“They won’t think you’re a...traitor?”
Crowell laughed. It was the first time Mil had seen her smile. “If I could be deemed a traitor so easily, it would have happened long ago.”
She spoke as though there was some sort of strong relationship of trust between her and the Demon King.
“Huh? What do you—”
Before she could ask any questions, Crowell cut her off. “Shall we begin?”
“We can start right now?!”
“If you wish, Princess Mil. The training hall is conveniently empty at this late hour.”
Secret training by night... Now that sounds exciting!
✧✧✧
Name: Crowell / Level: 130
HP: 2480
MP: 750
STR: 1210
DEF: 1589
INT: 1883
DEX: 1670
SPD: 1900
LUK: 550
Passive Skills: demonkin, demon eye, mana replenish, one-handed sword proficiency (high), dark magic resistance (max), curse resistance (max), awaken
Active Skills: dark magic, illusion magic, shadow cut, demon slash, laceration, dark cry, dark mist
“She’s strong...”
Mil might have gotten stronger, but Crowell was far beyond her.
Some of Crowell’s stats were higher than Graun’s, and others lower, probably due to differences in their training. Their speed stats in particular were markedly different. Their skills, however, were mostly the same.
“Um, Crowell.”
“Yes?” Crowell faced her with a wooden sword in hand. Although she was still dressed as a maid, she moved like an elite fighter.
“How strong are the Heavenly Four?”
“Well, I couldn’t beat any of them one-on-one. Though I might have a chance with my brother by my side. That’s roughly how strong they are. That said, there are other ways of looking at it...”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Mil figured they had to be a little over level 130. It also sounded like Crowell was one of the most powerful members of the Demon King’s forces after the Heavenly Four.
“Let’s begin,” Crowell said. “Please start by holding your sword however you please.”
“Okay!”
“You may make use of any magic you like as well.”
“Understood!”
Thus began her late-night training with Crowell.
Mil’s aim was to level up until her intelligence reached 1000, but learning sword techniques was a nice bonus.
She was glad she could use magic all the while since it would help her gain more intelligence. Using a sword was bound to improve her strength too.
However, Mil soon regretted not considering her choice of magic more carefully.
“Ugh... Poison? I hadn’t expected you to learn such magic.” Crowell was taken aback.
“Oh, uh, I’m sorry. It just looked kinda useful.”
“It’s such a vulgar form of magic for someone with a pretty face like yours, Princess Mil.”
Mil had managed to score a direct hit with her spell, leveling up as a result, because Crowell was going easy on her.
“Footwork is the most basic part of swordplay. Shift your weight to your toes so that your heel rises just slightly.”
“All right.”
Crowell taught Mil that there was more to swordplay than swinging the weapon. Unlike the contents of spell books, the fruits of combat experience came from practice and couldn’t be learned in the form of a skill.
To Crowell’s surprise, Mil had proven a talented student. “You’re improving awfully quickly for a beginner,” she remarked after giving Mil a little training.
These late night training sessions went on for a week, until finally Crowell and Mil met for one final lesson.
“None of the orcs in this castle could cross swords with you now. That’s how much you’ve grown.”
“Thank you.”
In just one week, Mil had learned all the basics from Crowell, including footwork and the importance of managing one’s distance from an opponent. Mil felt much stronger than when she’d simply been swinging her weapon around with no care for technique.
“I’d expect no less. His Majesty did say that humans learn with incredible speed.”
“Teh heh heh.”
“But why do you want to be so strong? You’re too passionate to be merely killing time.”
“Well... Um...”
So I can handle pursuers when I escape the castle and then fight monsters on my adventure. But Mil couldn’t say that or she’d probably be placed in chains.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sure it’s dull being a prisoner. I wasn’t criticizing you.”
“Um...”
It feels like she’s looking right through me. Does she know I’m training for my escape?
“In any case, why not finish by learning a demonkin sword skill?” Crowell suggested.
It would be a new active skill. Mil had learned a lot of fundamentals, but no new skills so far.
I can’t stop now! “Yes, please!”
“Allow me to demonstrate with a true sword.”
Crowell picked up a weapon hanging on the wall of the training hall—a real sword stored in a scabbard. Without drawing the blade, she assumed her stance.
“A draw slash...?” Mil wondered aloud. She’d seen people in the royal capital with skills that allowed them to draw the sword and strike a foe in one fluid movement.
“Demon slash.”
Crowell drew the sword so quickly that Mil’s eyes couldn’t follow it. As the blade swept through the air, it created a black shock wave that flew out into the empty space ahead.
The shock wave continued through the air until it struck a straw training dummy, slicing it clean in two. It was as if the sword slash itself had leaped out of the blade. That was the best way Mil could describe it.
“The blade will strike over a wider range as you grow stronger. The trick is to channel your mana into the sword. I expect a talented student like yourself only needs to be shown it once.” Crowell passed the sword to Mil.
Mil took it and held the sword within its scabbard by her waist, just as she’d seen Crowell do. “Channel my mana into the sword...then draw?”
“That’s right. Please give it a try.”
Mil took a breath then visualized her mana flowing into the sword. Then she drew. “Demon slash.” The sword flew out as she spoke the words, and from the blade came a black shock wave. “I did it!”
But Mil’s shock wave, unlike Crowell’s, dissipated quickly once it left her blade.
“Aw... I failed.”
“You need merely to hone it. Practice every day and I’m sure you’ll be able to hit distant targets within a week.”
“Thank you! But why are you being so good to me? I’m just a prisoner.”
The lizardman had said so. That was how the castle’s residents saw her. She wanted to know why Crowell would go to such lengths to help her.
“I must confess, I too dreamed of adventure before I began my service in this castle.”
“You did?!” I’d never have guessed!
“I’d like to help you achieve the same dream. That’s why I’ve taught you the basics.”
“I had no idea.” Mil felt a little embarrassed by the idea of them sharing a dream.
“I was joking,” Crowell added.
“You were?!”
Crowell’s face was so hard to read that Mil couldn’t tell what the truth was. Only one thing was for sure—Crowell had been a big help. She probably had her reasons for doing what she did, and Mil sensed it was better not to pry. But there was one thing that bothered her.
Didn’t Crowell just say that I was dreaming of being an adventurer? Did I imagine that? Oh well.
Not long after it began, Mil’s training with Crowell was over. And now her stats were high enough.
Name: Mil / Level: 110
HP: 1235
MP: 977
STR: 1010
DEF: 709
INT: 1042
DEX: 733
SPD: 843
LUK: 205
Winning a handful of the practice bouts she’d had with Crowell had really helped Mil level up and reach her goal. Crowell had been holding back of course, but it still counted as defeating a powerful demonkin.
Some of the stats she wasn’t focused on had improved too. Her growth beyond level 65 had been rapid overall. That seemed to be something unique to Mil.
I guess I’m just a late bloomer.
✧✧✧
“And...I’ve learned it!”