ng…! ng…!


    The echoes of shing des reverberated through the training ground. Sparks danced in the air, apanied by swift and elusive movements as two figures engaged in a fierce sparring session.


    Swoosh…! Tristan deftly dodged a de aimed at his neck, his agile form moving gracefully through the battlefield. In response, he countered with a powerful swing, the aura from his sword cutting through the surrounding trees in a dazzling disy of skill.


    However, his opponent proved to be elusive, disappearing and reappearing with each passing second. Tristan''s instincts guided him, and he swiftly struck to the left.


    Yet, to his surprise, his de met only empty air. Confusion clouded his expression just as a powerful punch connected with his face.


    Crack…!


    The unsettling sound of bone breaking filled the air as Tristan felt the impact on his nose and skull. The force propelled him through a cluster of trees, the momentum carrying him until he rolled to a stop on the ground.


    Attempting to reinforce his body, Tristan realized that the sudden brain damage hindered his ability to wield his aura freely.


    Struggling to his feet, Tristan frantically attempted to use healing magic to mend his battered face, but a stern voice interrupted his concentration.


    "Hey, how dare you look away from a battle…!"


    Boom…! A powerful kick sent him airborne.


    "Ugackk….!" Tristan expelled the contents of his stomach mid-air, the forceful upheaval causing him to gasp for breath as all the air in his lungs seemed to vanish. The meager morning meal he had consumed was violently ejected from his system.


    "Did I train you to be this weak?" The taunting words of his aggressor reverberated through his ears once again. This time, the back of her de forcefully mmed Tristan back to the ground with a powerful swat. The impact resembled a baseball being sent flying, and Tristan found himself being tossed and pummeled from every conceivable angle. Each attempt to rise was met with an attack too swift for him to react, especially in his weakened state.


    "Tsk… you really don''t learn, huh, dear disciple of mine. This is why you failed to protect everyone…" Siena''s voice cut through the air as she observed the fallen Tristan. It had only been an hour since shemenced the intense training session, yet he persisted in making the same mistakes repeatedly.


    Though Tristan was coughing up blood, Siena paid it no mind. After all, Tristan possessed the ability to heal from such wounds, and they had brought a supply of healing potions just in case.


    "Master…." Tristan mumbled, struggling to catch his breath.


    "What? You want me to go easy on you now?"


    "No… please, let''s go again…" Tristan said with determination as he slowly stood up, cing his hand on his scabbard. He got into position, the ze of emotion in his eyes making Siena smile.


    "That''s more like it!" Siena smirked.


    Tristan vowed, at this very moment, to train as hard as he could. He needed to get stronger, he needed to protect everyone, he needed strength and power.


    He swore to himself that as long as he could draw breath, he would not allow the same tragedy to unfold again.


    If only he had possessed the strength to face that demonic creature at the time, Tristan wondered how many lives he could have saved.


    With resolute determination, he faced his master head-on. No amount of pain mattered; all that mattered was getting stronger.


    He remembered the haunting words from the monster he had failed to defeat ''Weak…''


    That one word echoed in his mind as he shed his sword, ignoring the wounds that covered his body. Facing Siena head-on, he was ready to endure any suffering to be stronger.


    Meanwhile Alex and Evadne watched the two train the distance, they knew they were next the moment Tristan falls down, their eyes exuded both excitement and fear at the same time.


    ….


    In the picturesque mountainous valley near the enchanting Kaksan forest, a grand carriage, adorned with raised gs bearing the insignia of a fearsome ck wolf, advanced with unwavering determination.


    Twelve knights on majestic horses surrounded the carriage, forming a protective phnx around it.


    This distinguished procession belonged to none other than the Tellus family, one of the three esteemed dukes of the vast empire.


    Duke Frederick Tellus, a man of both power and prestige, gazed out of the carriage before diverting his attention back to the papers clutched in his hands.


    Despite the seemingly modest number of twelve knights apanying him, the reputation of Duke Frederick as one of the continent''s few renowned swordmasters dispelled any notions of vulnerability.


    The need for additional protection was rendered obsolete in the presence of such a formidable figure.


    The knights, well-aware of their lord''s unparalleled prowess, knew that Duke Frederick was more than capable of safeguarding himself.


    The apparentck of concern for his safety stemmed from a profound trust in his abilities.


    The only reason these knights were present was a singr passenger of utmost significance, riding alongside the Duke – Aria Tellus.


    Aria, one of the two daughters of the Tellus family''s lord, added a unique dynamic to the otherwise stoic carriage.


    As she nced at her father, Duke Frederick, a sense of impatience and discontent flickered across her features.


    Inwardly, she clicked her tongue in frustration, contemting her impulsive decision to apany him.


    "Tsk… I knew I forced my way in here, but can''t he talk to me about something? The atmosphere is truly suffocating," Aria grumbled to herself, grappling with the palpable tension within the carriage.


    Despite theck of an overtly affectionate bond, Aria harbored a deep-seated respect for her father, Duke Frederick.


    Even amid the subtle maniptions that may have shaped their lives during their upbringing, she acknowledged the undeniable benefits her father provided.


    Aria, in her own way, looked up to him, recognizing theplex nature of their rtionship.


    As she observed her father within the carriage, a mixture of disbelief and uncertainty clouded Aria''s thoughts.


    The report, Meralda gave her when she told her to spy on him, suggested that Duke Frederick had received an imperial mandate from the emperor himself – a directive to bring back Adrian, the hero, to the empire.


    Aria, well-aware of the emperor''s strategic mindset, understood that such a mission wouldn''t have been undertaken without solid justification.


    Although Adrian was not just Aria''s brother but also the duke''s son, sheprehended the greater significance he held, not just for the family but for the church and even the goddess. The emperor''s decision to entrust this task to Duke Frederick hinted at the gravity of the situation.


    "ording to what Meralda overheard and saw, Father seems to be nning something that Adrian couldn''t afford to decline to take him back… I don''t know what it is, but it must be something connected to Adrian''s parents," Aria reflected, her mind whirring with uncertainty.


    Staring at her father, who appeared engrossed in the documents before him, Aria couldn''t shake the feeling that he was acutely aware of her scrutinizing gaze.


    ''He knows I''m suspicious of him yet he stays quiet… this isn''t like him''


    Aria harbored no fear about her father''s intentions in negotiating with Adrian. What sent shivers down her spine was the sealed letter from the emperor himself, a document that held the weight of imperial authority.


    Aria understood that only a handful of things could be of sufficient value to entice someone as significant as Adrian, and chief among them was the prospect of a union with the princess – an idea she whole heartedly despised.


    Adrian already has too many women surrounding him adding more would be disastrous and furthermore a marriage with the princess would likely dissolve their already establish harem n.


    Afterall it was a continentalw that a man cannot be allowed to marry another who''s ranks falls below the first wife and knowing the princess her chances of being the first wife was high, that was how royalty works in the first ce.


    ''The imperial pce wouldn''t allow anything else''


    Deep in her contemtions, Aria reached out telepathically to her contracted spirit, Meralda, who hovered nearby. "Meralda..."


    "Yes, master?"


    "Tell Adrian everything you told me," Aria instructed, her tone betraying a mix of concern and determination.


    "Of course!" Meralda responded with a gleeful smile before vanishing in an instant.


    "….?"


    Aria, though momentarily taken aback by the sudden disappearance, couldn''t fault Meralda, considering her spirited loyalty and attachment to Adrian.


    The atmosphere within the carriage grew heavier, and Aria could sense her father''s growing impatience with her scrutinizing gaze.


    Unable to contain her curiosity, she broke the silence, "Father, can you tell me about Adrian''s mother?"


    The question hung in the air, transforming the already tense atmosphere into one charged with an unspoken weight.


    Duke Frederick''s blood-red eyes bore into Aria intensely, and a subtle release of his aura added a suffocating pressure to the confined space.


    Aria, momentarily caught off guard, felt the weight of her father''s presence, making it difficult to breathe.


    "You do not need to know of such things, Aria..." the duke dered, his wordsced with a hint of warning. The aura, though released only slightly, was potent enough to almost render Aria breathless.


    "Understood, Father…" Aria said with a heavy breath.


    Aria had only seen the duke lose his temper and control a couple of times, but this one was different.


    He had never seen such animosity in his gaze before.


    Whatever history the duke had with Adrian''s mother was bound to be something important, important enough to sway Adrian.


    ''Although he acts all tough like this, I know just how much he doesn''t want to see Adrian. After all, he''s afraid of him…''


    Aria almost chuckled, looking at her father.