Chapter 12 - Chapter 12

"Puff, puff…" Aria-sama was panting as she ran alongside us, clearly struggling to catch her breath. Since she wasn't used to physical training, I had allowed her to run only a few laps over the past week.

After our run, I handed her a glass of water. "Thanks," she said, a smile breaking through the sweat on her face. I nodded and offered her a clean towel to wipe her brow.

"Master Hayden!" I turned to see Eli approaching us, clad in training clothes.

"Hm?" I asked, noting her eager expression.

"It's been two weeks since you started teaching me. Can we have a sparring match?" Eli proposed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I considered her request for a moment before agreeing.

Eli and I stood opposite each other, swords in hand, both poised for action. She lunged at me, moving with incredible speed. If she were facing an average knight, they likely wouldn't have time to react.

As she closed the distance, Eli swung her sword with impressive strength. I quickly dodged, stepping back just in time. She followed up with a flurry of strikes, each one deftly dodged as I kept my defense up.

Despite my defensive stance, I could see that Eli was enjoying the spar. "Master Hayden, if I manage to defeat you, will you go out on a stroll with me later?" she asked playfully, her voice light.

I nodded in agreement, despite the intensity of our training.

Just then, I took two quick steps back. As Eli prepared to swing at me again, I launched a smooth, swift counterattack. The next moment, both Eli and Aria-sama, who was watching intently, looked on in shock.

Eli's sword split cleanly into three parts, the two sections clattering to the ground while the handle remained in her grasp. "Ahaha… I admit defeat, Master Hayden," she said with a defeated yet cheerful smile.

Even though Eli conceded, I could see the disappointment in her eyes, likely directed at herself.

"You're strong, and you have great speed. However, your attacks can be a bit impulsive. I see plenty of room for improvement, and you can become much stronger," I encouraged, pausing for emphasis. "You did well."

Eli looked up at me, her eyes shining with renewed determination. I gently patted her head, and she beamed back at me, clearly pleased.

As I was focused on Eli, Aria-sama approached. "You two did well. It was a good fight," she complimented.

Eli puffed out her chest proudly, a bright grin on her face. "Hehe~." I nodded, grateful for Aria-sama's praise.

Now that Aria-sama had rested sufficiently, we transitioned into sword training. Although she lacked physical strength and stamina, she showed great potential in swordsmanship.

"One thousand three hundred fifty-one, one thousand three hundred fifty-two…" Aria-sama counted her swings as she worked through the two thousand five hundred I had set for her today.

By the time we finished our training, it was already ten in the morning. Aria-sama left to take a bath and change, while Eli and I returned to our room.

"Master Hayden, there's something I've been curious about," Eli said, her expression earnest.

I looked at her, encouraging her to continue. "You mentioned that your magic is a secret. Can I know why?"

I pondered for a moment. Based on the original Hayden's story, her magical abilities were kept secret not only to avoid interest from the royalty, who might want to use her for military purposes, but also to protect her from magical facilities eager to research Ancient Magic. If they discovered her abilities, they might subject her to numerous experiments.

"Hmmm…" I fell silent for a moment. "First of all, space magic is also a rare form of magic. For example, if there are only five people with Ancient Magic in the entire world, there are only about twenty to twenty-five who possess space magic. To put it simply, I'm not just an ordinary dual caster; I also have two rare types of magic." After explaining this to her, I elaborated on the potential dangers of being sought after by the royalty or being experimented on by magical facilities.

"I understand, and thank you for telling me, Master," Eli replied, her smile warm and appreciative.

I shook my head. "There's no need to thank me. It's important for you to know, so you can understand the risks involved."

Once we finished our conversation, I took a bath and changed into my knight's attire. While I was busy with my knight duties, Eli chose to stay behind and read. It might sound unusual for a sword's soul to read, but she was engrossed in her book, so I let her be.