On the training ground, time seemed to freeze the moment Helos’s blade brushed across Werner’s chest.
The winter wind appeared to die down, leaving only the sound of everyone’s breathing.
A thin line of blood slowly seeped from beneath Werner’s collar, leaving a tiny, yet glaringly bright streak of crimson on his chest.
He was injured.
It was only a shallow scratch that could almost be ignored, but for a personal guard of the duke’s mansion like Werner, this in itself represented a failure.
Helos also stood frozen in place. She maintained her sword-swinging posture, the thin sword in her hand still trembling slightly.
She herself hadn’t expected that this all-or-nothing combined strike would actually manage to wound her opponent.
Julius and Gavi also stopped their movements, watching Werner in the center of the field with tension, waiting for his next reaction.
Standing at the edge of the field, Eleanor held her breath in even greater nervousness, her deep blue eyes locked tightly onto Werner.
However, to everyone’s surprise, Werner did not say much.
He looked down and glanced at the small wound on his chest, remaining silent for a moment.
Then, on that everlasting ice-cold face, a very faint smile slowly curved upward.
The smile was shallow, but like the first snowflake melting in winter, it instantly dissipated the cold and murderous aura that had shrouded the entire training ground.
*Ching.*
With a crisp sound, Werner returned the longsword in his hand to its scabbard.
“The sparring ends here.”
His voice was still deep, but it no longer carried that cold indifference. “You pass.”
They passed?
Those three simple words exploded in everyone’s ears like a clap of thunder.
“Whew—”
Watching from outside the field, Eleanor let out a long breath of relief, her tense body instantly relaxing. She looked even more nervous than Helos.
Julius’s spirit also relaxed, and the longsword in his hand hit the ground with a *clang*. He was nearly exhausted, sitting down in the snow with a thud and panting heavily.
“Hooray!”
After a brief daze, Helos erupted into a loud cheer.
She raised the thin sword in her hand high, hopping twice in place with excitement, her face overflowing with uncontrollable joy and pride.
“We won! Gavi! Julius! We won!” she finally shouted toward her companions.
The red light in Gavi’s eyes had faded. She walked over to Helos, and though she could not speak, the way she tilted her head slightly seemed to share her master’s joy.
“Though winning this was certainly not easy…”
Julius lay on the snow, looking up at the gray sky, a bitter but satisfied smile plastered on his face.
However, before Helos could celebrate for long, Werner’s steady voice rang out again, ruthlessly interrupting her fantasy.
“Don’t be happy too soon.”
He looked at Helos’s self-satisfied expression and spoke slowly. “You have indeed passed the practical test. But do not forget, there is a second test waiting for you.”
“Huh?” The smile on Helos’s face stiffened. “There’s more?”
Werner nodded, his brown eyes calmly watching her and Julius.
“The Duke has ordered that to hunt prey, one needs not only sufficient strength, but also the corresponding knowledge. If you know nothing about your prey, then I will likewise not recognize your qualification.”
“No way…” Helos’s face instantly slumped. “There really is a written test?”
Julius also had a look of utter dejection. He thought that after finishing this fight, everything would be over—at least that the written part would be pushed back a bit.
“This is also part of the test.” Werner’s tone brooked no argument.
“Fine.” Helos waved her hand weakly.
Fortunately, the two weeks she and Julius had spent burying their heads in books were for the sake of today.
She took a deep breath, stood tall again, and patted Julius on the shoulder, signaling for him to get up immediately as well.
“Bring it on!” The girl’s eyes reignited with restless fighting spirit. “Ask away! We’ve been ready for a long time!”
Werner saw her confident look, and a trace of indiscernible surprise flashed in his eyes. However, he did not waste words and began questioning them directly.
Each of Werner’s questions became progressively deeper.
But Helos and Julius took the content from the books, combined it with their own understanding, and explained everything clearly and methodically.
Werner listened quietly, his expression not changing much, but a glimmer of approval flowed within his brown eyes.
When Helos finished the last word, the training ground fell into a brief silence.
***
After a long while, Werner finally nodded.
“It seems you have indeed put in the effort in this regard.” His voice carried a hint of praise. “Very well, as for the Monster Knowledge Test, you have also passed.”
“Yay!” Helos cheered once more, this time with heartfelt, unreserved joy.
Julius breathed a sigh of relief, his smile becoming a bit more relaxed.
“Well, since that’s the case, can we now…” Helos’s eyes were sparkling, filled with anticipation.
“You may,” Werner gave a definite answer. “You have passed all the tests and obtained the hunting qualification to hunt magical beasts.”
“However,” his tone shifted again, “according to the Duke’s wishes, considering that the outdoor environment in winter is too harsh, your first hunt must wait until next spring, after the ice and snow have melted.”
“Ah—?” Helos’s cheering stopped abruptly. Her entire being seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon, wilting instantly. “We have to wait that long?”
“It is an order.” Werner’s tone was just as it always was. “Until then, your training will continue.”
“Starting tomorrow, I will replace Holy Knight Captain Cedric, having been ordered to supervise your cultivation.”
“Fine.” Helos curled her lip. Though she was somewhat disappointed, she could only helplessly accept this fact.
Julius appeared much calmer. He gave Werner a respectful bow. “Yes, Master Werner.”
With that, the test finally came to an end.
However, the nightmare for Helos and her companion had only just begun.
This was because Werner’s training was even more grueling than Cedric’s.
“Alright, that’s it for today. We continue tomorrow.”
On the training ground, the three of them lay in the snow, looking at each other.
“…I feel like I’m about to fall apart,” Helos said weakly.
“Same here,” Julius said with a bitter laugh.
Gavi silently climbed up from the ground and walked to Helos’s side, reaching out a hand as if wanting to pull her up.
“Sigh, Gavi, let me lie here for a while.” Helos tilted her head, her expression looking as if she were hovering between life and death. “I miss Teacher Cedric.”
‘His high-intensity training was basically a newbie tutorial compared to Werner…’
And so the real struggle begins no suppose.