Chapter 44: Training

The sun was already up, shining through the windows and lighting up the training yard. Fenric stood in the middle of the yard. There was no one around. No servants. No instructors. No one watching him. Just him and his breath. He held a wooden sword in his hands. It wasn’t heavy, but after enough swings, it started to strain his muscles. He swung it again. A diagonal cut. Then again. He stepped forward, pivoted, then stepped back. He repeated the basic moves over and over. At first, he felt tired fast, but after a while, his breathing became steady. His arms still hurt, but they weren’t shaking anymore. Sweat soaked his shirt. A drop ran down his face, but he didn’t wipe it. His focus stayed on his body and his movements. Strike. Reset. Step. Block. Breathe. He wasn’t fast. Not yet. But his moves were smoother than before. He was improving. Slowly. He didn’t use any special technique. Just the basics. He was training his body to follow orders. To work without wasting energy. After a long time, he stopped. The sun was high above now. His chest moved slowly as he took deep breaths. His shirt stuck to him from sweat. He put the wooden sword down. Not carefully, just normally. He stood still for a bit, letting his body calm down. His legs were sore. His arms and shoulders were stiff. But it felt right. He wasn’t strong yet. But he was getting there. And for now, that was enough. It had become Fenric’s daily routine. He woke up at 4 a.m. every day, started with body training to wake himself up, then got ready for his usual royal duties. After that, he visited the Royal Library, and often spent time observing the Royal Academy to keep things running smoothly. He also dedicated time to meditation, mastering his Dragon Tongue Magic, and training his mana control. With a mana sea as large as his, controlling it wasn’t easy. Sometimes he used too much mana, other times too little. It was exactly the kind of difficulty Duserdis had warned him about—a big mana sea was powerful, but hard to manage. When he wasn’t training, he spent time reading and learning in the library, or quietly watching Roman and Myra train others. Somehow, even without asking questions out loud, he often got his doubts answered just by observing them. And like that, six months passed. While Fenric was still at the peak of the Soldier rank, the other former slaves he had brought in—those who had sworn knight oaths to him—had already advanced to the early stages of the Low Master realm. Unlike him, they had average-sized mana seas, so forming the foundation of their energy sea was much easier. That made progressing to the next rank faster for them. But Fenric didn’t mind. He kept working hard, focusing on refining his massive mana sea. Then one day, as he was quietly studying in the Royal Library, he sensed a familiar presence. A figure stepped into view at the end of the aisle, arms crossed and wearing a lazy smirk. Mavis looked around the library and nodded after seeing everything perfectly in order. "God, you didn’t make a mess out of this place while I was gone," Mavis said as she stared at him. Fenric gave her only a brief glance and nodded, his expression cold and indifferent. Seeing his nonchalant attitude, she added, "You do realize I got bailed out long before my imprisonment, right?" She had come here hoping to see some reaction on his face, but his icy expression remained indifferent. However, unlike last time, Mavis now looked at him more favorably—especially after he had saved her when the Dark Empress planned her execution. Though it probably wouldn’t have happened—she was the Emperor’s senior sister, and both shared the same master—he had acted before anyone else could intervene. She didn’t need the help, not truly. But in the Imperial Castle, a den of wolves and snakes all vying for their own gain, it was the first time she looked at someone and saw a human—not just another predator. Especially after he spun the tale of her being his "mother-like figure" to protect her, it had left an impression. "So, my adopted son... are you going to greet me properly or not?" she said with a playful smirk as she approached him from behind. "It was only to help you at that time," he replied coldly. "After all, if you were removed from your position as Royal Librarian, I wouldn’t have the leisure to study here. Not with the Dark Empress placing her pawns everywhere." She rolled her eyes at his words but leaned in slightly, clearly amused. In Fenric’s mind, however, he was quietly shaking. ’This damned witch... she’s probably already plotting something. She always acts friendly, but I know what she’s like underneath. A poisonous snake in silk.’ He wasn’t surprised she had been bailed out before her sentence was up. In fact, he was surprised it had taken this long. He could only assume her master—one of the hidden guardians of the Vareldis Empire—had been away all this time and had just recently returned. He also remembered her character from the Light novel. She would often speak sweetly to men who flirted with her—only to burn their private parts the next second, all while smiling. She was a sadist when it came to revenge, no matter how small the reason. Just like the time she burned a student alive simply because he called her a bitch. He kept his expression unreadable—calm, cool, and composed—even as a low current of fear simmered beneath the surface. ’She’s just here to mess with me... Is this her way of getting back at me for suggesting that five-year imprisonment?’ His fists remained loose, but his instincts were razor-sharp. With Mavis, it paid to always be alert. Meanwhile, Mavis—who had no such intentions at the moment—sat casually on the desk and looked him over. "My, my. Now that I look at you... you’ve grown into quite the handsome prince," she said with a teasing smile. Fenric, without replying, instinctively clasped his legs.