“Ow! Is this really necessary?” Liliana cried as she rubbed yet another developing bruise, shooting Silas a dirty look. The man didn’t even have the courtesy of looking remorseful, he grinned at her. The gall.

“You wanted to raise your Vitality the hard way My Lady,” Silas shrugged and Liliana mumbled curses under her breath. Astrid was too far to hear them but Silas wasn’t and his grin grew.

It was true, at this point, her Vitality was her last hold out. Despite her original reluctance to raise it now, it was a point of pride. Every other stat had been raised to 20, even her originally difficult Charisma. Astrid’s suggestion those weeks ago had turned out to be a true divine inspiration. Her Charisma had ended up hitting 20 before the rest of her stats she’d spent so much time at the stables. She’d taken to bringing her coursework and research with her. Tom, as he’d insisted she call him, had taken no issue with her doing the work out in the pasture when the more mellow horses were out there. She now had several horses who recognized her and eagerly awaited her inevitable treats.

She’d even learned how to properly brush a horse, and saddle them. Though she wasn’t ready to ride them just yet. Her determination had been rewarded by the system with stats. The work with the tack had even raised her strength, albeit slower than her direct training.

Her Vitality had taken a glacial pace when it came to increasing, mostly because she didn’t enjoy pain. And Silas had taken a long time to drop his reluctance to hurt a noble. Even Liliana’s brother wasn’t typically struck often in training. And because of Liliana’s lower Vitality, she bruised far easier. Which made any hit seem far worse than it objectively was.

However, Silas had respected Liliana’s steadfast determination and relented to her request. A request she currently regretted as every inch of her cried in pain. She was certain she and Astrid would spend an hour putting bruise balm on all the new bruises.

Just two more points. Two more points and I can go out and level, Liliana assured herself. She was beginning to understand why almost no one did the same method she had chosen, it had taken forever to reach this point. Yet she was now far stronger than any other level 1 human would be. And stronger than any level two, three, and most level 4’s. People only got 5 stat points a level. The only way someone would match even one of her stats would be by dumping two levels into it, and she’d still be better with every other stat. That kind of power was worth every last bruise she bore.

The system had even taken pity on her at one point and given her a [Pain Resistance] skill soon after they’d started this sadistic gambit. Liliana meant to use that skill to its fullest potential.

Liliana spun her wooden naginata around her to shake off the pain. To level her polearm-specific skill she switched between a wooden spar, glaive, naginata, and halberd. She preferred the glaive originally until she’d had her training weapon altered to more closely resemble a Japanese Naginata.

She had read once in her other life that naginata were primarily used by women. Apparently, they were balanced better for those who might not be able to match the strength of a male opponent. It meant her ‘blade’ was thinner and longer than a standard glaive but she found it a good bit easier to use than a glaive. The System had even recognized the difference and labeled it a ‘Wooden Naginata’ when it had been finished. Liliana was fairly certain it meant the weapon existed in the world though Silas hadn’t recognized the name.

She had become far more comfortable with the naginata as their training had continued. The weapon was slowly becoming an extension of herself. She still had nothing on Silas, who Liliana secretly thought had a hidden [Weapons Master] class. There was no other reason the man could beat her silly with absolutely any weapon handed to him. She’d even challenged him to fight her with a slingshot after a particularly brutal training. She’d lost.

“Again,” Liliana was the one to initiate this one. Silas’ smile widened as she stared at him with all the fire she could muster. She’d wipe that damn smile off his face one of these days.

Silas charged her, moving at a speed that she still struggled to follow entirely. Her pride had hurt at first, knowing he wasn’t even coming close to using his full potential in these fights. Now she was far too focused on not getting hit.

Her naginata rose and the sound of wood clashing filled the clearing again as Liliana tried to use the long reach granted to her by her weapon to keep Silas from getting too close. The naginata let her match most people’s reach. Something she sorely needed being much smaller than even boys her age.

Every hit shook her. Liliana brought the full force of her 20 points in strength to bear but even that was barely enough to keep her from being thrown back by each blocked hit. Her feet dug trenches into the hard-packed ground. She gritted her teeth as she tried to work her wooden blade under Silas’s guard. The man performed a rather impressive block and with a forceful shove, she was sent back, off-balance.

Liliana spun her weapon, digging the bottom in the ground to stabilize her as she used the additional momentum to avoid the slash Silas chased her with. From her new position, Liliana used her weapon to hold her weight as she kicked up. She was aiming to throw Silas off with the unexpected nature of the attack.

If the man was surprised he didn’t show it as he effortlessly blocked her attack. He grabbed her foot with his free hand and yanked her off balance. She couldn’t block the hit from his wooden blade that sent a wave of pain crashing into her side. Before she could blink a second hit undoubtedly painted her thigh black and blue before Silas released her and stepped back as she collapsed to the ground. Liliana winced at the throbbing pain in her side and thigh.

“Avoid kicks in a battle, you unbalance yourself and if your opponent is smart they’ll grab your leg and then you’re dead,” Silas chided Liliana from above her. The girl nodded, wincing at both the reprimand and the painful physical reminder of exactly why that move had been a terrible choice. She knew better but she’d gambled with a chance to throw him off and lost. As Silas waited for her to catch her breath a notification popped up, sensing she was out of combat.

You have gained a point in Vitality!

Oh geez, thanks System, Liliana thought, her inner voice soaked with sarcasm as she rubbed at the blooming bruises. She wasn’t really mad at the System, but the pain made her cranky.

[Pain Resistance] Reached Level 5!

Okay, I’m sorry System, thank you. Liliana amended at the new Skill level. She lifted her shirt a bit to see the bruise, Astrid making a token gasp at her impropriety. The woman didn’t object, she’d become more used to Liliana’s behavior in training over time. It was one of the few times Liliana felt like herself. Not the disgraced daughter of a Duke but the headstrong girl from Earth with dreams of magic and adventure. It also meant it was the only time she could behave in a manner any noble wouldn’t hesitate to call ‘coarse’. Only Astrid had seemed scandalized by it. Silas, well used to soldier’s behavior, male and female alike, hadn’t even blinked at her behavior. Or her sailor-worthy mouth.

Her skin looked like someone had spilled blue-black ink across it. The bruise painted a good half of her side. Liliana sighed, it certainly paired nicely with the rest of the array of new bruises.

I kind of wish I was a healer now. If only to stop hurting. Liliana mused regretfully before a thought hit her, leaving her dazed and ashamed.

I...could be. She realized. She had discovered a Skill and a Spell through just playing with her Mana. What was stopping her from learning to use her Mana to heal? She had a high enough Affinity with Life to do it. The urge to play with her Mana was overwhelming as her mind ran through the possibilities and Liliana barely remembered she wasn’t alone. Dropping her shirt she looked towards Silas who was absentmindedly examining his wooden sword.

“Can we take a ten-minute break?” Liliana inquired and Silas looked at her with an eyebrow raised before shrugging.

“That’s fine, you’ve been working hard today. Go ahead and take a breather,“ he allowed and Liliana gratefully nodded to him as she settled into a cross-legged position. Silas wandered over to Astrid to probably do more ridiculous flirting.

Liliana closed her eyes, blocking out the sounds of Astrid’s giggles, the chirping of birds, and the rustling of leaves in the wind. She settled her breathing as she dove into herself, searching for her Mana core. It was easier now than it had been before and the Mana practically jumped to her like an eager puppy when she located it. Focusing on her Mana she imagined it running through her body. Slowly smoothing away her aches and pains, clearing out her bruises, and leaving behind healthy skin. It took a bit for her Mana to understand and she had to visualize it moving through her entire body, even mentally imagining the way the Mana would slowly erase the bruises and leave behind unmarred skin.

Liliana wasn’t too sure how long she meditated there, she was so focused on herself and her Mana. She felt relief fill her as the Mana slowly started following her instructions. Every cleared bruise seemed to speed up the process as her Mana learned how to deal with the bruises. It became more efficient with the plethora of practice her Vitality training offered. She noticed her Mana draining rapidly at first as if someone had punched a hole in her core and let the Mana gush out. Yet the more the Mana worked through her instructions the less Mana that drained from her core. Though her Core was almost empty by the time she called a halt and over half of her bruises were still there. They felt more like several day old bruises however and Liliana counted it as a win.

When Liliana opened her eyes she saw Silas and Astrid sitting and night had almost fallen. She groaned as she stretched out her sore muscles. She had to of been sitting still for more than half an hour. Probably an hour. Her efforts weren’t for naught though as new notifications popped into her vision.

[Mana Manipulation] reached Level 10!

You have met the Requirements for the Skill [Regeneration]. Would you like to accept this skill?

Liliana grinned as she used [Identify] on the skill, excitement thrumming in her blood.

Regeneration: [Channel] For 20 Mana per second you can recover health at a rate of 3 per second.

Self Cast

Liliana enthusiastically accepted the skill, grinning like a fool the entire time. [Regeneration] had been a primarily Tank skill in the game. It was rare for any casters to use it, as it was Mana intensive. Casters were typically glass cannons who died from one or two hits, so [Regeneration] wouldn’t be able to save them. Liliana liked the idea of being a caster or mage in theory, but they were functionally useless solo. While she had plans to get Bonds to cover her weaknesses she wasn’t stupid. She couldn’t bring mystical beasts everywhere with her.

No, Liliana had a fighting style she was aiming for. Her weapons training made that obvious. There were classes that boiled down to being Spell Blades. Fighters that wove magic into their attacks to empower themselves or their weapons. They weren’t as strong as Mages in a flat-out magic duel but they were typically stronger physically, faster, and had better Vitality. Though they were weaker in comparison to a dedicated Warrior class. It was a delicate balance that Liliana was aiming for. It would enable her to be adaptable. Since she had no idea exactly what Bonds she’d ultimately end up with, even if she had specific hopes, adaptability was necessary. She’d never be a Health beast like a real Tank, but she wasn't about to die from a strong wind.

[Regeneration] would be a boon to her as a Spell Blade, she’d have the Mana pool to sustain it and enough health to make it viable. And a small part of her remembered reading books about being dropped or reincarnated into fantasy worlds. Stories where the main character got [Regeneration] early and became nigh on unkillable by the end of the story. For someone specifically trying to dodge a fatal fate [Regeneration] might be something that saved her down the line.

“Finally done?” Silas asked and Liliana was drawn from her internal musings. She craned her head back, looking up and up to the giant tree of a man’s face.

“Sorry, yea. I got a new Skill,” Liliana offered with an embarrassed chuckle. Silas nodded and held a hand out to her that she gratefully took. The man lifted her with an ease that always sparked envy in her chest.

“I figured, I could feel you manipulating your Mana,” Silas shrugged though his eyes sparkled with curiosity. Liliana flushed in embarrassment as she belatedly remembered that Silas could detect Mana use.

As Liliana hadn’t gotten an [Aura] skill yet anyone of a high enough level would be able to see her Mana and how it was being used like a neon sign on a moonless night. It was for that reason she generally didn’t do her Mana Manipulation around Silas, he’d be able to follow it too easily. And may have some uncomfortable questions about how she seemed to know exactly what to do to get Skills.

“I used my Mana to heal my bruises, and got [Regeneration],” Liliana simplified the process and Silas’s face showed a bit of respect, with a light tinge of disbelief. Internally Liliana cursed her impatient nature, [Regeneration] wasn’t a high level skill but it certainly wasn’t one typically picked up at level 1. She wasn’t sure but she would wager that it wasn’t one that people typically just figured out in an afternoon either.

Damn my meta-knowledge, Liliana mentally griped as Silas continued to regard her.

“Well, that means we can go a bit harder on you now. Since you’ll be able to heal it up halfway through our training and then again at the end,” Silas said, his lips morphing into a truly evil grin that sent shivers skittering down Liliana’s spine.

“You’re a cruel man, Silas,” Liliana pouted, crossing her arms. The Guard Captain chuckled at her comment.

“Tell me something I don’t know, My Lady,” Silas huffed, his eyes still dancing with mirth. Liliana sighed but felt her lips tugging into a half-smile. Silas might be a tough taskmaster, and she cursed him six ways to Sunday regularly. But she knew he pushed her because he knew she could take it. And because he wanted her to become stronger as much as she wanted the same thing. She knew she wouldn’t be even half as strong as she was now without his help, and certainly wouldn’t know much of anything about weapons.

“Looks like it’s getting to be time for you to head back now,“ Silas mentioned and Liliana nodded, handing off her wooden weapon to Silas to take back. Astrid came forward and offered her the cape she was holding. With practiced movements, Liliana shrouded herself in the cloth before the trio headed out.

“Are you still planning to go out next week, My Lady?” Astrid asked, her voice holding a bit of worry in it. Internally Liliana sighed, they’d had this discussion many times before. While Astrid wasn’t anywhere near as worried as she’d been originally she still quite obviously didn’t like the idea.

“Yes, The Duke and Duchess will be gone for a few days as they visit with the Duchess’s family, and Alistair will be with them,” Liliana explained calmly, working to keep her exasperation out of her tone.

Realistically Liliana should be irritated that she wasn’t joining her family on the trip. The Duchess’s family was holding a ball and every noble within a few days' trip would be in attendance. It was a major slight to her that she had been excluded. Especially because it was technically her own family even if just by marriage. Even her governess was going. Miss. Beckett was of noble blood, her father a Baron, so she had of course been invited. However, even with the very blatant slight Liliana was grateful. It meant she wouldn’t need to sneak around her own home trying to avoid her family members. She’d still need to be careful with the servants but she’d be able to openly walk around the manor, rather than trying to find roundabout paths to her destinations.

“I see,” Astrid let out a long sigh, “it is the most sensible time I suppose,” Astrid continued as they walked.

“Don’t worry, the Lady is quite strong. Better than any new recruit we’ve had, and more determination and spitfire in her than this entire year's lot combined,” Silas spoke up, trying to assure Astrid. Liliana flushed and ducked her head further into her hood at the unexpected praise.

Silas wasn't exactly sparse with praise, if one did well he would let you know. If you fucked up, oh he certainly let you know typically with his words and his weapon. However unprompted and long praise like this was a rare form for him and it made Liliana glow internally with pride. Silas was one of the few people she honestly respected in this new life, his praise meant a great deal to her.

“If you think she’ll be fine,” Astrid hesitantly conceded and Liliana nodded in agreement. She knew she’d be able to handle slimes easily, and with her naginata she wouldn’t even need to be within their attack range to take them out. It was as safe as leveling could be.

“She’ll be better than fine. I'm sure by the time The Duke returns she’ll be at least level 20 and unlocking her first Class,” Silas assured Astrid, the woman’s shoulder finally drooped and she nodded. The trio split at their typical point, Liliana stepping away to give the two adults their privacy as they said their goodbyes. As she waited she mentally wondered how much longer the courtship would last, the two obviously fancied each other quite a bit.

They remind me of Mom and Dad, Liliana mused as she sneaked a glance back. Seeing the two locked in a kiss she hastily averted her eyes feeling a scarlet blush coloring her skin.

Oh, look, a tree. How very interesting.