Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

Chapter 34 Pre-Dawn Trials

As the evening's excitement settled, Milara, still radiant with enthusiasm, had to be escorted to her quarters by a small entourage of servants. The little demon princess reluctantly waved goodbye to Liria, casting a few pouting glances over her shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Liria!" she declared grandly, as if Liria were bound to attend a royal decree rather than an informal playdate. The servants shuffled off with her, and Liria exhaled, savoring the calm that finally fell over the hallway.

Just then, Daena appeared at her side, her gaze sharp as always. She gestured for Liria to follow her down a quieter corridor. When they stopped, Daena turned to her with an intensity that made Liria stand up a little straighter.

"Listen carefully, Liria," Daena said, her voice low but firm. "You've handled yourself well today, but this is just the beginning. Tomorrow, your real training begins." Her eyes narrowed, studying Liria's reaction. "I won't lie—this training is meant to push you, to test your limits, and more. You'll be training with the demon knights. They don't go easy, even on royal guards."

A thrill of anticipation shot through Liria, and she nodded eagerly, hiding a trace of nervousness. "Understood, Daena."

Daena softened, her gaze warmer for just a moment. "I know you'll rise to the challenge. But don't take this lightly. Tomorrow, the real work begins."

With that, Daena let her go, and Liria made her way back to Enara, who was waiting a few steps down the hall with a smug smirk.

"Done with the secret conversations?" Enara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Liria replied, holding her tone steady, knowing that Enara's curiosity was piqued. She wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.

"Good. Don't be late to escort me to my room." Enara spun on her heel and sauntered down the corridor, leaving Liria to trail behind her.

When they reached Enara's chamber, she lingered in the doorway, eyeing Liria with a mischievous grin. "Try not to get too cozy tomorrow, bodyguard," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You'll need more than just luck to survive here."

Liria matched her stare with a calm nod, unwilling to let Enara's words rattle her. "I'll keep that in mind."

Enara finally huffed and turned into her room, letting the door close behind her. Liria took a deep breath, ready to retreat to her own quarters.

[Look at you,] the System chirped, [diplomatically handling spoiled royalty, charming demon nobles, and impressing your adoptive grandmother in a single day. Quite the feat for one day, wouldn't you say?]

"Not the kind of day I expected," Liria thought, feeling exhaustion settle in as she reached her chamber. "But I'll take it."

She closed her door and glanced around, savoring the quiet solitude. Her new room was simple but elegant, furnished with sturdy dark wood, tapestries in muted crimson tones, and a bed that looked heavenly after the day she'd had. Liria decided she'd earned the luxury of a hot shower and a bit of peace.

After a long, soothing rinse, she lay back on the plush bed, grateful for the brief moment of calm. Tomorrow would be brutal if Daena's tone was any hint, and she needed all the rest she could get.

The next morning, before the first light of dawn, Liria was jolted awake by a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Time to get up."

She squinted in the dim light and found Daena standing over her, already dressed and ready, her expression set in stone. Liria groaned but sat up, forcing herself into motion. Her whole body protested as she pulled herself out of bed and reached for her gear.

As she tugged on her boots, the System's voice echoed in her head.

[Good morning! Nothing like a pre-dawn start to invigorate the soul, right?]

"More like torture the soul," Liria replied silently, fastening her gear. "What am I in for, exactly?"

[Endurance drills, combat practice, likely some weapon handling… oh, and then sparring with demon knights who can't wait to see you fail. It'll be excellent.]

"Great," she muttered, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Just my kind of morning."

Daena led her to the castle training grounds, which were dimly lit by torches as the sun had yet to rise. A handful of knights were already there, dressed in dark armor with their weapons at the ready, their expressions ranging from amused to coldly appraising as they took in Liria's arrival.

"Welcome to training," Daena announced, her voice loud enough to catch the knights' attention. "Liria here is joining your ranks as the princess's bodyguard. She'll be training alongside you from now on."

One of the knights snickered, muttering something to a companion. Liria could feel the skepticism radiating from the group. She clenched her fists, willing herself not to let it show.

"All right, Liria," Daena continued, her eyes glinting. "We'll start with a few laps. Ten circuits around the grounds. Then we move to strength drills. Understand?"

Liria nodded, already bracing herself. Ten laps sounded simple enough, but after just three circuits around the vast training grounds, she was already feeling the strain. The knights, used to the grueling regimen, moved effortlessly, leaving her trailing behind.

[Come on,] the System urged, [push yourself. This is just the warm-up. Think of it as extra points to earn.]

"Oh, you think?" she thought, her breath coming in gasps. Her muscles burned, her legs heavy with every step, but she forced herself to keep going.

By the time she completed her last lap, her whole body was trembling. But there was no time to catch her breath; Daena was already calling her over for strength drills. Weighted sandbags, wooden beams, and other implements of pain were lined up, and Liria spent the next hour lifting, swinging, and carrying far more weight than she ever had.

Through every drill, the knights watched her with varying degrees of interest and disdain, their own movements precise and practiced. Every time Liria thought she was about to drop, Daena's voice echoed in her ears, urging her on. There was no room for weakness here, not if she wanted to survive.

Finally, they moved to weapon drills. Liria's arms felt like lead, but she gripped the practice sword they handed her, squaring her stance as she faced her opponent a demon knight with a scar over one eye and a look of unrestrained contempt.

He lunged without warning, his strike so fast she barely had time to block. The impact jarred her arms, but she held her ground, forcing herself to focus. She countered with a clumsy swing, which he sidestepped with ease.

[Watch his movements,] the System advised. [Don't just react. Anticipate.]

Liria gritted her teeth, trying to follow the System's advice. She watched his stance, the way he shifted his weight before each attack. When he lunged again, she stepped back just in time, the blade slicing through empty air.

He looked mildly surprised, but his strikes came harder and faster after that, pushing her to her limits. By the end of the session, she was bruised, battered, and barely able to lift her sword. But she'd managed to hold her ground, and a few of the knights were nodding in grudging approval.

Daena approached her with a rare hint of a smile. "Not bad for your first day. You'll be sore tomorrow, but that means it's working."

[Congratulations,] the System chimed in. [You've gained a few stat points: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance. Progress!]

"Well, that's something," she thought, trying not to smile as she imagined her invisible stats slowly ticking up. "Even if it feels like I've been run over by a demon horse."