Chapter 928: A healthy body
It seems Princess Ran is making steady progress on 「Myth」. I say seems because, as usual, I can’t actually read it myself, all I know is that the page count is getting absolutely massive. To make sure she doesn’t overdo it, I’ve asked Charlotte and Luna, who are highly skilled at stealth, to check in on her frequently. After all, 「Myth」 is undoubtedly an important part of their strategy, and I don’t want to get in the way. There was a proposal to assign a dragon as her dedicated rescue support, but when I had Emma try keeping watch, the mere presence of a dragon proved too distracting for her work to progress, so we abandoned the idea. Emma did comply, but it was painfully obvious she’d much rather focus on running errands for me, so I felt bad about that too. Well, given that they usually live off the Spirit Spring water, and based on Hilda’s assessment that it’s highly unlikely things would suddenly become too late, we settled on keeping the check-ins to a reasonable frequency. Still, once or twice a week, she ends up passing out from overworking herself. She insists it’s just falling asleep, but I think falling asleep refers to a state where you wake up after collapsing from your chair onto the floor.
“Her basic stamina is way too low”
Luna, who’s spotted this a few times and contacted Maia and Christie about it, was scathing.
“B, But if she’s concentrating that hard on desk work, I think it’s no wonder she has trouble standing up afterward”
Charlotte is on the sympathetic side. Well, Luna does have above-average stamina for a non-combatant. To Charlotte, that might just sound like a brainless remark.
“If you’re going to push yourself to the limit, you have to build up your stamina to handle it, otherwise, all that hard-earned health will go to waste. If you die, it’s over”
“Well, I suppose you’re right……”
“I think we should make that princess do some marching drills too”
“Eh……”
Charlotte looked at me as if seeking help. ……Umm. Even so, there aren’t many supervisors who could convincingly recommend that to her. It would be a waste to assign Dianne exclusively to that, and Sharon is already part of Fiona’s instructor staff. That leaves me……am I supposed to personally coach the princess on physical training? Well, I did go through marching drills properly myself, so I suppose I could handle building up a beginner’s stamina……no, wait, but me, coaching royalty? ……I hesitate. Some might say, why are you being so shy with someone you’ve already slept with, even if it was just oral sex? But to me, I still don’t feel like we’re at a point where I can treat her that casually. Still, it’s a shame to turn down such a suggestion. After a moderate workout, it’s easier to fall asleep when it’s time to rest. ……Someone in a position who isn’t intimidated by a foreign princess, and who’s physically fit to boot…….
“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Gorkus, representative of the Orange Clan. ……Princess Ran of Saint Gardo, I shall oversee your training”
“Huh……?”
“It is a personal request from our hero, Smithson-dono. I hear that despite having access to the healing waters of the Spirit Spring, you frequently collapse. Needless to say, this is likely because your fundamental physical and mental stamina is insufficient, being merely healthy is not enough”
“B, But, umm……t, training? A, Am I supposed to be like Fiona……?”
“There’s no need to go that far, but a healthy lifestyle inherently involves properly exerting the body. Overworking only your eyes, fingers, and mind with writing and research just wears you down without building any strength. No matter how many times you do that, you won’t become resilient”
That’s why, Gorkus said, flashing a smile from his dazzlingly handsome face, as he handed her the traditional workout attire of the Orange Clan. The Orange Clan is particularly renowned for martial arts, and it’s said that everyone, men and women, young and old alike, is passionate about enhancing their physical abilities.
“Wisdom and courage, it all stems from a strong body. In every age, those lacking physical stamina are the first to abandon virtue, lose sight of the greater good, and make poor judgments”
“…………”
Princess Ran looked at me as if seeking help. No, I’m the one who asked her to do this, after all. I won’t help her. ……Or rather, Gorkus’s muscle-brained theory seems reasonable at first glance, but if that’s the case, it would be strange if I weren’t physically far superior to the forest elves. I suppose it’s just a basic philosophy emphasizing the significance of physical training for them, and there are plenty of exceptions.
“Now then, first, let’s run. ……Running is wonderful. All you need are two legs and the ground. And it trains not only your legs but your heart and lungs as well, with the benefits clearly evident in everything you do”
“U, Umm……I, I haven’t really done that kind of thing before……!”
“That’s why I’m here. Don’t worry. I’m still a youngster of only about three hundred years, but I’m quite used to teaching others”
Gorkus, the long-haired, dark-haired nobleman with a dazzling smile. Yeah. I made the right choice asking him. He’s definitely the one. Maybe he felt guilty about not being able to contribute as a clan member during the last Harvest Festival, because he agreed without hesitation. In terms of status, he’s practically a prince, and he’s skilled enough that even if Fiona were to pick a fight with him, he wouldn’t bat an eye.
“So, can I leave the rest to you, Gorkus?”
“Leave it to me. She’ll become a fine warrior”
“No, you don’t have to go that far, okay? This is just for fitness”
“Haahaahaa. I understand perfectly well”
Really? He said warrior even though he understood? ……Well, maybe in their clan, they call someone a warrior once they’re fully trained.
And Gorkus really did a thorough job.
“I, I’ve never……never run this much in my entire life……”
“Well, that’s about par for the course at first. Ideally, we’d do a bit more for better results, but Smithson-dono told me not to push you too hard”
“M, My legs won’t move anymore……”
It was just running, but for someone as frail as her, it seemed to be something she’d never been allowed to do before. Princess Ran’s eyes were unfocused from the overwhelming exhaustion.
“However, there are times when a person simply must run. It won’t be in vain. Let’s keep aiming higher and higher”
“Ugh, higher……!?”
“First, the goal is to run about 40 kilometers without stopping. Anyone can do it if they train properly, regardless of talent, but it’s difficult for someone who isn’t in shape. If you can manage this, your chances of survival will increase dramatically even if you’re attacked by bandits and have to flee”
“W, What……that far……!?”
……No, seriously, this is just for health maintenance, Gorkus. You get that, right? Even though the Spirit Spring prevents injuries and lingering fatigue, let’s keep it within limits that don’t interfere with her proper activities, okay?
So. Now that Princess Ran is exhausted and actually sleeping through the night, there’s no need to keep watch over her, so Luna and Charlotte are on cock-watching duty in my bed today. Or rather.
“Ehehe……I’m gonna steal your seed, Master……♪”
“It’s about time you got me pregnant……♪”
I suppose you could call them semen thieves. Of course, they’re welcome to come steal as much as they want. It’s only proper to meet them head-on. To the naked, lewd thief girls who sneaked into the sheets full of enthusiasm, I thrust exactly what they desired.