Published: August 10, 2026
"—That's the background, you see."
Elder sister Anastasia said that and shrugged.
"Ruifeng should have used a knife before, too. But he was oddly curt, maybe because he was busy, and still, what he said made a lot of sense, so here I am to visit Mio."
"Haa... I see."
I nodded and looked at Mio, who was sitting beside me.
Our usual maid was, as always, expressionless. I couldn't tell what she was feeling from her gaze. She was only looking at Anastasia with those round eyes slightly narrowed.
"So that's how it is, Mio, please! Just for today, only the basics is fine."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot use a knife."
Mio said something a little unexpected.
"To be precise, I am forbidden from using blades against human beings."
"Forbidden? What's that about? This is the first I've heard of it. Is Lord Cyrus giving that order?"
"Not master, but his parents. They are also my guardians. At first I resisted, but now I understand."
She answered in a rather uninterested tone.
Even after being refused so firmly, Anastasia still laughed brightly.
"No, what I want you to teach me isn't knife work, but hand-to-hand combat. What Ruifeng meant was that I should learn from a woman small and physically weak like himself."
"...Certainly, I suppose our builds are similar... if we're clothed."
Mio muttered that last part, but Anastasia seemed not to hear it. In high spirits, she went on,
"Right? And if you can protect the castle lord without using blades, that's truly amazing. I definitely want you to teach me that martial arts."
Mio was silent for a while as if thinking, then suddenly let out a small snort.
"Understood. Since I have been entrusted with this task by His Highness Ruifeng Sandalqia Dirts, the Third Prince of Dirts Kingdom, I shall instruct Anastasia-sama with all sincerity."
"O-okay, please!"
Anastasia straightened her back.
Perhaps pleased by her energetic reply, Mio gave a generous nod.
"As I said earlier, I do not use blades. I will be teaching you combat that uses only the body itself. Well, it will be exercise, so it should be good for your health as well."
"Hmph."
Anastasia puffed out her cheeks.
"I don't want health exercises. I want martial arts that can actually take someone down."
"I am aware. I only mentioned it as a secondary benefit. If you train your physical control, your skills as a craftswoman will likely improve as well."
"Really? That would be great!"
Anastasia cheered. Beside her, I couldn't help making a strange little sound.
"Eh?"
It all seemed to be unfolding at a speed beyond my understanding, and I couldn't keep up... Eh? Wait?
What!?
Mio is going to teach Anastasia martial arts!?
While I was still confused, the conversation between the two continued.
"What I have learned is a martial art with origins in the Eastern Continent. I have heard that some schools use blades, but what I learned is strictly self-defense techniques—more precisely, techniques that rely on skill rather than muscle."
"Skill..."
"The most representative example is a vital point strike. No matter how powerfully trained a warrior may be, so long as they are human, they have vital points—weak spots. Those of us who are small and physically weak must aim for those."
Anastasia let out a delighted "Ohhh, I see," and nodded over and over.
"It's like deciding where and how to put in the chisel when doing detailed craftwork. If you strike at the right angle with the right amount of force, even gemstones can be broken easily."
"Yes, exactly. I'm glad you understand so quickly."
Th-this is actually going pretty well...!?
"The important thing is to always remain calm. Do not let killing intent or fear disturb your heart. Think of a fight to the death on the battlefield as if it were tea time on a terrace."
"T-that sounds... a little difficult for me."
"Then you must hypnotize yourself. You are a man-eating beast—hunting is nothing more than your everyday meal. It is not some special time."
A man-eating beast...
Anastasia and I both put a hand to our chins at the same time and tilted our heads at the same time.