Chapter 120………………………………………
“W-What, the training grounds?”
I couldn’t believe it and stammered in response.
“Every day… twenty laps?”
I’ve been to the training grounds before, so I know.
It’s—huge.
Even the knights who train there every day would grimace if asked to run twenty laps around it.
And they expect me to do it?
I’m still such a small child with short little legs!
“Why, you think you can’t do it?”
Grandma Mago asked, her gaze stern.
It was the kind of expression that said if I couldn’t even do this, she couldn’t teach me swordsmanship.
‘Honestly… this seems impossible.’
But if I’m going to learn swordsmanship anyway, I want to learn from her.
“Uuuuugh.”
I groaned helplessly, caught between wanting to try and fearing it.
“Ha ha ha!”
Grandma Mago suddenly wiped the severity from her eyes and laughed heartily.
“I’m joking, joking. So there’s no need to be so scared.”
“R-Really…?”
“Really. There’s no way I could put you through that kind of training from the very beginning.”
“Phew!”
It was just a joke—thank goodness.
I finally let out a relieved sigh, my chest unclenching.
Though the words “from the very beginning” still made me uneasy.
“But, child, if you want to learn swordsmanship, you can’t avoid physical training as well,”
Grandma Mago said again, in a soothing tone.
“To handle a sword properly, you first need to be able to control your own body freely.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I know that already.
“…I’ll do my best!”
I can’t run twenty laps around the training grounds right now.
But someday, I’ll be able to run that easily!
‘I’ll train hard.’
Until the moment I can become as skilled a swordsman as Father Zion!
“Good spirit,”
Grandma Mago said, gently patting my head and smiling.
“Well, even though I said that, you can’t just start training recklessly.”
“……”
“So first, we need to properly gauge your physical condition.”
Her violet eyes—so different from Mother’s—locked onto me.
I swallowed hard as I met the gaze that examined me like an open book.
The person in front of me was certainly Grandma Mago.
But right now, she felt more like a strict teacher than a grandmother.
“Hmm, then let’s start with some simple questions first.”
“S-Simple questions…?”
“Have you ever learned any kind of exercise or training from your fathers?”
Exercise, huh.
“Umm…”
I furrowed my brows, thinking deeply the moment Grandma Mago asked.
Exercise from my fathers…?
‘Does climbing count as exercise?’
I used to follow Father to the hills nearby all the time.
‘Or maybe tag?’
Can tag be considered exercise? Well, at least it involves running.
No, that’s just playing, right?
I’ve never formally learned running from Father either.
‘Ah! I remember something!’
And it’s something I learned fairly recently!
I puffed out my chest proudly and answered.
“Throwing a sling stone.”
I even learned it from a master archer!
“Throwing a sling stone, huh.”
Grandma Mago widened her eyes slightly at my answer.
“It’s obvious who taught you that… anyway, that’s quite a unique skill you’ve learned.”
“Hehe.”
“Well, for a beginner, it’s far more intuitive than archery. I understand why you chose that.”
Then Grandma Mago glanced me up and down, tilting her head.
“But with just that, child, it’s hard to judge your physical strength.”
“Yes, I figured.”
I nodded reflexively.
“So—”
Suddenly, Grandma Mago’s eyes crinkled as she smiled slyly.
“Let’s start by changing your clothes.”
The moment I saw that smile, a strange sense of unease washed over me.
It was a kind, gentle smile, just like usual.
So why did I feel a cold sweat running down my back?
‘H-Help me, Fer.’
I subtly rolled my eyes toward Fer, sending a silent plea.
He just shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, You handle it yourself.
‘Right, Fer’s got a point.’
Deciding to learn swordsmanship from Grandma Mago directly was my own decision.
So I have to endure it…
“All right, we don’t have much time, so let’s move quickly.”
I looked back at Grandma Mago, still smiling.
…It was the right choice, wasn’t it?
The hellish physical test began.
“Ughhhh…”
By the time the sun was setting,
I was half-dragged by Mother, shuffling along like a zombie.
If anyone asked what happened in the meantime, I could only answer:
First, there was a “physical test” that was really just hellish training.
‘It honestly felt like I ran twenty laps around the training grounds.’
If that had been all, it would have been fortunate.
But the moment I arrived in my bedroom, utterly exhausted…
<Oh dear!>
The maids, horrified at my appearance, scrubbed me clean and dressed me without giving me a moment’s rest.
Grandfather had invited Mother and me to dinner.
‘Why today of all days?’
Wouldn’t it have been better if it were yesterday… or even tomorrow?
Why did Grandfather have to insist on dinner today…?
“Ehh…”
I’m already this exhausted—how much worse will tomorrow be?
I’m already dreading the muscle soreness that will hit me…
“What’s wrong, Cici?”
Mother noticed my groaning and stopped walking to ask.
Apparently, she hadn’t heard about my “deal” with Grandma Mago yet.
Since the imperial palace and training grounds are far apart, and the people going in and out hardly overlap, news travels slowly.
‘And my fathers aren’t here either.’
Father Kyle is in his lab, Father Harzen is working in the office.
Father Derek and Yeppi are wandering outside the palace.
By the way, the reason Yeppi is with Father Derek is simple:
She wants to explore the human world beyond the palace.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I’ve been alone with Mother like this.’
Usually, I would’ve taken this chance to pester her for something.
“Cici? Are you listening to me?”
While my thoughts were spiraling, Mother asked again.
I snapped back to reality and faced her.
“Just… tired.”
“What did you do today that made our Cici so exhausted?”
“Umm…”
I did so much.
Jumping jacks, running back and forth, climbing stairs… everything.
“Mom, can we ask Grandfather to have dinner tomorrow instead?”
There’s no way I can manage tonight.
I finally admitted it, and Mother frowned, looking troubled.
“Oh, you’re that tired?”
“Yes. Really, completely, utterly tired.”
I wanted to lie down right on this street and sleep.
“Mom would love to do that too, but could you endure just a little, for Cici’s sake?”
She brushed my forehead gently with her palm.
“Actually, today—”
And at that moment—
“Cici!”
A loud voice rang from afar.
Forgetting my exhaustion, I immediately turned toward the source.
I said I had almost forgotten, but in reality, I had never once.
I had missed them so much.
“Father!”
It was Father Zion’s voice.
