'She should have been humbled at this point. That's part of her character development, I'd say.'
Leisurely leaning at the railing of the manor's balcony, the very place that naturally became a habitual spot to see the working and resting citizens of the territory, I recalled the battle that had transpired between the future archmage and true hero of this world, which led to the crushing defeat of the former.
Because of this event, as I was exhaustingly occupied with the sudden events following my transmigration and the urgent matters of Eshu County, I eventually remembered one of Maya's spell arsenals that focused on [Memory Tampering].
It's an area-of-effect [AoE] magic that erases the intended memories of those affected.
'It's certainly the same thing she used that let students forget about what happened during the night of my transmigration... I had no time to think clearly that if not for her recent visit and what happened, I doubt I would naturally remember.'
That being said, the center of their battle—Bishop Jacob, a theology professor in the academy—was also known in the original story of 'Hero's Apocalypse.'
'After all, he's part of the Seven Hero Bloodlines… and one of Alana's close relatives…'
Maya's too arrogant and quite illogically emotional at this point in time. Though she had the right to be because of her imbalanced specs as a character, it's still refreshing to know that she had faced someone she never thought would easily penetrate into her seemingly impenetrable defense.
When I thought about it, a few significant characters should have just dropped out of the academy to go out into the real world to experience life-and-death battles… That place was just a leash that could not completely hone their true potential.
But considering the enemies from within that the damn author had put in the same setting, I'd guess it was just right to balance it out… or else, the helpless students would be erased from the map without these monstrous [heroes] with few screws loose.
'So far, without me in the picture, everything's going the same way in the original…'
As I contemplated the current events, what ifs, and future scenarios, I heard gentle footsteps that sounded in tune with the wind…
'She's quickly improving…' I thought as I simultaneously heard her voice.
"Young Master, it's time for the Warbody Program."
I turned to look at the azure-eyed Beatrice, the appointed head maid due to the indefinite absence of her predecessor.
"Let's go."
I nodded quietly before leaving my temporary comfort place to face the hellish routine I very much created.
*
The Warbody Program aimed to maturely develop the soldiers' physique, mental toughness, and basic fighting styles in all aspects in the span of 60 days.
This program also had a thoroughly thought out written [Doctrine] for every soldier to engrave in their very existence.
In their souls.
In their spirits.
In their bodies and minds.
It was ideal just to listen to it. However…
"Submerge them to the barrels!"
With the guidance of their own comrades, turn by turn, tens of casually clothed able-bodied personnel were simultaneously drowned upside down in the water-filled barrels scattered across the training field.
Luckily, four weak-ass mages were among the slaves brought by the Golden Crown recently, which added fuel to the intensity of the training.
Just as some of these soldiers were about to pass out from drowning…
"How dare you pass out in front of me? Wake them up! Cast the Tier-1 – Lightning Magic, Mild Shock!"
The four mages moved, hearing the tyrannical-like voice of the apathetic lord seemingly with no regard for human life… However, these branded slaves often wondered why these subjects of the trials barely spoke of protest.
Had they gone mad? Or perhaps they just feared their lord?
But now? Because of the [Doctrine] of the Warbody Program, these slaves also realized that this place they were sold off to… was entirely different from everywhere they had previously belonged to.
The four puny mages occasionally remembered the [First Section of the ingrained Doctrine].
"Pain without purpose is cruelty. Pain with meaning is transformation." – I. Purpose: Pain with Meaning, Warbody Doctrine
…
After the batches of soldiers finished with their training regimen meant for this day, they were provided with abundant amounts of food to regain their strength.
Apart from that, their eyes were fixated on the center of the training field… since it was time for their lord and his chosen companions to exhaust their bodies.
"Whatever the lord does, it'll be our turn next… So be prepared."
"It's the first time I've seen a noble that personally demonstrates this kind of training for us to follow afterward…"
"If not for that, I probably would have given up some time ago… He's really an odd man."
"But what's the lord going to do this time?"
"Do you think it has something to do with what he previously asked for us to construct? The layers of bricks?"
In one corner of the training field, several rectangular pillars of cemented bricks with empty gaps that could accommodate barely anything human-sized within were neatly situated.
With such a question echoing around, the resting soldiers' gazes eventually fixated on that corner of the field, and as they guessed correctly, their lord approached the layers of bricks poorly cemented to hold their own.
Lugh then forcefully inserted his entire body in the gap; it's a place where he could not move a muscle—an extreme solitary confinement… it's like being buried alive while standing.
"Wh-what the…?"
"Is he really…"
"There's no way…"
Lugh nodded to Beatrice, who also nodded in return before proceeding to cement the open gap, gradually closing it to darkness, and leaving only two holes and some uneven spaces between imperfect bricks for him to barely breathe.
[Mental Toughness Training – Body Isolation for 3 days and 2 nights.]
Eventually, Lugh's sister, Kaya, every maid of the house, the five squad leaders, and other chosen personnel experienced the same thing.
After that, hundreds of soldiers underwent the same mental, physical, and maddening training in darkness atop of being pinned in every direction, rendering them to move an inch aside from their blinking eyes.
Seeing everyone's progress so far, though not every trainee managed to do the same as he did, Lugh personally monitored everything with satisfied expression.
'Sorry folks. The Geneva Conventions don't exist in this world, so if I say it's legal, then it's perfectly fine.'
Lugh's amethyst eyes scanned the very few 13 to 14-year-old children climbing rough ropes without any safety apparatuses, a unit he personally separated and had their own training regimen.