I announced to them that for four days, each day will have different kinds of combat training that will prepare them for the combat challenge event.
The Chieftain Monarch then added that he will give a prize to the winner of the combat challenge event, promising to be more generous than the last event.
The prizes for the last event was already generous, much to everyone's surprise that they begin to listen attentively to my next instructions as everyone is looking forward to what kind of prize they would get if they would win the combat challenge event.
I told them to change their clothes into something that they can easily move around.
And to make them hurry, the Chieftain Monarch told them that he would subject the latecomers with a punishment in which everyone knows that he gives painful punishments.
In a flash, everyone hurriedly went to their quarters while the Chieftain Monarch and I sat on the carriage waiting for them to return.
Both of us gave each other a wicked grin as it seems that we have the same idea on how to torture them with the next activity.
....
Finally, we all arrived near the mountains where Lion, Ghost and I visited one of our customers back then.
Everyone enjoyed the sightings in which I asked them which mountain is the most attractive looking.
I acted like I'm mesmerized with the sights as whatever decision they are going to make will either make their training a bit easier or hell.
To my delight, everyone agreed that the tallest mountain is the most attractive according to them, giving all sorts of reasons as the Chieftain Monarch gave me a little grin.
Much to their dismay and regret, I told them that's where we are going to have the first day of our combat training.
Suddenly, a cuff appeared on their wrists in which the Chieftain Monarch told them that it will prevent them from using any magic and self regeneration abilities.
Everyone's eyes began to widen as they stared at the mountain.
To make things worse for them, the Chieftain Monarch gave them a temporary mark that will not allow them to leave the area in which it can only be removed when they reached the top.
With a wicked grin, the Chieftain Monarch told them that the mark will become permanent if they have not yet reached the top by the time the suns will come out, much to their horror.
I gave a thumbs up towards the pack in which they just stared at me as they began to realize how sadistic I can be when I am being underestimated.
With that, the carriage flew through the air in which we noticed them trying to fly making the Chieftain Monarch murmured some sort of language in which those who attempted to fly immediately fell on the ground.
Both of us laughed when we saw them yelling all sorts of curses as they tried to find a way to climb the mountain.
Our carriage slowly followed them in which we observed them trying to find a way to go up to the mountains as they are used to flying or doing magic. I saw Ghost trying to use his ability to jump at high distances in which I poked at the Chieftain Monarch to point towards Ghost, making him yell while rolling down in the mountain.
I apologized to Ghost inside my mind but it would be unfair for him to use his ability when others aren't using their abilities.
....
I suggested to the Chieftain Monarch to make the challenge even harder in which he immediately look interested.
I told him to put some hazards like unpredictable weather or fog in which the Chieftain Monarch did while also making the mountain even steeper.
The Chieftain Monarch's magic ability is definitely outstanding and now I understood why nobody challenged him for his position.
We began talking as we soon got bored watching the warriors though I didn't got bored watching Lion, I became nervous the way he climbed the steep parts.
Since the Chieftain Monarch is in a good mood, I asked him if he is a predator or a neutral, much to his amusement.
He admitted that he had a different form before which nobody seems to remember.
As there are no portraits, there's no possibility that I can see his former form.
Such a shame.
He told me while warning me to keep it a secret, that his current form is a result of a punishment in which he will tell me the reason some time in the future.
Though I want to nag him into continuing his story, I didn't push him as I want to be in good graces with him as he seems to give me better treatment now unlike before.
Of course, I still asked him if he is a predator or a neutral in which he laughed as he told me that he's a predator despite his current form.
Uh.
Please don't eat me.
I seemed to look scared in which the Chieftain Monarch roared with laughter, telling me that he is choosy on what he eats and prefers seafood compared to meat from preys.
That's a helpful information if I want to have a good relationship with him.
....
The moons began to come out in which I began to feel sleepy.
Our carriage had rose higher as a lot of the warriors, especially the pack had managed to climb a considerable distance from the ground.
Despite the hazards, everyone managed to climb more than half the mountain in which it is already an amazing feat as they aren't using any magic or self regeneration abilities. They are climbing using their extremities and bodies, relying on their strength and mind especially those that doesn't have any legs or highly reliant on their wings.
They managed to make use of the hazards to quench their thirst and even found a way to satisfy their hunger.
I'm so proud of them all.
....
The carriage soon transformed into some sort of a floating shelter in which the Chieftain Monarch told me to sleep on the cloudlike bed that he made out of magic in which I did so, thanking him.
He told me that he will watch the others by the window, telling me not to worry about Lion and the pack as he will make sure nothing will happen to them.
That's a surprise.
I thought he hated them.
Oh well, that's a story for another day.
I finally fell asleep.
....
I woke up to someone embracing me in which I sat up immediately as I'm horrified of the thought that the Chieftain Monarch embraced me.
To my relief, it was Lion and we were already back in our room at the territory.
I kissed him gently in which he didn't notice as he is still asleep.
I leisurely took a bath as I'm thinking ways on how to torture them at the next location.
Suddenly, I felt a burning sensation around my neck that I bit my lip so hard that it bled as I don't want Lion to know and will make him panic instead.
What the...
What's wrong with them?
We aren't assigned yet with our next mission!
Unless...
To my horror, I realized that we are taking too long spending time at the palace, especially with the training.
After a few days spending time with the Chieftain Monarch, I realized that he isn't that bad after all, making me think that someone else must have forced him to be sadistic in punishing individuals.
Again, these are all speculations but I will definitely keep in mind what I noticed.
....
Everyone groaned as a cloth covered their eyes while I told them that our next challenge will be relying on their other senses to get out of the jungle.
Again, their magic abilities, self regeneration abilities, flying abilities and other abilities were magically locked as they are forced to survive without relying on those things.
While the others are busy complaining and the Chieftain Monarch is engrossed in putting magic to each of them that prevents them from removing the cloth, I kissed Lion softly in which he tried to reach out for me to no avail as I tried to get away from him as silently as possible.
I playfully bit Sly's arm much to his amusement as he tried to pull me in which he pulled another warrior's arm instead, much to his annoyance.
This is fun.
Teasing Alpha is a little tricky as he has a good sense of smell but somehow he didn't move when I embraced him, making his tail wag much to my amusement.
As for Orm, I caressed his hair in which his face turned into a pretty shade of red as he whispered my name.
I chuckled as I hurriedly went away as serpents are known to have extraordinary senses.
Ghost is easy to tease as just by touching his hand, his face already turned crimson. He told me that he knows that it's me and would like it if I tease him some more.
Oh for.
I just facepalmed myself as he made me think all sorts of naughty thoughts inside my mind.
....
At first, they have difficulty in relying on their senses but soon learned somehow as their movement turned from being awkward to somehow quick and coordinated.
It looked interesting seeing them in which Orm is the star of the show, followed by Alpha as both of them have natural abilities to sense their environment. Lion and Sly followed closely by as they too soon got the hang of it. Ghost does needs a bit of improvement as he is still a bit awkward in his movements as he relied too much of his strength. The rest of the warriors too need a lot of improvement in their stealth movements as we can easily hear them from a far distance.
The Chieftain Monarch took note of everyone's weaknesses and strengths while telling me how he would force their regular trainers to improve their training techniques as the techniques we did in the past few days are much more helpful to them.
I also took note with the ones I suspected to be demons as I already noticed the ones that are affected by the holy water have some kind of a scar in the area that was sprinkled by the holy water.
They are also the ones who kept complaining at the start and also the ones who needs the most improvement with their training as many of them are barely passable.
To make things worse, more than half of the warriors are demons.
The territory is in big trouble.
....
I enjoyed the next challenge in which we went to the sweet tasting sea where I was kidnapped a long time ago. Everyone submerged their bodies up to their chest in which they were instructed to run for quite some time as to everyone's horror, the Chieftain Monarch sent a couple of magic attacks to those who he thinks are slow in their movements.
Of course they are expected to be slow!
They are wearing a cuff around their wrists that made them not to use their abilities, along with their ability to swim as this activity should strengthen their lower extremities to the fullest.
I felt sorry for Orm as he is having a hard time but to my surprise, he found a way to catch up that made me amazed that he used his mind and creativity.
Lion's agility definitely improved a lot as he is at the front despite the difficulty in movement.
Sly and Alpha followed closely behind, using their strength to push against the current.
As for Ghost, he did quite well too as he looked like he enjoyed the activity.
After they reached the finish line, they all fainted from exhaustion. I can't blame them though as the activity is difficult and the weather is hot, draining their energy easily as their self regenerating ability is locked.
Also, they are stressing themselves into moving fast as the Chieftain Monarch looked like he was having the time of his life attacking them with magic if they were slow enough to get noticed by him.
....
The last activity clearly showed who the demons are as they are resistant to elemental damage.
The last activity is the cold water immersion in which I felt sorry for the pack as their faces are starting to turn blue.
The Chieftain Monarch had used his magic to change the weather around the lake by the palace, making the water extremely cold with large blocks of ice that are floating all over the lake.
Except for the demons in disguise, the rest of the warriors and the pack are not in a good shape in which the Chieftain Monarch ended the challenge early, returning the weather into normal.
As they tried warming themselves up as they can use their abilities again, I taught them the techniques on how to survive the cold water and weather in which I decided to whisper to Lion's ear the most effective way to warm himself up.
After bringing a couple of liquors inside our room and me wearing one of the extremely revealing clothes that he bought the other day, I'm thankful again that the room that we are staying is soundproof as I don't want to repeat what happened in the past.
....
This time, it's the Chieftain Monarch who is planning the combat challenge as this is now an official event in which all of the guests at the palace, his officials, several high ranked and upper classed creatures came to watch.
When some of his guards came to take me to him, I suddenly have a feeling that he is going to use me in his combat challenge.
Since I don't want Lion to lose control again, I didn't tell him what I felt and just pretended that everything is fine as I kissed him passionately, telling him that he better win this event in which he knelt down in front of me and kissed my hand, promising me that he will as he wants me to be proud of him.
Of course! I'm always proud of him!
I wrapped my arms around his neck as I told him that I'm always proud of him and that he better hurry in winning the event because as soon as the event is done, I will....
Hearing the rest of the words made all the guards turned red in their faces while Lion gave me a determined smile and a highly aroused look in his eyes.
Then the guards and I left.