“If it gets too dangerous, I’ll step in. This is a friendly duel, understood?” Zord said firmly, his voice carrying weight. Known as the strongest in the village, his class as a [Swordsman] gave his words authority.

  Both Boris and Kana nodded, taking their positions at the center of the training field.

  Kana crouched slightly, dagger in hand, her stance low and agile. Boris stood tall, wielding a practice spear twice his height, spinning it once for show.

  “Begin!” Zord announced.

  The moment the word left his mouth, Kana exploded forward with startling speed.

  Boris flinched, caught off guard. He thrust his spear in panic, but Kana weaved past it, her movements sharp and fluid. She darted in, smacked the side of Boris’ head with the wooden hilt of her dagger, and leapt back before he could recover.

  “That was your only shot,” Boris growled, cheeks red with frustration.

  Without hesitation, he launched his counterattack, invoking a skill—[Consecutive Spear Strikes]. The spear blurred, moving so fast it became a storm of thrusts aimed directly at Kana.

  But she didn’t retreat.

  Instead, she danced through the attacks with breathtaking precision, twisting, ducking, and slipping past the rapid strikes. Gasps rippled through the crowd with every near miss. Then Boris changed tactics—he activated another skill: [Spear Strike].

  The spear bent unnaturally mid-swing, curving toward Kana at a brutal angle with shocking speed.

  There was no time to dodge.

  Kana raised her dagger just in time and blocked the blow, her arm trembling from the impact.

  Using the momentum, she closed in.

  A swift punch to Boris’ gut knocked the air out of him. He staggered, dropping to one knee—only to find Kana’s dagger resting lightly against his throat.

  “Stop!” Zord called out, raising a hand. “Kana wins!”

  For a moment, there was only stunned silence—then the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.

  …

  Lily always worked hard—she had to. Kana’s father disappeared the moment she told him she was pregnant. With no husband to lean on, every responsibility fell on her shoulders. But she never let that weigh her down. She was proud—proud of the life she built, proud of her strength, and most of all, proud of her daughter, Kana. The girl grew up healthy and bright, even earning an invitation from the kingdom to attend the academy.

  Still, Kana had always been a bit of a handful—immature, full of energy, and acting more like a boy than a young lady. Lily never minded. That kind of wildness was natural at her age. And besides, Lily was thankful that Suri had been born in the same village. The two were the only girls their age, and their friendship had been a blessing.

  But everything started to change two years ago when Kana asked to learn how to read and write. Lily agreed, expecting it to take time. A week later, she checked in—only to find her daughter already literate, reading and writing like she’d been doing it for years. Kana tried to hide her gift, afraid of drawing too much attention so she had no choice but to announce it a year later.

  From that point on, Kana matured quickly. She still had her childish moments—especially when Boris was around—but something inside her had changed.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Now, standing in the aftermath of the duel, Lily approached her daughter with pride in her eyes.

  “Congratulations, my dear,” she said warmly. “That was an excellent fight.”

  Kana nodded, catching her breath. “Mother, I forgot to mention—there’s some leftover coin from the town trip. I got a few discounts.”

  “You can keep it,” Lily said with a grin. “I won a bet today. More than eight silver coins.”

  Kana blinked. “Wait, you gambled?”

  “I have to support my daughter, don’t I?” Lily replied, looking far too pleased with herself.

  Kana gave her a look. “I don’t think you have to gamble to support your own daughter...”

  “Don’t sweat the small details,” Lily waved it off. “Anyway, let’s go home together. My clients canceled their appointments because of your little duel, so I’ve got time. I’ll cook for you tonight.”

  …..

  Boris opened his eyes in the middle of the night. He could not sleep at all.

  His thoughts kept circling back to the duel—the difference between Kana and him. It wasn’t just skill. Something was off.

  Is it the class?

  He shook his head. No. I beat her before we even awakened. So what changed? Secret training?

  It didn’t make sense. He remembered the moment clearly—his [Spear Strike] had landed true, and yet... she blocked it. Not with a shield. Not with some magical tool. Just a dagger. Small, light, and utterly unsuited to defend against a skill like that.

  Even some adults would’ve flinched. But she parried it like it was nothing.

  Frustrated, he sighed and got up, throwing on a cloak before stepping outside. The night was quiet, the wind cool against his skin.

  That’s when he saw a silhouette moving discreetly under the moonlight.

  Boris ducked low out of instinct. He squinted. The figure was short, light on her feet, and wearing... pajamas?

  “My Suri?” he whispered to himself.

  Curiosity got the better of him. Keeping his distance, he followed.

  …..

  At their usual meeting spot in the middle of the night, Kana sat on a rock, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. The cool air brushed past her cloak as Suri approached her, smiling.

  But Kana’s eyes narrowed.

  “Suri, someone’s behind you,” she said, her tone sharper than usual.

  Suri froze and immediately spun around. “Come out!” she shouted.

  From the shadows, Boris stepped into the moonlight, looking both sheepish and determined. “What are you two doing here?” His gaze flicked to Kana. “And why are you fully equipped—except your bow's missing but why do you have a quiver?”

  “We’re just going to have a little chat and do some training,” Suri said quickly, trying to sound casual.

  Boris raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think so.”

  Kana sighed, brushing her cloak aside. “Believe what you want.”

  “Well, because of you, we’re going back home,” Suri added with a huff, sticking her tongue out. “Party pooper.”

  “You’re not even going to tell me the truth?” Boris asked. “Fine. I’ll just tell my father.”

  That stopped them. Kana and Suri exchanged a glance—one that said they were both thinking the same thing. The chief definitely knew about the secret passage. And if he figured out they were sneaking into the dungeon...

  Grounded. Permanently.

  Kana groaned. “Don’t tell your father.”

  Suri looked at her with a playful smirk. “Maybe we should let him join? Better than losing our spot.”

  Kana hesitated, then nodded slightly. “You’re right. Still... this is going to be a mess.”

  “Sorry, Kana,” Suri said with a sheepish tone. “I was too confident. Should’ve used my skill to scout first.”

  “It’s fine,” Kana said. “I got careless too. Should’ve stayed hidden.”

  “So?” Boris asked, hands on his hips. “I’m joining, right?”

  Kana crossed her arms again. “Yeah, but go get your spear first. Quietly. We leave now and go back before sunrise.”

  Boris grinned. “Don’t leave without me. If you do—I swear—I’m telling my father.”

  With that, he jogged off into the night.