Training is Over

Finally, with all the tales they had penned together, as the thirtieth day dawned.

Rainard Von Olaf loosened his grip on the iron handle tightly bound to the colossal rock, towering nearly as tall as a man and weighing close to a ton. Its pulse reverberated around, creating a thunderous boom as the metal made contact with the ground. His eyes fixed on the object he had strived for since day one, his steps steady as he approached, gazing upon the massive sword with unwavering devotion before swiftly pulling it out from the stone with a nimble motion. His lift was gallant, positioning the sword in front of his face before skillfully mounting his steed.

A resounding roar almost echoed alongside him, "Swooosh."

The sword glided in a graceful strike, its wave cleaving through the air with enough force to shatter a towering tree outside the shack's vicinity. Rainard stared back at his weapon with pride.

“Hahaha, who would have thought I needed 295 potions to conquer the weight of this sword,” he murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

In truth, the sword was not just an inanimate object; it was a family heirloom passed down through generations since the founding days of the Holton Kingdom, yet forgotten even by the descendants of the founder. In his eleventh life, while digging the earth to expand the palace boundaries, he stumbled upon a hidden door that led him into a secret tomb. There, lay the sword in all its past glory and grandeur. Before fleeing the palace, Rainard's first task was to visit that tomb to reclaim the inheritance.

“If even this sword isn't enough to conquer the princess, I don't know what else I can do. However, this time my mission isn't to defeat her, but to redeem her faults and help her find peace again, while I hope for a long and happy life,” he whispered to himself, his determination unwavering.

“Hey, what's that sword? I've been curious for a long time,” Helena's voice broke Rainard's reverie.

“Just an ordinary weapon, nothing more than a gift from someone. But fate has other plans, I'm not yet able to use it. For now, I'll just keep it,” Rainard replied with a faint smile.

“Can I try it?” Helena asked, her eyes shining with keen interest.

Helena reached for the sword, only to find herself stung by its ferocity, causing the blade to fall to the ground. A smile spread across Rainard's lips, signaling his understanding of the privilege possessed only by the descendants of the Holton kingdom to wield it. With skill inherent in every movement, Rainard returned the sword to its dimensional box, while his gentle hand slipped healing potion into the gaping burn on Helena's palm. Then, together they prepared for the forthcoming duel. Helena launched her attack swiftly, but this time Rainard was also prepared to face her.

"Ding...ding...ding." The clashing of swords merged into a fast yet powerful harmony. This time, Rainard was able to match every strike launched by Helena, with finesse that allowed him to withstand her onslaught. Helena's sword slid quickly towards Rainard's neck, but with astonishing agility, Rainard managed to evade the blow with a crossing movement. Rainard's other hand tightly gripped the fabric encircling Helena's body, while his foot kicked agilely, gently bringing Helena to the ground. Then, his sword found its way back, threatening the neck of the prostrate Helena.

"Alright, alright, I admit defeat. Truly remarkable, just within a month. Although, we must acknowledge that this training is unconventional. What's behind that potion?" Helena asked with unstoppable curiosity.

"Besides the healing potion, I also added a mixture of strength and speed enhancers as instructed in the book," Rainard replied confidently.

"Hah, no wonder it's such a deep shade of purple. So it's true, exercises like this shouldn't be done. It could even endanger one's life, causing someone to lose themselves in the surge of excessive courage. However, thanks to your success, I can't do much except accept this reality," Helena said, shaking her head.

"This success is not mine alone, Helena-san should also be proud. Try using your sword movement towards that tree," Rainard exclaimed, pointing towards a distant tree.

"Hmm."

Despite the hesitation enveloping her heart, Helena swung her sword and "Swish." A large tree fell gracefully, split delicately by Helena's swift sword strike.

"Wow...that's truly amazing," Helena exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

"Yes, Helena-san managed to drink about 50 bottles of that potion, and this is the result," Rainard explained proudly.

"You're really daring, drinking more than 200 bottles. Most people can only tolerate up to 100 bottles before losing control. And your eyes, even their color changed to red. What drove you to do such a brave thing?" Helena asked, her amazement evident.

"I have a strong reason," Rainard replied firmly.

"Ah...I don't want to know. Let it be. Let's go home, it's time," Helena invited.

"Alright, let's go home, Helena-san," Rainard responded, smiling gently.

Rainard Von Olaf and Helena ventured into the dense forest, leaving their old cabin behind. Beneath the lush canopy of trees, dim light sneaked through the green leaves, creating dancing patterns of shadows on the ground. Rainard paused for a moment, his gaze caught by the tight grip of their intertwined hands.

"In this strength, I feel empowered. Stronger than the days back when I was at rank S, even when the title of knighthood beckoned. Ah, Cathrina, the power you possess won't hinder my steps. I will reach the academy, and there, we shall meet," he whispered, his soft voice carried away by the night breeze.

Helena, his loyal companion, smiled as she listened to Rainard's words. She knew, within the man's heart burned an unquenchable flame of determination, a spirit to confront challenges and conquer darkness.

And so, under the brilliant shine of the moon, two souls filled with resolve marched forward, ready to face whatever the future held in store.