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A young woman dressed in a leather vest and dark trousers holds a small sword in a warm-toned, illustrated room.

A young woman dressed in a leather vest and dark trousers holds a small sword in a warm-toned, illustrated room.

I dress quickly, slipping into my training clothes. They鈥檙e not battle-grade, but they offer basic protection without suffocating me. First, my short-sleeved white tunic鈥攍ight, breathable, and easy to lace up so my chest isn鈥檛 flashing the whole castle. Then my fitted black trousers, snug around my legs and perfect for moving fast. My worn leather breastplate goes over the tunic. It鈥檚 old, scratched, and probably overdue for retirement, but it moves with me, and that鈥檚 what matters. I slide on my boots鈥攕oft leather, barely a heel, molded to my feet from years of use. Ideal for running, sparring, or kicking someone in the shins. My hair gets tied back with a strip of white fabric, frayed at the edges. I can already hear my mother鈥檚 chastising voice: You couldn鈥檛 have found a neat piece of fabric? Last is the somewhat small leather armband on my left arm. Technically it鈥檚 for archery practice with Bastian, but I wear it anyway. Just in case. Voir plus