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Plank. This exercise, performed by lying prone with forearms on the ground and holding the body in a straight line, is excellent for strengthening core muscles.
The two men lay side-by-side on the floor, holding the plank position. However, Renki soon collapsed with a soft thud.
“I… I can’t do it anymore,” he gasped.
Hay glared at Renki.
“Is that even a workout? Do it again.”
Hay’s tone was stern. Under his critical gaze, Renki grimaced and reluctantly repositioned himself.
“Hmph!”
Yet, this time, he couldn’t even last two seconds.
“I’d rather do push-ups,” Renki muttered, his voice weak and breathless.
“Fine, then. Do 100.”
“Master, are you even human?”
Renki’s eyes widened in earnest. Hay, taken aback by the absurdity, burst into laughter, causing his own plank form to break, and he collapsed just like Renki.
“Oh, come on, seriously. What did you just say? ‘Are you even human?'”
“Ah, that was… a slip of the tongue… My apol… Ah!”
Hay flicked his finger, delivering a sharp rap to Renki’s forehead.
“You brat, calling an adult inhuman?”
“Ugh, I’m sorry…”
‘You deserve another hit.’
“Ah! If you hit me where I already got hit…!”
“Oh, that must hurt. My bad?”
With an utterly unapologetic expression, Hay lay flat on his back, repeatedly raising his extended legs.
“Do two more sets of 15 squats, 15 lunges, and 20 burpees, then you can rest.”
“Burpees alone are tough enough!”
“No complaints. Once you’re done, we’ll go eat.”
A desperate sigh escaped from beside him. Anyone overhearing might think Hay was inviting Renki to join him in the fires of hell. Reluctantly, Renki began the exercises Hay had commanded.
“Keep your knees straight. Don’t bend them too much. Hey, your back! Yes, just like that.”
Hay corrected Renki’s posture with verbal cues, occasionally glancing over.
****
For the past month, Renki had been studying with an intensity that even impressed Hay.
He would leave at noon, return at dusk, review his lessons, memorize runes, and even re-memorize those he already knew, completely engrossed in his magic studies. He was like a student preparing for a major exam.
Since he spent most of his time sitting, except for meals, all the physical training he’d received at Nudan was becoming pointless. Thus, Hay had him resume his exercises.
Renki wasn’t the only one with a packed schedule.
Hay also adhered to a fixed daily routine.
He would wake before noon, wash, eat, and rest. After the noon bell rang and Renki left for his lesson, Lorelai would arrive, almost as if on cue.
He would provide her with the healing water as per their agreement, then they’d share a cup of tea. They’d engage in trivial chatter until the teapot was empty, at which point Lorelai would depart.
Afterward, he would either go up to his room or attend to any errands, spending the remaining time napping.
Hay’s real schedule began when Renki returned at dusk.
After their workout, they would eat dinner. Renki would then study in his room while Hay went out to train until late into the night. This had become their daily routine.
Finishing his 15 leg raises, Hay changed positions and began sit-ups. The continuous exercise left his abdomen and back aching.
Perhaps due to the warming magic, the room was warm, and his entire body was drenched in sweat.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
Having completed one set of sit-ups, he finished his workout with a weary expression.
Renki, meanwhile, continued to pant through his burpees. Hay rose, retrieving cold water from a chilled box.
While cold water wasn’t ideal after exercise, Hay paid it no mind, guzzling directly from the pitcher. ‘Nothing beats a refreshing drink.’
“Master, I… I want to stop. I’m dying.”
“You won’t die. Do one more set while I wash up.”
“Ugh!”
Hay spoke with finality, grabbing his clothes and heading into the bathroom without a backward glance.
He swiftly shed his damp clothes, washed himself in warm water, then vigorously toweled his wet hair dry. Having finally gotten the haircut he’d been postponing for weeks, it was much easier to dry his hair with just a single towel.
Donning some casual clothes, he stepped out to find Renki sprawled on the floor. Hay perched on a chair and nudged Renki’s arm with his foot.
“Dead yet?”
“I feel like I’m about to be.”
“You’re fine. Hurry up and wash. I’m hungry.”
“Sigh… Yes, Master…”
Renki let out a deep sigh, rose, and shuffled awkwardly into the bathroom.
Hay conjured a small whirlwind in his palm to dry his hair. The breeze, drying every corner of his wet scalp, felt refreshing and cool.
With his hair now short, drying it was quick.
He could have used water magic to remove the moisture, but he rarely did, except when truly bothered. It always left him feeling as if he hadn’t truly washed.
“Ugh, I’m sleepy.”
How long had it been since he’d woken up? Perhaps it was the exercise, but a yawn escaped him. Hay fought off the drowsiness, picking up the mask Renki had left on the table.
The day Renki returned from his first lesson, he had come back without his mask.
When asked why, Renki explained that Stan had told him not to wear it during lessons, as he couldn’t see his face and thus didn’t know what he was thinking.
He had then forgotten he’d taken it off and returned barefaced. Until then, scars had remained, but now all the burn marks on his body had completely disappeared.
Renki’s burns had finally healed completely.
Although he now stayed maskless in his room, he always wore it when going outside. He claimed it made him feel more at ease.
“This thing is sturdy, by the way.”
Hay ran his fingers over the mask, which showed no signs of wear. Perhaps it was because it was made of a special fiber mixed with iron.
The inner surface, where it touched the face, was lined with soft fabric. However, the outer side was starting to show reddish patches, indicating rust. It seemed it would need some maintenance soon.
Hay tossed the mask back onto the table, then rummaged under the bed, pulling out a wrapped item. Just then, Renki emerged.
“Renki.”
“Yes?”
He tossed the item to the young man, who lifted his head with a dazed, exhausted expression. Renki caught it, looking puzzled.
“Oh, what is this?”
“A gift. It’s your birthday today.”
It was the nineteenth day of the Sun-Rise Moon. Renki blinked in surprise.
“It’s my birthday today?”
‘He must be so engrossed these days he doesn’t even know the date.’
“Yeah. You’ve been working hard studying lately. I bought it as a small token, partly to encourage you to keep it up. Wear it well.”
“It’s clothes?”
“Yep. Let’s go eat first.”
Hay put on his socks, roughly slipped his feet into his boots, and gathered his outer coat and staff.
Renki hesitated, wondering whether to unwrap the gift, then placed it on the bed. He donned his outer coat and mask, then bowed respectfully to Hay.
“Master, thank you every time. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything for you in return.”
“What do you mean you haven’t done anything? Serving is work too.”
Hay said dismissively, exiting the room.
“That’s my duty, though. But I always just receive…”
“Pay me back when you’re older. I won’t refuse. For your information, I like money.”
Descending to the dining hall, they settled into a corner seat, partially obscured by a partition. After ordering their food, Hay gazed out at the garden.
As it was winter, the days were still short. Though it wasn’t particularly late, a deep darkness already blanketed the sky.
Nevertheless, processed magic stones, designed to emit light, cast a soft orange glow, illuminating the garden and preventing it from being too dark.
‘Using magic stones instead of lamps.’
‘Saila, the innkeeper, must be incredibly wealthy. Not just rich, but ridiculously rich.’
‘Establishing a luxurious inn in such a secluded location, filled with magitech devices—products of magical engineering—and numerous magical artifacts, would be impossible with ordinary wealth.’
‘The taxes alone must be enormous. Is there some noble investing in her?’
“Perhaps we should go for a run by the lake today.”
“Won’t your stomach hurt if you run after eating?”
“Of course, after we’ve digested a bit. Oh, how are things with the young master these days?”
“Lord Ben? Always the same,” Renki replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Ben referred to the young duke, Benjamin Yefisnon. Renki and Ben were both receiving lessons from Stan.
On the first day, Renki, unaware of what awaited him, had gone to Stan’s house and returned looking utterly pale after the lesson. He claimed indigestion, then immediately vomited upon arrival.
Hay initially thought he was sick, but it turned out the young duke was the cause.
Renki must have been incredibly nervous to be receiving lessons alongside a high-ranking noble. It was both Hay’s fault and Stan’s.
Hay had seen the young duke’s lesson contract but hadn’t anticipated they would be taking lessons together. In truth, he hadn’t paid much attention to the young duke and had completely forgotten about him.
Stan, on the other hand, claimed he had mentioned it when they signed the contract.
‘A young duke and a s*ave receiving lessons together in the same place? Hay couldn’t fathom how the young duke could tolerate such an arrangement.’
“He hasn’t tried to harm you behind Stan’s back, has he?”
“Oh, no, he wouldn’t. Just recently, when my quill broke, Lord Ben even gave me a spare. Though, we don’t really talk much.”
“Really?”
Hay hadn’t had occasion to interact with the young duke, so he wasn’t well-informed.
He had only briefly glimpsed the young duke ascending the hill with his attendants for lessons at noon. He seemed so composed that Hay had assumed he was older, but he was merely a fourteen-year-old boy.
The reason both Hay and Renki referred to the young duke as ‘young master’ and ‘Lord Ben’ was simple.
It was at the young duke’s own request.
Not wanting it to be known that he was receiving magic lessons while frequenting commoner streets, he was disguised as ‘Benzel Jaymin,’ the youngest son of a wealthy merchant family.
That evening, the young duke’s attendant had visited, clarified their titles, requested that they treat him as a commoner, and sternly warned them not to reveal his identity.
‘What choice did they have? Disobeying could cost them their heads.’
Fortunately, Renki had handled himself well so far, and no problems had arisen. Though, by Renki’s account, the young duke treated him almost like an invisible person, which was perhaps for the best.
“There aren’t any other issues between the two of you, are there?”
“Nothing for Master to worry about.”
‘Right, they came to learn magic, so they should just learn magic.’ Hay hoped they would continue to study quietly and then part ways without incident.
When the food arrived, a hungry Hay devoured it quickly.
Perhaps it was due to all the mental exertion, but Renki, whose appetite had noticeably increased, also emptied his plate in no time. It was now time for them to go about their respective tasks.
“Keep the door locked. I’ll be back.”
Hay didn’t go up to his room; instead, he asked a staff member for a lantern and headed straight for the garden.
“Yes! Have a safe trip!” Renki called out, seeing him off.
Hay hummed a tune, following the short path into the wooded grove.
There, a couple secretly rendezvousing were startled by Hay’s appearance, hastily readjusting their disheveled clothes. Then, they suddenly began to giggle and whisper to each other.
Hay paid them no mind, continuing towards his destination. He eventually reached the edge of the wooded grove within the inn’s grounds, where a tall wall blocked his path.
To reach the lake, he would have to climb over this wall and walk a fair distance.
Hay used
As soon as Sylph was summoned, they let out a long cry and shot away like an arrow. Thea barked excitedly, chasing after Sylph.
They were clearly thrilled.
Kelpie, as if she were a scarf, wrapped her body around Hay’s neck and rested her chin on the crown of his head.
Although he felt no weight, the chilly aura of water seeped into his neck, sending shivers down his spine.
“Ugh, it’s cold. Kelpie, get down.”
Kelpie ignored Hay’s command.
Hay simply gave up and headed towards the lakeside, following the two spirits who had gone ahead.
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