Chapter 92 – Training Begins
「All members, stand in line!!!!」
The knight leader’s command resounded throughout the wide maneuvering range.
Right after that command, the members of the first and second knight unit simultaneously gathered, and finished standing in line.
I, a humble hunter from the rural area, was dumbfounded by their movements which were in perfect order.
「......Uwaa, they’re amazing」
Looking at my dumbfounded expression, Brother-in-law-san smiled.
He seems to be really enjoying something.
「All members, pay attention! His Highness Alto will speak from now」
As the members of the chivalric order are paying attention, Brother-in-law-san quickly stepped forward to in front of them, and raised his voice.
He apologised for not being able to participate in training for quite some time, and announced that he will return from today’s training onwards.
And.......
「I think all of you know as well, the First Princess, Sylphid, will be marrying.
Sylphid’s partner will be this Myne over here.
He’s a young man with a promising future, but his inexperience is undeniable.
Therefore, I was thinking of leaving you with him and strictly train him starting from his foundation」
As he declared that, I was entrusted to the team made up of the knights whom I have been indebted to during the game in the Divine Spirit Forest.
「Myne-dono, I look forward to working with you」
「Myne-dono, let’s work hard!」
Although I’ve met them for only two short days, the knights who I were acquainted with greeted me.
「Yes! Just like what His Highness Alto said, I am a novice, so please take care of me!」
After exchanging greetings, our training immediately started.
In order for the foundation, the body to get stronger, it seems that the first basic curriculum is to do long training runs.
This long training run.
Although it’s the basic, it seems that the knights regard this fairly highly, so there are a lot of members who would do it even if it’s not a training day.
I also participated in this training without using my Skills, but it was harder than I thought.
There were only people who train regularly around me, so I, who do not have enough stamina, was quickly left behind.
It’s as Brother-in-law-san said.
Certainly, I understand well that I completely lack these basic things.
......It was really tiring and difficult, but at any rate, I desperately chased after the backs of the knights who were running in front of me.
It’s okay even if I can’t catch up to them now.
However, I will absolutely complete this until the end.
As I made a strong determination, I was determined on moving my legs, and I ran...... for about an hour.
The long training run finally ended.
I collapsed at that spot, and devoted myself to adjust my breathing as I gasped for air.
As I did that, Brother-in-law-san who had run with us came towards me.
He seemed to be subtly sweating, but his breath isn’t disordered at all.
「Nice work, for persevering until the end, Myne」
「......Haa, haa...... I feel my...... own lack of...... stamina......」
As I said that while gasping, Brother-in-law-san folded his arms and started laughing loudly.
No, it’s okay for you to laugh that much.......
「How was it? Have you come to understand what I said a little?」
「......Yes......」
「Since the problem of distance between the royal capital and the Town of Lucas is gone, from now on, you’ll come here to learn.
In your case, by preparing your foundation as much as you can until a certain extent, you’ll become extremely strong.
Listen, it might be difficult, but you’ll have to complete it without fail.
The next program is calisthenics,this is also an essential component in the important body-building.
Firmly come with us」
Saying that, Brother-in-law-san returned to the place where he looked over the knights once more.
......But, Brother-in-law-san looked over his shoulder suddenly and said a few words.
「Aah, I forgot to say it, you can’t relieve your fatigue with recovery magic, okay?
It won’t do you any good.
It’s important to boost your body’s ability to heal yourself, after all」
Saying that, this time he left this place.
Then, while I haven’t fully recovered my stamina, the calisthenics started, just as Brother-in-law-san declared.
First, a few sets of exercise to stretch the body’s muscles was carried out.
After doing calisthenics with my legs spread while maintaining my breath at a fixed rate and exhaling, pairs were formed.
In order to stretch muscles which aren’t usually used, one’s legs were spread until an impossible angle.
In a glance, it seems like a simple practice, but it’s difficult in a different meaning than the previous long training run.
Thanks to the pain, I seriously felt like fainting.
The calisthenics which can be said to be hell, as expected, was conducted for about an hour like the long training run.
「......I’m going to die......」
I, who once again lay down on the ground in the 大 shape, let out a single sentence.
To me, who had never done anything like professional training until now, this is a really fresh experience, but.......
As expected, a difficult thing is difficult no matter what....... (TLN: Yeah... Can’t think of a good wording for this.......
「......The knights are all amazing, huh......」
The knight leader who heard my casual mutter smiled as he called out to me.
「Myne-dono, we’ve been doing this for a long time.
We’re different from Myne-dono who is experiencing this for the first time today.
Rather, I think you are working hard even though it’s your first time」
......Un, that’s certainly true.
Even my favourite sunflowers won’t sprout immediately after planting the seeds.
Just like Brother-in-law-san said, accumulating everyday is important.
Un, let’s keep at this!
Knight Leader-san, l truly thank you for comforting me!
I believe it is a longish break after the calisthenics.
Now then, I wonder what’s the next training?
「Yosh, Myne, come here. From now on, it is your personal training」
Called by Brother-in-law-san, he then brought me to the edge of the training ground.
「Hold this」
Brother-in-law-san said that, and what he handed me was...... the wooden dager I used in the previous mock battle.
Mn? Are we having another mock battle??
「I’ll show you a few dagger styles, so look closely.
Once you’ve become familiar with it, I’ll assign a guy who specialises in daggers, but let me first show you examples」
Saying that, Brother-in-law-san showed me a few styles of using the dagger for a while.
After doing about ten styles, I was told “Try doing the same thing,” and I quickly attempt it.
「......Wrong, that’s not how you do it! The way you’re moving your arm is completely wrong!」
「That’s not it! Relax your shoulder more!」
「Yes, that’s it! Swing it! ......Wrong, remember how I did it just now!!」
I was made to redo over and over again, and before I realised, my whole body was covered in sweat.
「......Let’s take a break」
Once again, I sat down hard on the ground.
I’ll definitely have muscle pains tomorrow......, I don’t think there’s any doubt in that.
「Listen, Myne, after you finished resting, relax and try to think about your condition.
Right now, your tiredness is at the peak, right?
Try to naturally relax your body and cut down on unnecessary movements.
If you move as such, it’ll be half the battle won.
After that, you should memorise that movement with your body」
While receiving such an advice, I passed my break, and once again restarted my form practice.
......In the end, that day’s training ended two hours after that.
「You worked hard, good work」
As I lay down exhausted, Brother-in-law-san spoke some words of appreciation.
=====
Chapter 93 – Mock Battle (1)
The joint training involving the first and second knight unit, coached by Brother-in-law-san ended without incidents.
I was overwhelmed by my own “lack of stamina”, rather than the “lack of skill” which Brother-in-law-san said.
I was able to greatly experience personally how much I relied on my Skills when battling all this time.
「......Uu, my body’s aching all over......」
Even when I tried to stand up, my legs were shivering greatly so I couldn’t stand up well.
「Wafu!」
Mn? Waffle? Did he come for me?
As I looked in the direction of the bark, there was Waffle, wagging his tail as he was carried in Aisha’s arms.
「......Danna-sama, you look quite tired」
From beside Aisha, Sylphy called out to me.
「......Everyone, you came」
「Are you alright? It seems like it has been very hard on you......」
Aisha looked at me worriedly.
As expected, I seem very weak in others’ eyes, huh.......
In actuality, my legs are shaking and I can’t even stand up properly.......
「It seems like you can’t stand up....... Danna-sama, here, hold on」
I took the hand Sylphy held out, and somehow stood up.
However, I can’t control my feet well.......
「Da, Da, Danna-sama......」
I accidentally collapsed as if pushing down Sylphy.
「S, sorry!」
Aisha pulled me up from my back and I was somehow able to stand up, but I blushed fiercely at the sudden accident.
Just like me, Sylphy’s face was also bright red.
Brother-in-law-san and the knight leader who had been looking at the scene from a distance grinned, but I’ll ignore them for now.
『Myne, what’s wrongー? Your face is redー』
Most likely, Waffle really doesn’t understand.
However, having asked that at this timing is quite embarrassing.
「N, nothing! Waffle!!」
As I skillfully avoided the question, I borrowed Aisha’s shoulder and escaped the place with readiness.
「Myne, come here tomorrow as well!」
I heard Brother-in-law-san’s voice coming from behind me, and after I turned my head back and nodded, I continued my escape to our room.
Even if she is my fiancee, even if it is an act of God, it’s a fact that I pushed her down in the presence of the public.
Talk about embarrassing.
......I don’t want to look at the knights’ faces tomorrow.......
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
「......Aah, that was embarrassing」
I who finally arrived at our room then tottered to the bed and collapsed on it.
「......If I remember correctly, I can’t use recovery magic, right?」
Aisha looked at me as she enquired of Sylphy, whose face was still red, as expected.
「......A, aah.......
You can’t use recovery magic to heal fatigue.
Only by self-healing completely with one’s own strength can it be helpful」
Sylphy also apologetically looked at me and clearly declared that.
「......Thanks, both of you.
I was also told by Brother-in-law-san to not use receovery magic so I’ll hang on.
I’ll obediently enter the bath and immediately go to sleep for today」
While saying that, I disobediently move my body forcibly and stood up in order to prepare to enter the bath.
『Bathー, bathー, I’m going in tooー』
Aah, come to think of it, when we previously entered the bath, Waffle was also strangely pleased with the bath.......
While dog paddling, he was happily swimming smoothly in the bath.......
『Un, in that case, why don’t you join me?』
As I said that, Waffle wagged his tail wildly and charged at me.
Ah, don’t! Not today, doー notー tackle meーーーー！
I who had trouble even with just standing on my own, couldn’t stop Waffle’s happy tackle with his whole body.......
Once again,I staggered as I collapsed onto my bed.
As I did that, Aisha and Sylphy held my arms from both my sides and helped me stand up.
「「We’ll be entering together as well♪」」
......Un, I had thought that this would happen.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
The training from the next day onwards was also extremely severe (for me), but at the same time, I was able to certainly noticed a good, expected result.
My body was able to move better day by day, without a doubt.
Well, even that, when compared to Brother-in-law-san, the knight leader, and the others, it’s still child’s play.
My mood is lifted if I get results, so my motivation is gushing forth.
At any rate, I moved my body everyday as I have been told, and continued swinging my dagger.
And then, the eve of the wedding ceremony has finally arrived.
By the way, until the eve of the wedding ceremony, in other words, today, I’ve completed one part of this training.
「Now then, Myne, for now, we’ll end this part for today.
Now, I was thinking of having a mock battle in order to see the results from the training」
Brother-in-law-san announced to me.
「Will I be battling Brother-in-law-san again?」
「No, you’ll be fighting without using Skills, it’s still too harsh for me to be your opponent, isn’t it?」
Un, it’s certainly as he said.
I’ve seen Brother-in-law-san giving the knights lessons many times during training, but I don’t think I can win against him at all.
If Skills are okay, but setting that aside, fighting with Brother-in-law-san without my Skills, I want him to hold back if possible.
「......Ummm, in that case, who’s my opponent??」
As I asked that, the knight leader led one of the knights over.
「He’s the most promising one of the young members.」 I guarantee his strength」
I see, if my opponent is a young knight, it’ll be just right for the me right now, huh?
Let’s do our best, as if practicing with someone of higher skill!
「Understood! I’ll try my best!」
As I returned such an answer, the young knight-san quickly came in front of me, put his hand on his chest and bowed.
「Nice to meet you, Myne-dono, I am Carl, a member of the second knight unit.
I am weak, but I shall strive to become your opponent with all my power.
Please take care of me」
Un, he’s a really polite person!
I feel that he’s a knight among knights! No wonder he was endorsed by Knight Leader-san.
He’s busy, but spared time for my sake.
Thank you!
「Thank you for being my opponent even though you’re busy!」
As I said that and expressed my gratitude, Knight Leader-san smiled wryly and said this.
「No, he strongly wished to become Myne-dono’s opponent no matter what.
That’s why, you don’t need to humble yourself that much」
Eh? He wanted to fight me?
......This is the first time I’m meeting him, but I wonder if I did anything to him.
I was surely making an uneasy expression.
In a panic, Carl-san waved both his hands and explained 「It’s not like anything happened!」.
「......Aah, thank goodness」
Probably because I was relieved, Carl-san also put his hand to his chest and felt relieved.
Un, he really seems like a good person.
Yosh, he’s gone so far as to become my opponent.
Though it’ll only be a short while, let’s test the results of my work!
=====
Chapter 94 – Mock Battle (2)
「Well then, the mock battle will commence! Bow to each other!」
It’s my first battle not using Skills, though it’s a mock battle.
Probably because of nervousness, I could feel the insides of my mouth becoming strangely dry.
My opponent is the hopeful young member of the knight order, Carl-san.
Because it’s my first time seeing him, I have absolutely no idea how he fights.
By the way, the use of 【Appraisal・Complete】 was prohibited by Brother-in-law-san.
That’s why I’ll have to judge with the information I have and fight.
Carl-san’s weapon is the spear, and on top of that, he readied a long spear in his right hand and a short one on his left.
......It’s probably the 【Dual Wield】 Skill.
However, the use of Skills are prohibited in this battle.
That doesn’t only apply to me, but also Carl-san, so it’s not a Skill, but.......
Unconcerned with my confusion, the signal to start the battle came from Knight Leader-san.
「Battle, start!!!」
Carl-san slowly closed the distance between us along with shouts.
「Fufu, Myne-dono, you seem to be perplexed? The battle’s already started, you know」
......Aah, that’s certainly true.
I don’t have tim to be confused.
If I were to be careless, I will suffer like when I fought with the caterpillar previously. (TLN: Waaaaay back in the first 10 chapters.)
Not to mention the fact taht I will have a family from now on.
I can’t die and leave my family because of my negligence.
I also held my daggers in both of my hands, and squared off with Carl-san.
Even without Skills, the sensation when using Skills certainly remains in my body.
Because of that, this dual wielding is absolutely not some borrowed plumes.
......Perhaps, Carl-san’s also the same.
「......I see, that stance...... it looks splendid now.
Does that mean you weren’t looking at my stance and imitating it?」(TLN: I have no idea. Tried my best)
Saying that, Carl-san started charging towards me with the long spear projected in front of him.
F, fast!
......However, compared to when Brother-in-law-san suddenly appearing in front of me......!
I’ll predict Carl-san’s movements as he’s appraoching me, and avoid it with a back step.
After that, I’ll approach his bust and get a hit in!
As I decided that in a moment, I jumped backwards until the range where the spear just barely misses.
「Yosh! I avoided it!!」
Thinking that, and in the moment I tried to leap in in order to counterattack, the spear which I avoided...... extended!
「Eh!?」
Understanding the situation, and I made movements to avoid it but...... it was too late.......
In the instant I aimed to counterattack, Carl-san’s long spear hit my side like a counter.
「Guha!!」
Although it’s a wooden spear, it’s power is tremendous.
I staggered and reflexively collapseed.
......If this was serious, I would have died.
What in the world happened?
There’s no doubt I avoided Carl-san’s attack.
！！！！！
This isn’t the time to think, Carl-san thursted towards me in order to deal the finishing blow.
......This time he swung his short spear downwards.
「Kuh!! As if I’ll let you!」
I endured the pain in my flank and stacked my two daggers in the 十 shape, and stopped the short spear’s blow.
Then I aimed at Carl-san and threw the dagger I was holding on my right hand.
He probably didn’t think that I would let go of my weapon, Carl-san avoided it with a surprised expression...... but, with his surprise, his movements became large, and a moment of chance was presented.
I won’t miss this chance!!
I gripped my right hand which threw out the dagger tightly, aimed at Carl-san’s solar plexus and swung it at full strength.
......He probably never thought that the hand which isn’t using a dagger would come hitting him.
My fist accurately hit Carl-san’s solar plexus.
This isn’t my first time attacking with my fist without using any Skills.
Although I staggered a little, I think I’ve delivered damage which isn’t something to be trifled with.
「Guh!」
Carl-san’s body bent into a く shape.
I’ll have to quickly take some distance and recover even a little......!
Carl-san was probably thinking the same thing as well.
Like me, he back stepped and separated from me.
「Kuh, I never thought that you would throw away your weapon and hit me......」
Now then, I’ve somehow got away with a clever scheme, but there’s no doubt that the situation’s unfavourable to me.
If I don’t see through the true identity of that extending spear, Carl-san’s first hit, I feel like I won’t have a chance of winning.
What in the world was that?
I certainly avoided it, but.......
Did I possibly made a mistake in estimating the distance?
......No, that isn’t it.
Although it was just barely, it’s a fact that I avoided it.
However, after that, the spearhead extended.
......Yosh, let’s test it out.
I wear the dagger I had been holding in my left hand on my waist and became unarmed.
I then relaxed, and took a relaxed stance.
Looking at my state, Carl-san frowned for a moment but immediately reset his expression and called out to me.
「......It doesn’t seem like...... you’ve given up on this match, right?
Now, now, what are you thinking, I wonder」
Don’t mind it, he’s only agitating me to read my thoughts.
What I have to do right now is to concentrate all my effort on evading and to know Carl-san’s attack’s secret.
What I learnt during the training, from the breath of the opponent and the movement of his muscles...... to predict his movements from such things.
Probably not really understanding the meaning of my movements, Carl-san carefully wait and see.
As expected, it seems like he isn’t carelessly jumping in.
Yosh, now then.......
「......What’s wrong? Carl-san, are you afraid of this unarmed me?」
I tried to provoke him, which is unlike me, but how is it?
「A direct provocation.......
I understand that, but alright. I’ll take the bait!」
Ahaha...... I seem to have been found out.
However, result-wise, it seems to be good!
While smiling, he fiercely started charging towards me.
「I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’ll end this now!」
What Carl-san chose was the long spear’s attack, like the first one.
Yes! That’s exactly what I had been waiting for.
A blow from the spear was unleashed against me.
Un, up until now, it was a completely normal attack.
There isn’t anything particularly...... Mn? What’s that? The movement of his shoulder muscles...... something feels out of place?
Huh? What’s this, it’s not just his shoulders, this strange sense of discomfort is?
The attack this time was different from before, and he doesn’t plan to counterattack.
I didn’t avoid it barely, but backstepped greatly.
Then, even while avoiding the spear, I concentrated on Carl-san’s right shoulder which I felt was out of place and observed it closely.
As I did that, Carl-san pulled his shoulder back and pushed it out in front of him.
Moreover, his right pivot foot made a step forward.
I see, that’s what I felt was out of place.
He changed his pivot foot and approached, huh.
By advancing his pivot foot, and pushing his spear in front after pulling back his shoulder, to the opponent, it looks like the spear had extended.
I see, certainly, this is a “technique”.
Devoting myself to avoiding, I had some room, and could completely avoid this attack.
As took a glance at Carl-san, I could see that he had quite the vexed expression.
It was probably a blow he was confident in.
In reality, thanks to this attack, I was driven until I was just one step short of losing.
However, if I know the trick behind it, this match is mine!
From now on, I’ll start my counterattack!
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