A clash of wood on wood. A step to the side.

Another clash.

Each strike was answered.

And in return, another strike followed, the moment Fanilly gained an opportunity. If anything, her blows only grew more intense, her footwork faster, the motion of her body more agile. The more she fought Serenity, the more she became accustomed to fighting her.

Of course, the same could be said of her opponent, for neither girl was able to land a decisive blow against the other. No matter how many times a strike was made, it would glace off of a padded part of the body in a trajectory unable to kill or seriously injure had these been live blades, or meet empty air, or clash against another training weapon.

Fanilly slid backwards along the ground, raising the training sword parallel. An opening. She'd find an opening and strike. How long had they been sparring? She hadn't quite kept track. Her body was on fire.

And yet she didn't really want to stop. She couldn't particularly explain why, but for some reason the desire to keep fighting until she landed that decisive blow had risen within her chest.

Was it a competitive part of her that had arisen, deep inside? Was it a desire to perform properly as captain? Was she actually enjoying this? Or was it a mix of all of these reasons?

Fanilly wasn't sure.

She couldn't tell.

But she took one step forward.

Adjust her trajectory. Slip the blade into the smallest gap. And-

"Lady Danbaliioooon!"

"A-ah!"

Being addressed as such in the middle of a sparring match completely set Fanilly off-balance.

One of her maids had entered the training yard.

A brunette, with soft, warm-eyes and pleasant features. Like her two fellow maids, she had been raised practically alongside Fanilly and was the same age as the Knight-Captain.

Beatrice. While all her maids had been born the same year as she was, Beatrice was the youngest of the three by two months.

"Y-you haven't had breakfast yet... It's been nearly an hour!"

... She had come down here without eating or anything. Initially to go to the library, but then she'd accepted Dame Serenity's proposal.

"... Once we've finished here, I'll-"

It was quite an inopportune moment for her stomach to growl quite so loudly.

She was absolutely starving.

[@ERode]

[hr]

"... I didn't tell Alaree a single thing about the surprise," the purple-haired maid replied with a frown, folding her arms across her chest, "I swapped them out just a little while ago, since I knew she'd be the only one coming this way. And on top of that, she certainly shouldn't be asking any knights for favors."

The maid let out a sigh, pressing one hand to her forehead.

"That little brat... can't she at least act her age for once? Screwing around like this is completely unbecoming."

It took her a moment to realize there was someone else there.

"Ah, er, Sir..." she paused for a moment, searching her memory, "Sergio, I apologize."

She bowed her head.

"Did you need something?"

[@PigeonOfAstora][@VahkiDane]