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Don’t Pull the Sleeping Dragon’s Scales (1)
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
Mature.
In the 10 years since I was born again, that’s the word I’ve heard most often.
Compared to my peers, I am calm, smart, and do not cause problems. I could read and ride well, and solve difficult problems even when never taught.
This is truly the pride of the family.
… It should continue.
“Life is not fun.”
I am 10 years old.
I’ve already become lethargic like a person who’s done his or her life.
“No matter what I do, it’s not fun. It’s all just boring. I have no desire to do it. Life is just like that: boring.”
At the news like a bolt from the blue, the expression on my parents’ faces suddenly darkened.
“Why is a little girl already thinking like that?!”
“But it really is.”
I can’t help it.
In my previous life, I worked so hard that more than that was impossible. Having to live a life once again, it’s natural to feel lethargic.
“Surely… Surely something interesting will happen. If you look a little more…”
“Father is right, Helena. Think carefully. If there is something you are interested in, we will actively support you.”
“No, you don’t have to care that much…”
To me, who has never received affection from my parents in my previous life, the interest and affection of the two of them is completely unfamiliar to me.
I want to tell them that they don’t have to mind me because I can figure it out on my own. But if I do that, these two will surely be greatly disappointed.
“It’s too early to give up. Helena has many days to live in the future.”
“There is an order for coming, but there is no order for going.”
In fact, in my previous life, I died when I was only 33 years old.
At my words, the faces of the two of them changed into bitterness. Ummm, the words I just said may not have suited the lines of a 10-year-old child.
“Uh, but… Both of you have a point, so I will try to be motivated in the future.”
I quickly turned around to rectify the situation. This may not be enough to ease their worries, but at least it will end this uncomfortable conversation.
“Will you tell Mum if you have any difficulties?”
“Yes, Mother.”
I will never tell you.
“If you find something you’re interested in, tell me, Helena.”
“Yes, Father.”
It will be hard to find such a thing.
But first, like a good daughter, I affirmed everything they said. Because I want to let these two go quickly and roll over on the bed to sleep.
Sigh. I have no idea.
Why am I born again?
***
“So, are you looking for something fun right now?”
The next day, afternoon.
Leonard, my older brother who is 3 years older than me, with silver hair and blue eyes just like me, laughed when he heard my story.
“I’m pretending to be looking.”
“You’re not motivated to find it?”
“Well, that’s right.”
“Oh dear. This won’t do. Now I have no choice but to take responsibility until Helena becomes a grandmother.”
“Wow, then I will really depend on you.”
How can a thirteen-year-old be so cute? I looked at Leonard in a pleased mood and laughed.
It seems that the biggest strength of this family is not wealth or power, but Leonard’s cuteness. No matter how much I think about it, my older brother is the cutest in the world.
“By the way, Brother. What sword is that?”
I asked, blinking at the wooden sword that was standing at an angle next to the sofa.
“Oh, I have a swordsmanship class a little later.”
“Swordsmanship class?”
Well, come to think of it, he said he would start swordsmanship about a month ago.
I recalled the topic on the dinner table. The teacher who was hired on the recommendation of an acquaintance is from some famous school in the capital city, or something like that.
“Is the swordsmanship class fun?”
“I don’t know yet. But it’s difficult.”
“Is it?”
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
After a month, one must be still in the beginner stage, isn’t it time to have fun doing anything they’re motivated to do?
“What is difficult about it?”
“Um, I still don’t quite understand what to do.”
Why?
Leonard is not the type of person who is poor at learning. He was also a great hard worker, and he was a person who studied until he knew what he didn’t know.
But you still don’t understand?
“Is the progress too fast? How far have you learned so far?”
“It’s hard to say how far…”
“What do you mean?”
“The teacher said I had to learn it myself, so we just keep fighting.”
“What? You don’t even know the basics. How can one have a fight with a beginner?”
“Well, I heard that everyone in the capital learns this way.”
No matter how much the times have changed, there is no way such a ruthless education method has ever existed.
“Brother. Is it okay if I watch the class today?”
I’ll have to check it out myself for sure.
When I inquired gently, Leonard welcomed the idea and agreed.
“Really?! Of course you can come! Are you interested in swords?”
Oh dear. He completely misunderstood.
I’m afraid one of the least interesting things for me is to hold the sword again. I’m sick and tired of black.
“I’m just curious.”
“That’s amazing. It’s rare for you to be curious about something, right?”
Um, was I that bad?
In the meantime, I’ve been showing off that my life is boring.
“Then, we’ll go together.”
“Okay!”
Anyway, now the verification of the suspicious swordsmanship teacher comes first.
Don’t even try to be a swindler. Because I’m going to give you an earful for playing with my cute older brother.
***
In the afternoon when the sun was setting, Leonard’s swordsmanship class began in the hall on the second floor of the duke’s residence.
The swordsmanship teacher appeared in a bizarre form in a fluttering costume with his tail. It is questionable whether he came to wield a sword or dance at a party.
“You’re with a cute girl today.”
“This is Helena, my younger sister, sir. She said he wanted to watch us today.”
“My name is Helena Peresca. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
I bowed my knees slightly and said my greetings. The swordsmanship teacher gave me a bitter smile in reply.
“Are you interested in swords? Then I’d like to stop you. A sword is a very dangerous object.”
“I know. It is a dangerous weapon for everyone.”
I looked directly at the teacher and retorted. At my answer, the teacher shrugged one eyebrow as if it was unexpected.
“It may sound cruel, but a sword doesn’t suit women.”
“I had no idea that the secret that Emperor Dante Renatus was a man would be known in this way.”
“She is a special case, and there must be some bluffing.”
“Bluffing?”
“To honor the achievements of the emperor, people exaggerate and praise even the smallest things. Well, won’t this be hard to say to a young lady such as yourself?”
Oh, look at this.
He’s saying that my hard work was all just bluff.
“You sound like you actually met the very person 500 years ago”.
“It’s obvious without having to look in person. Swordsmanship is the area of men. Don’t pay too much attention, miss.”
The teacher waved his hand and said.
It was an attitude as if it wasn’t even worth arguing with a 10-year-old child.
At that time, Leonard took a step between me and the teacher.
“Whatever Helena is interested in, it’s none of your business.”
“The young lord is full of confidence today. Is it because you’re in front of your sister?”
“I…”
“If you want to refute me, try defeating me at least once.”
Leonard’s face turned red at the teacher’s sarcasm.
This is ridiculous. Is this what you say to a beginner who has only been learning for a month?
Moreover, to embarrass Leonard and not anyone else. This is absolutely unforgivable.
“Let’s wrap this up and start the class”.
The teacher smiled and said. Leonard had to start a confrontation with the teacher without recovering his broken pride.
The so-called sparring was obviously…
Just the teacher playing with Leonard, the beginner, on the palm of his hand.
‘Are you trying to teach him, or are you just showing off to a beginner?’
If one doesn’t watch carefully, it may seem like an excellent teacher teaching passionately.
But it can’t fool my eyes. Not only was the teacher lousy as an educator, but also poor as a prosecutor.
He seems to have learned swordsmanship somewhere, but he added strange postures or skills on his own, making it an indecent swordsmanship.
It was the result of a combination of arrogant personality and poor skills that were not worth being arrogant. If he goes to the war zone, he’s going to run around and die alone.
‘It is confirmed. This person is not capable.’
A short break time.
I beckoned to Leonard.
“Brother. Do you believe me?”
“Huh? Yeah, of course I trust you.”
“Great. Then listen carefully. In the next round… pay attention to that teacher’s feet.”
“His feet?”
“Yes. There will be times when his left foot falls out like this. Then you just aim for this way no matter what.”
I explained by poking Leonard in the right flank. Leonard looked puzzled, but nodded without objection.
Soon, the break time ended, and the baseless battle began again. The teacher scoffed at Leonard’s determined expression.
“Haha, looking at your expression, you must have heard words of encouragement from your sister. I hope it works.”
The effect will be huge, you swindler.
In the beginning, Leonard struggled without a doubt. The teacher became more arrogant and ran wild, as if to break Leonard’s spirits.
‘The more arrogant you are, the more often gaps occur.’
And finally, the opportunity came.
“Now!”
The teacher’s left foot fell sharply outward to step on the floor.
Even before I shouted, Leonard had already boldly dug into the teacher.
“W-What?!”
A look of embarrassment crossed the teacher’s face. He tries to block it by changing his posture, but it’s too late to stop Leonard from digging in without hesitation.
In the end, Leonard’s sword struck the teacher’s side with all his might.
“Uwaakh!”
The teacher collapsed sideways with an obscene scream.
Nice. I clenched my fist as hard as I could. It serves you right.
Watching Leonard do well as I taught him, my whole body is thrilled. The pleasure is no joke.
“Oh. D-Did I do it right?”
Leonard, who succeeded in attacking, held the sword with a puzzled look and stopped.
I approached Leonard, who was completely out of his mind.
“Congratulations. Brother won.”
“Ohh… So it is real.”
“D-Don’t be ridiculous! That’s cheating! What did you do?”
The teacher squeaked with a reddened face.
“This is invalid! Such cowardly means are unacceptable!”
“I don’t know swordsmanship, and my brother is still a beginner, so what kind of technique would he have used?””
“Get out of the way, my lady! Don’t meddle in men’s affairs!”
Sigh. This guy is hopeless.
“Brother, lend me your sword.”
After receiving the sword from Leonard, I pointed the sword at the teacher.
“Bring it on.”
“… What?”
“I’ll tell you why you lost to my brother, so come at me.”
“Ha! Don’t blame me if you get hurt.”
A mean smile appeared on the teacher’s lips.
He would have thought it was easy to beat a 10-year-old girl. Perhaps he’d want to show off his skills and crush me hard.
Of course, I am pushed back by his power. But that doesn’t mean I want to be attacked head-on.
I looked for a chance by moderately letting go of the excited teacher’s attack.
The opportunity came quickly.
“Haaa!”
“Gasp!”
The teacher made the same mistake. Bad habits are not easily fixed even if you are conscious of them.
I hit the teacher’s side faster and stronger than Leonard.
And the perfect finish of kicking the fallen teacher’s chest with my foot.
“Uwaakh!”
The teacher fell backwards.
I approached such a teacher, pointed a sword at the tip of his nose, and spoke in a sarcastic tone.
“It’s so easy that I’m yawning.”
“W-What the hell is this…!”
“It may sound cruel, but a sword doesn’t suit you. Why don’t you stop doing such a dangerous job and learn to embroider?”
The teacher’s face turned red at my ridicule.
“Even if you are a princess, you have to respect your teacher! This is something I must tell the duke!”
“Teacher?”
Smirk. I raised one corner of my lips and smiled. At the look on my face, the teacher gasped.
“You are no longer a teacher.”
“What… I beg your pardon?”
“Who would use someone like you? You don’t have the qualifications to be an educator, and your personality is even ruined, being so arrogant.”
I held the sword handle with only my thumb and index finger. The heavy blade of the sword headed downward as if it were falling.
When the blade was pointed in front of his nose, the teacher froze. In that state, I dropped the sword right next to the teacher.
“You are fired.”
Rattle. The wooden sword fell on the marble floor and made a sound.
At the same time, the man’s, who used to be a teacher, face turned white as if his heart had dropped.
Whether it’s the past or the present, anyone who touches my person is doomed.
And I finally found what I wanted to do.
“Don’t worry, Brother. I will take care of your swordsmanship lesson from now on.”
I declared to Leonard, who was still standing there with a puzzled face.
That’s right.
In this life, I have decided to teach swordsmanship.
Wook's notes:
I promise you this novel is *chefs kiss* MC is hilarious and the ML is not the typical annoying yandere or no-brainer, and Leonard is aaAAhGhh my angel