The next morning after receiving permission to study letters and practice swordsmanship.
I sat on Da-uโs back as I studied letters.
Though โstudyingโ just meant having a maid read me a picture book.
โLady Luria, youโre so quick to learn!โ
โMufuu.โ
It would be troublesome if I were mistaken for just an average three-year-old.
After all, my educational level is on par with a five-year-old!
After learning letters from the picture book, I also learned basic addition and subtraction, showcasing my brilliance.
โMy, to think you can already do single-digit addition.โ
โMufuu.โ
I had learned arithmetic from the Spirit King Loa.
I could even do some single-digit multiplicationโitโs not something a typical three-year-old can do.
โIโve shown off my genius.โ
โYou truly are incredible, young lady!โ
โWafwaf.โ
The maidโs praises made me feel great.
Even Da-u seemed to be cheering for me.
In the afternoon, I headed to the courtyard on Da-uโs back to practice swordsmanship.
โFlap, flap, flap.
Suddenly, birds flocked to me. Among them was a prairie dog.
โYouโre all such good little ones.โ
โCoo-coo.โ โKyui-kyui.โ
โWh-what? Birdsโฆand a squirrel? They really do flock to you, Luriaโฆโ
My sister, who came to watch my training, was astonished.
โItโs not a squirrel; itโs a prairie dog.โ
โOh, is that so?โ
โKyuu-kyui.โ
The prairie dog ran up to my sisterโs feet.
โOh my, how cute.โ
The prairie dog seemed quite pleased as my sister petted it.
Afterward, I asked the birds to step away, and sword practice began.
The birds, now at a distance, gathered around my sister, who looked delighted to be surrounded by them.
โLady Luria, letโs start with basic swings.โ
โYes!โ
โWaf!โ
โHold it like thisโฆโ
โOkay!โ
โWaf!โ
Following the teacherโs guidance, I gripped the wooden sword and began swinging it.
The wooden sword I used was about a third of the length and thickness of the one my brother used.
Even so, it felt a little heavyโit couldnโt be helped, as I was only three years old.
โHmph! Hmph! Hmph!โ
โWaf, waf, waf.โ
โYouโre doing great, Lady Luria.โ
โFunnu! Funnu!โ
โWaf, waf.โ
As I practiced my swings, Da-u held a stick in his mouth and wagged his head, as if trying to join me.
While Da-u and I practiced, my brother sparred with the teacher.
I didnโt fully understand, but he seemed to move skillfully.
โYoung master, your right foot is lagging a bit.โ
โYes!โ
โAdd more variation to your movements!โ
โUnderstood!โ
My brother, drenched in sweat, desperately swung his wooden sword, dodged the teacherโs attacks, and tried to land a strike.
While practicing my swings, I carefully observed the teacherโs movements.
It seemed that footwork was crucial to swordsmanship.
โHomu. Like this?โ
While swinging, I thought about footwork.
Even when using magic in battle, footwork must be important.
โFunnu! Hmph! Hmph!โ
โWaf! Waf! Waf!โ
Imagining an enemy, I dodged their attacks and countered with slashesโslice, slice, slice!
The enemy I imagined was one of the weaker monsters I faced in my previous life.
Back then, I fought thousands of them simultaneously.
โ
It happened when I was six in my previous life.
As usual, I was placed in a dark, cramped box without explanation and thrown into a wasteland.
Then came the command: โStay here and defeat the monsters.โ
The one who gave the order fled on horseback at full speed. Before me was a massive swarm of monsters as far as the eye could see.
โRui-sa, we canโt do this!โ
The Spirit King Loa screamed in panic.
โItโs not impossible. Weโll do it.โ
I didnโt care about the royal family or the knights who issued orders and then fled.
If I didnโt defeat this swarm, the people would die. The gentle animals would also perish.
I couldnโt let that happen.
โI wonโt back down!โ
I unleashed magic on the charging monsters, blowing them away.
No matter how many I defeated, the number didnโt seem to decrease.
They swarmed from the sides, behind, and even above, trying to crush me with sheer numbers.
Dodging their attacks desperately, I kept firing magic and blasting them away.
โI really thought I was going to die back then.โ
If I had mastered footwork, I couldโve avoided their attacks more easily.
Even a fraction of a second gained wouldโve allowed me to cast magic more effectively.
That split-second difference could mean life or death.
Once I grow up and can use magic again, this skill will undoubtedly be invaluable.
Imagining the battle, I became engrossed in my swings, fighting against phantom monsters in my mind.
โWaf?โ
Da-u tilted his head, looking concerned.
โIโm okay.โ
I gave Da-u a hearty pat.
โโฆLady Luria.โ
โMumu? I got too excited. Sorry.โ
I thought the swordsmanship teacher might scold me for getting carried away, but insteadโฆ
โYour movements areโฆ excellent.โ
โThank you! Really?โ
โItโs like thereโs a real enemy in front of you. You have talent!โ
โReally? Ehehehe.โ
โWafuu.โ
Praised by the teacher, I beamed with joy, and Da-u seemed happy too.
The birds and the prairie dog also seemed to share in the excitement.
โLuria, youโre amazing.โ
โMufuu.โ
My brother picked me up.
โEven while swinging a sword, youโre adorable, Luria.โ
While my brother held me, my sister lovingly stroked my head.