Episode 20: Young Lady’s Failure
“Why did you choose this class…?”
“There’s no point in learning the Sword here now, is there?”
“Is that so…?”
About a month after the academy starts, there are classes that begin when students have gotten used to academy life and factions have formed to some extent.
These are elective classes. Magic, Sword, Dance, Music, Sewing, Painting, and so on. You can choose as many as you like, but you must choose at least one.
I thought Miss Arianna would choose Sword, but she chose Music of all things.
“Well, it’s true that there’s no point in learning the Sword now…”
“It’s also a pain to hold back against the men.”
“Please don’t say what you’re thinking, even if you think it.”
In fact, there are classes where you wield a Sword even during normal lessons. The men’s classes are quite serious, while the women’s classes are more like self-defense.
Frankly speaking, our Young Lady is better than the teachers at the academy.
I knew she was skilled when we were in the domain capital, but recently her skills have been improving rapidly. Even Mr. Volks, the leader of the guards, is amazed.
Miss Arianna, with her earnest personality, finds it hard to endure such low-level Sword classes and can’t stand it.
During class, she goes beyond the realm of self-defense and just does basic Sword swings, and she attacks me under the guise of Mock Battles. The teacher just ignores it.
“There are some strong-looking people in there, though.”
“Well, not at a level I can’t beat… except for those two at the main gate, and Ms. Janet.”
“Please don’t include the regular gate guards in your comparisons. And there are some skilled people among the guards of some of the students, you know?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. There are those who are hiding their abilities.”
I can tell somehow when someone is quite strong. Although it’s just a feeling.
Also, I think those two at the main gate are serious guards prepared by the country, not the academy. Of course, it’s not the same people every day, so sometimes there are people who are not as skilled mixed in. They are probably Knights belonging to the country’s Knights Order.
“Besides, Ms. Janet won’t spar with me.”
“She’s a math teacher, you know?”
She’s definitely not someone to challenge to a Sword fight.
“Besides, I can practice the Sword at home, but I can’t practice Music.”
“You can, you know? I’ll play the instruments for you.”
“I want to play the instruments myself!”
“Is that what you wanted to do?”
“Yes!”
“Then, here you go.”
“Yes! Huh?”
I hand my instrument to the Young Lady. Because you can’t just suddenly prepare an instrument.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll accompany the Young Lady’s practice today. Have you ever handled a Vielle?”
“No!”
It’s an instrument like a violin. I hand it to the Young Lady and teach her how to hold it.
If she had an instrument, I should have known about it. Even though it’s a Baron House, Miss Arianna’s belongings are of good quality, and it’s my job to carry those things.
“Then, I’ll borrow it.”
“Yes. Let’s check the scales as well.”
There might be students who are already at that level, but you shouldn’t ask too much of our Young Lady. She probably hasn’t even touched an instrument properly before.
Before the class starts, the students are playing their instruments and making sounds. Well, it’s free.
And finally, it’s time for class. The teacher arrives.
“I am pleased to see so many gentlemen and ladies gathered this year.”
From there, the teacher begins her passion and trivia about music. It’s basically small talk.
“And at the end, we plan to have you compose your own music and submit it to end this term’s class.”
“Hah?”
A bombshell statement in the middle of it all. Our Young Lady was already a mess from the teacher’s machine-gun talk, and that was the final blow.
“Wh-wh-wh-what should I do!? I have to compose!? Am I going to make a song!?”
“It seems like you have to.”
Because that’s what the class is about.
“No, can I do it!?”
“That’s what you’re supposed to learn in class.”
“I’m at the level of learning an instrument from scratch!”
“That’s right, let’s do our best to learn. I’ll support you as much as I can… Adding instrument practice to Dance Lesson… I have no choice but to further reduce the time I spend swinging my Sword.”
“!”
“Te-”
“Te?”
“I’ll ask the teacher if I can change to another class!”
“Ah! Wait, Young Lady! Wait! Calm down! I’ll do that! Or rather, you can usually change!”
I somehow calmed down the Young Lady and made her sit down. You can change elective classes at any time, but you can’t just change in the middle of class.
I took the procedure later and made her choose the Sword class properly.
“…Well, it’s okay. More practice is needed, but there’s no need to make them do it until they stay behind.”
“Thank you.”
In response to the teacher’s words, the Young Lady returns the words with a beautiful curtsy.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, the surrounding classmates also applaud. I’m about to cry too.
It’s the umpteenth Dance class. If improvement is not recognized, you will eventually be made to practice after school, but I managed to get a passing score before that started.
“And Cladfield, well done. Remarkable improvement. I can’t believe you only started learning recently.”
“Thank you!”
My efforts have been rewarded! It’s rare for a teacher to praise a student who is there as a follower so wholeheartedly.
“However, it’s just barely a passing score. Miss Arianna should continue to practice in the future.”
“Yes.”
“And you should practice with people other than Cladfield. Dance is diverse, and everyone has different habits in their dancing. From the next class, you will choose a partner from among the students instead of Cladfield.”
“Yes.”
I hope the younger brothers can become able to do it.
“Cladfield. You should also attend the Dance class from now on.”
“Yes. Yes?”
What are you saying?
“You learned it in a hurry. You’ll forget it soon, won’t you? If that happens, you won’t be able to serve as Miss Arianna’s practice partner. Besides, you’ve learned it, so you should let it soak into your body more.”
“I’m a guard, though…”
“Even a Knight may have opportunities to Dance. Rather, those who are widely versed in etiquette are preferred as guards. Not to mention butlers and secretaries. Cladfield should continue to attend classes as a dancer.”
Even if you say that, I’m in trouble.
“And anyone else who wants to learn can participate. I will teach anyone except those who are obviously not talented. I’ll just say that if you want to be useful to your master, you should learn it.”
This teacher is a good teacher who cares about her students.
Until the next Dance class came, I really thought so.
In reality, I was just used as a convenient Dance partner with adjustable height. They had shoes with thick soles of various heights prepared!