelming. Grandma had served me every piece of meat on the table, and Sevenus seemed to find it perfectly normal.

'If it were me, I'd be a little hurt.'

Sevenus watched me eat with a satisfied expression even at that moment. Meanwhile, Grandma continued stacking plates in front of me, one after another.

It was a little unnerving eating under their watchful eyes, but the food was delicious so at least my tongue had a good time.

Then, around the time I was done eating.

"Levi."

"Yes, Grandma?"

She called out my name softly with a gentle smile on her face. What did she want to say to me? I was guessing that when she spoke again.

"From today onwards, I'll teach you something."

That caught me off guard. She wants to teach me something?

"I see. What is it?"

Though surprised, I didn't question her.

Whatever it was, I hoped it wouldn't take up too much time---because I needed space to read books about Mana Burn that I had Zain find for me.

But when she answered my question...

"Basic swordsmanship."

"...What?"

I couldn't help but be flabbergasted.

'Swordsmanship? Out of nowhere?'

Of course, it wasn't entirely out of nowhere---Grandma was the great "Sword Master", after all.... But outwardly, I was already a priest. Priests had the image of peace and healing. But wielding swords?

Plus, swordsmanship wasn't something you learned in a short time.

I looked at Grandma with wide eyes, but she simply smiled and continued.

"I taught Sevi swordsmanship several times since when he was young, but not you, Levi. You were always so frail. But now that you've recovered from your illness, why not?"

"Well... That's true."

"And I don't have much time."

I wanted to refuse, but when I saw her sad eyes, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Besides, when would I get another chance to learn swordsmanship from a Sword Master?

'...But will I have time to read the books? And Nezen...well, let's say I postpone that for now, but still....'

Suddenly, I recalled my training days with Fanatic at the Holden estate---those grueling sessions that left me completely drained by the end of the day.

'But training with Grandma should be okay, right?'

Back then, I was too naive.

Damn it.

***

A little while after breakfast, Grandmother called me to the mansion's training ground.

I changed into light training clothes and made my way there.

- Whoa. Your grandmother is a Sword Master, right?

'Yes. Isn't she incredible?'

-She really is. Achieving the level of Sword Master takes immense effort.

'Not just effort! You need base talent, too. You can only become a Sword Master when talent and hard work are perfectly balanced.'

-True. You're right. You sound really proud of her.

Kyros asked with a bit of laughter in his voice. Helena Holden wasn't my real grandmother, but I couldn't help feeling proud of her.

'Yes, I am.'

As I arrived at the training ground, still chatting with Kyros, I saw my grandmother in a completely different outfit compared to today morning and yesterday.

-Oh... She's serious about this.

'Can I just run away now?'

-Might as well give up and brace yourself.

'How can you say that...?'

Grandma, who had been wearing a comfortable one-piece dress yesterday and this morning, now stood before me in a knight's training uniform, holding a wooden sword.

"Come on, Levi. Let's start with a run around the training grounds."

"Yes? Right away?"

"That's right. Let's keep it light---just ten laps for now."

She was smiling. But unlike her cheerful tone, she gestured me to hurry up and run. I swallowed, and began jogging.

'It's only ten laps. No big deal.'

After all, I had received Fanatic's training and did my own basic workouts.

I started the laps with not much in mind.

"You're doing quite well."

Grandma looked at me with a bit of surprise in her eyes when I was almost done with the 10th lap.

"Oh, I trained for a little time with a knight at Holden."

"Did you? Then I suppose I can increase the intensity. Let's add twenty more laps."

Her smile widened, and I forced a grin in return, though my stomach sank.

***

"Huff... Huff..."

I was gasping for air as I looked up at Grandma. I was pretty sure I was in pretty good condition. But it seems I was mistaken.

I ran...wait, how many laps did I run?

'I stopped counting after a hundred.'

I was sure I'd been running for over two hours. But unlike me, Grandma was unaffected aside from a little sheen of sweat.

'She's definitely sick... So how does she seem healthier than me?'

When I looked at her while thinking that, she said to me,

"You said you trained before, Levi."

She genuinely looked at me with concern as if it was such a shame.

"Huff... Yes...I did..."

"I guess it was a good decision to teach you swordsmanship myself after all."

The way she smiled suddenly while saying that felt slightly terrifying.

-Hey, your grandmother is a pretty terrifying person.

'...I know, right?'Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Still, seeing as I hadn't collapsed, even after running so much, my stamina was definitely better than it used to be.

Just as I tried to find solace in that thought, Grandma handed me a wooden sword.

"Take this, Levi. Now, let's get started in full gear."

"Yes, Grandma!"

As soon as I took the wooden sword from her hands, my heart started pounding. Until now, the only thing I'd wielded was a stick. So my heart pounded at the first time I held a sword.

'Even though it's just a wooden sword...'

But hey, it was still a sword. Learning how to wield one could come in handy someday after all.

"First, let me tell you what I hope you to achieve."

"Okay."

"What I want, Levi, is for you to complete your basic swordsmanship training during your stay here."

My eyes widened at what I heard. I had heard from Fanatic that the knights of this world typically spent six months on basic swordsmanship training. But she's gonna finish it just a few days?

"B-but Grandma, isn't that going to be way too hard? Even the Holden knights take half a year to finish basic training..."

"You're right. Excellent Holden knights need at least six months, while average ones might take over a year."

"Then will I be able to finish basic training in just a few days?"

It seemed impossible no matter how I thought about it. My body---Revelof's original body---had never undergone swordsmanship training before it became weak from Malone's disease.

In other words, I was a complete beginner.

But unlike me, who was riddled with doubt, my grandmother nodded calmly with confidence with a smile on her face.

"Yeah. Of course you can. After all, you carry my blood."

"Well, that's true.

"Yes. You're of my lineage---the bloodline of none other than a Sword Master. So it's not exactly impossible."

"But, I've never learnt swordsmanship before in my life."

She nodded while looking at me.

"I know that, Levi. But don't worry. The training I'm talking about is a secret technique passed down in the Holden family. Thanks to this, your mother, Leira, completed her basic training in just three days. Your older brother, Sevenus, took five days."

My jaw dropped at her words.

Fanatic's comments resurfaced in my mind---the knights of the Holden family could finish their training twice as fast as other knights thanks to Holden's secrets.

But what my grandmother described now was something even more refined.

'The secret method passed down to the knights must have been only a fraction of what was passed down to the direct bloodline to speed up their progress. So the secret method of the direct bloodline must be obviously many times faster.'

'I really am from an incredible family,' I realized again.

"So, Levi, let's set a goal of about a week. That's how long you planned to stay, right?"

"Yes, that's right..."

It wouldn't take more than a few hours to visit Nezen from here. I could leave the mansion at night and visit.

Aside from meeting Terdius's younger brother in Nezen, I had no other pressing plans, so a time period of two weeks in total from our departure to return seemed reasonable.

But my bigger concern was:

'Can I really finish basic swordsmanship training in a week?'

No matter how much I thought about it, could I pass the bar she had set for me? It seemed like my grandmother was overestimating my abilities.

"Alright, let's aim for a week then. But we might finish earlier than that."

She said it with a bright smile, but I thought it was impossible.

-Ayy, try believing your grandmother this once.

'...I'd like to, but it's not easy.'

-She's a Sword Master. She wouldn't say that if it was impossible.

'...Ugh.'

While I was talking to Kyros, my grandmother stepped back, holding her sword in both hands and noticeably getting into stance.

"Levi, watch carefully."

As her tone dropped lower than usually, I immediately stopped any idle thinking and focused. Grandma stood upright, holding the wooden sword steadily, her gaze fixed straight ahead. With one smooth motion, she swung the sword lightly.

Whoosh---

A fierce wind blew through the training ground. It definitely looked like a "light" swing but the sound, the gust of wind, and even her simplistic  movement...

It was definitely just a simple slash, but it felt like I'd just seen a flashy swordsmanship.

"This is the 'slash', that is the foundational movement for all swordsmanship."

Her voice broke the silence as she stood with the sword held firmly in one hand. I was speechless.

When she swung the wooden sword, her expression was like an emotionless doll. A cold, unwavering gaze, and her stance impeccable.

Maybe that was why, for a moment, the wooden sword in her hand felt like a real sword.

Even though it was just a basic movement, I could clearly sense that she was a true Sword Master.

-That didn't feel like a basic movement at all!

'...I know, right? I thought the same.'

All I did was witness just one of her movements, and my doubts disappeared.

At the same time, I even thought, just maybe, I might be able to finish basic training in a week.

Just then, my grandmother smiled warmly at me again and said,

"Alright, Levi, now try what I just did."

"Oh, okay!"

I lifted the wooden sword and Grandma joined.

Instantly, her gaze turned ferocious.

"Slash, now."

As she said that, gone was the warmth in her eyes, and the look in her eyes changed to that of an iron-blooded instructor.

...Help.