Strictly speaking, a school break is like a holiday for workers.

Of course, compared to an actual worker’s vacation, it’s incredibly long, and usually, kids with the social status to attend an academy tend to enjoy it comfortably without working.

Claire and Leo could have done the same.

However, both of them were highly driven. Neither Leo nor Claire hesitated to spend the entire break diligently training to improve their swordsmanship.

And both of them had met the "Swordmaster" during the semester. Though the time they spent learning from him was brief, they had both earned the title of “disciple.”

Moreover, they were even told that they could come to learn anytime they had the chance.

For such purposes, the school break was an ideal period.

With this in mind, Leo and Claire planned to head north right after the visit from the two princesses ended.

Of course, life rarely flows exactly as planned.

"Claire, you’ll stay here."

Naturally, it didn’t.

“Mother?”

But life doesn’t always follow exactly what one expects or desires.

“Inheriting the Grace swordsmanship is a good thing. If you have a great teacher like the Swordmaster, then it’s proper to pursue your swordsmanship with gratitude. After all, it’s not a chance given to just anyone.”

“Mother, then—”

“But.”

The Baroness of Grace sighed softly as she spoke to Claire.

“Claire, isn’t it about time you started preparing for marriage?”

“…Excuse me?”

Claire’s face went blank, her mouth slightly agape, reflecting a bewildered expression of “What does that mean?”

“I’m not saying you need to marry right away. You can think about it slowly after you become an adult. But, even so, you need to be equipped with the basics.”

Claire’s face began to flush slightly.

“At the very least… you need to carry yourself properly as a ‘young lady.’ This break will be focused on that.”

“But, Mother—”

Claire’s face took on a pleading expression, but the Baroness of Grace seemed resolute.

“Claire, you are the daughter of our family. I believe you should receive proper education to ensure there’s nothing lacking if you marry someone one day.”

Beneath her words lay an unmistakable affection.

Claire found herself at a loss for words.

Seeing Claire’s dazed expression, the baroness smiled gently.

“Still, if, during this break, you manage to refine your manners to represent our family well, then I will allow you to go north for swordsmanship training in the winter.”

“Really?”

Claire’s eyes widened.

“Really, Mother?”

Seeing Claire bouncing in excitement, the baroness let out a soft sigh.

“…Yes, but first, let’s do something about that boisterous behavior of yours.”

---

“Haha…”

Frederick, the Swordmaster, chuckled softly after hearing Leo’s story.

“Time passes, yet people’s perceptions don’t change so easily, it seems.”

He shook his head.

“For such an enlightened family to still think that way…”

Muttering to himself, Frederick added, “Though even if they think it doesn’t matter, other nobles may think differently.”

Frederick nodded as if he understood why one of his disciples was absent.

“Well, alright. That child will likely overcome such adversity without much trouble. Let’s hope I can properly teach both of you in the winter.”

Frederick lowered his crossed arms.

“Then, let’s start by calming the mind through meditation.”

“Understood.”

Leo nodded seriously, taking his seat.

It was late July.

---

A month under a Swordmaster is an incredibly short time. The Swordmaster had spent decades honing his skills, so naturally, imparting all of that would require a comparable length of time.

However, that month wasn’t without progress.

Leo became more focused and steady in his approach to swordsmanship. The precision and sharpness at the tip of his sword had noticeably improved. Previously, he and Claire had been roughly on the same level in skill; now, he felt he could edge out a victory by a narrow margin.

Living in a hut built near a cliff—a place where the weather barely held up—also helped. The harsh environment was, in itself, a form of training.

Despite the discomfort, Leo felt satisfaction as he sensed his steady growth.

“Hm.”

As he was calming himself through meditation as usual, he heard a sound from the Swordmaster.

Opening his eyes slightly, he saw the Swordmaster with a hand on his chin, staring at the thin wall of the hut. He wasn’t actually looking at the wall but at something beyond it.

“It seems we have an uninvited guest.”

Frederick placed a hand on the basket of herbs on the table.

“Could it be Teacher Jennifer?”

“No, it’s not her footsteps. If it were, she would’ve boldly walked in without hiding a sound. And her movements wouldn’t be this unsteady.”

Frederick narrowed his eyes. While it was an unfamiliar presence, he didn’t feel it was an expert skilled enough to pose a threat.

There was no malice, either. Those who lack skill often fail to suppress their killing intent, broadcasting it widely and failing to surprise their target. A skilled individual would suppress their hostility and dispatch their target in one clean strike.

Could it be that they genuinely had a visitor? Perhaps someone lost while climbing the mountain for fun?

Regardless, Frederick tightened his grip on the basket.

“…”

Without hesitation, the intruder boldly approached the hut’s door and opened it.

Frederick timed it perfectly and threw the basket.

As the door opened, the basket spun through the air, scattering its contents—and landed precisely on the forehead of a young girl.

“Eeek!?”

Surprised by the high-pitched squeal, Frederick blinked. Leo, too, turned his upper body toward the door, still seated cross-legged.

The girl, who had fallen onto her rear, was petite and appeared fragile at first glance. Not that she lacked a certain feminine charm, though.

With tears in the corners of her eyes, the girl rubbed her forehead.

“Sylvia?”

Leo asked in a somewhat dazed tone.

The girl, addressed as Sylvia, blinked as if only now realizing she was sitting on the floor. She seemed to momentarily forget the pain in her forehead.

Looking blank for a moment, she suddenly snapped out of it and—

“Redo!”

She shouted—

---

After bumping my forehead on that damn basket again, I’d forgotten about it.

It had been months since I’d last come here, so it was only natural I’d forgotten… but still, it was embarrassing.

Especially since even Leo inside the hut saw me.

“Hoo…”

I rewound a few seconds, took a deep breath, and opened the door again.

The door, its ill-fitting hinges creaking, opened with a groan that betrayed its poor craftsmanship.

And then I saw the basket flying toward my face.

Raising my free hand, I caught the basket.

Snap.

Thankfully, it seemed Frederick wasn’t throwing it with the intent to kill, so I managed to catch it fairly gracefully.

“Oh-ho.”

Frederick let out a small exclamation.

“Sylvia?”

This time, there was no bewilderment or shock in Leo’s voice—just pure surprise.

Trying to keep my composure, I calmly placed the basket on a nearby table.

“Sylvia, is it?”

Frederick looked thoughtful for a moment, then smirked slightly, a bit of a predatory gleam in his smile.

“I see. So you’re the one who made a name for yourself on the battlefield recently.”

…What’s this?

Why does it feel different from when we first met?

For a moment, I wondered if Frederick remembered me, but it didn’t seem like that, fortunately.

Instead—

“If you’re my disciple’s close friend, then I should at least see your skills.”

He gripped his sword.

Wait, hold on!