The backyard training ground of the Kastian Manor.
Lady Elsa stood on the training ground, her long dress gently swaying in the breeze.
“Lord Balk, I need an explanation.”
Lady Elsa did not shout. She simply spoke in a calm tone.
Gulp.
Balke swallowed hard. The imposing heavy sword that had looked so cool on his shoulder now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
With a clang, he plunged the sword into the ground, nervously rubbed the leather pants on his thighs with both hands, and forced a smile that was uglier than crying onto his rugged face.
“W-well… Madam, please let me explain.”
Balke stammered, his mind racing to come up with a grandiose excuse for his incredibly stupid act of showing off.
“Actually… that strike just now was entirely to test the Young Master’s extreme reaction ability!”
Balke slapped his thigh as if he had suddenly found the truth.
“Yes! Testing extreme reactions! You see, in real wilderness adventures, the monsters you encounter won’t go easy on you. They often launch a lethal attack when you’re most exhausted and off guard!”
He pointed at Leo, who was still lying on the ground with a dumbfounded expression, and clumsily tried to cover up.
“What I did was… just when the Young Master thought the fight was over, I suddenly launched a high-intensity, hostile attack to train his on-the-spot response and escape ability! This is our squad’s exclusive… um, extreme pressure training method!”
The three underlings standing behind Balke heard this utterly ridiculous nonsense and almost couldn’t hold back their laughter.
‘What the hell extreme pressure! Boss, you clearly just wanted to show off in front of the kid and get back at him for kicking the door in the tavern.’
The thief quickly stepped forward and chimed in, “Yes, yes! Madam, our boss’s move looks scary, but the force control is extremely precise!”
“See, the Young Master didn’t even lose a single hair! Our squad’s professionalism is absolutely unquestionable!”
The mage also nodded repeatedly, “That’s right, Madam. The world is dangerous. Letting the Young Master experience the pressure of high-level combat early is for his own good!”
Lady Elsa quietly listened to the three of them singing the same tune in their clumsy performance.
In truth, with her eyes as a Potion Master and adventurer, how could she not see that Balke’s sword strike, though impressive, had its killing intent perfectly restrained? It was purely meant to scare.
However, such a frivolous personality that ignored the occasion and only cared about showing off made her think the team was rather unreliable as the “babysitters” leading Leo.
“Extreme pressure training method?”
Lady Elsa curved her lips into an extremely cold smile.
“The Wind and Moon Squad’s teaching methods are truly… unique.”
Balke’s face turned red with embarrassment as he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
Lady Elsa paid no further attention to the sweating adventurers. She naturally turned her head and looked toward the balcony on the second floor of the main building.
“Ailiya.”
“Is this the elite team you personally negotiated and strongly recommended to me?”
“Such lively bodyguards—don’t you intend to explain the… character of these people you chose? I feel like they’re even more unreliable than Leo.”
There was a hint of teasing in Lady Elsa’s tone, like an elder teasing a younger relative.
All eyes instantly followed Lady Elsa’s gaze and converged on the second-floor balcony.
The balcony was silent.
After about three seconds.
A silver head slowly peeked out from behind the balcony railing.
She never expected that the fire would burn her, a mere bystander, and that she would be called out by name in public.
The craziness of these guys clearly exceeded her original estimate.
Ailiya slowly stood up. Her usually cold, expressionless delicate face now rarely showed a trace of awkwardness.
Her ice-blue eyes looked down at Balke, who was guiltily scratching his beard.
‘These muscle-brained idiots! They get paid and can’t even do their job properly—why pick now to lose their minds and show off?’
“Madam.”
Ailiya folded her hands in front of her and bowed slightly. Her tone remained calm, but if one listened closely, there was a faint gritting of teeth.
“Regarding the Wind and Moon Squad’s special teaching methods, this is my first time seeing them as well.”
“However, though their behavior lacks propriety and is a bit wild,” Ailiya looked at Lady Elsa and rationally analyzed,
“From a practical combat perspective, Lord Balk’s strike just now demonstrated extremely precise control over magic power, ensuring the Young Master was unharmed. This precisely proves that his second-order strength is genuine.”
“For a team that often faces sudden dangers, solid strength is more important than composed demeanor. After all, monsters won’t observe etiquette with the Young Master.”
With these words, Ailiya cleverly reframed Balke’s “failed showing off” as a “display of strength.” She then smoothly stated her ultimate goal.
“If Madam still feels they are not reliable enough, I am willing to accompany the Young Master on this training journey. Not only can I continue to take care of the Young Master’s daily needs, but I can also… supervise the squad’s work when necessary.”
Upon hearing Ailiya’s explanation, Balke below was so moved he nearly cried on the spot.
“Yes, yes! Little Ailiya understands me!” Balke nodded frantically like a chicken pecking rice. “Madam, rest assured! As long as I, Balke, am here, even if the Young Master falls into a goblin nest, I can get him out safe and sound!”
Lady Elsa finished listening to Ailiya’s explanation and gave her a long look.
She knew Ailiya was twisting the reasoning, but she couldn’t deny that in this world where strength was everything, the argument did hold water.
“Since Ailiya says so, I’ll trust them one more time.”
By now, Leo had gotten up from the ground. He dusted off his clothes. Though his face was still pale, his eyes were brighter than ever.
The fear that had brushed past him moments ago did not defeat him.
Lady Elsa withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Leo.
“Mother!”
Leo strode up to Lady Elsa with a firm look.
“I’m not afraid. That feeling just now… it was amazing! I want to go out with Uncle Balke! I want to become as strong as him!”
Lady Elsa watched the fighting spirit burning in her son’s eyes and silently sighed in her heart.
This child was destined to leave her wings eventually.
“As you wish. Remember the rules I told you yesterday.”
Lady Elsa waved her hand.
“Go get ready. Leave immediately.”
“Yes!”
Leo saluted excitedly, turned, and ran toward his room.
“Lord Balk.”
Lady Elsa turned to the Wind and Moon Squad.
“I entrust the Young Master’s safety to you all.”
“Madam, rest assured! We take money to solve problems—that’s our adventurer’s code!” Balke bowed solemnly with his hand on his chest.
***
Half an hour later.
Outside the side gate of the Kastian Manor.
Two light carriages were already prepared.
Leo stood excitedly next to the carriage.
Ailiya still wore her signature black-and-white maid outfit, only adding a gray windproof cloak over it.
She carried a small wicker suitcase and walked over steadily.
Her eyes swept over Balke, who was wiping his greatsword. A flicker of doubt passed through her ice-blue eyes.
She hadn’t had a chance to ask earlier at the distance of the second floor. Now that she was close, she could see that person was indeed not there.
“Lord Balk.”
Ailiya walked up to Balke and asked calmly,
“May I ask, where has the diviner of your squad, Miss Sid, gone?”
At the name “Sid,”
Balke’s hand froze in mid-air as he was wiping the sword. The ease and arrogance on his rugged face vanished without a trace.
He was silent for a full five seconds before slowly sheathing the greatsword into its back scabbard.
“Her…”
Balke’s voice became low, even carrying an inescapable weariness.
“She… took a private job some time ago.”
“She won’t be returning to the squad for now.”
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