Chapter 39: Training is never boring

Out of all cute shouts and cries from her subordinates during their extreme practice, Lireesa appeared to hear an agonizing squeal as if a cat had lost its tail. Looking around she noticed most had unchanged expression and seemed to not have heeded. She had a sense of familiarity with prior shriek. She noticed Sena had disappeared and raised her brows in understanding. Who else could ravage that bastard besides her and Ella. Carefully focusing her eyes, she was sure, Sena was being dragged by Ella strongly holding Sena's long ear firmly. Lireesa, like her subordinates, ignored Sena's appeal as if they were in a parallel world. No one had a sound brain to offend the tigress of Windrunner, even if outsiders regarded the women of Windrunner house as such, because in front of Ella, they were little cubs.

"It hurts! Let go Ella!" Sena shouted trying to hold Ella's hand grasping her ears in order to alleviate the pressure. Her tears nearly came out from the pain and Sena said. "Why don't you pull my hair instead? Ears are important for elves you know, especially for ranger-captain."

"I don't like being a shew. I'm always a civilized person." Ella replied calmly and recurred her grip on the ear. Civilized my ass, Sena mourned bitterly. She never dared to challenge Ella, not even symbolically. She showed persistence obedience in the face of Ella's tyranny, because the repercussion of resistance wasn't something she really wanted to forebear. Looked around, in the face of her tribulation, everyone flied away. Who said where oppression existed, resistance would always be there. Sena gave the middle finger in her mind and swore she would write her name upside down, if anyone could defy Ella Trueseeker.

In Windrunner house, people had little fear to gossip about Lireesa and Sena, although very rarely Lireesa was ill spoken. Sena became the most popular amongst her friends. No one ever mentioned Ella in their conversation. If their words reached her ears, consequences were probably hell for any Windrunner. Naturally, there were no punishment or penalties, but it was much more horrendous especially for non-scholars. Ella would impose crime on the guilty and reprimand the same issue in several distinct eloquent speeches, while also prompting them to note down her oration throughout the whole seminar. She demanded exact words so that the mind truly absorbed the essence.

What could the rest of Windrunner do, they couldn't oppose. Not to mention using force in front of quasi-legend was courting death. Other than kowtowing their sage and seeking mercy, there was no other options. Naturally, this didn't include Sena and Lireesa, who tried to use force before to escape from such situation and immediately baptized in hell of words afterward. Ella would follow them around and her mouth moved non-stop besides them, especially using 'Whisper of Wind' on their ears. So, even if they were far away, her lectures never ever would be adjourned. Her scholar-like attitude was the absolute nemesis for her friend and in the end, Lireesa and Sena must raise their hands in surrender, to prevent their ears from being cocooned. Furthermore, amongst the three, Ella was the eldest sisters, seniority also prevailed.

Now, Sena was really at Ella's mercy and although today she lost her face in front to her subordinates, she was unfazed. But this time, she subconsciously moved her hand and was immediately stared at by Ella, her face waiting for her next action. Sena could only give an ugly tearful smile. She said, "You're hurting me, Ella. Not my ears or else don't blame for what I'll do next."

Oh no! She really threatened Ella back without any considerations. It seemed pain had numbed her brain and caused her such results. It was too late to take her sentence back. As a ranger-captain she was fearless toward even life-threatening situations, but in front of Ella she became a kitten, selling meow without the slightest shame. What Sena planned ahead was to beg for mercy but now everything was buried. Ella stared at her calmly and mouthed each word in a sonorous yet strict tone, "Or else? What will you do?"

"Otherwise, I'll personally teach Lireesa's daughters the way of life and passed on my personal inheritance." Gritting her teeth, Sena said with the mindset of seeking death. Ella paused for a moment, slightly loosening her clasp on Sena's ear, assuaging the soreness and causing her to raise her eyebrow at Sena. Indeed, her threat was very effective for someone who regarded reputation and etiquette as her ancestor. Even though, due to Lireesa's narration about their excruciating future, Ella had now trimmed down her strictness, Lireesa's previous perversion was a sore in her eyes and the cause was likely to be the wretch beside her. She must never give in.

Being stared deeply by Ella in silence as if to brand her whole face into memory, made Sena's scalp numb. To obviate her situation from further deteriorating, Sena rubbed her hand and amended her facial expression cheekily, coquettishly said. "Please. It hurts too much. The current war still requires my ears. I'll personally never refuse your will. If you let me go east, I'll never go west. So, Sister Ella, forgive me, Okay? Hmm!"

Truth or false, Sena had no time to argue. No matter how much she shouted injustice in her heart, the heaven wouldn't solve her current difficulties. The only option left was to peacefully extinguish Ella's wrath and promised she'd never again pull off. Frankly, she was really innocent this time; who knew what hormones went inside Lireesa to suddenly behave like her. She was never one of the factors. She should never have contributed. Or should she?

Ella signed but still hadn't release her ears. She pulled Sena by her arm and dragged away from the training courtyard. Even though everyone appeared to be practicing on full concentration, without being affected by disturbance, they exhaled their breath out of their congested chest when the two were out of sight. All the women including Lireesa here stopped what they were doing and wiped the cold sweat off their forehead. Their movements were so similar as if rehearsed several times. They really escaped the catastrophe. Ella's sermons were more powerful than being struck by thunder. Alleria was in confusion to see other adults in such state and guessed why Sena was hauled out by Ella. Alleria was also helpless, because her aunt Ella was the scariest. Okay.

Time passed and it was another day. Arrows flew and the whole field was full of chaos. Those who shot arrows, those who ran. It was confusion for others who didn't understand what the rangers were doing. In fact, they already mastered Lireesa's tactical drills before the end of first day training, despite suffering several 'torture' from Lireesa personally. No one in the drills cried out the commands loud because it wasn't necessary and a waste of energy, where the simple Windrunner iconic spell—Whisper of the Wind—solved everything. The second day, Lireesa found fewer opportunities to tease her Windrunner guards and began to doubt the learning speed of her subordinates, while being grateful her required demands would soon be met. Each officer was full of shining smile because they successfully implemented the drills except for Sena, whose face displayed grudges all over her expressions. Typically, her eyes shone with aggressive luster whenever she gazed at Lireesa, chilling Lireesa's fragile gleeful mood.

Soon, the remaining five days, Lireesa no longer served as instructor but as a supervisor where her previous class would be teaching the remaining rangers in their allocated team. Previously, even though Lireesa spent huge amount of effort and energies, her lips always curled from exhilaration, relishing pleasure from her subordinates. Now, she was free and had nothing to do, except for pointing out mistakes during their coaching. Besides her, Sena still had the same expression, clearly saying 'I'm very unhappy, I need comfort.'

Everyone, including Alleria, had deep knowledge of Sena's character and predicted her brooding wouldn't last long. Her eyes sometimes lost some luster and mumbled some inexplicable sentences from her mouth instinctively, receiving pity from her fellows. Her friends wondered how much care was given under Ella's guidance, so that Sena even regurgitated Ella's speeches. Sena rolled her eyes at her trustworthy comrades who betrayed without hesitation and sneered in her heart she must brought back one by one. Sena was really crazy these past days especially when everyone stayed away from her to escape from Ella's grasp.

Fortunately, one week of training passed fruitfully and increased the confidence of the expedition for the coming war with trolls. They had strong desire to test out their current combat effectiveness and morale was high among the ranks. In the last day, Sena's head was full of vigor and needed a place to vent to settle her grievance. In order to soothe her friend's depression, Lireesa agreed Sena's invitation for a duel, wanted to see what Sena's face would transform into after realizing Lireesa had fully recovered back quasi-legend peak or level 9 peak. Sena expected her friend still hadn't possessed the power of level 9 and looked forward to her abuse.

Naturally, Lireesa effortlessly coped with various attacks from Sena's, who was getting more and more frustrated. To avoid antagonizing her friend, Lireesa released water after Sena's several unsuccessful exchanges and was gloriously defeated, accepting Sena's ravages across her whole body in order to satisfy Sena's vanity. Sena's face immediately became shiny as soon as she was able to bully Lireesa back. Her depression disappeared. Lireesa's eyelids twitched non-stop from Sena's unpredictable mood swings. Her body reddened from acts unsuitable to be viewed by children. Nothing over the limit, but it was best not to be known. The two exhaled deep breath and were exhausted, laying down side by side, with their hands held. Sena was in a bliss to be able to hold hands knowingly accepted by Lireesa in regard to her pursuit. No words needed to be expressed between the two.

Lireesa closed her eyes and thought about her current guards' situation. Those who were selected for the expedition had all received required trainings. Previously, she was more than 70% sure they would complete her several tasks. Now after undergoing some changes, the whole probability of completing the mission without casualties was increased to nearly 90%.

Don't underestimate a mere increase of 20%. In her opinion, it was already a lot. She estimated 70% accounting for unexpected scenarios to thwart Windrunner's ranger rhythms. Otherwise, measuring in conventional terms, Lireesa's guards were extremely capable and made her relief. Nevertheless, accidents and miscalculations would happen during the expedition, and which was why she was uncertain there would be no casualty. Now even in the face of terrible accidents, her confidence on her guards grew and she was convinced they would be able to handle any circumstances.

While she was deep in her contemplation, she heard Sena inaudible whisper if not for her excellent hearing, which made Lireesa smiled and laughed out in satisfaction. "You are such a freak. Already level 9 peak and don't comfort me. I know you from inside and out what you were made of since very young."

Right after hearing the second sentence, Lireesa's face turned black. She regretted giving in to comfort Sena.