I Became the Son of a Corrupt Lord, so I’ll Enjoy an Easy Life in Another World ~but Please Stop Revering Me as a “Saint”!~

Stage 3-9. The Ultimate Loyalist

This long vacation was not only a break for Mashiro and the others but also an extremely helpful respite for me.

Because without classes, I could dedicate more time to my training.

Not that I would say play is unnecessary. If the mind is fatigued, training efficiency plummets. However, of course, playing all the time isn’t an option either.

Balance is crucial in everything. Those who can toggle their switch on and off gain their skills exponentially.

Today, once again, I faced Alice with fists raised.

“”…””

It had already been a few minutes since we entered a staredown.

I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. That would be the most accurate way to describe the current situation.

Once you reach a certain level, it seems you can read your opponent’s moves and counter them. Conversely, if you find an opening, you deliver a sharp strike to that spot.

According to Alice, the brain accumulates experience and, along with thought, maps out attack routes.

For this reason, since making her my exclusive maid, I’ve significantly increased the ratio of practical combat training.

Thanks to that, the instances of me being completely dominated have greatly decreased.

Though I’m still far from her level.

“Haah…”

This also doubled as training to extend the operational time of [Limit Transcendence].

The operational time of [Limit Transcendence] depends on my mana capacity.

In other words, to fight for a longer time, I must maximize efficiency and minimize consumption.

Managing mana while fighting is no easy task.

Hence, we concluded that I should get used to it in my daily routine, so that even if I lost consciousness, I could still manage it.

I visualize the flow of blood coursing through my body. I intertwine it with mana to strengthen my physique.

With minimal mana, I aim for maximum efficiency.

I must not lose focus.

Even a momentary lapse becomes an opening, allowing her strike to sever me.

“…Impressive, Ouga-sama. Your ability to read has significantly improved compared to before.”

“It’s all thanks to you sticking with me, Alice.”

“No, my assistance is trivial. This is the result of your own hard work, Ouga-sama.”

“…I see. Thank you.”

Being praised by someone as strong as Alice genuinely makes me blush.

When someone, especially a figure you aspire to, acknowledges your efforts, it feels rewarding.

And that drives you to train even harder tomorrow.

“Thus, I think I’ll raise the level a step higher starting today.”

“…!”

That’s precisely why I can face the overwhelming violence before me without yielding.

Do what you can and show you can fight back.

The fruits of your labor will never go to waste—

“…What?”

It couldn’t be helped that my voice unintentionally slipped out.

Despite facing her, I rubbed my eyes.

Standing before me, Alice, with her sword drawn, was now fourfold.

“Ouga-sama, if the trajectory becomes unreadable, focus all your concentration on defense.”

Instantly grasping that my prior strategies were now useless, I channeled mana into my entire body at maximum output.

“Here I come—[Sky Afterimage – Slashing Wind].”

In an instant, Alice’s blades flew from all directions—front, back, left, right—simultaneously slashing at my body.

“As expected of you, Ouga-sama. To endure all that… it seems fewer people are left who can claim your life now.”

“If I was nearly knocked out, that’s hardly meaningful…”

“Not at all. You remained conscious throughout, didn’t you?”

After finishing our practical training, Alice tended to my injuries.

While I enhanced my body to prevent cuts, the damage still piled up in my body.

Alice’s attacks, in particular, were shockingly intense even when simply received.

Today, I took her final blow directly, leaving my body covered in bruises.

“At least with that last strike… I intended to sever your consciousness. How did you withstand it?”

“…It was an application of [Limit Transcendence]. By channeling mana into only specific parts of my body, I increased their strength.”

Previously, I achieved a steel-like hardness, but this time, I believe I obtained something even tougher. If I can block the [Superconductive Thunder Magic Cannon] using full-power mana in normal circumstances, concentrating it in one area yields even more impressive results.

However, as I discovered just now, focusing it on one spot isn’t ideal.

The throbbing pain in my arms isn’t solely due to Alice’s attack. Unlike the usual method of channeling mana throughout my body, this approach appears to strain it significantly.