Royal Princess of Blood

In a training hall, sparks scattered in the air as loud clangings rang out, steel clashing against steel. It was a battle of skill between swordsmen. Satomi panted as she kept moving, stepping forward and back, swinging her sword, trying to land a hit. Sweat beaded on her brow. This battle had been continuous without rest.

A sword struck the side of her waist, pushing her sideways, pain radiated intensely. With a wincing face, she quickly dashed to the side to evade another oncoming attack. The swords were dull and blunted on the edges, so they shouldn’t cause fatal wounds. Just merely used for training. But being hit without armor by a piece of metal was still plenty painful.

Her opponent was her teacher.

He was a tall man with a well-built body in his late forties. His brown hair was short, and he had sharp, dark eyes. He held a severe look on his face as he closely observed Satomi. Tori Endou, a commander of the city’s army, and among the mightiest warriors on the island. After he heard what happened on Hokunoa, he immediately ordered Satomi to meet with him the next day.

“Even after going to Hokunoa, you barely grew. How embarrassing.”

“T-Teacher, I—”

He slammed his blade down violently, and Satomi raised her sword to block it. Instantly, she tilted her blade slightly, making her teacher’s blade slide off hers. However, as it did, a boot suddenly crashed into her belly, and she was blown against the wall.

“Agh!” She could feel it, her teacher’s fury and disappointment. She coughed as she knelt on the floor.

“Stand, we are not done.”

She sensed an attack coming, and she quickly dodged away, the teacher’s blade hitting the ground.

“I would have understood your inferiority against those that ambushed your convoy. But to show no growth at all in your skills is astonishing. At this rate, you wouldn’t be able to defend Lady Miyako against worse enemies.”

“I-I can!” She charged forward and thrust her sword at him. Her blade was parried, but she quickly withdrew it and made a wide swing. But her teacher blocked them again.

Tori stepped forward and abruptly did a swift forward swing, and Satomi shifted her body backward, barely evading the blade. She rushed backward, retreating for a moment to collect herself and mull over how to continue from here on out. But she couldn’t see an opening to her teacher’s stance at all.

“You’re losing composure!” Tori extended his arm and thrust the blade right at her face.

Satomi frantically moved her blade and blocked the attack with the flat of her sword.

Too close…!

But she took the chance. She shoved the enemy’s blade and moved forward, swinging from below. She remembered her past lessons. If there were no opening, perhaps there would be at the moment of the enemy attack.

However, her teacher was faster, and he withdrew backward. “Good!”

Satomi didn’t stop, and she charged forward. She swung her blade with intense swiftness, unleashing relentless attacks one after another. However, Tori would either parry her attacks or dodge them.

“Still the same as last time. You showed no growth.” He vigorously parried her blade, and he subsequently leaned forward and struck Satomi in the chest with his hilt.

“Guh!” Then, he kicked her again, sending her staggering backward.

“Did you not face anything challenging out there to test your mettle?!”

“I…” she coughed as she knelt in pain.

“Perhaps it was a mistake to let you rely a bit too much on your magic.”

“Teacher… I… I’m sorry…”

He pointed his blade at her face, glaring down at her. “Listen, girl, stagnation is your greatest enemy in being a warrior. Failing to grow, when the time comes, how can you hope to defend your master?”

Satomi lowered her gaze.

“Did you perhaps grow too complacent? Being out there in a foreign environment would have been a good chance to experience something new. Grow. I wouldn’t have expected more, but after hearing what happened, I thought you would have faced challenges that will help you grow. But it would seem I was wrong.”

Satomi clenched her sword, frustrated. Indeed, he was right. Satomi and her lady went on foot for most of their journey on Hokunoa. They were immersed in the wilderness's mercy. But there was just no monster there that was up to par with her.

No… there was a mistake…

“Your magic may be strong, but I told you raw skills are as important. You failed to hone it.”

She should have faced the monsters out there, even the human enemies, with her swordsmanship alone. No magic. Perhaps it would have given her a challenge and helped her grow. Still, she didn’t find creatures nor people that would actually give her a challenge…

No… there were.

Estelia, she was among those who could have given her a challenge. However, Estelia would not agree to a duel. She was conserving her strength as some who had some health issues. There was the demon, but she couldn’t even damage him properly. There was just never a proper chance.

No, there must have been something I could have done…

“Teacher… I didn’t have the chance to receive any real challenge, except when Lady Miyako was in danger. I couldn’t afford to hold back.”

Tori withdrew his blade. “Could be. But knowing your flaws in fighting those assassins, you could have tried to improve yourself.”

“... Yes… Those assassins were more skilled than I...”

“Did you rely too much on these allies you met?”

Satomi’s eyes widened for a second before slowly nodding. “It would seem so.”

“Whatever, you will undergo another training. I plan to throw you into a den of monsters. You shall not use any kind of magic except for your body, but limited.”

“... I understand.”

“After what happened to Hokunoa… I need you to grow as soon as possible. There’s no telling what’s going to happen from now on.” Tori laid the sword back on its shelf.

Satomi slowly stood up, groaning in pain. She was definitely bruised in various parts of her body.

“How strong are these friends that you so relied on during your journey?”

Satomi returned her sword to the shelf. “... Some of them are way stronger than any of us.”

“Is that normal for people from the continent?”

Satomi shook her head. “No, they say we’re all stronger than their average warriors.”

“Is that so? Then what makes your friends special?”

One is an immortal man, one is a monster in the form of a little girl, and a princess who possessed the skills of a ninja and a mage. But not like I can say to anyone about the first two.

“They’re just strong…”

“Really stronger than me?”

“... Yes.”

“Huh, which one do you respect the most?”

“... The princess.”

Tori raised an eyebrow, he found it hard to believe. “That frail-looking girl?”

“... She is indeed frail, but there’s more to her. She did save our lives from our pursuers.”

“Hm… I want to meet her.”

“If you want to ask her to a match, don’t bother. She won’t do it. Besides, she is not a warrior.”

It wouldn’t be a fair match.

“What is she then?”

“She is similar to a ninja, but can also cast powerful magic spells.”

“Oh, a ninja, huh… And you say I could not beat her despite that? Warriors beat ninjas in a direct battle.”

“I don’t think you can beat her.”

Tori briefly laughed. “Now I want to actually meet her. Where is she?”

“... I can’t say. But she should be around.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be that hard to find her.” He gestured to a soldier nearby, and the latter rushed towards him. “Find the white-haired guest, tell me where she is.”

***

“T-Teacher, are you truly going to meet her?” Satomi asked as she followed beside him.

“I’d like to take a close look at the person who saved you. Express my thanks personally.”

“Surely that’s not all there is.”

“And not always we could meet people from the continent. This is a rare chance.”

“A-At least show your kind face.”

“What are you trying to say, Satomi? I direct my scorn only to you.”

Satomi let out a sigh. That was true. He was usually a friendly person towards other people. It was just a different kind of treatment towards his own apprentice. It was saddening for Satomi, but that was just how it was.

They found the white-haired guest in a shed, sitting down and seeming to enjoy the fresh air. It was not far from her and her team’s lodgings. With her was the usual Velar. Estelia noticed their presence and turned a glance at them.

“So you’re the one that saved my apprentice,” Tori said.

“Apprentice?” She glanced at Satomi. “You mean Satomi?”

Satomi bowed. “Good morning, Lady Estelia. My teacher just wanted to meet you.”

“... Miyako mentioned you were with your teacher…”

Satomi glanced at her teacher, and she noticed him directing a scrutinizing look at Estelia.

“I’m Tori Endou, but call me Tori.” He extended a hand towards Estelia.

“Estelia.” She shook his hand. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Tori sat down on a chair, resting his arm on the table. “I want to thank you for saving my apprentice.”

“... Um, don’t mention it.” She smiled slightly.

“I heard a little about you. Satomi respects you a lot.”

“Is that so? That’s a surprise.” Estelia kept a casual demeanor.

“She mentioned your abilities. A ninja and a mage.”

Estelia’s cheek twitched ever so slightly. “I am not a ninja, Sir Tori.”

“Oh? You don’t like to be referred to as a ninja?”

“Because that’s not what I am.”

“Then I misspoke, I meant something similar to a ninja.”

“... Hm. If that’s how you want to see it.” She seemed uncomfortable.

“I’m curious… I find it surprising that you’re strong. Your appearance betrays your strength.”

Estelia briefly chuckled. “My appearance never betrays me in any way, Sir Tori. My beauty is part of my strength.”

“Is that so? Perhaps it is different for women.”

Satomi couldn’t fully understand it though. Her own beauty was never her strong suit in battle, it was never part of her strength.

But she had witnessed how Estelia used her beauty, and in a way, it was lethal.

“At any rate, I’m curious about the person who defeated the elites sent after Lady Miyako. But to be honest, it’s hard to imagine how you operate, sort of say. But…” He chuckled. “You are quite an observant person, Lady Estelia.”

Estelia frowned. “I can guess you’re interested in seeing my power. So no, I will not have a match with you.”

Of course she guessed it outright.

“Why? After hearing Satomi say that you’re stronger than me, I’m interested in proving it.”

“There’s no point. Besides, I’m just a girl.” She shrugged.

Suddenly, a hand struck towards Estelia’s face. But it stopped right before the fingers could touch her, and Velar’s blade was already pointed at Tori’s neck.

Satomi became anxious.

Tori grinned. “You didn’t even flinch and…” He glanced at the dagger pointed down at his extended hand. “Impressive.”

Estelia had a dagger that would have stabbed down into his hand, preventing him from even touching her. Even Satomi was flabbergasted. She couldn’t even follow Estelia drawing her dagger. If this were serious, she could have impaled Tori’s hand on the table.

“If you wish to spar with someone strong, fight Velar here, or Taneva. Apologies, but I have to preserve my strength.” She withdrew her blade. “At any rate, are you satisfied?”

He retracted his hand just as Velar withdrew his large sword.

“Yeah. But your guard here is a bit slow.”

“Understandable. You are naturally stronger. You people of this archipelago are mostly stronger than us.”

“Why is that, though?”

“You face constant danger here. Endless monsters. That’s not the case on the continent.”

“Huh, of course. Sounds like paradise.”

Estelia slightly smiled. “Compared to your lands, yes. But my knight will grow stronger in time. I have faith.”

“Heh, I’ll go find this Taneva then.” He stood up. “It was nice meeting you, Lady Estelia.”

With that, he left.

***

Fucking battle freaks!

Just gonna come here and ask to fight?! Like, what the fuck?! So annoying. No wonder Satomi was given a rough time by that guy. Guy’s obsessed with everything strong and shit.

And Velar being a bit slow? Of course he would be! Didn’t he see Velar’s giant fucking sword?! That’s not something to be quickly drawn. It’s a greatsword for goodness’s sake. You can’t quick-draw that.

You know, I get the feeling that man is not fair at all.

Poor Satomi.

“Apologies for being too slow, Your Highness,” Velar said with a regretful face.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Each of our abilities has a fitting place. A quick draw is not yours. I can handle surprise attacks. That’s not something completely up to you.”

“Then… what should be?”

“Kill my enemies, defend me when in battle. That right there was just a surprise attack for no good reason, it was not a battle. It’s irrelevant.”

“I see…” Velar lowered his head. “Could your other knights have stopped that?”

“No,” I doubted that even Rogan could have responded to that in time.

“... I promise, I will grow stronger, Princess.”

I stared at him. “You don’t have to say that. I already know you would.”

He mildly nodded. “For the cleanup, should I participate? To test myself.”

“... Hm, if the chance arises. If there are more than one that will pop up out here, perhaps you and Hartwin can.”

“Demons fight differently from men and monsters, actually fighting one myself will be a valuable experience.”

“That’s why I’m proud to have you as my knight.” I stood up with a wide smile. “Anyway, he fouled my mood. Let’s go look for another scenery.”