abcnovels
Chapter 122:
Chapter 122:
Chapter 122:
Ugh!
Otto, whose gut had been elbowed by Camille, cried out in pain, his mouth gaping open, helpless to do anything but shriek.
Are you out of your mind, huh?
Camille growled at Otto in a very small, low voice.
I think youve gone mad with the desire to die.
Hey, enough of that, ugh.
Otto didnt fault Camille.
His body had reflexively pulled out a piece of paper to fill out a borrowing certificate at the credit request, but he hadnt meant to.
This is why peoples habits are so dangerous.
Otto had also deeply reflected on his actions, so there was not a single complaint about Camilles sudden descent.
Why would he use a borrowing card for assurance?
Pay me back slowly later, eh?
Otto rubbed his throbbing side and smiled weakly at Elise.
Dont we need to use a borrowing certificate?
I mean, you and I are engaged, Elise, so theres no point in writing a credit agreement between us. Its just a matter of trust and loyalty.
Trust and loyalty.
Yeah?
Thats a good phrase.
Please dont give me this weird look of gratification.
The look is weird.
I promise I will pay you back.
Whats with the determined look?
Anyway, its getting late now, so do you mind if I go to bed and we continue our conversation tomorrow?
Of course. Head Maid Olive.
Otto glanced sideways.
Mmm!
Olive nodded her head at Elise, a look of great satisfaction on her face.
Its been a long time, Miss Elise.
Madame Olive.
It was not surprising that Elise and Olive knew each other.
Elise hailed from House Salzburg, one of the most prestigious families in the Arad Empire.
Olive was a former handmaiden in the Imperial Palace of the Arad Empire.
As they were both from the same part of the Arad Empire, it was only natural that they would know each other in person.
So you were the Kings fiance, no doubt not someone you would have liked?
It is a promise between our grandfathers.
Very well. Well, then, I suppose theres nothing we can do about it, but to at least see it through.
Thats what happened.
Well, if you dont like it, you can go and get rid of it then, but dont worry about it too much, Im sure youll do a good job.
Elise didnt respond to Olives murderous remark, but simply smiled.
What, are you going to kill me in the end?
Otto didnt understand the meaning behind that smile, and it made him shiver with fear.
Ill show you around, if youll follow me.
Okay.
Elise and Olive left.
*Thud!*
The moment they left the room, Otto slumped to the floor.
Too much mental stress in a short period of time, and he was out of his element.
The visual horror of Elises bloody appearance was enough to make his heart leap out of his chest.
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The following morning.
Otto wakes up early, and as soon as hes finished taking a shower, he heads out to the training grounds for his morning workout.
He wanted to warm up before Elise checked out his work.
Nice, man, lots and lots!
Cool, man, lots and lots!
Delicious, man, lots and lots!
Awesome, man, lots and lots of them!
In the distance, he could hear the soldiers singing a military song from the direction of the training grounds.
As usual, it was clear that the soldiers were singing and marching as part of their morning physical training.
Huuu!
Otto took a deep breath of the cold winter morning air, shaking off any lingering drowsiness.
Its so nice to start the day with such fresh air.
The biggest change in his life since arriving in this world was waking up early every morning to exercise.
As an ordinary modern person, the amount of exercise he did was inevitably low.
He wasnt really serious about fitness, and he wasnt really into outdoor sports.
A couple of times a year, hed go hiking with his friends in the mountains behind his neighborhood.
But since arriving in this world, it has become a habit of his to start the day with an intense workout every morning.
In terms of sheer physical strength, Kim Dojin has improved to a point where he cant even compare to his Korean self.
First, lets stretch a bit, then Ill run some laps.
With that in mind, Otto arrived at the training ground.
Huh?
But Elise was already there, drenched in sweat and drinking milk.
*Sshhhh!*
Her body was so overheated that she was emitting a haze of steam.
Hello?
Oh, yes. Good morning.
Are you going to do your morning workout?
Yes.
Good attitude.
Elise smiled.
Morning exercises are the best way to start the day. Ah, I guess that after you woke up, you folded up your blankets and made the bed?
Of.. Of course, haha, hahaha!
In fact, Otto had never made the bed himself.
It was the job of his dedicated servants and maids, and he hadnt even realized it.
When you get up early in the morning, pull up your blankets and make the bed, it means youve started the day off on a positive note. So do it yourself, even if its a bother.
Yeah.
Ive already done my workout. Warm up and come back in. Would you like to join me for breakfast? Ill be waiting.
Are you sure you dont mind? It will take at least an hour.
I was going to clean my sword and oil it.
Then Ill finish up with my physical workout.
Ill see you later.
With that, Elise headed off toward her quarters.
Thats impressive.
Otto admired Elises diligence.
It was now 6:30 in the morning.
Elise had already finished her workout, showered, and changed.
No matter how little he caught, it was clear that she had gotten up at least an hour earlier to start her day.
Even the most powerful person in the world gets up at the crack of dawn and starts the day diligently, with a very intense morning workout.
Elise is a genius.
Unique in this world in terms of talent and potential.
A person who could easily rise to invincibility over time.
Nevertheless, the fact that she wakes up at the crack of dawn to train is truly remarkable.
Who says geniuses dont work hard?
Elise worked harder than anyone else, and was more diligent than anyone else.
It would be even stranger if she didnt become the strongest in the realm.
Watch and emulate. Whats worth imitating, imitate.
Otto began to slowly warm up, vowing to live a more diligent life after seeing Elise.
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An hour and a half afterwards.
Otto ate breakfast with Elise.
What a healthy meal
Otto looked at Elises plate and marveled again.
Boiled eggs, grilled beef, a variety of vegetables, sweet potatoes, and rice.
There were no sauces, just a little salt and pepper.
The meals themselves were nutritionally balanced, low in sugar and fat, and appeared to be extremely beneficial to ones health.
However, it wasnt a diet by any means, as Elises portion sizes were easily twice as large as the average mans.
Her daily activity level was on par with that of most athletes, so she had to eat a lot.
Yeah. Eating is important. Even if one can easily push the limits of humanity with mana, its the physical strength and endurance that comes from the body.
Otto learned another thing from Elises diet.
She is someone to emulate.
Not just in terms of swordsmanship, but in terms of lifestyle.
Just by being around her, Elise was teaching Otto a lesson.
A reminder of the importance of self-care.
Do you think I eat too much?
Absolutely not!
Otto responded to Elises offhanded question by throwing his hands up in the air.
I only asked because youve been staring at my plate.
Hahaha.
If I dont eat this much, Ill keep losing weight. On the other side of the Wall, I purposely eat a lot of fatty foods. Too little fat is not very healthy, and it makes one less resistant to the cold. I often skip meals when Im on a mission.
What?
She sounds embarrassed.
Well, I guess. Women will be women.
Otto had a vague idea of the reason for Elises long pause.
It would be embarrassing for a woman to eat more than twice as much as a grown man, even for breakfast.
Enjoy your meal!
Enjoy yours.
After breakfast and some tea time together, Otto and Elise made sure their digestion was sufficiently satisfied before heading back to the training grounds.
I have to show her something.
Otto focused his attention and calmed his mind.
Even though he hadnt been practicing as much as he should have because hed been occupied with other things, he still had to show that he was doing his best.
If he didnt, Elise would be disappointed, and the consequences would be enormous.
Come.
Yes, Im on it!
Otto took up his wooden sword at Elises call.
You must survive.
Camille whispered worriedly to Otto.
Youre going to get a good beating from your fiance again today, you pansy, Hahaha!
Kairos, who had come running like a demon after hearing the rumors, shouted in the distance.
*Munch! Munch!*
Judging by the popcorn hed brought with him, hed wanted to see Otto get beaten up pretty badly.
Focus.
Otto didnt listen to his distraction.
This is a chance to grow. I cant get this kind of learning anywhere else. I have to observe and absorb everything.
Ottos mindset for the duel had changed.
At first, he had been more afraid of the prospect of dying at Elises hands.
However, he had learned from the last time they met, and his achievement in [Invincible Swordsmanship] had increased.
Seeing Elises self-discipline in this session, however, made him set his mentality in gear.
In other words, he accepted Elise not as a grim reaper but as a great teacher.
A change of heart.
With a different mindset, he approached the duel differently.
His movements became more natural, flowing like water, and he was calmer.
Here I come.
Otto deployed the [Invincible Sword Technique].
*Twack!* *Bam!*
Elises wooden sword and Ottos wooden sword clashed together, a dull sound echoing through the training grounds.
Elise adjusted her power to match Ottos, just like last time.
And then.
*Swoosh*
Ottos wooden sword grazed across Elises inner thigh.
Huh?
Otto surprised himself with the unexpected result.
He hadnt thought hed be able to score an effective hit against Elise in the first place.
But it wasnt luck.
Why?
Because it was a conscious, targeted attack.
It wasnt a random, unconscious swing.
Well, at least youre a little better than last time.
Elise smiled.
You didnt forget what you learned and put it to good use. I think youve gone a little further than last month.
Is that really true?
Youve definitely improved. Youre a fast learner.
Heh!
Otto wasnt sure if he was dreaming or awake when he heard Elises praise.
Apparently, his cram sessions hadnt gone completely fruitless.
I think we could up the intensity a bit more.
What?
Ill go first this time.
Elise flicked her wooden sword nonchalantly at Otto.
Slash. Parry
Such is the plan of action.
*Smack!*
Until he got hit.
Ack!
Otto screamed and stumbled backwards.
As soon as the intensity of the training increased, a single blow broke his head.