The Eve of the Grand Assembly

This was the first time Richard and Kelly had ever seen the legendary dwarves and gnomes. After being stunned by their height and appearance, they grew curious about how Donald could possibly know them. Donald only said he had been invited to work in this laboratory.

"Let me make this clear first—I don't have anything to do here anyway, so teaching is fine. If you can't take it, you can quit anytime. But if you ask me, you probably won't last a single day."

"If I keep at it, can I definitely become a knight?" That was still the question Richard cared about most.

"I don't answer stupid questions like that," Adarua said disdainfully.

Seeing Richard's confused look, Donald explained to him: "Adarua is a Level 5 Dwarf Warrior, equivalent to a human Level 5 Knight."

Richard was even more shocked than Donald had been earlier. The strongest instructors he had encountered at the academy—those figures he had looked up to as towering authorities—had barely stepped into the ranks of Level 2 Knights. A Level 5 Knight, to Richard at this moment, was practically no different from the God of Knights.

Kelly felt the same way beside him.

Adarua thoroughly enjoyed their reaction. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to strike what he imagined was the proper pose of an expert. But given his height, the attempt was hard to pull off.

Donald found it amusing and took the initiative to break the stalemate: "How about this—I'll train with you alongside Richard and Kelly. I only have two days a week, but if they're fine with it, they can come for a while every day."

Adarua shot Donald a contemptuous glance and spread his hands. "I don't care either way. Teaching a few is the same as teaching one."

Donald soon regretted his decision.

Adarua showed no intention of teaching them techniques together. He just asked who would go first. Since Donald was the oldest, he was naturally first in line.

He had barely taken two steps forward when he saw the dwarf crack a barely suppressed grin again. He knew something was wrong.

But before Donald could react, Adarua slapped him square in the chest. Just as he braced himself to endure the pain and get up to protest, the dwarf kicked him over.

Richard and Kelly didn't know what to do. They froze for a moment before remembering to protect Donald. The moment they rushed forward, Adarua said, "Fine, this works too. Let's train together." Then they were both kicked to the ground as well.

It was truly a ridiculous scene—the dwarf chasing and kicking, the three of them rolling back and forth on the floor. Donald and Kelly kept shouting and screaming, while Richard stayed completely silent. But no matter how they reacted, the result was the same. In the end, all three youths gave up even trying to get up. They could only cover their heads, curl up their bodies, and let him kick every part of them.

Adarua kicked and beat them for a full half hour before stopping, still looking unsatisfied.

"First time, let's keep it light. Get used to it."

Donald lay on the ground, his whole body feeling like it had fallen apart. He couldn't get up at all. Mustering his last bit of strength, he demanded, "This is... your, your training method? And this counts as... light?"

"I told you it'd be hard to keep up. The harder stuff is still coming," Adarua said, in a great mood.

"I think... you're trying to... beat us to death."

"Hmph! Beating you to death would be a lot easier than what I just did."

"I think you... must be bored out of your mind and using us for fun."

Adarua ignored Donald and turned back into the laboratory. Soon after, the two little girls came running out together.

"Oh no, Donald the Great Devil, aren't you a mage? Why are you doing warrior training too?"

"Right, right! A mage getting kicked around isn't cool at all!"

Hearing the gnome sisters say this, Donald finally believed that Adarua's actions just now were indeed training them. But he still shouted angrily, "Can't you at least help us up first?"

"No, no, you can't move right now. If you sit up, your bones will break."

"Right, right! Don't move at all. Wait a bit, rest for a while. I'll go get you some Recovery Potion."

Adarua's voice came from inside: "Don't worry, I haven't even used the Devil Training Method yet. This little bit won't break any bones."

The twin sisters exchanged a smile and ran back into the lab. After a while, they came out with a large bottle of green potion and spoon-fed a dose each to Donald, Richard, and Kelly.

The three lay there for another full half hour before they could barely sit up.

"You okay?" Donald asked Richard and Kelly.

"I'm fine!" Richard had gritted his teeth and stayed silent the entire time, only speaking when his brother asked.

Unexpectedly, Kelly also shook her head and said she was fine. She was tougher than her delicate appearance suggested.

"I think Manda was right. I'm supposed to be a mage, so I won't take your training," Donald shouted toward the lab, feeling like even his Sea of Consciousness had nearly been kicked apart.

"No, no, it wasn't Manda who said that. It was Mia," Ailimiya corrected him.

Adarua strolled out of the lab and said indifferently, "I told you, you can quit anytime."

Then he turned to Richard and Kelly: "Same goes for you two."

"I'm not giving up!" Richard was as stubborn as an ox.

Kelly struggled internally, but seeing Donald's concerned look and thinking of that noble girl named Lucia, she finally gritted her teeth and answered, "I'm not giving up either."

"Hey! I've never had knight training. Don't you think about teaching according to ability?" Donald glared hatefully at the dwarf.

"You think I put in the same effort?" Adarua felt a bit wronged too. Kicking Donald had been the hardest work, because among the three, his body was the weakest, and Adarua had to control his strength more carefully with him.

Donald rolled his eyes at him and said nothing more.

As dusk fell, the three finally dragged their battered bodies away, supporting each other. Before leaving, Kelly spoke privately with the twin sisters for a while, occasionally glancing shyly at Donald as they talked.

Only later did Donald learn that Kelly had asked them whether this kind of training would leave ugly scars on her body. The gnome sisters told her it wouldn't. The two little girls seemed to have figured out the relationship between Donald and Kelly, and they didn't forget to tell Kelly that a female knight and a great devil were a better match. Only then did Donald recall that shy look in Kelly's eyes.

Richard told Donald that both she and Kelly had signed up for the Martial Magic Tournament in Dorn City. Donald didn't mention that someone had secretly signed him up. He had already decided to forfeit directly, to avoid having to explain to too many people how he had advanced to Magic Apprentice in half a year.

Donald didn't actually give up on Adarua's training. Even though that unreasonable training method nearly killed him every time, he still felt he should set an example for his brother and Kelly.

From that day until the end of April, the three of them actually managed to endure this inhuman beating routine. Beyond his boring security duties, Adarua finally found a form of entertainment. And the targets of his entertainment, after persisting for a while, vaguely felt their bones and muscles growing stronger day by day. Every time they finished a beating, they would sleep it off overnight and wake up fully recovered.

As for Richard and Kelly, they found the daily drills at Knight School becoming easier and easier. That became a major reason they kept up with this training method.

Dorn City, the secret chamber of the City Lord's residence.

The City Lord, Marquis Elesiriel, along with another man and woman, were quietly discussing something. Although the chamber door was tightly sealed, the three still unconsciously lowered their voices. That was because the matter they were deliberating must never be known to a fourth person.

The middle-aged woman among the three was none other than Professor Judy from the Magic Academy, while the other man besides the City Lord was Derrick, Carl's father.

The Siri family's power had entrenched itself in Tris Province for centuries. Marquis Elesiriel, serving as the City Lord of Dorn, was said to be a formidable mage—judging by his lifespan of over a hundred years, the rumors likely held true. Derrick and Judy were his son and daughter.

"I heard Kaz arrived at the Magic Academy? Derrick, aside from that, has there been anything unusual lately?" Marquis Elesiriel appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. Despite being over a hundred years old like the academy dean, he looked far younger.

"No, Father. Kaz seems to have stayed inside the Magic Academy without coming out. Rest assured, my people won't slip up."

"A bunch of incompetents! You can't even catch a mere brat properly—how am I supposed to feel assured?"

"The ropes in the room showed signs of being burned through, but Lucia is a Water Element Magic Apprentice. That poor commoner boy they accidentally kidnapped must be the problem!"

Judy already knew who her brother meant by that poor commoner boy, but based on what she'd learned afterward, she couldn't figure out how Donald and Lucia had escaped either.

"What use is talking about this now? The plan is missing a crucial piece. We have no choice but to go all in."

"Father, how about waiting a little longer? Let me find an opportunity at the Magic Academy?" Judy suggested.

"No. You absolutely cannot be exposed. Besides, now that Lucia is under Kaz's protection, even if you wanted to act, you'd have no chance."

"Kaz will have to go back eventually," Judy said softly.

"Don't underestimate the Fremont family. They might not have caught on yet, but if they stumble onto even a trace of evidence, all our carefully laid plans will be ruined. Before they make a move, we must strike first."

"Father, are those People from the West truly trustworthy? The people I placed over there haven't spotted any signs of troop movements."

"Nonsense. If even your people noticed, what secrecy would be left? As long as we succeed here, they will act immediately. This plan of ours is also a perfect opportunity for them."

"Are they really willing to cede Tris Province as our fief?" Derrick asked.

"We have no choice but to gamble. Otherwise, in a few decades, they won't need our coordination anymore. By then, restoring the glory of the Tersli Duchy may never be possible again."

"You're right. This time, we are determined to succeed," Judy echoed.

Marquis Elesiriel straightened his posture, pressing both hands firmly against the tabletop, and said in a low voice: "Six hundred years. People have probably long forgotten the Tersli family. We've hidden long enough—it's time to see the light of day again."

"Yes, Father."