The next morning, Valerie woke up in a daze.
Last night…something incredible happened.
"Gahhhhhh!" Pressing her face against the pillow, she kicked her legs and punched the bed in embarrassment with evident excitement.
This was a very sweet feeling. The one she adores, reciprocated her feelings. He said he loves her…Austin loves Valerie.
"Kyaah! I can't!" Hiding her face she flipped on the bed.
She could remember every single detail of last night. Despite the absurdity of the matter, it was an undeniable fact that Valerie got proposed to by the man of her dreams.
"Oh my god…my heart is racing…I won't die, right? But I want to spend my life with my Lord. No, no, no dying. He said he wants to spend his life with me; does that mean he wants to marry me? He wants to marry me right?"
A happy smile bloomed on her face as she covered her cheeks and fidgeted on the bed.
If anyone except for Austin had seen her in her current state, they might have fainted. Austin would have only grinned and patted the soft adorable girl.
Valerie was over cloud nine and couldn't think how she should react. She wanted to dance around and proudly announce that she received a confession.
"Would it be too much if I suddenly become a little clingy? I mean, I am now his girlfriend-ah! I am already engaged to him, so it's okay right?"
She was happy.
However, regardless of her happiness, she couldn't neglect her Lord's training.
She was happy and excited, but that could wait.
Taking a shower and following her usual routine, she changed her clothes and wore her training attire.
Just for a change, she braided her hair and clipped it with a lavender-petalled hair clip.
"Is it too much?" As a warrior, she shouldn't be too focused on her hair…but just for today, "I want to look a little different."
With those thoughts, she left the dormitory.
When she reached their usual spot where they train, Valerie found her Lord already stretching his limbs and preparing for the training.
'Not good…for two days now, I arrived here after him…' In the past, she used to reach here an hour ago, so he didn't need to wait. But these days, she has been irresponsible.
Not good. Need to change.
"Oh, you are here." Austin turned towards his beloved and was stunned to find her looking too beautiful for sore eyes.
If he could, he would have taken hundreds of pictures of hers right now and saved one of the best of them as his phone wallpaper.
Too darn beautiful.
"I am sorry for arriving late." She spoke as she rested the bag on the resting bench, and asked, "Good morning, Austin."
A smiling Valerie early in the morning…yes, that's the perfect way to start a day.
"You braid your hair? It looks beautiful."
Valerie shyly smiled, "T-Thank you…" A slight red hue appeared on her face as she crossed her hands behind her back.
There were not any words spoken between them, yet they talked. The atmosphere around them was quite pleasant and could heal one's heart.
But then suddenly,
"Morning."
It was Rhea.
The pink head looked genuinely apologetic as soon as she realized that they weren't training but flirting.
However, it was too late; she already called out to him.
"Yes, Rhea?" Heaving a sigh, he asked her.
Rhea was wearing her training outfit as she asked, "I wanted to take some advice from Valerie…if that's okay."
"No, it's not." Valerie's instant refusal left Rhea sobbing,
"O-kay…I will go…"
Austin chuckled seeing that action and reaction, before he asked, "Advice on what?"
Rhea beamed, finally gaining some hope as she asked, "About magic control over my Shard."
Turning towards Austin, she summoned her Shard, which had definite features.
Its surface glows with faint silver runes, shifting subtly as if alive, etched during its second evolution. The hilt is simple but firm, wrapped in a material resembling blackened steel, with a faint aura pulsing from the shard's core.
Rhea was an A-rank because of her Shard's evolution.
After the first evolution, an awakened can augment their Shard and move them away freely from their body. That's why archers who haven't gone through first evolution are basically non-awakened.
After the second evolution, an awakened gains the ability to use the magical attribute of their shard. As for Valerie, it's Ice. And for Rudolph, it's earth magic. Manipulating the element to a basic level is what one gains.
Although it doesn't sound much, the difference between the awakened of the first stage and the second one is quite huge.
And then comes the third stage—a point where the awakened step beyond mortal limits and seize the power to manipulate reality itself. At this stage, they don't just wield magic; they bend the very laws of existence, rewriting nature's rules to obey their will.
Like Valerie, who trapped the Illusion Monkey within a frozen time chamber, twisting time into her servant and shattering the natural order with a mere thought.
This power is why those who reach the third stage are feared as walking calamities—beings who can tear the world apart at their whim. They are called S-rank Awakened, and their very presence heralds destruction.
Valerie didn't want to look bad and rude in her Lord's eyes, that's why she said, "Tell me what is your problem?" Quite literally.
Rhea, who didn't notice the displeasure in Valerie's voice, innocently stated, "When I try launching a simple spell like Ariel Slash, I release too much Soul energy. That's why I can only depend on my magic once or twice during a battle."
Valerie was known for her exceptional magic control. Her efficiency while using spells was truly admirable. As such, Rhea thought why not ask the best?
Valerie crossed her arms, and told her, "Attack me."
Rhea was startled, "W-What?"
Austin slowly stepped back as he heard Valerie taunting, "What happened? Can't you?"
"But it would be too much…you are too close to dodge," Rhea argued, finding it absurd how Valerie could ask her to launch an attack from this close.
Suddenly, Valerie summoned her Shard; the menacing presence of the Spear twisted the air and released crackles from the divine armament.
With her eyes cold as steel, Valerie added, "If you don't, then I will." Her words died by the violent noise of her Shard as she swung toward Rhea, and in a panic, Rhea launched a Wind Blade.
*CLANG*
Valerie easily swatted the advancing blade and allowed Rhea to calm down first.
The pink head opened her eyes and asked in disbelief, "Why did you do that?!"
Ignoring her complaint, she explained, "See that? Just because you were in a panic, you released a huge amount of Soul Energy in that single attack." Allowing her Spear to disintegrate, she added, "Your emotions heavily control the magic control. First, go and calm your mind before trying to use spells."
Rhea clutched the handle of the blade tightly as with a resolute expression, she responded,
"Understood!"
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A/N:- Heroine learning from the Villainess. Drop a comment.