Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Sword Lesson Proposal
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I found myself at the training grounds, unexpectedly led there by the hand by Ed.
Judging from how he'd boasted about being able to protect me from that zebra, he probably wanted to show off something he'd learned in his swordsmanship lessons.
But I couldn't help stopping in my tracks when I saw the family knights in the midst of their intense training.
On a day this frigid, the knights—wearing only their not-particularly-thick uniforms—trained with expressions more serious than anyone else's.
The white breath escaping their mouths made it abundantly clear that this was the cold dead of winter.
"This way!"
I'd worried he might try to squeeze through the knights, but fortunately, Ed led me to an empty patch of grass in the corner of the training grounds.
He glanced around once, then drew the wooden sword from his belt. Summoning a straw doll with magic, he assumed a proper stance.
Pride swelled in me at the sight of Ed gripping his sword and readying himself, a satisfied smile creeping onto my face unbidden.
"Hah!"
With a resounding shout, Ed cleanly severed the straw doll's head from its body. It was astonishing how precise he was with a mere wooden sword.
Wow, bloodlines don't lie.
For a kid who hadn't even been taking lessons that long to show this level of skill... I knew nothing about swordsmanship, but even I could tell Ed had a real talent for it.
Clap, clap, clap!
I gave him my heartfelt applause, loud and genuine, as he looked at me with that 'Did I do good?' expression.
I opened my mouth to praise him.
But no sound came out, as if something were blocking my throat. Instead, an unwelcome choice window popped up before my eyes, glowing brightly.
Why is option 3 like that?
I frowned at choice 3, then selected the one that at least sounded most like praise.
The moment I chose, words tumbled out in a tone that begrudgingly acknowledged him, like 'Fine, I'll admit it.'
"Well, it seems you haven't been slacking off in your lessons."
"Yeah! I've been training really hard."
Ed nodded vigorously at my words and summoned another straw doll. He glanced around again, as if searching for something, his eyes darting everywhere instead of focusing on the doll.
"What's wrong?"
I turned to follow his gaze and spotted a tall, striking man even from afar. A handsome face as cold as the winter wind, utterly expressionless. Naturally, it was the master of this mansion, Billy Rub.
Billy, who happened to be heading to the training grounds, spotted us and flashed a bright smile. It was a drastic shift from the icy aura he'd exuded just moments before, like a different beastkin altogether.
Suddenly, Ed shoved his wooden sword into my hand.
"Lady Lami, you try it too!"
"Huh?"
I reflexively took the wooden sword. I couldn't fathom why Ed—who'd just been proudly showing off his improved skills—had suddenly done this.
Does he want me to do the same thing?
Did he want to train swordsmanship together? Tilting my head, I at least raised the sword arm to chest height. Billy stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching me.
I gripped the sword with both hands, adjusting my stance, and glanced back and forth between Ed and Billy, who were staring at me with unusually sparkling eyes.
"...Yah?"
With a half-hearted shout that sounded utterly limp even to me, I tapped the straw doll. I'd put some real effort into the swing with both arms, but the doll didn't budge, let alone fall over.
Frozen in place, I rolled my eyes to gauge Ed's reaction. The corners of his mouth, which had been lifted in excitement, began to quiver.
Billy had his palm pressed to his forehead. With his head bowed, I couldn't see his expression, but I had a feeling it was best not to look.
As I awkwardly scratched my head, about to mutter something like 'I've got no talent for physical stuff,' the choice window appeared again.
My eyes snapped to Billy the instant the glowing blue window appeared. He was walking toward us at a steady pace—not too fast, not too slow.
It felt like cold sweat was beading on my skin despite the chill. No time to worry about that—my mind raced.
Of all times, with Billy right here...!
Screaming inwardly, I quickly scanned the choices and picked one before he got any closer.
Suddenly, independent of my will, I flung the wooden sword to the grass with a thud. Before my shocked gaze could linger on it, my eyes darted to Ed.
"I've got no talent for this stuff, so don't ask me again."
The words came out laced with irritation, as if masking my embarrassment. Fortunately, they weren't too sharp, carrying the full weight of my awkwardness.
Mindful of the two wolves, I let out a tiny sigh of relief. Billy didn't seem particularly bothered by what I'd said to Ed.
I hurriedly picked up the discarded wooden sword. Ed watched me snatch it up with surprising speed—unlike when I'd tossed it—and gave me an odd look.
It was a familiar expression by now. His gaze overlapped with Mimo's occasional pitiful stares, like he thought I was hopeless.
Not quite pitiful, but he definitely thinks I'm weird...
My head drooped with a pang of dismay. Then Ed dropped a bombshell.
"Lady Lami, if you take sword lessons, you could definitely get good at it too!"
Stunned, I whipped my head toward him. He looked straight up at Billy, bold as brass.
"So, Uncle, teach her yourself."
"Hm? Me?"
"I won't feel at ease unless she has the skills to protect herself."
I blinked in wide-eyed confusion at his words. Billy turned to me.
"That's what he says. What do you think?"
"M-Me?"
I stammered incoherently. I'd come here in such a light mood, just to watch a kid show off, and now things had spiraled like this. I was utterly flustered.
Ed, the one who'd started it all, was now intently studying a yellow butterfly perched on his straw doll.
I'd made it clear I had no interest or talent, and refusing should be easy—yet the words wouldn't come.
Because I couldn't just brush off what Ed had said.
It'd be good to have the power to protect myself. But still...
I quickly scanned the training knights. If I learned swordsmanship, I'd train here too—sharing space with them all the time.
The knights scare me the most!
I'd finally grown used to Billy and Ed, and even a bit to the mansion staff, shedding most of my fear. But the knights were still intimidating.
The thought of seeing them often already made my legs wobble.
I was just about to open my mouth and respond when—
"From what I saw, she's got plenty of talent. Remember the chimpanzee?"
Billy beat me to it. His mouth curved into a grin, like the memory alone amused him.
"Your broom-swinging form was pretty solid."
Praising that one merciless thrashing I'd given, he smoothly took my hand and pried the wooden sword away. The moment his slightly rough, large hand touched mine, goosebumps prickled across my skin.
"Then... I'll give it a try, just a little."
It might look like I'd caved to flattery, but no. I'd planned to agree to a bit of training anyway.
But Billy didn't see it that way. Smiling in satisfaction, he gave Ed an approving look.
In the end, thanks to Ed's enthusiastic push, the date for my first lesson was set.
Ed was in high spirits right now. He hummed nonstop while reading in his room.
"Jack, we might get to spend our whole lives with Lady Lami from now on. You like that too, right?"
Jack, sitting proudly beside Ed, kept his dignified posture but wagged his tail. That swishing tail said it all.
Good thing I asked Karen about marriage.
During their last lesson, he'd gotten a quick rundown on her romance and marriage.
Their first meeting had sparked when Karen started woodworking as a hobby. Her instructor—a beastkin—had become her husband after their shared time naturally built affection.
Ed had kept that story in mind, and the moment he spotted Billy at the training grounds, it clicked.
He'd quickly handed Lami the wooden sword. He'd worried Billy might refuse lessons, but luckily, their first session was now scheduled.
I'll just get in the way if I'm there, so sadly, I shouldn't join!
In his imagination, Lami and Billy were already enjoying sweet, cozy time together.