Chapter 11

-Katrina! Hold on! Do not lose consciousness! I shouted, desperately trying to grip the blood lashing from the wound. - For help! Anybody!

A healing potion would be useful now, but the paladin and I went lightly. Since ordinary guards were able to capture Celina, then she never got rid of the bracelet. Katrina acted frivolously, taking only me with her, though ... considering which enemy we met, I'm not sure that a couple more people would somehow influence the outcome of the battle.

-Katrina, can you hear me? - the girl still could not concentrate on me. Her eyes kept shifting to the side, which did not add optimism to me. "I'll try to find help."

"Not ... uh .." she seemed to be trying to ask me not to leave her. But in this case, it meant silently waiting for her death.

-I quickly.

Using all my strength, I rushed to the nearest apartment building and, jumping to the door, began to drum on it, asking for urine to be opened for me. But the answer is silence. The light is visible in the muddy window, there is definitely someone in the house.

-Hey! Discover! The man is injured! I shouted, then spat and ran to the house next door. But, despite all my attempts, no one opened. Then, freaking out, I hit the door from the full swing, knocking one from the hinges.

Having flown inside, I was ready, almost with fists, to pounce on the frightened peasants who decided to ignore the person in trouble. But, as it turned out, there was no one to shout at. I found people, but on the floor.

Going to the nearest one, checked the pulse - there is. Alive. After checking the other, I was convinced that they are all alive, just sleeping. I tried to bring to life - to no avail. He even poured a jug of water on one of them - it did not help.

Without spending meaningless attempts to bring the villagers to life, I rushed back. Katrina was lying in the same place where I left her. The girl was still conscious, but clearly on her last legs. If this goes on, she may die in a couple of minutes.

-No no no no…. It's a shitty idea ... - muttered to himself under his breath, as if trying to dissuade. But there is no other way to save her ..

I took out a flask of blood and drained it immediately. The body instantly reacted to the flow of precious fluid, the muscles poured unprecedented power, and with it thirst came.

It seems that, with the edge of her mind, Katrina realized what was happening, as for a couple of moments her glassy gaze cleared up, but nothing could be done by the paladin. I reached for her bloody wound, wanting to drink more.

-Not! "At the very last moment, I told myself." - You can't ...

Fighting the urge to sip blood is very difficult. This is comparable to the thirst experienced after several days of wandering in the desert without water. You are ready, like an animal, to lap up precious drops from the earth, just to get enough.

Trying not to look at the girl's wound anymore, I took out a recently purchased dagger and slashed my wrist.

"Drink," I told her, bringing my wounded hand to her pale lips. And, of course, Katrina tried to pull away, even tried to push me away, despite her terrible condition. A strong woman, you can't say anything, even on her deathbed she finds the strength to bicker.

-Drink! I repeated, grabbing her chin with my other hand and trying to pour blood into her throat. The girl tried to spit it out, but I did not let it happen.

Only when the wound on the wrist began to heal did I remove my hand, and the girl coughed, after which she lost consciousness. He checked his pulse and let out a sigh of relief - still alive.

First of all, I pulled off her armor and partially tore off my shirt, trying to clean the wound as best as possible. He did not stand on ceremony with the bandages, cutting them with a knife. Her superb breasts with cute pink nipples appeared again before me, but at that moment I was not up to it.

Blood began to flow out noticeably slower, and then the bleeding stopped altogether. I still wanted to bite my teeth into Katrina's wound and drink it drop by drop, but now it was much easier to cope with desire. In an extreme case, of which a couple happened, I cut my hand. Surprisingly, the pain for some time reduced thirst. Although, probably, such a method would work, I would swallow human blood, not animal blood.

While I was thinking about mine, Katrina suddenly came to and screamed. Curving in an arc, she shook so that I had to exert all my current strength to fix the girl. The paladinsha screamed, and I saw her wound begin to heal. The vessels, as if by magic, connected with each other, muscles grew, and the skin was restored. All this happened so quickly that it was a little bewitching and at the same time frightening.

But the scarecrow is another - Katrina is now turning into a vampire.

Katrina, can you hear me !? - holding her face, I tried to reach out to the transformation of a woman tormented by pain. - A hand of light! Use the Hand of Light!

And she used it on me. This time it hurt to hell. It burned me not weakly, but I did not become angry with her.

-On yourself, you fool! To myself! I shouted to her. At some point, her eyes rolled up, and it seemed that she was about to lose consciousness. But nothing happened, Katrina still used the hand of light on herself and screamed after that so that my heart sank.

From the magic of Light, her skin smoked.

-Katrina! Again! I shouted, but I could only get an answer in a couple of minutes.

After the second Hand of Light, the girl shouted not so loudly, but it still hurt me to hear it. She shook and vomited blood, but ... I think ... this is normal in such a situation.

After the procedure, the girl curled up on the ground and trembled.

"Cold ..." I stated, touching the skin of the paladins.

I took Katrina back to the barn, laying on the hay and covering a pair of blankets from the nearest house. Now it remains only to wait. She is alive, this is the main thing. But will she remain human?

I did not have an answer to this question.

I ran away for a couple of blankets and covered them with the bodies of the dead guards. However, I did not feel anything special. If you want to or not, a little vampire mentality affects me. After death, a person for us turns into just a piece of meat, without any trepidation or hostility.

Katrina was still unconscious, just as cold, only occasionally shuddering from a chill. Warm it with the good old method or what? ..

Having rid us of our clothes, I pressed myself against her graceful back. Well, and ... a little seizing the opportunity, just a little crumpled her gorgeous breasts.

Sensations…. excellent!

And fell asleep with her breasts with his arm. When I woke up, I did not find the beauties in my arms. Jumping to his feet, he quickly looked around, and yet he saw a naked woman nearby with long golden hair.

Katrina sat in a nearby stall, huddled in a corner and holding my dagger in her hand. The girl then brought him to her throat, but, apparently, she lacked the spirit to carry out her plan.

"Katrina, lower your weapon ..." I said, putting my hands forward and taking a careful step in her direction.

-Don't come! She cried, and with trembling hands brought the tip of the dagger to her neck. - Do not come ...

Katrina, don't ...

-What have you done to me…? I ... I'm not clean now .... I'm a monster now! Monster ... like you! - With these words, she jumped to her feet and literally in an instant reduced the distance between us to almost zero. With one hand, the paladins grabbed my neck and pressed me against the inner support of the barn, the other brought the dagger to my eye.

-Katrina, do not be silly ... please ...

-You made me a monster! Damned bloodsucker!

Her grip turned out to be iron, which can not be said for her fragile figure. Most likely, I could overpower her, but so far there is an opportunity to solve everything in peace, I will not do this.

"Not really," I told her. "Does the sun burn you, Lady de Chinro?"

She flinched for a moment and lowered her eyes to her chest, where just a strip of sunlight passed.

"No," the woman answered a little bewildered. In the end, she let me go and stepped back, still holding her dagger. - What have you done to me?

"I don't know," answered her honestly. "I ... half-breed." Only half the vampire, and in my world I lived as a person.

"And ... am I half-breed too now?"

-I do not know. It sounds stupid, but I really don't understand how it happened. The only way to save you is to convert. And then I remembered one movie where vampires were treated for vampirism with the help of sunlight. But since it was night, nothing better could be found for the shout of light. And I thought ... why not give it a try?

-And if I were fried !? - exclaimed the girl, putting the dagger forward. "Although ... that doesn't matter." Perhaps that would be better. And so ... I'm now a monster!

-You are not a monster. I think if you don't drink blood, then you will not be different from yourself the same. I speak as one who has lived a human life all his life.

"You understand that after what I saw, I have to kill you?"

I swallowed nervously, looking into her emerald eyes.

-Yes and myself ... in a good way ... But ... but ... I can't ...

And here her "armor" could not stand it. Katrina de Shinro fell to her knees and burst into tears.

-What should I do…? What should I do in this situation ....? She muttered under her breath.

"Just live on," I told her, picking up a blanket and throwing it on the girl's back.

-Live? How can I just live? I am a paladin ... a knight whose calling is the fight against the forces of darkness ... how can I do this, knowing that I myself am partly a creature?

I was frankly sorry for Katrina. Looking at her, I recalled how strong she seemed to me. Cold, unshakable. This was also described by her associates. But now I saw in front of me only a fragile bewildered girl.

-Maybe, for starters, stop dividing the world into black and white? I suggested. - Not all monsters are bad, and not all people are good. "You yourself know that there are many people who had dark creatures in their ancestors."

"Don't compare," she said. "It's not the same thing."

"Let it be so," I nodded in agreement. "But since you don't feel like dying, you have to come to terms with the fact that you now also have monster blood in you."

Katrina did not answer, only lowered her eyes to the floor, apparently pondering over my words. I silently waited for her decision.

- So, if you don't drink blood, I will return to the human condition? She said.

- I have no idea, it works in my case. You are clearly not a vampire, just calmly transfer sunlight. It is possible that you are a human being.

"I see ..." she thought, and I admired her. Always so brave and strong, but now defenseless right in front of me ... But this golden-haired beauty is quite young. Before, I could not accurately determine her age, but now ... I am almost sure that she is five to six years older than me.

At that moment, when Katrina looked at me, I could not resist and kissed her parted lips. Katrina was confused for a moment, clearly not expecting such impudence on my part. But surprisingly, she answered the kiss!

"I'm sorry ..." I apologized, stepping back.

"Nothing," said the paladins, embarrassingly lowering her eyes and wiping her lips with the back of her hand. - Forgive me this time. Still, I owe you my life.

And then, throwing off the blanket, the girl stood on her feet, not at all embarrassed by her nakedness.

-But if you try to kiss me again without permission, blame yourself. I will cut off your tongue and feed it to the dogs. And anyway .. why am I naked? And why are you naked? What do you allow yourself, squire !?

Hearing this, I smiled - Katrina was slowly recovering. Already not a confused and frightened girl, but a slightly tired woman warrior, as I knew her before.

Katrina's anger, of course, was for the most part simulated. I did not notice that she was really angry about this, although, as for me, it would be worth it.

"So the lady paladin is not going to kill her faithful squire?" - depicting a "humble servant" I said.

"Now she's not going to," Katrina answered, picking up her clothes from the ground. "I still don't know what to do with myself and you, but in some ways you're right." The world is not black and white. I do not feel thirsty for blood and do not burn in the sun, there is still something human in me. And if so, then nothing has changed - I am still a knight of the Order of the Swallow. But ... if I begin to turn into a monster, then without delay I will kill you, and then myself.

From this statement, I literally flopped a fifth point to the ground. That's gratitude ... I save her here, but in the end I get threats.

Nevertheless, I was glad that she was alive.

The girl began to dress, like me, along the way, not refusing to glance at the girl pulling on leather pants. Oh ... what an awesome ass she is. Just a dream.

-Squirer! - trying to keep calm, said Katrina.

-BUT? Yes? I recalled.

"I think I already told you about your stick." Have you already forgotten?

- Sticks? - I lowered my eyes and saw that the contemplation of the girl's juicy buttocks brought substantial results. - Oops! - And then quickly pulled on his pants.

Meanwhile, the lady paladin, having finished with her pants and shoes, picked up the cut bandages and shook her head, looking at me condemningly. Without even trying to do anything with them, she threw them away, simply wearing a bloodied shirt.

"It looks like the wound was very severe," Katrina said, examining the hefty bloodied hole.

- Your shoulder completely turned around, you almost lost your arm. Therefore, so much blood.

- Yes ... not a good wound. It is strange that the vampire did not finish us off at the same time.

- He wasn't given.

-Not allowed? - She looked at me in surprise.

-Yes, he was not alone here. Perhaps the other vampire is stronger than him, since he clearly performed the function of a subordinate.

- Have you seen the second? She asked immediately.

- No, just heard. Apparently, it was a woman. Perhaps even one of the ancients.

"Not good," Katrina bit her lower lip. - Oh, it's not good ... Just two vampires, and even at least the highest ones, are an extraordinary event. The last time the Order fought with bloodsuckers a hundred years ago. We already thought that they were all worn out, and then two at once.

The girl herself did not wear armor, just throwing it on her shoulder, and then she went out into the street. I followed her, but when I stepped out into the sun, I was forced to step back immediately.

-What are you doing? She asked in surprise, turning to me.

Smiling torturedly, I pulled my hand forward so that it would fall in direct sunlight. In less than a second, the skin was smoking, and I was forced to pull back the burnt limb.

"I'm sorry ..." I told her.

"But you said you were not afraid of the sun," she screwed up her eyes.

-Normally, no. It can cause a little hostility, but it is bearable. However, in order to save you, I had to sip quite a lot of blood, otherwise there was a risk that nothing will work. And now the sun bakes me lightly.

I really went too far. If before, at the very least, the body was in limbo, then after today's serving, he apparently decided that he should bring the transformation away to the vampire side. This is not good, very bad.

"In that case, I have to ..." She put her hand on the sword.

-Wait a minute! Do not get excited! - I immediately tried to calm the warlike paladins. - The effect is temporary. A day or two and I can normally go outside in the afternoon.

-Sure about that? She said a little more calmly.

-More or less.

-Okay, I'll come up with something. And while you sit here.

With these words, the girl left, leaving me alone. But I did not sit there for long, Katrina returned very quickly and brought me a cloak, which is usually used to not get wet in the rain.

"Come on," she suggested.

I fulfilled her command that hour, and tried to go outside.

"Not bad," I confirmed. - The main face in the direction of the sun is not to turn.

"Come with me," she said, and headed off to the barn. I was pleasantly surprised to see the very van that Selina had stolen, leaving me to die. "Do you remember in which barrel the box was hidden?"

"Yes," I confirmed, and immediately climbed inside the wagon, but only to sigh with sorrow.

-What's wrong?

-No stones ...

Hearing this, Katrina immediately climbed inside and, pushing me away, searched the open barrel.

"It seems now that I understand why vampires came ..." Katrina sighed wearily, sitting down on the edge of the van.

- Why do vampires need gems?

-Good question. If I knew. Maxim, tell me what you got us into? First a demon, then a whole bunch of precious stones, and now also vampires whom no one had seen for at least a hundred years.

- Apparently, I'm such a "lucky one" ....

- That's for sure, considering that for the last two years I have had almost no really serious and dangerous cases. Except ... the last one. And then suddenly you arise! Yes, and not a man ... Better keep quiet about it.

- I was not going to bother.

-I'm serious. If the squad finds out who you really are, problems cannot be avoided. Including me. Should someone report this upstairs, and ... "She ran a finger along her neck. - And not only to you, but to me. Gunther is likely to also get it, but he is a magician, and there are not so many of them, so they will do without the death penalty. But you and I are surely the end.

-Okay, I was not going to tell anyone.

-Well done.

- So what are our plans? Chase after them?

-Not. Our squad will not be enough to track down and kill at least two higher vampires. Of course, we will report this on our return, but I'm afraid I will have to leave everything as it is.

-Let them kill? - I did not believe what I heard.

-And what do you suggest? Chase after them? I'm not sure that we can even catch up with them, not to mention that we won't be able to defeat them with our own forces. There are special search units in the order, let them understand, and then the top will already decide on their elimination.

Such an answer the paladins did not satisfy me, but did not argue. She knows better. Personally, I was not eager to once again encounter bloodsuckers, but somehow I did not want to leave them unpunished.

"This is a rascal," I frowned, inspecting things, parts of which were gone.

-What are you doing? - Katrina did not understand, turning around in surprise.

"Of course, I understand that about the dead either good or nothing ... but .... Hell, this sorceress sold most of the captured weapons!

"So here you are," the paladin grinned. "I didn't think you were so mercantile."

"Not at all," I rushed to the baseless accusation. "It's just that I killed the bandits, not Selin." There was no sense in her battle at all, because one of the mercenaries turned out to be a traitor and at the most inopportune moment put a bracelet on her.

"So that's it," thought Katrina. "And I kept wondering how simple guards could so easily bind this witch." She knew that the matter was not clean. And your story now looks much more believable than before. So you killed the bandits?

"I," I did not deny. - Therefore, my trophies!

My indignation knew no bounds. I even went back to the barn to find Selina's things. Probably, from the outside it looked very bad, but I already said - after death, for vampires, people are no more than a piece of meat. If this brazen thief had a soul, then she is definitely not here, but the money will be useful to me.

Katrina watched my actions without the slightest approval, but also did not express anything against. And if so, I intended to return what should rightfully belong to me.

"You are trying in vain," Katrina still could not stand.

-Why?

-Do you want to find a purse with coins here? When detainees do not keep personal belongings, and ... it's the same Free Counties. Do you really think that the guards, having discovered a purse of money with a criminal, will give it away, where should it be? If this girl had money, then they already went to the pockets of the guards that participated in this matter.

I looked displeasedly at the body of a dead guard, but I refused to dig into his pockets. And this act in Katrina's eyes already caused slight satisfaction.

- Nothing, I'll write you a bonus when we get back. Still, the battle with the vampire is a serious matter, not to mention the fact that they pay us for the victory over them. Although you are not yet a full member of the order and have not sworn an oath, I can apply for a prize through my name.

"It would be great," I said.

Just in case, Katrina and I examined other barrels in the wagon, but found no traces of precious stones. As, however, and money. And during the search, one of the villagers came up to us, not understanding what happened here.

It seems that the sleepy spell has ceased to work, people began to come to their senses little by little. Soon, one of the surviving guards appeared, who was horrified to learn about what had happened to his comrades.

The villagers themselves were entrusted to take care of the bodies, and Katrina and I, after waiting for the evening, went back to Voularian. They didn't decide to go during the day, for me it was too risky - one awkward movement or a strong gust of wind, and some part of the body can easily be exposed.

The villagers, learning that they were visited by vampires, were simply terrified and vowed to implore Katrina as a representative of the Order of the Swallow to protect the village from evil. And no matter how she persuaded them that the bloodsuckers, most likely, were far away and did not return, they still asked for some evidence.

After sunset, we left, despite all the persuasions to stay overnight. We took our time in fear that the horse would break its legs in the dark, so we drove up to the Vularian only at dawn. At the entrance to the estate given to the Order, Gunther met us, saddling the horses.

-Lady Katrina! He exclaimed, and anxiety flickered in his gaze, but he instantly pulled himself together. - What happened !? You should have returned in the morning, but instead disappeared. With dawn, I was going to speak with the whole squad.

"Unforeseen circumstances," the woman sighed wearily.

- Was the witch strong?

-Everything is much worse and more complicated, a squire and I faced a higher vampire.

-What!? But…

"Yes, yes ... nobody has seen them for a hundred years," she waved wearily. - Contact the headquarters and report it. Maxim claims that there was another vampire, and this is also at least the highest.

-Least? - the magician stared.

-Our dear squire says that the vampire we encountered turned to the second as a superior. In other words, he was a simple subordinate. It is possible that the other was ancient.

- This is not good…

-I agree, therefore I tell you to inform the headquarters. Let them deal with vampires themselves, our squad these two creatures simply crush.

-And we?

"We are unchanged," the golden-haired paladin stealthily glanced at me. "Tomorrow, at dawn, we set off to seek the Inferno gap." Or the magician who called the demon.

-But still…. Leaving Vampires is somehow .... - Gunter seemed to feel the same way I did. "But you are right, my lady, our detachment cannot control the two higher ones."

"I'm glad you agree," the girl nodded, heading to the mansion, but stopped halfway and added. - Squire Maxim is resting today, so don't bother him.

Gunther looked at me and grinned.

- Why are you wrapping yourself in a cape? - noticed the magician.

"It's cold," I lied, and hurried into the house. And then he also decides to rip off the hood, and then I will feel bad.

Fortunately, the order of the head of the detachment was not discussed, so I was really left alone, and I could calmly sit all day in the locker allocated to me and Hero.

"They say you and Lady de Chinro run into a vampire?" - without the usual arrogance, the girl-squire addressed me. I was even a little surprised at this, before she looked at me as a pile of manure, and now in her eyes appeared something like respect.

-Yes, with the highest, to be precise.

-How did he look?

I had to briefly describe for her first what the bloodsucker looked like, and then what happened there. There was no indication from Katrina on this score, and I tried not to say too much, in particular that the paladins almost died.

"I see," Hera nodded, listening to my story, after which she got to her feet and simply walked away without saying anything. Still, she's strange, I don't understand what is going on in her small short-cut head.

The rest of the day was very boring. Since I'm not forced to do physical exercises today, I decided to load my brain, so I spent most of the day meditating and trying to create an "internal reservoir". And it seems that I started to get it. Katrina's advice turned out to be true, I just needed to collect energy from the whole body at one point. Unfortunately, for a long time this tiny warm spot did not exist. As soon as I lost concentration, it instantly dissolved in the chest.

I tried not to think about the fate of Selina. Was I sorry for her? Probably a bit. Despite the fact that she tried to kill me, I am still alive. But she - no, and even died a very lousy death. The vampire gutted her like a pig. How can you get mad at her now? The girl got what she asked for.

But I warned the sorceress that something was wrong with these stones. They literally stained with blood.

By evening, my vampire state really began to pass. The sunshine was still extremely unpleasant for me, but now at least my skin was no longer smoking, and I could calmly approach the window.

Toward evening, Roll came to me, just as interested in the story of vampires. I had to repeat Hera already told, except that this time the listener was more grateful and after the end of the story kept expressing admiration. As if I had accomplished some feat.

-You will probably be awarded a prize for this!

"Lady Katrina said something like that," I confirmed. "By the way, you don't know how much this is?"

-What? No ... I have no idea. I know that for the murder of the lower demon they give a bonus of ten silver coins. For the highest vampire, it seems, about a hundred gold, but you did not kill him. And how much they give for the discovery, I do not know. But I don't think so much.

But they did not let us talk, as Lady Katrina called me to her. Following into her chambers, she asked Hera to leave, and we were left alone.

-How are you feeling?

"Not so bad," I answered, and defiantly walked to the window. - Even the skin no longer smokes, but it burns a little.

-This is good, because I do not want to postpone tomorrow's search for demons. And so much time spent with your sorceress and problems with the sun. - And then, after a little thought, I asked another. - But doesn't it draw to blood?

-Fair? Little. But now I can easily control it, and in a couple of days the thirst should come to naught.

"Wonderful," she shook with her golden-headed head. "I hope I don't need to remind you that you can't talk about it in any way?" If someone in the Order finds out that I keep a half-blood vampire with me, nothing good will happen.

It's funny, but I began to notice that Katrina's attitude towards me had changed. I really don't know, because I saved her or helped to understand myself after the "shaken world". But if before the paladins looked at me only a little better than at Hera, now in her look I noticed a slight warmth. The beauty was still trying to maintain an impregnable appearance, but I somehow felt that the ice between us was breaking.

-I understand.

-That's wonderful. Now go get some rest. And call Hera.

At this "audience" ended. I returned to my closet, and Hera took up Katrina's errands. Today, the former slave generally has a lot of trouble, because all the obligations that previously lay on me fell on her. And despite this, she did not complain. On the contrary, after completing all the tasks of Katrina, the girl went for an evening run and ran around the estate in almost complete darkness.

I am amazed at her exposure.

And when she returned, she simply collapsed onto the mattress and passed out. I even felt sorry for the girl and covered her with a blanket. I thought about myself and went to bed, but Katrina reappeared.

-Ready for? She asked.

-For what? I did not understand.

- I want to see how well you own the sword. All cadets, except you, passed the test. So you have to go.

-Now?

-Why not?

I had no objections. I had to follow the paladin to the back yard, where she happily handed me a wooden sword. Initially, sparring was held on banal sticks, but apparently, someone from her squad was bored, and he cut out full-fledged wooden swords for training.

I made a couple of test strokes. The wooden weapon turned out to be surprisingly well made, and it sat much better in the hand than the first sword Ficht gave me. But, of course, he was far from the elven blade.

-Well, ready? She asked.

"Yes," I replied, and at that very moment the girl made a sharp attack forward and painfully hit me with the tip of the sword right in the heart. Unable to stand on my feet, I immediately collapsed, pressing my hand to the place of impact. It was surprisingly painful.

"Somehow weak, Maxim," said Katrina de Shinro with a slight arrogance. "You said you were ready, but you didn't even have time to react."

And you can't argue. No one pulled my tongue.

As I got to my feet, people began to pull up to the place of our little sparring. First, Rol appeared, and then Torig and a couple of warriors came up whose names I did not remember. Yes, and the recruits are interested.

"Well, well ..." I grumbled discontentedly under my breath.

Katrina, having waited until I got up and shook myself, prepared for a new attack. This time she again made a direct attack, aiming at my chest, but I pretty easily repulsed her sword. But as it turned out, all this was part of her plan, because at that moment she was spinning her whole body and stabbed me right under the ribs on the left.

-What is Maxim? You don't even try to fight.

Well ... Well, it seems that both my speed and strength are higher than that of an ordinary person. In theory, I should have easily dodged her attacks, but in some unthinkable way she was faster than me. How is this even possible?

This time I did not let her attack first, trying to knock the sword out of her hands. I had quite a lot of strength now, and I was able to develop decent speed. I'll cut it well on a piece of wood - it won't seem enough, my hands will immediately go numb.

It's just that this golden-haired knight seemed to foresee my attack and didn't even try to bounce, instead she took a hit, but at the last moment she slanted her sword a little, why my wooden blade went down sharply, and all that was left for her was to hit me in the back of the head with a U-turn.

"Well, that's it," there were whispers from the watchers. - Lady Katrina overdone. The guy urgently needs a doctor. He must have a concussion.

"Don't wait," I snorted, rising to my feet a third time.

Katrina didn't beat with all her strength, but if I weren't an ordinary person, I doubt that I could rise so easily. Driving pain into the back of my mind, I focused, waiting for her next attack.

It seems that this time Lady de Chinro decided to take up the matter seriously, and slightly squinting her eyes, attacked directly in the forehead, but at such a speed that I could hardly notice. But still, thanks to superhuman reflexes, she was able to block the blow, and again she took a step back and did not slow down at all, made a feint, which I bought, opening my left side, into which she immediately struck with my elbow.

- Where does this speed come from? I cleared my throat, recovering from the blow. "I should be faster and stronger than you, but it feels like I'm losing out on the full program."

"Not at all," she smiled rather sweetly. "You are superior to me both in strength, and in dexterity, and in perseverance." It's just that I have been handling the sword much longer than you, and many movements have been brought to automatism. The same Torig could easily fend off all these blows, although according to physical data it is inferior to you.

This girl spoke quietly, so that only I could hear.

- Your problem is that you wave your sword like a club. Yes, look at your feet, "the girl took a step forward and, with a light blow of a wooden sword on her lower leg, knocked me to the ground. - You are standing wrong, knock you over once to spit. - And then, having waited until I once again get to my feet, I continued. - Watch me, repeat.

Reluctantly, I tried to stand in the same stance as she was, after which the paladins again banged my ankle, but this time I stood on my feet much more firmly.

Realizing that the performance was over, the remaining fighters of the Order of the Swallow began to slowly diverge. Although several, including Gunther, still stood. That guy with a broken jaw also remained, Unar, apparently quite observing what is now going to me.

Meanwhile, Katrina pressed herself against my back, and, given that she was not wearing armor now, I immediately felt the pleasant elasticity of her chest. To remember them more ...

-You are listening to me? She asked discontentedly in my ear.

"Yes, lady," I answered immediately.

-So, you set your legs correctly. Now the sword. "She laid both my hands on the hilt of the sword, intending to teach me the right grip. - That's it. Do you remember?

-Yes.

"Good, and now the horizontal wave," she repeated a few waves with me, demonstrating how my arms should move and where to stop. And then, pulling away, she asked to repeat it myself. It turned out, of course, without any problems. "Great, now take your real sword and repeat this wave a thousand times."

-WHAT !? - I almost jumped in place, and Unar, unable to resist, laughed, which is why I immediately got a poke from Torig standing next to him.

"You want it too?" The warrior at the recruit asked, to which the latter negatively shook his head.

"A thousand," the paladins repeated. "You have great potential, given your origin, so you need to make a normal warrior of you."

-And can not be less? One hundred, for example ...?

-Not. A thousand, "Katrina firmly declared and turned to the soldiers standing nearby. "Torig, make sure he doesn't hack." If you start, then you can throw him another thousand.

"It will be done," he grinned.

I spent more than two hours to make these unfortunate thousand swings. Despite all the superhuman possibilities, at the end of this infernal training, I practically did not feel hands. And Torig looked at me with undisguised respect.

- Personally, I thought that you were transported until morning, well done. I'll even sleep a couple of hours before departure, otherwise I don't like invigorating potions, "the warrior praised me, all this time he carefully considered the waves.

He also turned out to be a perfectly normal man. I even gave a couple of good tips and allowed me to take some short breaks. Along the way, Torig entertained me with his tales. One of them was about how in one tavern he began to drive up to a pretty, as it seemed to him drunk, young lady. But in the end it turned out to be a man dressed in female rags. The guys in the squad still love him to remember this story.