Ch.226Chapter 226 – Special Training (2)

Several days had passed since Kay and his group entered Lair.

Lorona had gone to Rubrum to get permission for what they had requested.

“Master, it’s Lorona.”

As she spoke while gazing at the lava flowing deep within Lair, the lava began to churn momentarily.

Soon, a red dragon extended its massive head from there.

[What is it?]

“About what that group requested…”

[Grant it.]

Before Lorona could even finish speaking.

Rubrum immediately gave permission.

“Are you sure? We’ll need to search the treasure vault again…”

[How extraordinary could their request possibly be?]

Rubrum spoke quietly.

[Even if I grant that much, the treasure vault’s wealth won’t run dry.]

At Rubrum’s words, Lorona hesitated for a moment with her head bowed.

Then she soon opened her mouth.

“Master, I know it’s presumptuous, but I have something to ask.”

Rubrum said nothing.

And Lorona carefully put into words what she wanted to say.

“Why are you leaving them be?”

Facing the silent Rubrum, Lorona continued her questioning.

“Currently, they’re even planning an escape. At this rate…”

[How long has it been since they arrived?]

After thinking for a moment, Lorona quietly answered.

“…About ten days in terms of time, I suppose.”

[Is that so.]

Rubrum nodded.

After a moment, he spoke quietly.

[The reason I’m leaving them be is because there’s no particular reason for me to keep them captive.]

“Then, sending them back would be…”

[Don’t decide what I should do as you please.]

At Rubrum’s voice, Lorona quietly bowed her head.

Then Rubrum spoke quietly.

[I possess something they absolutely need.]

“But…”

Lorona’s words continued.

Or rather, they were about to continue.

[That’s enough.]

Rubrum spoke again.

[Everything is action based on contract. It’s not for you to decide arbitrarily.]

“Yes…”

[And, there’s no need for discontent.]

Rubrum quietly muttered.

[…It seems the time has come.]

Again, Rubrum looked down at Lorona and spoke.

[You shall work according to my instructions.]

Rubrum’s eyes were glowing slightly.

After a long wait, the time was approaching to fulfill one of the contracts binding him.

+

A sword flies in.

Quickly raising my weapon to block the sword, I barely deflect it and immediately charge forward.

‘No.’

At the same time, my body sounded an alarm, and I hastily braked my charging body and rolled backward.

Then the flat side of the greatsword instantly swept past where I had been.

“…Not bad. I deliberately tried to draw you in.”

Mask, who was sparring with me, said with a smile.

Then she immediately charged at me, and I quickly raised my weapon to block her attack.

“How did you notice that I was deliberately exposing an opening?”

“Instinct.”

I answered Mask while pushing her back.

“Just as I was about to charge in, I noticed.”

“Indeed.”

Mask said with a smile.

“You’re completely different from a few days ago.”

“I’ve changed.”

I nodded to Mask as I spoke.

“I’m completely different from ten days ago.”

It had been ten days since we started training here.

It had been about three days since we started planning our escape ten days ago, practicing with Beatrice’s magic, and sparring with her to test various things.

It was around that time when Mask suddenly barged in, saying she would help with the training.

I remembered how I had charged in lightly at first and lost spectacularly.

And compared to then.

I was now in a completely different state.

“They say humans are always evolving.”

There was a definite difference between who I was ten days ago and who I am now.

Continuously fighting against the strong ones in my memories through Beatrice’s magic.

And testing the insights gained there while sparring with Beatrice.

The results of training day and night without rest were now showing.

“Always evolving, huh. That’s a good saying.”

Mask nodded in agreement.

Then, after gripping her sword again, she smiled quietly and said,

“Still, the current results are because you worked that hard, so don’t belittle yourself. Unless you want to discredit everyone who helped you.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Smiling at Mask’s praise, I swung my weapon, the newly made halberd.

Receiving it with her sword, Mask nodded.

“The weapon too. It seems to suit you better than the previous one.”

“Right?”

I recalled the halberd that had broken when I swung it at Rubrum before.

The halberd I was holding now felt more comfortable in my hand than the one I had swung then.

“Perry is a skilled blacksmith. I believed that with time and materials, he would make something good.”

“I’m glad your faith wasn’t misplaced.”

“He keeps saying it’s because the materials are good, though.”

I said while swinging the halberd several times.

“We collected rare metals… He said it turned out well thanks to everyone’s efforts.”

“When you put it that way, it’s somewhat embarrassing.”

Mask said, looking slightly sheepish.

“I didn’t do anything back then.”

“That’s true.”

I laughed at Mask’s words and quietly said,

“Then, help us well from now on.”

“Of course.”

Mask said with a smile.

Then, soon erasing her smile, she said,

“Still, it seems like it’s about time, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.”

I quietly nodded at Mask’s words.

“…We should leave soon.”

“We’ve been patient for too long at this point.”

The time to leave this Lair was approaching.

We had been preparing for that from the beginning.

“…Tomorrow. At dawn, was it?”

“Yes.”

That’s when I heard all preparations for escaping this place would be complete.

Of course, Asam had said they would try to shorten the time, but he had promised that they would definitely finish preparations by then at the latest.

So today was the last day of training.

“We don’t have much time, so let’s do this properly.”

Mask said, raising her greatsword.

I also stood up and aimed my halberd.

“Come.”

Immediately, Mask kicked off the ground and swung her sword.

The sparring continued as I swung my halberd to receive Mask’s greatsword.

Receiving the blade of the greatsword with the halberd, swinging the halberd to counterattack.

Noticing the feint Mask was setting up and trying to use it against her for an attack.

Our weapons entangled and danced, creating brilliant trajectories.

+

After fighting like that for a while.

“…Another draw, huh.”

The sparring had become too heated, so we stopped appropriately.

This time too, we called it a draw and were sprawled on the ground, taking a short rest, Mask and I.

And after a while, Mask chattered about this and that, then started the suggestion she always made to me.

“So, you know. Try naming your techniques. Name your techniques.”

“Is that really necessary?”

Mask had been urging me to name my techniques continuously for days.

“I’ve been telling you for days why technique names are important.”

“No, but you said it’s just about image.”

“That image is what’s important.”

Mask said seriously.

“In the end, everything is about image. Wouldn’t someone in well-equipped gear be more credible than someone in shabby clothes?”

“I’ll admit that.”

There might be a possibility of a hidden master in just underwear, but that would be an extremely unusual case.

“In the end, that image is important. In that sense, technique names are…”

Soon, while I was half-listening to Mask’s words and getting distracted, salvation came to me.

“Alright, you two. Time to wrap it up.”

Beatrice said as she slowly approached us.

“Helmet. I think it’s about time to prepare.”

“Right.”

I retrieved my halberd and approached Beatrice.

“Will this be the last attempt?”

Beatrice nodded.

This would definitely be the last attempt, at least in this place.

And Mask, picking up her greatsword again, looked at me and asked,

“Who will you fight this time?”

“I want to challenge that guy again.”

I said “that guy,” but Mask seemed to understand immediately.

“The Demon King?”

Perhaps because she had heard that I had been completely overwhelmed by the Demon King on the first day.

Mask smiled slightly at the corners of her mouth and said,

“I wish you luck.”

“Thanks.”

“May you defeat that opponent you want to beat.”

“Yeah.”

Answering Mask’s words, I lay down on the rope Beatrice had set.

“I’ll begin.”

With Beatrice’s words, drowsiness hit me.

Soon, burning trees came into view.

The land of Alfheim in my memory.

Through them, I could see the Demon King standing with his sword planted.

Quietly, the Demon King began to point his sword at me, and in response, I aimed my halberd.

“…Here I go.”

With those words as a signal.

I kicked off the ground and charged toward the Demon King.

+

While Kay was fighting the Demon King in his memory.

Mask quietly looked down at Kay and said,

“…I have such mixed feelings.”

“About what?”

“Just. I think it’s because I’m half-demon.”

Mask said to Beatrice with a shrug.

“It feels a bit strange when he says he’s going to defeat the Demon King.”

“Because you, a demon, are helping someone who says he’ll defeat the Demon King?”

“Something like that.”

Mask said with a smile.

“Hey.”

“I know. It’s a bit complicated, but everyone has their own circumstances. If that’s what he wants, I don’t need to throw cold water on it.”

Mask responded lightly to Beatrice’s words.

Then she took out a medicine bottle from her bosom and began to drink.

“…This is really bitter.”

Mask said, grimacing after drinking the medicine made by Sera.

And watching her, Beatrice began to tease.

“They say good medicine tastes bitter. Isn’t it good?”

“Yeah. I feel like my body is healing, little by little but definitely.”

The medicine Mask drank was made by Sera at Chris’s request after examining her, and since it was tailored for her, its efficacy was certain.

So even though it was very bitter, Mask added quietly that she wouldn’t spit it out.

“…Still, I’d like to eat something sweet.”

“Now that you mention it, I’m craving something too.”

As the two women were thinking about sweet foods and licking their lips, the sound of the wall door opening was heard.

And seeing the woman entering through there, Mask nodded.

“You’re here.”

“Yes.”

Eve, sweating slightly, nodded and said.

And soon she drew her sword, pointed it at Mask, and said,

“May I ask for a match?”

“My goodness.”

Mask smiled and picked up a stick.

And pointing it at Eve, she said,

“I’ve become too popular these days.”

Waving the tip of the branch playfully.

Mask said with a smile,

“Let’s begin.”

Immediately, Beatrice cast a barrier to protect Kay.

And outside the barrier, Eve charged at Mask.

“…Really. Everyone is so diligent.”

Beatrice was watching the scene with a smile.

And quietly, raising her hand, she said,

“Then, I should also start devising this.”

On Beatrice’s hand was an illusion of Kay wearing dragon armor.

“I need to get stronger too.”

Looking at the annotations she had analyzed next to the illusion, Beatrice quietly began her research.

+

In the workshops set up in one corner of the quarters.

On one side, the sound of hammering could be heard, and on the other, water was constantly boiling.

“Chris, could you hand me those chemicals on the shelf?”

“Here you go.”

It was Chris, who had briefly stopped by the workshop while keeping watch.

She had decided to help for a moment as Sera said she needed assistance.

“…You’re really busy, Sera.”

Chris was slightly intimidated by the sight of various chemicals and tools being prepared simultaneously.

She realized that Sera’s skills were much higher than expected, as she was handling all of this without an assistant.

At the same time, Chris also noticed that Sera must be incredibly tired.

However, despite her fatigue, Sera’s face was somewhat bright.

“I’m busy, but everyone else is working hard too.”

Sera said with a smile.

And as she filled bottles with the completed medicines one by one, she said,

“This is for Mask, Chris.”

“Yes.”

“And this is for Kay.”

Chris nodded and took the two medicine bottles.

“By the way, Sera, what are you making over there?”

Chris asked, looking at an unfinished tool on one of the shelves.

“It’s a countermeasure against the church’s saint.”

“A countermeasure?”

“According to Kay, the techniques that saint used rely on sight.”

Then there’s one very simple way to counter that.

“It’s a tool to block vision.”

“Yes. An improved version of a tool I’ve used before… I should say.”

Sera said, looking a bit embarrassed.

“Besides that, I need to prepare in various ways.”

“…That’s right, Sera.”

Sera added that she should at least do this much for the people who had entered special training.

“I’ll be going then.”

“Yes. Please take care of the medicines.”

“Leave it to me.”

Sera and Chris smiled lightly as they spoke.

And as she was about to go outside.

Chris noticed a well-packaged medicine in one corner of the workshop.

It seemed to be a set of two medicines.

“Oh, Sera. What’s that medicine?”

“That.”

As if she hadn’t expected Chris to notice it, Sera’s body froze slightly.

And quietly, but seriously, she said,

“It’s a secret.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. It’s important.”

Seeing Sera’s serious face, Chris quietly smiled.

‘Somehow, it seems like that kind of thing.’

Her woman’s intuition was telling her.

That medicine was related to male-female relationships.

But she also thought it wouldn’t be harmful to Kay.

‘Sera would never do anything dangerous to him.’

So for now, she decided to let it go with a smile and said,

“You’ll tell me later, right?”

“…Yes. I’ll definitely tell you. You’ll need it too, Chris.”

“Me too?”

“Yes.”

Chris was slightly taken aback by Sera’s quite serious face.

But soon she smiled and nodded.

“Then, I won’t ask any more for now.”

“Thank you, Chris.”

With Sera’s thanks behind her, Chris quietly went out the door.

And seeing Eina walking from afar, she waved her hand.

“Ah, Sister.”

“Hello.”

Eina said, bowing her head.

“…Thank you for listening to my concerns.”

“It’s nothing. Hearing confessions is a nun’s duty.”

Chris smiled, recalling what had happened about five days after they had entered this place.

“Are you feeling better about what was troubling you?”

“Not yet.”

“Take your time to think. A path will appear, even if slowly.”

“Yes.”

After a light prayer, Eina asked,

“It’s about time for the shift change, why don’t you go in?”

“That’s right. I was supposed to switch with you, Eina.”

Has it already been that long?

Time had passed quickly while helping Sera and chatting briefly.

“I’ll go check on Lara. Sister, please go in and rest now.”

“Yes. Ah, then these medicines…”

Chris handed over the medicines she had received to Eina.

“Well, rest well.”

“Yes!”

After greeting Eina, Chris turned around and headed to her room.

‘Today, again, nothing happened.’

Although she had kept watch as a precaution, it didn’t seem like the other party would directly harm them.

At least she hadn’t felt that way, so Chris relaxed her expression slightly, thinking it was safe now.

‘I should read the next chapter soon.’

Chris had been reading the books Kay had bought for her and the secret book she had obtained from them in her spare time.

‘…The next chapter is definitely…’

As she recalled the title of the section she was about to read in the book she considered her secret weapon, Chris’s face turned slightly red.

However, because she wanted to read it quickly, her footsteps were also getting faster.

“Excuse me.”

“Huh?”

Chris felt a sudden presence and turned around.

And at the same time.

She felt pain at the back of her head.

“Lo…!”

“You’ve become too relaxed. To expose your back so easily.”

Chris tried to reach out to Lorona, who was speaking with a smile, attempting to say something.

And seeing Chris like that, Lorona nodded slightly.

“I’m sorry.”

“What…”

Chris had tried to speak to hold onto Lorona, even for a moment.

But her consciousness was already fading.

As Chris’s body began to collapse, Lorona quickly picked her up.

In the process, Chris’s hat fell to the ground.

“Please sleep for a little while.”

Looking at the already unconscious Chris.

Lorona quietly began to run while carrying her.