Gender bend—back in my old world, it was a genre where characters switched to their opposite genders. Essentially, a girl would transform into a guy, and vice versa. If I was right, that's what was happening to Johanne right now. I wasn't sure if it was a curse or something similar, but it could definitely be one.
Given Johanne's blissful ignorance of the change, it seemed he, or rather, she wasn't aware of it. It was possible she'd been transformed into a boy from birth. But who was responsible? It had to be someone with the power to pull off such a drastic alteration.
"Now that I think about it, she's the son... or rather the daughter of the Sword Saint, right?" I pondered aloud. It was possible her father had orchestrated this transformation or at least found someone to do it.
It was possible that the Sword Saint had hoped for a son to inherit his legendary skill. As one of the strongest swordsmen, he might have envisioned passing on his prowess to a male heir. Perhaps he was disappointed when his first child was a girl instead. Maybe he wanted a boy because he believed a son would be more suited to mastering the sword.
If he saw his daughter as less capable of achieving what he hoped for in a successor, that could explain his actions.
Of course, this was all just speculation. I had no concrete proof that Johanne was indeed gender-bent. I needed to dig deeper and investigate further.
For now, we were on the second day of the physical exam. Yesterday had tested swordsmanship, endurance, and strength. Today's challenges included agility, marksmanship, and versatility.
Agility, as the name implies, tests your nimbleness—how swiftly you can fight and how effectively you can dodge and evade attacks. While speed is a part of it, agility adds another layer of complexity, making the test both a measure of quick reflexes and graceful movement.
For this test, you face a rotating training dummy that speeds up as you hit it harder. The dummy spins faster with each impact, and if it connects with you, you're out. Evaluators time how long you can avoid being hit while continuously attacking the dummy. No matter how fast it spins, you must keep your strikes coming.
Several factors influence your final score, and depending on how well you handle the challenge, your grade could either soar or plummet.
The second day of the exam passed in the blink of an eye.
***
After parting ways with Titania, I made my way back to my dorm room. As I walked, an unsettling feeling crept over me—I sensed someone was following me. Whoever it was kept their distance, moving stealthily, like a skilled stalker. Ignoring them might be easier, but if they kept tailing me all day, it would be a constant annoyance.
So, I decided to change my route to see if they were really following me.
When I confirmed that they were still on my tail after my route change, I decided to set up an ambush. I needed to find out why they were following me. I turned the corner quickly and prepared myself for the confrontation. Just over ten seconds later, they rounded the corner, continuing their pursuit.
"Wagh?!"
She clearly hadn't expected me to be waiting for her, as she let out a startled yelp. If she hadn't been genuinely following me, she probably wouldn't have been so utterly shocked.
"Do you need something from me?" I asked her. She was a second-year student from the bronze class, currently at the bottom of her class. Timid and wearing glasses, her hair styled in braided twin-tails, and constantly clutching books to her chest, she had the look of a bookworm who seemed too shy to step out of her shell. If I remembered correctly, her name was Ella.
As I calmly posed my question, Ella placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady her rapid heartbeat.
"...W-What are you talking about? I-I don't even know you."