Chapter 8 - Sparring [1]

"You want to have a spar with me?"

Is what the astonished general said as he looked at the man in front of him.

The man was Aither, and he was holding a single edge sword given to him by the general.

(I can't believe it. He really managed to advance two realms in one day. I wonder what realm will he be at the end of the month?)

(Core Formation Realm? Or perhaps even above that? It's really scary to think that I'm already thinking it's possible for him to achieve it a month.)

"Yes, I want to have a spar with you general but I'm guessing that your abilities are way above my current level."

"That is why, if you can please limit your strength to my level."

"Okay, okay. I'll spar with you and don't worry I can control my strength very well."

"Well then, let's head to the training area."

(As I thought there really is a training area. However, there will be many people present there and I will be attracting a lot of attention if I went with the general.)

(Well, it doesn't really matter, they can watch all they want but it won't be good if I exposed my current abilities before the month pass.)

Aither followed the general towards the training area.

There he saw many people, mostly warriors fighting with each other or practicing on puppets.

The training area was large, about half the size of a football field.

"Is there anywhere more private than we can fight just the two of us? At my current situation you..."

"Don't worry kid, I have the perfect place just for that so follow me."

Then, the general headed not straight at the training area but besides it.

The training area was an open space field but next to it was something that looked like a gym.

It was an enclosed place and when they arrived at the entrance they saw an old man sitting on a counter.

"Oho, general what brings you here? And who is that boy beside you? Is he here to train?"

The old man asked a lot of questions and by hearing what he said Aither was able to deduce something.

(It seems that not many people know about my identity. Or does this old man just know?)

"His.... Uh..... My apprentice. I came here to teach him a few things in the private training area."

"Is that so general, but I'm sorry it seems that the private training area is occupied by one of the princesses today."

"Please come again next time, she should be finished in the afternoon."

"Well, can't be help then. But which one of the princess exactly?"

(If it's someone I'm in good terms with I can try asking her to let us join in.)

"Let me see... Oh, it's princess Amelia."

"Yeap, let's go Aither, we shouldn't be disturbing her..... ah, Aither?"

"Princess Amelia, I've heard that name before, so she really was a princess."

"Aither, you know her?"

"Yeah, I meet her some time ago and she even guided me to the library. Also gave her some candy and she left after that."

"Hahaha, to think that..."

(To think that cold and serious princess actually talked to someone other than the Imperial family and even guided him at that.)

(Just what did you do to make her guide you? She won't even bat an eye at me when I was talking with her.)

The general thought to himself and his evaluation of the princess wasn't wrong.

People she's not closed with and people she is not interested in, she doesn't really bat them an eye.

At most she would talk with them if it was something important.

She mostly focused on improving and strengthening herself as such she doesn't have much interest at anything else.

And knowing her talked and even help someone she met for the first time.

Obviously, the general would be amazed.

"What's the matter general? To think what exactly?"

Asked Aither slightly tilting his head to the side.

"Ah, nothing I was just thinking about how you managed to do some crazy stuff."

"Crazy stuff?"

"Don't worry about it, instead could you try talking with the princess and ask her if we could join her?"

"But won't she see my abilities if I trained next to her?"

"Ah, about that, the private training area actually has two separate space divided in the middle."

"So you don't have to worry about it."

After hearing what the general said Aither moved towards the entrance.

"Could you let us speak with the princess?" [General]

"Please wait a minute general, I'll try calling princess Amelia inside."

".…....yes, I understand. Well it seems that princess Amelia will be opening the entrance any second.... Now."

As the old man finished his sentence the entrance to the building slowly opened.

The moment it opened, the three of them saw a beautiful sight.

The sight of a cold beautiful princess in an exercising outfit sweating while a cloth laid above her shoulders.

She then used the towel on her shoulders to wipe her sweat before she started speaking.

"What do you wa—...?!!"

Before she even finished her sentence, she was startled to see the man she saw before.

Her heart started beating faster.

And unconsciously she started worrying if she smells bad because of the sweat.

(Why is he here?! Do I smell bad? I've been practicing for hours already and I smell of sweat..... Ah, why am I even worrying about that right now!?)

"Ah, princess we don't think you smell bad, so..... You can stop smelling yourself."[General]

"!!!"

Realizing her blunder, she became flustered and seeing her like that the old man returned to his pose or else the princess might get angry.

Also, the old man was quite surprised and anyone would be if they saw her like that.

Even the general was shocked seeing her like that, after all her looking flustered was really...

(What was I thinking, the princess is embarrassed so I shouldn't think about it or more so point it out.)

But contradicting his thoughts, Aither opened his mouth and said.

"Cute."

"....?!!!"

At those simple compliment that she thought she was already used to receiving, her face became even redder.

After all, no matter who it was, receiving compliments and flattery from them has become normal for her.

And she thought nothing of those compliments but hearing it from him.

She had a completely different reaction.