I’m The Only Granddaughter Of The Strongest Duke [Novel] Chapter 42

* Chapter 42*

I kept running, wiping away a mixture of what was either sweat or tears.

Since this was a swordsmanship lesson, I expected to be taught how to actually swing a blade, but that wasn't the case.

“U-um, for now, you can just do twenty laps around the training grounds…!”

Idis had ‘suggested’ that I run twenty laps.

“But y-you can stop whenever you feel tired! You’re still so young, Lady Eve, and you’ve only just arrived at the Ferdinand estate…”

Despite her gentle offer, I couldn't bring myself to stop.

[To think my master has such pathetic stamina…]

It was because X, strapped to my back, wouldn't stop grumbling and getting under my skin.

Alright, I get it! I’m running, okay? I’m running!

Suppressing the urge to unstrap X and hurl him into the distance, I pushed
through and finished the twenty laps. Strangely enough, while I felt like I was dying during the run, now that it was over…

“Lady Eve! You did wonderful! Here, have some water…!”

Idis appeared out of nowhere and handed me a waterskin. I took it and gulped the water down greedily.

I wiped the water from my lips with my sweat-soaked sleeve and sprawled out on
the ground, gasping for air. Idis crouched down beside me.

“L-Lady Eve. Are you alright? Is it too hard…?”

“Huh? Well, yes. I feel like I’m actually going to die right now…”

“And yet, you did so well for your first time… maybe we can try increasing the count a little next time…”

But I didn't even have the energy to argue with her. I just lay there on the
training grounds, breathing heavily. To be honest, I could have quit whenever I
wanted.

“Eve, if you ever decide you don’t want to learn swordsmanship, you can tell
your grandfather. Don’t feel pressured.”

That’s what Grandfather had told me. He always said the most important thing was
‘what I wanted.’ He never forced anything on me. He made it clear that even
after the lessons started, if I didn't like them, I was free to stop.

Truthfully, I hadn't planned on finishing them at first. I thought I’d do about
ten laps and call it a day. But once I hit ten, I wanted to do twelve. Once I
hit twelve, I wanted to do fifteen. And once I hit fifteen…

I wanted to see it through to the end.

Actually, I had never really thought about what I wanted to do with my life. The
life of a commoner girl in the countryside is pretty much set in stone. You help
your parents with their work, and once you’re old enough, you get married, have
children, and start a family of your own. Every child in my village lived that
kind of cookie-cutter life, and I had always assumed, deep down, that I would
follow the same path.

But now…

Grandfather, who tells me I have a talent for the sword.

Father, who melted down my mother’s blade to forge a one-of-a-kind ego sword
just for me.

And…

My mother, who was said to be a genius of the blade.

I lay there panting for a moment before suddenly pushing myself up. My hair,
which the maids had tied so neatly into a ponytail, was a mess, but I didn't
care. Messy hair wasn't what mattered right now.

“Idis.”

“Yes, My Lady…!”

“I think I can run a little more.”

Since I arrived at this mansion, everyone has told me the same thing: that I
look just like my mother. The portrait I saw of her was, indeed, strikingly
similar to me. To the point where I wondered if that was exactly how I’d look
when I grew up.

And hearing that such a woman was a gifted swordmaster…

I wanted to resemble the mother I had never met even more. I wanted to grow into
someone worthy of the masterpiece my father had gifted me, and I wanted to
become strong enough so that no one could ever look down on us again.

However, Idis just smiled warmly and gently pushed me back down.

“Woah!”

“You mustn't, L-Lady Eve… if you overdo it from the start, you’ll fall ill.
This much is perfect for today.”

She then flopped down on the grass beside me and looked at me.

“You have to learn how to rest, too. Otherwise, you’ll forget how to do it
entirely. I… I should have realized that sooner…”

“Are there really people who don't know how to rest? You just lie down like
this.”

“There are… s-some people like that.”

Idis lowered her eyes and whispered softly.

“People who spent their whole lives learning only how to run, and never learned
how to stop for a moment.”

The look on Idis’s face made it clear she was thinking of someone I didn't know.
Who was she picturing while saying those words? Whoever it was, it was obvious
she deeply regretted not being able to teach them how to rest.

“Idis… I mean, Instructor. I’m an expert at resting.”

“Are you?”

“Of course. If I’m running and I feel like stopping, I just lie right down on
the dirt. That’s what everyone did in the village where I lived. If we got tired
while playing, we’d just sprawl out on the grass, look at the sky, and watch the
butterflies…”

And then, once you’ve regained your strength looking at the sky, you start
running again.

So, I wanted to tell her, whoever she was thinking of, that I wouldn't end up like
them. I would never be the type to run until I collapsed without stopping.

Fortunately, Idis seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

“That’s a wonderful way to live…! You’re going to be a truly magnificent
knight, Lady Eve.”

Idis let out a soft, gentle laugh. I liked seeing her smile, so I stayed lying
there a little longer.

“So, you spent the whole day running around the training grounds?”

“Yeah. It was really hard, but it was fun, too. I think I’m built for it. My
legs hurt so much earlier, but now they don't hurt at all.”

At my words, Father’s hands, which were massaging my legs, paused.

“Is that so?”

“Ow, wait… maybe they still hurt a little…”

When I played up the pain, Father immediately went back to diligently massaging
my legs.

[Stop being such a drama queen over a little run…]

“Your master says her legs hurt. Keep talking like that and see what happens.”

[…M-Master Smith! What are you doing?! Massage her with more sincerity so our
little kid’s legs don't ache!]

Father massaged my legs for a good thirty minutes until I finally said, “I’m
okay now! It doesn't hurt at all!”

“You’re all better now, right, princess? See? Your daddy has the magic touch.”

“Yeah, Daddy’s hands are the best. Maybe you should have been a doctor instead
of a weapon master.”

As I played along, Father grinned widely, pulled me into a hug, and showered me
with kisses. Tucked in by his side, I settled into his bed.

“Let’s sleep now. Turn off the lights and tell me a fun story. No more stories
about the monster in the closet, though. I’m not scared of stuff like that
anymore.”

“…Really?”

“…Yeah.”

At that moment, Father suddenly whipped the blanket up and let out a monstrous
roar!

“Rooooaaar!”

“Gah! Daddy!”

Startled, I curled into a ball and accidentally slipped, tumbling right off the
edge of the bed.

“G-gotcha.”

Luckily, just before my head could hit the floor, Father’s arms swept out and
caught me just in time.

“D-don’t do that! You dummy! Daddy is a dummy!”