"Your Imperial Majesty," a deep voice spoke from behind.
Argider spun around so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet—nothing like making an entrance and a graceful exit in one motion. Her eyes landed on the source of the voice, and it was like someone had taken all the noble statues in the kingdom and made them into a man.
There stood a knight, radiating so much authority and grace, he might as well have been born with a crown on his head and a harp playing in the background. His polished white armor gleamed as if it had been freshly buffed by a team of very enthusiastic dwarves, and the sigil of the Imperial Knights shone proudly on his chest.
He was marked with jet-black hair that falls just so around his chiseled jawline and a pair of dimples that add a roguish charm to his smile. His gray eyes were flecked with hints of playfulness.
— [Judgment of the Emperor ▪︎ 50]
Argider squinted, trying to place him. She was well-acquainted with the Imperial Knights, but this guy? No idea. Maybe he'd just wandered out of a particularly dramatic painting.
"And you are?" Argider inquired, her curiosity piqued.
The knight knelt before her. "I am Uzak Sydon. I was informed of your presence here," he explained. "I have been assigned by Her Imperial Majesty, Esmeralda, to serve as your tutor. I have recently joined the ranks of the Imperial Knights."
Though she fought to suppress the urge, a smile threatened to surface on her face. Perhaps Esmeralda was proving more helpful than she had expected.
Approaching Uzak, Argider spoke with an air of nonchalance. "Is that so?" she replied. "You should have mentioned that from the start."
Uzak flashed a smile. "Of course," he nodded. "But before we begin, may I ask—do you have any prior experience with swordplay, considering your... former life as a man?"
"No..." Argider replied, the uncertainty in her voice practically ringing in the air like a cowbell.
He reached over, casually pulling a wooden sword from the display, and stepped onto the training ground with a calm confidence that screamed he'd been here before. "Alright then," he said, unfazed. "Come at me with your best shot, your Imperial Majesty."
"Are you serious?"
"Dead serious," Uzak replied, his tone still light, almost teasing. "Don't hold back. I'm ready for whatever you've got."
Argider gripped the sword awkwardly, her hands more familiar with a dagger than a large weapon like this. The weight of it felt wrong in her grip, and the tightness in her chest made her second-guess every movement. Still, she wasn't about to let him see her sweat. "Alright, fine," she muttered, trying to shake off her nerves. "You asked for it."
She lunged forward, her steps heavy and stiff as she aimed a wild swing at him.
"What the—?"
To her complete surprise, Uzak was gone—no grand dodge, no dramatic flip, just an empty space where he'd been standing a moment ago.
She blinked, off balance, and stumbled forward, the weight of the sword dragging her down. She fell to her knees, the wood digging into the dirt, her face reddening from more than just the impact.
Uzak's voice came from behind her, calm as ever. "I told you to give it your best shot, Your Imperial Majesty. You can't expect to win if you can't even land a hit."
Argider groaned, pushing herself up with as much dignity as she could muster. "Yeah, yeah. Next time, I'll remember to bring the entire army with me."
Uzak chuckled, the sound light but knowing. "Next time, I expect a little more effort, then."
She felt like a boiling pot with the lid on too tight. She staggered back up, legs wobbling like jelly, but no way was she going to quit. She had to land at least one hit on Uzak!
Determined, she lunged at him again, swinging wildly, her moves looking more like an angry windmill than a trained swordsman.
"Whoa! Slow down there, Your Imperial Majesty! You'll need a sweat mop at this rate!" Uzak teased, smoothly dodging her attacks with infuriating ease.
With a quick, barely-there flick of his wrist, he sent her wooden sword spinning through the air, where it landed with a satisfying thud. Around them, the other knights murmured, eyebrows raised and arms folded.
"Isn't Sir Uzak being a bit too rough? I mean, she is the emperor now… and she is a woman," one knight whispered, looking more worried for Argider's ego than her pride.
Argider's cheeks flushed as she overheard. Embarrassment mingled with defiance as she glared daggers at her weapon on the ground. She'd be back on her feet soon. She won't accept this.
She clenched her fists tightly, her determination burning brighter than the sun. So what if I was a woman now? She thought. I am a man. Always will be, no matter what this body was.
The whispers and stares of the knights felt like fuel on Argider's fire. She wasn't about to let them treat her like some delicate flower. She had something to prove, and she was ready to make her point—preferably with a wooden sword.
"Catch!"
She looked up, just in time to see her own sword soaring back at her. She barely caught it, and Uzak stood there with that infuriatingly confident smirk.
"What's with the face? Fight like the man you are!" he yelled, eyebrow arched.
Argider's eyes gleamed with a spark she hadn't felt in ages. Uzak's words had struck her, and she couldn't help but feel a rush of both gratitude and defiance toward him than she'd like to admit.
As frustrating as he was, she was starting to appreciate having him around. He had a way of cutting straight through, pushing her to look past what's around her and remind herself of the person she truly was.
Maybe he was right—she was still herself, despite everything. But she wasn't about to just stop there. She'd become someone even stronger, someone who could laugh at all of this one day.
Grinning, she charged forward, ready to land a real hit this time. But somehow, Uzak kept dodging her swings as if he had all the time in the world.
Alright, so maybe mindless swinging isn't cutting it, she thought, pausing to catch her breath. She'd have to get clever.
But an idea came.
The next time she lunged, she focused less on hitting him and more on positioning. Timing her move just right, she slipped her wooden sword between the folds of his cape and armor and gave it a good yank. With a satisfying whoosh, his cape came loose, and Uzak stumbled, arms flailing for balance.
Seizing her chance, she grabbed onto his cape with both hands and pulled hard. Uzak tried to recover with a quick grab at her arm, but the sudden shift had them both floundering.
The next thing she knew, she was the one hitting the ground with a resounding thud.
Lying flat on her back, she shrugged and grinned up at him. "Well, I did my best."
"Pretty sure that was cheating," he laughed.
Argider just grinned wider, brushing dust off her face. "Hey, being a bastard is what I do best!"
And as she lay there, even bruised and exhausted, she couldn't help but feel a sense of victory.
— [New Notification]
— [Congratulations! You have unlocked the Physical Development Interface!]