The Martial Unity

"You're late!" Crea huffed

"I'm actually exactly on time." Rui retorted.

"If you arrive just on time, then training begins late, so you're late!"

"Training begins after I arrive and I arrived on time, thus training begins on time as well."

"The entrance exam is in a week. We don't have time for delays!"

"Well, you're the one delaying it now with your little tantrum, you know."

Rui chuckled as she glared at him, doing her best to intimidate him, in vain of course.

"Colonel Jenken." Rui bowed lightly, happening to run into the man on the way to the training grounds.

"Squire Quarrier, I'm glad to see you've arrived on time." He nodded stiffly, ignoring his daughter's reaction to his words. "The entrance exam is just around the corner, and we're in the final stretch for preparation. She's made incredible improvements at your hand, validating my decision to commission you. Good job and good luck."

He turned towards his daughter, bending to her as his military posture relaxed a little as he smiled. "You've already made me proud. Do your best. I love you."

She nodded, a little embarrassed.

He got up, turning back to Rui. "Alright then, I've got to head to work, as you can see."

He gestured to his military garb and adornments. It was an ostentatious uniform with badged, medals, and several stars. None of which were adornments that would decorate the uniform of an ordinary Martial colonel, Rui was sure.

Crea quickly reached the training grounds

"Alright, let's begin!"

and forth. "We've already reached the climax of your training under me. There is no time to start anything new, the only thing we can

turned towards her. "... Condition your mind and body to be at

She nodded.

an intense workout will coincide the day before the exam where you will be denied rejuvenation potions so that you can get a real organic night of sleep to time

She impatiently nodded. "Let's begin

begin with mental fortitude

narrowed

just a little above what he had experienced from the Martial Apprentices in the first round of the exam.

handled it well, of course. Otherwise, Rui would be very pessimistic about her chances of

teeth as she stared him dead in the eye. She had a brave face on, but Rui could tell she was under

later, he eased up. "Well

exhaled deeply, massaging

ensure you're at your mental peak," Rui advised. "It takes the entirety of your focus to muster up the mental fortitude needed to resist the pressure you will experience in

that." She grumbled. "I did just fine this time and many other times,

harm in

This was to increase her chances of nothing going wrong in the entrance exam.

hour of continuous mental resistance

Rui lightly complimented

a mental rejuvenation

later, she was on her feet, ready for

sparring, as usual." Rui casually said. Yet she

that face? This is quite