Page 281

With a loud but somewhat endearing cry, Aera lunged at Amyra with her fist raised.

“Yes, that’s it!” the Augur encouraged.

Aera had thrown the punch with all her might but when it struck Amyra, it was no different than a playful punch from a toddler against an adult. Not only did it not hurt Amyra, but Aera also hurt herself instead. She retracted her fist and winced while holding her hand close to her bosom.

Amyra sighed. “You got spirits, lass. Your enthusiasm is commendable but you lack the might to hold it up.”

Aera tutted. “Again,” she said in between her heavy breaths. She was not in her usual clerical maiden garbs but a plain martial robe, and she was a maiden no longer. It had been more than a week since her deflowering but her tenor was still of an untouched flower.

Amyra, on the other hand, was the opposite of a maiden. She was wearing garments that could barely be called garments for the little amount they covered. She was wearing pants and a brassiere, and that was all she was wearing.

As this was just the usual and her body was carved with thews, the male servants passing by did not spare her any glance. There was a small handful of them who fancied Amyra but they feared the repercussions too much to even steal a glance.

The unlikely pair were in the courtyard of the Aeryon Manor. After her recovery from her dire state, Aera had requested to train with Amyra to hone her combat prowess. Erin and Aedan refused her request at first but after pleading with them during their intimate session, they relented with some limitations.

“Aera, forgive me for being blunt, you are clearly no fighter. If you were meant to be one, you would have shown some progress by now but you can’t even throw a proper punch after so many lessons.”

“Doesn’t matter…” Aera muttered. “I have to get stronger… one way or another.”

“You are strong enough already, Aera. I probably can’t even win against you in direct single combat.”

“Only when I’m in the state of Wrathmonger. Even then, I’m still not strong enough. If I had been… I wouldn’t have troubled all of you so much.”

“It was a war, Aera. There’s bound to be collateral damages. You just so happened to be one of them. It had nothing to do with you being weak.”

“...I don’t like it, Amyra. I don’t like having my anger take over me. I can barely control myself. My consciousness remains throughout my… rampage. I remember them all.”

“I may be an Apostle but… this is out of my comprehension. I’m just a warrior, I will admit. I’m no teacher. Maybe you do have the aptitude for it and I’m just too lacking to see it.”

“That’s not true, Amyra!” Aera quickly denied it. “You have been a wonderful teacher. It’s the student that’s the problem.”

Amyra snickered. “You belittle yourself, Aera. Strength comes in different forms. Perhaps you just haven’t found yours. I’m sure Lady Erin has needs for you in other… aspects other than combat prowess.”

Aera smiled. “I hope so, Amyra. She had given me so much… but I have yet to return any of her favour.”

“Well… The Covenant is still at large. Lady Erin had not exactly fully fulfilled your wish. The date of repayment is still far off. You have plenty of time.”

Aera nodded. “I know… but will I even follow in her steps for so long?”

“Now that’s a question that only time can answer.” Amyra chuckled. She walked over to a bench and sat down on it, wiping away her sweat with the towels that were prepared beforehand.

Aera also walked over to the bench, taking the towel to wipe her body of the sweat accumulated through the sparring without taking a seat.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” Amyra asked.

Aera stared at the little amount of space left on the bench after Amyra had sat down. “I’m fine with standing.”

Amyra shrugged. “Suit yourself. Say, I’m hungry. I wonder if there are any leftovers from breakfast?”

“Hungry already?” Aera asked with her brows raised. “Breakfast was only three hours ago.”

“Hey, I’m a big girl. I eat a lot. You can join me if you want. Maybe what you lack is muscles and some fat. Eating more will do you some good.”

Aera frowned. “I-it’s alright… I don’t think I need—” Her voice trailed off as her hands rubbed her belly softly and unconsciously.

Amyra tittered. “What? You’re afraid of becoming fat?”

Aera’s shoulders jumped as if she couldn’t believe she was seen through and her hands retreated away from her belly.

“Really? You’re afraid of something like that?”

“What’s wrong with a lady watching her weight?” Aera mewled. “You might not know but a lady is undesirable if her belly… sticks out too much.”

“I’m certain His Grace wouldn’t mind. He doesn’t discriminate.”

“E-even so… I still don’t think having a meal between lunch and breakfast is a good habit.”

“Only if you don’t move around much. You want to become strong, don’t you? You can start from your eating habits. What did you have for your breakfast?”

“Oatmeal porridge…”

“Seriously? That’s all you ate? And you have to make do with that much for the next five hours?”

“It is what I have always eaten for breakfast. I ate an apple too sometimes.”

“No wonder you’re not making any progress.”

Aera froze and cast a sidelong glance at Amyra as if she reached enlightenment. “Is that truly the case?” she asked.

“Couldn’t hurt to try,” Amyra said and flicked Aera’s arm.

“Ouch!” she cried as she subconsciously withdrew a few steps away from the Augur. “That hurts.”

“Felt like I hit your bone with just that tiny flick. Are you sure you are eating enough? We’re not short on food, you know?”

“I am aware we have enough. As I have said, I’m just not fond of overeating.”

“You need muscles and fat if you want to get stronger. Save for a certain place, you are pretty much just bones.”

Aera crossed her arms in front of her bosom, almost as if on instinct.

Amyra snickered. “You are certainly adequate in that area. Well, I have my fun and I’m starving,” she said and got up from the bench. “Sure you don’t want to join me?”

“I don’t—” Before Aera could finish her words, the groaning from her belly permeated the courtyard. Aera’s cheeks went red in an instant.

“Looks like I won’t be dining alone.”

Aera looked away with a face filled with chagrin.

****

While the unlikely pair had taken it upon themselves to refill their bellies, there was another unlikely pair on the other side of the manor, in the small woods that encroached on a small part of the estate.

There was a small glade in the small woods and the unlikely pair was engaged in a friendly yet fierce competition of archery.

“Ha!” Nivia shouted as her arrow struck the small wooden cup that was fixed to a tree with dozens of long thin branches. “How’s that, Lyra? Can you hit a mark that small and far away and with all those twigs in the way?”

“This is nothing, Nivia,” Lyra snorted and took a shot of her own bow and arrow. Her arrow flew straight and true, striking the cup next to the one Nivia had just shot down.

Nivia tutted upon seeing the lack of strain in Lyra’s effort. “Well, I’m not surprised,” Nivia lied. “It’s reasonable that you could hit a target of this distance and scale if you’re always around Erin.” Although Nivia knew Lyra was not an average archer, she didn’t expect Lyra would be on her level of mastery, or maybe even better than herself.

“I’m sure this is not all you have, right?”

“Of course, not,” Nivia huffed. “See those things flying above that tree over there.”

Lyra squinted her eyes as she looked above the tree. She saw a few strange-looking things. They were orbs of light with ethereal wings, streaking around the air like flies. “I see them. What are those?”

“Wisps,” Nivia answered.

“You made them?”

“I summoned them.”

Lyra broke into a chuckle after a quick contemplation. “Are those our next targets?”

“Why, yes indeed, they are.”

Lyra shrugged. “Looks easy enough,” Lyra said. She nocked an arrow, drew the string, and took aim. “Maybe not?”

Nivia snickered. “Figures. Wisps may look frail and trivial but don’t underestimate their agility and instincts. Even an expert marksman would have trouble grazing them with their shots. And of course, no Seeker allowed.”

“Oh, Nivia… You underestimate me,” Lyra said and let loose the arrow, but not before easing on her pull of the string. The arrow flew slower than usual and it was already losing altitude before it even came close to the wisps.

Nivia frowned dubiously. It was one thing to see Lyra reaching her limits or committing a blunder, but it was a whole other story to see her deliberately botching her shot.

Contrary to what one might expect, Lyra was not disheartened. In fact, she was grinning. She quickly nocked another arrow and pulled on the string harder than just her last attempt. And she let loose the arrow.

The second arrow flew faster than the first, quickly catching up to the latter. The second arrow pierced through the first, splitting it into four splinters and giving the four splinters a boost in speed. The four splinters ended up hitting the Wisps flying above the tree.

Though the arrows bored through the Wisps, they continued to fly around as if nothing had bothered them and the holes had disappeared.

While the Wisps continued frolicking above the tree like nothing, Nivia was staring at Lyra with widened eyes.

“What?” Lyra asked when she saw Nivia’s stare of disbelief.

“How was that even possible?”

“I will admit. That would have been impossible just a month ago but being around Erin, you have a lot of opportunities to grow. I surprised myself too.” Lyra snickered. “Anyway, it’s your turn, Nivia.”

Nivia pried her bewildered gaze away from Lyra and focused her mind on her targets. She nocked the arrow, drew her bow, and took aim. However, she did not release the string even after taking aim for ten seconds.

Eventually, Nivia lowered her bow without releasing a single arrow.

It was Lyra’s victory and she knew it herself. She wanted to spit her victorious joy on Nivia but seeing the woeful expression on the Elf’s face, Lyra held her tongue.

“It’s your win…” Nivia said bitterly. Devoid of her usual zest, Nivia sheathed her bow behind her back and plopped right down on the ground, hugging her knees close to her chest.

“If this is your way of spiting me, then I must say, it’s working.”

Nivia said nothing and buried her face into her knees.

Lyra sighed upon seeing Nivia in such a downhearted state. She gave in to her heart and sat down beside Nivia.

“If you want to boast about your victory, then go ahead,” Nivia grumbled.

“I won’t,” Lyra said. “I’m not that terrible of a person. I’m not good at this but… what’s wrong?”

“Everything,” Nivia mumbled.

“That’s very specific.”

“Erin’s strong, isn’t she?”

“That’s a very humble way of putting it.”

“Yet, I’m not even stronger than those around her, close to her.”

“Seriously? That’s why you’re so… down in the slums? Look, if you’re feeling inferior, the line is long. You think I don’t feel that way?”

“You’re not the loser in this competition now, are you?”

“I never consider this a competition.”

Nivia glanced sideways at Lyra.

“Alright, maybe I did, but my victory in this stupid competition means nothing. If we fought with all our skills and strength, I’m sure I won’t even come close to beating you.”

“...You really think so?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Still… is there anything I can do for Erin? I want to follow her but I don’t have anything to lend her… I will just be a liability if I follow her around.”

“I know exactly how you feel, Nivia… but we are her friends, not her… arsenal. Besides, I’m sure there’s something you can offer her besides your strength and she would love it.”

Nivia tilted her head. “And what would that be?”

Lyra snickered and leaned in close to Nivia to whisper in her ears.

With just a few words, red dyed the Elf’s cheeks deeply, spreading to her ears.