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7

“You want to learn swordsmanship but you’re a girl, and you’re scared to face the boys who practiced the art of swordsmanship since childhood. Not all teachers would be able to understand what you’re going through.”

Um… The teacher seemed to have gotten the wrong idea. I was more interested in magic than swordsmanship to begin with, but it was a requirement for knights so I only joined this course because of it. I sheepishly grinned and slowly nodded my head.

“But as you might already know, Shuraina, you have to understand that the road might be harsher for you as a girl. I want to applaud you for beginning your harsh journey forwards.”

While we were speaking, all the students had finished moving and were in two neat lines. The awkward air in the hall had eased, so the teacher’s voice rang clearly through the hall. All the students were staring at the two of us. I wiped my forehead because I thought cold sweat was pouring down, but it was dry. How exhausting.

“As a teacher, I believe that once you start something, you continue ahead even if you’re afraid, and trying your best until the end is what defines a true knight. If you want to survive in this place, that’s the only solution. Don’t be picky about your ways of survival, either! If you want to get to the top, you can’t be picky about how you get there!”

The teacher passed me a sword with burning, passionate eyes. I didn’t know what kind of heartwarming drama was playing in his head, but his eyes were red-rimmed with tears.

This teacher was an annoyingly good person. I slowly began to feel anxious. There was already pressure from all the gazes locked on me, but it felt like this teacher was adding on to it.

The teacher put their hand on my shoulder, and eyed the swordsmanship class students again. The students seemed touched by the teacher’s short speech and were staring at me in support. The teacher looked at the male students, and said, “Oh! That’s it.” and called somebody over.

“Sir Hylli, please come over here.”

My heart was pounding. I frantically shook my head from side to side to the teacher in a silent plea to please stop, but it seemed as if he didn’t see me.

Hylli’s face twisted into an annoyed expression as he slowly trudged over to where I stood. Then, he stared at the teacher with narrowed eyes.

“Are you going to make me do something annoying again.”

The teacher laughed broadly at his curt tone.

“I won’t tell His Royal Highness that you ditched our last lesson if you help with this.”
“I wasn’t ditching. I just….”
“You just?”

Because I was wary of you. Hylli glared at the teacher and sighed. It was nothing.

Apparently, Hylli had come on campus to take obligatory swordsmanship classes as the royal prince. It looked like he had skipped class often, considering that he couldn’t even argue back at the teacher. Hylli pouted as he was unable to rebuke what the teacher said. His red eyes glared at me, irritated. I tried my best to cover my hair with my towel while avoiding his gaze.

“Sir Hylli, you’re very good at teaching others, are you not? I ask you to assist just until student Shuraina here can duel.”

It looked like Hylli and the teacher was close, but also not. Hylli looked at me and snorted. He walked towards me, walking past the teacher who was thanking him.

“Follow me.”

He waved his hand to follow him, and we went away from the students in line.

The teacher seemed to be resuming class.