A-Class—the Command Master. Qualification requires clearing over one hundred quests annually, including twenty A-Class quests and participation in at least three S-Class quests. Additionally, the candidate must possess two or more High-Difficulty (Lv6) magics or skills, and ten or more Super-Difficulty (Lv5) magics or skills.
Even veteran elf mages with magical aptitude were said to find High-Difficulty spells difficult to master. Needing two or more demanded tremendous effort and at least a modicum of talent.
Though neither Hashiry nor Tschehes had participated in Guild-issued quests, they were considered A-Class equivalents, and both had the required magics and skills to meet the qualifications.
Reminia went far beyond even that as a [Great Hero (Legend)].
Only Reminia and one other person had met the requirements for Disaster-Class status—possessing Level 9 magics and skills, along with ten or more Level 8 Celestial-Class magics and skills. Furthermore, Reminia was the only one who could wield Mythic-tier magic (Level 10), known as the Divine Realm (Sangria).
"That is to say, His Excellency General Tschehes is not pleased," Hashiry said, pacing the room. "He leads armies and is called a fierce general, yet he's told he's less powerful than a girl of fifteen. It's not hard to imagine the blow to his pride."
Nearby, Reminia tore off her dress and threw the corset that had been squeezing her body onto the sofa. Glancing at her side, she noticed a bruise forming beneath her ribs.
(I'm never wearing a dress again!)
She swore it in her heart.
"Are you listening, Reminia?" Hashiry asked.
"I'm listening," she replied. "But the general's pride is his problem. That man called my papa a fraud. I'm not satisfied until I've ground him into the dirt."
(I've never heard anyone use "grind him into the dirt" in casual conversation before...)
"Did you say something?" Hashiry pressed.
"No, nothing..."
* * *
Wolf was hard at work on the farm. That day, he'd been helping out in Keena's fields, harvesting turnips. The crop was decent—nothing spectacular, but respectable. The fist-sized turnips had a certain something about them that almost reminded him of a baby's face.
His gaze drifted toward the distant sky. Keena, who'd been harvesting nearby, caught him staring.
"Wonderin' if Reminia's doin' alright in the capital..." she murmured.
"She'll be fine," he replied. "I know she's my daughter and all, but she's a smart girl. She knows her place and acts accordingly."
"Reminia's always been one to give it her all. I'm sure things're workin' out."
She was right. Reminia always gave everything she had. Her real strength wasn't her sharp mind or her quick learning—though she had both in spades. What truly set her apart was her relentless work ethic.
That dedication, combined with her rare talents, had carried her all the way to the realm of the divine. It was only natural that she'd been chosen as a [Great Hero (Legend)].
(Hang in there, Reminia.)
He sent that silent prayer to his daughter, somewhere far away.
* * *
Reminia turned. Hashiry, with his boyish features, was standing there, looking restless.
(I could've sworn I heard Papa's voice...)
She looked around, but that familiar broad back was nowhere to be found.
"Somethin' wrong?" Hashiry asked.
"Nothin'. Let's go."
The musical ensemble's instruments rang out. Reminia stepped forward. In the palace courtyard, where the yellow-green lawn stretched wide, an improvised arena had been set up, surrounded by retainers and nobles.
At the center stood Graf Tschehes. He held his favored spear and wore light armor.
"Ohhh..."
"Hey, look at that."
"The general's gonna take on a close-quarters fight? With a mage?"
The crowd pointed at Reminia. In her hands was a wooden sword.
Tschehes narrowed his eyes.
"What's the meanin' of this? You're a mage. Why're you holdin' a sword?" he demanded.
"That's not your concern, Your Excellency. Rest assured, this is part of my strategy."
"Cheeky little thing. Just don't go makin' excuses later about not takin' this seriously," he growled, snorting and crossing his thick arms.
After the guard's announcement, King Mlad arrived. From a raised terrace, he watched the exhibition match. The two combatants took their positions. The king raised his hand.
"Begin."
Thump.
Reminia moved first, kicking off the ground and closing the distance in a single burst. Tschehes, who'd been planning to test her, was caught completely off guard—a mage with a wooden sword charging straight at him. He adjusted his stance just in time to block her opening strike.
The girl switched tactics immediately. She slipped to his left flank and thrust with her wooden sword. Tschehes deflected that too. She spun and swung wide, but by then Reminia had already retreated back out of range.
"Hrrrm..."
A deep frown etched itself between his painted brows.
Heavier than expected. No—faster than expected. It was obvious she was reinforcing herself with magic, but even with enhancement, a mage shouldn't be able to move like that. At the very least, this wasn't the movement of an amateur.
"Troublesome little brat."
Tschehes switched gears. He resolved to take the initiative and charged forward, spear tip leading the way.
(Fast!)
Now it was Reminia's turn to be surprised. For his size, Tschehes was remarkably quick. Before she knew it, he was right there in front of her. His spear shot forward like a cannon.
A few strands of red hair were severed and sent flying.
Reminia barely managed to dodge. She tried to step in, but he recovered quickly—his spear striking again and again like a series of jabs. Reminia skillfully deflected each one, parrying and countering.
"Ohhh!"
The crowd roared. An A-Class general against a young mage who'd just become a [Great Hero (Legend)]. What had seemed like a one-sided match had turned into something far more gripping. Even King Mlad had risen from his leather chair, leaning forward with rapt attention.
"Go, Reminia!" Hashiry cheered, fists clenched tightly.
But then his throat went cold. Tschehes had retreated. He lowered his massive frame as much as possible, planting one hand on the ground while gripping his spear tightly with the other.
"Reminia, he's comin'!" Hashiry shouted.
The instant she cried out, it happened. Tschehes shot forward like a bullet. Closing the distance with Reminia in one burst, his black eyes gleamed.
ABSOLUTE DEATH-LINK SPEAR!!!
Three high-speed consecutive strikes cut off the enemy's retreat. Before the afterimages faded, he'd already circled behind them at the shortest possible distance, delivering the hidden spear—the killing blow. This was Tschehes's original technique, certified as Level 6.
A simultaneous attack from four directions. It should have been unavoidable.
"Wha—?!"
But Tschehes's spear passed just past Reminia's side. Barely a paper's width. If she hadn't just removed the corset that had been squeezing her so tightly, she might have at least gotten a scratch.
The two combatants took their distance. Tschehes couldn't hide his shock. His ultimate skill had been dodged. By a mage—and a mere girl at that.
Before the Leycenil's fierce general could recover, Reminia moved.
She dropped low. Closed the distance in an instant. She extended the tip of her wooden sword, presenting the thrusting stance. Tschehes raised his guard reflexively.
Then, in a flash—a high-speed triple thrust.
"(This is—!)"
Tschehes froze in shock. Only for a few moments. But those moments were fatal. With the trajectory of the thrust still visible in his eyes, Reminia vanished. When he realized, she was behind him.
ABSOLUTE DEATH-LINK SPEAR!
Without hesitation, Reminia delivered the hidden killing strike. Tschehes's massive body was sent flying, crashing face-first onto the soft grass.
"That's enough!" the king's voice stopped the match.
A few seconds of silence, then an eruption of cheers. Amid the thunderous applause, the king himself walked to the center of the arena. Everyone bowed in unison. Reminia followed suit.
"Well done, Reminia Midres. Continue to serve me and my kingdom well."
"Your words honor me. I shall devote myself wholeheartedly—body and soul—to Leycenil's advancement," she replied.
The king gave a great nod of approval and withdrew with his attendants. As soon as he was out of sight, the crowd around Reminia surged forward with congratulations. Hashiry rushed over and threw his arms around the victor.
"That was incredible, Reminia! You had me scared there!" he exclaimed.
"Hashiry, you're getting too excited. But thank you. If you hadn't warned me, I might have lost."
"Don't be modest. The fact that you could actually pull that off makes you a monster," he said.
"Hey! That's not how you talk to a lady!"
It hadn't been easy. If Hashiry hadn't briefed her on Tschehes's Level 6 skill, it likely would've been Reminia sprawled on the ground instead.
Tschehes approached, supported by his subordinates. He wore a stubborn expression—not at all like a defeated man.
Reminia was the first to speak.
"That technique of yours... with a little more refinement, could you turn four consecutive strikes into five?"
"—!"
"Pull back your lunge by half a step—no, even a quarter of a step—and I think you could add one more hit. If you could pull that off, I might have been the one losing today."
Everyone who heard her froze.
It was already extraordinary enough that she'd copied a Level 6 original technique in an instant. But now Reminia was talking about improving it.
Tschehes said nothing. He was clearly shaken—probably because Reminia's insight had hit the bull's-eye.
Genius...
That single word crossed everyone's mind.
"Shall I teach you?" the small hero asked, hands on her hips as she looked up at the general, who was nearly twice her size.
Tschehes dismissed her offer with a snort. Finally, he spoke.
"Who taught you the sword?" he demanded.
"My father."
Though, to be precise, no one had taught her. It was through watching her father train day after day—and secretly observing his battle with Beywulf—that Reminia had continued her learning by observation. That was how she'd gained the strength to trade blows with an A-Class warrior.
"Tell me his name."
"Wolf of Nikaras. A pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency."
"...Very well."
Tschehes turned and walked away without another word, heading back to his residence within the palace.
"Was that okay?" Hashiry asked. "I thought you were gonna grind him into the dirt?"
"It's fine. He acknowledged my papa, in his own way. For me, that's enough—knowing that the name Wolf has been carved into the mind of the fierce general Graf Tschehes."
"Y'know, you really do love your father, don't you?" Hashiry observed.
"Yes! I love him more than anything!"
Her face lit up with an innocent, radiant smile.
Summary:
Reminia defeats General Tschehes in an exhibition match using his own technique against him, then humbly offers to teach him how to improve it. The general, pride wounded, asks who taught her the sword, and she proudly declares her father Wolf of Nikaras as her teacher, earning his grudging respect. Hashiry notes how much Reminia truly loves her father, and she confirms it with a radiant smile.
Trivia:
Reminia's initial physical discomfort from the corset is directly tied to her ability to dodge Tschehes's ultimate technique later—the bruise on her ribs and the "paper's width" dodge are connected.
Wolf sends a silent prayer to Reminia right before her battle, and she momentarily senses his presence.
Reminia learns entirely through observation, not formal training—she watched her father and his battle with Beywulf.
The "gi-tan gi-tan" (grind him into the dirt) phrase is used twice: once as a threat by Reminia, once as a callback joke by Hashiry.
Tschehes's ultimate technique, the Absolute Death-Link Spear, is described as a Level 6 skill that attacks from four directions simultaneously.
Only Reminia and one other person in the world possess Level 9 Disaster-Class magics and skills.
The rank "Graf" (Count) indicates Tschehes is both a military commander and a noble title holder.
King Mlad watched the exhibition match from a raised terrace and personally congratulated Reminia.
Reminia's "body and soul" line (from the original "粉骨砕身") reflects her formal, loyalty-driven response to the king.
Notes:
• Tschehes - Job: General in the Lexenil military (Graf), A-Class warrior; ppearance: Stocky build, dark skin, wild fierce red hair, warpaint-like makeup around eyes; Relationship: Rival to Reminia in combat; Note: Fierce general with Level 6 unique skill Absolute Death-Link Spear; proud and military-minded.
• Hashiry - A 24-year-old A-class mage and researcher at the Royal Magical Research Institute, she serves as Reminia’s professional yet warm advisor, secretary, and escort. Standing tall and slender with short white hair, narrow pale blue eyes, and boyish features, she often wears a white and gold embroidered jacket. Though practical and concerned for Reminia, she maintains a playful, teasing, and friendly dynamic.
• Reminia - Fifteen-year-old Great Hero of Straval and researcher of her late mother’s Double World Theory. With striking red hair, amethyst eyes, and a slender, youthful build, she balances a playful, tomboyish exterior with immense power, wielding mythic-tier magic alongside a wooden sword. Fiercely protective and deeply devoted to her father, Wolf, she maintains a strong emotional bond with him.
• Keena - Elderly farmer and village elder Mylo’s wife, also known as Wolf’s wife, affectionately calls him "Wolfy." She works in the fields and is the proud mother of Reminia, firmly believing in her daughter's unique abilities.
• Wolf - A 42-year-old former D-rank adventurer turned Nicalas Village farmer and craftsman. Following his wife's death to a Beywulf, this humble, soot-stained, curly-haired father shed his old bulk to raise his daughter, Reminia, alone. He balances his [Smithing] Level 2 and daily training with deep, quiet devotion, serving as a hardworking role model who teaches his daughter through his own actions.
• Mlad - Job: 25th King of Lexenil; Relationship: Ruler of Leycenil; ; Appearance: White hair smoothed back, sharp green eyes, powerful white beard spreading to chest, age 62; Note: ignified and regal, speaks with restrained elegance. Witnesses the exhibition match between Reminia and Tschehes.
• Beywulf - Job: Warrior; Relationship: Fought Wolf; Note: Secretly observed by Reminia; part of her learning through observation.