Chapter 72: Training Partners

Words : 1018 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 72: Training Partners Lately, however, Lambard could no longer keep up with Dominic’ skills. The young lord had become one of the strongest swordsmen in all of the Rosaria Kingdom—possibly even among the top two. "I feel like my body’s starting to get stiff from sitting around too much," Shiao Yi said. "Do you think you could spar with me a little?" "Huh? With me?" Lambard blinked. "Not with swords," Shiao Yi clarified. "I’ve never trained with one. I meant hand-to-hand combat. Do you practice that too?" "Yes, I’ve trained in that as well," Lambard replied. "Great. Although... this world seems to focus a lot on swordsmanship," Shiao Yi said thoughtfully. "But I wouldn’t mind if you used a sword. I just want to move my body a bit. What do you think—wanna break a sweat together?" Lambard was surprised by the unexpected challenge, especially coming from someone as slim and delicate-looking as him. But the fact that Lord Shiao Yi had offered meant he must have some confidence in his skills. Lambard found himself curious to see what Lord Shiao Yi could do and agreed. The Beaumont estate didn’t have one of those overly fancy gardens typical of noble houses. The main building faced north, with the guest wing on the west side and the servants’ quarters and stables on the east. These three wings enclosed a large open yard in the middle. At the southern end of the main hall, a wide terrace jutted out into this garden space. From both the terrace and the guest rooms, you could see a pond built on the west side, surrounded by a mix of trees and shrubs of various sizes. However, the southern side of the garden was just a large open grassy area. It was used for sword training, horse taming, and other such activities. In the Beaumont family, this space functioned more like a training ground than a decorative garden. Now, Lambard stood facing Shiao Yi in the middle of that spacious courtyard. Shiao Yi was already dressed in his usual plain, practical clothes, so there was no need to change. He stood empty-handed, ready to fight with nothing but his bare hands. Lambard who is still wearing his guard uniform, held a training sword with the blade dulled. "Are you really sure about this?" Lambard asked, eyeing Shiao Yi’s relaxed stance. "It’s fine," Shiao Yi said with a confident nod. "You don’t need to hold back. Even if I get a little hurt, I can handle it." Even so, Lambard reminded himself, Lord Shiao Yi was someone nearly equal to his lord in status. If he didn’t hold back at least a little, it might become a problem. While he was still thinking that— "Well then, here I come!" With that warning, Shiao Yi dashed toward him. —So fast! Lambard barely registered the movement before Shiao Yi was right in front of him. Without a moment’s pause, a punch came flying at his face. Lambard could only just block it with his left arm. His right hand reacted automatically, thrusting the hilt of his sword toward Shiao Yi’s abdomen—more reflex than intent. Shiao Yi responded with a sharp kick that knocked the blade upward, then flipped backward with a quick somersault, landing at a safe distance. "Not bad. You actually blocked that punch. Impressive." Lord Shiao Yi gave a wide grin. His eyes were gleaming with intensity, like a predator who’d found a worthy prey. His gaze had the wild sharpness of a beast of prey. He’s strong! If Lambard let his guard down, he’d be taken out in an instant. Shiao Yi moved like someone who had real combat experience—like a trained soldier. Lambard gripped his practice sword tightly and got serious. For the next hour or so, Lambard was completely absorbed in their sparring. Although he had trained for years and even been granted full certification from his master, Lord Shiao Yi’s agility and clever footwork kept him constantly on edge. While Lambard attacked with sharp, practiced sword techniques, Lord Shiao Yi responded with punches, kicks, and sometimes throws. Lambard had never seen some of those moves before. Eventually, Lambard’s sword grazed Shiao Yi’s side, but at the same time, Shiao Yi’s open hand struck Lambard’s neck. That ended the match. It was technically a draw—but if it were a real fight, Shiao Yi’s technique, which allowed injury to deliver a critical blow, would have made Lambard the loser. "You’re as tough as I expected—no wonder you used to train with Dominic," Shiao Yi said between breaths, his smile full of satisfaction. The dangerous aura from moments earlier had vanished, replaced by a dazzling, bright expression. "I had no idea you were this strong, Madam," Lambard said respectfully. "It’s been a while since I’ve done any real combat training," Shiao Yi replied. "But I’ve never had such a fun session before. If it’s not too much trouble... could I ask you to train with me again sometime?" "If I’m good enough for you, I’d be honored to," Lambard answered. For him, too, it had been a long time since he’d felt this kind of tension and enjoyment. It was refreshing. From that day on, Shiao Yi and Lambard began spending an hour or two every morning training together. Shiao Yi had asked to be taught how to use a dagger. He said he wanted to include it in his martial arts techniques. However, it didn’t take long for him to pick it up. He mastered the basic techniques almost immediately, and his accuracy was unbelievably high. Apparently, he had once used ranged weapons, so he already had a solid foundation. With his speed and his natural instinct for using a blade, Lambard thought Shiao Yi had the potential to become a top-class assassin. In return, Lambard started learning Shiao Yi’s hand-to-hand techniques. These were especially useful in situations where using a sword wasn’t possible—perfect for someone in a bodyguard role. Shiao Yi said he had combined two disciplines from his previous world: karate and judo, blending them into his own style.

Chapter 72: Training Partners

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