Solemnute Adem Reopens in a Fortnight
Word arrived at the Lavante household that Solemnute Adem would resume operations again in a fortnight. Of course, even with that news, the daily routine of the two didn't change.
When dawn broke, Duke Leonard Lavante's special training awaited them. It was a grueling regimen on an entirely different level from what ordinary knights or students endured, pushing their bodies and minds to the brink. At a glance, the trials he assigned seemed impossible, centered on one task: reacting to his strikes.
It might not have looked so daunting for Ludenberg Lavante, but Leonard took their skill gap into account. He struck with some real intent against Ludenberg, holding back just enough against Ashytara. Even managing to react to his restrained swings would prepare them for most attacks, so the two faced his test with taut nerves.
Day 1 of training. Ludenberg brimmed with confidence after successfully blocking and even anticipating Duke Leonard's sword the day before. 'I might pass this test without much trouble...'
But that complacency evaporated the moment Leonard gripped his sword and channeled his divine power.
"You did well yesterday, and your achievements at your age are truly remarkable... but you seem overly confident, my son."
"...!"
The words had barely left Leonard's mouth when his form vanished from Ludenberg's sight.
Boom!
The ground had definitely shattered. Nothing else could have cratered the training yard's floor like that. And in that instant, Leonard appeared right before Ludenberg's nose.
It wasn't mere speed. He'd exploited Ludenberg's blind spot, stomping the earth so fiercely that even the sound of his movement was masked. Ludenberg's senses reeled in confusion, and under the sudden weight of thick killing intent, he couldn't move until Leonard's blade hovered at his throat.
"You met me so textbook-perfect last time that it went to your head... Remember this well, Ludenberg. Never rely solely on your eyes, no matter the time or place. I know your vision is extraordinarily sharp, but battles aren't fought with eyes alone."
"...I'll keep it in mind."
"Don't try to track foes just with your sight. When your vision is limited, use all your senses. Against enemies too swift for your eyes, your smell and hearing will often be key."
"Yes, Father."
"Among the foes you'll face, some will surely deceive your sight. Others might resist with divine power... but you can't, so etch my words into your bones."
"I'll make them part of me."
"Good. Rest for now. Your Highness, you're up."
Ashytara stepped forward with a tense expression... and like Ludenberg, she couldn't even track his sword before yielding her neck.
"That's enough for today. This fortnight—long if it feels that way, short otherwise—I'll hone you to your limits."
"...Yes."
Day 2 of training. Leonard began in the same fashion. The goal remained singular: reacting to his blade. The two tumbled across the training yard countless times. It should have ended with just one perfect response, but they couldn't manage it. The day closed with both collapsing unconscious.
Up through Day 6, there was no real progress to speak of.
Day 7. Ludenberg focused his sight and hearing against Leonard but saw no path forward, so he switched tactics: leveraging his sense of smell. Unlike sound or sight, which could be muddled, a person's scent was unmistakable. The shift brought immediate change.
Smell made gauging distance effortless. True, properly reacting remained a distant dream, but it beat blindly guessing positions.
Clang!
The clash of steel echoed through the yard. For the first time, Ludenberg had reacted properly to Leonard's strike—thanks to pinpointing his location and range via scent.
"I didn't expect success so soon... Well done."
Using an unfamiliar sense was brutally hard, but Ludenberg had amplified all his senses a step further during Raha's trial. That experience now proved its worth.
Ashytara eyed him enviously, having passed the test already.
"Whoa, I'm jealous..."
"No need for envy, Your Highness. Ludenberg will now train his sight and hearing."
"What do you mean?"
"I never said passing the test ends training. Advance quickly, and I'll push you further—that's my way. Forgot?"
"...No. Understood."
Ludenberg obeyed silently. Complaining wouldn't work anyway; he'd accepted that long ago.
Day 10. At last, Ashytara reacted to Leonard's sword. Following Ludenberg's advice, she'd focused on smell and barely succeeded. It was far easier than his version, but now she could handle any student's or professor's strikes at Solemnute Adem with ease.
Leonard readily passed her, but like Ludenberg, her face paled. He assigned her the same next phase: reacting with sight and hearing alone. Naturally, she rolled pitifully across the ground again.
Staring at the sky, the two prayed Solemnute Adem would reopen even a moment sooner.
Day 13. After three days and countless blows, their sight and hearing had no choice but to sharpen. They could now block Leonard's strikes using only those senses.
Leonard called it quits earlier than usual, and the two cheered, embracing in relief that this hellish schedule was over.
"We did it!"
"This isn't a dream, right? No more hellish training?"
"Yeah! No more dawn-to-dusk sword drills, tumbling in the yard, or slamming into tree trunks!"
Ludenberg vented his rare elation to Ashytara, who felt the same. The ordeal ended on Day 13, and they spent the day buried in their beds, shedding accumulated fatigue.
* * *
Ashytara gazed at the woman before her with faint tension.
"It's been a while, Your Highness."
"...Yes. It has, Duchess."
Black hair and deep green eyes. Her slightly languid expression held a clear, gentle smile. It was obvious where Ludenberg got his looks. The woman was none other than his mother and the Duchess of vast Lavante: Asha Lavante.
The moment Asha saw Ashytara's face, she launched into complaints about Duke Leonard with a touch of sharpness.
"Training kept you so busy we couldn't even chat. He's too much—eating in the training yard? I dined alone for thirteen days! And the one day with some leeway, I was away..."
Asha had looked forward to pleasant dinners with Ashytara, but training ruined every chance. Her ire naturally turned to Leonard.
"Ah, haha... Still, I'm glad to see you now."
"Sigh, yes. Oh, Your Highness—mind if I ask something?"
Ashytara smiled awkwardly as Asha sighed, nodded, and posed her questions.
"Sure. Go ahead."
"How did you and Rud reconcile?"
"Well... it's a long story. That okay?"
"Yes. We've got time today."
Ashytara recounted their reconciliation in detail. Though it took time, Asha hung on every word. When she finished, Asha's eyes sparkled intensely.
"I see. So that's how it happened."
"Yes."
"You went through so much, Your Highness. Does Rud know?"
"Yes. After the Solemnute raid, we talked a lot..."
"Good. I worried he'd never open up again, but you've eased that fear."
"Rud's a precious friend to me."
"Just a friend?"
Asha narrowed her eyes. Direct as an arrow.
"...No. I want more than that."
Asha's eyes widened in delight at Ashytara's boldness, and she smiled warmly.
"You'll have your work cut out, Your Highness."
"I'm prepared. He's always been oblivious to this stuff."
"Shall I send formal betrothal papers to the palace? Your devotion to Rud this time has earned us a great debt. Especially since I think you'd guide him right."
"No."
Ashytara shook her head.
"Doing that without his say-so... he'd hate it. I'll win his heart myself."
"Fair enough. I'll root for you, Your Highness. Who knows when my dense son will notice... but if worst comes to worst, keep it as a last resort."
"I'll think about it then."
Ashytara smiled brightly.