Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

“Confident, aren’t you? Truly arrogant. I’m genuinely curious about the source of that confidence.”

As Liana muttered quietly, she gazed at the door of the reception room where Neria and Christian had exited.

There were quite a few aspects she could not comprehend.

The hidden skill Christian displayed when he drove Sir Garcia into a corner during the earlier sparring was one such perplexing matter, as well as the audacity in the amount of money he had demanded so boldly.

In particular, what baffled her was their exceedingly joyful acceptance of what she considered an unreasonable demand. Perhaps that was why she had allowed it.

“Can you manage it?”

“…”

Liana asked Aira, who was still standing and had not taken a seat. Aira nodded in firm agreement.

“Yes. I will make every effort to meet your expectations, mother.”

“The word ‘effort’ is unnecessary. I do not desire an abstract answer.”

Effort made, unseen processes; such things held little meaning for her.

She desired only one thing.

“… I will show you through results. Definitely.”

“Indeed. Using the full three months, there must be certain results.”

It was conceivable to simply pass the time without achieving that result.

If that happened, she would be able to extract an enormous penalty for breach of contract from that troublesome pair.

Slapping a foreclosure notice on their home would be quite a sight to behold…

“If you truly manage to produce results, you won’t just be chasing after that child, but you’ll also learn how to advance on your own.”

“Mother…”

Liana’s only aim was to uncover the secret behind Christian’s rapid growth in a short period.

And if she achieved that, there was no reason Aira couldn’t catch up to Christian — this was her belief.

Perhaps Aira understood her mother’s thoughts and feelings to some extent, as her expression changed.

“It will be worth watching. Shall I kindly enlighten you? Yes, think of it that way for now. Discover everything you can, extract everything possible.”

“…”

“Even if something appears impossible, it can be solved with money. Do you understand? Money is what moves the world, and what cannot be accomplished with money only indicates a lack of funds.”

“Well, um…”

“Having invested ten thousand gold coins, you must recoup that investment. I cannot stand to see my money flow into the hands of that pair. You must, on your own, skillfully retrieve that. Keep that in mind.”

“… Yes.”

She felt a fleeting surge of emotion.

But Liana’s true intentions swiftly shattered that sentiment, leaving Aira crestfallen.

‘Still, three whole months invested solely in me…’

A time meant exclusively for her, free from any outside interference.

A precious time without the gaze of others or her mother’s intervention.

‘I have to succeed. No, I must succeed.’

This might be the last opportunity. The expectations her mother placed on her.

Thus, Aira also steeled her resolute determination.

‘I will extract everything, just as Mother said. Absolutely everything down to the last shred.’

Whether Christian withered away into a desiccated husk or not, she resolved to seize every last part for herself.

In a way, it seemed that this daughter had certainly inherited her mother’s traits, their temperaments almost indistinguishable.

And upon noticing this change in her daughter, Liana Worden smiled at her for the first time in a long while, slightly taken aback.

“Do your best.”

“Yes!”

Unlike her usual grudging or sullen responses, her answer this time was filled with a determined vigor that was unmistakable.

***

In the secluded training ground stood a man with a large figure, sitting on the ground, hunched over like a bear caught in the rain.

“Sigh…”

Only sighs escaped his lips.

The sad truth was that all he could do at the moment was sigh.

“Is this where you were?”

“Huh?”

Garcia, who had been groaning in the middle of the training ground alone, was startled by the voice that came from behind and turned around.

He found a woman quietly observing him and hastily knelt down.

“Ga-Garcia Felton! I beg your pardon, lady Liana!”

“I have not come to punish you, so be at ease.”

“N-no, I could not possibly…”

Seeing him at a loss for what to do, Liana let out a small sigh.

“You did the best you could within limited circumstances. It was merely an incident beyond your control, not your fault.”

“Even so, the fact that I caused you great trouble, lady Liana…”

“No, did you not achieve victory?”

“… It was the same as a loss.”

The process and the resulting outcome were important, not the mere win or loss. In both the process and the outcome, to him, it was as if he had lost.

Thus, he provided the pretext for Liana and Christian’s promise and agreement to be fulfilled.

Garcia felt too embarrassed to even seek Liana for an apology.

“It is alright. Given that what we can gain is greater than what was lost, the current situation is neither a loss nor a gain.”

“Pardon? Neither a loss nor a gain…?”

Seeing Garcia’s puzzled expression, Liana explained to him.

“For the next 3 months, Aira will be entirely entrusted to Christian.”

“W-what!”

“I apologize to you as her master, but I came personally because I wish that you would only observe her for these 3 months.”

No matter what, Liana was Garcia’s lord, but she was also Aira’s master. To separate an apprentice from their master and send them to someone else was another blow to his pride.

However, Garcia, contemplating Liana’s words for a moment, soon sighed.

“Surely, young master Christian will be of greater help to young lady Aira than I am now.”

“You seem unusually morose. Trusting him with the child does not mean you are lacking. There is merely something I wish to discern from the child, hence the decision.”

“Yes, I understand. I too have much I wish to learn about young master Christian.”

“Hmm?”

At Garcia’s rather earnest expression, Liana raised an eyebrow as if taken aback.

It was unexpected since he usually seemed eager to engage in a rematch rather than simply showing interest in knowing more.

“It feels odd to say, but it seems that young master Christian has already surpassed a certain stage.”

A stage?

Realizing what he meant, Liana’s expression changed.

“What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the stage I’m familiar with?”

“Yes, exactly. It appears he has surpassed body activation.”

“The fact that he even reached the stage of body activation was a recent achievement. Yet, he surpassed that already?”

Many people are unable to overcome the wall of body activation, but to leap directly to the next stage?

It was hard for Liana to easily comprehend, and the same went for Lord Garcia.

“That is quite peculiar.”

“Peculiar?”

“Yes. Certainly, young master Christian’s mana capacity wasn’t significantly different from what I expected. Having crossed swords with him directly, I am sure of it.”

“What does it mean that he might have reached the next stage?”

“Proficiency, utility, and the purity of mana. Every aspect is at a different level. Most importantly…”

Proficiency, utility, and purity of mana. Certainly, those were among the noteworthy reasons.

But if someone had exceptional talent, it could somehow be compensated by effort, so it wasn’t much to be astonished about.

However, there was something else that truly surprised him.

“It was because Young Master Christian confidently blocked my sword, which employed Wave Transformation – Shatter.”

“……”

At Garcia’s words, Liana found herself unable to respond.

It was surprising enough that he used the Shatter in a duel, but considering his personality, it was not entirely inconceivable.

However, the fact that Christian managed to block it was something she couldn’t comprehend.

Though she was born into a family of merchants, she had married into this swordsmanship family over twenty years ago. She had spent more time here than with her birth family.

“That is an impossible feat.”

Hence, she shook her head, denying it.

“Yes. It should be impossible. But it is a fact.”

“I know well that you are not someone who would lie to escape wrongdoing. Yet, it’s difficult to accept this truth.”

“I, Garcia Felton, swear on the honor of my knighthood and the name of the Felton family. It is the absolute truth without a single lie.”

“……”

A straightforward and simple knight like him swore on his family rather than himself. At this point, accusing him of lying would be ruder.

‘Has he already surpassed body activation?’

What she witnessed was clearly a young boy with extraordinary talent and an unknown self-confidence.

Liana wanted to understand the secret behind Christian’s confidence, hoping that Aira could observe, learn, and eventually surpass him.

But this was beyond that level. After pondering in silence for quite some time, Liana Worden quietly addressed Sir Garcia.

“Sir Garcia.”

“Yes, lady Liana.”

“Do not inform the main family about this.”

“What?! But Viscount ordered me to report everything happening between Lady Aira and Young Master Christian within the family.”

“I shall talk to Father. You must maintain silence. Do not disclose this to anyone.”

“Even if I don’t inform, they will quickly find out. It will trouble you rather than me, lady Liana.”

Unless Christian remained completely quiet, it would become known swiftly.

Sir Garcia’s remark further cooled Liana Worden’s expression.

“Who is it that you serve?”

“It is Lady Liana Worden.”

“And where do you belong?”

“… The Count of Worden’s household.”

“If you genuinely seek my forgiveness, follow my wishes, Sir Garcia Felton.”

Sir Garcia could not reply immediately. Normally, he would have complied swiftly with Liana Worden’s words.

However, Viscount Miles wielded such undeniable power that even Garcia hesitated.

If this fact became known, it was certain some measures would be taken. He knew well that wouldn’t benefit Christian’s situation, hence his hesitation.

-Sir Garcia, you owe me.

Debt…

If the fact that he rashly used Shatter became known, Garcia would face severe punishment without room for explanation.

The accusation of trying to harm the family’s heir as a vassal would also inevitably affect his family, the Feltons. In hindsight, it was a disastrous move.

Therefore, Sir Garcia had no choice but to let out a heavy sigh.

“I will comply.”

“Thank you, Sir Garcia.”

Liana Worden also gave a slight nod, as if satisfied.

‘With this, the debt is repaid, Young Master Christian.’