"Still training? I thought you were approved for a break today."
Amber walked toward Origami, a slight frown on her face.
"I still have plenty of stamina and energy to sustain my daily training routine."
Recognizing Amber, Origami's expression shifted minutely, yet her demeanor remained largely serious and focused. "Moreover, I believe maintaining a constant state of readiness is a mark of high quality."
"Balancing work and rest is important too... though usually, it's Rita who tells me that."
At this, Amber let out a laugh. "Never thought I'd be the one telling someone else not to push too hard."
"Due to her innate talent, Lady Durandal's training time is crucial and precious, as she grows stronger with every moment."
Origami had her own philosophy regarding training: "Ordinary people like us don't possess the gift of growing stronger just by training, but that's all the more reason to strive harder. If those with greater talent keep pushing themselves, we have even less reason to stop."
"That's the right attitude, but don't ignore objective reality either."
Amber offered a more pragmatic perspective: "My unique physique allows me to train without negative consequences, but for others, trying to emulate me would only lead to self-harm."
"...But I... I must become stronger."
Deep down, Origami understood this logic. Yet, there was something she absolutely had to do—something that demanded immense power.
The blurred figure from the flames all those years ago, the one responsible for creating the Spirits—no matter what, Origami needed to uncover her identity and kill her.
However, considering the foe could even create Spirits, her strength was undoubtedly formidable, likely on par with at least a Spirit's level.
Spirit-level power... She was still far from that realm. Though donning the White Comet had made her feel significantly stronger, she still couldn't gain the slightest advantage even when sparring with Vice-Commander Rita.
And according to Lady Durandal, Vice-Commander Rita's power was already on par with a Spirit's, though whether she could win or lose remained uncertain—it would depend on the actual fight.
Amber was well aware of Origami's obsession with strength.
Rising from the bottom ranks to join the elite Immortal Blades squad in just over two years was a testament not only to Origami's relentless effort but also to her remarkable talent.
While Origami referred to herself as an 'ordinary person,' it really depended on who she was comparing herself to.
Stacked against Durandal, anyone's innate gifts would seem lacking.
In truth, Origami's meteoric rise within Schicksal—laying her foundation in the first year, then joining the Immortal Blades in just over two years—had become the stuff of legend.
Many whispered that she possessed 'Rita's valor' and was likely to become the next S-Rank Valkyrie, following in the Vice-Commander's footsteps.
"In that case, I won't press the matter further."
Under Origami's determined gaze, Amber's eyes held a hint of admiration.
"Preventing a warrior from growing stronger is perhaps just a presumptuous kind of goodwill. Feel free to continue your training. If you sense anything wrong with your body, I'll help you recover."
"Recover... You mean with the Abyss Flower? But that..."
Naturally, Origami was well aware of Schicksal's weapon, exclusive to its strongest Valkyrie.
However, that weapon hardly ever appeared in Durandal's hands. Everyone assumed Durandal probably didn't care much for it.
"If you always think it's fine to get injured, your combat instincts will dull, and your tolerance for sloppy attacks will increase."
Amber explained, "That's why I almost never use it. But if it's for mitigating the side effects of training, then it's undoubtedly an excellent assistance tool."
"I see."
The power of the Abyss Flower was beyond doubt. An average person might not understand why such an intangible drawback would warrant not using it, but for Origami, it wasn't hard to grasp.
No, even if it weren't Origami, any other Valkyrie would likely see the logic.
After all, these were the words of that Durandal. If she said so, there must be a good reason.
Because Durandal rarely used the Abyss Flower and was a constant presence in the training grounds, the Valkyries had come to believe that one's own strength was the most real asset. External tools were only for when they were absolutely necessary.
"Since it's just the two of us today, how about a sparring match? It might help you identify your shortcomings."
Amber invited.
"Nothing would please me more!"
It had to be said, Origami's white hair, blue eyes, and her previous appearance in the White Comet Battlesuit reminded Amber so much of Kiana that if she were to tie her hair into twin braids, the resemblance would be almost 99%.
However, Amber had never seen the real-world Kiana's appearance. Perhaps if she did, these phantom resemblances would vanish.
Two figures, one golden and one white, continuously wove around each other in the spacious training room.
As time passed, the white-haired girl's clothes gradually became damp with sweat, and her breathing grew noticeably heavier.
The other, however, remained perfectly composed, showing no signs of having just exercised.
Because it was a spar, the bout didn't end quickly. Each time Amber found an opening, she merely tapped Origami lightly, indicating that Origami had already 'died' once.
Even so, Origami was drenched in sweat—not just physically, but mentally as well.
She knew that her fights with Vice-Commander Rita were tough, and the gap with Durandal would undoubtedly be larger, but she never imagined the chasm would be this vast.
This spar was different from before. Previously, even during sparring, Rita fought seriously with full strength.
The immense gap was natural, given the difference in physical prowess and mana. But now, Origami could feel that her opponent had suppressed her strength to a level similar to her own.
Yet, even under these conditions, in just ten minutes, she had 'died' 400 times.
That meant she was 'killed' roughly every two seconds, without even managing to touch her opponent's clothes.
"Why... is this happening? Given our body types, I should have the absolute advantage in reach."
Origami's gaze wavered slightly, a hint of self-doubt creeping in.
With both sides having equal strength and speed, one having longer limbs and the other shorter—anyone would understand the advantage of a longer reach in close combat.
So why was the result such a one-sided beatdown?
However, the other's next words made her freeze on the spot.
"Because you're very strong."
Amber said honestly.
"Very strong...?"
Origami thought this was just consolation. "I didn't even land a single effective hit... Is that really strong?"
"Hmm... You've misunderstood. It's precisely because you're strong that this is happening."
Seeing Origami so discouraged, Amber hurried to explain.
"Your moves are precise and powerful. You've clearly integrated the Valkyrie combat arts into your muscle memory, executing them without the slightest hesitation."
"That's impressive. It means you're performing each movement with standardized form and maximizing the advantage of every action. But... you're too rigid, too by-the-book."
Amber was all too familiar with these issues of Origami's—it was exactly how she herself used to be. Fighting Origami was like looking into a mirror of her past self.
"This is..."
Origami knew this was high praise. Thinking it through, she realized why she had lost so badly.
Her opponent was a senior who had walked further down this path. Every one of her moves was like a predictable sequence from a training dummy.
Seeing one move allowed the other to anticipate the optimal follow-up.
Her own adherence to the optimal sequence had become the very tool that allowed her opponent to constantly predict her.
"But... if that's the case, doesn't that mean I can never defeat Lady Durandal...?"
This realization only deepened Origami's confusion.
There was a way to break this pattern: simply stop using the standard Valkyrie combat arts. But doing so would not only go against her muscle memory but also leave her with no moves to execute.
Was she supposed to fight purely on reflex?
"Your combat skills already surpass Rita's. Continuing to train in this aspect might not yield significant further improvement. What's more important now is real combat experience, along with training your physical fitness and mana."
Naturally, Amber didn't just point out the problem without offering a solution.
"From now on, try to abandon the 'optimal sequence' fighting style. While it's precise, you're human, not a machine. Fighting like a machine might let you exert your full strength, but it won't allow you to overcome stronger opponents."
"However, this isn't something that can be solved in a day or two. It requires more combat experience. I'll ask Rita to help with that."
"I understand."
Origami knew the other couldn't spend so much time sparring with her. This wasn't just training anymore; it was personal instruction.
From both a rational and personal standpoint, she hoped Durandal would focus more on her own training rather than on Origami.
After all, Durandal's strength was what the Valkyries most wished to see.
"But before that, I'll trouble Lady Durandal for today."
With a new plan for growth, Origami's enthusiasm was rekindled.
"Leave it to me."
Amber gave an appreciative smile.
Origami's eyes flickered with determination before she charged at her opponent once more.
Time slipped away unnoticed. As night fell and Origami lay on the floor, utterly drained of strength, Amber finally declared the day's training over.
"Are you heading out?"
The two emerged from the showers. Seeing that Amber hadn't changed into casual clothes but was instead wearing her usual outdoor attire, Origami inquired.
"Yeah. Originally, I was planning to train while waiting for Rita to get back, but it seems she'll need a bit more time."
There was no need to hide this, so Amber answered truthfully.
Origami wasn't the type to ask many questions, but the person before her was Durandal, whom she paid extra attention to. "Are you going shopping? Or just browsing?"
"Huh? Not really... Oh, actually, I do need to buy something."
Amber, who had been about to say no, scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "I'm visiting a friend's place. According to etiquette, I should bring something. Rita usually handles this stuff. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would've forgotten."
"Visiting a friend? Here in Tengu City?"
Origami tilted her head, clearly surprised that the girl had friends here.
"The commander of the Fraxinus, and her older sister."
Amber explained. "Due to some unexpected events, we became friends."
After saying this, Amber felt a little unaccustomed.
Thinking about it, since coming to this world, no one had asked her about such mundane details. Rita was very mindful of boundaries and, rather than asking directly, preferred to find reasons to stay by her side and piece things together herself.
The other Amber knew her too well—just a few words from her, and the other basically understood everything.
Others, largely due to her title of 'Strongest Valkyrie,' held an extraordinary reverence for her, which ironically created a sense of distance.
Before Origami, the only one who made Amber feel no distance was probably Kaguya. Yuzuru didn't either, but her perpetually calm expression and speech made it seem like there was one.
Thinking about it, in the original story, Origami seemed to have an unusually aggressive approach...
Since they hadn't had much direct contact before, and Amber didn't consider herself to be Shido, she had almost forgotten this aspect of Origami.
Still, she wasn't Shido. While Origami's thought processes differed from normal people's and she had a poor sense of personal boundaries, she probably wouldn't exhibit any... inappropriate aggression towards her.
"In that case, please take me with you."
Just as Amber was thinking this, Origami suddenly issued an invitation to accompany her.
"Huh?"
"Even if they are friends recognized by Lady Durandal, they are still commanders of another organization. For Lady Durandal to go alone would undermine Schicksal's dignity."
Origami provided a reason, though compared to Rita's excuse-making skills, this one wasn't very solid.
"This is just a friendly visit. We might discuss some official matters, but it's still more of a private nature."
Amber said.
"Tch..."
...Though your click of the tongue was very soft, I still heard it...
"With Vice-Commander Rita not by Lady Durandal's side, you are currently lacking in maid elements."
Origami continued.
"...What are 'maid elements'...?"
"Please allow me to temporarily take on this responsibility. Of course, I will do my utmost to be thorough. Whether it's shopping or cooking, I am very skilled."
Seeing that Amber hadn't outright refused, Origami, sensing an opportunity, redoubled her efforts to advertise herself.
Remembering the rumors within Schicksal, Origami decided to take a risk: "Even tasks that require two people to be in the same room, I can perform excellently."
What do you mean 'tasks that require two people to be in the same room'...
"You're talking about cleaning, right...?"
Amber asked hesitantly, but received no confirmation from Origami.
You're supposed to say yes!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.