The Rise Of Third Rate Villain-Chapter 7 - Training With Leon [I]

A sharp knock echoed through the room.

"Master, May I Come In?" a sweet voice incited from behind the door.

I sighed, still in bed, my muscles tight from yesterday's, purported, "warm-up" exercise. It was a total nightmare and Leon was certainly one bad man, a disguise. But as much as I wanted to stay buried under the blankets, I knew I needed that bath.

"Come in," I said, sitting up.

The door opened, and a maid stepped in, bowing politely. She was one of the dozens of the servants I had ignored in a former life—yes, Valerian had ignored—but now I really noticed her. She was well-dressed in a black-and-white suit, hands folded in her lap.

"Young Master, the bath has been set up with the special mana powder," she said, formal but somehow estranged.

Mana powder? Right. That was a thing in this world.

I stretched slightly, feeling every sore muscle protest. "Alright, I'll head there now."

She bowed again before stepping aside, allowing me to pass.

---

The bathhouse was ridiculously luxurious. I wasn't even surprised at this point. Marble floors, golden ornaments and a huge steaming bath (which could have been a private hot spring) . A subtle smell of herbs and minerals lingered in the air.

Two attendants stood by the bath, in uniform, prepared to lend a hand. As soon as they saw me, they bowed.

"Young Master, we are going to help you to take a bath," one of them said.

I stopped mid-step, blinking. Right. Nobles here didn't bathe themselves. They had people for that.

Well, too bad.

"You two can leave," I said, keeping my tone calm but firm.

The attendants hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances. "But, Young Master, the head maid instructed us to—"

"Are you defying my orders?" I interrupted coldly, my gaze sharpening.

They stiffened immediately and bowed even lower. "No, Young Master. We will take our leave."

Without another word, they exited, leaving me alone.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Seriously, having people wash me? No thanks.

Pulling my head, I shed my clothes and plunged into the steaming bath.

---

As soon as I plunged in the water, I felt a warm feeling across my whole body. My aching muscles instantly relaxed, and I felt... lighter.

"Ahh..." I exhaled, sinking deeper. "Thank God this world has hot springs."

Not only that, but the mana powder in the water was actually working better than I expected. I sensed that something was changing from inside me, it was as if my body was quietly taking in energy.

If you're wondering what mana powder is, it's basically a noble-exclusive bath additive that enhances mana circulation and boosts recovery. Expensive as hell, but incredibly effective.

As I settled in, a familiar notification popped up.

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

[Ding! Mana Affinity +2]

I grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

Being noble definitely had its perks. Free stat boosts just from taking a bath? Yes, please.

Still dripping the clock, I went out, blew off the water, and put on my clothes. Today was going to be another brutal training session, and I needed every advantage I could get.

---

I made my way to the dining hall, where breakfast was already served. The same kind of palatable food as yesterday, namely, freshly baked loaves, roasted poultry, fruit, and a thick, creamy soup.

I didn't hold back. It was clear to me from yesterday's lesson that my body needs fuel. I ate heartily, ignoring the subtle glances from the servants who were probably shocked that their previously moody and picky Young Master was actually eating.

I ended up going to the training grounds after training.

Same as I just entered, there was already Leon slogged stretching lazily.

"Good morning, Young Master," he greeted.

"Morning," I replied, rolling my shoulders.

"Shall we start?"

I nodded, already bracing myself.

---

"Same as yesterday," Leon ordered. 10 laps of the field, 50 push-ups, 50 squats and stretches.

I sighed but got to work.

At first, it felt the same—exhausting, painful, and absolutely miserable. But as I continued, something felt different.

I wasn't struggling as much as yesterday. The burning in my muscles wasn't as unbearable. I wasn't gasping for breath as early.

Leon narrowed his eyes as he watched.

"Hmm..." He crossed his arms, nodding slightly. "Your form is still terrible, but... you're already improving."

I smirked inwardly. Yesterday's system reward is showing results.

Having done the exercises, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Good," Leon said. "Now, let's move on to something more important—your stance."

He got closer, drawing his weapon in a single swift motion.

"A strong foundation is crucial in swordsmanship. Without it, you are just playing the game of sticks and stones."

I watched carefully as he shifted into position. His stance was flawless—feet firmly planted, posture straight, grip balanced.

"This is the basic stance," he explained. "It ensures stability, control, and power."

I imitated his stance, changing the way I gripped the wooden training sword.

"Spread your feet more," Leon corrected. "Lower your center of gravity. Good. Now, keep your shoulders relaxed, but firm."

We repeated the stance over and over. My legs started to ache, but I didn't stop.

We practiced until the sun began to set.

Leon finally sheathed his sword and nodded. "That's enough for today."

I exhaled, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"For this week, we'll continue practicing stances. Before swordsmanship could be learned through practice, these needs to be engraved into human body. Only after that will I teach you proper techniques."

I nodded. "Understood."

"Good," Leon said. "Get some rest. We'll pick up tomorrow."

---

Right after I fell on the bed, the system's alert appeared.

_____________________________________

[Ding! New Quest: Master the Basic Swordsmanship Stance]

Time Limit: 7 Days

Reward: ? ??

Failure Penalty: Muscle Fatigue Debuff (-20% stamina for 3 days)

______________________________________

I groaned. "Great. More pressure."

But at the same time, a smirk played on my lips.

I was improving. Slowly, but surely.

And this was just the beginning.

With that thought, I closed my eyes, exhaustion taking over.

Tomorrow, I'd do even better.