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I have been making all sorts of excuses to delay this for a while now, but I’m starting to feel the need to get moving.

Honestly, before enrolling, I tended to dismiss it, but now that I’m actually here at the Academy, the caliber of the students is no joke. Of course, it’s no surprise that such a gathering takes place at Griffin Academy, but it definitely exceeds my expectations.

Just looking at Anne and Selian, they possess an incredible strength for their age. I’ve heard there’s even a monster in Swordsmanship Class 2.

To secure a scholarship, I need to surpass all those guys. I’m not overly confident in my written exams, so I must at least place in the top tier of practical skills to have a shot at it.

So, let’s get back to training starting today!

*

The place I moved to was the Academy’s comprehensive sports facility. Most of the people around seemed to be students from the Swordsmanship Department, but I occasionally spotted other students from different departments here for some basic physical training.

Since it’s a facility for all Academy students, a range of exercise equipment is lined up, from light dumbbells to those adjustable to hundreds of kilograms. As a country bumpkin, I found myself looking at some equipment I’d never seen before, unsure how to use it.

There were also spaces for sparring and a running track provided for running.

Today, I was planning to start with the physical fitness test I had been putting off for so long.

It was necessary to clearly recognize how much my physical abilities had changed since becoming a woman.

Understanding one’s own state is fundamental. I need to know myself before I can know my enemy.

The very first thing to check is my cardiovascular endurance, the foundation of everything. After all, there’s a saying that fitness is a nation’s strength, right? Or is it not? Well, who cares!

It seems there’s even a swimming pool in one part of the facility, but obviously, I don’t have the money to buy a swimsuit. So, I headed to the corner of the running track for some jogging instead. In fact, the workout clothes I’m wearing now were altered from my assassin days…

Among the old assassin outfits, there was a pair of stretchy black tights colloquially known as “spandex.” They may look a bit suggestive, but they’re quite useful for movement due to their great elasticity and breathability.

Since they’re stretchy, with just a minor alteration, I could fit into them nicely despite my now slimmer body. Naturally, I had no budget to pay someone for alterations, so I did it myself. Who knew I could be so handy?

After putting on the altered clothes, I checked myself in the mirror, feeling a bit embarrassed from a male perspective. The curves of a woman’s body are fully apparent and, for some reason, it feels slightly risqué. But, having heard somewhere and confirmed on my last outing that women wear similar leggings when exercising, I decided that if I just endure my personal embarrassment, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

With that in mind, I picked a t-shirt from the few lying around that I liked, paired it with leggings, and headed out to exercise.

Before starting to run, I loosened up with some light stretching. I rolled my wrists and ankles, did a few jumps in place, and then bent over to touch the ground with my fingertips.

I wondered if I had become more flexible than when I was a guy. Indeed, my palms reached the ground much more easily than before. I could maintain that position without any strain. I noted this for reference when swinging the sword later.

After finishing my simple stretching, I began to jog. Starting off at a light pace.

After running a lap around the facility’s interior, I decided to pick up the speed.

I’m starting to sweat a little, but for now, it’s manageable. If I were still in my male body, I probably would have been wailing on the floor by now.

After another lap, I began to run in earnest.

I ramped it up to just shy of a full sprint. I couldn’t pin down the exact speed, but it didn’t feel like I had notably slowed down compared to my past self. My bouncing chest was a bit uncomfortable as I increased my pace, but it wasn’t bad enough to hinder my running.

One lap, two laps, three laps, four laps, five laps… ten laps…

I’m starting to feel out of breath. Now for the final stretch. I’m going to go all out.

There’s no time for breathing deeply now. I’m not thinking about pacing myself anymore. Ignoring the cries of my protesting body, I pushed through and completed one more lap at full speed.

Confirming I had returned to the starting point, I gradually slowed down to a brisk walk. Honestly, I’d love to just collapse and catch my breath, but it’s crucial to finish my workout properly.

And to avoid colliding with anyone coming up behind me, I glanced back occasionally while stepping off the track.

?

When did so many people get on the track?

I was so focused on my running that I hadn’t noticed, but compared to when I first started running, quite a few students were now running laps.

Running is considered a fundamental form of exercising, so while it’s important, it’s also often regarded as boring, which leads many to slack off. However, maybe it’s because these are students hailed as prodigies, but they don’t seem to take running lightly.

Well, what others do is their business… I don’t necessarily need to be concerned about how others exercise, so I shrugged it off and sat on a bench located outside the track to take a break.

At this point, I didn’t have the energy to worry about sitting modestly. After all, who would think I was a guy just because my sitting posture wasn’t particularly ladylike? Plus, I was wearing pants and not a skirt, so I settled in comfortably, spreading my legs a bit to catch my breath. I even took a sip from my water bottle. I ended up spilling a little since I rushed it, but I’m drenched in sweat anyway, so who cares? The cold water felt nice and refreshing.

Sweating when it’s hot is just annoying, but sweat from running brings a sense of satisfaction. Sweat stung my eyes as it trickled down. I thought I should definitely bring a sports towel next time when I suddenly stood up from the bench.

“Elysia~”

Way off in the distance, Anne spotted me and came running my way. Despite her small stature, her red hair made her stand out.

Of course, someone like Anne wouldn’t skip training. She must have come to work out as well. Thinking that, I raised my hand to greet her—

Smack!

“She’s gone insane, absolutely mad!”

Anne slapped my sweaty forearm with a loud crack.

Wait…! Hold on a second!

With my already sensitive senses and my arms slick with sweat, that really hurts! It honestly stings so much that I might just cry!

“Yowch!”

Did she hear my pain-filled shout? Finally, she stopped slapping me.

Oh, dear… I didn’t shed a single tear even during torture training as an assassin… This feels like a full denial of my past!

“Come on, follow me!”

Whether or not she was aware of my feelings, Anne grabbed my hand and marched me towards the changing room, glaring fiercely at our surroundings.

It’s good that we’ve come to the changing room, but…

Why am I kneeling in front of Anne?

“Uh… Anne…?”

I cautiously lifted my gaze to check her expression and saw nothing short of sheer fury. This is genuinely terrifying…

“What were you thinking wearing those clothes?!”

Clothes? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing now?

“Is it that you don’t like the puppy pattern?!”

This is a shock. I can’t believe she doesn’t like one of my favorite t-shirts… It’s a white t-shirt with an adorable dog print.

Look at this! Take a closer look! Isn’t this dog sticking out its tongue and smiling sweetly cute?!

“It’s not the pattern! It’s why you’re wearing a t-shirt to work out! No, the t-shirt is one thing, but why the pants!”

Ah, thank goodness, it’s not about the puppy pattern. Well, of course, my fashion sense is impeccable. Maybe I’m a fashionista after all?

“This is leggings, you know?”

I took another look at the leggings I was wearing, wondering if there’s really a problem. Even though it’s re-tailored from an assassin outfit, I confirmed last time that it didn’t differ much from regular leggings sold in stores. It should be fine.

“The leggings themselves are fine, but… Sigh…”

Anne sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead, clearly at a loss for words.

“Okay, I knew Elysia was a little clueless, but I didn’t think it was this bad… Just don’t wear that when training. No, I’m taking that outfit away from you.”

Then, Anne lunged at me and started forcibly yanking off my leggings.

“Wait, wait! They’ll rip! They’ll tear!”

As if it wouldn’t matter to her, Anne snatched my leggings from me with immense strength.

“I knew Elysia was a bit slow, but I didn’t expect it to be this much… We can’t have this. From now on, you’re working out with me, no exceptions!”

With her hands planted firmly on her hips, Anne demanded that of me. No, this was more of a declaration than a request.

“Answer me!”

“Yes!”

Sports clothes… will I be able to afford them with the money I have…? I’ve got to save up…