Hulim replied, “No problem. I trust your arrangements, Semiris.”

  “Haha~! Then it’s settled! Brace yourself—you’re in for all sorts of battles from now on~!”

  Whoosh——!

  The two figures streaked across the sky at breakneck speed, drawing no attention from any creatures on the ground. Only the birds flying overhead occasionally caught a fleeting glimpse of something darting past—but when they craned their necks to look, there was nothing to be seen.

  ......

  ......

  Early morning.

  In the courtyard of Heyerar Manor.

  Hulim gripped her practice wooden sword tightly with both hands, her eyes closed as she stood perfectly still.

  Not far away, Rezelian crossed his arms over his chest, watching his daughter with a solemn gaze.

  Time in the courtyard seemed to stand still at that moment.

  Then, suddenly—

  Hulim snapped her eyes open. The instant her eyelids lifted, her hands moved in tandem. In the slow, deliberate flow of motion, the wooden sword traced a bizarre, intricate pattern around her body, slicing through the air again and again until the blade’s trajectory seemed to fill every inch of the space around her.

  On the other side of the courtyard, Rezelian’s heart rose to his throat as he watched his daughter’s movements.

  Thud!

  Just as the sword’s shadow was about to completely envelop her surroundings, the blade’s path wavered by a hair’s breadth. The momentum of her sequence shattered in an instant, and Hulim stumbled and fell to the ground.

  Rezelian’s suspended heart sank with her. A flicker of regret crossed his eyes.

  She’d been so close.

  “Ugh...... Failed again......”

  Hulim stared down at her wooden sword, her expression blank with disappointment.

  “Don’t lose heart, Hulim.”

  Rezelian walked over with a warm smile, offering words of comfort.

  “You were this close to succeeding. Sometimes, patience is just as important a path to success as perseverance. Besides, your skill with the sword already stands among the best in our family’s long history.”

  Hulim listened, then fell into quiet reflection.

  Had she been in too much of a hurry?

  It seemed she had......

  After all, swordsmanship wasn’t blessed like her magic was. It could never compare to the ease with which she mastered spells. She’d gotten so used to her rapid progress in magic that she’d unconsciously expected the same from swordsmanship—forgetting that they were two completely different disciplines.

  “I understand, Father.”

  Hulim stood up, her expression earnest and receptive to his advice.

  Rezelian nodded in approval, then said, “That’s enough for today. You should get ready for school. Isn’t it the mid-year final exam today? Good luck with your assessment.”

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  The Preparatory School divided the academic year into two semesters, with a break between each term. But unlike the two-month-long annual vacation, the semester break lasted only a little over ten days.

  “I will, Father.”

  Hulim bowed respectfully, then set down her sword and headed back into the house.

  She washed up quickly to rinse off the sweat from her morning training, changed into her school clothes, and made her way to the dining room.

  “Good morning, Mother.”

  Lilia had been up for a long time, but she’d waited for Hulim so they could eat breakfast together.

  “Come, my Hulim! The food is still warm—perfect for your health.”

  Lilia called out with a gentle smile, beckoning her over.

  Hulim walked to the table and sat across from her mother, picking up her fork and reaching for the food on her plate.

  “Sigh...... This house has gotten so quiet these days......”

  As Hulim ate, Lilia began to grumble softly.

  “A few years ago, this table would’ve been packed with people at this hour. Now it’s just the two of us. Honestly, Armen never should’ve followed in his older siblings’ footsteps and left home so young...... They’re all still just children......”

  “Especially Armen—going on and on about becoming a famous swordsman who’ll make a name for himself! He left without a word, not even sending a letter back. At least the others are living in safe places. But him? How can I not worry?!”

  “At the very least, he should’ve mastered Second-Tier Strengthen before running off! That way, he’d have a better chance of defending himself......”

  “......”

  Just like Armen used to complain about himself—his talent for magic was truly abysmal. He’d studied for years, yet still only knew first-tier non-elemental spells.

  But when it came to swordsmanship, he was a natural prodigy. That was what had inspired his dream of making his mark in the world with the blade.

  Still...... Mother was right. He should’ve learned Strengthen before leaving......

  No matter how skilled a swordsman you were, you needed the physical stamina to back it up. He might be able to outmatch opponents of the same rank with his swordplay, but against higher-ranked foes? He wouldn’t even be able to break through their defenses.

  Besides, the Heyerar Sword Style wasn’t just any ordinary swordsmanship—it had strict prerequisites. For example, the final form, Thunderclap, could only be learned by someone who had mastered at least Third-Tier Non-Elemental Magic Strengthen.

  Armen’s future...... Well, all she could do was pray to the gods to watch over him.

  “......Sigh. This house is so empty now. I’m almost tempted to have another child.”

  Lilia let out another sigh, her complaint trailing off into a wistful murmur.

  “......”

  Hulim kept her head down, shoveling food into her mouth without responding.

  She understood her mother’s feelings—but the reality was that in this world, most people left home around the age of twelve after finishing their four years at Preparatory School. Some became apprentices, others went on to higher academies, and still others joined the military as reserve soldiers.

  As for becoming adventurers......

  A twelve-year-old adventurer was far too young. At that age, they’d only be able to take on menial odd jobs. Though the Adventurer’s Guild did have special protections in place for young recruits, so it wasn’t all bad.

  Still—Armen’s case was rare, even among those who left early.

  In any case, the years between graduating from Preparatory School and reaching adulthood were the most crucial period for anyone to decide the course of their future.

  Also...... As the youngest of seven children, it might be a bit inappropriate to say this—but she really wished Mother would think about the family’s finances before considering having more kids.

  To be honest, life had been quite tight before Brother Zieg left home. It was only when he joined the knight’s order as a reserve soldier—with the stipend and salary that came with it—that the family’s situation had improved a little.

  As for her other older siblings who’d left home? Whether they were studying or just living day to day, they still relied on the family for money. After all, none of them were truly independent yet.

  Armen was the only exception.

  “Mother, I’m done eating.”

  Hulim set down her utensils, wiped her mouth, and spoke politely.

  “Oh, already, Hulim? Then I’d better hurry too.”

  Lilia picked up her pace, speeding through her own meal.

  Hulim stood up from the table.

  “Mother, I’m off to school.”

  “Alright, dear. Be careful on your way!”

  After bidding her mother goodbye, Hulim straightened her clothes and set off for school.

  ......

  “Hu—li—m——!”

  As soon as she reached the school gate,

  a figure came darting toward her like a cannonball, skidding to a halt before throwing its arms around her arm and clinging tightly.

  “Good morning!”

  “......Good morning, Fran.”

  Hulim stared down at the girl latched onto her arm, a faint look of helplessness crossing her face. Ever since she’d rescued Fran from the kidnappers, the girl had been glued to her side wherever she went.