"Sanato, are you awake? I'm coming in!" The dramatic voice of the ever-magnificent Eurieal rang through the morning air, pulling Sanato out of his dreams.
He groaned, sitting up in bed while rubbing his eyes. "Yeahhh, come in…"
Damn, today's the day… My training starts. I totally forgot.
Eurieal stepped inside with her usual flair, followed by two maids carrying trays of food. They neatly arranged the breakfast on the table before silently exiting the room.
"Eat up," Eurieal said with a mischievous grin. "You're gonna need every ounce of strength you've got to survive training with Galhaan."
Sanato raised an eyebrow. "How hard can it be?"
"Oh, sweet summer child…" Eurieal shook her head, chuckling under her breath.
Sanato shrugged and sat down to eat. Between bites, a thought popped into his head. "By the way, Sis Eurieal… what does Rank G mean?"
Eurieal blinked. "Rank G? Never heard of it. Why do you ask?"
"Ah, no reason. Just had a weird dream or something." Sanato gave her a casual smile, trying to hide the lie. She doesn't know either… What the hell is this rank? Maybe it's best I keep quiet about it for now.
After he finished his royal breakfast, Eurieal clapped her hands, and the maids returned to clean up.
"Alright, time to go. Galhaan must be waiting for you, little hero." She led the way with her usual regal confidence.
The training ground was a bit of a walk from the castle, nestled on the edge of a forest used for practice drills. The field was vast and open, perfect for combat training. Sanato could feel the atmosphere shift as they approached.
"Welcome to the training ground, Hero Sanato," a deep voice called out.
Galhaan stood waiting with his arms crossed, his towering figure casting a long shadow on the ground.
Sanato scratched the back of his head. "Just call me Sanato. I'm really not used to the whole 'hero' thing."
"As you wish," Galhaan nodded. Then he glanced at Eurieal. "Princess, shouldn't you be watching Hero Meharu's training?"
"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Eurieal said, pretending to be shocked. "Don't be too mean to Sanato, okay?" she added with a wink.
Sanato caught a faint blush on her face as she turned away at the mention of Meharu. Huh… Did something happen between those two?
Once she was gone, Galhaan's expression changed. A huge, wicked grin stretched across his face.
"Alright, Sanato. Let's begin."
Oh boy…
"First up—run," Galhaan said. "We need to work on your agility and stamina. After all, you're just an E Ranker. If you want to be of any use to your brother, you better train like your life depends on it."
Sanato hesitated. "Okay… how long do I have to run?"
"Until I'm satisfied," Galhaan said with an evil glint in his eye.
Sanato immediately regretted everything.
He started running. And running. And running.
Hours passed. His legs ached, his lungs burned, and sweat drenched his clothes. After nearly three hours, his body gave out and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Galhaan stood over him, unimpressed. "With stamina like this, how do you plan to survive on a battlefield? Forget surviving—how do you expect not to be a burden to your brother?"
Sanato clenched his fists. The words stung, but they lit a fire inside him.
I won't be dead weight.
He forced himself to stand, ignoring the burning pain in his legs. He pushed forward again, each step heavier than the last. But then—something changed. His body felt lighter. His movements became smoother. Something had clicked.
Galhaan's eyes widened slightly. Impossible. How is he adapting this fast? Even for a hero, this level of progress… I thought it would take six months. But at this pace… maybe just one. Was I wrong about him?
"That's enough," Galhaan finally said. Sanato staggered to a stop, barely staying on his feet. "You'll rest now. Lunch is next. After that—strength training."
A maid brought out a tray of food and bowed slightly. "Please enjoy your meal, great hero."
"Please… just call me Sanato. It's much more comfortable," he said with a tired but genuine smile.
After eating, Galhaan handed him a wooden sword.
"The best way to build strength," Galhaan said, smirking, "is to fight like your life's on the line."
Before Sanato could respond, Galhaan lunged at him. Even though he was clearly holding back, Sanato couldn't react fast enough. The wooden blade struck him over and over—on his arms, shoulders, even his legs. He tried to defend himself, but it was no use.
The entire session was one-sided. Galhaan was relentless.
By the end of the day, Sanato could at least see the attacks coming, even if he couldn't block them.
"Enough. You did better than I expected." Galhaan stepped back and nodded. "Same time tomorrow."
Bruised, battered, and barely walking straight, Sanato made his way back to his room. The only thing on his mind was sleep.
But his day wasn't quite over.
The door creaked open, and Eurieal strutted in with a smug smile. Beside her stood a familiar maid.
"Hey, little hero. I'm here to introduce your personal maid. From today onward, she'll be taking care of you."
Sanato blinked. "Personal maid? Why would I need one?" He looked at the girl beside Eurieal. "Wait… weren't you the one who brought me lunch earlier?"
"Yes, Master," she said politely. "My name is Lyra. I look forward to serving you."
Sanato raised a hand. "Please, just call me Sanato. No need for the 'Master' stuff."
"Just do as he says, Lyra," Eurieal sighed dramatically. "We can't win against his modesty."
Lyra smiled brightly. "Then, Sanato, I'm looking forward to working with you."
Eurieal glanced at the boy, softened slightly, then turned to leave. "You must be exhausted after today's training. Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good night, Sanato," Lyra added before following the princess.
Sanato finally fell onto his bed, letting out a deep breath. "Good night… both of you…"
His body ached, but something inside him stirred. The fire had been lit—and it wasn't going out anytime soon.