Talia’s Diary (1)

Hello, my name is Talia von Steiner.

The reason I'm suddenly holding such an unlikely pen is because....

Tadah! ☆★

Starting today, I'm going to write in my training journal every day.

No matter what I do, my dad always gives me a hard time for not doing it…but....

Wait and see!

You'll see it's different this time! 

* * *

I woke up at four-thirty in the morning, fought through the sleep, and turned on the stretches.

Then, after some quick stretches, I furnish the training room!

As usual, the Steiner family's training hall is crowded.

By five in the morning, there are already quite a few people practicing, and the largest and strongest room is reserved for those with the talent to become the next family patriarch.

...Sadly, that's not me.

Ugh, so who's using it?

My sister, that's who.

Chelsea von Steiner.

Said to be the greatest talent in the entire history of the Steiner family. And… someone I must somehow surpass!

I've been training to beat her since I was twelve.

Three years!

I've been training hard to beat her.

I've been asking others to teach me how to hold and swing a wooden sword, how to sit on a stool and be doused with cold water, and all sorts of other crazy sword techniques....

But I've never beaten my sister, who's a year older than me. How is that possible? What does she eat that makes her so strong?

Is it some kind of overwhelming, inherent talent that people talk about?

I don't know.

But that's not what I really don't understand.

Sister.

(Unni)

I still haven't figured out why she hates me so much.

One day, I'm going to beat her and find out why!

Until then, cheers!

* * *

Hehe. Today marks exactly ten days of journaling. I've gotten a little rambly, but I've managed to keep up with my journaling....

I think this is good enough!

As I've been practicing every day, my diary has gotten fuller.

In fact, I even got teased by my dad because I forgot to write in my journal for a few days....

Anyway!

I think that's a pretty good effort!

Believe me, I practiced without a single day off!

...No, it's just a diary, so I don't have to show it to anyone, so who cares…?

Anyway, something pretty fun happened today.

I was accepted for sword training by the Reinhafer family, one of the three great dark masters, who are also close to our Steiner family!

I'm so happy…!

If I learn a little more there, maybe I can actually defeat my unni, right?

It's not that I want to become the Matriarch or anything, but… I just want to ask, why did you say those things to me that day in the duel?

And what's bothering her so much.

Am I really nothing more than a little sister who has no recourse?

* * *

Finally, my first day at House Reinhafer!

Emma and I have been living here for about two months now.

There were a few people my age here, older brothers like Allen and Hartz. The youngest, Nox?

Well, there was another kid who was called a bully.

My Dad said he might be my future groom… Honestly, he's handsome, but well. I'm not sure.

Why? 

He told me at dinner that he was going to enroll at Eldain Academy, but… I don't know… He's always running around the training grounds, right?

You're not practicing swordsmanship. ....

If you're going to be the groom of the Steiner family, don't you think you should be stronger than me?

But… Nox seems a little different from the Reinhafer I thought he was.

I thought there would be a bunch of people learning and showing off their swords, and I got that feeling while learning, but not Nox.

I think it's weird, but I'm also curious.

I'll have to talk to him tomorrow.

** Do you think he'll be able to get into Eldain?

I don't think the odds are very good, but it's kind of fun.

Well…

People say that the most fun thing is to watch the battle!

* * *

It's been a few days now.

I've been taking swordsmanship lessons at the clan.

The first thing I noticed… The Reinhafer family's swordsmanship lessons are very well-organized.

First of all, it was different from the basic swordsmanship used by the Steiners, and the breathing method was subtly different, so I wondered if the way I handled the sword was more familiar.

I think it was good because it helped me in many ways.

But....

Now, a month later, if someone asks me if I'm strong enough to beat my sister....

Well. I don't know.

In fact, I'm never going to get there.... That's probably the right way to put it.

She's a monster on another level. I can't even touch her shadow.

Is there really no way I can beat her…?

Will I never be able to say anything to her?

* * *

Something really shocking happened today.

I told you there was a duel between Nox von Reinhafer… and his brothers.

And Nox, the youngest of them all, took on both brothers at the same time and won!

Do you think this makes sense?

Listen closely as I tell you the story.

At first, Nox was clearly losing.

I'm not sure if it was Allen or Hartz, but I'm pretty sure he was getting beaten up by his brother. But Nox soon started fighting back, and soon enough, he was copying his brothers' sword techniques and knocking them out!

He watched them do it, and then he copied them.

This is ridiculous.

I told you, Nox just kept running around the training grounds.

At least for the time I was watching.

I actually stopped him once and asked if I could help him with his training… but I'm pretty sure he coldly refused.

He didn't do any sword training.

I immediately got up and ran after the duel.

That's… how could he suddenly be able to use his brother's sword?

Why did he even win against two of them in one fell swoop?

Talent.

Yes, the one thing I needed.

Because he had the talent that my sister had and I didn't.

I ran after him down Reinhafer estate, thinking I'd found what I needed.

I knew it wasn't polite... but I couldn't help it.

I was that desperate. 

Because I needed to ask him something.

I mean, I had to get stronger.

But the Nox I met, the Nox who was sitting in the flowerbed after the battle, alone, do you know what he looked like?

He was bleeding and shaking.

It's like someone who trains for dozens of hours every day and doesn't even show signs of being tired.

And it was so much like the knight I admired.

I couldn't help but feel ashamed.

As I looked at Nox, I was sincerely remorseful.

He's been working hard in his own way.

Those actions that I thought were nothing really mattered to him.

It made me realize that, as far as I'm concerned, it's not the only way… At least he's proven it, so that's something.

Anyway, I apologized to Nox.

I apologized for not seeing you better.

Nox was unperturbed by my apology and asked me to keep this a secret, either to get back at the family for ignoring him (I'm guessing!) or to keep it a secret.

I can't believe he's out for blood.

What the hell does he know about the illness anyway?

It's starting to bother me in a weird way....

I'll have to look it up on my own later.

* * *

The night I was listening to Emma's nagging as usual.

I saw Nox suddenly disappear, and I secretly followed him.

I didn't realize it until later, but the place she disappeared to was Mia's Forest….

I found out it's a forest that eats children.

But the reason I can keep writing in my journal now.

It's because Nox saved me....

Hehe, this is embarrassing….

I chased after him, hoping he had some kind of powerful cultivation technique, but I got really lost.

I feel really bad for Nox.

Anyway!

Nox saved my life!

The knight who was one of the three swordsmen, of course. It was like seeing Celsus.

He was active in the Night of Slaughter, and he was the one who protected so many people…!

As a knightly duty, I must repay him later, right?

I owe him my life.

Someday, when he's in need, I'll be there for him.

At least I'll be able to tell him that he's not an asshole from what I've seen, he's just a little cold.

...I'm not sure how much that will help, though.

*sigh* By the way....

I heard from Emma that the story of Nox and I going back and forth has been going around.

Well, now that I think about it, maybe it's not so bad after all.

Maybe because he's getting stronger?

Somehow I don't think so.

Am I being snobbish?

Or maybe there's something else at play.

I don't know, but I hope Nox doesn't hate me anymore.

Because I hate being hated the most in the world!

* * *

After a long time.

I mean, it's been months since I've been admitted to Eldain.

I'm back at House Reinhafer.

Why?

Well, because of an argument between Nox and me....

My father came with me, and apparently things have gotten pretty serious.

He's talking to Lord Theo, accusing him of breaking the marriage contract. Theo says it was unavoidable since the Princess, Penelope, intervened.

They're both right, and I'm stuck in the middle.

I'd like to see you two fight as little as possible....

As I was thinking to myself.

Suddenly, my dad asks me to leave the room.

I freaked out and did as I was told, but prayed that it wouldn't turn into something more serious.

You never know, the second I walked out the door, those two could have drawn their swords and attacked me. Dad is such an idiot...….

Nox is treated like an asshole by his family, but if you know him, you know he's not one of those people.

I wait at the door for about 10 minutes, my anxiety mounting…!

Suddenly, the door bursts open, and out comes Rodwell.

He tells me a shocking story.

'We've decided that your engagement will go ahead as scheduled.'

...?

At first I doubted my ears.

No, that'll be too...

Wait, what?

All of a sudden you're telling me that the marriage has been approved by both parties!

I honestly don't know what's going on, and I'm not sure if it's something you can just decide to do when Nox isn't around.

My father is my daddy! {1}

Dad is the best...!!!

You know, the one who knows best what his daughter wants, and he's just going through the motions?

I'm so glad I was born into the Steiner family!

I'm pretty sure I've tied Dad's tie about twenty times because of it… but hey, I've gained more than I've lost!

...By the way, I'm a little worried. 

I've heard that the Princess has been talking to Nox unilaterally about a marriage contract, and you two never tell me what you're going to do.

There... Nox me, that... I think I'll like it, but...

You know… what if?

I don't think he'd hate me, but....

At the very least.

It's just… liking and being in love are two different things.

....

I'm worried, but I can't help it!

I'll just have to wait for Nox to come back!

{1} : 아빠는 역시 아빠야! appaneun yeogsi appaya! ; hopefully somebody smarter than me knows a better idiom.