Crownblood: Novel's Untold Story-Chapter 32: The Character Development

"What are you doi-"

My words died in my throat as I stepped inside the infirmary.

There was a granny with wrinkles who was holding a young girl by her neck while pinning her to the ground.

There was a broken glass shelf from which multiple potions were spilling down.

There were some wooden beds, some tilted to one side, others completely broken.

But none of that was as shocking as the view of the large training ground on one side.

Yes, a training ground.

Why was there a training ground in the infirmary?

Because the wall separating them was gone... completely.

If not for the bricks scattered on the ground, no one could guess that there was a wall here.

’Train wreck!’

"See! What did I tell you?" The granny spoke to Melissa.

"All you need is to loosen up a bit. Are you feeling well now?"

"I-I am. So, please let go of me now," Melissa squeaked.

"Hmm, fascinating, your body is still glowing. Let’s let out another blast."

Melissa’s eyes widened in horror as Granny straightened her again and made her face the training ground.

"Don’t worry. I will heal you again and again, so don’t hold back."

Melissa’s fragile body trembled slightly as a pitiful voice escaped her mouth.

"S-Somebody help me!"

"You!... What the Hell-"

Before I could stop her, Melissa’s body started to glow with golden veins.

’Shit! She is amplifying her energy.’

"Stop this right this instant-"

"HERE WE GO!!!"

I was too slow.

Multiple cracks appeared on Melissa’s skin as she raised her hands.

"AHHHHH!"

A roar escaped her mouth as a golden energy started to condense in her palms.

Slowly taking the shape of a big, round energy sphere.

Then,

_BOOOOOOM!

At once, the ball shot forward, blasting through the pillar, then hitting the outer wall.

Creating a large crater in it.

’Holy shit.’

"HAHAHAHA! This is amazing!!" The granny laughed wholeheartedly.

Melissa’s body fell limp; it felt like her soul had left her body.

Looking at the wall, my brain short-circuited instantly.

[Synchronization: 72%]

For some reason, an unknown frustration bubbled inside my chest.

’That’s it!’

I activated [feather steps].

"HAHA! How is it, young bee! Feeling good now." The granny retracted her burnt hand from Melissa’s neck.

It was healing slowly.

"...Yes," A weak confirmation.

"See, I told you-"

Before Granny could finish her words, a punch came flying, inching closer to her face.

Her eyes widen in surprise.

She didn’t sense anything coming.

But that was as far as surprise went.

She quickly ducked, easily dodging the slow attack.

But it wasn’t the end.

I used the momentum to twist my body and sent a flying kick toward her.

She easily predicted my move and raised her arm to block the impact.

At the last moment, I concentrated all the mana on my leg.

Another look of surprise flashed through her face.

"Whose mansion do you think you are destroying!!?"

Having not anticipated this much force in my attack, the granny failed to respond accordingly.

_Thumb!

Her body was flung out of the infirmary, straight into the training ground.

But this was far from enough.

’This much won’t even scratch her.’

I quickly shot after her.

Granny skidded across the training ground, boots screeching against the smooth stone.

_Skkrrtttt—!

She finally stopped after leaving two long sliding marks on the floor.

"You brat... What the hell did you do this month?"

I landed on the training ground, boots hitting the floor with a thud.

"Character development."

Her eyes blinked.

Once.

Twice.

She slowly lowered her arm from the block position, staring at the faint burn mark where my mana hit her.

Then, she grinned.

A wide, unhinged grin that screamed THIS IS FUN.

"Oh ho... OH HOHOHO!!" she wheezed, her voice trembling with excitement.

"You dare hit your elder! Does character development let people forget their manners!?"

She stomped her foot.

"Then allow me to regress your character a bit."

_DON!

A crater formed under her heel.

My eye twitched.

’Isn’t that bad?’

I hit her in fit of anger, but won’t she just whip the floor with me.

’Why did I do that? When did I become so suicidal?’

She rubbed her hands.

Her mana surged in a spiral around her arms.

It was like watching an atomic bomb politely stretch before work.

’Let’s apologize while we can.’

"Eris, don’t—!" I tried to talk this out, but she was already laughing.

Having no choice, I quickly took my stand.

’It’s already. She is just a granny-’

"Here I come."

In a blink,

She vanished,

She appeared behind me, palm aiming for my back.

I twisted, barely dodging as her palm hit the ground instead.

_PAAAAAK!!

The sound echoed so hard my ears buzzed.

The floor behind me shattered like a cracked cookie.

"So, you can dodge now. Good! Good!"

’This crazy hag.’

She raised both hands.

Mana swirled.

Her grin widened.

’Nope. Can’t let her use that.’

I dashed forward using [Feather Steps], closing the distance in an instant.

Then launch a punch to disrupt her attack.

She swapped it like a fly.

But the goal was achieved, and I quickly created some distance again.

She tilted her head.

"I see~ your control has improved... to a terrifying degree."

’I haven’t even shown you the full version yet.’

"Guess~I should take things to the next level too."

’Glad I didn’t.’

She cracked her neck left, then right.

_Kkrrk...!

A chill ran down my spine.

Granny lifted her foot slightly. Just a little.

Barely an inch.

And,

_DOOON!!!

The entire training ground trembled as if a giant had just stomped the earth.

I staggered.

’THE HELL WAS THAT!?’

She giggled.

"I’m just warming up my joints, dear."

Before I could recover,

_SHUP!

She vanished again. This time even faster.

"Behind you~"

I turned.

"Too slow~"

_WHAAM!!

A palm strike hit my side, a clean and sharp strike.

My body folded like a wet towel, and I slid across the floor, carving a neat line into the tiles.

’She... she slapped the life out of me.’

I stumbled back to my feet, lungs wheezing.

"Hah... hah... Granny... calm down... let’s talk—"

"Nope~! How are calling granny!" she chirped, already dashing at me again like a missile with grandma hair.

"Elders must educate the young! Especially those with ’character development’!"

She chopped downward.

I jumped aside,

_KRAAAACK!!

Her hand split the ground open like a zipper, stone tiles exploding upward.

"Are you trying to KILL ME!?" I yelled while running for dear life.

"That depends!" she called, skipping after me with disturbing cheerfulness.

"Did I teach you enough YET!?"

She punched.

I ducked.

A shockwave blasted over me, flinging snow from outside into the training hall.

I rolled away, panting.

"Hehe~ Young master, hold still~ I want to test your bones’ character development next."

"NO THANK YOU!!"

She lunged again.

I raised a barrier rune, just a simple one, a thin veil of mana.

Her fist hit it.

The barrier shattered like glass.

And I was sent skidding ten meters backward, leaving a trail so clean it could be used as a ruler.

"Good reflex!" she praised.

’So, this is the black card holder, a S-rank grandmaster.’

Granny cracked her knuckles.

Mana flared around her, sharp enough to slice the air.

"Round two?" she smiled.

’WHY IS THERE A ROUND TWO!?’

I gulped.

But something inside me was burning.

"...Come at me," I staggered to my feet, heart pumping with excitement.

She brightened.

"OH MARVELOUS! SUCH MARVELOUS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!"

She crouched.

Mana surged.

And then,

"Let’s see how much the brat learned!"

She vanished again.

******

Meanwhile,

"A-Amazing!"

Melissa muttered, barely able to keep up, as Granny’s attacks rained down on Cale one after another.

’He is so amazing!’

She knew the granny was strong.

She had never seen anybody unscathed from her energy blasts except her father.

’To hold me through... three consecutive blasts!’

She was definitely a monster.

But what amazed her was Cale.

’Even though he is the same age as me.’

He was somehow holding his own against that monster.

_Thumb!

"ALRIGHT! STOP! STOP! I GIVE UP! SO STOP!"

"NOT YET~"

’W-Well, he is at least alive.’

"I want to be strong too."

"Hmm, He has improved a lot."

"Huh!"

Suddenly, a demon maid with black hair appeared beside her.

’I didn’t notice her.’

"If he is this strong now, then perhaps..." The maid muttered,

"Pardon?"

"Ah! Nothing! Are you feeling alright now?" The maid asked.

"Yes! Thanks to that kind grandma. I am feeling a lot better."

The maid’s lips twitched slightly,

"A word of advice, don’t call her grandma in front of her."

She slightly rubbed her skirt with an unreadable expression.

"Trust me... That old hag doesn’t discriminate at all."

"Huh!... Alright,"

’What is she talking about?’

Melissa just nodded her head slightly, not understanding what she meant.

The maid’s expression softened slightly.

"Alright, please come with me. I got some clothes for you."

"Ah! Thank you very much."

Melissa bowed her head politely.

’They all are such good people.’

Melissa pushed herself from the ground.

’It doesn’t hurt like before.’

For some reason, ever since she opened her eyes, the pain she used to feel before has lessened a lot.

’Why is that?’

She couldn’t understand.

Melissa quietly followed the maid.

"WAIT!! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO SMACK MY BUTT NOW!!"

"IT NEEDS SOME CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT~!!"

"IT ALREADY HAS PLENTY!!"

"I DON’T SEE IT~"

"Is it all right to leave them like that?" Melissa called out.

"... It’s okay, they will stop soon."

"Is that so?"

For a second, Melissa saw a glimpse of a smile on the maid’s face.

A dangerous kind.

"AHHHH!"

"Yes, just a little more."

".."

’They are good people, right?’