Shield of the Rose

Early in the morning, a cheerful humming echoed from the kitchen.

Richie was happily preparing a salmon—a cold-water Sumsha salmon. Its flesh was dense, its body round, and its skin tough and scales hard, making it exceptionally difficult to clean.

This fish had actually been prepared specifically for Richie’s practice.

He held not a knife but a sheet of paper—high-grade copperplate paper, smooth and glossy, carefully cut into a curved, crescent shape.

As long as one infused it with Aura, even a sheet of paper could slice open a salmon, though the application of Aura required extreme precision. If he merely channeled Aura into the paper, it would become as hard as steel, but that wasn’t what Richie needed.

He was currently practicing the advanced application of “A Glass of Blood.” Launching the vortex was merely the first step. “A Glass of Blood” was a cyclical, circular vibrational shockwave.

While normal shockwaves dissipated rapidly, a circular shockwave did the opposite. Its defining feature was concentration—extreme concentration. When condensed to its absolute limit, the shockwave became sharper than any steel blade.

He had learned this from Lina, who rationed her explanations like squeezing toothpaste, only telling him a tiny bit at a time, which annoyed him greatly.

Flicking open the paper blade, Richie carefully funneled his Aura into it.

With a soft rip, the paper blade tore apart, the edges frayed into threads as if rubbed repeatedly.

Richie remained in good spirits, unfazed by this minor setback. He swept the torn paper into a nearby wastebasket, which already held a heap of similar scraps.

On the left side of the table lay a thick stack of paper blades. The materials were cheap and easy to make, so he didn’t care how many he went through.

After destroying nearly a dozen paper blades, someone finally entered the kitchen. It was Merlin.

Merlin kept letting out quiet chuckles. Richie knew what she was laughing about but chose to ignore it.

Merlin was in charge of the kitchen and had her own work to do. The prep table was massive, offering plenty of space on both sides, so Richie didn’t get in her way.

Looking at the bin full of shredded paper, Merlin sighed gently. “Still haven’t succeeded once? Perhaps you should try a tougher material.”

“No, this is best. It tells me exactly where I failed. It’s much better than when I started. Back then, the paper would split in two instantly. Now, the tears are shredded, which means the force is successfully dispersing,” Richie explained easily.

Merlin smiled and offered no further advice. For a person to have their own ideas meant they had matured; even a wrong decision was better than hesitation.

Besides, she didn’t think Richie’s approach was wrong.

A moment later, Dana walked in. She said nothing, sitting quietly at a corner of the dining table, her gaze drifting toward Richie.

She hadn’t slept with Richie last night; she wasn’t thick-skinned enough for that. Yet, lying in her own bed, she had tossed and turned. Without knowing why, she had ended up wandering down to the kitchen.

What had she come for? To look at the disciple who had just taken her virginity? The boy wasn’t much to look at.

Dana felt her heart and mind in complete disarray.

As time passed, the barracks grew noisier. Lina was the first to come down. She sneaked a glance at Dana in the corner before quickly turning away.

With nothing to do, Lina walked over to Richie and offered a lazy critique. “This won’t do. You’ve made no progress at all. This is only the basics.”

Richie grew annoyed at her teasing. He snatched a thin-bladed slicing knife from the rack, flicked his wrist, and sliced the salmon into three neat fillets.

“Is that good enough?” Richie smiled with pride. Slicing the flesh relied on the vibrational wave focused at the edge of the blade, and he hadn’t expected to succeed on the first try.

Lina immediately rapped his head with her knuckles. “Look at you, talking back just because you’ve grown some feathers. You’re still far from ready.”

Merlin smiled as she watched them bicker. She took the salmon; Richie’s display hadn’t been in vain, as she needed the fish for breakfast, and it was almost time to serve.

With a sizzle, the salmon hit the hot pan, releasing a mouthwatering aroma that filled the kitchen.

“Smells incredible! Such a feast for breakfast? Is there some good news?”

Only Rosa would enter with such energy. Though childish, she wasn’t stupid, and her eyes quickly locked onto Dana in the corner.

“Aha,” she nodded, walking over to Merlin.

Robin entered right after Rosa, looking tired and out of sorts, as if she hadn’t slept at all.

Before this, she had been cool toward Richie, but now she treated him like a plague carrier, taking a wide detour around him.

Robin sat at the table and looked at Dana. “I’m the only one left now. I thought about it all night and decided to apply for a transfer out of the squad.”

Dana said nothing, and the others showed no intention of stopping her.

Silence fell over the kitchen, broken only by the sizzling of the salmon.

Gradually, the rest of the squad arrived—Calli, Margaret, the three sisters, and finally Nora.

Everyone took their seats. Richie naturally sat as far from Robin as possible; it was an unwritten rule, as Robin loathed him and he had no fondness for her either.

Merlin distributed the food with Margaret’s help. It was originally Richie’s job, but since Robin refused to touch anything Richie had handled, Margaret had taken over.

“So many things have happened lately, my head is spinning,” Captain Calli said, rubbing her forehead wearily. “There are two things I should have told you yesterday.”

She pointed her fork at Richie and smiled. “To settle the dust from the duel and offer some compensation, the high command has approved…”

Calli dragged out her words before saying, “You are now an official member of Squad 105.”

Laughter erupted in the kitchen, everyone except Robin looking delighted.

Richie found it hard to believe. “But I’m not a Knight yet!”

Lina snorted at his confusion. “You’re stupid, but high command isn’t. You just humiliated Gerold in front of a crowd. His title as a genius has been known for years, even to foreigners. If high command didn’t acknowledge your victory, the embarrassment would fall on them.”

“Indeed. From now on, although your rank remains Apprentice Knight, your benefits, equipment, and stipend will match those of a full Knight,” Calli confirmed.

Richie grinned. Other Knights might not care about money, but he did.

In contrast, Robin’s expression grew darker. She was about to present her verbal transfer request when Calli announced the second piece of news.

“Yesterday, the Republic formally joined the Dante Alliance. The treaty has been signed, and the auxiliary clauses are finalized. As part of the agreement, the Alliance will send observers to study the enemy’s strength and help us design a defense system, along with a shipment of military supplies.”

The eldest of the three sisters chimed in, “What does that have to do with us?”

“Everything,” Calli sighed. “An observer will temporarily join our squad.”

“No!” the girls cried in unison.

“Can we reject it?” Lina asked urgently.

“Do you think I want an observer here?” Calli retorted.

Silence fell. Everyone knew that Squad 105’s secrets could never be exposed to outsiders; otherwise, a massive scandal would erupt, and no one would escape.

“Who is the observer? I might be able to pull some strings,” Lina suggested, willing to mobilize her family connections to block it.

“You know her, and so does Robin,” Calli said. “The genius girl, Trisli.”

“No!”

Another collective gasp rose, but this time it was far louder, and Lina and Robin stood up at the same instant.

Robin was shocked because Trisli was the woman she loved—a taboo love she kept buried in her heart. She couldn’t allow the woman she loved to fall into Richie’s hands.

In Robin’s eyes, Richie possessed some strange power to lure women. If he were a charming playboy or used obvious tricks, she wouldn’t be so terrified. But he didn’t. Yet every woman around him threw themselves into his arms.

Another source of fear was the dual training method. Robin didn’t know the details, as she never asked, so she was unaware that Randy’s presence was the key. She attributed the girls’ rapid progress entirely to Richie.

She had watched them grow stronger, a speed that had occasionally tempted her. But she had crushed that temptation and buried it, keeping her distance from Richie.

She was glad she had held out, but she was certain Trisli wouldn’t. Trisli’s obsession with strength exceeded Dana’s and Margaret’s; those who knew her knew she cared only for the title of Sword Saint.

Unlike Robin’s worries, Lina simply loathed the genius girl.

She had loathed her since childhood.

Trisli had always seemed hypocrite to her, her words, actions, and expressions crafted for show. The girl looked perfect but was rotten inside.

Part of the hatred stemmed from the fact that Trisli had always bested her. During their exchange student days in Ormor, Trisli had dominated her. Whatever class Lina took, Trisli joined; whatever art Lina studied, Trisli did the same, taking pleasure in surpassing her.

The memory still left Lina feeling weak.

Seeing Lina and Robin react so violently, Calli felt reassured. If those two went all out, they might block the assignment.

“I don’t want an outsider here either,” Calli said, pointing at them. “I leave this to you two.”

Her mood improved, Calli turned to Robin. “You seemed to have something to say earlier. What was it?”

Robin’s face shifted through several expressions before she shook her head. “Nothing… it’s nothing.”

She dared not request a transfer now. If she couldn’t stop Trisli, staying in the squad allowed her to protect her. Without her… she dared not think about it.

With her mind troubled, Robin swallowed her food without tasting it, stood up, and left without a word. She forgot she needed to request leave first.

Fortunately, everyone understood her intent and treated it as approved.

Once outside, Robin sprinted. A Knight’s running speed could match a fast horse, though female Knights rarely did so because it looked unrefined, ruined their uniforms, and messed up their hair. Normally, they took carriages.

Carriages ran from the town to the city center every half hour, but Robin couldn’t wait.

Running had the benefit of avoiding traffic. With her agility, she could leap across streets, eventually jumping onto the roofs to take a straight line to her destination.

The seventh district of Peines was the embassy district, housing most foreign consulates and embassies. It also featured a bustling commercial zone centered around Concord Square.

The square was massive, with seven roads intersecting, lined with hotels and restaurants.

Robin dropped down from the roofs before reaching the square. In the city center, leaping across roofs during a diplomatic summit would mark her as an assassin.

She adjusted her uniform, realizing she looked like a soldier fleeing a defeat. But she had no time to worry.

Trisli stayed at the Karufran Hotel, where the Ormor delegation occupied the entire third floor.

It was a fourteenth-century building with a retro style, featuring an arcade on the ground floor that housed cafes and restaurants. The upper floors held guest rooms with wide balconies and French windows, topped by a roof garden.

Robin was a regular visitor, and the staff greeted her warmly.

Due to the presence of the Ormor delegation, guards stood in the lobby, and they recognized her as well.

“I’m here to see Trisli,” Robin said, not wanting to fill out the forms required to go upstairs.

A moment later, Trisli drifted down like a breeze, calling out from a distance, “Nice! I didn’t expect you to visit. I was about to share some good news with you.”

Approaching, Trisli looked at her in surprise. “What happened? You look so exhausted! Did something happen?”

Robin didn’t want to talk in the lobby, as their matters were private. She pulled Trisli toward a cafe on the east side of the hotel. It was a quiet, secluded spot with small booths separated by glass partitions. Curtains could be drawn to ensure complete privacy.

“Are you joining our squad?” Robin asked seriously.

“You already know?” Trisli smiled. “You’ve always wanted us to be together. Now you got your wish.”

“What wish?” Robin snapped. “Why didn’t you tell me first? There are things you don’t understand.”

She was close to tears; she couldn’t explain the squad’s secrets, yet without doing so, she couldn’t convince Trisli to stay away.

Trisli, being a genius, smiled and draped an arm over Robin’s shoulder. “I want to join precisely to find out your secrets.”

“Why?” Robin couldn’t understand, though she suspected it related to Lina becoming an Ace Knight.

The rivalry between Lina and Trisli was well known among them. They were exchange students together, though Robin was several classes behind. Because her family was close to Trisli’s, she had remained neutral.

“I was shocked when I saw Lina become an Ace Knight,” Trisli said softly. “I know her talent. If she hadn’t suffered that slump, she would be an Ace Knight by now. But as far as I know, she hadn’t recovered two years ago. I cannot imagine how she made such progress in so short a time.”

Robin’s face turned grim. “You really care about her.”

“I care about you too,” Trisli whispered, waving her hand to draw the curtains.

Her right hand slipped inside Robin’s uniform, cupping her breast, while her other hand reached into Robin’s trousers.

The rumors of their relationship were true, though no one would have guessed that the dominant partner was the perfect genius girl rather than the tomboy Robin.

“I’ve made you suffer,” Trisli stroked Robin’s clitoris, having already opened her uniform.

“It’s fine. I’ve grown used to the male attire,” Robin murmured.

This was their agreement. In private, Trisli was the husband and Robin the wife, but in public, the roles had to be reversed. The world could accept a lesbian genius, but it would never accept a dominant role that defied convention. Thus, Robin played the tomboy, while Nice only appeared in front of Trisli.

“My love, do you think I don’t know your worries?” Trisli giggled. “If only Lina were anomalous, I wouldn’t suspect anything. But when I saw Margaret, I knew your squad held a secret. Even with my talent, I couldn’t progress this fast.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?” Robin complained.

“Was there a need? My eyes are not blind. During the duel, I saw that everyone in your squad except you and Dana had lost their virginity, yet you two had the worst progress.” Trisli smiled like a clever fox. “Your secret must be dual training.”

Robin fell silent. She knew the others would be shocked if they heard this.

“Now I am the only virgin left in the squad,” Robin said quietly.

Trisli wasn’t surprised. She guided Robin’s hand to her own vulva, letting her stroke it, releasing a soft moan. “I want to see the effect of this dual training. Dana’s duel in a month will be the perfect test.”

Robin stiffened. “Did you set that up?”

“I merely gave a nudge,” Trisli giggled. “But even without me, Carvin would have done it.”

“You’ve harmed Dana,” Robin grumbled. She had a decent relationship with Dana.

“It’s fine,” Trisli dismissed. “Dana cares about strength too.”

“What about you?” Robin asked, her main worry surfacing. “Would you… would you sleep with that boy for strength?”

Trisli fell silent, which terrified Robin, proving Trisli had considered it.

“I won’t lie to you. For now, I won’t rely on external power,” Trisli said with pride. “Dual training offers quick progress at the start, but as one’s rank increases, the effect fades. It cannot compare to solid, independent cultivation. I won’t sacrifice my future potential for temporary gain.”

“Then why join us?” Robin sat up, staring at the genius girl.

“I won’t use it now, but I am interested in the method. I am certain it isn’t any dual training art I know.”

Trisli was sure of this. Dual training was a shortcut, but progress this fast was unnatural. If cultivation was walking, normal dual training was taking a shortcut, but Squad 105 was riding a horse. She wanted to unlock the secret so she could ride a horse on the main road.

“Furthermore, I am interested in the boy. His arts are bizarre; I only recognized the ‘Chakram Slash.’”

Trisli closed her eyes, leaning against Robin as she recalled Richie’s moves.

Robin knew she couldn’t change Trisli’s mind and gave up on her transfer.

“Shall we go to my room?” Trisli whispered. The offer made Robin’s heart leap; she desired intimacy as much as anyone, even if her preference was unusual.

Trisli’s suite on the third floor was luxurious, reflecting the Ormor Empire’s high regard for Knights. The suite had a living room, bedroom, study, and a dressing room.

Once inside, Trisli led Robin to the dressing room, where they spent a long time applying makeup.

Only here could Robin play the woman. She loved makeup and cosmetics, and back in Glasslovar, she would hide under her blanket to apply it at night, washing it off before dawn.

With eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, and a wig from Trisli, the tomboy Nice was replaced by a beautiful woman.

“Your aura is so pure,” Trisli embraced Nice. Her praise was sincere; the Nice hidden inside Robin felt pure, the complete opposite of her public persona.

Soon, they stripped and tangled in each other’s arms.

Their tongues met in a passionate kiss, a display of technique that would have amazed even Lina.

Trisli lifted Robin and carried her to the bed, tossing her onto the soft mattress.

She dragged Robin to the edge, letting her upper body rest on the mattress while her knees knelt on the footbench, her hips raised high.

Robin looked fragile, her hips elevated.

Trisli stroked Robin’s vulva, touching the thin hymen with a laugh. “Let’s not break this treasure, or I won’t be able to replace it.”

She opened the drawer, revealing a collection of toys. She selected two soft pink rubber patches.

She pressed one onto Robin’s vulva and the other onto her own. Their vulvas were completely hairless, and the patches stuck tight like a second skin, covering the vagina while leaving the clitoris and anus exposed.

The patches protected their virginity, preventing any accidental tearing of the hymen.

Moreover, the underside of the patches was lined with short, soft bristles that stimulated the nerves with a scratching sensation far more intense than any hand.

“Do you want the large wire or the small one?” Trisli asked, tapping Robin’s hip.

“The small one. The large one almost killed me last time,” Robin said, swaying her hips.

Trisli pulled a thin wire with sparse bristles from a glass tube and slid it through a hole in Robin’s rubber patch into her vagina. The bristles didn’t harm the hymen but stimulated the vaginal walls.

Robin endured the intense pleasure, contracting her walls to draw the wire deeper.

Trisli stroked Robin’s hips, teasing, “Your future husband will be lucky—a virgin with such incredible skills.”

“Aren’t you my husband?” Robin smiled, grabbing the other wire and sliding it into Trisli’s vagina. “My skills were all taught by you anyway.”

“You…” Trisli pressed Robin down. “I must show you who is master here.”

She reached into the drawer and pulled out a bristle-covered ball.

“No, not that! I haven’t cleared my bowels, it will be dirty,” Robin cried. The main reason was fear; that toy had given her nightmares for weeks.

“Fine. I’ll clear them for you first,” Trisli pulled out a leather bag with a jade tip.

“No, no,” Robin covered her rear. “We don’t have time today. We have plenty of time later.”

Trisli laughed and tossed the toys aside. She only wanted to tease her. She embraced Robin, and the two rolled onto the bed.

The two lilies tangled, rubbing their bodies together.

Without any harsh toys, there was no division of roles; they simply stroked each other’s sensitive areas.

Their touch was light and precise, knowing exactly which spots on the skin were most sensitive and what pressure to apply.

Soon, both were covered in sweat, the rubber patches and wires driving them to a high state of arousal. “Oh… yes… it feels so good… I missed you so much,” Robin murmured, gently biting Trisli’s breast. The bite was precise, causing no pain but a sharp thrill. Her fingers traced Trisli’s hips.

“I missed you too… but you should focus on your training; your talent isn’t inferior to mine,” Trisli said, scratching Robin’s ribs and armpits with a feather-light touch.

Men preferred a storm of passion due to their urge to dominate, but women enjoyed a gentle, lingering pleasure. Being women, they knew exactly what they needed.

“Ready to climax?” Trisli asked.

Robin nodded.

They moved into the “69” position.

Both worked their fingers on the other’s clitoris, channeling a pulse of Aura through the wires to the bristles.

Suddenly, both let out a sharp cry.

“Ah… yes… it’s too much… I’m dying…”

“Ah… yes… yes…”

They locked their legs around each other’s necks, their bodies tensing as they climaxed together, their vaginal walls contracting in rhythm.

It was an intense climax, a level of play even Lina rarely tried.

They kept up the stimulation even after the climax.

After a long while, they relaxed, lying still.

Trisli was the first to recover her strength, a reflection of her superior Knight rank. Robin remained dazed.

“I realized something,” Trisli smiled. “With how we play, no husband will ever satisfy us unless we teach him these methods.”

Robin, still dazed, murmured, “I don’t want a husband. You are my husband, I only want you.”

But as she spoke, Richie’s naked, massive shaft flashed in her mind.

It was a terrifying, beastly weapon.

Robin felt a sudden chill, her skin breaking into goosebumps, her stomach churning. She woke up instantly.

“What is it?” Trisli asked, unable to read her mind.

“Nothing. Just a nightmare, something disgusting,” Robin said, the image of his massive shaft still lingering, making her feel sick.

While Robin played with the genius girl, Lina was facing obstacles. Trisli had anticipated her interference and blocked her family connections.

Frustrated, Lina decided to confront Trisli directly at the hotel.

She didn’t receive the warm welcome Robin had, but her royal bloodline ensured no one dared stop her. She gathered Trisli’s room number and went straight up.

The door opened as she approached.

Once inside, the door locked behind her with a click.

“Is this a display of power?” Lina snapped, knowing Trisli had used her Aura to control the lock.

Such precise control proved the gap between them.

Then, Lina smelled the scent of sex.

She walked into the bedroom.

Two naked women lay on the bed.

“You really don’t care about others,” Lina said, stepping in.

“This is perfect. We both have secrets now. We won’t interfere with you, and you don’t interfere with us,” Trisli smiled.

“She told you everything?” Lina glared at Robin.

“Nice didn’t betray you. Your secret is easy to deduce,” Trisli said.

Lina didn’t doubt her; she knew how clever Trisli was.

“What do you want?” Lina asked, not wanting this ticking bomb in their squad. “If I can give it to you, I will, as long as you leave.”

“I don’t know yet. I have plenty of time to find out,” Trisli said, unfazed.

She was confident she could uncover their secret.

“With me here, your squad will progress even faster,” Trisli said, her polite facade dropped in front of Lina.

“Don’t be so sure. I will surpass you soon,” Lina said, her competitive spirit flared. She had lost in the past, but with Squad 105 behind her, she wouldn’t lose again.

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