"Holy."
"Speak," said the queen.
"Moly."
"I just asked about my condition."
"Guacamole."
“...”
"Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty," said Lloyd, quickly brushing off the confusion from his face.
It was the end of the second month of training, and the queen's sharp stare at Lloyd caused him to lift his head and respond.
"Your conditions have improved beyond my expectations."
"They have?" Replied Queen Magentano.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The queen nodded. It was true. Lloyd had performed a thorough inspection on the flow of mana within her body as month two finished, and the result was stunning.
"Your accomplishments are far greater than I had anticipated, Your Majesty."
"Are they?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Most of the key routes through which Asrahan Core Technique could operate have been established already."
"Go on," said the queen.
"There is no need to take the trivial steps that I have had in my mind, anymore."
"Really?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
This was true as well. When Lloyd had first suggested the two-month training, he was hoping to at least mitigate the paralysis on the queen's left arm.
Because that was the most I could expect given the situation. She was already an accomplished swordmaster, and learning a new core technique was virtually impossible.
However, it seemed Lloyd's expectations were completely off.
Major routes through which the Asrahan Core Technique could operate have settled nicely. While the smaller ones still require training, this is astounding. Glimpse of hope? My butt. It's an entire flood of it!
Lloyd had estimated the queen's success rate of learning this technique to be less than 10 percent before the training. With the recent accomplishment, however, it was now more like 50 percent.
"Have discomforts on your left arm drastically decreased as of late whenever I injected mana into it?" asked Lloyd, examining the queen's arm more meticulously.
"They have. I barely feel them anymore."
"I am inclined to think the physical resistance within your body has subsided, as the routes settled."
"Hmm. It must be thanks to my natural knack."
"I am inclined to think it's thanks to my wonderful talent."
"Most definitely because of my extraordinary endurance and affinity."
"My selfless, diligent efforts must be finally paying off."
"I am astounded by my superior ability to master one thing after another."
"I am compelled to give a big round of applause to my sacrificial endeavor."
"So you're going to keep talking back."
"Your grace knows no bounds... Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Tsk. You and your requests for forgiveness in situations like these."
"Forgive me, but there still is a huge obstacle to overcome, Your Majesty."
"By a huge obstacle," said the queen, frowning one eyebrow. "Do you mean the formation of the mana circle you had mentioned a few days ago?"
"Precisely, Your Majesty."
Lloyd proceeded to explain.
"You have successfully established the framework required for the operation of the Asrahan Core Technique, Your Majesty. However, you still lack the core component in the mana circle."
"Mana circle..."
"Yes, Your Majesty. That is absolutely necessary for you to operate the technique on your own."
"Which makes sense. I am still in need of your help because I do not have that," Queen Magentano nodded.
The lack of the mana circle in her body called for Lloyd's assistance in operating the Asrahan Core Technique. As soon as the rope binding the hands of the queen and Lloyd was untied, her left arm would feel the discomfort associated with paralysis due to the dissipation of mana.
"So, the formation of the mana circle to consistently provide mana to my left arm through the Asrahan Core Technique on my own would finally seal this dreadful training. Correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Your wisdom knows no bounds."
"So it is correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Hmm."
“...”
"Hmm."
“...”
"May I ask why you're staring at me like that, Your Majesty...?"
"So you found the two months you spent with me dreadful."
"That isn't..."
"You just said yes to my question. Did you not?"
“...”
"That this dreadful training could finally come to an end?"
“...”
"What a terrible queen I am, for having failed to realize how dreadful and boring it is to stay in training for two whole months."
“...”
"Isn't that right?"
Please don't kill me.
Lloyd trembled like a leaf against the wind, shortly before he overworked his cerebral cortex to come up with a response.
"Ahem. Anyhow, it is true that you must overcome the obstacle of forming a mana circle, to continue curing your left arm through the Asrahan Core Technique."
"Okay, and?"
"And thanks to the two months of wonderful and joyous training with you, Your Majesty, the results are much better than expected. Since the structure of the mana flow to enable the technique has been nearly established, we should be able to skip the tedious steps and jump right into the last phase."
"Ha. Is that so?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will help with the formation of your mana circle with a quick charge."
"Okay... a quick charge?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Do you recall when I absorbed a great amount of your mana in the past?"
“...”
"I will perform something like that again."
"Tsk."
"Your Majesty?"
"Go on," said the queen, after frowning subtly.
She did remember the incident during which she had lost a tremendous amount of mana to Lloyd, as her life was threatened.
Although it shouldn't be as annoying since I haven't been poisoned or anything.
But she certainly did not enjoy the experience. Lloyd continued to elaborate as she reminisced.
"Truth be told, your biggest problem lies in that you are too advanced as a warrior."
"Too advanced?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. To draw an analogy, you're like a completed piece of art." "And?"
"What would happen, then, if I were to absorb a fair amount of your mana?"
"Hmm. That would create an emptiness of mana here and there, albeit partially."
"That's correct, Your Majesty. The painting on the completed artwork would be removed partially, revealing what's underneath temporarily."
"That is accurate, Your Majesty."
Lloyd put a genuine smile on his face, impressed by the queen's wit yet again.
I tell her about one piece of the puzzle, and she grasps the entire picture.
Lloyd thought she didn't become a swordmaster for nothing and continued.
"I believe now is the best time to summon Sir Javier Asrahan here."
"Sir Javier Asrahan?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. He will stay by our side and make sure we are both safe."
"Okay. Call him immediately."
With verbal approval from the queen, Javier, who had been waiting in the room of honored guests, was summoned straight away. The knight's eyes were a bit red for some reason, however.
"Why are your eyes like that?" Lloyd asked.
“...”
Javier did not reply. Instead, he gave Lloyd a rather cold stare through those red eyes. Lloyd squinted at the sight and added.
"Come on, it's been a while since we last met. Don't be like that."
“...”
"Please don't tell me you're too overjoyed to see me."
“...”
"Or you're trying your hardest to hold your tears in."
“...”
"Tsk. Your feelings were hurt."
"No."
"Got you. You responded to that right away."
"Not at all."
"Ha. You are clearly upset because I made you stay in the honored guest room for two whole months."
“...”
"And your insomnia kicked back in because I wasn't there to sing lullabies each night."
"My eyes are red because I read until late last night."
"I didn't say anything about your eyes though."
“...”
"You're so bad at lying sometimes. Let's get to work anyway. You know why you're here, right?"
"Yeah. You explained before."
"Good. You must take a good look at me and Her Majesty."
"Understood," Javier nodded, reassuring Lloyd.
Thank goodness I have him with us. I don't remember anything whenever I use Quick Charge.
He would completely lose himself and fail to realize what would transpire around him, and this could potentially put the queen in danger.
That's why I need to watch over us.
Javier was the only one who was capable of such a task because he knew the Asrahan Core Technique. Even within the range of the quick charge, the knight was able to disturb the flow of mana, mitigate the animosity, and avoid losing his own. He could also examine and monitor the amount and property of the mana exchanged between Lloyd and the queen, as well as the trend of mana being created and recovered within Her Majesty's body. This meant that in the event the queen would be in danger, he could inject his mana onto her and secure her safety. Because Javier could perform all of these, he was a security guard required for this specific quick charge session.
"Let's go."
They headed down to the royal training arena for the queen, who strictly commanded others not to approach them. After the three of them stopped in the center, Lloyd untied the rope binding them together and sat on the ground facing her.
"Are you ready, Your Majesty?"
"Yeah," said the queen, nodding with determination in her eyes.
"The partial voids of mana will occur during the process of absorption. Please remember to perform the Asrahan Core Technique onto those voids."
"I will."
They made eye contact and understood the preparations were complete. Without further ado, Lloyd opened the status window and activated this ability.
Ding.
[Asrahan Core Technique Option 5: Quick Charge is activated.]
[A large amount of mana will be absorbed from a random target near you.]
That's when the strange transformation began. Lloyd's three-way circle began to move like the predator stepping out of its lair, sniffing around to look for suitable prey to satiate the hunger. After finding the victim, the circle opened its vicious mouth and bit without hesitation.
Zing! The mana circle began to absorb mana from all targets in the vicinity in an instant, including Queen Magentano.
Mm...!
The queen inadvertently took an empty breath as soon as the quick charge began. She couldn't breathe properly. Her vision blurred and she felt pain all over her body, as though she had just fallen from a tree, shortly before sensing an exodus of mana.
Mm... Hmph!
It's been a while since she last felt this. The queen bit her lips amid the massive headache and opened her eyes widely to remain conscious and focused. She desperately recalled Lloyd's instructions and performed them.
Partial voids of mana... that will occur during the process... of losing a large amount of mana...
It felt as if she was losing a large sum of blood in an instant, before becoming an empty shell to be shattered in the end. She examined her inner self in agony and deliberately stopped the flow of mana that had constantly been active ever since she became a swordmaster. She then endeavored to identify the void of mana that was supposed to be present. She began to feel it slowly but surely.
There.
It was temporary. In less than one second, a tiny space the size of a pea was spotted. Queen Magentano reacted immediately.
I must hurry.
She rushed her mana and established the foundation of the Asrahan Core Technique, shortly before the void was filled. As soon as the technique did what it was supposed to, another void appeared in a different spot. The queen did not lose track of it and extended the technique onto the new void. One spot in one second became two spots, and then five spots. As the absorption process continued, the speed at which these spots appeared grew at an exponential rate as if a fierce thunderstorm rattled the roof with raindrops. It was a session of immense tension and ferocity. She kept fighting to spot the voids, performed the Core Technique, endured the pain, and held herself together. She hung on and finally succeeded.
"...Urgh!"
Cough! Queen Magentano coughed out a handful of blood, but it did not hurt at all. Rather, it felt great as though fish bones that had been stuck in her throat for a long time were just removed. She felt this great freshness in her heart the moment coughed the blood out, and that was when a two-way seed had formed around her mana heart.
Zing. The seed began to circulate slowly but surely. It rotated, compressed itself, grew bigger, and became denser. It then formed a small, yet gigantic, circular ring, unleashing the light to commemorate its birth.
Zing! A two-way mana circle was formed around the queen's heart just like that. Queen Alicia Termina Magentano, the extremely powerful swordmaster, had finally achieved a double-circle status.
Around the same time, a courier from Namaran was rushing towards the royal capital of Magenta, carrying an urgent message.
