“That’s it for today. Thanks, A Tao.”
“No problem at all. Honestly, your training helped me out a ton.”
“Glad I could be of help.”
“Hehe, Jianle, you’d look even better if you smiled, you know?”
“I think I’m fine the way I am…”
“But if you lift the corners of your mouth like this, you’ll be more popular.”
“I don’t mind not being popular… and could you not stand so close?”
Jadecrest Academy was split into two main districts: the East and the West.
The East District was dedicated to academic subjects and the study of magical arts.
The West District, however, boasted the largest practical combat training grounds in the entire Ober Empire.
At this moment, in the fourth training field of the junior division, two white-haired girls stood at the center of the arena.
Dorothy beamed with a wide smile, practically snuggling up to the cold-faced Jianle like she was hugging a big teddy bear.
If you ignored the dozen or so people lying unconscious all around them, sprawled in every direction, it might have looked like a beautiful scene—something worthy of being framed and sold as a poster.
Though, anyone who bought it would surely be scammed.
“I’m starving! Jianle, let’s grab something to eat. Sheffil, get up already. If you keep lying there, we’re leaving without you!”
“I’m done for… I’m about to die here. You two go ahead. Let me rest a bit longer.”
On top of the human pile, Sheffil lifted his upper body weakly to reply, only to flop back down like a ragdoll.
“Hmph, then I’m not paying you for helping with training today~ Eh?! Jianle, why are you pulling me?”
“If he’s not coming, let’s just go. Don’t bother with him.”
The icy beauty pulled Dorothy by the hand and walked out the gate without looking back.
Being dragged along, Dorothy glanced at Jianle curiously before turning and shouting, “Catch you later, Sheffil!”
“Yeah,” Sheffil raised a hand in reply, watching as Jianle stiffened awkwardly at the sudden hug, while Dorothy laughed cheerfully.
The two quickly disappeared down the corridor.
“Ah~ That walking disaster is finally gone.”
“Seriously! I thought she was going to rip my bones apart!”
“Ugh, Jianle was way too brutal today.”
“Even sweet little Dorothy got vicious. I can’t take it anymore, sob…”
“Where’s Sheffil? Hey Sheffil, save us! Aren’t you usually the one who gets hit the most?”
“Don’t even start. Jianle looked like she’d been fed gunpowder today. She was going full berserk on Sheffil—he didn’t last long before he ‘collapsed from critical injury.’”
The moment Jianle finally left, the pile of collapsed bodies sprang back to life.
Even Sheffil, who moments ago looked like he’d been stabbed in the kidneys, leapt to his feet, spinning in the air twice before landing like nothing had happened.
“Yeah… Jianle was definitely pissed. She nearly busted my kidney.”
Clutching his side, Sheffil winced.
The moment he saw Jianle this morning, the violent girl had blasted him in the kidney with a surprise light blade.
He nearly didn’t survive.
“Hey, Sheffil, can’t you ask your childhood friend to go a little easier on us? Our second-in-command in the Wild Dog Fist Club is terrified of her. Just hearing her name makes him tremble. He won’t even come to practice unless the club leader forces him!”
As someone grumbled, a large hand slapped Sheffil on the shoulder.
He turned to see a burly guy behind him with a miserable look on his face.
Sheffil recognized him.
The guy had been at the joint event between the Fist Club and the Vocal Society.
But since most members of the Wild Dog Fist Club were big, rough, bear-like guys, they didn’t exactly score high with the delicate girls of the Vocal Society.
This guy had been one of the quiet wallflowers that day.
“You’ll have to take it up with Dorothy. Your bro Sheffil here has already fallen from grace. Dorothy doesn’t even take me seriously anymore~”
Sheffil spread his hands with a helpless smile.
The injured crowd around them burst into laughter.
“Sheffil, weren’t you just saying Dorothy’s your precious treasure a few days ago? That she’d never disobey you?”
“Bro, didn’t I just see you last week steal Dorothy’s pudding? She and Lucia chased you for three blocks and beat you up!”
“You don’t get it. That was before the patch. She’s in her overpowered phase now, okay?”
“Oh yeah, sure, sure.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
“You’re always right.”
The atmosphere grew lively and cheerful.
Since everyone came to the training grounds every weekend to get beat up—and since Sheffil usually took the brunt of the damage—they’d all gotten pretty close.
Of course, more than a few people were trying to use Sheffil to get closer to Dorothy too.
“So Sheffil, did you actually do something to make Jianle mad?”
After the laughter died down, the burly guy slung an arm around Sheffil and asked seriously.
Normally, even if Jianle beat them all into the ground, it was done through proper training.
But today… it felt different.
Every strike from Jianle was filled with killing intent.
It was like she really wanted to knock someone out cold.
Especially the hits aimed at Sheffil—they were on a whole other level.
If not for the training grounds’ strict safety rules, Sheffil might’ve left a few body parts behind today.
“Maybe I did. Hopefully she cools off in a few days.”
“Looking at you now, doesn’t seem likely.”
The burly guy let go of Sheffil and left with the other Fist Club members, tossing a joke over his shoulder as he walked off, “By the way, haven’t seen you at any meetups lately. What’s up? Settling down? Looking for a girlfriend? Later!”
“What’re you talking about? I just went to one the other day. Later.”
Sheffil raised a hand in farewell and stood up, planning to grab something to eat.
They weren’t wrong—Jianle was clearly furious today.
But…
“What the hell did I do?”
As he walked, Sheffil opened up the Affection Meter and checked Jianle’s detailed profile.
Her favorability rating toward Dorothy hadn’t changed since yesterday—no increase or decrease.
Nothing in the logs had been updated either.
And yet… her mood had obviously taken a dive.
“Come on, Dorothy. If this keeps up, your beloved childhood friend’s gonna get murdered by your main girl.”
Scratching his head, Sheffil sighed.
Jianle really had been angry yesterday.
He’d better make sure she never saw his collection of fan-made comics about her at home.
Guess he’d have to buy her something to eat—otherwise, he’d be rotting in jail for the next few days.
With that thought, Sheffil let out a long sigh.
Dating a girl like Jianle was just too much trouble.
He sent a mental broadcast to all his brothers: Do not date this type of girl.
This is a serious warning!
“Hm? Isn’t this—Mr. Sheffil from yesterday?”
A gentle voice snapped Sheffil back to reality.
He turned to see a girl in a long, dark robe standing at the entrance to the training ground.
She cradled a striking longsword in her arms and greeted him with a bright smile.