Vol.3 Ch.198 Putting the General in his ce
<span style="font-weight:400">After minutes of sparring, Johan was starting to get the hang of channeling his mana into his sword and shield. Quinus was impressed with how quickly Johan was grasping the basics of controlling his mana, especially when he started at twenty-seven years of age. Sure he knew the basics of swordy back when he was a child but that was all physical. In contrast, this was magical, which was far more difficult to master.
<span style="font-weight:400">"See! It''s like riding a bike," Quinus stated.
<span style="font-weight:400">Johan chuckled, "What''s a bike?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus shook his head once he realized what he said. ''Hanging around Rya has made me slip back into Earth sayings.''
<span style="font-weight:400">"Never mind that, Johan. Look, your technique has improved in a short amount of time. Is it starting to feel natural for you now?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Not quite... I need to focus on the flow a bit more than I would like, but I think I''m getting the hang of it," Johan replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, if you are ever in the capital. Make sure you cane by the pce and practice with me," Quinus offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That sounds nice, but I wish I could learn some spells... It would have been nice if you and Lady Rya could stay here a little longer," Johan said.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was at that moment General Dous walked up to them.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Excuse me, your Highness... But we''ve postponed it for long enough. We need to get back on the schedule or we will bete arriving in the capital. And it is already gettingte in the morning," Dous interjected.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus looked up at him and nodded, "I guess you are right."
<span style="font-weight:400">It was at that moment when Rya, Tayna, Nieren, and Yuliana came walking up. Percy and Dalia were by the carriage, and Sir George just finished stowing the supplies on the horses with the other knights.
<span style="font-weight:400">"My Lady. Did you enjoy the show?" Quinus asked Rya with a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya sighed with a bit of displeasure, "Yeah. I''m d you could get some training in with Johan. But..."
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous''s head snapped towards Rya as he felt that she was about to make another one of her demands. Which he was getting tired of dealing with.
<span style="font-weight:400">"But what?" Quinus asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, I was hoping to help Johan get a jump start on his mage training... So, if we have the space, I can teach him on our journey to the capital... That is, if it works for them, of course," Rya suggested.
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous looked at the Prince with a re, "Your Highness. Adding the young Lord and his wife to the party is a big risk. It will start stressing my men''s ability to protect you if we add more people at this rate. There is no telling who or what is lurking along the roads between here and the capital."
<span style="font-weight:400">Johan looked disappointed while Quinus gave Dous a stern look.
<span style="font-weight:400">''He''s worried about weakening my protection? Even after telling him, he still doesn''t have a clue who''s riding with him and his men. Rya''s a force to be reckoned with. Shit, man! I''m a force to be reckoned with and with Percy, Dalia, Nieren, and Sir George. I can''t see any medium sized armying to attack us without getting wiped out first. Even Yuliana is a capable mage. This man has got to be the most stubborn person I''ve ever met. And it''s getting on my nerves..." Quinus thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Dous... I told you what Rya and I are capable of, right?" Quinus asked him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yes, Your Highness. I do. But this is a serious matter. I cannot risk anything happening to you while you are under my protection."
<span style="font-weight:400">"So you doubt me then?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous became silent and refused to back down.
<span style="font-weight:400">''What a hard-headed ass...'' Quinus thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya, seeing the two men staring each other down, decided to speak up.
<span style="font-weight:400">"So, are you saying that the Royal Knights of the Kingdom of Fiafyr are too weak to protect their Prince and his guest from a bunch of bandits or other threats along the way?" Rya questioned the General.
<span style="font-weight:400">All of the Royal Knights and General Dous took offense to her question and started to re at her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How dare you suggest that the Royal Knights are weak! How dare you, a mere outsider, question our capabilities," Dous snarled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m not questioning you or your men''s abilities. But it seems like youck confidence if you''re worried about protecting a few more people," Rya said with a smirk.
<span style="font-weight:400">The knights grumbled in response, and some gripped their weapons angrily.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We are only twenty-four strong and you expect us to protect not only the Prince but now the heir of the Eder Hills Barony and his wife as well. What do you think will happen if we have to deal with a hundred people? Then what are we supposed to do!?" The general questioned while trying to hold back his temper.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya gave him an unamused look and was about to speak when the two dwarves and Sir George burst out withughter. Dalia was smirking as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">"He says, <i><span style="font-weight:400">''What are we supposed to do!?''</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Haha! I''ll tell you what we''ll do, General. We open a cask of ale and take bets on who will y more. The Crown Prince or the Saintess," one of the dwarves roared inughter.
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous'' right eye was twitching while the other knights were taken aback.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re telling me that these two can take on a hundred men," the General stated.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No... Not one hundred. But twenty thousand," the other dwarfughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous wanted to discipline those two dwarves.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Who the hell do they think they are? Making a fool out of me in front of my men...''
<span style="font-weight:400">"If you''re so sure then, how about a little wager?" Dous barked back.
<span style="font-weight:400">Everyone was surprised at this.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What kind of wager, General," Sir George asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"If Lady Rya can take on ten of my knights, then the Lord and his wife can join us. And we''ll see how you fair against true warriors," the General exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">The knights started to chuckle as they liked the idea of teaching this dark elf a lesson.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus walked up to Rya, "Babe? Are you okay with this? I can order them to back off. They are my men after all."
<span style="font-weight:400">Johan hurried over as well, "I-It''s fine my Lady. We cane visit you in a month or two. There''s no reason to-"
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya held her hand out and stopped Johan from speaking.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tayna was a little worried for her friend. Very few women fought on the battlefield, especially noble women.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Lady Rya. Please reconsider this. I don''t think a Lady such as yourself should partake in a knight''s training. It''s beneath you," Tayna urged.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t worry. It''ll be fine. Plus, they need to learn a lesson," Rya winked at them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tayna knew that look. It was the same one Rya gave her when she questioned her for being evil by nature. ''Oh boy! M-Maybe I should back up.''
<span style="font-weight:400">Tayna grabbed her husband''s hand and pulled him a few feet away.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh? Tayna? What''s going on?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Tayna just gave him a nervousugh, and said, "Don''t worry, dear. Lady Rya is going to need some space."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus noticed Rya giving him a wink.
<span style="font-weight:400">He sighed, "Alright, just make sure not to kill them by mistake."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t worry. I''ll go easy on them."
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya walked forward with a grin and took a spot in the middle of the training ground. The knights looked at her with disgust. At the same time, the two dwarves looked over at Sir George.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Betcha one gold piece the Saintess takes them down in thirty notches," the one dwarf stated.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Really? You''re on. She''ll take them down in twenty-five notches. What about you Dalia?" Sir George asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ou! Ou! Put me in for fifteen notches! Alpha is going to kick their asses," Dalia replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sir George and the dwarves chuckled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m in for fifteen gold pieces, for twenty notches," the dwarf named Kyan replied, while hisrade pulled out a wooden object that looked like it was an incense holder and he ced a long thin stick with tiny bumps, running evenly along the length of the rod.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Alright... It''s ready to be lit," Suhail stated.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kyan nodded and channeled his mana into the tip of his dagger. He held it close to the end of the stick. He was waiting to light it once the fighting started.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya was standing there waiting to see who her opponents would be. Sir Richard stayed out of it with thirteen other knights who didn''t want to fight her. While the other ten seemed too confident and wanted to take her on.
<span style="font-weight:400">General Dous had an amused look on his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">''The Young Lady Rya doesn''t know what''s about to happen. My men are the best in the kingdom. And she thinks she''s going to embarrass us by beating them. Well, she''s about to learn a hard lesson. I''m not going to allow my men to kill her, though. They''ll just knock her unconscious or cut off an arm. That should be enough to satisfy their honor.''
<span style="font-weight:400">"You ten will fight her at the same time," Dous shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hmm, this should be interesting. So, I''m taking on these ten, aye? Well, this should be fun at least,'' Rya thought as she cracked her knuckles.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Should I hold back from using my magic?" Rya asked the General.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Of course not, Lady Rya. We can handle any spell you have. For Mages fear us," Dous smirked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Alright, if you say so."
<span style="font-weight:400">General Dous ordered his ten knights and they formed a line facing her. They readied their shields and drew their swords.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya took a rxed stance and created a stone pole from the ground. She grabbed it and twirled it around.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hm! Nice bnce. I''m getting better at creating earth staffs... Huh? Oh yeah, got to focus.'' Rya thought as she stopped twirling the pole staff and had it at the ready underneath her armpit.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Whenever you''re ready, General," Rya smiled.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Tch! I don''t care what stories the prince and Sir George told me. No one can take on ten fully armored knights with their own enchanted weapons and armor. Not even the Hero of the Demonic War.''
<span style="font-weight:400">”Show her why the Fiafyrian Royal Knights are the best, men," the General roared.
<span style="font-weight:400">The knights roared and readied themselves for a fight. They rushed her and she was surrounded by nine men and one woman.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Huh? I thought they would be as fast as Sir George? Interesting. I guess George is a cut above the rest,'' Rya thought as she waited for the knights to strike.
<span style="font-weight:400">Three knights came bearing in and started swinging their swords at her in a calcted fashion.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Swing! Swing! CLANG!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya nimbly bent her torso backward and was able to dodge the first two des before parrying the third.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hahaha, sparring with everyone over the past month is really paying off. Well, time for the counterattack!'' Rya thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya spun the stone staff above her head and brought it down hard onto the third knight''s shield.
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng! Thud!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Her strike knocked the shield out of the way so she had a clear shot at his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ack!"
<span style="font-weight:400">She hit him square in the face. Breaking his nose and causing him to lose a few teeth.
<span style="font-weight:400">The other knights watched in shock as they saw Sir Glen, face nt into the dirt with ease.
<span style="font-weight:400">"She''s mine!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*Shing!*
<span style="font-weight:400">A sword grazed Rya''s neck as she bent backward and did a backflip.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hm! Not bad. He''s fast.'' Rya thought as she looked at the knight while in the air. And just as shended on the ground. The earth shifted under her feet as she had a moving tform that let here flying right back at the knight who grazed her neck.
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">"Urk! Gah!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*Thud!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya mmed her stone pole against his chest, causing him to cough out blood before passing out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Dammit! Don''t let your guard down," the third knight shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Shit! This bitch is fast.'' He thought as he lined up with two other knights.
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*Thud!*
<span style="font-weight:400">One knight swung his sword and hit the staff. While the other aimed for her legs.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Swish!*
<span style="font-weight:400">She was able to parry all three of their des at the same time by twirling her staff and tried to counter them but their shields protected them from her attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hm! I guess his shield is pretty tough. But their shins are exposed.'' Rya thought as she spun around her staff, smashing it into the three knights'' shins.
<span style="font-weight:400">*THUD!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*Crack!*
<span style="font-weight:400">''Damn!''
<span style="font-weight:400">''Shittt!''
<span style="font-weight:400">''FU-''
<span style="font-weight:400">*Thud! Thud! Crack!
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya shattered all three of the knights'' shin bones, causing them to drop to the ground and cry out in pain.
<span style="font-weight:400">The five remaining knights looked at their fallenrades in fear.
<span style="font-weight:400">''No way. No one is that fast. I thought she was a mage. Not a warrior. What the hell is she? And how the hell is she moving so fast?''
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t just stand there! Form up! We can take her down together," a female knight roared. The remaining knights quickly formed a line.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya smiled as she moved towards them in a blink of an eye. Smashing her staff into the middle knight''s shield.
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng! ng! ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">She continued to strike him with the stone staff, causing him to slowly back up.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Urgh! Huff! Gah!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"nk her! nk her," the female knight roared.
<span style="font-weight:400">Two more knights joined in and tried to nk her.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Hm! Time to change it up a bit.'' Rya thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">She mmed her foot down and sent the dirt into the three knight''s faces before smashing her pole into each one of their sword hands. Fracturing their arms while sending them to the ground.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Thud!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*Crack!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ahhh! My hand! Shit," one of the male knights cried out while holding his arm. He was about to get up but Rya mmed her staff down on his chest breaking his ribs, causing him to cough out blood and passed out due to the pain.
<span style="font-weight:400">The other two received a simr treatment as they too were knocked out into a bloody mess.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Bart! I got the front and—" The female knight tried to regroup with thest standing knight but Rya used her wind magic to swiftly glide around the arena. Before the Knight named Bart could register what was happening, his body was being mmed into the dirt. Dislocating his shield arm.
<span style="font-weight:400">*CRUNCH!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*THUD!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya broke his left arm and leg before kicking him in the chest.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ahh-Arrgg," he dropped his sword and fell to the ground holding his arm.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Gotcha," Rya said as she twirled her staff and swung it at Sir Bart''s head.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Wait!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*SMASH!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya''s blow knocked him unconscious, fracturing his skull. Rya sighed and shook her head. She walked over the body of the unconscious knight who was thest to fall as Rya focused her attention on the final knight who looked worried.
<span style="font-weight:400">General Dous witnessed nine of his knights getting easily defeated by a single woman in under 15 seconds.
<span style="font-weight:400">''No way. The Prince had to be spinning a tall tail about her. No one could be this strong! And how is she so fast? No one can be this fast.''
<span style="font-weight:400">The female knight looked panicked at first before regaining herposure.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I won''t give you an opening. You''re fast, but you''re not faster than my de," the female knight stated as she got into a defensive stance.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Is that so," Rya grinned before her azure eyes glowed.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Whoosh!*
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh?"
<span style="font-weight:400">*Shing!*
<span style="font-weight:400">The female knight panicked as Rya''s staff wasing straight for her. She did everything in her power to avoid her attack. She contorted her body just enough for Rya''s staff to miss her face but it left her torso open. Once Rya saw the opening, she used the other end of her staff to hit her breastte instead.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Gah!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya wasn''t done as she continued tounch a flurry of strikes on the poor knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Gah! Ah-gah-Gah-GAH-GAH-GAAAHH," she was battered with attacks.
<span style="font-weight:400">*ng!*
<span style="font-weight:400">*WHOP*
<span style="font-weight:400">*CRACK*
<span style="font-weight:400">*THWAP!*
<span style="font-weight:400">The female knight''s sword went flying after Rya fractured her forearm and her body was covered in bruises.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Thud!*
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ough-Gah!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya''sst attack was a hard swing to the knight''s legs, sending her crashing to the ground with twopound fractures.
<span style="font-weight:400">''M-My legs!?''
<span style="font-weight:400">The female knight was sitting on the ground looking at her sorry state before looking up at Rya who still had her staff in her hands looking down at Lady Rachel with what she thought was a sinister smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">''S-She''s a monster! She''s going to take over the kingdom and we will all die! No... I failed!'' Lady Rachel cried in her mind as the tears flowed from her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous and the knights that didn''t join in the fight didn''t know what to do.
<span style="font-weight:400">''She''s killing my men... A-And I don''t know if we can even stop her! Should I order the rest of my men to go after her or stay and help the wounded? Why didn''t I listen, we are no match for her. Damn, you, Prince Quinus! This is all your—'' Dous'' cursing stopped when he saw Lady Rya reach her hand out towards Lady Rachel.
<span style="font-weight:400">''This is the end!'' she thought as she closed her eyes and prepared for the final blow.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya didn''t know the knight''s thoughts, but she saw the look of defeat in her eyes. ''Haah... I bet she thinks that I''m going to kill her. Well, there''s no point in torturing them, I won. So let''s heal them up.''
<span style="font-weight:400">She channeled her mana into her hand just before she touched her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Huh,'' Lady Rachel felt a gentle touch on her head and a soothing sensation flowing through her body.
<span style="font-weight:400">She cracked open one of her eyes and saw herpound fractures disappearing while her arms and legs straightened back in ce. All the pain vanished in a matter of seconds.
<span style="font-weight:400">''I-Is this healing magic? Can that be?'' She was in shock at the fact that the woman who easily killed all of herrades was now using healing magic on her.
<span style="font-weight:400">''What the hell is happening?'' Rachel looked up and saw Rya smiling at her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You need to work on your stance. You need to fight like a woman, not a man," Rya chuckled before turning her attention to the rest of the wounded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rachel didn''t understand. She was defeated. Why is she helping her? Why didn''t she kill her? And why did she say "fight like a woman" instead of "fight like a man?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous couldn''t believe his eyes as Rya went from one knight to another, healing all ten of them without breaking a sweat. He then looked over to the Prince who wasn''t looking too happy for some reason. While one of the Dwarves was celebrating winning the bet against his friend, Sir George, and Dalia.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It was seventeen notches, shorty! I won!" Dalia protested.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oi! You chose fifteen notches and it went over!" Kyan barked back at the wolfkin.
<span style="font-weight:400">"But I was closer! So it should count!" Dalia growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That''s not how it works, you dumb wolf! It''s not who''s closest! It''s about who doesn''t go over the time limit," Kyan countered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That''s not fair!" Dalia cried out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Dalia... It''s okay. Sometimes we lose," Percy said while trying to calmly diffuse the situation.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Humph! Fine. You''re lucky that my Gamma is here. Otherwise, I would have ripped your beard off your face," Dalia turned her head and stuck out her tongue.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ha! I didn''t know wolfkins could be so funny," Suhailughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">***
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">Dous then looked back at Rya who was helping up one of his knights. All of them looked dumbfounded as they looked at Rya with wonder after she healed them all. They were struggling to understand the events that just transpired.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Why didn''t she kill us?'' one of the knights asked in his mind.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Why didn''t she torture us and leave us for dead? I thought that''s what dark elves did?''
<span style="font-weight:400">''S-SHE REALLY IS A HEALER! And a WARRIOR! I didn''t know anyone could do both.''
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing her helping his men made Dous realize something.
<span style="font-weight:400">''All the stories of healers from the past, always mentioned about how much it took out of them, depending on the wound. The emperors of the time alwaysined about not being able to use healers too much. Even though the healers themselves weren''t hurt, using their powers to heal others was exhausting and could cause them to faint if they overdid it. Yet, this dark elf didn''t seem to show any signs of fatigue at all. She was able to heal ten heavily wounded soldiers without a second thought. She''s not just a warrior. She''s also a healer, the best kind. And she''s not just a dark elf. She''s the legendary dark elf who is a master of all elements. I''m standing in the presence of a goddess... H-How did the prince tame her?''
<span style="font-weight:400">He then looked at the prince and saw him ring daggers at the Rya. He was clearly upset about her performance for some reason. Rya didn''t notice Quinus'' stare while helping out thest knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ummm... Is something the matter, Your Highness?" Johan asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"..."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Your Highness?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"She almost got killed when Sir Walfort came charging in and grazed her neck... I almost lost her once... And I''m not going to lose her when she''s standing in front of me," Quinus said with a cold tone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Johan gulped as he was sweating bullets from the prince''s fury. He''s never seen this side of Quinus before. Tayna didn''t know what to say to him either.
<span style="font-weight:400">"S-So what are you going to do, your Highness?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"I need to correct her defenses. I''m going to train her," he said before looking over at Sir George.
<span style="font-weight:400">"George! Get me the Twilight Dancer and Sun''s Fury," Quinus ordered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh? Right away, my lord," Sir George ran back into the carriage and got the weapons that Quinus asked for. Quinus walked over to Rya who just finished healing thest knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh? Come to congratte—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"What is this?" Quinus said as he rubbed his finger over Rya''s neck where the de of Sir Walfort almost cut her throat.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That''s not necessary. I''m perfectly fine," Rya was used to this behavior during sparring. It seemed like anytime she made a mistake, Quinus would try and correct her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Rya... If you are sloppy with your training then you will pay the price in battle. This is serious," Quinus scolded.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I was holding back so I wouldn''t kill someone," Rya defended herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">When all the knights that fought her heard that she was holding back that entire time. They had mixed feelings. On one side they were disappointed that they didn''t put up that much of a fight. But on the other side, they were thankful that she didn''t just kill them.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Holding back? That was holding back!?'' One Knight thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Was she serious? Or is she making a fool of us?'' Another Knight thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">''What a monster. Thank the Goddess that she''s merciful.''
<span style="font-weight:400">"I know. And I appreciate that, but there may be a situation where you exhausted your mana, and all you have is your physical strength. And even then you should be able to hold your own. Take your sword and get in position," Quinus held out Rya''s sword to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya sighed then took her sword and got in a ready position.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus then pulled out the Sun''s Fury and readied himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Now block my attacks."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Okay," Rya said as she was prepared to receive Quinus'' attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">"HYAH!"
<span style="font-weight:400">*Shing!*
<span style="font-weight:400">''She still leaves her sides open. She''s too cocky,'' Quinus thought as he moved with zing speed.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Cling! Clung! Clunk!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya was having trouble keeping up with Quinus. His attacks wereing at her so fast and so urately that she started to give ground quickly.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Damn it. How can he hit me so quickly? His attacks are getting stronger each time. I have to do something else,'' Rya''s eyes darted around as she tried to find an opening. But then Quinus'' de parried her sword and knocked it out of her hand and then his de wasing for her neck.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Move back! Move back! Move~'' *Thud!* "Huh!?... Ack!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Rya didn''t realize that she was pushed back to the manor wall and bumped right into it when she was focusing on moving away from Quinus'' attacks.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Shing!*
<span style="font-weight:400">Her eyes went wide as her body became still when she felt the touch of cold steel on her neck. Quin''s de was on the same spot where she was almost killed. But Quinus'' control over his de was so superb that he had the dull part of the sword resting against her neck.
<span style="font-weight:400">The cold steel and Quinus'' scent sent shivers down her spine as she looked at his expression. Seeing his golden eyes stare down at her, like an apex predator who''s caught his prey, sent her heart into a frenzy.
<span style="font-weight:400">''G-Get it together Rya! H-He''s not flirting!... But God damn. He looks so hot when he''s serious. Hehe, but if I y this right. I might be able to turn the tables on him,'' Rya smiled as her heart rate picked up.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Rya... Do you see the weakness in your form? You need to protect your vitals. You can''t rely on your mana all the time," Quinus'' tone was different from the usual yfulness he would have. It was serious and stern, but when he spoke, his face moved in closer to hers, their lips were only centimeters apart.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Y-Yes, Your Highness," Rya blushed as her body heated up.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Now... What have you learned today?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"U-Um. I know that my technique is not there... But I don''t know what I''m exactly messing up, babe... You''ve been training with a sword for decades, while I have only been doing this for maybe a month," Rya stated as she started to pant lightly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus'' serious face twisted into a grimace before he let up on Rya.
<span style="font-weight:400">''S-She right... I keep wanting to treat her like a seasoned veteran. But she''s still all new to this... Maybe I should have someone else teach her the basics... Maybe I can get Lady Nelumbo to train her? But then that would mean I would have to spend less time with her...''
<span style="font-weight:400">"Babe? Are you okay?" Rya whispered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus was brought out of his thoughts and noticed that Rya was blushing while looking at him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Y-Yes. I was just thinking," Quinus answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Thinking? About what? What''s on your mind?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"W-Well, I was just thinking about getting someone else to train you the basics when we get to the capital. But then I realized that I would have to spend less time with you."
<span style="font-weight:400">Quinus'' honesty was refreshing and a bit shocking to Rya. But also a bit worrying.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Babe... You don''t have to worry about spending time with me. I would be happy if you could get me a teacher to teach me the basics. I know that you are going to be busy running the country and your time will be limited. But the training you already have given me has been a huge help. I don''t want to be a burden or take up your time,"
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re not a burden. I want to help you be strong," Quinus stated but then he remembered what Lady Nelumbo told him years ago. After his mana vein awakened he couldn''t control the flow of mana through his body. She said, <i><span style="font-weight:400">One thing you will have to learn is when to move on to the next lesson.</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">''Yeah, Rya knows far more about using mana than me. And Lady Nelumbo knows far more about teaching basic techniques and swordsmanship than I do,'' Quinus looked at Rya. "I think it''s time..."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh? What do you mean, babe?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Lady Nelumbo is the only one who could train you properly in the basics. She was the one who trained me before my mana vein awakened. I can still show you the ropes, but she knows more about teaching the fundamentals than I do."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh? Well if you trust her. Then I will trust her as well. Thank you," Rya hugged him tightly and gave him a peck on the cheek.