ODGD 26

Chapter 26

It had already been several days since the banquet at the Pluto Ducal House.

I was now officially a holy knight and had taken up residence in the Temple of Substitution. Today was my very first day of training.

I arrived at the training grounds twenty minutes earlier than the scheduled time written on my timetable.

New recruits must be disciplined! Always.

So I waited in the wide, empty field for the other trainees to arrive. Ten minutes passed. No one showed up.

Maybe everyone else planned to arrive right on the dot?

Another five minutes went by, and then a strange certainty hit me. I bolted toward the Training Support Office.

“Excuse me! Is today’s morning session not supposed to be in the Basic Training Yard?”

I held out my timetable as I asked. The clerk adjusted his glasses and frowned in confusion.

“Hm? That’s odd. Why does your schedule look like this? The morning session is in the First Training Yard, not the Basic one. It should already have started by now.”

“Ah—thank you!”

The moment he said so, I rushed out of the office. Somehow, without my knowing, my timetable had been switched.

But when I thought of the First Training Yard’s location, even if I ran the whole way, I’d still be twenty minutes late.

I didn’t hesitate. I used a Teleportation Ticket.

Please send me to the First Training Yard!

[Teleportation Ticket] – One used.
Remaining tickets: 14.

I arrived with only one minute to spare before training began.

Phew, just in time.

Looking around, I saw many trainee knights already gathered. They all looked a few years older than me.

As I approached, I caught snippets of their muttering.

“Heh, heh. That Primrose orphan thinks she can become a holy knight? Look, she’s not even showing up for the first training.”

“Bet she’s already too scared and ran away.”

“She probably can’t even make it here. I’ll bet my training boots on it!”

They burst into laughter.

Such a cheerful atmosphere.

Encouraged, I beamed brightly and called out, “Hello! Nice to meet you all!”

“!”

The sudden greeting fell like a lightning bolt from a clear sky.

The boys stiffened, as if they’d heard a ghost. A few of them froze completely.

“Y-You… how are you here…?”

“Why? Isn’t this where today’s training is being held?”

“W-Well, yes, but…”

“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Crescent Dallas, newly appointed holy knight.”

“……”

Silence.

Their faces said everything—they hadn’t expected me.

As I suspected, some of them must have switched my timetable to stop me from showing up.

Just then, a boy with green hair stepped forward.

“You rootless girl. Don’t think anyone here is going to acknowledge you.”

“Me?” I blinked, wide-eyed, wearing an expression that practically said, What nonsense is this?

The green-haired boy faltered at my feigned innocence.

“A-And how dare a mere Primrose look directly into the eyes of a Canary! The Order of Holy Knights has strict ranks!”

Ranks? Oh, I knew those very well.

Holy knights were divided into seven tiers based on the color revealed by God’s Stone. Green-hair was boasting of being a Canary—bright yellow.

A single step above the pale yellow of a Primrose.

Feigning perfect understanding, I replied smoothly, “Ah, so you’re a Canary. But that’s only one step higher than a Primrose, isn’t it? Now, if you were an Adamas, then I suppose I’d have trouble meeting your gaze…”

Adamas. The supreme rank of divine power.

When the cloudy God’s Stone turned into a dazzling transparent gem, it was called Adamas. Meteor was one of those rare few.

Given that even Duke Pluto and the Marquis ranked only a step below at Sapphire, it was obvious how untouchable Meteor’s status was.

Still, I too could raise my system level up to Adamas someday.

Until then—I’ll throw myself into training with everything I’ve got!

My motivation surged.

Meanwhile, Green-hair’s face turned crimson with rage.

“How dare a Primrose look down on a Canary! I won’t let this slide—”

“What do you all think you’re doing…?”

A calm, mature voice cut in from behind.

We turned. A knight in his mid-twenties stood watching us. Handsome, stern. One of the teaching knights in charge of training.

I already knew him: my assigned instructor, Aluin.

“The moment a new trainee arrives, you throw away the dignity of holy knights? Shameful.”

“S-Sir, it’s not what it looks like—”

“No excuses. All of you, run fifty laps around the yard. Everyone except the one who finishes last will forfeit sleep tonight.”

“…!”

Shock rippled through the group.

Fifty laps? Would he really deny us rest as punishment?

“Run!”

“Yes, sir!”

At his thunderous command, we all started moving. I joined the run.

But the training ground was massive. Fifty laps would flatten anyone. None of these kids would survive more than twenty laps.

Such a merciless punishment…!

…Actually, this works out for me.

I remembered one of the bonus rewards I’d received after finishing the tutorial:

For the next three years, you will not suffer stamina depletion or malnutrition!

A completely broken buff. Sure, it had a three-year limit, but so what?

Three years of training without collapse—enough to raise my level sky-high.

Heheh.

Cheered, I ran hard.

Everyone completed five laps without issue. With divine power aiding us, it was manageable. Ordinary people would’ve collapsed before finishing three.

The trouble began on the sixth lap.