IDMH - Chapter 11
I Decided My Huband
I first learned swordsmanship when I was around 7 years old. It wasn't early. Rather, it could be seen that it was too late.
Children of knightly families usually learned swordsmanship from the age of 4 or 5. Of course, it was the case of Young Masters. Even if the ladies were from knightly families, most of them did not receive swordsmanship training.
Although the number of female knights is increasing more than before, there is still a deep-rooted stereotype that men are the ones to do physical jobs like knights. As a result, it was extremely rare for women to learn swordsmanship unless there were special reasons such as livelihood issues.
Especially if you are a high-ranking noble.
Is that why? My father also refused to teach me swordsmanship. My father wanted me to learn things like flower arrangement and embroidery like other daughters of high-ranking noble families.
But unfortunately, I wasn't interested in that. I had no talent.
What I was interested in was something that involved using one's body, such as swordsmanship or horseback riding.
I was fascinated by the sight of my father and the duchy's knights sparring with swords, so I followed him around for a year and begged to learn swordsmanship.
At first, my father was stubborn and said he would never do it, but he eventually gave in to my persistent pleas.
That's how I learned swordsmanship from Sir Olven, who was the vice-captain.
As it was a hard-won opportunity, I studied swordsmanship so hard that my palms got blisters.
Lord Olven also worked hard to teach me. Then one day, Sir Olven said this to my father who came to check if I was receiving good sword training.
"She has a natural talent for swordsmanship. If she sharpens her sword skills well, she will be able to become a knight that will go down in history."
I have a natural talent for swordsmanship!
I was so happy that I wanted to dance right away, but I was afraid it would seem too frivolous, so I held back and watched my father's reaction.
How did my father react at that time?
I don't remember. Perhaps because it was a long time ago, I couldn't see my father's expression even though I was in a dream.
Still, it was clear that my father did not like what Sir Olven said.
"Lord Olven, Don't ever tell anyone else about my daughter's talent for swordsmanship."
If he had liked it, he wouldn't have said that. My father cared and loved me so much that people around him called his daughter an idiot. I went around bragging to people around me as if I had accomplished something great even if I did something ordinary and trivial, but I can't believe he said something like that. I was embarrassed and sad.
I wanted to ask my father why he did that, but I couldn't because I was afraid that if I did, he would stop me from learning swordsmanship.
My father said this while holding my hand.
"Adele, you must never use your sword in front of anyone except this father and Sir Olven."
"Even if a dangerous situation arises?"
"Okay. If a dangerous situation arises, I and the guard knights will protect you, so you don't need to hold a sword."
"But..."
"If you use a sword in front of other people,"
My father's eyes widened and his face hardened. It was a scary face I had never seen before.
"Not only will you not be able to learn swordsmanship then, but you will also never be able to hold a sword again. You understand what I'm saying, right?"
That face was scary, like a ghost. When I heard that I would never again be able to hold the sword that was my second favorite thing after my father, I was so scared that I swore that I would do it.
***
"..."
My mind, which had sunk so deep that I could not see the end, suddenly rose to the surface. All, penetrated my eyes and the darkness disappeared. The world, which had been hazy as if covered in fog, gradually became clearer and an unfamiliar ceiling became visible.
Where am I?
Ah, it's a carriage, A carriage heading to Matina Manor.
The reason I didn't recognize it right away was because my head was still asleep, but it was also because it was my first time seeing the carriage.
The existing carriage was broken while fighting Pushik, so a new carriage had to be urgently airlifted from a nearby territory.
Even though the best carriage was airlifted from the estate, it was narrower and more uncomfortable than the carriage we had previously ridden.
Maybe that's why, even though I dozed off for a while, my throat felt sore as if there was a blockage in my throat.
As I massaged my neck. Sir Aldor, who was sitting across from me, asked.
"Does your throat hurt?"
"Little bit."
Originally, he rode in the same carriage as Chernosor, but perhaps because Chernosor was embarrassed that he fainted during the Pushik attack, he suddenly announced that he would ride in a separate carriage.
Since it was already difficult to ride in the same carriage as that man, I agreed right away.
"I think I slept wrong."
"Sorry."
"I slept wrong, so what does Sir A lIdor have to be sorry about?"
"..."
Lord Aldor opened his lips as if to say something, then closed them. I guess he was going to say sorry again.
Then, he must have swallowed his words because it was clear what he was going to say.
When I look at Sir Aldor's appearance, he seems like a cold-blooded person who doesn't know things like apples, but he doesn't. He was gentler and warm-hearted than most people.
That's probably why he accepted it when I suddenly asked him to marry me.
As I looked at Sir Aldor's face, my married life suddenly came to mind like a panorama.
In fact, I was embarrassed to even call it a married life. Because he and I only swore before God to be husband and wife and did nothing else. Of course, we didn't even attend the first night.
I was prepared for that since we became a married couple, but surprisingly, Sir Aldor didn't even lay a finger on me. Not once during our long married life.
However, he never went to a brothel or flirted with another woman. I didn't even think about it at the time because I was so focused on surviving, but now that I think about it, it's strange.
He's a man too...
"Do you have something to say to me, Miss?"
"You must have had a sexual desire, so why didn't you do it?"
"Yes?"
Sir Aldor asked back as if he was extremely embarrassed. I was equally embarrassed. I inadvertently said out loud that I was only thinking in my head.
That's such an embarrassing story. My face felt hot.
If I were to be embarrassed here, Sir Aldor would be more embarrassed, so I deliberately spoke calmly.
"Other men seem to have lovers or go to brothels on a regular basis. But I don't think I've ever seen SirAldor do that, so I was curious and asked."
"..."
Don't look at me like I'm wondering why you do that. I wouldn't have wondered if I hadn't married you in my second life.
"If you have trouble answering, you don't have to say anything."
"Rather than being difficult, Sir Aldor hesitated for a moment and then answered.
"It's something I've never thought about before, so I don't know how to answer."
You've never thought about it like that?
That means you can't feel sexual desire, but it doesn't mean you can't function properly.
"..."
I looked out the window, trying to raise my gaze, which was naturally downward. The snow outside the window was completely white, but my heart and mind were pitch black.
No, it might be bright red.
"Miss."
As I was cooling my heated face from the embarrassing thoughts that came back to me, Sir Aldor called me.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"What is it?"
"If you have such excellent swordsmanship skills, why did you hide it until now?"
The reason it feels like déjà vu is because I heard the same question in my second life. At that time. Sir Aldor, who saw me using a sword, was very surprised and asked the same question.
"I didn't really hide it. It's just that I've never had a chance to hold a sword before."
These were not empty words. I thought about hiding my swordsmanship skills like I promised my father, but I never did it on purpose.
I have lived comfortably under my father's protection until now, so why would I ever pick up a sword?
It was all I held when practicing my swordsmanship.
"It was a little awkward holding the sword for the first time in a long time, but thank you for being kind to me, Sir Aldor."
"It's not that I thought it was good, but it was really good skills. I knew at first glance that you had learned swordsmanship, but I never dreamed it would be to this extent."
From the questions to the answers and facial expressions, it was completely the same as back then, which made me laugh.
"Are you thinking of becoming a knight?"
This question was also the same.
"No."
Although my answer was different then.
At that time, I answered, 'If possible. I would like to become a knight.'
There were two main ways to become a knight. One was to enter the Knight Academy, complete formal education, and pass the graduation exam.
The other was to win a swordsmanship competition held once every 10 years.
There are other methods, such as making merit, but those two were the most representative methods. In the latter case, the probability of winning was very low as talented players gathered from all over the continent.
So, Sir Aldor suggested that I enroll in the Academy.
"With your skills, you will be able to pass the graduation exam and become a knight."
While saying that, anyone who uses a sword dreamed of becoming a knight, and it was the same for me.
When my father was alive, I couldn't do it because he was extremely opposed to it, and after he passed away, I couldn't dare to try it because I was older.
However, since there were people who supported me like this, I gathered courage and tried to become a knight.
In the end, it was not able to enter the academy due to the Emperor's interference.
When I thought of the Emperor, my mood worsened and my stomach boiled. The thought of meeting him soon made me irritated.
I shouldn't be able to control my anger and make mistakes. I was a little worried too.
"It's not too late."
Sir Aldor said after seeing my naturally crumpled expression.
"Why don't you enter the academy and get a knighthood, Young Lady?"
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