Volume 16 Chapter 14: Training Day 1

The training began first thing in the morning the next day: Alastair and Scarlet stood across from one another in the barracks. Scarlet’s gaze narrowed on Alastair, focused and cold. What kind of training does he have for me?

She expected grueling training given his temperament. 

What she didn’t know was the anxiety Alastair was feeling at the moment! This would be the first time he would train his daughter personally. Most of the time, it would be handled by the knights. How should I begin? As he was about to speak,

“Before we begin, I want to make something clear: do not treat me like I am your daughter. Do not think this will help. The only reason I asked for your help is to become the strongest, not to bond.” A line was drawn on the ground. Scarlet only had one thing on her mind: to gain strength.

Alastair stayed quiet for a moment before nodding, “I understand.”

“What is the first training?”

“...”

“Do you not have anything?” Scarlet realized from his clueless expression as she froze.

“...” Alastair did not; it was not his fault, to be honest. Scarlet was a genius, and she got this from him. He was another genius: the type who did not need to go through any training, as he would master any spell in a matter of days. He had the raw instincts and talent to power through everything.

“…” Are you joking? Clearly, it was not when she saw his calm look. Then what am I supposed to do? Scarlet’s expression changed to frustration.

“Let me examine your abilities first.” A ball of flame emerged above his fingers: without a warning, it went rushing at her! Scarlet’s eyes widened as she created a flame shield to guard. It was a small ball of flame, but the destructive capabilities were that of a large one, bursting the shield and sending her backwards!

“What are you doing?!”

“Training. As a mage on the field, you must be alert to your surroundings.” The one fireball was the start; a drove of flame rushed forward. A raging wildfire: each of them was precise and powerful, breaking her shield. Alastair wasn’t called the strong flame user in the demon kingdom for nothing! Before long, Scarlet was covered in burn marks.

“Was your shield always this weak?” Alastair did not expect this; he assumed Scarlet could block a portion of his magic. But to see her launch backward was a surprise.

“...”

“I roughly gauged your strength with this; I am not like your teachers who will guide you step by step; this is the only way I can teach you: by fighting.” And the training resumed once more as he cast more flames.

Need to fight back. Scarlet took a deep breath as she dodged the barrage and opened fire with an attack of her own! Her fire lances were quick as they reached Alastair. Although they landed, Alastair swatted them away like a bug!

“That was weak.”  

“...”

“Let’s continue.” The training went on, but it was too one-sided: Selk watched with her hands trembling. After a few minutes, Scarlet finally lost all strength in her body as she fell to the ground. Selk rushed before Scarlet and turned to Alastair, “Your Majesty, please let m’lady rest.”

“...Understood.” Alastair nodded, but that was when a voice called out,

“Wait,” Scarlet slowly got up from the ground. Her body wobbled as she glared like a wild beast.

“Go again!” Scarlet’s eyes narrowed at him, “Keep going!”

“Princess?”

“I’m fine!” Her gaze said everything.

“…Alright.” With those words, the training continued once more.

Alastair held his head. Maybe I have gone too far.

You think?! In the back of his mind, he could hear Fioreal smacking him in the head, scolding him for hitting their daughter. She would’ve definitely beaten him to a pulp if she were alive.

“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t have done that.” Not to be left out in this scolding, Rhaegon chimed in as well. When he came out to get him to work, he witnessed the scene. One look was enough to make him gasp. Scarlet was rained down with fireballs; she tried her best to block them, but it was not enough.

“She said she wanted to continue.”

“...” Just because she said so doesn’t mean that you should. He was a teacher; he should have put a stop to this before anything happened. But like father, like daughter, Scarlet was stubborn. Fueled by anger and frustration, she continued attacking even when she had nothing left in the tank.

“But where did she get all of this?” Alastair tilted his head. The fire and stubbornness. She definitely got it from you, Fioreal.

Not from me, you dummy!

“...”

While that was happening, Scarlet was getting patched up with Selk. Her expression said it all.

“When are you going to forgive him?”

“...”

“You are too hardheaded for your own good, M’lady.” Selk understood it better than anyone. She wanted to accept Alastair. However, everything had happened, and there was no way either.

“...”

“Come on, you have to do this.”