Riser
patreon
37-7
🕑 Added 2025-08-02 21:15:30 +0000 UTCEP.7 Childhood (2)
"One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four! One more lap!!!"
"Huff, huff, huff... Yes, Your Highness!!"
Yuno was running around the training field together with knight trainees aged about 18 or 19. Although these trainees had only recently joined, they were the cream of the crop, having passed the brutal selection process from all over the Balkan Empire, and boasted stamina on par with, or even exceeding, that of most knights. Yet, these elite trainees were unable to keep up with the running pace of the 11-year-old Prince Yuno.
Moreover, Yuno, having already finished a lap ahead, was pushing the lagging trainees from behind. The trainees, knowing that falling behind while running with the prince would surely result in a harsh scolding from the knights after the training, clenched their teeth and tried to keep up with Yuno.
However, some trainees, lacking stamina, began to drop out, and the faster Yuno ran, the more trainees fell behind.
Watching Yuno and the trainees' physical training from the platform, Count Lichtenauer, the commander of the Imperial Royal Guard, and Viscount Speyer, the vice-commander, smiled brightly as they observed the prince and the trainees.
"Wow~ The Third Prince is truly amazing. He already has such great stamina, strength, and agility... Haha. I hear he’ll turn twelve next month, so you must have high expectations, Commander Lichtenauer."
"Hahaha, indeed. Even in barehanded sparring, he overwhelms trainees seven years older than him, doesn’t he? Once he turns twelve and begins swordsmanship and learns to use mana, I think he might even surpass me in no time."
"No matter what, could he really surpass the commander, the Empire’s strongest swordmaster, so quickly? Well, once His Highness comes of age, who knows."
"Oh, you! Hahahaha!"
Count Lichtenauer and Viscount Speyer, so looking forward to Yuno’s future growth, began discussing whether they should conduct his swordsmanship lessons separately from the general trainees.
"By the way, Vice-Commander, is it alright for you to be here? I heard the princess sent as a hostage from the Leon Kingdom will arrive at the capital via the spatial magic circle this afternoon, and you’re in charge of her security, aren’t you?"
"Preparations are all complete. If I leave in about fifteen minutes, I’ll be on time. Until then, I want to watch His Highness’s training a bit more. If he keeps growing like this, he’ll become a pillar supporting our order and the military ministry in the future."
"Indeed. I have great expectations as well. Hahaha."
While the two conversed, Yuno finished running around the field and began his personal strength training. Of course, he encouraged the trainees to join him, but more than half had already dropped out during the run, and those who had exhausted themselves trying to keep up with Yuno could only writhe on the ground.
Seeing this, Viscount Speyer frowned, and as he was leaving the training ground for his security duties, he spotted Jude, the captain of the 8th class knights in charge of the trainees’ basic training, and called him over.
"Sir Jude!!"
"Yes, Vice-Commander! Did you call for me?"
Jude, honored to be called by his respected vice-commander, ran over and saluted, waiting nervously for his orders.
'Could it be... is he going to assign me to the security detail for the Leon Kingdom princess today?'
Although Jude lacked the experience for such an important mission, being called captain meant he was the top talent in his class, and his skills rivaled those of senior classes. He was hopeful, but the words that came from Viscount Speyer’s mouth hit him like a blow to the back of the head.
"You’re in charge of overseeing the training of the 12th class trainees, right?"
"Yes, that’s correct... Is there a problem?"
"More than a problem... Hah, has training gotten this easy these days? I saw trainees unable to keep up with the 11-year-old prince and dropping out during laps around the field."
"...Ah, that’s..."
"I’m not saying it’s your fault. His Highness is already physically on par with a knight. Back in my day, if you lacked stamina, you endured with willpower... but kids these days, tsk tsk."
"I’m sorry!! I’ll fix their attitude!!"
"I’m not saying your teaching is bad. I’m saying I don’t like the trainees’ attitude. Hm... Sir Jude! Let’s do better! The commander was also quite concerned!"
With that, Viscount Speyer patted Jude on the shoulder and left the training ground for his security duties.
Having disappointed his respected superiors, Jude’s forehead bulged with veins and his face flushed red. That anger was soon directed at the 12th class trainees.
"8th class, assemble!!!"
Jude gathered all his peers and pointed at the 12th class trainees collapsed on the field.
"The commander said these brats are a mess and need their attitude fixed!"
"Huh? What happened?"
"They couldn’t keep up with the prince in front of the commander and fell behind. Since we’re the ones who trained them, it’s our responsibility to instill grit."
"To instill grit..."
"Our main duty as the Royal Guard is to protect the royal family, but these guys look like the type to abandon their duty and run if things get tough. Should we accept that disgrace?"
"No!!"
"Then let’s beat it into them! A good beating will build their mental strength!"
Jude led by example, jumping in to personally discipline the captain of the 12th class. The rest of the 8th class followed suit, joining in the beating.
Whack whack whack whack
"You bastards!! Slacking off!! What have you been doing, eating all this time? Do you think the Empire feeds you so you can collapse during training?! Huh?"
Crunch crunch crunch crunch
"What’s wrong with you!! Aren’t you trying to become royal knights?! What if you’re weaker than the prince you’re supposed to protect?! Better to die now than then!!"
"Ugh... Seniors!! His Highness is just naturally gifted... We... ugh!!"
The 12th class captain tried to make excuses, but as the captain, he was being personally disciplined by Jude, so it was useless.
"No excuses! Just take your beating!!"
After some time, Jude stopped the so-called “mental training” and gathered the 12th class. Their bodies were in tatters, but since not moving would only get them beaten more, they dragged themselves to the center of the training ground.
"I know His Highness has more stamina than you. But!! Even if you can’t keep up, you shouldn’t fall behind! The head instructor believes this is all due to your lack of grit. So from today, after dinner every night, you’ll run three laps around the outer wall of the palace in full armor."
At Jude’s words, the faces of the 12th class trainees went pale. The palace’s outer wall was about 7 km long. Running three laps wasn’t too hard for aspiring knights, but doing it in full armor was on a whole different level, so their faces turned ashen.
"Sir Jude~ Will that be enough? I’d like to help out a bit."
"Yes, Your Highness! Please give your orders!"
The devilish voice of the prince responsible for their hellish new training echoed in the trainees’ ears.
'No! What is that devil going to make us do now?'
'Your Highness, please just keep your mouth shut—that would help us the most. Please~'
Unaware of the trainees’ inner curses, Yuno dropped a bombshell and left.
"Make it a race!"
"Your Highness, by a race, do you mean...?"
"There are a hundred 12th class trainees, right? Do this grit training for a week, and starting the next week, exempt the top five from the next day’s training. Then everyone will run like mad. And on the last day, among the bottom twenty, the ten who fail are put through another ten days where only the top finisher is exempt. I guarantee, if you repeat this for a few months, they’ll never give you trouble with stamina again."
Jude was inwardly impressed by Yuno’s method and resolved to thoroughly discipline the 12th class accordingly.
The already harsh training became even more brutal thanks to the prince’s suggestion, and the 12th class trainees’ eyes were full of resentment toward the prince. But showing it would only get them beaten by their seniors for disrespect, so they gave up on everything and prayed for rain every day.
"Alright! You heard? After dinner tonight, everyone assemble at the palace’s rear gate by 7 p.m. Full armor, except for swords. Got it!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Now that you’ve had some rest, let’s move on to the next training!!"
The 12th class trainees grumbled that getting beaten wasn’t rest, but they couldn’t say a word to their senior knights and were dragged off to swordsmanship training.
Yuno thought it would be fun to join in the evening training himself, and was about to resume his strength exercises when a voice from behind made him pause.
"Yuno oppa~~~"
"Yuno, take a break!"
From where the voices came, his older sister Isabella and younger sister Marie were running over, carrying snacks and drinks. Of course, the princesses’ maids were anxiously following behind, but the girls didn’t care and ran up to Yuno with bright smiles.
