Chapter 15: Perfect Steal

Chapter 15: Perfect Steal

With sparkling eyes, I hurried to their training area and sat on a wooden bench near the trees and flowers. The bench looked ordinary, but it faintly emitted traces of mana.

I didn’t know why mana was embedded in it, but as my hand touched the surface, I realized how sturdy it was.

Even if I punched it with full force, it probably wouldn’t leave a dent.

That was how solid this furnished bench felt. Although I was impressed by the bench, what truly excited me was the chance to steal their skills.

My gaze landed on them with anticipation as I carefully observed their movements.

As expected, a few of them glanced my way again.

At first, they looked relieved, thinking I was just here to sit.

But as my focused gaze lingered, they grew visibly uncomfortable.

Even so, they did their best to ignore me, shaking their heads with determined expressions and continuing their training.

I watched in silence for several minutes, but then something began to feel off.

"Could it be because their swordsmanship is mid-grade? Is that why I can’t copy a single technique?"

I stared like a madwoman, trying to understand.

Not a single skill registered.

I could sense it myself even without the system’s confirmation, but I refused to give up.

I refocused and continued watching as their swords sliced through the air with practiced rhythm and precision.

Each movement was shaped by more than muscle.

It was the result of memory, discipline, and repetition.

I could follow the principle behind their techniques, but it was slow––painfully slow.

Usually, copying a low-grade skill took only seconds, but the techniques they were practicing looked like they would take me a year just to understand the surface level.

The best I could hope for was an inferior version. I couldn’t fully absorb the essence of what they were doing.

They were likely using mid-grade or even high-grade sword techniques.

Watching them made me feel like a fool. Worse, they noticed my scrutiny and began trembling slightly, making it even harder to focus.

"Should I ask them to perform some lower-grade swordsmanship?"

It might work, but from the way they avoided my eyes, they seemed uneasy, as if they didn’t even know who I was.

Could they be newly hired?

I examined their behavior carefully. Unlike the maids, who had almost no visible emotions, these knights looked flustered and shy.

They truly had emotions.

No, more accurately, they were still mortal.

My curiosity deepened. Judging by the weak mana they carried, it was like a drop of water compared to Lynn or Mia.

They also didn’t possess monster cores, which confirmed they were pure humans.

Even so, their bodies were thoroughly trained. I could see the muscles bulging beneath their uniforms, veins rising along their arms.

They were all well-developed, and their physical strength far exceeded mine.

If I fought them directly, even with my larger mana reserves, I would probably lose.

That was natural. I was never trained for real combat.

That was the reason I had come here––to copy their skills.

I was better at ambushes and sneak attacks, so learning new tricks was a good investment.

Determined, I clenched my fists and stared at them again.

But they had already stopped.

Their eyes were downcast, heads bowed toward the dirt.

An old man walked past them with a wooden sword in hand.

Then they called out.

"Good afternoon, Sword King. We are pleased to see you. Please guide us today."

"Hmph..."

The old man nodded slightly.

I blinked in surprise.

So this white-haired man was the Sword King? He looked incredibly frail. Out of breath. Was he really their instructor?

Could they be getting scammed?

That thought crossed my mind, but I knew better than to jump to conclusions. This world was too mysterious.

Still, as I looked more closely, I sensed nothing from him. No mana, no presence. It was as if he were just a normal old man reminiscing about his youth.

Suspicious, I activated Divine Vision to see what was hidden. But I saw nothing.

No abnormality. No signs of strength. Nothing.

"Could he really be that weak?"

As I sat there thinking, his voice startled me.

"Good evening, Princess. I didn’t expect to see you here. Please excuse me, but may I ask why you’ve come?"

He bowed slightly. His hands trembled.

His eyes were on my belly.

He already knew I was pregnant. That wasn’t surprising, considering Lynn and Mia knew as well.

But his nervousness seemed to shock his students.

"I came for a walk. Am I bothering you?"

"Not at all, Princess. You are free to walk anywhere you wish. It is a pleasure to see you. This is only the second time our master has revealed his second Granddaughter. It is an honor to meet you in person."

So Gramps Zach hadn’t told them I was adopted.

Why?

I was surprised, but then I remembered the contract.

It had many layers, many effects. Maybe there were things about it I still didn’t understand. Maybe that was why Szélanya had looked relieved after I signed it.

Still, to be polite, I nodded to the old man and said, "Thank you. I’ll just watch."

"Of course, Princess. Please do as you like."

Then he turned to the students.

"You brats, why are you just standing there? Greet the princess unless you want to be excluded from my training."

Startled, they bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Princess. We are honored by your presence. Please forgive our rudeness."

"It’s fine. I wasn’t upset. I was just curious about your training, so I watched for a while," I said, feigning embarrassment.

It was all part of the act.

"Thank you, Princess, for your forgiveness."

I offered them a faint smile, only to catch the old man coughing again.

He must have misunderstood the reason behind my gaze earlier.

Perhaps he thought I was ogling their bodies. But that was fine. Let them think what they want. Misunderstandings had their uses.

Now that they were more relaxed, it was the perfect moment to make a request.

One only a princess could make.

"Umm..." I fidgeted, pretending to be nervous.

When their eyes turned to me again, I closed mine and spoke in a soft, shy voice.

"Can... Can you show me all your low-grade skills?"

They blinked. Their eyes sparkled with surprise.

Some looked thrilled, though they tried to hide it in front of their instructor.

The old man responded first.

"Of course, Princess. I will personally demonstrate all of my low-grade sword techniques to you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I let out a delighted gasp, perfectly mimicking the expression of a girl who had just received the best surprise of the day.

Inwardly, I smiled with satisfaction.

Finally, I could steal their skills.

And it would be the perfect steal.

–––

Szélanya

Hours had passed, and Szélanya was already bored out of her mind. Signing endless documents was nothing but a hassle.

Zach was a fool. He should have simply handed over the properties instead of insisting on putting everything in writing.

She let out a long sigh. “Should I stop for now? I’m too tired. I’ll just continue tomorrow.”

Setting aside the overwhelming pile of paperwork, she walked to the sofa and dropped onto it. She buried her face into the soft cushions, savoring the comfort.

Resting like this was a relief.

More than anything, she wished she could see her new daughter tomorrow.

Nerine was pregnant, and she deserved to have her mother at her side, someone to ease her worries. If it were not for those troublesome maids, Szélanya would already be with her.

“I really want to visit her.”

She closed her eyes, but soon sensed someone approaching.

A servant was calling for her again.

Another sigh escaped her lips.

“Is it another contract that needs my signature? How annoying.”

“Lenny, come in. What is it now?”

“My queen, His Majesty sent a letter.”

“A letter?”

The servant nodded. Szélanya accepted the envelope and dismissed her with a wave of her hand. Once the orb-shaped servant floated away, she broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

As her eyes moved across the words, excitement sparked within her.

“Hahaha... Just potions? That will not do. Nerine needs a rare herb, something that can truly replenish her vitality.”

She nodded in satisfaction.

At last, she had a proper reason to visit. Her descendant––no, her daughter.

She had adopted Nerine, so she belonged to her now. She would bring her artifacts as well.

For a moment, Szélanya considered visiting in her real body, but that would cause unnecessary commotion.

Balance in the Spirit Realm still mattered, and as the Wind Progenitor she could not be careless.

Even like this, she was more than strong enough to protect her daughter. There was no need for drama. She would go as she was.

She entered her dressing room and changed into a flowing dress with loose sleeves. She braided her hair simply and avoided heavy jewelry. The dress itself was plain, but with her beauty, she knew she would stand out regardless.

If humans saw her, they would gawk. Lustful creatures. The thought disgusted her. It reminded her of the daughter she had lost because of them.

Her face darkened, but she forced herself to calm down. She had not yet seen Nerine. Appearing before her with such a bitter expression might frighten that innocent child.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her mood and continued preparing.

Minutes later, she was ready.

She stepped into the teleportation array, one of many installed in Zach’s mansion thanks to her persistence.

With a single thought, she activated it and appeared directly in Zach’s private office.

Zach looked up as she arrived. “Oh, you are here, Szélanya. Did you bring the potions?”

“No. I brought a Tier Six herb. It should restore her vitality and keep it stable for ten years. Though I doubt she will be able to absorb all of it.”

He looked surprised, though she could tell he had expected something more than simple potions. His facade was thick, but never flawless.

“Enough. Give me some mana stones. I will bring them to my daughter myself.”

“Ah, about that... I already asked Mia to deliver them. But it seems Nerine went to the training grounds. She was... staring at the knights’ bodies.”

“What?”

Zach nodded seriously.

So that was it. Nerine liked that sort of thing. She had been ogling men. Well, she was a grown woman now.

Szélanya could not stop her.

Zach blinked blankly and smirked at Szélanya's annoyed mood.

“Why are you blushing? Could it be...?”

“Shut up.”

She shot him a glare and stormed out of the office, refusing to listen to another word of his nonsense.

“Nerine... she should stay away from humans. But I will not stop her. If she finds a partner she truly loves, I will support her. But if anyone dares to use her, I will erase them from this world.”