I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

Chapter 9:

As Phillip laid his hand on the box, a commanding voice echoed in his mind.

“… You who have reached this place. I shall test your worth.”

Knowing the nature of such encounters, Phillip nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Do you know what lies within this box?”

“Yes, it is the Golden Seal of Joseph.”

“What do you intend to accomplish with it?”

Phillip confidently responded, undeterred.

“I will use it for personal gain, to amass wealth.”

A momentary silence followed.

“You pass. You have proven yourself deserving of becoming my successor. Had you spouted nonsensical words, I would have set fire to your head… Tsk.”

The grandeur in the voice swiftly dissipated, revealing the voice of an elderly man filled with levity.

Phillip smirked and spoke.

“I will make good use of it.”

“Well, so be it. Make the most of it.”

As the voice faded away, the box opened with a gentle click. Phillip retrieved the golden brooch nestled inside and held it in his hand.

“Phew…”

The voice he had just heard belonged to none other than the legendary mastermind and giant, Corin Joseph himself.

Phillip, too, knew little about this figure, except that he was the only mortal to have triumphed in a bet against a dragon.

However, he knew how to use this brooch well.

He spent countless hours unraveling this mystery.

Originally, when he laid his hand on the box, several random choices would appear. However, choosing a selfless option, such as helping others or pursuing world peace, would result in instant death or subjecting himself to a myriad of curses, making it preferable to choose death.

“… I had to learn this the hard way.”

Phillip raised his sword and carefully removed the Luminous Stones embedded in the ceiling, securing them in a separate pocket he had prepared.

This part was relatively straightforward, but the next step presented a significant challenge.

Confronting a group of merchants who had built their lives on exploiting others would not be easy.

The “Golden Seal of Joseph” served as a mere means to an end. Phillip’s ultimate goal was to bring this seal to the Joseph Association, meet the current head of the Joseph family, and earn recognition as a distinguished member.

Stepping outside, he held the brooch he had obtained from the box in his hand.

The surface of the brooch bore the marks of soldering, depicting a fiery dragon.

“I need to dismantle this.”

Phillip unsheathed Neria and raised his sword once again.

‘… I’m not sure that’s a good idea. One wrong move, and the brooch could be irreparably damaged.’

Neria’s cautionary words held merit. As he brought the trembling sword closer to the brooch, it became apparent that removing only the soldered part would require a stroke of luck due to its unstable shape.

“Is there a way to stabilize the sword?”

‘Stabilizing the sword would defeat its purpose, wouldn’t it? But how exactly do you use the sword? According to Neria, you excel in hand-to-hand combat and psychological warfare, but your swordsmanship is said to be on par with Neria’s sixth owner level.’

“What does that level entail?”

‘… Talented yet unfortunate, like a mercenary who never had the opportunity to fully master their skills. Ultimately, they would be defeated by someone who has honed their high-level swordsmanship since childhood.’

“Does that mean you need to have high swordsmanship to wield the sword? My thoughts are a bit different.”

‘What are your thoughts, then?’

“… Swordsmanship and mana are separate. Neria, I can assure you of this much. Human bodies are composed of matter, while mana is an immaterial energy manipulated by will. It doesn’t make sense to say that being skilled in swordsmanship means you’re skilled in handling mana.”

‘Neria doesn’t understand what you’re saying…’

“Simply put, although the abilities of a swordsman and the ability to handle mana as a mage may complement each other, they are not synonymous. While researching the Moonlight Sword, I realized that with a more creative approach, such possibilities are achievable.”

‘What are you talking about, really?’

As Phillip focused his mind and controlled his breathing, he could sense the flow of magical power within his body.

“… I can feel mana accumulating in my body, at least to some extent.”

The monks would gather mana in this place called the “Altar,” creating a virtual space and storing magical power within it. The previous Phillip, before his possession, was the same.

However, the current Phillip felt something uncomfortable.

Magical power was fundamentally an energy with a certain level of cohesion.

Otherwise, no matter how much research and advancement one underwent, it would be impossible to accumulate mana within the body.

Phillip raised his right index finger. Soon, he felt magical power flowing along his finger, compressing and forming a shape around it.

‘… H-How did you do that?’

Neria’s voice was filled with astonishment.

“I simply formed an aura on my finger.”

‘Is it possible? But what about your finger! Are you okay?’

Phillip replied as he used the aura-enveloped finger to scrape off the soldered marks on the brooch.

“Of course, I’m fine.”

‘There’s no way it’ll be okay! If you extract the aura directly from a human body, the skin will burst and… Oh, are you really fine?’

“I didn’t extract it directly. I just formed it around my fingers.”

‘How is that possible?’

“Do you happen to know about centrifugal force and gravity?”

‘Neria doesn’t know about that kind of stuff.’

‘Well, I’ll explain it to you later. Alright, it’s open.’

When the brooch was opened, it was filled with sand. Pouring out the sand revealed a ring with a bluish-green gem embedded in it.

Philip put the ring on his left ring finger and continued walking toward the shopping district.

—

The shopping district of the Academy was a difficult place to make a lot of profit.

The foot traffic was low, and during the vacation period, it practically became a dead commercial area.

However, due to the advantage of still being able to attract young nobles or renowned professors from academia, it had established a branch in the shopping district, turning it into a grand gathering place on the continent.

Of course, the Joseph Association was the same.

They held tremendous influence even in international trade, and they were famous for not doing just anything for money.

From the beginning, they didn’t engage in commercial activities targeting ordinary customers. Instead, they traded with prestigious families, towers, or transnational paramilitary organizations called “Divine Sword Sect.”

“But everything changes with this ring.”

Philip touched the “Golden Seal of Joseph” on his finger and stood in front of the Joseph Association building.

Even though it was early in the morning, the branch of the Joseph Association, which had replaced the yellow building of the shopping district, had already started its operations, as evident by the security guard standing at the entrance.

“Halt. Who are you?”

The guard was holding a sword, not a spear or a halberd. Philip sensed an unusual tension from him.

“Good morning.”

“Yes, good morning. May I ask what brings you here?”

As Philip, who appeared noble at first glance, initiated the greeting. The security guard responded with an awkward expression.

“Has the branch manager arrived?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“While there is no specific appointment, I may have to cancel any existing ones to meet with him. Please inform the branch manager that Philip Oswald has brought the Golden Seal.”

“… Understood. Please wait for a moment.”

“Of course.”

After a moment of hesitation, the security guard opened the main gate and relayed a message to someone inside.

If it was the Viscount Oswald family, they held a prestigious status and even had friendly ties with the royal family.

“In the game, I had to wait a long time, but it seems being a noble has its advantages.”

As a commoner protagonist, freely roaming around the Joseph Association was challenging.

Meeting the branch manager to discuss the Golden Seal often proved fruitless, and securing an appointment without prior reputation proved difficult.

Mentioning anything about the Golden Seal became an impossibility.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. I will personally guide you.”

Philip followed the security guard and entered the association building. Several affiliated merchants he encountered respectfully nodded their heads in greeting.

“If you wait in the reception room, the branch manager will arrive shortly.”

The security guard led Philip to the exquisitely adorned reception room and positioned himself by the open door.

Philip briefly examined the opulent surroundings and sank into a plush leather sofa.

‘… What is this?’

The sofa was so comfortable that it piqued his curiosity about what could be inside. He felt an instant urge to doze off.

Crossing his legs, Philip patiently awaited the arrival of the branch manager. However, despite waiting for several minutes, there was no sign of the supposed branch manager appearing.

“How much longer must I wait?”

“Um, the branch manager is currently occupied with important matters…”

The security guard’s voice trailed off, revealing his unease. Philip couldn’t help but smirk.

“So, this is how it goes, even though I clearly mentioned bringing the Golden Seal.”

As someone well aware of the significance of the “Golden Seal of Joseph” within the association, Philip could easily discern the thoughts running through the branch manager’s mind.

“Please inform her that I will wait for just three more minutes. If she fails to arrive within that time, I’ll proceed to another branch. I believe she understands what that implies.”

“No… um…”

A single bead of cold sweat dripped down the composed face of the security guard. He feared the repercussions, well aware of the branch manager’s notorious temperament.

“Only 2 minutes and 50 seconds remaining. Time keeps ticking.”

“Ah, understood.”

With a swift decision, the security guard sprang into action. He vanished, and precisely 30 seconds later, the sound of hurried footsteps ascending the stairs reached their ears. An elegantly dressed young woman, with her rustling silk gown, rushed into the reception room.

Philip, with his legs still crossed, raised his hand in acknowledgment.

“Have you arrived?”

Lisriel Joseph, the branch manager of Joseph Association, panted slightly as she gazed at Philip. A few droplets of sweat adorned her forehead, evidence of her hastened movements.

Within her grasp, a ring adorned with a mesmerizing bluish-green gem caught Philip’s eye.

Philip clicked his tongue a few times, almost in a disappointed manner.

“Why do you treat people as pawns?”

Lisriel Joseph bit her lip. Anger and embarrassment flickered across her face, but a more crucial matter occupied her thoughts.

‘… You troublesome rascal.’

Lisriel scrutinized the handsome man before her.

Philip Oswald, a renowned troublemaker who had earned quite the reputation among noble families.

She, too, had heard tales of his exploits.

He had caused disruptions at social parties or incidents such as brawls and clashes with the heirs of noble families.

‘A good-for-nothing troublemaker like him, carrying the Golden Seal, suddenly appeared before me. Does this even make sense?’

She was the daughter of Oslay Joseph, the owner of Joseph Association. As such, she was one of the very few who knew about the existence of the “Golden Seal,” a symbol representing the qualification as a “Special Member” that had never been seen since the passing of Corin Joseph, the third-generation head.

‘… No, in the first place, that can’t possibly be the genuine seal. How could that troublemaker obtain it?’

Lisriel’s thoughts became entangled in an instant.

Observing her, Philip smirked, silently contemplating, ‘This young lady seems to be on the verge of mental collapse.’

Of course, Philip knew exactly who she was and what kind of person she represented.

Lisriel Joseph, the youngest direct descendant of the Joseph family and with the right of succession, she was a woman with limited power and influence, despite her ambition and abilities.

Consequently, the more assertive Philip became, the more advantageous it was for him. In this situation, Philip held the upper hand.

“Don’t you find it rather incredulous, Miss Joseph? Am I asking for too much? All I desire is the fair treatment I deserve.”

“… Sir, may I have a brief moment to inspect the Golden Seal before offering you the appropriate treatment?”

Lisriel, the branch manager, asked cautiously.

“Whatever.”

Philip infused magic into the ring on his finger. As a result, a luminous aura emanated from the bluish-green gem, projecting the form of a blue dragon onto the wall of the reception room.

It was the symbol of Elion Joseph, the founder of Joseph Association. This design was known exclusively to the direct descendants of the Joseph family, leaving no room for doubt about its authenticity.

Suddenly, the sound of hiccups resonated.

“… Hic!”

“Is that sufficient now?”

As Philip inquired, Branch Manager Lisriel’s face turned rosy with embarrassment as she nodded her head.

“Yes… Hic! I apologize… Hic… for the intrusion. Hic! Please forgive me… Hic…”

Lisriel, humbly bowing her head, jolted with hiccups, causing her shoulders to shake noticeably. Philip struggled to hold back his laughter.

‘How endearing.’

Lisriel Joseph had gained quite a following in the gaming community. Other characters with the surname “Joseph” lacked human warmth, maintaining only formal interactions until the end of the game.

However, Lisriel was different. As the intimacy level grew, she would exchange jokes or engage in affectionate gestures, even demonstrating intimate interactions when chosen as the protagonist’s love interest.

With her unique tsundere personality, she had a penchant for sending numerous letters.

If Lisriel, who had lost in the succession competition, took the “Golden Seal of Joseph” to another branch, she would face either assassination or exile to perilous locations like the Desolate Desert or the Northern Frontline.

Because of this, once Philip had discovered the perfect route for the Golden Seal, he always made sure to deliver it to Lisriel.

“… Go and have a drink first, and then let’s discuss further.”

“Yes… Hic!”

Encouraged by Philip’s words, Lisriel hurriedly left the reception room.

From that point forward, she was fated to become Philip’s confidante.

——-

Translator’s thought:- Hope you guys are enjoying the novel.

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I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

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