…But nothing happened.
Yes, absolutely nothing happened.
The so-called [Training Mode] merely lit up and then did nothing else.
Was it possible that he activated it the wrong way?
Judging from the literal meaning, this was supposed to be a state where a person could train against an AI opponent.
Many games had similar features—beginner missions, for example, could be seen as a kind of disguised training mode.
If he could get it working, maybe he really could find a way to become stronger.
Unfortunately, Kane currently had no idea how to activate it.
But it wasn’t like he had no clues at all.
“The holy relic… it must be that relic that sealed the Demon King’s corpse, right?”
In this world, there were many races, with humans and demons being the most numerous.
These two races had been at war for many years.
But all of that changed over six hundred and sixty years ago, when the first Hero appeared out of nowhere.
She wielded seven sacred swords, each with unique abilities, and together with her companions, she slew the most powerful and most evil Undying Demon King in history.
Because of the Demon King’s immortality, the Hero sealed his corpse inside the seven sacred swords.
From then on, these seven swords became known as holy relics.
According to Kane’s memory, it was after he touched a holy relic that the training mode was activated.
Back then, the only things he touched were Enya… and the Banner of Ten Thousand Demons.
The Banner of Ten Thousand Demons was a holy relic?
One of the sacred swords once used by the first Hero?
Kane didn’t doubt that the banner was a holy relic.
Even though they were originally called sacred swords, they didn’t necessarily have to be swords.
The category of holy relics was quite broad.
They could be shields, armor, or even gems.
So the possibility that the Banner of Ten Thousand Demons was a holy relic was quite high.
“I remember in the original border arc, the heroine did obtain a new holy relic here.”
But the exact item, which one it was—he couldn’t really recall.
Back then, his attention had been entirely on the character illustrations of the heroines, all hyped up.
Still, judging by the current intel, the Banner of Ten Thousand Demons was very likely the holy relic referenced in the later plot.
“At least now I’m not running around like a headless chicken.”
With his gear in hand, Kane pushed open the door and stepped into the sunlight, greeted by the breeze of early June.
He temporarily said goodbye to Enya, who was busy in the kitchen, telling her he was heading out to restock supplies.
Kane now ran a general store, and it was indeed about time to restock, so Enya had no reason to be suspicious.
She wiped her hands with the apron tied around her stomach, walked over, wrapped her soft arms around Kane’s neck, stood on tiptoe, and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips.
“You better come home early, young master. I’m making my signature dish for dinner tonight.”
Kane chuckled softly, gently brushing her snow-white silver bangs behind her ear, cupping her face with affection and giving it a light squeeze.
“I promise.”
Of course he would come back.
After being locked up and squeezed dry for so long, if he didn’t properly train this naughty girl in return, his reputation as a wicked noble would be in jeopardy.
……
After seeing Kane off, Enya hummed a little tune as she skipped back to the kitchen, continuing her preparations for dinner with her beloved young master.
She covered the kneaded dough with a damp cloth to let it rise, and while waiting, began preparing her special pineapple tomato pizza sauce.
Of course, she didn’t forget to snap the spaghetti in half for her signature pasta salad.
Looking at the nearly finished dinner, Enya clapped her flour-covered hands with satisfaction.
But at that moment, the smile on her face suddenly vanished.
Her sharp gaze turned cold in an instant, like the chill of a winter frost.
“I told you not to come to me during the day. What if the young master misunderstands?”
As her words fell, a curvy, alluring woman in black leather stepped out from the shadows.
The horns on her head and the tail behind her clearly marked her as a demon.
“Your Highness, you’re far too valuable. How can you be cooking? Leave such trivial matters to me.”
As Ilena spoke, she stepped forward and took the kneaded dough from Enya’s hands.
But before she could turn around, the girl gave her a gentle look.
“Ilena, how many times have I told you? Only I can prepare the young master’s food. Have you forgotten?”
“…”
Though her tone was calm and peaceful, Enya’s words felt like a sharp blade pressed to Ilena’s throat, freezing her in place and sending chills down her spine.
“S-Sorry.” Ilena apologized quickly.
“It’s fine. I’m not blaming you. I just don’t want the young master to have contact with any other females. Just be more careful next time.”
Enya smiled as she patted Ilena on the shoulder.
She casually tossed the dough Ilena had touched aside and started making a new batch from scratch.
If anything had been touched by someone other than herself, even for a moment, she no longer considered it her own work.
And Enya would never allow her young master to eat anything not made by her own hands.
Ilena opened her mouth slightly, as if wanting to say something, watching Enya with hesitation.
“Your Highness, you…”
“I’m no Highness.” Enya interrupted, turning back with a squint and a smile. “I’m the young master’s maid, Enya. I’ll only ever be the maid, Enya. Nothing more.”
“But you’re Lord Roy’s only heir, the one and only leader of our Moderate Faction. If you disappear, who will lead us against those from the Radical Faction?”
Ilena couldn’t hold back anymore and stepped forward, agitated:
“Can you really bear to watch your father’s life’s work be destroyed just like that?”
Faced with Ilena’s questioning, Enya simply hummed her tune and twisted her waist gently as she worked, as if Ilena didn’t exist at all.
Not until Ilena bit her lip in frustration and finally spoke again:
“If the Radicals take control of the demon clan, war will break out once more. And the first to suffer… will be this border region!”
“Can you really stand by and watch Kane fall into danger?”
“…”
The tune in Enya’s mouth and the movements of her hands stopped simultaneously.
Her pretty face lost its earlier warmth and turned solemn.
Seeing this, Ilena thought she was making progress and hurried to press the advantage.
But just as she opened her mouth, before she could say a word—
“Then I’ll take the young master and leave this place.”
That short sentence carried the full weight of Enya’s unwavering resolve.
A resolve that no one could easily shake.
Ilena had dealt with Enya for many years, so she knew this well.
But what she couldn’t understand was…
“He’s just a ruined, good-for-nothing young master with no discipline. What’s so special about him…”
Ilena truly couldn’t comprehend it.
Aside from his good looks, what did Kane have that was worth Enya throwing away her bright future as the leader of the moderate demon faction, choosing instead to hole up in this godforsaken place?
If only Kane didn’t exist.
If Kane weren’t here, maybe Her Highness would obediently return and take up her rightful position as the moderate faction’s leader.
Just as that thought crossed Ilena’s mind, a crushing pressure suddenly descended, causing her breath to catch in her throat.
Startled, Ilena looked up—only to meet Enya’s eyes, cold as winter frost and brimming with killing intent.
Her voice, icy and deliberate, echoed by Ilena’s ear, word for word:
“Ilena, don’t make me commit the sin of killing a friend~.”
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