[7:00 pm]

The world was not so easy that Colt would be able to live a colorful life without doing anything. The sun was setting in the afternoon, but Colt was still running around the training ground.

He had finished forty laps and only ten more to go. Neun kept watch of Colt and nodded his head.

"Ha~! Ha~!"

Mina was watching from the side, worried about Colt but smitten by his persevering figure. She was silently anxious yet enamored by his expression. Mana silently floated from her hands.

"Darling..." She whispered, but Neun stopped her.

"Please, do not interfere. The young master decided to do this for your sake, Young Lady Mina. Let him train on his own. Cheating will sow more bad than good. Healing him will dissipate his tiredness, but it will also make him incapable of getting used to being tired, so please understand that all of this is for him."

Mina heard the words 'for your sake' and stood there dazed at Colt's pathetic yet dashing figure.

'My lungs feel like it's about to burst.' Colt ran for another hour and finally completed the rest of the thing. Now that he finished 'stretching,' actual training would finally start.

Running fifty laps was nothing but an exercise to prepare his body for what was about to come. And as he plopped to the ground, wheezing and enduring the burning sensation in his lungs, Colt asked:

"So, what's next?"

"The next part of the training will be one of the most important parts of all swordsmanship — footwork."

This was the second day of Colt's training day. And if yesterday Neun spoke of running being the week-long thing, he meant that running would be the only thing to remain as he prepared for the real thing.

It confused even Colt.

"Here, Darling."

"Ah, thank you."

Having been handed a towel by Mina, Colt wiped his face clean of dirt and sweat as he listened to Neun's explanation.

"Footwork is the most important part of swordsmanship; training your footwork now while you're tired is the aptest period. Destroy your legs multiple times and then reconstruct them; that way, even when you are tired after fighting for three days straight, even when your legs go numb, you'll be able to move and decisively dispatch an enemy."

"Is that even possible?"

Colt doubted.

A five minutes fight was exhausting enough, much less three days.

"Do not worry. I have tried it before."

The second part of the training had begun. Destroying and reconstruction, Colt had heard of that phrase millions of times from different sources. Considering how it was also used in real life, he believed it was true and not some useless rambling.

But, he was in doubt about the other thing Neun spoke of. Fighting while numb, he's pretty sure that's some fantasy mumbo jumbo. But still, he wasn't on earth, so the chances of it being true were relatively high.

"I'll first show you how it's done; try to copy my movements. Pay attention. The name of this footwork or movement art is Water Ripples. When trained to its fullest extent, you can even tread on water, only leaving a single ripple in a tranquil lake! There are five steps in the Water Ripple, and this is the first..."

Neun placed his right leg in front of him, his body straight, and as if he was going to take a step forward, he disappeared.

"Piercing Droplet, that is its name."

Colt turned to his right; around twenty meters away was Neun, looking at him with a smile. Colt couldn't even follow Neun's movement.

'Amazing.'

"Moving straight, like a water droplet; it is a quick step, and if used to its fullest, I can move a hundred meters in a single step."

Colt's mouth was wide open. He looked at Neun with reverence. Regaining his lost fervor, rekindling the fire within to burn even brighter.

"Can you repeat your instructions? I didn't get it." he proudly announced.

Colt's training lasted until ten in the evening, then he collapsed and got dragged back inside his room, where Mina took care of him. She also healed him, relieving his fatigue.

He fell asleep without being able to fight back the weight of his eyes.

And before Mina left his room, she rummaged through his belonging. That night some of Colt's more intimate clothing went missing as she quickly exited.

As for what she intends to use them for, no one knows.

The next day!

"My daughter, are you sure you're going to stay here? Do you not wish to be with your father?"

"Worry not, father, for this daughter of your wishes to spend some more time with my beloved. I shall return to the capital when the time to attend the academy arrives. My Darling and I shall go there together." No one argued when Mina said Darling, and neither did anyone cringe.

Everyone accepted it.

"Okay, if that is your decision."

It was finally time for Marquis to leave after receiving an immediate summon, but despite the sad farewells of father and daughter, the atmosphere was light.

After saying some fluffy words to Mina, Liron looked sternly at Colt.

Pat!

Liron placed his hands on Colt's shoulders.

"I shall leave her in your care..."

Liron then pulled Colt in his embrace and whispered something only the two could hear.

"I have seen your effort to change...but I also know your past, try not to hurt my daughter, or I'll give you a visit even if I am at war...okay?"

Colt felt his spine tingle. He now doubts if Marquis Liron had some association with the original's death in the novel.

The Marquis flashed a broad smile as if he uttered no threat earlier.

Liron moved over to Count Shickly, whom he pulled close to and hugged. He whispered something to Count Shickly, and the two turned to Colt with a wide grin plastered on their battle-hardened mug.

'What are they plotting?' again, he felt a chill going down his spine.

The Marquis finally left, and an hour later, Mina and Colt decided to take a stroll around the city.

They had the coachman take them to a bakery and bought a cake before heading to the orphanage.

Mina held a beaming smile, and Colt's felt like it was about to burst.

'I'm a father...'

A new kind of pressure was adding to his many stress.