Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Monica's Swimming Lessons
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Three days had passed.
Since the time Monica had spent starving herself while taking Marcio Potion amounted to only a week, she recovered her health remarkably quickly in just three days.
Her face was glowing with a healthy sheen as she came out to the lake in the garden at my summons.
"What did you eat for breakfast today?"
"I had beef and salad, just like you told me, and a little apple and almonds too."
Good girl.
She'd properly balanced her carbs, proteins, and fats, so her diet was on point.
Monica looked at me with a hint of anxiety.
"I'm eating everything you told me to, but... like this..."
"Don't worry. That's why we're starting exercise today."
"I'm ready!"
Her enthusiasm was a good sign.
The exercise I planned to teach Monica today was swimming.
By my eye, her current condition was somewhere between overweight and mildly obese.
On top of that, she wasn't the type to enjoy practical combat training.
Her personality was gentle and calm by nature.
She preferred quiet hobbies like reading or embroidery.
To get results from exercise for Monica, I had to consider two key things.
Protecting her joints from injury and making her enjoy moving her body.
Taking both into account, swimming was the best choice.
Direct descendants of the Northern Duke Family, who possessed the blessing of water, had less fear of water than others and felt it as familiar as their own bodies.
So Monica wouldn't have any aversion to playing in the water either.
"Today, we're going to swim and have fun."
"Okay!"
"We'll go exactly two laps around this lake, then play ball in the water with the maids."
"Okay!"
"But no using your blessing."
"Okay...?"
Monica blinked her round eyes at me for a moment before nodding with a determined expression.
I taught her some stretches.
Even if we had the blessing of water and could escape from the water in a pinch, principles were principles.
"Let's start with floating naturally."
"Okay! Got it... Glub!"
"Ah, right. If you tense up because you're afraid of sinking, you'll sink even more. Relax your body and float up."
"Gurgle! Tell me before I sink next time..."
There were a few hiccups, but Monica quickly got the hang of floating on the surface.
She even giggled now and then, clearly enjoying kicking her legs to splash.
After circling the wide lake once, Monica popped her head above the water, panting.
Water dripped from her hair, but her face was beaming.
She really was a direct descendant of the Northern Duke Family.
"Mariella, I did a whole lap!"
"Good job? Want me to help a bit this time?"
"How?"
I dipped my hand into the lake and subtly grasped a current, pushing Monica's body—not forward where she needed to go, but backward.
Caught off guard and shoved back, Monica flailed her legs and looked at me.
"This time, I'll push you from behind like this, so swim against the resistance."
The stronger the resistance, the better the exercise effect.
For some reason, Monica was staring at me with eyes full of betrayal.
I think she even whispered "devil" under her breath.
But that didn't faze me at all.
It was my ironclad rule that anyone learning exercise from me had to call me a devil at least once.
I grinned and tickled her with the current.
"Hurry up and exercise, or I'll push you back even more."
"I'll do it!"
Making a sulky face, Monica started swimming again anyway.
She swam much longer than before and finally made it back to the starting point where I waited.
As Monica returned, I promptly shoved the prepared maids into the water.
Then I dove in with a splash myself.
A fun game of water ball awaited us beneath the surface.
It had been exactly half a month since we started swimming.
Monica, who used to wake up early to don her dress and fuss with her hair, was furtively poking at her side.
"I thought I hadn't lost much weight..."
"Doesn't it feel different when you put on clothes?"
Half a month wasn't a long time.
If she'd starved herself, she would've lost far more, but that wasn't the method I wanted.
So visually, it might not look like much weight loss.
Still, she'd followed my schedule without complaint.
And as a reward, she'd gained good posture.
Swimming is especially great for squaring your shoulders.
With her posture improved, her overall silhouette looked more streamlined, making the difference stark when she wore a dress.
Her face glowed with vitality from eating well, resting plenty, and exercising hard, a healthy peach blush on her cheeks.
Just then, a maid opened the door and entered.
"Miss Monica."
"Yes?"
"The Young Duke says to come down. The guests from the west have passed through the duke's residence front gate."
Finally!
Monica looked at me with a tense expression.
"C-can I do this?"
"Of course."
"What if Young Master Armin hates me..."
Before she could spiral into self-deprecation, I quickly changed the subject.
"The prospective fiancé from the west is named Armin?"
"Yeah. Armin Rippenstein."
"The third son of the current Western Duke, right?"
"That's what I heard."
"Do you know what he looks like?"
"I heard he's a very elegant young master with platinum blond hair. He's a year younger than me."
Oh my.
I teasingly poked her side with a mischievous grin.
She'd done her homework, huh?
Realizing I'd caught her, Monica's face flushed even redder than before.
"The elegant platinum-haired young master must be waiting. Let's go."
"M-Mariella...!"
"No, wait. You should say he's the prospective fiancé of your elegant platinum-haired big sister."
She was so embarrassed she was on the verge of tears now.
Leading Monica to the lobby, we found Uncle and Aunt looking up at us from the foot of the stairs.
They glared fiercely at us for a moment before instantly softening their expressions into refined poise, gesturing with their chins.
I was tempted to provoke them a bit, but the Western Duke Family's guests arrived soon after, so I held back.
The Rippenstein Duke Family.
The young lady from the Western Duke Family, who ruled the west, appeared a few years older than Erich.
Wearing a sacred silver cloak embroidered with the family's crest of two fish, her name was Josephine.
Behind her stood a boy with the same hair color.
If he's a year younger than Monica, he's the same age as Dietrich.
He looked a bit shorter than Dietrich but had a gentle demeanor that would pair perfectly with Monica.
That must be Armin Rippenstein.
Uncle welcomed the Western young lady and Armin with a beaming smile, as if reuniting with a long-lost son.
"You've had a long journey. This is my daughter, Monica Kalenberg."
"H-hello. I'm Monica."
She stuttered slightly from nerves but finished her greeting steadily, dipping into a slight curtsy.
As Monica stepped forward, Armin, her prospective fiancé, came forward too.
"Hello."
"I hope you have a pleasant stay in the north."
"Yes."
What?
Armin's attitude was stiff and arrogant beyond measure.
Monica tried to make friendly conversation at Uncle's command, but she got no more than two words in response.
That brat was treating my sister like...
Monica's face flushed crimson as she caught his cold demeanor.
Aunt hurriedly shoved Monica aside and stepped forward.
"The distance between the north and west must have made the journey tiring?"
"The roads have been well-maintained in recent years. We arrived comfortably."
Uncle draped an arm around Monica's slumped shoulders, feigning affection with a contrived smile.
Josephine simply smiled silently, ignoring the entire awkward display.