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Chapter 297 part 1

Every time Yachiyo and Fuuko breathed in, their dry throats hurt sharply, and they felt like their lungs were about to explode.

Sweat formed on their foreheads, rolled down their cheeks, and ran down their necks, carrying heat. Both Yachiyo and Fuuko simultaneously harbored the thought that their entire bodies, from the tops of their heads to their fingertips, seemed invaded by a fever.

「Oh no, what’s this?」 Thinking such thoughts was like admitting they had spare time, that they weren’t fully focused on the situation before them!

Naturally, he wouldn’t miss that. 「Eek」, murmured Yachiyo, as Fuuko flattened her ears.

「Look out, look out!」 The white-scaled Dragonian aimed at Yachiyo and Fuuko in line, raising his poleaxe leisurely, then swung it with godlike speed!

「You seem quite relaxed. Perhaps I should make it tougher?」

The sound of the poleaxe slicing through the air resembled a scream, striking between Yachiyo and Fuuko who had leapt aside. The pressure of the wind from the poleaxe’s swing struck the two beast girls, sending them flying further than any jump could.

They twisted their bodies in mid-air, landing on their feet to avoid rolling on the ground. Gwandan watched them leisurely readjust their weapons, pondering who would attack next.

Complacency? No, it’s confidence.

The palace courtyard in Amria, prepared for Amria, had been sealed with a barrier preventing outside intrusion just before Gwandan and the others began their training. No sound escaped from inside, and the inside was disguised to show only a typical sparring match.

What appeared to be a one-sided slaughter in their training was unusual, not just for Gwandan and the two men’s abilities, but also for the training ground itself, which changed its appearance unpredictably.

Flowerbeds and hedges, a fountain with a statue of a goddess, all vanished, replaced by a dusty, rocky desert, then swiftly by a knee-deep, foul-smelling swamp, and now by endless ruins.

Gwandan’s incredible power was known, but his absurd ability to change the world as if he were turning the pages of a book, without a change in expression or the need for incantations, was unknown.

Despite recognizing themselves as Amria’s guards, and spending time in the Arkrest Kingdom learning about magic, in addition to their training, Yachiyo and Fuuko understood Gwandan’s nonsensical ways.

But, Gwandan was demanding. He showed them his absurdity, but left no room for surprise.

「Yiiieeaaah!」

Yachiyo and Fuuko steeled themselves together. Waiting to be attacked was futile.

They felt as if their bodies had become several times heavier, and the temperature and humidity seemed unusually high. Without initiating the attack, what could they gain?

Yachiyo boldly raised a strange voice and slashed at Gwandan. As she felt, the gravity inside the ward increased fivefold, the temperature was like that of a desert at midday, and the humidity had reached a level equivalent to that of the depths of a dense forest.

And yet, her body kicked the earth at the same speed as in normal times, and Fuuko, too, was prepared to be perceived, but even so, she muffled her presence, killed the sound, and ran, weaving through the shadows of the debris.

「Hm, the pressure I’ve exerted on their bodies and souls is showing results. You’ve succeeded in forcing me to pull out my latent potential, screaming from my souls that I will die if I don’t do this.」

In a short time, their bodies and minds were tossed about by the changing environment. The fatal blow from Gwandan was chipping away at their nerves, and to top it off, not only the environment, but even the flow of time was slowly changing.

Although there were breaks in between, Yachiyo and Fuuko’s consciousness was still foggy, and when they realized that the break was over, they were exhausted, hungry, and did not feel the need to go to the restroom.

The two were unaware that Gwandan was taking care of their physical condition during the training, which was an application of supportive magic to revitalize their bodies. The most important reason was that Gwandan did not allow them time to wonder about their condition.

「Shhh!」

Fuuko, crawling on the ground like a snake, aimed to cut off Gwandan’s left ankle or tail, and flashed her short sword and dagger at him.

「Hmm, starting with the extremities, eh? Very well, very well.」

Immediately, the poleaxe’s handle, swung at an imperceptible speed, filled their field of vision, and they both were sent flying.

「Gyaaaah!」

「Gueeeeh!?」

「Hehehe, not yet, not yet, you two.」

Gwandan’s laugh seemed like the devil’s to them, needless to say.

Outside in the courtyard, only a few hours had passed, but inside, days, tens of days, even months of relentless, hellish time elapsed. Finally, after Gwandan’s truly wonderful training concluded, naturally, he and the others reunited with Amria for the day’s briefing.

However, for Yachiyo and Fuuko, it was a different story. Informed by Gwandan that the training had ended, the moment their minds comprehended this, they finally managed to foam at the mouth and faint.

Then, carried on Gwandan’s shoulders, they arrived in Amria’s room, awakening as they sensitively detected Amria’s safe and reassuring scent and presence. They quickly detached themselves from Gwandan’s shoulders and clung to Amria.

And then―

「Whine, whine, whimper」

「Whimper, whimper, whine」

「There there, both of you did very well. No more scary things now. Let’s rest quietly.」

―This was the sorry state they found themselves in.

Yachiyo and Fuuko, clinging to Amria seated on the long chair, were sobbing like newborn puppies and fox cubs seeking comfort from their mother.

Amria, witnessing their unusual state, didn’t show any disturbance but continued to gently stroke their heads and backs, comforting them as they had regressed into a childlike state―or should it be cub-like regression?

During this, Amria conveyed a strong message through her gaze to Gwandan, inquiring what exactly he had done to them.

The maid trio, also guarding Amria, shared similar looks of inquiry. Gwandan, somewhat expecting the result of his actions, surrendered to the piercing gaze of scrutiny.

「I was harsh in training them to improve their base strength, but I was too captivated by their determination and grit, and I overdid it. I’ll properly apologize once they’re back to their senses.」

Unfortunately for Yachiyo and Fuuko, Gwandan had been influenced by their exceptional dedication during training.

Gwandan bowed to Yachiyo and Fuuko, now turned away with their backs and tails to him. Judging from his gesture that his apology was sincere, Amria sighed in resignation.

「Gwandan-sama, about next time―is there going to be a next time?」

As Amria posed the question while massaging the base of the two’s ears, Gwandan showed a moment of contemplation.

「Hmm, it’s a difficult decision. From this training, I’ve largely understood their limits. Similar training next time would raise their skills and physical abilities to their peak, but their spirits, the most crucial aspect, wouldn’t grow if we end up like this again.

A balance of mind, skill, and body is essential. Missing one, the whole becomes fragile, its brilliance dimmed. If there’s a next time, it’s more practical for them to train with Linette and others rather than me.」

「So, you won’t repeat what happened this time, right?」

Thinking of Yachiyo and Fuuko, Amria sought confirmation in a firm tone, to which Gwandan solemnly agreed, having no other choice.

「Yes, I won’t do it again.」

For a few seconds, Amria looked deeply into Gwandan’s eyes, seeming to be convinced of his sincerity. She then resumed comforting the two, still in their juvenile regression state.

「Linette asked Gwandan, who was muttering both pathetically and joyfully, to avoid agitating Yachiyo and the others, 「By the way, Gwandan-sama, how close are Yachiyo and Fuuko to the target standard? I heard you intended to develop them to match Linette and the others…」

「Well, let’s say it was a high target. I knew it would be extremely difficult for Yachiyo and Fuuko to reach the level of you or Gandeus with their talents. Despite intensive training, they still fell short.

If we were to train them for their lifetime, maybe, but any more makeshift training is impossible. It would require altering the very composition of their souls and bodies, something I cannot do.」

「I see, then all we can do now is hope they recover their spirits quickly. This time, even I, Linette, cannot defend what you’ve done, Gwandan-sama.」

「I too must admonish myself for this severe miscalculation. Being impressed by their enthusiasm is no excuse.」

Gwandan sighed deeply. Gundeus and Kyrlinne watched him anxiously but held back from defending him, as Linette had silently indicated.

Even for a servant, it’s necessary to criticize the master when wrong. Linette understood that Gwandan valued servants who acted to correct mistakes over those who simply obeyed.

However, reprimanding the master was undeniably a heavy task.

「So, what’s the current level of Yachiyo and Fuuko’s abilities?」

「Previously, they were above average but below first-rate. Now, they’re at least above first-rate, not quite super first-rate. They’d struggle against the Twelve Wing Generals, but they’ve improved enough to hold their own against famous swordsmen and warriors.」

「So, as guards for a princess, they’re passable?」

「If we compensate for what they lack in equipment, they should meet the standard. They definitely can’t face the Twelve Wing Generals or the Demon King’s army elite, but we can cover for them for now.」

「Then, after Amria becomes Emperor, we’ll just have to hope Amria notices any loopholes for Lynette and the others to help, right?」

「If Amria hasn’t already realized, and it becomes too noticeable, you can tell her, Lynette.」

「Your suggestion is deeply moving, but I believe it’s most important for Amria herself to realize. Thus, I’ll make a great effort to keep silent.」