Chương 10: “No Bones About It”

It wasn't surprising at all. She'd expected something along those lines, but having it said aloud still pricked at Celestia's mind, it was a statement that basically told her that her chances of survival in this world went down. She managed a tight smile.

"Go on."

"You have a delicate build," Jade explained calmly.

"That isn't to say you're unhealthy, only that you lack the sturdy core that is needed for warriors. It means building strength will be more challenging and will take time." Celestia inhaled slowly. She knew her physique was more swan than lioness. Jade continued, regarding her with a serious expression.

"Additionally, I sensed very little aura within you." He held up a hand preemptively, "It could be that you've never cultivated it, of course. Many people don't show how much capacity they have until they deliberately train it. But it's also possible that your natural reserves are on the lower side." Celestia's heart sank a little further. Inwardly, she sighed bitterly. The outline of her weaknesses was complete: physically weak, weak in potential, and inexperienced in fighting.

A pampered noble girl with nothing more than money and status. It was exactly as the story had portrayed the original Celestia. Seeing the look on her face, Jade softened his tone.

"I'm sorry. I know it's not pleasant to hear. But I want you to understand the reality. If we're going to do this, we must be aware of your starting point."

"It's fine," Celestia said.

"I prefer honesty. It only means I have more work to do, and that is why you are here." Jade gave a small nod, perhaps a touch impressed by her unwavering front.

"You're right." He paused, then added respectfully, "I will have to ask, what exactly is the goal of this training? What are you preparing for?" Celestia met his eyes. In that moment, she decided not to hide her intentions. If she wanted his optimal training, he needed to know her aims.

"In one month, I will be departing for the city of Summit," she said.

"I'm enrolling in the Academy." Jade's eyes widened a bit. Clearly, he understood the implication. Summit Academy was famous across the continent as a training ground for elite adventurers, mages, and prospering Tower climbers. While anyone could basically get in, the difference between each class in a grade was basically night and day. Even more dangerous was the Tower that loomed over Summit, into which Academy students could venture if they wanted to.

More importantly, the Tower was indeed part of the curriculum. Whichever the case, attending Summit meant placing oneself in the center of the world's competition, and thus, in the eyes of the many famous Guilds using the Tower as a means of profit.

"You intend to enter the Tower?" Jade asked, just to be sure. Celestia lifted her chin a notch.

"What other reason could I have for pushing myself like this?" Jade's face hardened in concern. He opened his mouth, then closed it, struggling to find a tactful way to respond. In the end, he abandoned a flowery approach and said bluntly, "If you attempt to climb the Tower, you will die."

"And?" she replied. Just one word delivered quietly. Jade stared at her, momentarily taken aback. He seemed at a loss for how to respond to her lack of shock or protest, or simply what nobles usually did, acting as if they were above such challenges and nothing would happen to them. Instead, she gazed at him steadily, as if he'd merely stated the sky was blue. Seeing he was struggling, Celestia decided to make herself unmistakably clear.

She stepped closer to him, just enough that she had to tilt her head back slightly to meet his eyes.

"Sir Jade," she said, using his name and title with firm resolve, "I am under no delusions. I know exactly what kind of place the Tower is and how I currently measure up." Her voice was steeled with conviction.

"That is why I must train. That is why you are here." Jade opened his mouth, but Celestia pressed on, her tone growing sharper.

"House Reingarde has contracted you to prepare me for the Tower's trials. You have been paid handsomely, I'm sure. I expect you to fulfill that contract." Her eyes narrowed just a fraction.

"Or do you intend to renege on the agreement because you think the task too difficult?" At that, Jade's expression shifted to one of mild alarm.

"I would never," he said quickly.

"I'm sorry, Lady Celestia. I had no intention of insulting you or breaking our agreement." He bowed his head once in apology.

"I only wanted to make you fully understand the dangers. But I see that you do." Celestia realized she had leaned forward challengingly without noticing, and promptly eased her posture. She hadn't meant to vent her frustrations on him so harshly. But at the same time, a part of her was glad to see that he took her words seriously. The last thing she needed was a trainer who coddled her. Jade let out a breath and lifted his gaze again.

"I understand," he said.

"We have a great deal of ground to cover in a short time, and the process will be extremely difficult. I will do everything I can to equip you for the Tower." Celestia gave a small, sharp nod.

"Very well." Jade regarded her one last time from head to toe.

"Let's start without further delay. We'll begin with running." Celestia took a deep breath and moved to follow him. The sun had risen higher while they spoke, it was now a bright mid-morning, the golden light beaming down warmly on the training field. A dirt track circled the large field, and beyond it stood a line of old oak trees with their leaves swaying gently in the summer breeze. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Jade walked her to the edge of the track.

"We'll do laps around the field," he instructed.

"Run until I tell you to stop." And so, Celestia began her training. * I'm starting this journal to keep a clear record of my time at the House Reingarde estate, where I've been assigned to train their heir, Celestia Von Reingarde. Day 1: Today marked the start of Lady Celestia's training, and I began by assessing her base. Her physique was, as expected, underdeveloped for any sort of combat, with slender limbs and hardly any muscle tone.

I confirmed my suspicion with a brief examination by sending my aura through her body, and I sensed only a faint trace of aura in her body. In truth, she is not naturally blessed for martial pursuits. I told her as much, warning bluntly that if she intended to enter the Tower, she would surely die. Her response was a cold, unwavering "And?", as if death was an irrelevant detail. That made me rethink a few things about judging people. I decided to test her resolve immediately with endurance training.

Many of those I've trained or helped train whine and bitch after a few hours, but Lady Celestia did not. I had her run laps around the training grounds for the entire morning. By the time we stopped for lunch, she looked extremely exhausted, but not once did she voice a single complaint. After a three-hour rest and a light meal, I sent her running again for the late afternoon. I plan to see if this is just a burst of first-day willpower or if she really possesses enduring grit in the days to come.

Before today, rumors painted the Reingarde heir as a pampered, haughty girl, but after witnessing her resolve, I suspect the rumors may be wrong. She isn't as bad as they made her out to be. Day 2: I expected to find an empty training field this morning or at least a late start, after yesterday's tiring training, any normal person would be bedridden with soreness. To my surprise, Lady Celestia arrived right on time at dawn, appearing a bit tired but standing straight.

I gandered that maybe the House's healers and doctors tended to her, or she forced herself through the aches. But in fact, shortly after we began, I received word from the estate's steward that I should "increase the intensity as needed, and not worry about minor injuries." It seems that they have restorative tonics and elixirs on hand to cure fatigue and muscle strain. These darn nobles and their resources… I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at that privilege. I'll continue ramping up the training.

Lady Celestia has cleared the first hurdle: she came back after the first grueling day when many wouldn't. Day 3: Only three days in, and I'm noticing definite improvements in Celestia's stamina. This morning, she managed to run a farther distance than before with fewer signs of strain. It's a faster progress rate than I'm used to seeing. I suspect the medicinal brews she's being provided are accelerating her recovery and growth.

With these potions, her body can recover overnight where it would take others days or weeks. Still, credit is due to her own effort as well. While medicine can heal flesh, it doesn't instill discipline. Today, I added calisthenics after her running: squats, lunges, and drills to start conditioning other areas of her body. She's pushing herself to the edge and then willingly stepping beyond it. I find myself impressed.

Day 5: After several days focused on endurance, I introduced the next phase of basics: flexibility and functional strength. Alongside her running, we worked on her overall agility. In the morning, I guided her through a series of stretches and range-of-motion drills. She would follow my instructions immediately. In the afternoon, I also began light strength training: basic push-ups, sit-ups, and using her own body weight to build her outer strength. This is the work that many neglect, but it's absolutely vital.

I took some time to explain why I'm emphasizing these fundamentals. I told her about the Tower climbers I've seen, how some relied solely on their magical stats or fancy equipment and paid the price for it. In the Tower, raw numbers aren't everything. A well-trained body and solid technique can overcome opponents who might seem stronger on paper. Day 10: It's been ten days since training began, and the improvement is definitely there.

Lady Celestia is now able to complete her morning runs with a steady breathing rhythm that would have been impossible a week ago. Her recovery time after intense drills has shortened too. No doubt a combination of her hard work and the continuous stream of those elixirs that cost more than a mansion. She's improving at a pace I've only seen once before. One notable development: she's begun supplementing my training with exercises of her own.

This afternoon, after our usual stretching routine, Celestia demonstrated a series of strange poses and stretches I hadn't shown her. I watched, perplexed, until I had to ask what on earth she was doing. She answered that it was called "yo-gah," an exercise practice she does in her spare time. She explained it helps with flexibility, balance, and mental focus. I've never heard of such exercises, not in all my years of training. It must be some sort of secret art, perhaps something the Reingarde family acquired.

I was initially wary, why was she revealing a private noble family technique in front of a commoner like me? But she showed no sign of concern, calmly moving from one position to the next as if it were not a secret at all. Day 14: Yesterday, I introduced some core training, planks and more advanced body-weight exercises to build her midsection strength. It's the first part of training that's given her real trouble. She struggled to hold a plank position for five minutes.

We'll need to work more on that, a strong core could be the difference between maintaining balance in a fight or being knocked down easily. There was also an unexpected but welcome change: Lady Celestia has become a bit more talkative during our sessions. Today, during a short water break, she asked me about my family. The question caught me off guard. Nobles seldom show personal interest in the lives of commoners like me. Celestia inquired about my wife, my child, even asking when the baby is due.

I answered as plainly and courteously as I could: I told her my wife is due in a couple of months, and that we live in a modest home in a small village surrounding the capital. She surprised me further by offering quiet well-wishes for my family's health. Day 17: The duke and duchess have returned from the capital, and I was called to his office for a quick report on how his daughter was doing.

I think I was to his satisfaction, since he told me not to worry about Celestia's lessons and to continue doing what I've been doing. He offered to drink with me, and not to care about social norms since we were in his office; we talked plenty about our pasts, more specifically regarding our achievements in battles. This week, I've continued to increase the difficulty of Celestia's strength and conditioning exercises. Each day, I add a bit more weight or a bit more time to the drills.

We're pushing right up against what her body can handle. Another few days of this, and it will be time to move on to actual combat training with weapons. I haven't handed her a weapon yet, deliberately. I have a firm philosophy: if you give a weapon to someone who hasn't built a proper foundation, they'll develop bad habits, and those habits could get them killed in a real fight.

I remember a foolish young man I once knew, who insisted on swinging a sword before he learned how to properly balance his strength; he ended up trying to cut down at a monster with all his strength, missed, and left himself wide open. The injuries he sustained put an end to his life. I won't let Lady Celestia follow that path. Day 23: At dawn today, I decided the moment had finally come.

After over three weeks of relentless physical conditioning, Lady Celestia has met the bare minimum physical standards of handling a weapon. I led her to the extensive rack of practice weapons provided by House Reingarde. Swords of various lengths, daggers, axes. I told her to choose one weapon to begin with, fully expecting her to choose the standard arming sword. Instead, without a moment's hesitation, she reached for a long wooden training spear. The choice certainly surprised me.

In my experience, nearly every noble-born trainee romanticizes the sword or perhaps a fancy rapier. The spear is seen as a common soldier's weapon despite its effectiveness. A spear's reach and simplicity do make it an excellent choice for beginners, it doesn't require intricate footwork to start being useful, and one can keep dangerous foes at bay. And yet, I know from experience that truly mastering the spear is far from simple. Still, I'm pleased with her choice. It shows pragmatism.

We started with the absolute basics of spear handling. I demonstrated the three basics of using a spear: thrusting, obstructing, and slashing. With roughly a week left before she departs for Summit Academy, I intend to sharpen her skills as much as possible. We will continue with the spear. It's better she be competent with one weapon than mediocre with many in the short time we have.