On the training ground.
Holding a small wooden sword with both hands, Mash looked at Ian in front of her, her face serious.
"Um, I'm coming!"
"Mhm."
"I'm really coming!"
"No problem."
"I'm really, really coming now!"
"Okay."
After confirming three times in a row, Mash finally charged in Ian's direction.
"Aaaaaah!"
The little girl shouted, and then...
...was stopped by Ian's hand on her head.
And because of his reach, no matter how she swung the small wooden sword in her hand, she couldn't touch the man in front of her.
"Hey hey hey! Let me go!"
"No."
"You have to touch me with your own strength!"
"Darn it!"
Seeing this scene, Barghest, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh.
"This is just too pitiful."
"Don't you think so, Baobhan Sith!"
"Mhm, perhaps."
"..."
That familiar way of speaking made Barghest's heart drop.
She turned her head and saw her colleague watching Mash and Ian with a somewhat subtle expression.
"Hey, what's with that tone?"
"What do you mean, 'perhaps'?"
"Those who know, know~"
Baobhan Sith had no intention of explaining.
"And for those who don't, explaining won't help."
After saying this, Baobhan Sith stood up and walked over to where Mash and Ian were.
Already a bit confused, Barghest naturally became anxious seeing Baobhan Sith act like this.
She immediately followed, and the two of them arrived before the others.
"Alright, let's take a break for a bit."
"You've already practiced many times."
"..."
Baobhan Sith's words made Ian nod.
With a slight push, he made Mash stagger back a few steps.
However, just as she was about to fall from the motion, the dragon, with his incredible physical strength, caught Mash in one swift motion, preventing her from hitting the ground.
...
A few minutes later.
Riding on Ian's head, Mash drank the grape juice Baobhan Sith had brought, a happy smile on her face.
"Yummy~"
"Thank you, Sister Baobhan Sith~"
"Mhm."
Baobhan Sith seemed to unexpectedly enjoy this kind of thanks from Mash, and a smile appeared on her face as well.
However, her tone quickly changed as she continued:
"So, after these few days of training, have you made any progress, little Mash?"
"Eh, well..."
At the mention of this, the previously happy Mash quickly became embarrassed.
In the end, she shook her head and answered Baobhan Sith's question.
"No."
"None at all."
"I can't win. I can't even touch him."
"..."
Seeing Mash's guilty expression, Barghest couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She quickly tried to make excuses for the cute little girl.
"It's okay!"
"It's only like this because the person you're fighting is too strong."
"This is..."
Barghest quite naturally took Ian's hand and held it up with immense pride.
"He's our Camelot's most powerful knight! Forget you, even I might not be his opponent!"
"R-Really?"
Barghest's words instantly reignited the flame of confidence in Mash.
"Really!"
"In all of Camelot, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who could be his opponent!"
"If you change your training partner, to me for example, you'd definitely make a lot of progress!"
"Mhm!"
"I doubt it." Just as things were getting lively, Baobhan Sith suddenly interjected with this cold statement.
This made Barghest turn her head in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
"Why do you doubt it—Ian is the strongest knight here, isn't that something we've all acknowledged?"
"Don't tell me you have a problem with that?"
"Whether there's a problem or not isn't up to me."
Baobhan Sith crossed her arms, looking very confident.
"It's up to Ian."
"Don't you think it's foolish to simply blame the problem on the training partner being too strong?"
"This..."
Although she was rebuked by Baobhan Sith, Barghest found that she couldn't refute her words.
"Then—"
She cautiously looked at Ian and asked.
"Ian, what do you think of Mash's talent?"
"Is it really bad?"
"..."
With Barghest's question, the already nervous Mash quickly became concerned.
And compared to Baobhan Sith's already direct expression, Ian's words were even more blunt.
"She... probably isn't very suited to using a sword."
"Wh-What?"
Even though she had prepared herself, Barghest couldn't help but be surprised when she actually heard Ian say this.
"Ian, are you serious?"
"..."
The dragon didn't answer Barghest's almost meaningless question.
He just silently mimicked Mash's earlier movements.
But those few moments were enough for Barghest, a fellow knight, to realize where the problem lay.
That's right.
Just as Ian had said, Mash seemed to have a considerable "resistance" to the weapon known as the "sword."
Of course, this wasn't to say there was some irreconcilable conflict between her and the sword.
It was just...
She was simply not good at it.
"Hey, you..."
Realizing the problem, Barghest's expression became a bit awkward.
She had originally thought that Ian was training so actively with Mash because he saw her talent in this area, but now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.
"Then why do you still train with her like this?"
"Because she likes it."
Ian took Mash's small hand and said softly.
"If she likes it, that's more important than anything."
"Eh..."
Hearing her father Ian's words, Mash's cheeks turned red.
Because of Morgan's "modifications," Mash's growth was far faster than that of ordinary people.
She was very happy.
But that happiness didn't last long.
Because she also immediately realized the problem.
"But if this is the case, I won't be able to become a knight, will I?"
"Do you want to become a knight that badly?" Barghest couldn't help but ask.
"Mhm!"
Mash nodded without hesitation.
"Papa is a knight, Mama is a knight, so I have to become a knight too!"
"Wh-What?"
"Papa and Mama? What are you talking about?!"
Barghest was confused, but Baobhan Sith showed a smile of complete understanding.
"Actually, you don't need to be so worried."
"Don't need to be so worried?"
"Sister Baobhan Sith, can you help me?"
"Of course I can." Baobhan Sith nodded.
"A knight doesn't necessarily need a sword."
"Using a shield is also an option, isn't it?"