Chapter 130

Maria tightly clenched her delicate hands and ran over.

Still, was it because she wasn’t used to the motion? Her stepping in was clumsy, and her thumb was sticking out on top of her fist. If she hit like that, she might hurt her thumb bone.

I caught Maria’s awkwardly rushing wrist. Losing her balance, Maria stumbled… right into me.

“Wha, wha?”

I supported her shoulder to keep Maria from falling and adjusted her wrist to stabilize her center of gravity.

Maria just had question marks floating on her face, not understanding the situation.

“Maria, you’ve never made a fist before, huh?”

“Huh? Ah… Yeah, that’s right. Making fists doesn’t really suit someone like me…”

“How can you say that without even trying? It’s fine, we’ll go slowly.”

“Mmm… Do I really have to do this?”

“If you don’t want to, you can just half-heartedly spar with me later when I’m dying. It’s your choice.”

“…! Ah, okay! I’ll try my best!”

Ahah, she’s so cute I want to bite her.

Of course, we’ve only known each other for less than a day. If I bit her now, our relationship would be ruined instantly.

“Alright, Maria. Let’s start by learning how to make a proper fist. Start curling your fingers from the tips. When you form a fist, place your thumb to the side, not on top. Think of it as supporting your other four fingers so they don’t wobble.”

“Like… this?”

Maria made a fist with her pristine white hands. Already imagining getting hit by that fist, my heart is pounding in excitement.

“Good job, that’s a great fist. Now let’s try hitting.”

“Eh? Really hit?”

“Or should we fake it? Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in an eleven o’clock position. Keep your fists near your chin or the corners of your eyes. When you throw a punch, rotate from your waist, then shoulders, then wrists to transfer power.”

“Got it… I’ll try once. But are you sure it won’t hurt you…? If it’s because of me…”

What’s worrying our Lord’s daughter so much? I gently pet her soft hair to calm her anxious heart.

“There’s no way it’ll hurt. And stop underestimating me already. I’m stronger than Aru. So don’t worry and hit away.”

Though I’d rather get hit by Saintess Maria…

“Yes… Then I’ll do it properly this time!”

Puck!

Her small fist barely grazed my abdomen. It didn’t land cleanly but bounced off instead.

Maria’s a smart girl. She quickly understands principles and applies them well physically. For a beginner, her straight punch was pretty decent. If I didn’t have my six-pack abs harder than bricks, it might have left a mark.

“Grunt…”

“Haha, how’s it feel, Maria? Does your wrist hurt?”

“A little… It feels tingly.”

“That’s because you’re not used to making fists. Keep going while healing with divine power!”

Fortunately, Maria listens well. White light emanated from her wrist, and within seconds, she could rotate it freely again.

Maria pulled back her right hand and threw another punch at me. I spread my arms and relaxed my abdominal muscles.

Puck!

Her posture improved but her strength was only half of before. Maria seemed afraid of something, closing her snow-white eyes tightly.

I know why she’s doing this. It’s a common symptom in beginners who’ve just started punching.

“Maria.”

“Yes, yes? Did it hurt you?”

“Nope, didn’t feel a thing. Stop worrying. Though…”

“Eh… Is there another problem?”

“Maria, are you scared of hitting?”

“Huh?! I, I…”

“It’s natural to be scared of violence. Even famous psycho killer types panic during their first murder, right? In Maria’s case, her upbringing makes her aversion stronger.”

“Mmm…”

“But here’s what I think. Overcoming that discomfort takes courage. Mindless violence makes someone a thug, but controlled violence makes someone a knight – though that profession is disappearing these days.”

So overcome your inner fear. I’ll help you sincerely.

That line didn’t need to be said aloud. Intelligent Maria already understood everything I wanted to say.

Gulp.

Maria swallows anxiously. Ironically, I’m actually a thug pretending to be a sage giving enlightenment to Maria. Funny how things work out.

“Overcome… Self-overcoming?”

“You could call it mental growth. Hitting people isn’t good, but there are decent people among those who do. So-called ‘heroes’.”

“I understand. I’ll try again… Properly this time.”

Maria took position with her fists near her jawline again. This time, she opened her eyes wide and threw a punch. A soft impact reached my abdomen, completely different from before. The punch landed precisely on my solar plexus.

“Fantastic! Excellent job! You really are a genius!”

“Genius? Me?”

“Just one lesson and you’re doing great! Keep it up! I’ll always be here to take your hits!”

“N-No need to do that! I don’t want to owe Mr. Evans anything!”

I got a little too excited talking. Maria immediately waved her hands to stop me.

Still, she seems to enjoy being called talented, blushing slightly while suppressing a smile.

Separately, her hand is trembling as if sensing she hit someone. I grabbed her tiny hand with my large one to calm it down.

“Still, to control this trembling from fear, you’ll need to keep working hard at this training, right?”

“Mmm… Do I really have to…?”

“Don’t want to? Fine by me. Though next time I’m fighting for real, your organs and brain matter will be spilling everywhere…”

“No, no! I’ll do it! I promise!”

Wow, this works well. Maybe I should try some self-harm blackmail later? Like Aru’s style?

Prepare a stage and make a show? My head gets cut off and blood splatters everywhere? When Maria’s sobbing, surprise~! Reattach my head and maybe it’ll change her character a bit?

Thinking about it gives me shivers all over in excitement for this magic show, but realistically it’s a bit excessive. I don’t want our Maria to break after all.

Puck! Puckpuck!

Maria throws punches, retracting and delivering rapid strikes. They’re all ticklish to me. Especially since she’s not using any holy power.

Perf! Puck!

“Haa, huuu… Phew, grunt…”

Even if you hit directly, the person throwing punches usually tires out faster. That’s why martial arts has turns.

Maria’s breathing becomes increasingly rough. But it’s not a big problem. When she starts panting, Maria uses her divine power to recover stamina.

No matter how close divine power is to omnipotent physical recovery, calming cardiorespiratory endurance is impressive.

Of course, recovering stamina doesn’t make sweat disappear. Maria’s nun outfit and body gradually become soaked.

Perf! Puck! Pabak!

“Haa, uh, grunt… Haaaauuugh…!”

“Great, Maria. Good job, good job, good job. Ten more times!”

“Huff… Yes!”

Eventually, Maria keeps throwing punches until she collapses from exhaustion, completely drenched in sweat. I pick her up.

The students look at us like we’re some kind of strange phenomenon. I don’t care about them. Rather, there’s someone else I’m cautious about.

“Teacher, our sparring is finished?”

The purpose of this sparring is for King Langwang, our PE teacher, to assess each student’s abilities individually. Not for Maria, who’s never thrown a punch before, to exhaust herself.

Will King Langwang let this slide easily? I’m worried.

“Amazing perseverance! Fiery passion! Diligent effort! Excellent!”

I was worried about that, but King Langwang surprisingly gives an unexpected response, winking at me.

Guess once a comrade, always a comrade. I chuckle and dry Maria’s sweat with a towel.

“Hehe…”

Maria smiles shyly at me, seemingly enjoying the sensation of exhausting her stamina. A morning sunlight-like curve appears on her lips.

“Did I do well…?”

It’s a needless question. I brush her forehead to let it cool in the breeze.

“Yeah, you did great. How do you feel?”

“A little… Though I feel sinful towards Lord, I’m proud…”

“Proud? What of?”

“I’ve never worked up a sweat like this before… At the church, they strongly discouraged running around, saying I needed to maintain proper conduct…”

Ah, the Supreme Emperor’s Palace where Maria grew up demands extreme silence. It must have been quite oppressive for young Maria.

At night, mature Maria might understand and accept that oppression, but now she’s still a teenage girl. It’s difficult for her to grasp the complicated reasons behind adults’ actions.

“And… feeling like I accomplished something myself… It makes me happy…”

“I see. But why do you feel guilty towards Lord? When did you commit a sin?”

“Even if it was requested… I still hit a person…”

Only an innocent young woman can produce such a fragile voice, creeping in like an ant entering a hole. Though I don’t have such feelings, if it were another man, his protective instincts would be significantly stimulated.

“Using the precious body Lord gave me to inflict violence on others… How could I not be ashamed?”

The only person in this world who feels guilty about hitting someone who asked to be hit is Maria.

That’s why Maria is special. The one and only woman in the world.

“It’s fine. Lord isn’t such a petty deity to condemn you for this.”

“You talk about Lord like you know Him personally…”

“I do have quite the extensive network. We’re all friends.”

“While I’ll take it as a joke… Please don’t say such things jokingly in front of other church members… I’m genuinely worried.”

“Actually beneficial? Your worry is like honey to me.”

I lay Maria down in a corner of the gymnasium. The students continue their turn-based sparring.

I press and massage her loosened muscles. Her soft flesh emits a pure scent.

“Ugh, uhn, haa…”

“How’s it feel? Relaxing, right? I happen to have a massage therapist certification.”

Not in this life, though.

I became a masseuse in my previous life to connect with Heavenly Hero, but who would’ve thought I’d use it on Maria? That’s why it’s good to learn many things.

While massaging her, faint moans escape Maria’s mouth. Her panting voice makes me focus even more on the massage.

Until Maria smiles and moves her lips playfully.

“Haa, Mr. Evans is truly… a good person… I’m glad… to be friends with Mr. Evans…”

“…”

I just chuckled silently.

***

The following 6th period class was swordsmanship.

Taught by the famous Iron-blooded Teacher, Beatrix.

Most students expected an exciting swordsmanship class. After all, Beatrix famously dealt a humiliating defeat to the royal knight captain years ago. They hoped she’d teach something new and incredible.

However, the first swordsmanship class was far from their expectations. It turned out to be “swordsmanship theory”. Things like which trajectories allow for natural power transfer when swinging a sword, compatibility between different sword techniques, etc.

The students’ least favorite class.

Especially since the previous period was exhausting physical education. Explaining theories in detail to tired students felt unbearably heavy and sleep-inducing.

“Mnnn…”

“Mommy… Something’s wrong here… The saint lady is boxing… Dogs are biting people…”

Eventually, one by one, students collapsed onto their desks, claimed by deep slumber. However, amidst this atmosphere, one student remained fully conscious and focused on the board.

The descending sunlight seemed to illuminate only her. As if monopolizing all the world’s light, the girl exuded an aristocratic beauty.

Saintess Maria. With one hand holding a pencil, she diligently took notes in her notebook like a model student.

However, Maria was desperately hiding something from everyone.

Scratch…

“Why… Why have my hands been shaking like this since earlier…”

Though she didn’t originally have writer’s cramp, her handwriting was a mess. Maria covered her trembling hand with her left hand, finally stopping the shaking.

“I must concentrate on the lesson… If Lord sees my current state…”

Her clear gaze met the board. Maria tried hard to absorb the swordsmanship formulas into her mind. There was nothing she could do about her trembling hands.

But the rising distractions wouldn’t even allow that.

“Huh…! Again, those thoughts from earlier…”

In Maria’s vision, no, in her mind, the earlier scene kept replaying.

The thrilling sensation at her fingertips, the guilt of committing an act she shouldn’t have done, the dizzying pleasure of striking something solid.

Things she couldn’t even imagine while at the Holy Order were invading and conquering Maria’s previously blank slate of a brain.

The sticky, unfamiliar smell of sweat, the firmness of a man’s body, the reliability of the youth who didn’t complain of pain despite her inexperienced and overly strong hits.

Perhaps it was because of that youth. That youth might be why Maria’s academic enthusiasm wavered like reeds. The blushing girl hurriedly lowered her head.

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