After enjoying the breeze for a while longer, Ryn and Durandal prepared to head back. However, they didn't go straight back to the training facility to find the others. Instead, Durandal secretly dragged Ryn to her home.
At first, Ryn thought he was just visiting her house as a guest. But the moment Durandal pulled him into her bedroom, Ryn immediately hugged himself and distanced himself from her.
"Let's get one thing straight, I'm not that kind of easy person!"
"What are you talking about?"
Durandal looked at Ryn with confusion, then proceeded to open a hidden compartment in her bedroom and took out a knight's long lance with a white shaft and a black hilt.
The lance's shaft bore the Schariac family crest, its inner side had a purplish hue, and its tip was black.
With its distinctive appearance, Ryn recognized it at a glance as the weapon that had always belonged to Schicksal's strongest... the Sixth Divine Key, the Key of Creation, Abyss Flower.
Seeing Durandal retrieve the Divine Key from a hidden compartment under her bed, Ryn couldn't help but think of Kiana.
"Um... Durandal, why are you like my Kiana-kitty, hiding your Divine Key under your bed..."
"Is... is it wrong to put it under the bed..." Durandal looked surprised; she had always thought hiding things under the bed was normal. After a moment of surprise, she explained to Ryn:
"Actually, the Divine Key was originally kept in the armory, but many Valkyries couldn't resist trying to touch it and would get hurt by its backlash. So, usually, after being chosen by a Divine Key, the owner takes it with them... Overseer Otto said that only I can use Abyss Flower, so he told me to keep it myself..."
Durandal held Abyss Flower vertically in front of her and chanted softly.
"I am the blackness from the abyss, I am the whiteness from the heavens. Born before creation, existing after annihilation; I will give to the thirsty the water from the spring of life, freely to drink."
As Durandal chanted, grass and flowers began to sprout around Abyss Flower, and the swelling on Ryn's and Durandal's faces gradually subsided...
"So this is the creative power of Abyss Flower... it's quite useful." Ryn touched his completely healed face and couldn't help but marvel.
"Yes, Abyss Flower's healing ability is excellent. I train every day until my muscles tear and my cells necrotize, and I rely on Abyss Flower to accelerate my regeneration. This allows me to constantly grow stronger." Durandal nodded in agreement. She always trained herself to death, leaving all after-effects and hidden injuries to Abyss Flower.
"I'm suddenly thinking I could throw Kiana, Mei, and the others to you for a training period. With Abyss Flower's restoration, their strength would surely improve rapidly."
Ryn mused, making a joke, but Durandal took it seriously. She already considered Ryn a friend and would give his requests due consideration.
"I can, but using Abyss Flower also has a cooldown, so I can't take on too many people at once. Ryn, give me their files first, and I'll have Rita arrange a schedule later."
"No, no, I was just kidding. They're still just students at St. Freya High School and haven't even passed the B-rank Valkyrie assessment yet... having you train with them would be a bit of an overkill."
Ryn sighed. Although Mei had the potential to become a complete Herrscher like himself, and Kiana possessed unparalleled talent, they were ultimately still just students. Having Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie train with them... Ryn was afraid he'd be lectured to death.
"Your way of thinking is wrong, Ryn. The Valkyrie ranks in Schicksal are meant to motivate the Valkyries, not to create a class hierarchy.
Besides, training doesn't distinguish between strength levels. As long as one has the desire to become stronger, anyone can train themselves and strive for improvement. Even if they are only B-rank now, who knows what the future holds? The weaker they are now, the more effective their training will be, relatively speaking."
Durandal sternly refuted Ryn, but then she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly and said apologetically to Ryn:
"Although I don't know why, Principal Theresa seems to dislike me very much and doesn't welcome me at St. Freya High School...
But I don't want to make her unhappy either, so... Ryn, whenever you're free, you can bring the people you just mentioned to Schicksal HQ. As long as I'm available, I'll definitely train them to death."
"Since you've put it that way, it seems I can't really refuse anymore. Don't worry, Mei and Kiana both have more than enough talent. You'll definitely experience the joy of raising them."
After saying that, Ryn and Durandal shook hands, both wearing satisfied smiles. And at that moment, in St. Freya High School, the girls happily playing games were completely unaware that they had been sold out by Ryn—no, this was for their own good.
And as the two shook hands and smiled, Rita, who was outside the door, turned to stone.
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"I saw my idol Theresa today, she's as cute as ever~ I even got to touch Miss Kika's face, Miss Kika is so cute too~"
Rita was inwardly ecstatic. She had grown up listening to Theresa's songs and was a die-hard fan. From watching Theresa so much, Rita had unknowingly become a perverted lolicon, even secretly following Theresa when she had no missions...
Rita opened the door to her house. She needed to change her clothes to attend the S-rank Valkyrie promotion ceremony for Ryn and Kika in the evening.
Entering the living room, Rita heard Durandal's voice. Just as she was about to ask her how her battle went, she saw through Durandal's ajar bedroom door...
Ryn and Durandal, holding hands, talking and laughing...
Today was supposed to be a happy day, but why did it turn out like this...
"No~" Rita began to scream hysterically in her mind. Although she was a little biased towards Theresa, she loved Lady Durandal very much too...
"Oh, Rita, you're back." Durandal saw Rita outside the door and greeted her with a smile.
"Miss Rita, how are things on Kika's end?" Ryn also greeted Rita.
"Master Ryn, you're too kind. Just call me Rita."
Rita approached the two with a gentle smile, then smilingly separated Ryn's and Durandal's still-clasped hands and stood between them.
"Lady Kika has already completed her assessment and is resting in the quarters Schicksal has assigned for you and her, awaiting your news. Since Master Ryn has also completed the assessment, you should go find Lady Kika right away!"
"Alright, then I'll be on my way. Since I'm calling you Rita, you can just call me Ryn from now on. And, thank you, Durandal." Ryn waved goodbye to Rita and Durandal, then left to find Kika.
After Ryn left, Rita still wore that gentle, squint-eyed smile, looking completely benevolent.
"Lady Durandal... shouldn't you explain to me... why you and Ryn were in your bedroom?!"
Seeing Rita like this, Durandal knew she must have done something wrong again. But it didn't seem like she had done anything wrong... she just used Abyss Flower...
Looking at the flowers and grass that had sprouted at her feet due to the dense power of creation, Durandal felt like she understood everything.
Durandal lowered her head and said aggrievedly, "I'm sorry, Rita. I'll clean up the sheets and tidy up myself."
"What?! Clean up the sheets, you two have already done that kind of thing!" Rita cried out in horror, her face a mask of disbelief.
"Yeah, that's right. Is there a problem with that?"
Durandal was a bit puzzled. She had just used Abyss Flower, what was with the big reaction?