Deep within the dojo, beneath an ancient tree.
The sunlight was just right, and the warm breeze was pleasant.
A girl practiced her swordsmanship alone. As she shifted and moved, her sword flowed like water, plunging in a cascading torrent without end.
At first glance, she seemed to be doing nothing more than swinging her sword plainly.
Yet whenever the wind blew, a few leaves would drift down from the ancient tree.
Before they could reach the ground, they were cleaved in two midair without exception.
After a long while.
Having completed a set of sword techniques, she slowly lowered her stance.
Hilde clenched and unclenched her hand, confirming that her body no longer felt the slightest bit abnormal. Only then did a faint smile curl across her lips.
Half a month had passed since the young lady's kidnapping incident.
Under Isolte's attentive care, Hilde's injuries had healed almost completely. Her movements were unaffected, and as long as she did not exhaust herself as thoroughly as before, there would be no problem.
Hilde naturally proposed leaving.
However, Isolte still refused to agree. She said Hilde should stay a while longer, so that if there was any news outside, she could lie low for a time.
And so Hilde was forcibly kept there for about another week. Only when Isolte could no longer withstand her repeated requests to leave did she reluctantly give up.
As for Isolte's earlier invitation for Hilde to live with the Kruel family from then on...
Hilde naturally refused.
Of course, Hilde understood perfectly well why Isolte had said those things.
Tantris had likely recognized her talent and wanted to recruit her into the Kruel family.
Although the Kruel family was a knightly house, its former head had died young. Now, only the underage Tantris was holding