Following our routine debriefing, I briefed the team on their respective training modules for the day and escorted each member to her assigned facility. Only Shia remained behind in the office, having asked me to review the recorded footage of our sparring match from the previous week.
"Oh, right, Instructor," Shia spoke up, pulling a small bakery box from her bag. "I baked these specifically for you."
"Remembering that you were unwell a couple of weeks ago, I made some traditional herbal cookies using a family recipe my mother taught me," Shia explained, opening the container to reveal several distinctly green cookies. "It is a traditional delicacy native to my homeland in the East."
To my eyes, the green shade appeared somewhat ominous, as foods of that colour generally contained heavy vegetation or hazardous substances. The aroma wafting from the box strongly resembled traditional herbal medicine. Unwilling to disappoint her earnest efforts, I took a seat beside her and picked up one of the cookies.
"My word, this is my very first time trying a treat quite like this," I remarked, taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully while secretly hoping my stomach would tolerate the concoction.
"Whoa... there is a surprisingly refreshing burst of mint flavour... Is this a chocolate cookie infused with peppermint leaves or some undisclosed botanical extract?" I complimented her after swallowing the bite.
"Yes! It features Tian'Shan betel leaf imported directly from my home country," Shia replied, her face lighting up with an enthusiastic smile. "I am so relieved you enjoy it. Most Western palates complain that the flavour profile is overly pungent or spicy, when in truth it is simply an intense, cool mint sensation."
I nodded understandingly, reaching into the box to take another cookie. "Now then, let us dive into your footage review. Tell me, is there a specific reason you rely exclusively on martial magic rather than casting traditional spell formulas like your sister Chia?"
"My ultimate dream is to win the prestigious Grade 1 International Tournament using my nation's signature martial magic," Shia declared with absolute earnestness, throwing a sharp test punch into the empty air.
Her grandiose ambition caught me slightly off guard, yet I felt fully determined to help her achieve it. "A noble goal indeed, but relying purely on martial techniques will not suffice at that level. What if you synthesised your fire elemental magic directly into your martial art forms?"
"I refuse," Shia pouted stubbornly. "My ancestral martial magic is already exceptionally powerful on its own."
"Yet it could become infinitely stronger if you augmented it with elemental manipulation to reinforce your strikes," I countered, rising from my chair to demonstrate a sequence of my specialised military hand-to-hand techniques infused with my abnormal magic. "How about another round of sparring with me, but this time I will actively employ this military combat style reinforced with my magic?"
"During our previous match, I restricted myself entirely to defensive manoeuvres. This time, I will actively counterattack," I added, glancing at Shia.
Her eyes sparkled with fascinated awe as she watched my fluid combat movements. "I want to spar! Let us do it right now!"
"In that case, we shall postpone our video review and head straight to the combat arena," I said, adjusting my clothing. I shed my formal suit jacket and dress shirt to allow unrestricted movement, changing into the academy's official instructor athletic wear.
"Awesome!" Shia cheered, practically bouncing with excitement.
I led her directly to the training arena, where we crossed paths with Dela and Sesil, who were already locked in an intense sparring session of their own. Without standing on ceremony, Shia sprinted forward, launching a rapid volley of strikes toward me.
Her combat style was undeniably unique, bearing a striking resemblance to ancient Eastern kung fu disciplines that had vanished centuries ago. I had to exercise extreme caution to restrain the force behind my counters, as military hand-to-hand combat was fundamentally designed to neutralise or kill an adversary with a single decisive stroke.
I immediately began exploiting the primary flaw in Shia's style, which lay in her predictable footwork. Ducking beneath a rapid succession of her punches, I executed a moderate leg sweep. Shia proved too slow to dodge, her posture tottering dangerously before she leapt backwards to re-establish distance.
However, she failed to anticipate my follow-up magical assault. Activating my abnormal magic, I applied sudden downward gravitational pressure onto both her feet, pinning them to the arena floor. I casually closed the distance between us. "Notice how I integrated my magic seamlessly into that physical sequence?"
"Instructor, you are playing dirty by using magic!" Shia protested, thrashing against the spatial restraint until she managed to break free. Now ignited with frustration, her fists burst into bright flames as she finally unleashed her elemental abilities. She charged at me again, launching a furious, unstructured assault devoid of tactical planning.
In my view, this marked a positive shift, as my playful provocation had subconsciously driven her to channel her elemental magic. It mirrored the psychological approach I had used when sparring with Princess Thelma. I simply dodged her wild strikes, letting her vent her frustration until she was forced to pause and think logically.
Once she began assessing the battle strategically, I intended to yield and allow her to make tactical progress. The single most glaring contrast between Shia and her twin Chia was that Shia abandoned analytical thinking entirely during combat, whereas Chia adhered meticulously to written combat manuals even if her execution remained overly rigid.
Eventually, exhausted by her relentless aggression, Shia halted her assault. "I am completely exhausted!"
Shia collapsed onto the cold arena floor, prompting me to step toward her. Suddenly, she attempted a surprise sucker punch from the ground, but fortunately my reflexes allowed me to dodge it effortlessly. "Are you truly as exhausted as you claim?"
Rising to her feet once more, Shia's determination flared anew as she summoned three distinct fire elemental clones to surround me.
"Nullify Magic," I uttered softly, activating my aura. Thanks to my magic, her conjured elemental clones instantly dissolved into harmless embers. "Alright, that is enough for today. You are genuinely fatigued, Shia. Do not overexert yourself, as I want to prevent any unnecessary injuries."
"Fine~," Shia grumbled sluggishly. "Instructor, your reaction speed is ridiculously fast!"
I purchased a fresh bottle of mineral water and handed it to Shia before turning my attention to Sesil and Dela's ongoing duel. It had recently occurred to me that the official rule requiring a mandatory training period before a student's debut was merely a general guideline. If an instructor felt absolute confidence in a student's capabilities, they were legally permitted to register them for official matches without waiting for the standard six-month evaluation period to elapse. That six-month threshold existed primarily to prevent inexperienced trainers from rushing unprepared students into competitive arenas.
"Uwaah! Sesil is far too strong!" Dela complained, wiping sweat from her brow as she caught her breath.
Glancing at their scoreboard, I was astonished to see a towering 10-0 tally in Sesil's favour. Her competitive confidence had clearly reached an all-time high. Deactivating her magical armament, Sesil jogged over to Dela, and together they concluded their practice session before walking over to join me.
"Thank you both for your hard work today, Dela, Sesil," I acknowledged warmly.
In all honesty, Sesil had been securing unanimous victories across every single internal scrimmage. I harboured a slight lingering concern regarding how she might handle a sudden defeat in an official match, fearing her psychological stability might shatter again after growing accustomed to flawless winning streaks during team practices and external scrimmages.
"Is something on your mind, Instructor?" Sesil asked bashfully, dabbing her flushed neck with a small towel.
"It is nothing," I offered a reassuring smile and guided the three girls back toward the office.
Princess Thelma and Chia, who had been completing their specialised training inside the virtual dungeon simulator, had already returned ahead of us and were happily munching on the green herbal cookies Shia had brought. I returned to my desk, allowing the team to enjoy their casual conversation before our final evening debriefing.
When the time came, the team departed one by one, leaving only Sesil behind in the office.
"Instructor, I managed to secure first place on the progress chart, did I not?" Sesil gazed up at me, her eyes brimming with eager expectation.
"As promised, the top reward is a recreational day trip together," I reminded her warmly. "Unless you have a different preference in mind, which I would gladly accommodate. In any case, I had already planned to take you out for a relaxing day before your official maiden match."
"I definitely want to go!" Sesil answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Where would you like to go?" I asked, casually opening my laptop to browse popular local recreational destinations.
"Erm... about that..." Sesil suddenly hesitated, looking visibly fidgety. "To tell you the truth, this will be my very first time going on a recreational outing with an instructor. My previous instructor never did anything like this, simply ordering me to rest in isolation the day before a big tournament."
"How does an evening amusement park trip sound to you?" I offered, looking up from my screen. "Do not worry about the expenses, as I will cover everything."
"Yes, that sounds wonderful," Sesil replied softly. "So we shall meet at four in the afternoon then? I will await your arrival at the park entrance."
"That sounds like a plan," I agreed, promptly purchasing two evening admission tickets online. Fortunately, I possessed considerable experience in planning outings with women, a skill refined during my past covert intelligence missions when I was tasked with infiltrating neighbouring nations and escorting high-ranking female officials to extract sensitive information.
"Make sure not to eat dinner beforehand, as we will enjoy a nice meal together inside the park," I instructed her.
"Understood..." Sesil responded, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness.
"And, Instructor..." Sesil grew fidgety once more, suddenly dragging her chair across the floor to sit right beside me. "I am actually quite terrified about my upcoming match next week..."
"What if I suffer a string of embarrassing defeats? What if I fail to meet the high expectations of the audience or disappoint you?" As she voiced her deepest insecurities, Sesil's entire frame began to tremble uncontrollably.
"There is no need to worry. Simply go out there and enjoy the experience of competing. Ignore the crowd entirely," I answered, looking directly into her anxious eyes. "Whether you win or lose, I will remain immensely proud of you. Should we fall short, we will simply reassess our strategy for the next tournament, and I will stand by your side to train you until you become unstoppable."
A soft, faint smile touched the corners of her lips. Sesil leaned forward, resting her forehead gently against my arm to hide her tear-stained face. Watching her vulnerable state brought back vivid memories of my own overwhelming anxiety during my very first military field assignment.
Rotating my office chair to face her completely, I pulled her into a gentle, protective embrace. "There is truly nothing to fear. If we suffer a loss, we will analyse our mistakes and grow stronger. If we emerge victorious, we will review our performance all the same to maintain our standard. Those spectators in the stands merely spout opinions without ever understanding what it truly feels like to fight inside the ring."
I raised my hand, gently stroking her soft hair.
"There, there... let those lingering nightmares fade away. Forget the traumatic memories of your past. Together, we shall overwrite them with bright, beautiful new experiences," I whispered to her with soothing tenderness.
"Instructor..." Sesil paused quietly in my arms. "May I remain like this for a little while longer?"
"You may stay as long as you wish. I deeply appreciate your willingness to be open with me about your struggles," I replied softly. It filled me with genuine satisfaction knowing that Sesil trusted me implicitly as her mentor.
I gently patted her back to help soothe her remaining anxiety. The haunting phantom of potential defeat clearly loomed large in her mind, much like how the shadows of my military past continually haunted my own thoughts.
Before long, the tension completely drained from her body, and she drifted off to sleep right inside my embrace. Her sleeping expression appeared remarkably peaceful and undisturbed. Lacking the heart to wake her from such a deep, restorative slumber, I remained motionless, holding her comfortably for as long as she needed.
Reclining my chair slightly, I leaned back and rested quietly alongside her. While sleep eluded me, I simply kept my eyes closed until she naturally awoke. In my mind, she had earned this peaceful respite.
Over the past several days, she had repeatedly requested relentless extra training sessions late into the night. I had willingly accompanied her and honoured every request, though a part of me secretly worried she might suffer physical exhaustion. Yet Sesil had shown astonishing stamina and resilience throughout.
Her unyielding passion was unmistakable, and I fervently hoped she would maintain this radiant momentum through the opening group stage matches, straight through the playoffs, all the way to a grand final victory.
At nine o'clock in the evening, she finally stirred, awakening completely refreshed.
"Instructor, thank you so much for accommodating my selfish request. May we walk home together?" Sesil asked softly, still lingering contentedly within my arms.
"Just a little extra time, please, Instructor. Being held by you feels so remarkably warm and safe," Sesil admitted, offering a sweet, radiant smile.
"Of course," I answered, packing up my desk materials before offering her another warm embrace until she was fully satisfied. Afterwardsd, we departed the building together, and I listened with a smile as Sesil softly hummed a pleasant melody beside me. We eventually reached the familiar three-way intersection near the staff quarters where our paths diverged. Her face looked entirely revitalised, her previous anxieties completely washed away as she gently took my hand.
"See you tomorrow, Instructor! Goodbye!"
"Until tomorrow, Sesil!" I called back with a warm smile.