After I started learning horseback riding from senior Xian, the senior’s horseback riding lectures were naturally added to my daily routine.

Of course, I never thought that I would be able to ride a horse perfectly within ten days. It seemed that senior Xian had no intention of teaching that far.

“If you are going to ride a horse as a means of transportation, ten days will not be enough.”

“Is it that difficult?”

“If you start as a beginner, you’ll probably be limited to walking in 10 days. It would be a story when Conrad’s juniors followed suit.”

“okay.”

“It’s good to learn one by one from the beginning without being impatient. There is no fast way to horseback riding.”

“Yeah. Please take good care of me, senior Xian.”

It was the fourth day since Xian sunbaenim’s horseback riding tutoring started at 10:00 a.m. and continued until 4:00 p.m.

For the first time, I was able to successfully circumnavigate a lap on a horseback riding track by myself.

“Nice job, Junior Conrad.”

“Are you okay?”

“For what I learned in four days, this is a fairly rapid progress. If you can already walk, it won’t be impossible to canter by the end of the vacation.”

“That’s fortunate. I was worried about what it would be like if I just fell off as soon as I got on the horse like before.”

After hearing Xian’s praise, I felt relieved at the thought that I was doing well.

“Maybe it’s because he has good stamina, so he rides quite well.”

“Iknow, right. I didn’t know it well at first, but I learned horseback riding, but it secretly consumes a lot of stamina.”

“I don’t know just by looking at it. It just looks like you’re sitting comfortably on a horse. Once you start learning, it’s hard enough that you think running is better until you get used to it.”

“The last time I rode with Xian-senpai, it wasn’t particularly physically difficult.”

It was mainly mentally difficult.

“At that time, I moved instead. That’s why I told you to hold on tight.”

“That’s why I told you to hold me tight.”

“… yes. That’s all.”

It was a moment when I felt ashamed of myself for having had a strange imagination.

On the first day when I started learning horseback riding, even getting on a horse was difficult, and even after getting on it, I couldn’t keep my posture, so I got tired quickly after an hour or two.

After almost three days of realizing that it would be much more comfortable if I moved my body up and down according to the posture and movements that senior Xian corrected, my fatigue level was much lower.

It wasn’t long before I realized that the reason why he touched my thighs and buttocks a lot was to properly adjust my posture.

“If you don’t squat in time with the rhythm of the horse’s movement, you’ll get tired quickly. The mere realization of that is the same as leaving beginners behind, junior Konrad.”

“Certainly, I think I’ve gotten used to it enough to be able to ride for an hour or two without difficulty. It gives me a sense of stability and a feeling of living more.”

“I was worried at first because I didn’t learn properly, but it wasn’t that I didn’t have any talent at all.”

“Since Xian taught me well, I’m learning much faster.”

“It’s okay even if you don’t say dirty words, Junior Conrad.”

Even though I said that, there seemed to be a strangely happy expression in my voice, so it seemed that senior Xian accepted my growth happily.

“Now let’s move on to the canter stage. Unlike normal walking, you will have to work on your posture a little more. The way they move is different.”

“Already?”

“Yeah, because I learn quickly. And even if you learn from now on, it’s hard to guarantee that you’ll be able to complete Kubo in the remaining period.”

“I understand, Mr. Xian. Then I will continue to ask.”

“yes.”

“I’ll take care of Lucy too.”

“Hee hee hee!!”

I don’t know if she understands what I’m saying and responds, but Lucy, my riding partner, also responded with a good cry in response to her name.

“The child’s name was said to be Zeraon… .”

Senior Xian muttered something next to him, but he deliberately pretended not to hear.

Lucy is a much more fitting name. No matter how much you think about it, Xeraon’s naming sense was a bit ambiguous to Baekma.

“Anyway, after you’ve had enough rest, climb back on. From now on, I will teach you how to walk.”

“Yes, senior Xian.”

As soon as I climbed on Lucy’s back to hear her next lecture, I immediately felt another person riding on my back.

“Senior Xian?”

“From now on, I will stick with you and teach you. Because it is much faster.”

“… Are you stuck?”

“Because starting from canter, we have to teach them how to continuously change their posture while on the horse. Surely you’re not going to let the senior run the track while riding the horse alone, are you?”

“… No, that’s not it.”

Certainly, as Xian said, to learn horseback riding posture, it was most efficient to teach them in such close proximity.

It was just an unexpected physical contact, so I was just taken aback.

There was no particular problem until Xian sunbaenim taught me while touching my body.

First of all, it’s because I’m in a learning position, and Xian-senpai didn’t look at a human being who wasn’t a long-lived species as a love object.

However, the posture of facing each other on the horse in this way was dangerous in many ways.

It’s not that it’s a risk of falling off the horse or that it’s dangerous because you can’t balance, it’s that it’s hard not to be conscious of her.

Unlike in the past, from this position, other parts of the body other than Xian’s hands would be closely attached to my body.

Aside from senior Xian not thinking of me as a man, it wasn’t easy for me to do that. It was hard to ignore even the feeling of my thighs overlapping from behind.

“Comrade Konrad, start again with walking first. You will take it slowly.”

“… … Yeah.”

It would be a pity for her if she was too conscious of senior Xian, so I decided to pretend I didn’t care at all and focus on the horseback riding lecture.

In addition to that, I tried self-hypnosis that the person riding in the back was not Xian-senpai from this lifetime, but just a dwarf elf from the past lifetime.

The one riding in the back is not Xian-senpai, it’s just Xian. A bloody, elven supremacist, a damn goblin who opposed every strategy I brought out… .

“Comrade Konrad, lean forward more.”

“Sir, Xian senior. You don’t need to stick that close… .”

“If you don’t lower your posture, you and your speech will be difficult. Come on, get down quickly.”

“… All right.”

Saying that, the moment Xian sunbaenim’s body overlapped behind him, the self-hypnosis he had uttered was so easily released.

It didn’t take long to realize that learning as quickly as possible was the answer.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The longer the week of horseback riding with senior Xian, the faster my horseback riding skills improved.

At first, even getting on a horse was difficult, but that was only a small hardship on the first day of learning.

Now it has become enough to be able to move at a fairly fast pace even while riding a horse.

Of course, it wasn’t that easy because I wasn’t completely used to it, but I had to focus on Lucy’s movements in various ways so that she wouldn’t lose her posture while moving.

But at least I can react to the point where I can change my stance before Xian-senpai, who rides behind me, points it out, so even that would be a huge improvement.

It was such a good growth that I dare to say that my heart became magnificent, whether it was me in the past who tried seven times and fell off the horse seven times.

Senior Xian, who was sitting side by side behind me, was able to concentrate on horseback riding without being too conscious at some point.

Not only did I become more focused on the horse I was riding in order not to recognize that senior Xian was riding in the back seat of me, but since I was focusing on the horse, of course, I was able to quickly utilize the horse riding knowledge she taught me.

It is a fact that I can know without saying that it helped me to develop my skills so quickly.

Maybe that’s why Xian-senpai rode the same horse as me and taught me how to ride.

She was a pretty good educator in that she drew attention without the student noticing it.

It’s the fifth day since I started riding the same horse as senior Xian and taking Kubo lecture.

It was time to finish the horseback riding lecture I had requested from her as the vacation before the evaluation had already reached its last day.

“Since you’re in good shape now, it might be a good idea to try cantering by yourself.”

“Are you finally going to play?”

“I was surprised at how quickly I learned. Did you fall off the horse seven times when you first learned?”

“At that time, I didn’t even know how to ride a horse properly.”

“If you didn’t teach me that much, then it seems that the teacher really didn’t get along very well with you.”

“… That’s it.”

Fortunately, not now.

I walked to the starting point of the track with Lucy to show Xian the results of the past 10 days.

“Comrade Conrad, just do what you have learned.”

“Yeah. … Let’s go, Lucy.”

“Hee hee hee!!!”

I jumped on Lucy’s back, who was now completely used to my name, and took a running stance.

In horseback riding, the skill of the rider is important, but what is more important is breathing with the horse.

It is because the most basic of horseback riding is to have the horse move according to a pre-determined signal.

It was a characteristic of animals called horses that they did not listen to the words of people they did not like because they were so smart.

So, in fact, the element I cared about the most during this training week was getting close to Lucy.

Before training, buying a pleasant favor by gently sweeping the fur and cheering up with snacks in between training was the most basic start of horseback riding.

It was a time for me to be evaluated not only on how well I learned from senior Xian, but also on whether or not I was qualified to ride a horse by Lucy.

To canter, he pulled the reins a little more and gave Lucy a signal by giving him a slight slap on the waist.

At first, walk slowly.

It is said that a skilled person can run at a gallop as soon as he gets on a horse, but it was obviously not a level that I, who had just begun to take off the horse, could surpass.

Therefore, after starting slowly at a pace, I gave a signal and increased the speed little by little.

From flat to trot. From trotting to canter.

As Lucy’s speed increased, I also bent over and lowered the horse’s stance to make it easier for her to run.

Don’t forget to move your body in line with the horse’s movement so that you don’t get tired easily.

With the mindset that Lucy and I would become one, after walking around the track for two laps, we slowly returned to the starting point where senior Xian was waiting.

Secretly embracing in my heart the feeling of satisfaction that it seems to have run quite well.

“How are you, Sian-senpai?”

“… Well done. It’s perfectly fine.”

“really?”

“Moving step by step without overdoing it, moving together in sync with the horse, and even the timing of giving signals or changing directions were perfect. More than anything else.”

“That’s fortunate.”

If I hadn’t done it right, I would have been embarrassed by senior Xian, who taught me all 10 days.

So just the declaration of acceptance came out of her mouth, and her efforts for the past ten days were rewarded.

“Lucy, thank you too.”

“Hee hee hee!!”

Lucy, who cries once with a pleasant cry and then accepts and eats the carrot I gave her, was also quite cute.

It’s a borrowed word, but I’m going to get attached to it for no reason.

“It’s a bit unfortunate, but this is the end.”

Senior Xian, who gave the horseback riding lecture for ten days, said in a sad voice.

“It was enjoyable in its own way. I really didn’t think I would be able to canter, but it was worth teaching.”

“I’m glad that senior Xian was happy too.”

“With a little more practice, you should be able to learn enough to use it as a means of transportation. It’s probably difficult to wield magic or a sword on top of a horse.”

“It can’t be helped. I don’t even want to go there.”

What I want is to be able to drive a horse to some extent and be able to drive a wagon. That was exactly the goal I wanted.

If that’s possible, until Stella graduates from the academy and is appointed a hero.

That way, in the subjugation party after drinking, Xian-senpai wouldn’t have to go through the hardships of driving a wagon alone.

The risk of not being able to move on the day she gets sick or suffers a wound that takes a long time to heal will also disappear.

… If possible, I would like to learn enough while attending the academy.

“Hey, Xian-senpai.”

“Why is that, Junior Conrad?”

“Could you teach me a little more about horseback riding until I graduate?”

Maybe I didn’t expect these words to come out of my mouth, but Xian sunbaenim opened his eyes a little wide and put on a surprised expression.

“Are you asking for more riding lessons?”

“Yeah. If possible, I want to get used to driving a carriage before graduation.”

“carriage… ? Are you thinking of becoming a peddler after graduation?”

“I don’t know. You never know what life is going to be like.”

“Hmm… .”

It wasn’t much different from the peddlers, considering that the party members gathered together to block the demon’s attack and received subjugation rewards at the imperial palace or the Orthodox Church.

“Are you having a hard time? Even once a week is fine.”

It was a suggestion that I brought up thinking that there was nothing I could do about it if it didn’t work, but fortunately, what came back from her mouth was an affirmative answer.

“Yes, I will teach you.”

“Really?”

“I started teaching, but shouldn’t I see the end? From now on, I will continue to teach you once a week, every Sunday morning at 10:00.”

“Thank you, Senior Xian.”

For that reason, senior Xian and I’s horseback riding lecture continued a little longer after that.

I had an intuition that this generation’s demon subjugation team would be able to move with a little more mobility.