Oops, forgot to schedule the release~ here’s this week’s chapter! Enjoy!

"Oh, you're quite early."

"Good morning, Kuroitsu-san."

The one who called out to me was Kuroitsu-san.

He was a helpful person who somehow seemed to worry about me often.

Even amongst father's forces, he was one of its main members, and his sword arm was also quite strong.

He had a good, hard body, and though his face appeared a little stern, he was an open-hearted and kind person.

"Hm, those are good eyes. Yesterday you were making a pretty bad face, but it seems like today you'll be fine."

"……I apologize for making you worry."

"I'm just worrying of my own accord. Don't mind it."

With light taps, he gently stroked my head.

His actions were extremely natural, and his large hand felt very warm.

Not long after that, the foundation training started.

Foundation training, simply put, involves warm-up exercises that loosen up the body or movements done in order to increase one's physical strength.

As the knights fundamentally do not partic.i.p.ate in these exercises, there are few people a.s.sembled here.

When I first started partic.i.p.ating in the training at our territory, I often couldn't keep up with it.

Even so, I held on and continued with it, and now I can somehow manage to do it.

Today, I will do more than yesterday.

Tomorrow, I will do more than today.

Bit by bit, I polish my body.

Bit by bit, I become capable of doing that which I was unable to do.

In other words, everything that I've done up until now was by no means futile.

…..the reason why I'm able to have such positive thinking is surely thanks to that boy named Rui that I met yesterday.

Once the foundation training finished, we immediately began the mock battles. It is in this part of the training where the knights begin to partic.i.p.ate, but today I don't see Donaldy around.

……well, fine. I will probably see him here eventually. It's just a matter of how much I will grow until that time. Becoming even stronger than I am now.

As I thought about that, I realized that my heart was throbbing with excitement, causing me to make a wry smile.

……just how much will I need to grow before I can make that man crawl on the ground?

……at that time, just how strong will I have become?

My heart pounded the more I thought about it.

While having such enjoyable feelings, my name was called, so I went up to the arena. From there, a mock battle began.

My body was light.

My thoughts were extremely clear.

My body moved exactly as I imagined.

Like how I fought during that bandit incident.

"The winner is Mel!"

Before I realized it, the referee's voice sounded out.

As it ended a little faster than I thought it would, I felt a little unsatisfied as I sheathed my sword and descended from the arena.

"Yo, Jou-chan."

Kuroitsu-san called out to me as I walked while wiping my sweat.

"……today you're quite amazing."

"Thank you very much. I'm happy to hear that from Kuroitsu-san."

I smiled while thanking him. However, a wrinkle appeared on Kuroitsu's brow as he came closer while making a solemn expression.

The difference in our enthusiasm is quite amazing. Thinking that, it felt like I'd unintentionally make a bitter smile.

"Stop it…….looking at your expression, I thought you were okay, but your swordsmans.h.i.+p today has gone cold. No, rather than saying that it's gone cold……"

As he said that, Kuroitsu's facial expression seriously became more and more solemn.

"……say, Jou-chan. Can I ask you one thing? Though it might be something difficult for Jou-chan to answer."

"There are things that I can answer, and those I cannot though."

"Why did Jou-chan take up the sword?"

"……I haven't ever taken Kuroitsu-san's sword though?"

"Not that kind of 'take'! Why did you decide to learn the sword?"

I wonder why he was asking about something like that.

Although such a question sprung up within me, it was not an especially hard question to answer.

"……because my mother was killed."

That's why I unconcernedly answered with the truth.

Even though I answered simply because I was asked, for some reason, Kuroitsu-san momentarily made a surprised face.

"Did I say something strange?"

"No……"

For a brief moment, he appeared to be at a loss for words.

"I just wanted to try asking why such a small girl like Jou-chan would take up the sword."

However, by the time he had opened his mouth next, he returned to being the usual Kuroitsu-san.

"There's no need for Kuroitsu-san to feel responsible."

That was precisely why I spoke back in the same way as usual.

"Naw, I can't. Though I'm part of the Army, the fact that we couldn't protect one of our country's citizens has been brought before me. So even if Jou-chan says that, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself…….even if I know that it's impossible to realistically protect everything by myself…….does the General know about Jou-chan's circ.u.mstances?"

"Yes. He knows, so he has been teaching me the sword."

"I see……sorry for stopping you."

Right at that time, I heard father's voice telling everyone to gather. It seems that the mock battles had ended.

"No, it's fine."

And so, Kuroitsu-san and I headed towards father.