Night 5

As we settled down for the night, dinner was slightly awkward. While everyone was vocal about enjoying the day’s earlier orgy, it did bring up some slight issues. With everyone fully aware of each other’s attractions, the air was filled with sexual tension. While Flora was too shy to do anything, and Lucille’s formality was nigh unstoppable, Sofia had no such qualms, leaning up against me while we ate.

The other girls shot jealous glares at the redhead. Not brave enough for politics, I quickly finished my food before standing up.

“Lucille, can we continue with my training?” I asked.

“Of course,” she said, picking up her sword in her good hand. We headed off to the edge of camp, away from the others.

“So, what’s the play for today?” I asked, eager to hone my skills.

“How about you show me the disarming maneuver first?” She said, raising her sword. Luckily, I had spent quite a bit of time practicing it, and easily pulled off the maneuver.

“How’s that?” I asked.

“Good work. Let’s move on. What is the greatest advantage of a sword compared to other weapons?” She asked.

“Huh? Uh...” I mumbled.

“Versatility,” she said. “The lance is a rather safe weapon, prioritizing range. However, when an enemy gets inside your range, the Lance is useless. The axe excels at pure force. It’s weight and crude edge allows it to deliver devastating blows against armored opponents. So, what exactly does the sword excel at?”

“You said versatility...” I wondered.

“Yes. The sword is a weapon with two edges and a tip. The tip is built to puncture through armor. The edges are used to lacerate lightly armored enemies. The flat of the blade can also be used for defense, much more so than a lance or axe. With such a variety of uses, the sword is a far more complicated weapon to learn,” she said.

“What’s your meaning?” I asked.

“Even more important that practical skills or combat experience, is knowledge. An inexperienced swordsman can defeat most foes if he knows how he should fight. Picking the right approach against each opponent is vital to your survival in battle. When fighting, take a moment to study your foe, analyze their movements, and come up with a plan.” She said. “That is what you excel at. Not physical or magical strength. Not skill with a blade. It is your analytical mind. That is your greatest weapon.”

“T-thanks,” I said, blushing.

“Now that said, you obviously can’t neglect your training. Now, en garde!” she said, and we began sparring. We eventually came to a draw, Lucille still able to keep up with me even using her off hand. Exhausted, I slept in the wagon while the girls split the two tents.