My Dad, the Demon King, Is a Big Problem

A few days after the banquet at the Pluto Ducal House.

I had officially become a Holy Knight and was now stationed at the Holy Palace. Today marked my very first training session.

I arrived at the training ground 20 minutes earlier than the scheduled time listed on my itinerary.

"A newbie needs discipline! Absolutely!"

I waited alone in the vast, open field for the other trainee knights. Ten minutes passed, yet no one else had arrived.

Are they all planning to arrive exactly on time?

Five more minutes passed, and an uneasy certainty crept into my mind. Without hesitation, I sprinted to the Training Support Office.

"Excuse me! Is today’s morning training supposed to be at the basic training ground?"

I showed my itinerary to the staff member as I asked. The staff member adjusted their glasses with a puzzled expression.

"Hmm? How odd. Why does your itinerary say this? Today's morning training is in Training Ground #1. It’s already started."

"Oh, I see. Thank you!"

Before they even finished speaking, I bolted out of the office. Somehow, the schedule on my itinerary had been altered without my knowledge.

However, as I considered the location of Training Ground #1, it dawned on me that even if I ran, I’d still arrive 20 minutes late.

Without hesitation, I used a Teleportation Ticket.

"Take me to Training Ground #1!"

One minute before training began, I arrived at Training Ground #1 just in time.

"Phew, thank goodness."

The training ground was already filled with other trainee knights, most of whom appeared a few years older than me.

As I approached the group, I overheard their murmurs.

"Heh, what’s a Primrose orphan doing trying to become a Holy Knight? Look, she’s not even showing up for her first training session."

"She’s probably already scared and ran away."

"Even if she wanted to come, she couldn’t. I’ll bet my training shoes on it!"

The young knights burst into laughter, enjoying their camaraderie.

They seemed to be having such a good time that I decided to join in their cheerful atmosphere with a bright smile and a loud greeting.

"Hello! Nice to meet you all!"

Their reaction was instantaneous—like a lightning bolt striking out of nowhere.

The group froze, their laughter dying abruptly as they turned to look at me. A few of them even appeared as if they’d seen a ghost.

"H-How are you here...?"

"Why? Isn’t this where today’s morning training is being held?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Allow me to formally introduce myself. I’m Crescent Dallas, the new recruit who joined recently."

"..."

A heavy silence followed.

From their expressions, I guessed that some of them had tampered with my itinerary to prevent me from attending.

At that moment, a boy with green hair stepped forward, his face twisted with disdain.

"You insolent girl. Don’t think for a moment that anyone here will accept you."

"Huh? Me?"

I blinked innocently, feigning ignorance, which seemed to fluster him.

"And how dare a Primrose orphan look me directly in the eye? In the Holy Knights, there is a strict hierarchy!"

I knew the hierarchy of the Holy Knights inside out. Knights were ranked into seven levels based on the color of the divine stone they carried.

The green-haired boy, who referred to himself as a Canary, carried a bright yellow stone—a rank just above the light-yellow stones of the Primroses.

Feigning naivety, I replied cheerfully, "Oh, so you’re a Canary? But isn’t Canary just one rank above Primrose? If you were Adamas, then sure, I wouldn’t dare meet your eyes..."

Adamas was the highest rank, representing divine power at its peak—a stone so clear and radiant that it shone like a diamond.

Meteor Pluto himself was an Adamas Knight. Considering that even the Duke and Marquis of Pluto were only Sapphire-ranked, Meteor’s status among knights was unmatched.

But I, too, could one day raise my system level to Adamas.

"I’ll train like crazy until then!"

While I was brimming with motivation, the green-haired boy’s face flushed red with anger.

"You dare mock me, a Canary, you lowly Primrose? I won’t let you get away wi—"

"What in the world is going on here...?"

A deep, mature voice cut through the commotion.

Everyone turned to see a handsome knight in his mid-twenties walking toward us. He was our instructor, responsible for overseeing the trainee knights.

I recognized him immediately. He was my assigned mentor, Alruin.

"Are you all abandoning the dignity of a Holy Knight the moment a new recruit joins?"

"My apologies, sir! It’s not that—"

"Spare me your excuses. Every one of you, run fifty laps around the training ground. All except for the very last person to finish will forfeit sleep tonight."

"...!"

Shock rippled through the group.

He’s not seriously going to make us train through the night, is he...?

"Move now!"

"Yes, sir!"

At Alruin’s thunderous command, the boys started running. I joined them without hesitation.

Fifty laps around a training ground this vast? Most of us wouldn’t even make it to twenty before collapsing.

It was truly an absurd punishment.

"…But I don’t mind!"

I recalled one of the additional rewards I received after completing the tutorial.

"For the next three years, you are immune to stamina exhaustion and malnutrition!"

It was an incredible buff—almost unfairly so. Although it had a time limit, it was enough to let me train tirelessly and level up.

"Lalala~"

Humming to myself, I ran enthusiastically.

Everyone completed the first five laps easily. Being trainees imbued with divine power, we could handle it better than ordinary people, who would’ve passed out after just three laps.

But the real challenge came during the sixth lap.

<Warning! Your stamina is critically low!>
<Remaining Stamina: 15/100>

<Warning! Your stamina has been depleted!>

No!

The others still looked full of energy! I couldn’t be the first to collapse...

...Thank goodness.

I nearly stumbled but quickly regained my balance as my stamina returned. Looking around, I realized I was the weakest among them.

"As expected, I’m the most fragile here."

Still, I clenched my fists and pushed forward, determined. After all, I wasn’t just an eight-year-old girl anymore. I was a Holy Knight.

When I overtook the green-haired boy, he flinched and gaped at me.

"Wh-What? You’re still running?"

"Looks like you are too."

With that, I ignored him and sprinted ahead.

<Warning! Your stamina has been depleted!>
<Tutorial Bonus Activated! Your stamina has been restored!>
<Remaining Stamina: 100/100>

By the time I hit ten laps, I had already recovered from exhaustion twice.

It wasn’t until we passed the twentieth lap that other trainees began to falter. My stamina was depleting faster, and more knights were dropping out.

"Urgh! I’m sorry, sir. I can’t run anymore..."

With a thud, a young knight collapsed near Alruin, who looked down at him with cold disdain.

The other trainees gulped nervously, stealing glances at the fallen boy. But the exhaustion was catching up to all of them.

One by one, they began to drop, unable to continue.