I feel like I might die if this continues

"Okay… now I know why zed was running away from this guy's training."

Zed's breath tore from his lungs as he sprinted across the training field, dirt and grass kicking up beneath his feet. His legs burned, and his chest screamed for air.

Behind him, the vicious barking of a pack of large black hounds filled the air—each one twice his size, muscles rippling beneath their sleek coats.

"Your Grace!" Jaeger's sharp voice cut through the chaos like a whip. "Run faster! You can't slow down! You need to complete three more laps!"

Three more?!

Zed's face twisted into a look of pure disbelief. He lashed out in his mind:

"This guy is a Spartan! Man, devil would show mercy—but not this guy!"

The pounding of paws on the dirt intensified. One of the dogs snapped at his heel, its breath hot against his calf.

"Hell no!" Zed screamed internally, pushing his burning legs harder.

Somehow—through sheer desperation and terror—he completed the track. He stumbled to a stop, bent over, hands on his knees, chest heaving. His heart hammered so loudly it echoed in his ears.

Sir Jaeger walked toward him, calm and collected. The dogs, which had been one step away from tearing Zed apart, suddenly sat down and wagged their tails at Jaeger's feet like obedient pups.

Zed's eyes narrowed.

"This guy can even control dogs? Now I wonder what the hell he can't do."

"Well done, Your Grace," Jaeger said, his voice as steady as ever. Not even the slightest trace of sweat on his forehead.

"So… how did I do?" Zed panted, barely able to speak through his burning lungs.

"Not bad," Jaeger replied, his tone neutral. Then his eyes glinted with quiet menace. "Now, onto the next exercise. Please follow me."

"Next one?" Zed's face drained of color.

"I feel like I might die if this continues…"

It did continue.

Jaeger ran him through the gauntlet:

→ 30 push-ups – Zed's arms trembled halfway through.→ 30 sit-ups – His abs screamed for mercy by the end.→ 500 sword swings – His shoulders felt like they were on fire.→ Running drills – His legs were so shaky they felt like jelly.→ Endurance sparring – He got knocked on his ass. Repeatedly.

By the time it was over, Zed was completely and utterly wrecked.

When he finally stumbled back into his room, he didn't even bother undressing. He collapsed onto the bed face-first, groaning into the soft mattress. His muscles screamed in protest, and his body ached in places he didn't know could ache.

"Man, I'm tired as hell," Zed muttered into the pillow. He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. His breath steadied slightly.

"Well… I guess I can't complain. I did ask for this."

His gaze sharpened.

"Now then… time to get started on Rhu training."

Zed sat up and crossed his legs into a meditation pose. His hands rested lightly on his knees. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing.

Inhale…Exhale…

The pounding in his muscles faded into the background. His senses sharpened as he focused inward.

There—

—a faint pulse in the air.

A delicate shimmer of warmth.

Zed's mind reached toward it, careful and steady. His breathing slowed. His awareness expanded.

Got it.

He inhaled deeply, guiding the faint thread of Rhu inward. A thin stream of warmth trickled through his body—faint, unstable—but present.

The energy flickered as it entered him, resisting his control. Zed gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead. His heart pounded.

"Come on…" he muttered. "Hold steady…"

The Rhu trembled within him, pulsing erratically. But Zed forced himself to stay calm, focusing on the steady rise and fall of his breath.

Slowly… carefully…

The Rhu settled.

A soft warmth began to gather in his core—like drops of water slowly forming a pool.

Zed's lips curled into a small smile.

I did it.

Now… just keep repeating this again and again… until I have enough Rhu to form a core.

Zed's breath steadied. His expression hardened.

One step at a time. 

Days blurred into weeks.

My routine became relentless. From morning to afternoon, I would train under Sir Jaeger's merciless guidance. My body screamed with every push-up, every swing of the sword, and every round of running. My muscles hardened, and the soreness that once left me gasping became a dull ache I learned to live with.

At night, long after my limbs had given up, I would sit cross-legged in my room and dive into my Rhu training. Midnight would creep in as I meditated, guiding the elusive threads of Rhu through my body, forming delicate streams and weaving them toward my core.

The training was brutal—exhausting—but it was working. My body grew stronger, leaner. My movements sharpened. I could feel the Rhu inside me growing more stable, responding faster to my command.

Sir Jaeger's training kept escalating. New workouts were added daily. Just when I thought I had mastered one exercise, he would increase the intensity. More laps. More sparring. More swings. My muscles adapted, but my mind was pushed to its limit.

And yet… something had changed.

At first, Jaeger had been cold, strict—a terrifying figure whose golden eyes seemed capable of cutting through steel. He never smiled, never praised me. Only cold corrections and sharper commands.

But over time, I began to see beneath that hard exterior.

There were moments—rare and fleeting—when the mask would slip.

Sometimes, when I collapsed during training, he would silently kneel beside me. Without a word, he would lift me onto his broad back and carry me to my room. He would tell the maids to take care of me, his voice calm and steady.

And then he would leave. No words. No lingering presence.

But I knew.

He cared. He just didn't know how to show it.

Once, after a particularly harsh session where I could barely stand, Jaeger handed me a wooden sword and said, "Tomorrow, we'll increase the weight."

I groaned. "Are you trying to kill me?"

He gave a rare smile—barely there, but it softened the sharpness in his gaze. "If I wanted you dead, Your Grace, you'd be dead."

I blinked. "…That's not reassuring."

"Good," Jaeger replied, his smile deepening. "It wasn't meant to be."

Despite everything, I found myself smiling more around him.

I didn't know how many days passed like this. It must've been weeks—months, even. My body had changed. My arms were no longer thin and fragile. My shoulders had broadened slightly. My balance was better. My movements were smoother.

And then, the rainy season arrived.

The rain hammered down relentlessly, drowning the estate's training grounds in puddles and mud. Thick sheets of water cascaded from the dark gray sky.

But Jaeger's training didn't stop for the weather.

Cold rain plastered my hair to my face as I sprinted through the downpour. My boots sloshed through the muddy track, and icy water soaked through my clothes, chilling me to the bone.

"Keep moving, Your Grace!" Jaeger's voice cut through the rain like a whip. He stood under a dark overhang, arms crossed over his chest. Not a single drop of water touched him.

My legs ached. My lungs burned. My soaked shirt clung uncomfortably to my back.

This guy is a monster…

A sharp crack of thunder rolled across the sky, shaking the ground beneath my feet. I slipped on the wet grass and went down hard, mud splashing up my arms.

Jaeger's golden eyes narrowed.

I grit my teeth and pushed myself back up.

"I'm not… done yet!" I shouted over the rain. My voice was lost in the storm.

Jaeger's gaze sharpened. His mouth twitched into a brief, approving smile.

My training had become more than just routine. It had become instinct. Even in the rain, I didn't hesitate. My feet moved before I could think, my sword swung without doubt.

This was becoming my new normal.

But today…

Today was different.

It was a humid afternoon when I first noticed them.

I had just finished my sprint, sweat clinging to my skin despite the cool breeze. My muscles ached from the relentless training, but that pain dulled when I saw the new faces walking across the courtyard.

Three men, dressed in clothes so extravagant they seemed out of place against the dark stone of the estate. Gold thread lined the seams of their cloaks, and jeweled brooches glittered at their chests. Even the maids paused their work, eyes lingering as the men passed by.

But it was the one in the center who drew the most attention.

He had a slender frame—almost unnaturally thin—yet he carried himself with the confidence of a man who expected the world to part before him. His platinum blond hair cascaded in soft waves down his shoulders, glinting like moonlight in the afternoon sun. His sharp, narrow face was accentuated by striking emerald-green eyes that glinted with cold calculation.

Gold chains decorated his wrists and neck, and a heavy golden ring sat on each of his pale fingers. His cloak shimmered under the sunlight, embroidered with delicate golden filigree. He practically radiated wealth.

The other two men flanking him were dressed similarly—though less decorated. Their clothes were still rich, dyed in deep blues and greens with silver linings, but the absence of excessive gold marked their lower standing compared to the one in the center.

That much gold is enough to blind someone.

Sir Jaeger's heavy boots thudded toward me. I wiped the sweat from my brow and turned toward him.

"Who are they?" I asked, my gaze still fixed on the golden-haired man.

Jaeger's golden eyes narrowed as he followed my line of sight. His expression darkened slightly.

"Those clowns, Your Grace," he said with thinly veiled disdain, "are the Gold loners of the Greyrat family. And the one in the center is Will Greyrat. He will be the next head of the family."

My brows lifted. "The way they're dressed… yeah, no doubt they're loaded. But why are they here?"

Jaeger's gaze sharpened. His jaw tightened slightly before he replied.

"Well, Your Grace… House Ravenhart has taken a rather large loan from the Greyrat family."

I frowned. "How large are we talking?"

Jaeger exhaled slowly, his gaze darkening.

"I do not know the exact details," he said, "but… around one million gold coins."

I froze. My breath hitched.

One million gold coins.

A single gold coin in this world was worth around a thousand dollars. That meant House Ravenhart was in debt for nearly a billion dollars.

That's practically a small country's yearly GDP back on Earth.