I went out into the yard with Mr. Quilt.

　The lawn, which was recently weeded out, is glistening in the sun.
　The sky is blue and it looks hot again today.

　Under that blue sky, she turns around, her silver hair fluttering in a ponytail.

'Then let's get started, Merle.
Yes, Mr. Kilt!

　I reply cheerfully.
　She nods with a satisfied smile and our practice begins.

'We'll do some warm-up exercises first,'

　So, I started bending and stretching my arms and legs.

(Quilt, your body is so soft.)

　Standing with your knees stretched out, all of your palms reach the ground with a flop.
　Your leg extension exceeds 180 degrees.

"You need to keep working on your flexibility, my friend. Keep doing it every day, okay?　That will help prevent injuries.
Yes, yes.

　giggling

　I, on the other hand, look like a well-oiled robot.
　Mr. Kilt chuckles and pushes me back as I bend forward.

'Good luck, Merle.'
Rags to riches, rags to riches.

　Cheers fly from the sisters sitting in chairs on the terrace.

(No, we're still getting ready...)

　I smile bitterly.
　But I'm embarrassed and nervous to be seen, and my preparatory movements are awkward.

　Kirt, who noticed, looked back at them.

'As for you, keep your mouth shut. You must not interfere with Merle's practice.　
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about that.

　The two of them apologize in a hurry.

　I'm a little surprised.
　Kilt-san, you're really thinking about me seriously.
　That made me happy.

(I'll have to try my best to live up to that!)

　My motivation grew.
　The beautiful master was watching me closely and nodded, "Mm-hmm.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　The preparatory gymnastics was over, with his body working up a sweat.

　Mr. Kirt finally got his hands on two wooden swords.
　He holds one of them out to me.

'Hold it.'
Yes ... what?

　It's heavy!
　Even though it was supposed to be wooden, that wooden sword was much heavier than I thought it would be. This thing weighs a couple of pounds, right?

There's lead in the core. It's as heavy as a metal sword. You'll need to get used to it.
Yes, sir.

　I mean, it's just like a real sword.

(But ... are you going to wield this to fight?)

　I honestly can't imagine it.
　I don't feel like I can fight.

　Seeing the look on his face, Mr. Kilt chuckles.

"Don't think you can do anything from scratch. You have to take it one step at a time.
Oh, yes.

　That's right.
　You can't, so you're going to practice like you can, right, me?

　She nodded at the change in my expression.

'Good. Now, let's get this sword up. First, I'll show you how a strawman works.
Yes, sir.

　Mr. Kilt stands in front of me.
　Then he held the wooden sword in both hands and held it at the upper level.

(...........)

　I was surprised.
　The weight of the sword was not felt as if the movement was imperceptible.

　And the stance is very beautiful.

　The posture that is steadfast, like a supple tree.
　I feel that even the air around me is sharpened.　

　--Just hold the sword.

　With that one casual movement, even I, a layman, realized how great it was.

(This guy is really outrageous...)

　She releases her stance in front of me, who is even impressed.

'Okay, let's do it.'
Yes!

　I close my eyes once.

　I remember what Mr. Quilt just did.
　I visualize it over and over again.

　Smoothly, with no unnecessary force, no unnecessary movements, just lifting the sword.
　That's all.

(Good.)

　Opening my eyes, I held the wooden sword at the upper level.

''Huh?''

　Kilt-san let out a slightly surprised voice.

　Ugh.........the sword is heavy.
　After holding it up, the tip of the sword feels dizzy.

(Unnu......................Go for it, me!

　He grips the hilt and supports it tightly.

Hmm, not bad. It's an impressive display for a first timer.
Oh, yeah?
But you've put too much pressure on your hands.

　konk.

　Kilto's wooden sword struck my wooden sword from the side as I held it up.

''Ugh?''

　That's all it took for me to lose my balance, and I almost fell down.
　The Master laughs.

'Better to be dizzy the first time. Again.
Yes, sir.

　I brace myself again.

　The tip of the sword is still dizzy.

　Conch.

(...Huh?)

　Even though he was struck from the side, his sword only shook, but he didn't lose his balance.
　I see.
　Is it okay to have such a loose grip on it?

That's right. That's about right, when you don't need it. The sword must be supple.
Yes, sir.

　I understood, and Kilt-san smiled with satisfaction at me.

　In my field of vision, Illtimina-san nodded, ''Mm-hm,'' and Solstice looked at me, ''Heh,'' as if she was a bit impressed.

　Putting the wooden sword down, the master said.

'Next time, from that stance, swing the sword down.
Yes, sir.
See what happens first?

　Then Kirt-san stood in front of me.

　He held the wooden sword at the top level.
　With that alone, the air around me changes as if it were sucked in.

　Huh.

　The sword fell and the air was slashed.

''..........''

　There were no words.

　--It's just beautiful.

　Just beautiful.

　A straight, falling sword.

　Nothing else.
　Her entire body moved just for that. There was no extra effort, no movement to interfere, nothing.

　Just swinging the sword down.

　It was a supreme movement that shaved off everything else.　

(..........This is the sword of the Golden Mark Demon Hunter.......)

　Now I know.

　She usually uses a large sword, so all I can see is her prowess. But she's definitely a top-notch swordsman alone.
　No, she's top-notch.

　The beautiful master releases her zanshin and looks back at me.
　He noticed my admiration and smiled a little.

"Next time, Merle. Let's try it.
Yes!

　Coming to myself, I take a deep breath.

　The first thing I do is to take a stance.
　The wooden sword at the top level. It doesn't matter if you're wobbly.

　Out of the corner of my eye, Kirto-san nodded his head.

(Stance passed.)

　All that's left to do is swing down.

　Close your eyes.

　Now, remember Mr. Kilt's sword.

　He looked so relaxed, yet he moved so surprisingly fast.
　Everything in your body can be used for the sword.
　I don't need anything else I don't need this thought anymore.

　.....................

　I opened my eyes.

'Hi!'

　Huw.

　Suddenly, the weight of the sword disappeared from his hand.

　Gakkoon.

What?

　I heard Solstice scream.
　The wooden sword that passed right by her bounced off the tree behind her and bounced off the tree and stabbed into the ground with a zash.

(.........Huh?)

　The wooden sword was not in my hand.

　Apparently, it seemed to have slipped out....

　When I looked at him fearfully, I saw that he was stunned with his mouth half open.
　No, if you look closely, you can see that Illtimina has the same face.

　And Solstice, who turned bright blue, pounces on me.

''Ah, anta hey, Marle!　You're going to kill me!
I'm sorry.

　I was about to reflexively apologize when I felt a sharp pain in both hands.

'Ouch!'

　It hurts so much, he winces.

"Huh?

　Solstice stops in a raised fist position.

'Wow, I haven't done anything yet, have I?

　A girl wandering about in a daze.
　But I don't know what's going on, either.

(My wrist........and my shoulder hurts too........

　Tears start to fall.

　Mr. Kilt quickly runs up to me and tries to touch my wrist. But his movements stop.

It's not good. It's broken.
What?

　It's Solstice that surprises me.
　I don't have the luxury of time to do that.

　Mr. Illtimina ran into the house, fluttering her long hair.
　When she comes right back in, she has Solstice's large staff in her white hand.

'Sol!'
Oh, yeah. --Hold on, Merle. I'll have it fixed!

　I receive it from my sister, and the large staff, which emits a green light, is applied to my body.

(Ah.....)

　The pain in her hands and shoulders disappeared like a lie.

　Eventually, Solstice's great cane left her and she let out a breath, "Whew.

I'm fine now.
"...Oh, thank you, Solstice.

　With tears in my eyes, I thanked her profusely.

　She looked at me and turned away, "Hmm, hmm, no need to thank me," she said.
　But her cheeks are red.

　I looked up at Kilt-san.

'Um ... what happened to me just now?'
Hmm. It seems your body couldn't withstand the sword you swung at it.

　Huh?

(Does that mean I was too poor?)

　I was stunned, as expected.
　Solstice looked at me with a look at the poor kid.

''........You have no talent for swords as well as magic, right?''
Don't tell me...

　I felt like crying.

　I didn't think I was this hopeless.

You'll be able to see that you can't even use a sword or magic, so what am I supposed to do as an adventurer?

　I sat down on the ground and was at a loss.

　Mr. Kilt looks at me with a difficult look on his face, depressed.
　Then, looking at me, he calls out to the beautiful woman next to him.

'Irna.'
Yes, sir.
What did you think of Merle's sword just now?
The sword in the kilt, it was intact.

　Illtimina-san replied nonchalantly.

　.........hmm?

　Mr. Kilt muttered, "Did you think so, too?

(Um, what do you mean?)

　I looked up at the two older men.
　Mr. Illtimina was smiling softly.

'Marle. You seem to have quite a talent for the sword.
What?
The broken shoulders and wrists are proof of that. Your body just hasn't been able to keep up with your tremendous swordsmanship.
..........

　Mr. Kilt pulled out a wooden sword stuck in the ground.
　He held the blade and looked at the hilt.

(Wow, there's blood everywhere.)

　It was wet with bright red blood.
　I didn't realize it, but the skin on my hand had been peeled off.

　That's why the sword fell out.....

　As is to be expected, Solstice is also horrified.
　Kirt-san chuckled.

"Normally, even if an amateur swung it, it wouldn't do that.
..........
All right, Merle. All right, Merle. You mustn't swing your sword for a while. Let's get you in shape first, shall we?

　The body...?

　The beautiful master shook his silver hair and nodded widely.

''Anyway, you must build up your muscles. Build a body that can withstand swordplay.
Uh-huh.
'It may be hard not to swing your sword. You may be in a hurry. But bear with it.

　Golden eyes gaze into my blue ones.

"If your body catches up with your own swordsmanship, Marle, your talent will blossom at once.
..........

　I was stunned for a moment.

'Ho, really?'
Hmm. In the name of this Quilted Amandes, I can vouch for you.

　Kilt-san smiled dependably.

　Ah.........
　A lot of emotions poured out of my heart.

　Unable to bear it, I stood up vigorously.　

I'm going to run around the area!

　First, it's basic footwork!
　Mr. Kilt chuckled and nodded.

'I see,'
Yeah, I'm off!

　I say, stamping my feet.
　Solstice was stunned by my change.
　Iltimina smiles and calls out to me, smiling serenely as usual.

'Be careful not to be too late, will you?
Yes.
'And if you're approached by strangers, don't follow them.
I'm not going!

　I just pouted.

　Ms. Illtimina laughs like a kind mother.
　I chuckle.

Well, I'm off!
Yes, have a good day.
I'll be careful.
All of a sudden...

　I waved to the three people I was seeing off and started running.

　I run down the hill in front of the house and towards the city.
　Running.

　I was happy.
　I was just happy.

　I had finally found something that I thought I had nothing for, and I felt like I could have it.
　I was so happy about it, I couldn't stand it.

　When I run, I can't breathe.
　But I was so happy, it was as if I was fine with the pain.

　The fuel called hope fuels my heart.

(There's potential for me like this!　(If you work hard, you can be strong!)

　In my mind, I screamed.

　I screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed, and I ran everywhere in the royal city of Mulia - I ran everywhere.