I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 559

When the Hero visited Mephisto, Selena’s group naturally returned to their home country.

And so, she returned to her family’s estate after a long time... well, not quite yet. There was somewhere she had to visit first.

Namely, the Imperial Palace—specifically, Emperor Arnold’s office.

Given Ash’s high standing, she had no choice but to report even these minor affairs.

’It’s a hassle, but it can’t be helped.’

Considering the Emperor’s position, as well as Ash’s own convenience, it was unavoidable.

Thus, after completing the brief formalities, Ash finally arrived at her family mansion.

Fortunately or not, her mother was currently out of the house.

So what was there to do? It was very simple.

"Ah, how long has it been since I had true freedom~?"

Rolling around on the bed in comfortable clothes like a true slacker. Lying on a plush bed after so long refreshed her mood.

Even in Avalon she had stayed in guest chambers, but there was truly no place like her own bed.

Afterwards, she grabbed some snacks and settled in to rest, firmly resolved not to step a single foot outside.

’Besides, there’s nothing to do until the Hero returns.’

It would take at least five days for the Hero to return from Mephisto.

During that time, Selena and Kadir would be busy with their own research, so no one would be calling for her either.

Therefore, Ash decided to spend the whole day browsing the Gallery for the first time in a while. Naturally, she also got to relish her powers as a Blue Badge sub-moderator along the way.

’At first, I hated being made a Blue Badge.’

But now she was thoroughly enjoying it. Above all, the fact that Heavenly Demon could no longer ban her at a whim was satisfaction enough.

Before, she used to get banned whenever she barely crossed the line, but now? A quick "So what?" was all it took.

Of course, if she crossed the line too egregiously, the Orange Badge main admin would slap her with a warning or ban, so she was exercising a reasonable amount of self-restraint.

And so, while she was endlessly browsing the Gallery while tasting sweet, sweet freedom...

[Wild Grylls: Do you happen to know anything about a martial art technique called Thousand-Pound Weight?]

[Sword Matstar: Thousand-Pound Weight? Of course I do. I’ve gotten quite a lot of mileage out of it myself.]

[Wild Grylls: Could you tell me what secrets or principles lie behind it?]

[Sword Matstar: Before that, could you send me a picture of your body? That way I can get a rough idea of your build.]

[Wild Grylls: Do you really need to see it...?]

[Sword Matstar: Of course. It’s absolute~ly not for my own ulterior motives.]

Grylls asked about a certain martial art technique.

Up until a moment ago, she had been bickering about swordsmanship with another user, but she immediately tossed that aside. Grylls was far more important than that.

’Thousand-Pound Weight is usually learned by brawlers and martial artists... He really is a fascinating person.’

Ash tended to use Thousand-Pound Weight not for offensive strikes, but to enable smoother, more agile footwork.

Since the foundation of all martial arts began at the feet, there was no harm in learning it.

Learning it to control one’s own overwhelming physical strength, as Grylls intended, was simply a unique case.

[Wild Grylls: (Photos previously sent to Heavenly Demon)]

[Wild Grylls: Sent.]

[Sword Matstar: Haaah...!]

[Wild Grylls: Hey now.]

[Sword Matstar: Just kidding ^^]

Ash chuckled to herself. Teasing him and watching him get flustered was endlessly entertaining.

Still, she had to conduct a thorough analysis. She closely examined Grylls’s photos.

’His body is insane, isn’t it? Is his talent actually greater than mine? Ah, well, he is the Divine Herald, so maybe that’s to be expected?’

What started as a joke turned into genuine admiration.

Even to Ash’s discerning eyes, Grylls’s physique was far beyond passing grade.

Even if one continuously tempered their External Arts every winter and consumed all sorts of rare medicinal herbs, achieving a body like that was extraordinarily difficult.

Countless nobles underwent systematic training within their families, supplemented by body-enhancing Spiritual Medicines.

Yet talent was innately born; for the vast majority, no matter how hard they tried, muscle simply wouldn’t pack on.

In Grylls’s case, he hadn’t even received systematic training—bodyweight exercises were the extent of it.

’Maybe it’s because he constantly goes through life-or-death combat.’

Most knights or martial artists who frequently endured real combat rather than mere drills possessed bodies like that.

Systematic training focused on honing specific areas, whereas life-and-death combat demanded the engagement of the entire body.

One could easily see this by looking at manual laborers. Most of them possessed lean, wiry muscle rather than bulky, pumped muscles.

Therefore, Grylls’s physique was perfectly adapted for real combat—an absolute ideal form, even in Ash’s expert opinion.

’Not that there aren’t any issues at all.’

Ash’s eyes caught a single detail—what could essentially be called a chronic imbalance.

Since Grylls frequently used a bow, it was an inevitable consequence.

[Sword Matstar: It looks like the muscle on your left arm is slightly less developed than your right arm. Why don’t you try drawing your bowstring with your non-dominant hand?]

[Wild Grylls: Ah. You’re right! It’s definitely harder to pull with my left hand.]

[Sword Matstar: It’s a chronic issue common to all martial artists. Spending a lifetime favoring one hand skews your physical balance. And since Grylls-nim uses a bow on top of that, the difference is even more pronounced.]

It was a well-known phenomenon, like studies examining the bones of archers who spent their entire lives shooting bows.

Not only were their bones warped, but their arm lengths even ended up uneven.

In Grylls’s case, his strong musculature held everything together, but if he were to use Thousand-Pound Weight, it was highly likely to become a problem.

[Sword Matstar: Also, since Grylls-nim engages in real combat so often, it would be good to train your left hand’s dexterity as well. Didn’t I give you similar advice before?]

[Wild Grylls: Yes. I usually write with my left hand now too. But I had no idea my muscle balance was like this.]

[Sword Matstar: Since Ludwig-ssi is by your side, he’ll be able to help you. Now, as for how to use Thousand-Pound Weight...]

Ash thoroughly explained the subtle mechanics of Thousand-Pound Weight and its practical applications.

Where to concentrate one’s weight so that one could stand as firmly rooted as a tree.

How to maneuver it when airborne to safely counter incoming attacks, and so forth.Find the original chapter at nove⁠lping.com.

[Sword Matstar: When falling downward, try to lighten your body as much as possible. Unless it’s an emergency, of course.]

[Wild Grylls: Not make it heavier? Wouldn’t that let me descend faster?]

[Sword Matstar: Your knees will get completely shattered.]

[Wild Grylls: Ah, I see.]

In any case, Thousand-Pound Weight was merely a stepping stone.

Once he reached the realm of Void Stepping, and further, Void Flight, he would become unbound and completely free.

Of course, there was no telling how long it would take Grylls to reach that realm.

While he seemed brimming with talent, there was an awkwardly unpolished side to him as well.

’Knowing him, every time he uses Void Stepping, it’ll probably sound like an explosion going off.’

At any rate, since he could learn Thousand-Pound Weight from Ludwig, she wasn’t particularly worried.

The key was learning Thousand-Pound Weight and calibrating his power. Having experienced something similar herself in the past, Ash offered pertinent advice.

[Sword Matstar: Since Grylls-nim has so much mana, it’ll be best to start with a very tiny amount.]

[Wild Grylls: Thank you. Then when swinging a blunt weapon, which part of the body should I focus on?]

[Sword Matstar: Generally the knees. And you know to apply the mechanics of Thousand-Pound Weight right at the moment of impact, right?]

[Wild Grylls: Practice is the only answer.]

[Sword Matstar: If you hit a wall anywhere, I’ll be here to help you.]

Ash flashed a proud smile. In her heart, she wished she could stand by his side and teach him in person.

Whenever she talked to him, she felt it—his interactions with others were imbued with boundless, genuine goodwill.

A person this earnest and kind was rare in this world. To Ash, who had witnessed all walks of human behavior throughout her life, he felt all the more special.

[Sword Matstar: If you’re grateful, you know what to do, right? ^^]

[Wild Grylls: I’ll stand the last guard shift for you haha]

[Sword Matstar: Aww, not that~ Why play so hard to get between us? lol]

[Wild Grylls: And what exactly is "between us"?]

[Sword Matstar: The kind of relationship where we’ve already shared our bodies?]

[Wild Grylls: Uh-uh! A grown young lady shouldn’t say such things! Bad!]

"Kheh-kheh."

Teasing him was truly fun. Ash flashed a broad, toothy grin for the first time in ages.

It was a joke, but one mixed with just a tiny bit (?) of ulterior motive.

She didn’t know when Grylls would emerge into the outside world, but she could look forward to that day.

That the Hero had already declared him the Herald of God, making it difficult? She didn’t care in the slightest.

She wasn’t just some ordinary person; she was one of the continent’s most renowned swordsmasters.

Furthermore, Grylls had explicitly mentioned it himself: once he stepped outside, he wanted to meet Ash first and foremost.

While even Heavenly Demon had exchanged debts of gratitude, Ash had extended almost purely unilateral goodwill. It was only natural for Grylls to regard her as special.

"I really hope we can meet soon. I wonder when he’ll come out?"

"Who?"

"?!"

Just as Ash murmured her heartfelt wish, a voice drifted in from behind her.

She had been so engrossed in talking to Grylls that she hadn’t even sensed the presence.

Startled half to death, she whipped around, and a familiar face filled her vision.

"U-Uh, Mom?"

"Heh-heh."

It was her mother. But her mother’s expression was somewhat strange.

Normally, she would have nagged her to stop slacking off in bed and get outside.

But right now, she wore a strangely warm, affectionate smile. To Ash, it was ominous beyond belief.

"So, what is his name?"

"Pardon?"

"I asked for the name of the man who finally stole my daughter’s heart."

Her voice was endlessly gentle—a stark contrast to her usual nagging tone.

Ash tilted her head in confusion for a moment before realizing what her mother meant.

Muttering her wish aloud had evidently been the smoking gun. She hastily cried out:

"I-It’s nothing like that! He’s just a friend! A friend!"

"Right, right. Your mother was just ’friends’ with your father when we first met too."

"Agh, seriously! I told you it’s not like that!"

"A strong denial is basically an admission, dear. Do you have any idea how bright red your face is right now?"

At her mother’s retort, Ash felt her face. Sure enough, her cheeks felt a little hot.

Once a misunderstanding starts building up, it turns into a mountainous wall. That was precisely the case with her mother.

"Yes, of course. You just hadn’t met a man who captured your heart until now. It seems you’ve finally found someone who fits your taste perfectly."

"I said it’s not like that... Besides, he’s someone who’s really hard to meet anyway..."

"Hard to meet? Ah, a soldier! Which country is he from? Did you meet him when you went to the Holy Kingdom?"

"...."

Ash gave up. Keeping her mouth shut was the best course of action right now.

Taking her silence as definitive confirmation, Ash’s mother beamed with a wide grin.

"When did you two start seeing each other? Is he handsome? How old is he?"

"Aaah! Get out! Please get out!"

"Oh, don’t be shy. Be sure to tell me later~"

Only after Ash forcibly shoved her mother out did the suffocating atmosphere draw to a close.

Even as she was being kicked out, her mother never lost her smiling expression.

She even pumped her fist encouragingly, as if cheering her on. Ash felt dizzy just watching her.Read this novel at novel⁠ping.com for the best experience.

"Phew..."

It felt like rumor would spread throughout the entire household soon. It would definitely reach her sibling’s ears.

Reaching her sibling’s ears was no minor affair. It was a matter that could spread to the entire social circle.

That was just the nature of rumors. Above all, Ash was a figure infamous for her staunch commitment to remaining single.

-Daughter, a late-blooming passion is the most dangerous kind, so be careful!

"...."

When even her own mother was acting like this right now, the sheer dizziness of it all washed over her.

If rumors spread far and wide, they would inevitably reach the Emperor’s ears.

From the Emperor’s perspective, Ash’s marriage was a critical matter. Politically, it was bound to get tangled and complicated.

"Sigh..."

Ash let out a deep sigh and flopped back onto the bed.

Feeling her cheerful mood plummeting, she tightly wrapped her entire body in the blanket.

’...His body really is incredible, though.’

Naturally, that gloomy mood didn’t last long.

Because she cleansed (?) her gloomy mind and body using the physique photos Grylls had sent her.

At first, she had analyzed them seriously, but now they served as fantastic eye candy.

She had seen countless photos on the Gallery, but none were as captivating as Grylls’s.

’Wait, did he shoot these like this on purpose? He probably covered his crotch because he didn’t want to show it...’

But cropping it so ambiguously actually made it look like he wasn’t wearing anything at all. Only his hip bone was exposed.

Ash stared intently at the photo, grinning foolishly. This was the body of a man who would become just as strong as she was.

Maybe he might even become stronger than her. Grylls was still young, after all.

’Even in the past, I never felt like this. How strange.’

In the past, she had committed all kinds of embarrassing blunders out of sheer impatience, whereas now she felt relatively relaxed.

Exchanging conversations like this was enough to bring her contentment. That was precisely why she couldn’t give up.

As Ash was deliberating over which technique would be best for Grylls...

Ting!

A message arrived—one with a notification chime noticeably louder than the rest.

The chat room where the moderators gathered. It was the ping issued by the owner of that very chat room.

’Is it Orange Badge?’

The administrator of administrators could be none other than Orange Badge. Ash joined the chat with a curious tilt of her head.

She could roughly guess what was going to be said, but she already had a response prepared.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Heavenly Demon-nim. Sword Matstar-nim. I am deeply disappointed in both of you.]

A low, heavy statement from Don’t Abandon the Hero, devoid of any exclamation points.

It seemed to indirectly express: ’You guys are seriously screwed.’

[Heavenly Demon: What is the matter?]

[Sword Matstar: Yeah. What happened?]

[Princess Chaenggu: Did you two get into a fight again?]

[Heavenly Demon: We were engaged in something far more meaningful.]

[Sword Matstar: Same here. Is it because of that?]

By this point, Ash immediately realized: Grylls had asked Heavenly Demon as well.

Heavenly Demon was probably thinking something along the same lines. Thus, Ash put on a brazen front.

But perhaps Orange Badge was furious to her absolute limit. She posted ’evidence’ directly into the chat room.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: (Photos provided by Grylls)]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Can you two really deny it even after seeing this?!]

[Heavenly Demon: I fail to comprehend why thou art so agitated over such a matter. This seat merely rendered assistance.]

[Sword Matstar: Looks like Heavenly Demon-nim received questions too. Same for me. When someone asks for help, of course you help them. Why get so mad?;;]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Heavenly Demon-nim aside, Sword Matstar-nim, you were far too suggestive!]

[Sword Matstar: Can’t I even make a joke?;;]

Granted, she had made a rather suggestive joke, even dropping a line about sharing their bodies.

However, a joke only works when the recipient takes it in stride. Grylls had accepted the joke and brushed it off casually.

Above all...

[Princess Chaenggu: Ooh. Very sexy.]

[Heavenly Demon: It feels as though thou art making matters worse instead. That child had not even received the photos.]

[Sword Matstar: That’s what I’m saying. You could have just issued a quiet warning...]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Ah...!]

Whether Orange Badge realized her major mistake late or not:

[Princess Chaenggu: I used to think football was the best thing ever.]

[Sword Matstar: And now?]

[Princess Chaenggu: Who cares about kicking a ball around lol]

Princess Chaenggu was the sole beneficiary of the whole situation.

While the Hero, Asella, was stacking up embarrassing history in real time...

Grylls practiced using Thousand-Pound Weight just as Heavenly Demon and Sword Matstar had instructed.

Since Ludwig had personally taught him the fundamentals of Thousand-Pound Weight itself, learning it presented no real obstacle.

And then...

Clatter! Crash! Crack!

"...Ouch."

He turned into a human Taepodong missile and began devastating the forest.

’If I stack this with Haste, things are gonna get seriously crazy.’

Well, starting is half the battle, but he was far from used to it yet.