I'm Sierra. Born as the daughter of Count, I was taught a lot about how to handle shields from a young age.
The teaching was quite strict since my family was a distinguished family. The manners were thoroughly instilled in me of course from a young age, so as to not embrace the name of our family when I will marry to the royal family one day.
However, it wasn't like the training was painful for me. I could learn them easily once I got a hang of it, and my parents never shy away from praising me.
The only thing that distresses me was the pressure, the hope that was gradually surrounding me. That may sound like I'm bragging coming out of me, but I had the talent in shield.
I was told that I looked a lot like my ancestor, my biological
great-grandmother, who was said to be the greatest shieldsman of all time.
I didn't hate being called so.
Because my great-grandmother was an outstanding person, she acquired <Shield Princess>, the ultimate job for a shieldman, and achieved the extraordinary feat of rescuing the Kingdom by standing at the forefront of when it was going through the crisis.
I got complacent being compared to a legendary person like her, being told that I have the same talent as my great-grandmother.
But as the date for enrolling in the academy gradually approaches, I began to pay attention to what job I will get. It was a pretty normal thing to say. After all, a job is something precious, something that will influence your whole life. It's all right to say your future will shape by the job you will take.
Even though I was aiming for a high-ranking job, and if possible, I wished for the <Shield Princess> job like my great-grandmother. But apparently the <Shield Princess> job was much dearest to my family than I had expected. When it had started, I don't know, however the people around me began to look at me with hopeful and beseeching eyes, wishing that I would acquire <Shield Princess> job.
The requests were gradually intensifying even though I didn't know if I would ever get the <Shield Princess> job, no matter how much I prayed.
Finally, I was sent off by my father being told "You will definitely acquire the <Shield Princess> job", when it was time to depart for the academy.
The hope and the pressure was too heavy to bear. But I also thought it's not impossible.
I definitely had some confidence in myself, since I was told that I have the talent that can rival my great-grandmother. I thought I would be able to achieve the same feat as her, for she was the only bearer of <Shield Princess> job in all generations.
However, that self-confidence quickly disappeared like smoke.
I finally faced the job appraisal while feeling nervous. There wasn't the name of <Shield Princess> in the list of jobs.
I couldn't become <Shield Princess>.
I desperately began to retrain in shield afterword and reflected. Although I know increasing my power by a leave margin in such a short time wouldn't be possible by any means, I still trained myself till my limit, just so that I can see the name of <Shield Princess> next time in my job list.
I was so desperate that I felt my heart wearing out. The nights were especially more painful due to the pressure.
However, as the daughter of the Count family, I absolutely can't reveal it. I did all my best to not lose my dignity while being conscious of elegance. But even after a week of arduous training, the name of <Shield Princess> never showed up.
The day when I thought I must push myself even more, that person appeared.
The person was clad in a white armour. It was quite a turnaround from our last meeting when that person was dressed in usual academy uniform.
The person who had been standing in front of me on our first job appraisal day, the person who grabbed the <Brave> job with a face brimming with self-confidence before my eyes. It was the appearance of legendary <Brave>. How did that happen? I wondered if there was any sort of chance that it appeared? By the time I came to my senses, I found myself speaking with that person. And that moment became the biggest turning point of my life from there on.
"Sigh..."
I'm right now in my room of a dormitory for aristocrats, burying myself in bed as I exhaled a sigh.