The next day.
Knock-knock.
A steady knock sounded at the door. Lynn, adjusting her blue training uniform, smiled softly—she knew exactly who it was.
The door opened gently, and Sean's warm face peeked in.
"Are you awake?"
"Yes. Did you sleep well?"
As usual, he'd brought her breakfast—a bowl of steaming soup with a slice of garlic bread. Sean set the tray on the small table, his eyes lingering on Lynn in her training clothes.
"My, you look wonderful, Lynn."
Lynn's cheeks turned pink at her father's kind words. With her hair tied back and a healthy glow in her face, she looked fresh and lively. Sean's smile deepened, clearly pleased.
"It's your first day of training. How do you feel?"
"Woohoo! I'm so excited!"
Lynn's excitement showed; it was her very first training session. Finally—training time! Her dark eyes sparkled with energy.
"I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Yep, all better!"
To show him, she spun her arms around playfully. Sean chuckled, watching her fondly.
***
Lynn arrived at the training grounds behind the building, just as Sean had told her. Her eyes widened with curiosity. The Sahal Warriors were already busy, their shouts and movements filling the early morning air.
She noticed Hwan giving orders to the warriors. For a moment, she thought about calling out to him, but before she could, he spotted her and began walking over.
Hwan's dark red training uniform fit him well, showing his strong, broad shoulders.Hwan's strong, muscular build stood out as he approached, a cool morning breeze lifting a strand of his jet-black hair. His serious expression gave him an intense look. Lynn stared, a bit mesmerized.
How old could he be? He seems about my age...
Assuming they were close in age, Lynn had decided she'd speak casually to him. But as Hwan came closer, holding two wooden practice swords, her earlier thoughts slipped away.
"Good morn—"
"Here. Your sword."
"Oh, uh, thanks."
How thoughtful! His unexpected kindness didn't match his serious look, leaving her with a funny but endearing impression of him. She greeted him cheerfully, but he either didn't notice or chose to ignore it, moving right past her friendliness.
Swallowing her slight embarrassment, Lynn took the wooden sword with both hands. It looked just like the ones she'd seen the Sahal Warriors use yesterday.
I guess this is my training sword now?
Her eyes brightened as she studied the weapon, giving it a few test swings. It felt light and easy to handle, crafted from simple, pale brown wood.
Hwan glanced briefly at her in her Sahal training uniform, then turned to the group with his usual no-nonsense tone.
"All right, let's start training."
The burly men around them immediately lined up, ready to begin. There were only four or five of them, but they moved together with precise, disciplined steps.
Seeing the Sahal Warriors line up nearby, Lynn straightened, trying to look as confident as they did.
Finally, it's training time! Wait... am I really training with these guys?
Noticing her nervous glance, Hwan spoke up, holding his long-handled wooden practice sword.
"Show me your sword skills. I need to see where you're at."
Caught off guard, Lynn's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Now? Here?
The Sahals, standing in a neat formation, all turned to look at her. She gulped, feeling their eyes on her.
"Oh, right... uh, okay."
Breathe, Lynn. Stay calm.
I've been told I'm a pretty good fighter, right? I can do this.
Gripping the sword with both hands, Lynn focused on its tip. She took her stance, sword raised and steady, even if her confidence wavered.
Hwan watched her closely, his arms folded.After taking a steady breath, Lynn swung the sword in a wide arc. The swoosh as it sliced through the air wasn't bad.
...But that was all she could manage.
She was supposed to follow up with another move, but after the first big swing, she froze, sweat forming on her forehead.
Wait, what comes next? It's like I've forgotten everything!
She chuckled awkwardly and lowered her sword, feeling embarrassed.
"To be honest, I'm not sure… My memory's a bit hazy," she mumbled, avoiding Hwan's gaze.
Hwan gave a small nod and signaled to one of the Sahal Warriors in front, who also held a wooden sword. The warrior gave a respectful bow and walked over, stopping right in front of Lynn.
She glanced between Hwan and the warrior, surprised. Hwan tilted his head, a hint of a smirk in his voice.
"Hands-on practice is better than just going through the motions, don't you think?"
Lynn's expression tightened, feeling the weight of the sparring match ahead. Though it was less scary with wooden swords, her confidence wavered as she readied herself for her first real test.
Her opponent raised his sword, pointing it at her. With no backing out now, Lynn lifted her own sword, thinking, Let's just go for it! She quickly sized up her opponent.
He was muscular and compact, his shaved head gleaming in the morning light. Though not the tallest, his powerful frame made him look like a "miniature giant" packed with strength.
Without warning, he charged at her with surprising speed.
Seriously?! A little warning would've been nice!
Lynn's instincts kicked in as she turned her sword sideways just in time to block his strike.
"Yikes!" she yelped, barely dodging his quick follow-up aimed at her side.
Hwan watched her intently, his finger thoughtfully tracing along his jawline.
The body remembers well, Hwan thought.
Frustrated by her quick dodges, Lynn's opponent's face tightened in determination. He raised his sword, aiming directly for the top of her head.
With no other choice, Lynn lifted her sword to block. But his strength was overwhelming—she was knocked back and landed hard on the ground with a thud.
Ow!
"Stop. That's enough," Hwan's low, firm voice called out beside them. The man instantly stepped back, bowing his head.
Ouch, my poor backside… please don't bruise.
Lynn got to her feet, wincing as she steadied herself and faced Hwan. His sharp gaze moved between her and the man, who now stood stiffly at attention.
"Your body clearly remembers swordplay. With practice, your skills should come back."
Oh!
Was that… a compliment?
Lynn's heart skipped, and a bright smile spread across her face. She felt so happy she could almost dance—but managed to keep her excitement in check.
Today, she'd actually read her opponent's moves better than yesterday. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her thumb along the familiar rough but smooth handle of her wooden sword.
"But…"
"…?"
"You need to be more aware of your opponent."
"Right…" she said, blushing as she recalled her fall. She'd landed in such a clumsy way... and yet, none of the warriors watching had cracked even a small smile.
Really? Not even a chuckle? That just makes it more embarrassing. If they'd laughed, I could've laughed too and gotten up with some dignity.
Hwan uncrossed his arms and gave her a steady look.
"Find a way to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Find your own way to overcome what's different about you."
"Got it."
"And…"
Hwan's gaze shifted to her opponent, now standing on Lynn's left. The man noticeably stiffened as Hwan looked at him.
"Your attack just now was too aggressive. She isn't a real opponent."
"…!"
"As a warrior."
"Oh, yes! I apologize…"
The man's face reddened at the brief reprimand. He quickly bowed, blurting out, "Understood, Master Hwan!"
Then Hwan turned back to Lynn, who was watching the exchange carefully. He looked at her and spoke.
"From now on, you'll train one-on-one with me."