Special Training!

Author: Unicoon
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8138gc/30/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

The second day after the vampire incident.
This was the underground training ground of Romulus Castle.

“Mm! You’re all here!!”

Gathered were Lady Ulrika, Olivia, Charlotte, and Natasha—the four of them.
And King Zenon.
Olivia, Charlotte, and Natasha were in light clothes that looked easy to move in.

“Then I order you three again. Swiftly subjugate the vampires lurking in the castle town!”

“””Yes!”””

“However, I cannot leave it to you as you are now! You will acquire the strength to fight vampires. Today’s special training is for that!!”

“””Yes!!”””

King Zenon’s voice was full of spirit.
Charlotte shrugged and slowly raised a hand.

“I have a question. Why have we gathered underground? And why is Father here himself…?”

“In this matter, we must move in secret so the enemy vampires do not catch on. Therefore we are using a sealed underground training ground from which information will not leak. And I, who already know the circumstances, have come to supervise myself.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

“I said acquire strength, but we haven’t the time to take it slow. So this time I asked Ulrika, who is both Demon King and vampire, to serve as instructor. Ulrika, I’m counting on you.”

“Mm! Leave it to me!!”

Watching King Zenon and Lady Ulrika, Natasha smoothly raised a hand.

“Um… will Ulrika instruct all three of us alone? Won’t you be short-handed?”

“No need to worry. Watch…”

The next instant, Lady Ulrika’s body changed into black mist.
Before the startled three, the mist slowly spread.
Then it returned to substance, and—

“””How about that? This way I can train three of you at once!”””

There stood Lady Ulrika, increased to three.

“Lady Ulrika, is this… magic?”

“””It isn’t magic. It’s a mist clone. One of a vampire’s abilities.”””

“Vampires can do that as well…”

“””Only high-ranking vampires can. It isn’t something just anyone can use.”””

Hearing “isn’t something just anyone can use,” Charlotte let out a breath of relief.
She had apparently been anxious about whether the enemy vampires would clone as well.

“””Then shall we begin at once!”””

And so special training under Lady Ulrika began.

✦ ✦ ✦

“Lady Ulrika! Please take care of me!!”

“Mm!”

In one corner of the training ground, Olivia and Lady Ulrika faced each other.
Olivia held a small staff in one hand.

“Now, Livi. Your role is one thing.”

“Yes. Recovery with healing magic.”

“Mm. Half right!”

Told “half,” Olivia tilted her head, blinking.

“Using healing magic is correct. But you are not the recovery role.”

“Then what in the world…?”

“Your role is attacker against the vampires.”

“Attacker!?”

Olivia started.

“Um… I’m not very good at attack magic…”

“Don’t worry. You’ll use healing magic. And on top of that, you’ll serve as attacker.”

“Eh… um…”

At Lady Ulrika’s contradictory explanation, Olivia looked thoroughly lost.

“That was a bit of a mean way of putting it. In other words, if you cast healing magic on a vampire, you can deal damage.”

“Is that so!? I didn’t know…”

“Vampires are a kind of undead, you see. Healing magic works in reverse. Meaning you, Livi, can handle both attacks on the enemy and treatment of allies.”

“I see. I understand!!”

Olivia gripped her staff, full of motivation.

“Then we’ll train your healing magic. I’ll be strict!”

“Yes, I’ll do my best!!”

And so Olivia quietly let her mana swell.

✦ ✦ ✦

“Haa… haa… kh”

“Come, your movements are dulling!”

Meanwhile, Natasha and Lady Ulrika.
They were moving fiercely in the center of the training ground.

Lady Ulrika attacked Natasha, turning her body to mist as she went.
Natasha swung her sword, defending desperately.

“Kh… ah!”

A crack, and Natasha’s sword spun through the air.
Lady Ulrika’s knife-hand had snapped it at the base.
A genuine iron sword, broken with one hand. Not a scratch on Lady Ulrika’s.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Natasha dropped to her knees.
Blue-faced, barely breathing.

“Sasha. Your role is to be the shield for Livi and Lottie.”

“Haa… haa… a shield…”

“Sword attacks don’t work well on vampires. They change to mist and evade.”

Lady Ulrika showed her a hand turned to mist.

“But even a vampire must take physical form to attack. Meaning you can block with a sword.”

“Haa… haa… physical form…”

“Even magic attacks can be struck aside with a sword. Whatever attack comes, if you block it with your sword, your comrades won’t be hurt.”

“Comrades… unhurt…”

“That is a swordfighter’s… a vanguard’s role!”

So saying, she brought a new sword from the edge of the training ground.

“I’ll deliberately fight you while changing to mist. I’ll beat the sense of a vampire becoming mist, and the sense of returning to physical form, into your body.”

Lady Ulrika set the sword beside Natasha and took distance.

“Then, after a short rest—”

“No!”

Natasha picked up the sword and slowly stood.
Her body swayed, but a strong will lived in her eyes.

“I don’t need a rest! Please go on to the next!!”

“Mm!”

Slowly, but surely, Natasha was gaining strength.

✦ ✦ ✦

The edge of the training ground.
Somewhere they would not be in the way, Charlotte and Lady Ulrika sat still.
King Zenon was with them, for good measure.

“Um, Ulrika…?”

“Hmm, what is it? …Crunch, crunch…”

Charlotte looked uneasy.
Lady Ulrika was carelessly munching cookies.

“Do I not need to train like those two?”

“That’s right. Lottie has no need of training… crunch, crunch…”

Not only Charlotte—King Zenon was surprised at Lady Ulrika’s answer.

“No need of training? What does that mean?”

“There are two reasons. First: Lottie can do both sword and magic to a decent degree. Considering Lottie’s role, that’s sufficient ability.”

“No… that’s…”

Charlotte looked a little pleased at the praise.
She held her cheeks, shy.

“The second reason has to do with Lottie’s role. What do you think your role is, Lottie?”

“Um… that would be… fighting together with the two of them?”

“That isn’t wrong. But it isn’t the right answer either.”

Charlotte tilted her head, blinking.
King Zenon looked as if he had realized.

“Lottie’s role is to make Livi and Sasha fight well.”

“Hmm… in other words, a commander.”

“That’s right. As expected of Zenon! Always one step back from the battlefield, moving the two of them effectively, sometimes joining the fight yourself, and in that way leading the battle itself to victory. That is the role.”

Charlotte nodded at Lady Ulrika’s explanation.

“I understand my role. So what does that have to do with sitting here?”

“You don’t know those two’s abilities, do you? A commander must know her pieces thoroughly. Otherwise she cannot serve as commander.”

“Ulrika is right.”

“Sharpen every nerve and observe Livi and Sasha’s movements. Habits of motion, strengths and weaknesses—beat every element into your head.”

“I see… I understand!”

So saying, Charlotte stared into the two’s special training as if eating it up.
King Zenon was impressed by Lady Ulrika’s way of instructing.

“She’s training them properly. Quite a splendid hand.”

“Well. I am a king, after all… crunch, crunch…”

Lady Ulrika answered in a small voice, munching cookies.

“When this training is over, I think I’ll give the three of them a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Mm. That’s a treat for after we’re done!”

And so preparations for vampire subjugation steadily advanced.