"Good fight" I stated as I arrived at their circle

"Call that a fight? it was a massacre" Albert replied

"Really, how can you fight like that?" Reina asked as she played with her two knives

"I haven't exhausted my mana in long in time" Melphis remarked as she drank a bluish potion

"You guys are good but you guys probably lost due to the relaxed lifestyle you've been having." I remarked

"Yes, we have been taking it easy ever since he committed a coup" Albert replied as he nodded his head

"Please train me" Reina cut to the point

"I don't know if you are able to train a mage like me but try to enlighten me" Melphis also had the same idea as Reina

"Of course I'll help you guys, what about you Albert?" I looked at Albert

"As the saying goes, you can't teach an old dog a new trick" He quoted

"Really? because I believe in the saying: 'You learn something every day'" I replied with another quote

"Touche" He laughed before nodding his head "Alright, I'm in"

"Great, pack your bags because your all sleeping in the castle tonight" I stated before walking away

So now I gotta prepare for tomorrow, okay, I need to analyze their shortcomings and think of a way to improve them

First is Albert, I'll test tomorrow how good of a shot he is from long distances but for now, I'll concentrate on short-range combat. He knows how to move, he doesn't remain stationary but he lacks... element. The arrows he shoots are made out of mana, elementless mana, if he can manage to add an element to it, it should prove to be a strong weapon, question is, what element does he have an affinity with

Next is Reina, she knows close-range combat but her style is hit and run, I want to teach her to be able to stand up against foes, instead of hit and run, we'll turn it into hit and evade. I'll try to observe her style to see if there are more flaws that needs to be corrected

Lastly Melphis, she can use 3 elements, unlike the others I saw who usually only stick to 1 element, she may be talented but she lacks mana and stamina, plus in the heat of battle, she'll need to constantly move

I asked a guard to prepare a dummy for me tomorrow, I will use it to test Albert's accuracy

I went back to my office on top of the tower and watched the hundreds of soldiers train

I should also think of something for the soldiers. I wrote a note that is to be given to Cynthia, its contents were mainly about my need for a wide open space, preferably close to a lake, at least 500 soldiers, with the requirements that they do not bring a pet, anything that involves gambling, pornographic material (I saw artists draw nude women on a paper and selling it), a family member. They are also required to only bring their clothes and their sword, no armors, no shields

I slept with Cynthia that night after I got permission from Alissa, it was a new experience sleeping with a woman that is not Alissa but it wasn't a bad experience, frankly, it was great

I woke up in the middle of the night due to some clammoring, I nudged Cynthia awake and notified her of the noise, I told her to wait there as I stood up from the bed and wore the DK armor that was placed on a table near the bed

As soon as I walk out, a guard stopped me and notified

"Sire, Ms. Brunhilde and Sir. Lance has returned from their quest"

"I see, let them rest" I nodded before returning to the room

"What was it?" Cynthia asked as she squinted her eyes

"Brunhilde and Sir. Lance returned, we'll talk to them tomorrow, for now, let's get some sleep" I replied as I locked the room and took off DK

"I see, please hurry back to bed, its cold" Cynthia replied before blushing, instantly regretting the words she spoke

I only chuckled and returned to bed, of course I was wearing pajamas with a banana design, it was a gift from Alissa. Cynthia was wearing a nightgown that was made out of silk, white in color, and in no way transparent

I woke up at exactly 5:00 am, I left the bed and wore the DK armor, I kissed Cynthia's forehead before wearing my helmet. She woke up from my kiss and only smiled as a goodbye

I left our room and headed for the first floor, I went past the Kitchen and headed for a room all the way back in the castle, this is where, Albert, Reina, and Melphis are staying, Albert was staying in one room while the two women stayed in the other room beside it. I opened the two doors and found them all peacefully sleeping and on the top of my lungs, I shouted

"RISE AND SHINE MAGGOTS, HURRY UP AND MOVE BEFORE I TOSS YOU OUTSIDE WEARING YOUR PAJAMAS!" My voice was loud enough to wake them up and make them tumble, falling from their beds

"Sir Zeno? isn't it a bit too early?" Melphis asked as she rubbed her eyes

"TOO EARLY? YOU SIGNED UP FOR THIS NOW CHANGE OR THERE WON'T BE BREAKFAST FOR YOU! 5 MINUTES" I remarked before shutting the door and waiting outside, five minutes later, all of them came out wearing their own unique training garbs

A slim shirt and pants for Melphis, only pants for Albert, and Reina was wearing a ninja outfit

"50 LAPS AROUND THE CASTLE! GO! GO! GO!" They didn't complain and started running

I too ran with them as a part of my daily exercise, after 10 laps, Melphis started to lag behind, and in the end, we have to wait for 30 minutes until she finished running 50 laps. I looked at 3 people covered in sweat, Melphis was complaining at how she smells

"Alright, go have breakfast, we still have a lot of stuff to do. Meet up at the training ground at 8" I remarked before heading off to dine with Cynthia

Cynthia and I had a private breakfast where no one would disturb us, after breakfast, I headed back to the training ground. All three of the trainees arrived on time

"Had a good rest?" I asked

"Yes, please continue" Albert replied

I nodded before pulling out Azazel and Silver edge, I stabbed them both on the ground.

"I will not move away from here, you guys will have to engage me with no weapons in hand" I stated

All three of them had no weapon except for Melphis who had a small wand hanging around her waist

"Do I need to learn close range combat?" Melphis asked

"Yes" I nodded

"Why?" She asked

"Try to attack me with your magic" I replied

She started chanting while pointing her wand towards me but before she can finish, I was already holding her hand

"What do you do now? wait pathetically for your demise?" I took the wand and tossed it aside

Melphis nodded, I moved back to my spot, in between the two blades. I want them to be able to use the weapons that I left throughout the training ground, a wooden sword, a pole, and of course my two blades that I stabbed on the ground

"Strike me with all you can, if you can't take me down or make move from this spot then you lose, if you lose, that will cost you 100 push-ups" I was planning to make them do 100 push-ups anyway

Albert and Reina got what I wanted to say and was fast enough to grab a nearby pole, they charged and tried to attack me both at the same time, too bad I blocked them. Melphis saw the actions of the two and grabbed a wooden sword, she charged ahead with no idea how to use it and kept swinging it around like a child. Melphis slashed the sword but I held her hand and flicked her forehead with my fingers

She looked like she was about to cry but she threw the sword and grabbed the pole, using it, she kept thrusting with the pole but I kept on dodging them. Reina found a chance while I was distracted and pulled out Azazel, let's see what you can do

She raised it but it was too heavy for her, soon she was dragging it

"Well? how is it, that sword weighs 60 pounds" I remarked as I see Reina struggling to raise the sword

She quickly abandons Azazel and goes for the pole, like Melphis, she thrust from a distance, Albert copied them and I am now dodging all three attacks from them. I didn't move back from my spot, I only dodged, those I couldn't I hit the pole away with the back of my palm. This kept going on for half an hour until they were completely exhausted, they were all lying on the ground. I kneeled and asked them

"You guys give up"

"Yeah, what the hell man" Albert replied, out of breath

"Okay, 5-minute break, after that, start doing 100-push-ups" I declared with a smile, they can't see my smile though

They all grumbled but after 5 minutes, they all struggled to get into position and with painful grunts, started pushing up

"After this is another 5 laps around the castle" I declared as I counted their push-ups

They all looked at me with dead eyes, I can see them screaming internally

"GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?!" I asked with an overbearing tone

"...no" Melphis meekly replied

"WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU" I replied

"NO!" Melphis screamed

"GOOD, KEEP UP THE ENTHUSIASM" I nodded

After an hour, they collapsed on the ground, they all kept complaining that their arms are aching

"Your arms? well you guys are in luck because soon enough, so will your feet" I remarked as I kept on forcing them to do 5 laps

They stood up with pained expressions and kept running, after 5 laps, they all collapsed.

"GOOD JOB MAGGOTS, NOW GO AND HAVE LUNCH, BE BACK HERE AT 1 BE LATE AND ALL OF YOU WILL BE RUNNING 5 MORE LAPS" I remarked

The pain and exhaustion vanished from their faces as they scampered away, heading for the kitchen

I laughed at their fleeing backs, I headed for the private room where Cynthia and I will be having lunch

On the dining table, Cynthia spoke

"You really worked them hard huh" Cynthia chuckled

"Believe me, I was still taking it easy" I replied

"I see, I really am curious as to what you were doing, shouting at them and abusing them, you really aren't that kind of person" Cynthia remarked

"Yeah, what I'm doing is testing their spirit, strengthening their will and destroying their ego" I explained

"...hmmm wait, is this how you were trained?"

"Yup, only much more severe, I'm only doing basic training" I shivered at the thought of my old training, now that I think of it, they were so much more stricter with me just because I'm a cyborg, using the reason that I'm part robot, they beat me up so much and left me at death's door

Cynthia and I enjoyed our lunch together before parting ways

I returned to the training ground 1 minute before 1 pm, the trio returned with satisfied smiles but as soon as they saw me, their smiles turned to frowns

"You guys seem excited to see me" I chuckled

"SIR ZENO, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT HAPPY TO SEE YOU" Melphis spoke out her mind

"OH GOOD, BECAUSE I AM HAPPY TO SEE YOU GUYS" I replied

Reina and Albert looked at Melphis like she cost them their lives

"NOW COME HERE ALBERT!" I requested

Albert stepped forward, I grabbed the rope I prepared beforehand and bound his legs and arms

"Here is the scenario, Albert is critically wounded and is unable to move, there are no healers around to take care of him, your job is to carry him around the castle, don't drop him, if you let any part of his body touch the ground, you'll have to carry him around the castle once more" I stated

Reina and Melphis looked at Albert who was feeling very uncomfortable, Cynthia came

"Princess, why are you here?" Melphis asked

"I am here to see your training" She replied

"Yes, we will never disappoint!" Reina nodded before holding Albert's back

Melphis held his feet and together, they started running, I jogged alongside them. They dropped about 4 times so that's 4 more additional laps, after the first lap, I couldn't leave Cynthia alone so I let one of the soldiers follow them.

"What's the point of this one?" She asked

"It's physical training for the women, as for Albert, it's mental, I bet right now, that he's feeling pity towards the women struggling to carry him and making promises to himself to never get himself critically injured" I replied

"I see, say, Zeno, about what I said before..." Cynthia reminded me

"Yeah... I've been thinking about it, in the end, you really have to join us after all. At first, I wanted Lance to be the 10nth but since we're having the other trio and Brunhilde with us, I figured that your help as a healer will be vital for our survival" I assessed, sure there are more healers out there but I am yet to find one who is mentally strong like Cynthia, the moment they see a formar or any other insect, I bet they'll shit their pants so until then, I'll have Cynthia be a temporary member

"Thanks!" She nodded

"Cynthia, please know that you're just a temporary member" I shot down her happiness and I can immediately see the disappointment in her eyes although she didn't show it on her face

"Listen Cynthia, I don't want you in harm's way" I talked to her

"But I too feel the same, I don't want you to get hurt and every time I see you wounded, my heart splits and shatters"

I can't find the right words to say, promising that I won't get hurt will only hurt her in the future

"Cynthia, please... do this for me" I asked her as I held both her hands

"I can't really come huh..." I can see moisture in her eyes

"Listen, all you need to believe in is the fact that I don't want you getting hurt or even suffering a scratch from them" I stated, I don't want her to think that she lacks the ability when in fact she doesn't

"Alright... I will believe you" She wiped her eyes and stated

I hugged her and pat her head

"I'll trust you ok? so please come back" Cynthia spoke out as she stifled her cries

Please, don't make me give you a promise I can't keep, please...

"I will, don't worry" In the end, I've made a promise I can't keep... But I guess all I have to do now is survive every battle

I have to come home not only to Alissa but also to Cynthia

With my will strengthened, I continued training the trio.