After we wake up, we’re taken to a square where the royal guards train.
I see people already equipped and ready to go, and when we join them, everyone’s eyes turn our way.
Some people among them are wearing more gaudy outfits. They’re talking to Alfriede, but are they visitors or something?
Training starts with warm up exercises, and then practicing using different weapons. They all seem to have a main weapon, but they use different weapons depending on the monsters they’re fighting.
Isn’t that going to lead to a jack of all trades, master of none situation? Well, all of them have dragon blood, so their long lifespans mean they can afford to do this.
Their lifespans are more than twice as long as humans’, so I guess this kind of training suits them. Swords, spears, and they even use bows.
Incidentally, I take this opportunity to use a bow for the first time, and my aim is better than average. I’m sure that’s the Throw – Shooting skill at work.
Hikari and Chris are relatively good at it too, and surprisingly, Sera does the worst.
After doing some basic training, we take a break, and then split up into groups to do mock battles.
“Hikari, I challenge you!”
I turn around and see Sirk.
It hasn’t been that long, but it looks like he forgot what happened before.
He doesn’t stand a chance, but it’s also nice that he doesn’t give up.
When he starts to raise his sword, that reminds me of when I challenged Rurika again and again, and she beat me again and again.
Hikari hesitates for a second, but quickly goes back to her usual unemotional expression, and raises her short wooden sword.
Sirk gets ready too, and after Alfriede comes forward to be a referee, the mock battle begins.
I don’t know if it’s because Sirk is fighting, or because Alfriede is refereeing, but other people who were fighting stop and watch them instead.
This isn’t like when Sirk was fighting me. Sirk’s sword doesn’t waver one bit as he beautifully handles it to cut at Hikari. What’s going on?
“Surprised? He was all shaky when he fought you.”
“Yes. And it was like he was feeling pressured.”
Say Rurika and Sera.
“I’m sure he was jealous of you.”
Says Mia, and I notice she’s breathing a little heavily. This kind of training must be tough for her. Chris also has beads of sweat on her forehead.
In the meantime, those two are having a nice match.
From what I heard, Hikari crushed him when they fought in the guild, but this time Sirk is strengthening his defense, and evading fatal attacks.
“My brother has been getting a lot of advice from the royal guard in these last few days, and training with them very seriously. And he’s been sneaking into the dungeon to hunt monsters.”
Says Sahana, who is standing here all of a sudden.
I’m a bit surprised. And when I peek at her face in profile, I see she’s watching Sirk fight with a serious expression.
It’d be nice if she could be like that with him all the time, but I guess there’s something between siblings that prevents them from being honest like that. I’m an only child, so I wouldn’t know.
Eventually, the mock battle that goes on for longer than most ends when Hikari catches an opening and wins.
“I guess it all comes down to experience. Hikari managed to take advantage of a break in his concentration.”
Rurika is right.
The moment he took a big breath to compose his breathing after all those intense movements, Hikari shifted into a higher gear and he couldn’t keep up with her.
But I feel like rather than tactics, this match was decided by a difference in their stamina.
Normally you wouldn’t do a mock fight against the same person for twenty minutes anyway. From that point of view, I think Sirk put up a good fight.
If it was me when I first started… No, let’s not go there, it’s just going to make me sad.
“I guess it’s impossible to really grow in just a few days.”
That’s not true. I think that was a good effort. And look at his face, he seems satisfied too.”
Sahana sighs, and I tell her to get a better look at Sirk, who is getting up from the ground.
He looks frustrated, but also satisfied, like he managed to achieve something.
I think the referee, Alfriede, is complimenting him too, and a big smile forms on his face.
It actually feels kind of new, because he’s had a stuffy look on his face ever since I met him.
Sahana lets out a smile too, but it quickly disappears.
“Well, my brother did make a good effort this time. As his sister, I would be happy if he were allowed to go on a date with Hikari as a reward.”
“That’s up to Hikari. But…”
I don’t know what kind of date she has in mind, but I feel like that would be hard to do here in Altair.
It’d be different if there were at least stalls… Maybe my mind just jumps to that because when I go anywhere with Hikari, there’s a high probability that we’re going to end up in front of food stalls.
“If he could at least cook…”
Sahana looks at me like she’s taken aback by what I said.
I almost laugh a little, because I feel like this is the first time I’m seeing an honest expression from her.
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Thanks for the treat.
So he can’t cook? If that’s the case all hope is lost 😁
“Isn’t that going to lead to a jack of all trades, master of none situation?”
I feel like the pot is calling the kettle black.