110 Logan

[You okay?]

He doesn't seem to be.

"I'm just shocked, Sir!"

[Didn't think the rat was that strong, eh? Haha.]

"Of course not! But Sir! Was that space magic?! Also, what was that blood-sucking thing?!"

[Something like that. Just something I picked up while traveling. Don't worry about it. Now, shall we go back to sleep?]

He absent-mindedly nods. TMR stands right outside the shelter showing that he's protecting me. How reliable! In the morning we resume our travels. After the soldier cooks breakfast of course.

"Sir, I've been thinking."

[What is it?]

"Well, right now I think there is a good chance I may be considered a deserter."

[Ah!]

"I did leave my post for 2 months."

[Right, what do you suggest we do about that?]

"Whatever you chose, Sir!"

[Yes, but what would you do?]

"That, either I remove my military clothes and go incognito. Otherwise, you could talk to my superiors directly to have me transferred to your service."

[Let's go with option one. I'm not on any good terms with anyone in power in this place.]

"Understood, Sir!"

He starts undressing right here and then. I didn't sign up for a striptease! Sigh, who am I kidding? I ran a nudist training school for two months. Ah, never mind. He had civilian clothes underneath. That guy is surprisingly prepared.

[Right, what's your name?]

"Logan, Sir!"

[I see, we actually haven't talked much now that I think about it.]

"No, Sir!"

[Alright, anything I need to know about you?]

"I'm hard-working! I'm extremely loyal! I have some mastery of the blade! I'm in good health! I don't need vacations!"

[Do you think this is a job interview haha?]

"Think? No, Sir! Hope? Yes, Sir!"

[What about the army. Don't you want a successful career?]

"I'd rather follow you, Sir! Your future is boundless. Your accomplishment will be amazing! You are wise and powerful!"

[Do you want to add kiss-ass to the list of qualities?]

"Yes, Sir!"

[How shameless!]

"That too is a quality of mine, Sir!"

[…I see that.]

He remains straight and looks at me expectantly.

[Fine you can come with me. But I'm not sure how long I'll even remain here.]

"No worry, Sir!"

[How about you show me your swordsmanship?]

"Yes, Sir!"

He takes his sword out. Then he starts…dancing?!

[What are you doing exactly?]

"A training routine, Sir!"

I have no clue what this is. I could admit my ignorance. But it's easier to…

[Stop this and just come at me.]

He is just standing there unmoving.

[Didn't you hear me?]

"B-but you are unarmed, Sir!"

[Hurry it up!]

He hesitantly comes at me slashing. Carefully controlling his strength. He'll be able to retract his sword any time this way. I don't even evade. I kick him the nuts.

"OUCH!"

He falls on the floor slowly. Dropping his sword in the process.

[How bad are you? Even villagers are better than you.]

He is moaning in pain.

[Guess that's it…]

"Wait, Sir! I can keep going!"

He gets up. Then he charges at me again. Another kick to the nuts later he is down again.

[Some mastery of the sword, was it?]

I give him a doubtful glance.

[You can add boastful for sure. As for sword mastery? You can't even swing properly!]

"Sir, I swear that I trained for many years!"

[Train? Please you were playing around for sure! I'm not a swordsman and I can beat you up easily!]

I mean I did train swordsmanship, but I don't even own a sword myself.

"I'll do better next time."

[Seriously you disappoint me. The villagers were doing better after a few days of training. Now I understand why you want to quit the army so much.]

"A-are you serious, Sir?!"

[?]

"About the villagers part."

[Of course!]

He seems to have his mind blown away. Then he bows deeply.

"Sorry, Sir! I just remembered that I was in the weakest squad. Of course, their standards wouldn't compare to yours! I didn't realize how weak I was! Thank you for enlightening me!"

Maybe they ran out of competent training instructors? It feels weird. At the base, they seemed decently organized. Maybe I saw the good ones. Oh well, whatever. He is looking at me wanting to ask something.

[What is it?]

"Sir, could you perhaps…train me?

I sneer.

[What about your current mastery?]

"Please, Sir!"

[Fine. The first step is to accept how trash you are…]

Thus starts our journey again. With the others, I went for a group teaching method. Where they could all come at me at once.

For this guy, I do something else. Let's just say I make sure he doesn't have a good time. A nice mix of leisure walking and sudden attacks. We'll be walking and chatting then …BAM!

I and the rat fuck him up. We simply beat him. At first, he is extremely motivated, but then he starts questioning his life. After all, day after day he gets beaten up. With no way to ever retaliate.

The good thing is he is developing a danger instinct. One that I myself don't especially have. Well, I get better when humming for some reason. Until finally he cracks.

"Will that really make me stronger, Sir?!"

[Nope.]

"Then why are we even…?!"

[It will make you harder to kill, however.]

He freezes.

[Why would I even bother training you otherwise? So you can die like a moron? You think that'd be an efficient use of my time?]

"I-I understand!"

He instantly calms down. Then afterward I can hear him mumble a lot. Every time he gets his ass kicked in fact. He just repeats: "It's all so I can survive." Like a broken record.

Everyone copes with stress differently. Then again, I kinda went through a similar phase myself. How nostalgic. Funny how I specifically told the ghost I'd give him a bad rep. Yet I'm spreading his sword teachings.

Oh well. I was blind before. Complaining for no good reason. The rat is clearly deriving pleasure from his task. With Logan actively trying to evade him.

But he is bound to fail. After all, the rat trained for a full month. Especially training for catching humans too. He is a master of feints now. A master of magic tricks too.

Welcome to how to train your rat! If I keep at it, one day he'll be able to fight dragons. I'll be able to scream...I choose you! Then simply watch the show. I could paint the rat yellow to relive my childhood.

"Sir, we'll be approaching a rest area soon!"

[Oh? Anything I need to know?]

"It will be my first time there, Sir! I don't know!"

Makes sense.

Still, I can already guess how it will end.