Volume 1 Chapter 17 Genderbend Female Knight, Meeting Other Female Knights
"Lord Kamitafira, may we ask you to join us for the upcoming joint field training?"
"Me, with you all?"
One month after the duel with Gustavo, as the early summer gradually grew warmer, Eleonora was approached by a female student from the second knight training class. The upcoming joint field training was part of the curriculum designed to acclimate knight training students to resting properly outside the city. It was necessary for those born in the countryside, as well as for noble sons who might not have had such experiences. Of course, female students aiming to become knights were no exception.
Eleonora had experienced it many times, but as a student, she could not be exempted just because she had done it before. She had thought of casually setting up a tent with cloth and animal skins by herself, starting a fire, and even keeping watch, but with multiple people, especially novices, proper preparation was necessary. She herself might be fine, but did they have the necessary knowledge?
Thinking about it, the answer naturally came out of her mouth.
"It's fine, but we need to prepare properly. I want you to tell me what you understand is necessary."
"We've heard from the instructor, but..."
"Well, if you bring the things I say, we should be able to manage for the time being."
Eleonora listed the necessary items for the field training and handed the paper to the female students. For now, she advised that they should bring these items without fail. Since one pot would be enough, they could share the cost and use it together.
Time flies, and on the day of the joint field training, Eleonora was walking silently with the female students she had invited. They would leave the academy, spend one night in the forest along the way, replenish supplies in the neighboring town, and return on the same route, meaning they would spend two nights in the forest.
The female students, who had been chatting happily at first, gradually became quieter, and Eleonora declared a rest.
"For soldiers, walking is most of the job, and for knights who are commanders, walking is almost everything."
"But knights also charge on horseback..."
"That requires horses trained to be fearless, and it costs a lot of money. If so, it would be cheaper to conscript peasants or city beggars and have them charge."
During the break, a girl with her hair tied up in a ponytail and sharp eyes bombarded Eleonora with various questions. Eleonora responded by sharing her thoughts one by one. The content was something that could be considered akin to the views of the king of England from her original world, which drew quite a bit of attention, but it couldn't be helped since it would be rational to do so.
"Are your feet feeling better now? Let's get ready to set off then."
Upon hearing Eleonora's voice, the girl knights also slipped into their boots and began preparing to leave, furrowing their brows as they realized that the journey was still long and that it would be tougher later if they didn't rest their feet here.
By the time the entrance to the forest came into view, the girls were already out of breath.
"We'll take another break here. Once we enter the forest, we need to find a place for our camp tonight. The best place to find would be near a stream. There's no bubbling water, so don't forget to prepare fire starters and gather small twigs, or we'll go hungry tonight."
"Ugh," a voice of discontent slipped out. But that was the reality. It was better to use up the food they had brought than to hunt for game, which meant there would have been no rest time at all if they had been told to do so.
"Why do we take a break before entering the forest?"
"Being tired and weary would be disadvantageous when dealing with bandits in the forest. The danger is not at the entrance or exit but in the forest itself. You might be able to run away and abandon everything at the entrance or exit, but if you're attacked inside, there's no way to survive other than to kill them all."
"You seem to know a lot about it..."
"Well, anyone would learn after killing 60 bandits."
Saying that, Eleonora shouted towards the forest.
"I'm sure the instructors would agree!"
"Kamitafira... you know, but you don't say it."
From the shade of the dense trees and the bushes, the academy's swordsmanship instructors clad in leather armor appeared and sighed. The girl knights were surprised, showing a startled expression as they hadn't sensed their presence.
"Did you intend to attack on the way? If so, please at least give a heads-up to the newcomers. That should help to close the gap a bit."
"Originally, the test was to see how one would respond as part of its content, but... well, if you figured it out, it's safe to say you could have fought advantageously."
The instructors sighed again and gestured for them to continue.
"Rest is over. Find a suitable spot for your camp. Remember, the night is long, and the forest is full of surprises."
The crackling sound of firewood filled the air as they took turns keeping watch over the fire. The group was divided into three teams for a total of six hours of rest, with Eleonora assigned to the toughest middle shift—three hours of sleep, followed by watch duty, and then another three hours of sleep. The early and late shifts could sleep for six hours straight.
Her partner for the watch was the sharp-eyed girl with the ponytail, who stared intently at the fire, her brow furrowed in thought.
"Lord Kamitafira, why are you so strong?"
"Because only the strong are allowed to live."
"...Does being strong mean you can live?"
"Being strong only means you can survive. It's not enough to truly live."
"...I watched you defeat Mr. Retonto repeatedly and thought you were incredible. A woman defeating men, unbothered by criticism. You're the opposite of me."
"I don't recall hearing your name. May I know it?"
The girl raised her face, her brow creasing even deeper.
"Italy, Italy di Vidilva. My father holds the title of Baron."
"Lady Italy, why compare yourself to me? Everyone is different. Constantly comparing yourself to others only leads to unnecessary stress."
"...My fiancé and I don't get along."
Eleonora almost sighed aloud, thinking, Again? Lately, she'd been drawn into romantic troubles far too often.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!