Chapter 43
"Now then, let’s begin today’s training as well."
Before me stood… well, me. To be precise, it was a duplicate created by Lumière’s power, with Lumière herself acting as its vessel. In other words, it was safe to say that this was Lumière taking on my form. Thanks to this, we could operate separately—though maintaining it for too long was impossible.
"Please go easy on me."
"Then, as always, release your magic at full power. I will envelop you with an amount just barely within your limits."
Lumière’s training method was simple: I would erect a magical barrier at maximum output, and she would crush it by wrapping my body in her own overwhelming magic.
What did this train? Total mana capacity, magical endurance, magic resistance, mana recovery speed—everything, really.
The advantage was that it allowed for rapid, comprehensive improvement in magical ability.
The disadvantage? It was nearly impossible to do alone, and one misstep meant being crushed by the pressure. Especially since Lumière’s mana reserves were beyond reason. According to Yūka:
"Lumière’s magic? Hmm… A hundred, two hundred times ours? No, maybe even more?"
So, to avoid being overwhelmed, I had to keep my magic flaring at full strength at all times—which was exhausting.
Incidentally, Lord Albert had apparently undergone this training as well.
"Ah, nostalgia. My father often put me through this."
He’d reminisced with a distant look. But enough digression.
"You’re doing well. Starting today, we’ll increase the load. First, by 1.5 times."
"Wha—wait, AAAAAAH!"
This was what happened if I let my focus slip. And honestly, this was already an improvement. On the first day, I’d collapsed within seconds. Come to think of it, I’d realized something during these sessions: behind that ethereal, otherworldly beauty, Lumière was a drill sergeant. I’d suspected as much when she declared she’d train me relentlessly.
When I asked Lord Albert and Lumière about my race, the High Archdemon tribe, it turned out we were, for better or worse, a magic-specialized species. With enough training, we could become the second-strongest magic-wielding race, just below the Demonkin.
The trade-off? Our base physical abilities were among the lowest of all demons, weaker even than lesser races like the Ogre-kin or Beastfolk. Ogres and Beastfolk had poor magic affinity but overwhelming physical prowess—especially the Ogre-kin, whose steel-like resilience made them untouchable by ordinary humans.
As for Lord Albert’s race, the Demonkin? They were the absolute pinnacle, surpassing even High Archdemons. Their vast mana reserves and mastery over all magic were unmatched, and their physical abilities rivaled the Dragonkin’s, placing them at the top of the demon hierarchy. They also boasted near-immunity to poison and curses.
…My Husband is ridiculously overpowered.
That said, this also meant the one who’d cursed Lord Albert was likely even stronger—so I had to train harder than ever.
While we’re on tangents, let me explain something else: familiars. Why was I reborn as a High Archdemon? Because humans chosen as familiars by a Demonkin are reborn into one of two races. The first is the High Archdemon tribe—my current form. The second is the High Ogre tribe, the evolved state of Ogre-kin. Those with high magic affinity become High Archdemons; those with physical prowess become High Ogres.
But what if someone lacked aptitude for either? Rarely, such individuals existed. They remained human but gained the title of "Blessed." Their mana would be minimal, and their physical abilities inferior to most demons—but still stronger than an average human. Even Lord Albert didn’t know the specifics, though. In fact, I seemed to be his first familiar. There were no others.
Anyway, the point of all this rambling? This training was the optimal way to maximize the strengths of a High Archdemon. I would grow stronger—for the sake of walking alongside Lord Albert and everyone else in the mansion. I refused to hold them back.
"My, have you already reached your limit? How unfortunate. We’ll take a fifteen-minute break, then resume."
…I could only pray I’d survive this training. Right…?
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