Chapter 124: Guardian
"Ta-dan! How do I look~?" asked Riko, emerging from the rest area in a multi-layer white and blue compression jersey, buruma-like shorts, and thigh-high leggings that seamlessly transitioned into aerodynamic, all-terrain footwear. All things considered, it wasn't much different from her Delver outfit without the jacket, the main difference being that it covered her upper back and part of her shoulders.
"It suits you well," affirmed Vahn, nodding approvingly before shifting his attention to Roxanne and Fran as they appeared in functionally identical sportswear. One thing of note was that thanks to the special sports bra she had been provided to facilitate ease of movement, Roxanne was now the most hydrodynamic member of the group.
Sporting a charming, narrow-eyed smile, Roxanne declared, "I will take Fran with me into the nearby forest for training. We'll be sure to return in time for lunch."
"Alright, have fun," said Vahn, offering a second nod before following the duo with his eyes as they departed. With the aid of his domain, he didn't need to lower his gaze to marvel at Roxanne's butt, but that didn't prevent him from stealing a brief glimpse before turning to Riko, finding her staring at him with a slightly accusatory look.
"What...?" asked Vahn, raising his right brow with a wry smile.
Ostensibly deciding against saying what was on her mind, Riko shook her head, adopted a smile, and stated, "I'm just wondering what we're going to do to improve my stamina. I mentioned it before, but I'm not much of a runner."
"There's a reason I chose this environment for your training," stated Vahn, explaining, "Even here in the valley, the air density is similar to being at an elevation of 2,500m. In other words, the air is much thinner than usual, so regardless of the exercises you do, you'll be enhancing your body's ability to process oxygen. It's called hypoxic training, and if we scale the nearby mountains, the effects will become more prominent."
Blinking in surprise, Riko asked, "We're going mountain climbing...?" before swallowing nervously. She was reasonably confident in her climbing skills, but only when it came to scaling down vertical cliffs. Deliberately climbing upward was something she and most Delvers endeavored to avoid except when it absolutely couldn't be avoided...
Shaking his head, Vahn responded, "You can relax. That's something for the future. For now, we'll stick to basic weight training, light jogging, and swimming. We'll move on to more advanced training methods once you've shored your stamina and built some muscle."
"As long as I don't become super muscular," appended Riko, adopting an awkward smile as she added, "I know I'm not the girliest girl, but I don't want to end up looking like Uncle Hablog. He's really strong and fast, but he's as big and round as a boulder."
"That won't be a problem," assured Vahn, resisting the urge to caress Riko's head as he gestured to the platform at the front of the rest area, extending away from it like a short pier. Riko was confused but started walking ahead, Vahn following close behind as he stated, "Our goal this morning is to circle the lake and return here before lunch. We can stop to rest as often as you require. Just give it your all in between."
"In other words...we're running..." groaned Riko, slumping her body and dangling her arms as a protracted sigh escaped her throat. Immediately after, however, she straightened up and slapped her face with surprising force, ostensibly to fire herself up as she exclaimed, "Alright! I promised I would do my best, so let's do this!" before taking off at a full sprint.
'This is surprisingly enjoyable...' thought Vahn, sporting a relaxed smile as he effortlessly trailed a short distance behind Riko. He had never actively trained outside of sparring, and while Riko's pace wasn't particularly swift, seeing her fired up and doing her best made him want to give her training his all...
'I wonder if this is how other mentors and Masters feel...?' Vahn mused, slowing to a stop as Riko paused to catch her breath, doubling over with her hands above her knees. He thought to use Wound Transfer to restore her stamina and remove her muscle fatigue, but since recovering was the key to growth, he stood next to her and lightly pat her back, saying, "Take your time. Being able to run quickly is useful, but being able to sustain the same pace for a protracted period is infinitely more important. Begin slow, and speed will follow with time and experience..."
"I...understand..." responded Riko, taking a moment to catch her breath before rising to her full height and advancing forward, this time at a slow and steady jog. Her previous sprint left her winded and her muscles sore, but with Vahn infusing his domain with the intent to alleviate her fatigue, she was able to continue much longer than she thought possible, helping her build the confidence she would need to push herself further in future training and marathons...
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With the circumference of the lake being around thirty kilometers, Riko wasn't able to complete the circuit on her first attempt. She kept trying even after stopping dozens of times, but since she wasn't used to running such long distances, she only made it around ten kilometers before Vahn had to catch her to prevent her collapse.
"I wonder if this is how a Princess feels to be carried by her knight in shining armor~?" asked Riko, exhausted but sporting a happy smile as Vahn slowly ferried her across the lake, floating a few centimeters above its surface. He had thought of having her row them back using a boat but concluded that would be cruel. After all, she had worked hard, and hard work merited a reward, not further effort.
"What do you want for lunch?" asked Vahn, noting, "I was planning carrot stew, curry, rice, fruit salad, and a variety of fruit and vegetables, but you can request something else since you gave it your all."
"That all sounds delicious..." responded Riko, closing her eyes contentedly as she softly muttered, "Everything in this Tower is so amazing...I'm glad I accepted the Administrator's invitation..."
Feeling the tension leave Riko's body, indicating she had fallen asleep, the smile on Vahn's face softened. He was initially surprised when he saw her on the monitors in the lounge, but he was also glad she had accepted the invitation. Her story was one that had left a deep impression when he first read and later watched it. On the surface, it was full of wonder, and while that theme remained prevalent throughout her journey, it was interspaced by themes of loss, extreme violence, and trauma.
Though it may have been better not to simulate Riko's world, sparing her and the people she would meet during her journey from the tragedies that awaited them in the Abyss's depths, Vahn couldn't help feeling there was meaning in such experiences. Most importantly, Riko willfully delved into the Abyss despite knowing the dangers that awaited her, understanding that she would likely never see her friends or the place that had been her home again. She wasn't without fear, but she dared to face it, allowing her to accomplish feats that should have been impossible. With the blessings of the Tower, there was no limit to what such a person could achieve.
With such thoughts in mind, Vahn touched down near the rest area and carried Riko to the bath, waking her once they were inside and leaving her to wash up as he departed to prepare lunch. She tried inviting him to join her, but since he could tell she was developing a bit of a crush on him, he promptly but politely refused while tousling her hair...
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"Oh? Lunch has already been prepared...?" asked Roxanne, arriving at the rest area with Fran on her back, a slight, conflicted frown marring her face as she had hoped to impress Vahn with her cooking.
"The two of you should get cleaned up first," said Vahn, revealing, "We'll start training earlier tomorrow, but afternoons are for rest, relaxation, and learning. That means no training or strenuous activity."
"Understood," responded Roxanne, understanding the importance of rest to avoid injury. Thus, with Fran in tow, she inadvertantly startled Riko, who had been floating within the facility's oversized bath.
Hearing Riko scream and the sounds of splashing, Vahn briefly looked in the direction of the bathroom with a raised brow before shaking his head and returning his attention to his messages. Nami was asking him to carry her through a few Dungeons since Luffy and Natsu had evidently returned to their respective worlds, but since he couldn't simply abandon Roxanne, Riko, and Fran when he was the one to propose training, he was arranging for her to Party with Himmel, Tanya, and Ruijerd.
'A lot of people have left early...' noted Vahn, pulling up the Master List of Ascendees to discover sixteen people had returned despite less than two days passing since the Tower was opened. He believed most would return during the subsequent opening, but at the rate things were going, the 0th Floor would be a ghost town long before the four months were up.
(Shall I send out the second round of invitations once the number has decreased to fifty or less? We have enough rooms to accommodate two hundred people and can always expand to accommodate more) stated Sis.
'That's certainly a possibility...' affirmed Vahn, subsequently adding, 'But there's no reason to rush things. I'm fairly confident these three will stick it out till the end, so even if everyone else leaves, that just gives me more time to focus on preparing them for the future.'
'Besides...' started Vahn, staring at the section of the Mast List labeled Guests. It was just using a Day Pass, but Himmel had used nearly all of his TP to invite someone named Frieren to the Tower. Once the remaining Ascendees discovered this, he believed many would begin earning Tower Points in earnest to have their friends, family, or companions join them in their exploration and ascent...
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"So, Fran, how was your first morning of training...?" asked Vahn, causing the black-haired cat girl to startle as she wasn't yet accustomed to being spoken to in a casual or friendly manner.
Seeing Fran shrink shyly within her seat, Roxanne, sporting a broad smile, took it upon herself to comment, "Fran-chan is just as exceptional as you claimed she would be. We sparred briefly near the end of our training, and she was able to pick up on and emulate some of my movements after only witnessing them once or twice. I'm going to have to train twice as hard if I want to avoid her surpassing me."
"Nn...it's only because Roxanne is a good teacher..." muttered Fran, a shy blush coloring her cheeks as it had been years since she received genuine praise. She was also able to eat her fill, which happened to be nearly a tenth of her body weight, so a rare smile adorned her lips as she hung her head to conceal her face.
"I'm happy to hear things are going well," said Vahn, nodding approvingly before expressing, "For the rest of this afternoon, you should relax but try to avoid sleeping. If you don't yet know how, you should learn to read and write the language of your world. I can provide the materials required and lend a hand if needed."
"You'll teach me...?" asked Fran, raising her gaze to meet Vahn's before tilting her head adorably to the side. She wasn't trying to be cute, but she most definitely was, causing Vahn's smile to broaden as he nodded and affirmed, "Of course I will. I don't pretend to know everything, but if it's something you want to know, we can learn it together."
Adopting another faint smile, Fran looked like she was about to respond, but Riko beat her to it, interjecting to state, "I want to learn too..." with a pouty expression and tone.
"Then we can all learn about each others' worlds and writing systems together," affirmed Vahn, exhaling faintly from his nose. This evidently made Roxanne happy as well, as her expression brightened immensely, causing the atmosphere around the dining table to become pleasant and bubbly as they conversed a while longer before cleaning up and washing the dishes as a group...
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