CHAPTER 113: WHAT HAPPENED TO HER [2]

The training intensified as the week progressed. Selene brought in additional tutors, a linguistics master to improve his formal speech, a dancing instructor to refine his court manners, even a musician to teach him the cultural references expected of educated nobility.

"I don’t need to play the lute," Alaric protested after a particularly frustrating lesson.

"You need to understand the references when others discuss music," Selene corrected. "Ignorance marks you as an outsider."

She’s trying to remake me completely? he realized.

Not just improving his skills, but transforming him into someone who could navigate noble society without raising questions about his background.

She’s definitely taking revenge.

During one afternoon session, while practicing sword forms under Korven’s critical eye, Alaric decided to test his new abilities he deliberately did the wrong move.

As the sword master moved to correct his stance, Alaric let a fraction of his Dominion’s Gaze slip through his normal expression.

Korven’s correction died mid-word.

The older man’s eyes flickered away, then back, then away again. His usual confidence wavered for just a moment before training reasserted itself.

"Your... your form is adequate for now," Korven said, his voice carrying a puzzled note. "We’ll continue tomorrow."

Interesting.

Even a seasoned professional felt the pressure, though he’d recovered quickly.

Alaric filed that information away, careful not to let his satisfaction show.

Then...

A bell rang from the manor. Selene checked the elaborate timepiece at her wrist.

"Lord Blackwood will arrive in thirty minutes for your political theory session. You smell like a stable. Go wash."

"Concerned about my hygiene now?"

"Concerned about you embarrassing this house."

Then just like before, she left. Alaric sighed, wiping sweat from his face, he settled down and wiped his forehead.

Two hours later, Blackwood departed, leaving assignments that would take until midnight to complete.

Alaric was contemplating burning the books when Margaret appeared with tea.

"You look ready to commit violence, my lord." She said, placing down the cup near him.

"Only minor arson." He accepted the tea gratefully.

"Thank you, Margaret," she gave a small bow and then straightened.

"Lady Selene asked me to remind you that Master Chen arrives at three for essence manipulation practice."

"Of course he does." He took a sip, then noticed Margaret hadn’t left. "Something else?"

"If I may, my lord..." She glanced at the door, then back. "The lady hasn’t been sleeping well. Sarah mentioned she’s been in her study until nearly dawn most nights."

He paused, raised a brow. Then nodded.

"I see."

"She’s... different lately. More focused..." Her dropped down, and she hesitated to continue further. Then quickly, she curtsied and left before he could respond.

Master Chen arrived after exactly two hours.

Alaric had expected him to be a tall, big man, with broad shoulders and wide chest, inflicting intimidation, from what he had heard from the rumors about his personality.

But when Alaric actually met him, his jaw practically dropped.

The Master Chen turned out to be a small, ancient man who looked like a stiff breeze might scatter him to dust.

Completely different from what he had heard and embraced himself for.

Is this shorty really my teacher? Can he even....

His remarks died instantly as died Master Chen began cooking.

His training method consisted primarily of having Alaric hold increasingly complex essence patterns while he tried to disrupt them with what felt like invisible needles.

"Pathetic," Chen announced after Alaric’s pattern collapsed for the fifth time. "A child could maintain better focus."

"A child isn’t being stabbed by invisible needles."

"Excuses." Chen’s eyes glinted.

As he slammed a thick stick at Alaric’s back.

Making his bit back a groan.

"Again."

The training continued, Master Chen maintained that pattern whole time, while Alaric at first struggled, then slowly got hang of it.

By the time Chen left, Alaric’s essence channels felt like they’d been scrubbed with steel wool. He was contemplating a very long bath when Selene appeared in the doorway.

"Walk with me."

Not a request. He followed her through the manor, out into the gardens where dusk was painting everything purple and gold.

"Blackwood says you’re progressing adequately."

"His definition of adequate and mine differ significantly."

"Chen is less optimistic."

"Chen is a sadist disguised as a teacher."

As the days blended together in a rhythm of dawn training and evening review, Alaric found himself grudgingly impressed by Selene’s dedication. She attended every session, offered corrections that actually improved his technique, and pushed him harder than he’d expected.

But he also noticed the cost. She moved through the estate with military efficiency, but shadows had deepened under her eyes. Her smiles, when they appeared at all, never quite reached their previous warmth.

She’s scared, he realized one evening, watching her review tactical manuals by lamplight. Really, genuinely scared.

The woman who had confessed her fears over wine had disappeared behind walls of professional necessity.

But those walls weren’t as solid as she pretended. He caught glimpses of the person underneath during unguarded moments, when she thought he wasn’t looking, when exhaustion made her mask slip just slightly.

The intensity with which she threw herself into his preparation told a different story. This wasn’t just political calculation.

This was someone desperately trying to ensure the person they cared about would survive whatever storm was gathering on the horizon.

Even if she’d never admit it.

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Chapter End...

Yo guys. Welcome back, since this is the last day of the month and priv will reset tomorrow, I’ll like to say this again. I had changed the price for the priv Chapters as I promised to do for the inconsistency I had maintained previous month.

Though I hope you guys are enjoying the novel, if not, please do comment, so I can improve myself, or edit the contents, that are not good. And if you guys are wandering about the academy. Then yeah, this is the last Chapter of the arc and in next few Chapters. Academy arc will start.

Well, yeah, that’s it for today guys, I hope you all are having a good day. Bye, bye, see ya.