novelnext Chapter 67 The Gift of a Sword
Chapter 67 The Gift of a Sword
Ellie's change is remarkable.
Her figure is more upright and well-proportioned, with smooth and powerful muscle lines.
His eyes were sharp, and his movements carried a composure and alertness that were not common among his peers.
The townspeople who see her now can hardly connect her with the poor, orphaned girl who used to huddle in the corner.
Occasionally, when patrolling guards in the town saw her practicing boxing, they would secretly nod in approval, thinking that this girl was a promising talent.
She knew that all these changes stemmed from the gentleman in the courtyard.
She buried this gratitude deep in her heart and transformed it into even stronger motivation.
Ellie longs to become stronger, not just for herself, but perhaps one day in the future, she can also have the ability to help her husband, even if it's just a tiny bit.
As autumn deepens, more and more leaves fall in the yard. Every time Ellie comes, she carefully sweeps the leaves away.
Luo Lin noticed this and called her over after she finished cleaning one day.
"As the weather gets cooler, you can practice in the outdoor room of the laboratory if it rains or is windy."
Luo Lin pointed to the outer room at the entrance of the laboratory, which he used to temporarily store miscellaneous items.
Although it wasn't big, it provided shelter from the wind and rain, which was much better than living under the eaves.
Ellie paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with unbelievable surprise.
The master has allowed her to enter the laboratory area!
Although it's just an external relationship, it represents a deeper level of recognition and trust!
"Thank you, sir!" Her voice trembled slightly with emotion.
Rowling nodded, said nothing more, and turned back to the inner laboratory.
From that day on, whenever there was bad weather, Ellie would quietly practice in the outer room of the laboratory.
She was extremely careful, never touching anything that didn't belong to her, and trying not to make any loud noises while practicing, for fear of disturbing Rolin inside.
As for Luo Lin, he gradually got used to hearing the steady breathing outside and the occasional soft rustling of clothes in the wind against the backdrop of rain pattering on the roof.
The sound wasn't noisy; rather, it was like a regular white noise, which made him feel more at peace while he focused on his research.
He studies, practices, and occasionally gives Ellie pointers.
Rowling's life formed a stable and fulfilling cycle.
The concept of the talent spell gradually became clear in his mind, and preparations for the Deathwhisper Swamp were also underway.
Everything is progressing smoothly and steadily.
……
The first snow of winter arrived as scheduled, covering Heiyan Town with a thin layer of silver.
As the weather grew colder, Ellie spent most of her practice time in the outer room of the laboratory.
Rolin's deduction of the talent spell model has entered a critical stage, encountering several difficult-to-coordinate energy node conflicts, which has consumed a lot of his energy.
That afternoon, he temporarily put aside his complicated calculations and went outside for some fresh air, where he happened to see Ellie practicing a series of punches and kicks.
Her movements were already quite skillful, and her power was also quite precise, making her movements powerful and swift.
But in Rowling's view, there are still some shortcomings.
Her attack range is limited by the length of her arms and legs, lacking a mid-range deterrent and stronger penetrating power.
Moreover, practicing unarmed is ultimately different from wielding a weapon; a true knight must ultimately master a weapon.
After Ellie finished her practice, she saw Rowling and immediately stood at attention respectfully.
Roland sized her up for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Have you ever thought about practicing with weapons?"
Ellie paused for a moment, then a flicker of longing flashed in her eyes, but it quickly faded, and she answered honestly:
"I've thought about it... The knights in town all carry swords."
"But a good sword is expensive, and I..."
She lowered her head and didn't say anything more.
Given her current financial situation, she is already fortunate enough to have enough to eat and wear and to be able to cultivate in peace; she would never dare to hope to possess her own weapon.
Rowling nodded, said nothing, and turned back to the inner laboratory.
Ellie watched his retreating figure, feeling a little uneasy, wondering why he had suddenly asked this question.
A few days later, when Ellie came to the courtyard again, Rowling called her over and handed her a long, narrow object wrapped in gray cloth.
"Open it and take a look."
"Rolin said."
Ellie took it with a puzzled look; it felt heavy in her hand. She carefully untied the gray cloth, revealing a sheathed longsword inside!
The scabbard was made of a tough black leather, with a simple design and no decoration.
The hilt of the sword was wrapped with thin, non-slip hemp rope, its length and thickness seemingly perfectly suited to her hand. She gripped the hilt and slowly drew the sword.
The blade was not made of shiny, refined steel, but rather a dark gray-black color with subtle forging patterns.
The blade doesn't look particularly sharp, but its lines are smooth and its spine is thick, giving it a sense of stability and solidity.
The sword was of moderate length, slightly shorter than a standard knight's sword, and its weight was a bit heavy for her, but still within a manageable range.
"Sir, this..."
Ellie looked at the sword in her hand, both surprised and delighted, and could hardly speak.
"Let's test the feel of it."
Luo Lin's tone was flat.
Ellie did as she was told, clumsily gripping the sword and trying to swing it a few times.
The sword wind howled, carrying a sense of power she had never felt when she was empty-handed.
Although her movements were still clumsy, she could feel that the sword was as if it had been tailor-made for her, and it was very comfortable to hold.
"This sword was forged from black iron, a specialty of Blackrock Town, mixed with some red copper."
Rowling explained.
"Not very sharp, but sturdy enough to not break easily, making it suitable for beginners to practice the basics."
"The weight has also been adjusted according to your current strength."
He crafted this sword himself a few days ago using a simple furnace and enchanting tools in the laboratory.
For him, forging an ordinary longsword that no magic could be used by a mortal was not difficult.
Select suitable ore, smelt, forge into shape, quench, grind, and finally adjust the counterweight and handle.
The whole process felt more like a relaxation and hands-on practice outside of research.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
Ellie hugged the sword tightly, her face flushed with excitement, and she bowed repeatedly.
She never imagined that she would own a real sword so quickly!
"Don't get too excited yet."
Luo Lin poured cold water on the idea.
Having a sword and knowing how to use a sword are two different things.
"Starting today, your practice will be different."
He walked to the center of the yard and gestured for Ellie to follow.
The yard was a pristine white after the snow, with only the area where they stood having been cleared.
"The sword is an extension of the arm."
Luo Lin pointed his fingers together like a sword and slowly made a basic stabbing motion, the movement slow and clear.
"The source of your strength still lies in your body, in the earth beneath your feet."
"Holding a sword is not simply about swinging your arm; it's about transferring the power of your entire body through the hilt to the tip of the sword."
He had Ellie hold the sword and assume the most basic sword-holding stance, then gradually corrected her posture, the way she held the sword, the angle of her arm, and the direction of her gaze.
"Keep your feet firmly planted, like a rock."
"Your wrist should be flexible, not stiff and rigid."
"Power originates from the ground, is generated in the waist, transmitted to the shoulders, reaches the arms, and flows through the sword."
His explanations remained concise, but with detailed breakdowns of the movements, Ellie was able to clearly understand each key point.
He didn't teach any fancy sword techniques, but started with the most basic and mundane things: gripping the sword, stance, thrusting, slashing, and parrying.
Ellie studied very diligently. She knew this was a rare opportunity, so she memorized every detail and practiced repeatedly.
Holding a real sword, feeling its weight and texture, was completely different from when she practiced bare-handed. She needed to readjust and rediscover the feeling of generating power.
The initial practice was tedious and arduous.
Just maintaining the correct sword-holding posture for a short period of time made her arm feel sore and numb.
Even a simple straight thrust requires hundreds of repetitions to barely achieve a straight trajectory and smooth power generation.
The heavy sword constantly tested her wrist strength and physical strength.
Luo Lin didn't urge her, but just watched quietly from the side, occasionally correcting her when her movements became severely distorted or her breathing became disordered.
He knew the importance of the basics; the foundation of a knight's swordsmanship lay in this monotonous practice day after day.
After practice, Ellie was often so tired that she could barely lift her arms.
The soothing medicine that Rolin gave her played a vital role, effectively relieving muscle soreness and fatigue and accelerating recovery.
As the days went by, Ellie's swordsmanship foundation was being solidified at a visible speed.
Her sword-wielding stance became increasingly steady, and her simple thrusting, slashing, and blocking movements became more and more precise and powerful.
The longsword, which was originally a bit heavy, gradually became more obedient in her hands.
Luo Lin also began to teach her some basic footwork techniques, how to move within a small area, maintain her center of gravity, and how to use footwork to adjust the attack distance and angle.
These footwork techniques were consistent with the power generation techniques he had previously taught, and Ellie found them easy to understand.
Sometimes, Rowling would personally teach her how to play.
He didn't use any magic, nor did he employ physical abilities far exceeding hers. He simply used his fingers as a sword, or casually folded a tree branch, to demonstrate how to deal with her attacks and how to find weaknesses.
His movements seemed slow, but he always managed to strike first, accurately targeting Ellie when she was exhausted or her defense was weak, making her experience the difference and how to deal with it in actual combat time and time again.
This practical training greatly improved Ellie. She began to understand that swordsmanship was not a rigid routine, but a dynamic technique that needed to be adjusted according to the opponent's changes.
Outside the laboratory, besides the steady breathing, there was the whistling of a longsword cutting through the air and the dull thud of footsteps on the floor.
These sounds intertwined with the faint hum of energy instruments and the rustling of pages in the inner laboratory, creating a peculiar harmony.