The gray sky drizzled with rain, as gloomy as Aili’s mood.
[Due to the first assassination’s failure, your task completion rate has dropped from 87% to 24%. Host, take immediate action to change the current situation.]
But those words only infuriated Aili further.
“How many times have you said that already!!!”
“I’ve worked so hard and you never give me any reward!!!”
“Give me at least a little hope!”
“You just order me around while you lie back and watch the show!”
“Useless system! I’ve never seen a system more shameless! More despicable! More without bottom line! Completely worthless!”
She flipped the table set up on the lawn, sending the desserts the chefs had worked on for ages scattering all over the ground.
The nearby servants were terrified.
Had the young lady of the past returned?
“Miss, the master will be back soon. Please don’t cause trouble right now,” an old servant advised.
But all she got in return was Aili’s curses.
“What do you know about me!!! Get lost! All of you, get lost!”
The servants exchanged uneasy glances, then had no choice but to obey her command and leave.
The two maids holding umbrellas looked at each other, then nervously at Ailina.
Her glare shot over, and they had no choice but to withdraw.
Leaving her alone, drifting in the rain.
The drops on her face—tears or rain, who knew.
She screamed and roared.
The system couldn’t understand this kind of emotional venting, but it realized one thing.
It had to give her something practical to keep her going.
…
Over the next few days, Selina followed the training plan Vika had set.
During the day, Melrose escorted her to the Grand Cathedral, where she ran laps around it.
Starting at ten kilometers.
The Saintess seemed to have nothing better to do than watch her run, gasping for air.
Whenever she got tired, a single healing spell restored her stamina bar, and then she ran again.
Quite demonic, honestly.
Satan would have to step aside (´🥹🥹🥹🥹｀).
Selina ran while Audrey cheered her on.
Every lap, she recovered at the Saintess’s side, then started the next one.
What kind of perpetual motion machine is this, torturing people so?
Vika even raised both hands in approval.
Those two are in cahoots, aren’t they?
Seems like they really are.
Helpless, Selina could only grit her teeth and keep going.
Physical fitness isn’t built overnight, though the Saintess’s healing sped up the process.
But the training was excruciating, and she wasn’t allowed to use Enhancement Technique.
Only pure physical exercise.
Vika lurked in some unknown corner, watching her like a stalker.
In the afternoons, she practiced the Imperial Knight Order’s Basic Sword Technique—commonly known as “air swinging.”
Standing there, ha-he-ha-he for the whole afternoon.
After a full day’s training, though her body felt nothing, the mental exhaustion couldn’t be erased by healing magic.
Selina skipped dinner, went home, and collapsed into bed.
When Hajime got home and saw the empty plate, she frowned slightly.
…
Inside the palace.
Melrose, dressed in knight’s uniform, sat at the edge of the training ground.
Lunch break had arrived.
Everyone put down their weapons; those with money went to the cafeteria, those without ate black bread.
In this environment, there was one exception.
“Melrose…” someone called softly.
She turned to see a young girl in a plain dress standing behind her.
“You used to eat black bread. These past two days, you’ve been having boxed lunches? And with that expression…”
The girl pretended to think, then showed an “I get it” look.
“Found someone special? No, judging by your state, it’s already happened.”
“Well… it’s not that. She just made it for me as a favor.”
Hmph, who’d believe that?
The girl’s blush said more than a thousand words.
But.
Why was it—her?
(Note: In this world’s language, the pronunciation of “He” differs for male and female.)
Better not pry into subordinates’ affairs, or you might hear something you shouldn’t and get silenced.
“Don’t you have a lot of official business to handle? What brings you here?”
“Just getting some air. I’m human too, I need to relax.”
The girl took a deep breath, seemed satisfied, and walked away with light steps.
On the other side.
With Vika’s guidance, Selina finally achieved a breakthrough she’d long awaited.
She had finally reached Tier 4.
Her vision became sharper, her senses keener.
The flexibility of her limbs greatly increased, her body feeling reborn.
Over the past half month, daily morning sword practice with a certain Saintess’s help had boosted her efficiency.
Months’ worth of training compressed into half a month—Selina had somehow endured the agonizing process.
A whole new person.
Every night when she slept, Melrose felt the pillow in her arms getting harder.
One day.
Melrose got a day off and came to the Grand Cathedral, wanting to see Selina’s training.
She was desperate to know who had turned her soft, sweet Selina into a muscle-bound Barbie.
But somehow, Vica had already crept up behind her.
“You’ll be her sparring partner today~”.
An evil laugh echoed around her—whether a sudden whim or long-planned.
Was this also within your calculations, Vika?
Melrose’s expression remained neutral as she watched Selina, whose aura was completely different from when they first met.
But it piqued her interest anyway.
Selina’s face was calm.
She held a blunted iron sword, eyes blazing, standing on the sandy training ground.
Though in reality, she was just too mentally exhausted to bother showing any expression.
She wore the same nun outfit as Vika—known for ease of movement.
Her healthy, slender legs were exposed, paired with brown short boots and white knee-high stockings.
Melrose, as always, wore her knight’s uniform.
She took a hair tie from her pocket and tied her loose hair back.
She grabbed a similarly blunted longsword from the weapon rack.
The two stood about ten meters apart, assuming their stances.
Vika stood between them as the referee.
Audrey sat in the spectator area—if either got injured, it was her turn.
“Enhancement Technique is limited to Tier 3. Since this is an informal match, it’s a tap-out. I’ll decide the winner.”
Vika automatically acted as referee and announced the rules.
‘Is it necessary to be this formal?’ Melrose thought.
‘I’m a veteran who’s trained since childhood, going against a novice who’s only trained for half a month.’
‘This is just crushing a noob.’
‘I’ll go easy on her, at least not crush her confidence.’
That was what she thought.
Soon, she would regret her arrogance.