After the ball, the Grand Duke returned to his daily routine.
However, not everything returned to how it was before. There were some changes.
The biggest change in my daily life was the dawn training.
“Mirabel, from today onwards, I will teach you how to handle a sword.”
Brian, who had only trained my physical strength until now, handed me a rapier after two weeks.
I expected to start after building a stronger foundation, but I was given a rapier faster than I thought.
It was a delightful change for me, as I had wanted to learn how to handle a sword.
As I examined the heavy rapier, I realized once again that I was still a young girl.
When I was active as a mercenary, this weight wouldn’t have felt heavy at all, like holding a brick. But now, it felt heavy as if I were holding a brick.
“You may have expected a real sword, but for now, we’ll train with a rapier. We’ll start by learning the basics of handling a sword. It’s still too dangerous for you to handle a real sword.”
“Yes, I understand, Master.”
Brian nodded his head with satisfaction.
“First, let me show you how to hold the sword. Follow along like this.”
Brian demonstrated how to hold the sword, and I imitated his movements.
It was slightly different from the way I usually held a sword, but I quickly caught on.
“Is this how you do it?”
I asked Brian as I followed his demonstration, and he carefully observed my posture.
Then he nodded his head with a pleased expression.
“Yes, you catch on quickly, maybe because of your natural talent. Now, I’ll teach you how to swing the sword. Watch closely.”
Brian faced forward while holding the sword, and he swung it slowly from side to side so that I could follow along.
Watching his simple posture, I realized how much training he must have gone through.
Usually, when the speed is slow, there are usually openings. However, I couldn’t sense any slight openings from Brian’s slow swings.
Even if I were an opponent to someone sharing a sword, I wouldn’t be able to attack recklessly.
Watching his nearly perfect posture, I couldn’t help but admire it unintentionally.
At that moment, Brian looked at me and burst into laughter. Elliot, who was watching from the side, was the same.
“It seems Mirabel finds it fascinating how father wields the sword.”
Elliot jokingly said to Brian.
Brian smiled proudly and gently stroked my head.
“Now, Mirabel, you try it. If your posture is wrong, I’ll correct you.”
“Yes, Master!”
Recalling Brian’s posture as much as possible, I slowly swung the sword from side to side.
Brian watched me while crossing his arms, then approached me closely.
“Your posture wasn’t bad just now. But widen your stance a bit more and put more power into your lower body. And you’re putting too much tension in your shoulders. Relax and try again.”
Brian carefully observed my posture.
In addition, he directly corrected the direction of my shoulders and the direction of my gaze, then suggested that I swing the sword again.
I swung the sword, imitating Brian’s posture.
However, I couldn’t replicate Brian’s posture as well as I had thought, so Brian gradually corrected my posture.
After repeating the motion of swinging the sword several times, Brian stopped correcting my posture.
Feeling uneasy, I looked at Brian and Elliot. Brian nodded with a smile, and Elliot raised his thumb towards me.
Anita, who had been sitting nearby watching, imitated applause while looking at me.
Only then did I realize that my movements were not bad.
Relieved, I swung the sword again.
To remember this posture, a mere one or two swings were not enough.
I needed to swing it at least a thousand times, ten thousand times, to make it natural for my body.
“Good, Mirabel. Now, remember that posture and swing horizontally a hundred times.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Elliot, from today onward, practice the basics more diligently. Stand next to Mirabel and swing horizontally a hundred times together.”
“Yes, Father.”
Following Brian’s instructions, Elliot took his position and started swinging the sword horizontally, just as I had done.
Certainly, his basic posture was much more stable and fluid than mine when I first learned it.
Elliot’s posture was almost as good as Brian’s, thanks to learning the sword from Brian since he was young.
After briefly watching Elliot, I focused on swinging the sword horizontally.
Until now, I had practiced the sword alone and had to study independently from books whenever I felt lacking. But now, I could learn swordsmanship from someone who had mastered it from the basics.
This joy enabled me to willingly accept even the most demanding training.
If my posture ever became disorganized during the swings, Brian, who had been watching me, would provide guidance.
We practiced swinging the sword for an hour and a half, and then spent the remaining half-hour on stamina training and stretching before the training ended.
Returning to the practice room, I headed to the bathroom.
Due to the movements of swinging the sword, my back muscles were slightly warm.
As I immersed myself in warm water, that warmth slowly dissipated.
“Isn’t it tough?”
Kalina suddenly asked me.
I turned my head and confirmed Kalina’s presence. She smiled gently and looked at me.
“It’s learning swordsmanship.”
“No, not at all. It’s actually great exercise. Besides, I’ve only started holding the wooden sword after doing stamina training until now, so it’s interesting.”
Opportunities like this were rare.
Even if Brian didn’t teach me swordsmanship, I would have found a way to learn it on my own.
But Brian not only agreed to my request but also showed consideration by teaching me the sword. I had no reason to complain.
Moreover, my young body was filled with as much stamina as I had when I was a mercenary.
I didn’t feel exhausted as quickly as before. Was it because of my divine power? I thought I should ask Vivre about it later.
“Are you a young lady who wants to become a knight?”
I hesitated for a moment at Kalina’s cautious question.
I didn’t particularly want to become a knight.
My goal was simply to protect the Crichton Duchy from Daniel and felt the need to learn swordsmanship for that purpose.
However, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to become a knight if the opportunity arose.
Above all, becoming a knight would grant me a title.
From what I had heard through Lady Maynard, in noble society, unmarried noblewomen without titles usually became someone’s wife and lived their lives in a very limited way.
Since I had no intention of marriage, becoming a knight and receiving a title seemed acceptable for my future.
“For now.”
Easily persuaded, Kalina widened her eyes as if amazed.
“It will be a difficult path.”
“It’s okay. I’ve already walked a much more difficult path.”
“Really?”
I answered while recalling memories from when I lived as a mercenary. I raised my head towards Kalina, who looked curious.
“Oh no, it’s nothing.”
Knowing it would seem strange, I brushed it off without any room for explanation.
Being still young, Kalina seemed to dismiss it as a young child saying something silly.
After finishing my bath, I headed straight to the dining hall.
“Is Bell here?”
Mom greeted me first.
As I approached Mom, she lightly hugged me.
“You trained since dawn today too, right?”
“Yeah. Today, Master finally taught me how to wield a wooden sword.”
I replied with an excited voice, and Mom patted my back approvingly.
“That’s right. You don’t have to push yourself too hard. Take breaks when you need them.”
“Speaking of breaks, Mirabel is so talented that I can’t help but say it, Cornelia.”
Brian, who had just entered the dining hall, intercepted Mom’s words.
“It took Elliot several days to correct his moves, but Mirabel learned them in just one day. That’s talent. Very exceptional talent.”
When Mom stood up from her seat, Bryan gently smiled with admiration in his eyes.
“It’s really our Bell?”
“Yeah. I was surprised too. She keeps up with physical training quickly, her posture is excellent, and she has perseverance. I’m looking forward to her future. Maybe Mirabel takes after Gael.”
“Gael…”
Mom looked at me with slightly moved eyes as she mentioned Father’s name.
Father was a former knight who didn’t forget his duty as a knight even when he died.
He was a commoner but became a knight with excellent sword skills and even received a title.
Considering that he also had talent in swordsmanship when he was a mercenary, I might have resembled him without realizing it.
I looked down at my hands with a newfound feeling.
That’s when it happened.
“Gael was indeed skilled. But isn’t it a bit strange for a girl to learn swordsmanship, even if Mirabel learns it quickly? What if she gets hurt?”
Entering the dining hall with a frown, it was Daniel.
Daniel walked past me and looked at me with a tender expression.
Although his words seemed like genuine concern, I knew that he wanted to marry me off and get rid of me.
“I understand your worries, but still, it’s admirable to see Mirabel trying anything. Mirabel, dear. If you want, I’ll support you in whatever you choose. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”
As Duke Crichton passed by, he lightly patted my shoulder.
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
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