“Keep your legs less rigid, loosen up down there, and it won’t feel so strained when you exert yourself.”
“Ugh… I think I’ve got it. Is this strength okay?”
“As long as it feels comfortable for you, it’s fine.”
The day after they bared their hearts to each other, Noi and Lyte reunited in the temple’s hallowed halls.
Lyte’s hands glided over Noi’s frame, assessing the tension in her muscles with a practiced touch.
“Here, relax a bit more.”
A gentle tap on her slender wrist prompted Noi to slightly lower the silver priest’s sword she gripped tightly.
After their kiss the previous day, Noi had been ready to swear off weapons entirely, determined to prove her resolve to never harm another soul.
But Lyte had stopped her, insisting instead that she learn swordsmanship under his guidance.
“Your safety matters more than anything. I can’t always be there to protect you, and if I’m not by your side, you need to be able to wield a sword against any enemy.”
And so, at the crack of dawn, Chenxi had roused her from sleep, dragging her to the temple for what could only be described as devilish training.
“Your instincts are sharp. You don’t need rote repetition to ingrain the movements—your body picks them up smoothly. Take a break for now.”
Lyte squeezed Noi’s toned black-stockinged calf, confirming her stance was flawless, and gave a satisfied nod.
“Phew…” Noi let her aching arms fall.
Her physical stamina had improved, but enduring Lyte’s relentless posing and repositioning all morning would’ve broken anyone else.
That Noi not only endured but absorbed the lessons was nothing short of remarkable.
“Here, have some water. We’ll go over a new technique next, and then we’ll call it a day.”
Taking the energy drink from Lyte—a sleek Star Alliance product—Noi twisted off the cap and noticed the words “One More Bottle” etched inside.
A mischievous grin spread across her face as she handed the cap to Lyte.
“Look! You’ve got a free drink coming. How about going easier on me tomorrow?”
Lyte glanced at the tiny inscription, then looked up to meet Noi’s sparkling crimson eyes, her hopeful expression drawing a wry chuckle and a shake of his head.
“I’ll redeem this one for Vivi tomorrow, so your request is denied.”
Ignoring her hopeful plea and claiming her lucky extra bottle, Lyte left Noi deflated.
She plopped onto the ground, sipping her drink in small, sulky gulps before asking, “Aren’t you thirsty, Lyte?”
“Parched. But isn’t there something to drink right here?”
In a flash, the boy’s presence closed in, his tall frame blocking the light and casting a shadow over a startled Noi.
His hand enveloped hers around the bottle, and with a bold tilt of his head, he took several hearty gulps, the sound of “glug, glug” filling the air.
“Hmm, it tastes surprisingly good.”
Licking his lips with a lingering satisfaction, Lyte shot Noi a teasing, half-smiling glance.
She wrinkled her nose, then defiantly pressed her lips to the same spot on the bottle he’d just drunk from, taking a few small sips of her own.
An indirect kiss?
Please.
They’d locked lips plenty of times already—what was there to be shy about?
After a bit of playful banter, her spirits lifted.
Lyte wiped his holy sword with a silk cloth and stood before a borrowed adaptive dummy, ready to demonstrate the technique he’d teach her next.
His aura was restrained, his body poised in a relaxed stance, knees slightly bent.
The dark holy sword hung discreetly at his waist, its presence betraying no trace of magic, no ripple of emotion, not even a whisper of sword intent.
“Thorned Rose.”
A moment of stillness shattered as the blade sliced through the air with a howling gust.
A chilling flash of compressed magic burst forth, so swift it left only fleeting afterimages.
The overwhelming sword intent enveloped the surroundings, pinning Noi in place, her body rigid under its proud, unyielding pressure.
The dummy was cleaved cleanly in half, its smooth cut revealing Lyte’s magic—laced with a hint of heroic power—still ravaging the internal components.
“Wow… that was so fast. Can I really learn something like that?”
Noi’s awestruck murmur betrayed her doubt, her body and swordsmanship skills feeling woefully inadequate to replicate Lyte’s mastery.
Wiping the blade clean of its specialized coating, Lyte sheathed the holy sword in its bronze scabbard.
As he reassembled the dummy’s upper half for reuse, he explained, “I don’t know about others, but you, Vivi? You can definitely do this. After all, you were born for battle.”
The first half of his words sparked a flicker of pride in Noi, but the second half dimmed her spirits, her head dipping as she cautiously studied Lyte’s expression.
Sensing her unease, Lyte’s lips curved into a comforting smile.
He stepped closer, wrapping her in a gentle embrace.
“Don’t be afraid. As long as we channel our talents in the right places, it’s worthwhile. There’s no need to carry any burdens.”
“Mm, I understand.”
Noi’s lashes fluttered as she lifted her gaze, meeting Lyte’s eyes with unwavering resolve.
“If I ever cross a line, you have to promise to stop me—even if it means killing me.”
“…”
Lyte didn’t respond, releasing her from his embrace and smoothly shifting the conversation to the technique’s intricacies.
Though she didn’t get the affirmation she sought, a quiet joy bubbled in Noi’s heart.
She listened eagerly, delighted to absorb the wisdom of her personal swordmaster.
“This move is a dueling technique, meant to kill with a single strike. Use it sparingly. I call it ‘Thorned Rose’—seemingly harmless, but hiding a deadly edge.”
As he explained, Lyte broke down each movement’s essentials and variations, guiding Noi to mimic his actions.
“Thorned Rose excels in stealth, versatility, and speed, ideal for most close-quarters combat. It’s a single strike, but one that demands everything you’ve got.”
He tapped her with the scabbard to correct her posture, letting her practice and refine on her own.
Watching her progress, Lyte grew increasingly astonished at the witch’s innate combat talent.
It had taken him a full day to grasp the principle of going all-in with this move, yet Noi—whether slashing, thrusting, or flicking—delivered lethal precision, leaving the dummy in tatters.
“Alright, once you’ve got the stance down, let’s take it further.”
Sitting on the ground, Lyte clapped his hands, signaling Noi to pause.
“You can tap into your frenzied state at will, right? Try channeling that bloodlust into your sword.”
“But… won’t I lose control if I do that?”
The memory of her frenzied, white-haired witch self from days past sent a shiver through Noi, even as the one who’d experienced it.
Lyte picked up the half-finished energy drink, downed it in one go, and grinned.
“Why do you think I went through all that effort yesterday? It was to plant my heroic power in you. When you enter that frenzied state, it’ll kick in to keep your mind clear. Though, there’s a catch…”
“What’s the catch?”
Lyte gave the bottle’s rim—shared by both of them—a suggestive lick.
“My heroic power is finite. Once it’s depleted, you’ll need to come back to me to… restock.”
“Restock…?”
Noi’s face flushed a vivid red as the implication hit her, but she refused to shrink away.
Instead, she held Lyte’s gaze, defiant.
“Restock, huh? It’s just kissing, right? What’s the big deal?”
“Hmph, actually, there’s more… lasting method to keep you from needing to restock so often.”
His tempting words hooked her instantly.
Dropping her silver sword, Noi lunged forward, clinging to Lyte’s arm.
“What’s the method?”
To her surprise, Lyte grew sheepish, his eyes darting away as he scratched his head.
“Uh… well… should I even say it?”
“Spit it out already!”
“…I’ll tell you after we’re married.”
“Married? Wha—mmph!”
Noi’s eyes widened, realization dawning on what “method” he was hinting at.
She stumbled back, hands clutching her chest, then quickly pressed down her skirt as if something else occurred to her.
“Lyte, you—you—what are you trying to do?!”
His brows arched, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“Do? What husbands and wives do, of course. Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts about marrying me?”
“Huh? I… I don’t know!”
They’d kissed before, sure, but talking about this so openly was mortifying.
She’d only just begun to process her feelings—she needed time to adjust.
“Don’t know? I’ll take that as a yes, then.”
Speechless, Noi couldn’t argue—nor did she want to.
A flustered, giddy spark danced in her chest as she accepted Lyte’s words, muddled though her feelings were.
Picking up her silver sword, she resumed training.
As expected, when she tapped into her frenzied state, the heroic power surged from within, flooding her mind with clarity and even helping her refine her bloodlust.
With that bloodlust and the divine pressure amplifying her strength, Noi’s ‘Thorned Rose’ became devastatingly lethal, capable of felling even a weaker A-rank opponent.
Training concluded, and with some time before lunch, Noi and Lyte sat side by side in a quiet corner, their backs pressed against the cool temple wall.
“Lyte…”
“Hm?”
“Nothing, just… saying your name.”
Noi rested her head on his shoulder, hesitating before voicing the doubt lingering in her heart.
“Lyte, is what you feel for me… just love at first sight?”