Chapter 26
26
Everyone had been turning a blind eye when Bellac of the Violet Forest was just a problem for The Roubaenue Dukedom, but now Bellac are appearing even in the capital.
Some of the capital's citizens, protected by the Great Barrier, may never have even seen a Bellac.
But Bellac wouldn't have been able to break through the Barrier and enter the capital, so their appearance must be artificial.
'A cult, perhaps.'
There was only one place that aroused suspicion.
Rebuilding the Jet-Black Knights in earnest in this situation would only benefit the Dukedom, not harm it.
'The temple will be busy too.'
He burned the note in the lamp and looked at the chessboard.
He moved the queen forward one step, looked at the entire chessboard, and then closed his eyes.
\ \ \
Jin, who came to the training grounds just before dawn, stretched. Nina walked out energetically and greeted him.
"Hi, good morning."
"Yeah, good morning."
Jin asked with anticipation.
"So, what kind of training is it today?"
"Basic training."
"Huh?"
"Basic. Everything needs a good foundation. The answer is lower body and core muscles."
"Basic..."
"You're not improving because you make that face like you hate it."
"Wow, you're being blunt."
"Then, wanna try? If Jin lands even one hit on me, I'll move on to the next stage."
"Without Spirits?" Jin asked, and Nina nodded.
"Without Spirits."
"Okay."
Jin's voice was confident. Nina handed him a wooden practice sword.
"What about you?"
"I'm fine with my bare hands."
"...I won't go easy on you."
"It would be a disaster if you did, Vice-Captain. Why don't you check out the Captain's skills?"
That way, she can push him hard in the future without him complaining, Nina thought with a smirk.
Jin, facing Nina, raised the wooden sword.
At that signal, the two clashed. At first, Jin's wooden sword didn't seem to have any power behind it.
However, the story changed when Nina dodged the wooden sword with a swish in the first exchange and punched him in the solar plexus.
"Hey, cough, really."
"I hit you softly."
If she hadn't, you'd be passed out right now, Nina thought, shaking her head, and Jin's wooden sword began to gain power.
However, his wooden sword couldn't even hit her swaying hair. Nina didn't make any unnecessary evasive movements.
She dodged Jin's wooden sword by a hair's breadth and struck him here and there with her fists.
Side, back, neck, back of the head.
It was enough to make Jin jump. The fact that she was hitting him with her fists meant that she was getting that close, but her wooden sword couldn't hit her at all.
He started putting more and more sincerity into it, and even when he attacked with murderous intent, Nina wasn't hit once.
Rather, he was kicked and rolled away.
"Oops, sorry. I kicked you a little too hard. Are you okay?"
Surprised that she had kicked him herself, Nina ran over. Jin curled up, clutching his stomach, and said with tearful eyes.
"Basic... I'll do it."
"Yes."
Nina smiled and helped him up.
"Then, first of all."
Nina took a deep breath and proclaimed.
"Oh, Sun, great star. Allow us also the bending of space-time, so that the pulling force may be strengthened."
"Ugh?!"
Jin suddenly felt his whole body being pressed down and braced himself on the ground.
Nina was impressed.
"Wow, it works. Five times the gravity!"
Nina was sweating.
"But it consumes too much mana."
It wasn't a one-time thing, but a continuous use of Spirit power, so she didn't think she could maintain it for long.
'But I should try it today. I need to find out how far I can go if I use mana and stamina at the same time.'
Knowing your limits is important.
"Let's start today's basic training."
Nina picked up a training Iron sword. She also needed to train steadily to keep her body in top condition.
Seeing her pick up the sword, Jin barely managed to get up and pick up his Iron sword.
By the time the morning training was over, Jin was as tattered as a wet tissue.
Nina was also soaked in sweat. Jin gritted his teeth.
Nina trained twice as fast as him.
'Ha, but I can't do it anymore.'
It wasn't something that could be done with willpower. His body was already crying out for help, and there wasn't a place that didn't hurt.
Nina released the gravity and took a deep breath.
"Ah, really, nothing is easy."
Training wasn't easy for her either. But she wasn't sprawled out like Jin, unable to move a finger.
"Jin, rest for a while and go in and wash up."
Jin couldn't even answer and just groaned. Nina washed up roughly at the well and had breakfast.
After eating about eight plates of golden-brown potatoes, Nina headed to Kirill's greenhouse.
All sorts of herbs and grasses were growing inside. Nina found the places where the plants she had brought were planted, marked with name tags.
"Golden Sun, warm and benevolent light, gentleness that conceives and grows life, shower that light that gives joy to plants here as well."
Golden light sparkled and began to be sprinkled on the soil.
"Oh? Oh, it's working!"
It's working, it's working!
The plant quickly grew, formed a flower bud, and then bloomed-.
'Huh?'
At that moment, her mana was completely depleted, and her vision turned black.
\ \ \
When she came to, she was on a bed in the apothecary.
"Huh..."
"What do you mean, 'huh'? Don't make such a dazed noise."
Kirill scolded her, and Nina turned her head to look at her. Kirill's deep blue eyes were looking at her with annoyance.
"Who's the idiot who uses Spirit power to the point of fainting? Oh, it's you."
Kirill tapped her forehead with the muddler she was holding.
"Ouch!"
Nina's eyes welled up with tears, and she shot her a look of protest, but she had no strength in her body and couldn't move a finger.
It was a completely different feeling from being hungry or having muscle pain.
'So this is what it feels like to have your mana sucked out.'
She felt empty and weak, but she couldn't specifically say what it was.
Her whole body was cold, as if the heat had been drained from her.
"I have no strength..."
Nina sighed deeply, and Kirill clicked her tongue.
"Do you know how surprised everyone was to see you collapsed in the greenhouse?"
Kirill recalled when she had entered the greenhouse. Adrian had already arrived at that time.
He was looking down at Nina, who was lying at his feet. He just stood there, frozen like a statue, as if he couldn't even bring himself to check on her.
Rather, it was Kirill who ran over in surprise. When Kirill said that she was just asleep, Adrian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
She had already nagged Adrian, so now it was Nina's turn.
She spoon-fed Nina medicine that was so bitter it would make her tongue fall off and poured out nagging until Nina was mentally exhausted, when Adrian came in.
Kirill got up from her seat and said.
"You've taken your medicine, so all you have to do now is rest and recover your mana."
Adrian nodded slightly, and Kirill left without a word.
Adrian approached the bed and looked down at Nina. Nina groaned and said.
"I just took medicine that was so bitter I'd rather die and listened to Kirill's nagging. Please be a little lenient."
Adrian frowned, then pushed her to the side and climbed onto the bed.
The bed was quite narrow. The two had to stick together to lie down.
Adrian pulled her close and leaned her against his shoulder. A fluffy pillow behind her served as a backrest.
Kirill's medicine tasted terrible, but it was very effective, so her hands and feet were warm and she had a little strength back.
"Nina La Dell."
"Yes."
"What's the rush?"
At those words, Nina raised her head to look at Adrian, then leaned against his shoulder and sighed.
"I wasted two years."
Weakness flowed out without her knowing it.
