Chapter 7

Part 7: I Received Training... (1)

As soon as he left the training ground, Flora, who was lying down, asked me,

"Can you get up?"

"No way. No way."

My arms felt like they were about to fall off, and my legs were trembling.

"Then let me carry you."

Flora, with a slightly happy expression, carried me on her back.

What was she so happy about?

"It's been two years since you last let me carry you, right? Lady is worried, or rather, feels a lot of regret, because you don't act your age."

Of course, we are also quite comfortable because of that.

Although she added a small comment at the end, I couldn't hear it well at the moment.

No, my eyes were already half-closed, and I couldn't even tell what she was saying.

She continued to talk, but I had already fallen asleep.

My body recovered quickly. The pain-filled body was back to normal before the next day.

And the recovered body was different from yesterday. It became firmer and stronger.

During the day I spent resting, I spent time with my mother.

A half-bath, a massage, and even some snacks. It was my mother's consideration to help me recover from the extreme exhaustion, but my body was already fully recovered.

The next morning after such a leisurely day, Knight Miguel came to my room personally.

"From now on, I will be in charge of your training."

I tilted my head at his words.

"Wasn't it just a test?"

"Consider it both training and a test. There are abilities that can't be confirmed in just one day."

The duke came personally, and a formal knight is training a child who just turned six...

Even if the tests continue, can I assume I'm being given some special attention?

"And you can speak informally. Since you've already obtained the inheritance ability, it's fine to speak informally."

At Miguel's words, I smiled. Since he said I could speak informally, I decided to do so right away.

"Isn't it too early?"

"Excuse me?"

"Practically, the training for heirs starts at 14. Even the servants, no matter how early, start at 7, right? I just turned 6."

Miguel looked perplexed at my words.

"I'm not starting as a servant, and my big brother Simon started knight training at 8."

Moreover, our second young master, who has an external ability, hasn't even started ability training yet.

Well, he's just a regular kid except for his electrical ability, so it's too early for him to start such training.

"I also think it's a bit early... but it's the duke's order."

There was nothing to say since it was the duke's order.

What does the duke want?

It's just a physical enhancement ability that doesn't use mana. Is there some secret I don't know about?

Anyway, since it's the duke's order, I'll follow it and find out.

"I have to follow the instructions. Is it the back training ground again today?"

"Yes."

The knight answered promptly, looking relieved.

He was quite a naive knight. After all, experienced knights wouldn't be assigned to educate a bastard like me.

I examined the knight's face carefully.

He doesn't seem to be a bully, more like a pushover?

Well, as long as he's skilled, it doesn't matter.

I quickly changed clothes and followed him.

When my mother learned that I would continue training, she glared at the knight with a cold face, but only sighed when she heard it was the duke's order.

Flora ran to the dining room to prepare a lunch box, and my mother gave me a tight hug before I left the room.

Knight Miguel and I headed to the training ground together, and when we arrived, we unexpectedly met someone.

Well, it was unexpected, but it was someone who could easily be here.

"Why are you here?"

The duke's eldest son frowned when he saw me with Miguel.

He was receiving sword training with another knight in the training ground.

The sword he held, lowered as he looked at me, had a faint blue light flowing from it.

It was a sword aura made of mana.

A mere 10-year-old creating a tangible mana aura. It was hard to believe even though I was seeing it with my own eyes.

'So, he is the heir the Grecia family boasts about.'

The knight standing in front of Simon also had a very displeased look on his face.

"What's going on? This is the Grecia family's training ground. You can't just enter!"

A knight in his mid-30s scolded Miguel.

Sigh, this is going to be troublesome.

I could answer here, but there's no reason to.

I also looked at Miguel.

Miguel answered with a troubled expression.

"It's the duke's order to train Alex. The captain gave the instructions at today's morning meeting."

"There's no way..."

The knight's complaint made Simon shout.

"Ridiculous! I'll check it myself."

He abandoned his training and quickly walked towards the mansion.

He was trying to maintain his composure by not running, but it looked worse than running.

If there was a camera, I would have loved to record this scene. It was a shame I couldn't.

Simon and the knight, who said they would check, didn't return to the training ground, and I started my first day of training under Miguel.

Unlike the first day, Miguel kept making me run.

Not a run suitable for my age, but one that made me faint like the first day.

Day one, day two, day four.

I fainted every day after running and was carried back to the mansion on Flora's back.

After the first day, this training ground became my exclusive training ground.

Simon didn't come back, and the duke didn't visit. No one from the family, knights, or mansion staff was seen.

A week passed.

"Huff, huff. Is this how knight training usually goes? How do they all endure it?"

On the first day I didn't faint, I asked Miguel.

Miguel's face became troubled again.

"No way. If the training was like this, no one would have endured it. I would have run away too."

"What?"

At the absurd statement, I tried to get up but only groaned.

"But why am I being trained this way?"

"Thanks to this, you're growing quickly, aren't you?"

I couldn't help but shut my mouth at his words.

He wasn't wrong.

Even as I fainted every day, I could feel myself growing.

At some point while running.

I became faster, breathing easier, and stronger.

It was a distinctly different feeling from just getting physically stronger.

A feeling like 'leveling up'?

I didn't feel this every day, and the intervals between these feelings grew longer over time, but it was a distinctly different feeling.

'If I've felt it four times from the first day to now, can I say I'm at level 4?'

Despite the extreme difficulty, I had all sorts of thoughts, but Miguel's words were right; my ability was definitely growing.

* * *

"That child is receiving separate training at the family's training ground, they say."

"Yes. The duke and Lord Simon are using other training grounds."

"Moreover, the duke even visited that training ground."

"It was only the first day."

"The number of days isn't the issue."

"I apologize."

"Why? What's the reason for paying attention to that child? Being smart is useless, and the inheritance ability was nothing special..."

"Should I find out the reason?"

I shook my head at the subordinate's question.

"No, it's not necessary. Since the duke's protection ended at the awakening day anyway."

I wanted to wait a bit longer, but the duke was showing interest in that child. I couldn't just leave it alone.

"By the way, isn't the family's training ground in a secluded place?"

"Yes. Surrounded by a forest, only the forest keeper and the Grecia family can access it."

"Then, if an accident happens there, others won't easily know, right?"

"Unless the duke suddenly visits, that's what I think."

"Don't worry about the duke."

The room's temperature seemed to drop slightly as the conversation paused.

"Find someone. Someone skilled in ambush. Someone who can easily kill a young knight."

"Understood."

The man bowed and left the room, and the beautiful room became quiet again.

* * *

"Phew."

I exhaled deeply, shaking off the sweat. I could feel vitality returning to my body.

I ran for almost an hour, pushing myself to the limit, but I no longer fainted.

Of course, it was very tiring, but I could recover somewhat with a short rest.

It had been only a month, but I could feel significant growth in myself.

I could smell the rich scent from the forest surrounding the training ground. The small training ground made it feel like I was in the forest.

"Good job."

Flora, who had been waiting, handed me a cup of water. After drinking the refreshing water, the waiting Knight Miguel spoke.

"Let's start sword training next."

Flora took the cup and headed to the edge of the training ground, and I drew the wooden sword from my waist.

It was a toy-like wooden sword adjusted for a 6-year-old's height but as sturdy as the ones used by adults.

Miguel had a gentle face, unlike a knight, but during training, he was as ruthless as a drill sergeant from my previous life.

If it were my previous life, or if I were just a regular 6-year-old, he would have been reported for child abuse.

Until recently, Flora was so shocked by my training that she wanted to tell my mother, stomping her feet.

But now, she was sitting under a tree, watching leisurely.

I caught my breath and swung the sword.

For two hours, I swung it down without any technique.

It was an absurd number, and even an adult would find it difficult, but after a month of training, I could endure it.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

As I swung the sword with short shouts, I felt a wind-like sensation around it.

It wasn't actually wind, but the sharp aura flowing from the wooden sword felt like wind.

The training, which initially consisted only of running, gradually shifted to sword training over time.

Now, the time spent swinging the sword was much longer.

It wasn't yet at the level of proper sword training, but I was sure I would learn properly over time.

"Hmm, you're growing faster than expected. Despite the extreme intensity, you're not showing any signs of strain. It must be the noble's ability..."

Miguel muttered as he watched me swing the wooden sword. His words were filled with surprise.

"Phew, phew, that's a relief."

I had no point of comparison to know exactly how strong my ability was, but seeing a formal knight be surprised, it was definitely not bad.