As announced yesterday, the first military subject lesson will be held today.
The next morning, during homeroom, the homeroom teacher, Tia, announced that a practical military subject lesson would be held today.
“For time, as this class will be the first to go, please move to the schoolyard after the morning homeroom. That is all for the announcements. Well then, I will end the morning homeroom.”
Tia left the classroom after relaying the announcements.
“Kent, it’s finally starting.”
“Yeah. I don’t think they’ll ask for anything advanced at first, but as the class progresses, I don’t know what they’ll make us do, which is unsettling.”
Since they had to move to the schoolyard after this, Patty didn’t have much time to relax and didn’t seem enthusiastic about the new subject. Kent also felt uneasy, not knowing the academy’s intention in adding such a subject.
“You two don’t need to look so anxious. The instructor told me not to say, as they want to surprise you, but it’s someone you both know well.”
“Really? Josette?”
“If Josette says so, I feel a little more at ease.”
Josette joined Kent and Patty’s conversation. She seemed to know who the instructor was but didn’t elaborate.
“Hey, Kent, and Patty, Josette, let’s go to the schoolyard soon.”
“That’s right. You two, let’s go.”
“Yes!”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
As they were talking, Bobby approached them, suggesting they move to the schoolyard. In any case, they had to move to the schoolyard, so Kent and his companions decided to go together.
“It seems the teacher hasn’t arrived yet.”
“That’s right.”
When Kent and his companions moved to the schoolyard, the instructor had not yet appeared. Kent and Josette looked around, but no one other than their classmates was in sight.
“Since it’s this kind of subject, I bet the instructor is some burly old guy.”
“Bobby, I don’t think you should say things like that even if you think them.”
Bobby, standing next to him, had predicted that the instructor for the military subject would be a physically strong, middle-aged male teacher. Kent thought the same as Bobby but tried not to voice it.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not a burly old guy.”
“Huh?”
Kent and Bobby were startled when a woman’s voice spoke to them. It was someone Kent knew well.
“Yes, everyone, gather ’round. There’s no particular order, so just gather where you like.”
The woman raised her voice, telling the whole class to assemble.
“I am Elnet, and I will be your military subject instructor from now on. I look forward to working with you. Some of you may already know, but Josette, who is over there, is my sister. Although it has the ominous name of ‘military subject,’ what I will be teaching you is how to protect yourselves as a form of self-defense. I believe there’s no harm in learning it, so please learn it well.”
The woman who introduced herself to the entire class was Elnet. She was not wearing the frilly clothes she wore when teaching as Arnet but a light shirt and pants designed for ease of movement. Her long silver hair was tied up in a bun at the back of her head, neatly arranged so as not to be a hindrance.
“So Elnet was the instructor. That’s why Josette said that.”
“That’s right.”
Kent understood the reason behind Josette’s suggestive remark and was convinced.
“It’s amazing to be able to learn directly from a hero who saved the country.”
“I hear she’s strong, called the Sword Saint.”
Elnet was quite famous. She was considered a hero who saved the country in the recent battle, and it was widely known among the citizens that her swordsmanship skill was among the top in the country. Even if one didn’t know her face, it was no exaggeration to say that anyone would know her name.
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong? Eroni?”
Eroni, a classmate nearby, was staring intently at Elnet’s face. Bobby, noticing this, gently spoke to him.
“Hmm, I feel like I’ve met her somewhere before.”
“Isn’t it just because she looks similar to Josette, being her sister?”
“No, it’s not like that…”
“Now that you mention it, I feel like I’ve met her somewhere before.”
“What is it? Something feels familiar.”
Elnet had used the alias Arnet and taught at the academy for a period. Therefore, she had met everyone in this class while in disguise. Since most of them, except for Kent and a few others, were unaware of the circumstances, several others felt the same way as Eroni.
“Over there, no private conversations… no, refrain from private conversations.”
(I almost let my old habit slip out.)
Elnet accidentally lapsed into her previous teaching tone and quickly corrected herself.
“Ahem. Well, for this period, I’d like to start with how to grip a sword. There are wooden swords prepared in that warehouse. Please take one each and gather again.”
Thinking that further conversation might reveal more, Elnet immediately proceeded to the lesson. First, she instructed them to retrieve practice wooden swords from the warehouse in the corner of the schoolyard and gather again.
“Alright, you seem to have gathered. As for how to grip it, this wooden sword is made to simulate a two-handed sword. Therefore, you grip it with both hands like this. Spread out with a certain distance between you, and start from there.”
Elnet said so, had everyone spread out at regular intervals, and began instructing them on how to grip the wooden sword.
“You should tighten your grip a little here.”
“That’s a pretty good grip.”
“Your right and left hands are reversed.”
Elnet then began walking in front of everyone, offering guidance on their grip.
“Alright, everyone seems to have a good grip. Remember this grip well so you don’t forget it.”
“Yes!”
Elnet returned to the front again after confirming that everyone had the correct grip.
“Next, let’s practice basic swings. Raise the wooden sword like this, and swing it down without wavering. Continue until I say stop.”
Elnet demonstrated how to do a basic swing and then told everyone to practice it.
“One, two, one, two. Come on, everyone, swing while calling out!”
“One, two, one, two!”
Elnet established a steady rhythm, and everyone swung their wooden swords desperately to match it.
“My arms are already exhausted. Nooo.”
“Hey, who said you could stop?”
“Y-yes, sorry.”
Because each person’s stamina and strength differed, some began to swing late or stop moving as they swung the wooden swords. Elnet, noticing this, quickly rushed over and raised her voice, instructing them to continue.
“Kent, I’m reaching my limit too.”
Patty, who was swinging next to Kent, was also nearing her limit, and her late swings were becoming noticeable.
“Hey, Patty, you’re swinging late.”
“Y-yes, I’m sorry.”
Elnet’s teaching was far from the gentle instruction she gave when teaching as Arnet; it was incredibly strict, relentlessly draining the classmates’ stamina.
“Hmm, it’s about time. Alright, everyone, stop swinging.”
“Hah, hah, hah.”
“Take a short break. After this break, we will do two more sets.”
“What!”
When Elnet called for a break, those with low stamina collapsed onto the ground.
“Elnet-san, your teaching style is quite strict, isn’t it?”
“It seems so. It feels like a completely different person from her teaching style back then.”
While taking a break sitting on the ground, Patty spoke to Kent. Kent also felt that her current teaching style was considerably stricter compared to when she taught as Arnet.
