Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: No Escape from Training
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"Tell me the truth, and I'll give you this."
"Uh......"
"Fine, I'll be generous. Tell me the truth, and I'll have this made for you at snack time every day for the next week."
"Hep?!"
My outrageous offer sent the elf's eyes rolling around in every direction, as if she'd lost where to look.
She looked deep in thought, on the verge of a breakdown.
Technically, her employer was Melissa, so ignoring my orders now wasn't exactly wrong.
But I still had a duty to catch the runaway.
"Don't worry. You won't get in trouble for this. Melissa's the one who messed up, and you're just passing on the facts to me."
"I-I don't know anything, Young Master."
Oh. So her loyalty to the Family Head is rock-solid.
Good. I'd have been disappointed if she caved that easily.
"Plus coffee biscuits on top."
That one line sank her.
"I think the Family Head said something about going to pray......"
Right. Don't think I've only been making ice cream lately.
I flashed a satisfied smile and handed her the ice cream along with some coffee biscuits I'd prepared in advance.
The elf maid's face mixed guilt with joy over the exquisite treat.
"Anyway, don't stress. You're not the one confessing directly, and Melissa's smart enough not to hold a grudge over something like this."
"Y-Young Master, you don't understand people at all."
I ignored the elf woman's tiny rebellion and grabbed a wooden sword and a smoke bomb before heading out.
Just then, a servant came rushing up, spotted me, and lit up with relief.
"Ah! Young Master! I have urgent news to report, but the Family Head isn't around......"
"I'll fetch the Family Head, so report to Melissa later."
As I walked down the hall, the servant's desperate shouts followed, but I ignored them cleanly.
What, like someone's visiting this backwater countryside dump? Even if they were, unless it's imperial royalty or someone on that level, I'd deal with it later.
I couldn't forgive Melissa for ditching at the most critical time.
The temple, huh.
No way a non-devout like her went there to pray.
Besides, there weren't even any priests staying there right now.
The territory folk just went to the empty church to pray for peace whenever they needed it.
No reason for her to go for that, so the motive was obvious.
But hiding there would make her hard to find.
It was our old spot from when we were kids causing trouble and hiding.
Sure enough, the church was locked tight, no signs of anyone entering.
They called it free prayer time, but Cascadia folk handled their own devotions.
"Melissa?"
I called out as I stepped inside.
No response.
"Melissa, tonight's snack is the new ice cream flavor."
Still nothing.
A rickety chair, wooden altar, and goddess statue sat in the center.
Ha.
I'm going this far, and this is how she plays it?
I placed my hand on one wall.
Creeeak...... crunch.
Only the groan of old wood panels echoed—no real change.
It was our secret spot from back when we'd hide together. But after years of disuse and some spot repairs, the gap was sealed, and the hidey-hole was gone.
"What? No secret spot anymore? When'd they seal this one?"
My voice echoed hollowly through the rundown church.
"You promised to learn, but you run at the first sign of hardship?"
I turned away calmly.
Then pulled out the smoke bomb I'd brought and yanked the pin without hesitation.
It was pricey military-grade gear, but this was Cascadia.
Border Count territory right next to the Demon Realm battlefield.
Stuff like this was overflowing.
I tossed it casually through a crack in the opposite wall.
Then strode out without a second thought.
"Remember that time? After I caused trouble, you caught me. I said I'd give you ten seconds to run."
Back when I was way weaker than Melissa as kids. She'd chased me down teasingly, tied me up mercilessly, and dragged me to Father.
He'd praise her and give little her tasty snacks.
And I'd get the scolding of my life.
Sure, I'd caused the mess, so no complaints.
Even with past-life memories, boys will be boys—as proven by me.
I still vividly remembered my smug little sister taunting me: I'd messed up and hidden, so take ten seconds and run if you can.
"I'm generous, so I'll give you three minutes. Don't make the lord of this county look bad—what's this nonsense?"
"Kuhak! Kuhak!!"
The girl's rough coughing echoed from between the wooden slats.
It was just a smoke bomb, but she was in no state to control her breathing while adapting to aura circulation.
Perfect effect.
I clasped my hands behind my back, stepped outside, looked up at the sky, and closed my eyes.
Then murmured.
"179 seconds, 178 seconds."
"Y-You crazy bastard!?"
Panicked Melissa's scream sounded like beautiful music.
I grabbed a nearby branch and conducted her wails like an orchestra.
"This instructor can be a devil or an angel depending on the trainee's attitude. Got it?"
You psycho bastard!
Melissa cursed inwardly as she bolted away.
Sword Expert entry-level.
She'd surpassed normal humans, but right now, she couldn't even draw on her full old strength.
Yeah. She'd set aside her original circulation method and swordsmanship to learn Leon's new style.
It felt awkward, like wearing unfamiliar clothes—every move, every breath.
And Leon's training—swinging a wooden sword like he meant to kill—that intensity didn't make sense to her.
Her brother Leon, suddenly stronger overnight.
Maybe his power came from insane training like this.
—That thought lasted a moment.
She shook her head and picked up speed.
Ridiculous. Leon's strength was beyond normal. It was like another person possessed him, or future Leon had regressed—you'd believe either.
No, even then, his aura and death mana reserves weren't normal.
"No doubt it's a doppelganger."
Even knowing it was nonsense, nothing else described that mad brother trudging after her.
Worse, he hummed casually, paced leisurely, but the gap never widened.
Exhausted to her limit, Melissa collapsed spread-eagled in the training yard once she reached the mansion, gasping for air.
"Screw it...... I'm dying...... I'm gonna die."
"Legs first. Heavenly Demon Divine Sword won't work if your lower body's weak—it's no cookie or bread then."
"N-No. Just...... just a little rest. I have work to......"
"Work? This?"
Leon grinned annoyingly and shook the stack of documents in his hand.
One of her toughest duties, but since training started, paperwork had become her refuge.
"......"
"Gotta do it, right?"
In the end, Melissa donned the horrific device Leon had made.
"Training tool," his ass—it was a torture machine: massive weighted gear.
With an uncharacteristically pitiful face, she whimpered.
"Leon, no, Big Brother. This is too hard......"
At her wistful look, Leon sighed, approached slowly, and gripped both her hands tight.
He stroked her reassuringly with a warm smile.
"Don't pull that crap. Finish that, then this next."
Leon casually pulled something from his prepared bag.
A needle threaded with string and perforated beads.
"Wh...... what's that?"
Sensing danger instinctively, Melissa hesitated. Leon tossed the beads into the air calmly.
And—
Papapapapak!!
The needle threaded through the falling beads in a flash.
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword focuses on flexibility and precision."
It unleashed explosive pressure, but that was the result.
The process demanded more flexibility and finesse than raw power.
Melissa stared blankly.
"Your turn."
"......How?"
"Figure it out. Oh, and once you're used to it, I'll add debuffs. Confusion, paralysis, that stuff."
"How am I supposed to do it with those?"
"Extreme aura control gives curse resistance. I'll adjust my power too."
Leon's training felt off—like a screw loose.
Less systematic, more a horrific patchwork from real combat data.
Melissa paled.
At this rate, she'd really die—anxiety surged.
Think! Find a way out right now......
They say desperation brings superhuman strength.
A fact flashed in Melissa's mind.
"Ahem! I want to train too, but no choice. You know the root problem we haven't solved yet."
Seeing Leon's face sour slightly, she cheered inwardly.
"What."
"You know we got ownership from the royals. But mine development costs a fortune. Know our family's finances? We don't have startup capital to manage and mine it."
It was a ploy to escape, but not wrong.
Her biggest worry, consciously or not.
Mine development? Fine. The issue was funding the initial push.
Loans were an option, but she saw too much risk without collateral.
Leon stroked his chin thoughtfully, and she smirked inside.
Until his next move.
"Don't worry."
Leon pulled a spatial expansion pouch from his bosom. She froze.
Thud thud thud thud!!
Piles of treasures poured out—who knew where from.
Trophies from raiding Tibel Cascadia's underground mansion, but these were far more than she'd known about.
"We're filthy rich. You just train."
"Y-You crazy...... Where'd you raid this from?"
"Where else? Tibel's mansion. He'd stashed tons of slush funds underground. Saved it for times like this."
His smile felt like the Grim Reaper's.