It’ll be a good day, right?

Despite my feelings, it was a refreshingly clear day.

I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been cursed. Maybe I should go pray at the temple or something…?

“Don’t lose focus at the training grounds, Rururia-jyou. You never know when a practice sword might come flying at you.” This strict instruction came directly from His Excellency, the Knight Commander. “But don’t worry, soon you’ll be able to handle anything that comes flying at you.”

Ehhh? I really wanted more of a “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you” kind of feeling!! I don’t want to train this hard!! Is this really necessary?? How many times do I have to say this?? I’m an earl’s daughter!!! I’m a lady!!! I’m not going to be a knight!!!

“I’m not happy about this at all! Isn’t that a big problem?” I objected with everything I had to no effect. He just glared at me. Hmph!

“Well then, Let’s begin. First off, Rururia-jyou, please show me your Affixed-Magic Circle.”

Ah…he completely ignored me. What’s more, training has begun. This is ridiculous, me, a noble lady in search of a spouse, wearing my brother’s childhood clothes. They are easy to move in though.

… As soon as I thought ‘If someone were to see me like this, they’d never marry me’ crossed my mind, the knight battalion came out and looked right at me!!

Y-yeah, I know it’s an unusual sight, and I know if I was in their position, I’d stare too…but, don’t look at me!!!

I tried to shrink away after being showered in unwanted attention, but the Knight Commander flew directly at me. This guy was out for blood!

Hey! Don’t come at me with no warning! You don’t have to be so aggressive, Knight Commander! Uhm, what should I do??

I tried to hastily cast affixing magic, but I underestimated my own ‘magical tone-deafness’.  All of my professors, who had thought that I was hopeless, were right.

I heard a loud crack as I climbed into my ragged circle,

Ehh, what’s this?? Is this the best I can do?? To be the Maiden of the Flower Scales, I’ll have to use affixing magic for at least an hour to scatter all the scales. Guh!! Knight Commander!! Why do I need to become the Maiden, or become a knight, a knight, a knight?!! Can’t I just quit??

The Knight commander looked on hopefully. He wasn’t at all fazed by the situation.

“Alright, it looks like your affixing magic isn’t strong enough. We’ll have to work on that.”

Ugh! Knight Commander!! B-but wait, that’s right! As far as the other knights know, I can’t even use affixing magic. “What? You can’t even do this?” they used to jeer. The rumors about me were about to change from being incompetent, to being at least a little bit capable…

“W-woah!”

“You can stand up to the Commander?!”

“I thought she couldn’t use Affixing magic at all, I guess I was wrong!”

“Actually, she’s not that bad.”

“Is she the Commander’s wife?”

Hey now, what was that last one?? What? “Any woman who can handle the Commander must be the Commander’s wife”?? Is that way of thinking normal inside of the Knights Order?

…Ahh, training has just started, but I’m already exhausted. I just want to go home.

“First, to reinforce your magic strength, vigorously smash down onto it with the sole of your foot.”

W-what??? Isn’t that weird?? I don’t understand what the Knight Commander is trying to get at!?!

“See? Like this, I’ll show you. Focus your power into your foot, then repeatedly smash down onto the circle to create more layers.” In a flash, right in front of me, he created a beautiful multilayered circle beneath him.

“Now then, Rururia-jyou, try to do it just like that.”

…Was that the whole explanation? Just “smash down” my foot??

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW!!!” I think that was my most powerful scream of the day.

---

After that, I accepted that the Knight Commander’s explanations weren’t going to get me anywhere, so I desperately tried to learn by example instead.

Ugh, even if I spent decades, I wouldn’t be able to use affixing magic! But why did all the knights offer to help us? Is it perhaps always this difficult? I can’t say for sure…

The Knight Commander and I stood atop our circles; each had multiple layers. This hands-on training was kind of effective.

Oh, the Knight Commander is actually kind of sweet.

…Wait, what am I thinking? There’s no way that’s true!

Then suddenly the circles disappeared! We quickly plunged ten meters before I heard someone yell “Cast Affixing Magic!” and we regained control.

Had the Knight Commander shattered my circle?

“When Rururia-sama’s circle disappeared, they fell!” I heard someone say.

(That’s right, we fell about two meters.)

I-I was doing it though!!! But thanks to the fall, I was battered and bruised. That counts for something right??? Ugh…I’m just some Festival Maiden, so do I have to practice multilayer circles?!? I don’t need to move around much, so do I really need rapid high speed magic??

Ugh…has it already been three hours? My circles have been shattered over and over, I’d fallen and even gotten bruised everywhere.

All while the Knight Commander watched and murmured: “Rururia-jyou, you have no magic sense at all, do you?”

Oh, you think so??? Well then let me quit!! Why are you so stubborn?!? I don’t want to over exaggerate and say I can’t do it, but how can I not want to give up?

“I-I just…I don’t know…if I can do this…”

I’m literally gasping for air, please won’t you let me quit!?!

“It can’t be helped. It seems this was too much for you.”

…I don’t know how to put this exactly, but if failure is how I can escape this suffering then so be it. Actually, I welcome it.

“I’ll leave tomorrow’s training to Solan. Unfortunately, I’ll be too busy myself.” Without any sign that he’d been in an intense training session, at least from my perspective, the gallant Knight Commander strode off.

As I was watching him leave, for some reason one of the knights came by to check on me. “Um…did the Knight Commander say tomorrow was good?” He asked.

“Yeah, that’s what he said.”

The knight looked at me like I was a pitiful child.

Hey, stop that! If you feel sorry for me then how about you take my place!

“So, who is Solan?” I asked.

“Ah, right. Solan is the Chief Magician’s adopted son.”

Oh, Irene-sama’s follower? I think I met him at that tea party. Yeah that’s right! I did know his name!! I know I asked, but I really wish it was someone else.

“…The Knight Commander said he was busy?” I asked.

“Yeah that’s right. He’s really busy with the festival’s security and escort preparations,” said the knight as he handed me a rag to wipe off with.

“Thanks for the towel, Sir Knight.”

With the way this knight watches over things, he must be a great help to that busy Knight Commander.

…But, do I really have to come back tomorrow???

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