Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

I barely had time to catch my breath before Seraphis lunged at me with her spear, the weapon crackling with energy. The sheer force of her attack sent me scrambling backward, my boots skidding against the dirt.

"Is this training or attempted murder?" I yelled, barely ducking under a sweeping strike that would have taken my head off.

"Both," Seraphis replied coolly, spinning her spear with an elegance that made me want to set her eyebrows on fire.

"Good to know!" I shouted, dodging another swipe. The crackle of energy that followed her weapon's arc singed the air inches from my face.

Ananara chimed in from his perch on a nearby shelf, his leaves swaying with smugness. "Your footwork is appalling, Liria. Even a turnip could dodge better than you."

"Ananara, unless you want to be next on the training schedule, shut your leafy mouth!" I growled, narrowly sidestepping another strike.

"Temper, temper," Ananara quipped, sounding utterly unbothered.

[Host, your footwork is subpar. Recommend shifting weight to the balls of your feet and using smaller steps to maintain balance.]

"Thanks for the advice, Captain Obvious," I muttered under my breath.

Seraphis lunged again, the point of her spear aiming directly at my stomach. I twisted awkwardly to avoid the blow, but it was clear she wasn't even breaking a sweat. Her movements were fluid, graceful, and utterly infuriating.

"Are you even trying?" Seraphis asked, her golden eyes narrowing. "If this were a real fight, you'd be dead three times over by now."

"Great pep talk, really motivational," I replied, ducking under another swing.

Enara, seated cross-legged on a nearby bench with a cup of tea, smirked. "Should I step in, or is this entertainment too valuable to interrupt?"

"Step in, and I'll show you entertainment," I snapped, grabbing my sword from the ground and raising it just in time to block another strike.

Seraphis clicked her tongue. "Distractions are your greatest weakness, Liria. And from what I've seen, you're surrounded by them." Her gaze flicked briefly to Ananara and Enara.

"That's not fair! You're my distraction right now!" I retorted, countering with a wild slash that missed her by a mile.

"Pathetic," Seraphis said, her tone colder than ice. She easily deflected my blade with the shaft of her spear, sending vibrations up my arms. "You're wasting your potential."

"Potential? I'm doing my best not to die!"

Ananara snorted. "Your 'best' is a generous overstatement. A toddler with a stick could put up a better fight."

I whirled toward him. "You are literally a fruit! What do you know about combat?"

[Host, focus on the battle. Taunting a pineapple is not conducive to survival.]

"Noted," I grumbled, though my annoyance didn't lessen.

Seraphis took advantage of my split-second lapse in attention, striking with a speed that left me no time to react. The butt of her spear slammed into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and sending me sprawling to the ground.

"Pathetic," she repeated, standing over me with a disapproving scowl. "You have the raw power of black flames at your disposal, and yet you fight like a farmer defending their chickens."

"That's insulting to farmers," I wheezed, clutching my stomach.

"Then prove me wrong." Seraphis stepped back, planting her spear into the ground. "Get up."

I dragged myself to my feet, glaring at her. My pride hurt more than my ribs. "Fine. You want effort? You'll get effort."

[Host, utilizing your flames in conjunction with rapid movement will increase your combat efficiency. Suggest executing a Flame Dash maneuver.]

"Flame Dash? That's not in my abilities list!"

[It's an improvised technique. Channel black flames into your feet to enhance agility.]

"Improvised? Great. If I explode, it's your fault."

I focused on my flames, feeling the heat build within me. The dark energy coiled around my legs, and I launched myself forward in a burst of speed that left a trail of smoldering footprints behind.

Seraphis's eyes widened briefly before she sidestepped my attack with maddening ease. "Better. Still sloppy, but better."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said, skidding to a halt and whirling to face her again.

Enara clapped politely from her seat. "Bravo, Liria. You almost looked competent for a moment there."

"I swear, when this is over, I'm throwing you both in a volcano!"

"You'd have to catch me first," Enara replied with a wicked grin.

Ananara, not to be outdone, added, "And pineapples don't burn easily, so good luck with that."

Seraphis interrupted our banter with another attack, her spear a blur of motion. This time, I managed to block the blow, sparks flying as my sword collided with her weapon.

"You're learning," she said, her tone grudgingly approving. "But you're still too reactive. Anticipate my next move."

"Easier said than done!"

[Host, her attack pattern is predictable. She alternates between high and low strikes to unbalance you. Focus on her footwork to determine her next move.]

I squinted at Seraphis's feet, noticing the subtle shift in her stance. When she moved to strike high, I ducked under her spear and countered with an upward slash.

For the first time, she looked impressed. "Finally."

"Does that mean I'm done?" I asked hopefully, my arms trembling from the effort.

Seraphis smirked. "Not even close."

Ananara sighed dramatically. "This is painful to watch. If you had even half a brain, Liria, you'd have ended this by now."

"Why don't you come down here and show me how it's done, Your Majesty?" I shot back, slashing at Seraphis again, only to be met with another effortless block.

"Because," Ananara said, "I'd outshine you so completely that your fragile ego would never recover."

"I'm starting to think this training isn't the most painful part of my day," I muttered, dodging another attack.

Seraphis's spear struck the ground next to me with a loud thud, sending a shockwave that nearly knocked me off balance. "Less talking, more fighting!"

I gritted my teeth and poured everything I had into my next attack, flames erupting along the blade of my sword as I charged.

For once, Seraphis didn't counter immediately. Instead, she let the flames lick at her spear, testing their strength. "Good. You're finally pushing yourself."

Your journey continues at empire

"Yeah? Then why don't you back off for two seconds and let me catch my breath?"

"Because your enemies won't."

[Host, sustaining this level of energy output will deplete your magic reserves. Suggest focusing on precision over brute force.]

"Great timing as always," I muttered, my vision already blurring from exhaustion.

Seraphis pressed forward again, forcing me to retreat. But this time, I felt a spark of determination. I wasn't going to let her win so easily.

"You're improving," she admitted, her tone grudging. "But don't get cocky. You've still got a long way to go."

"Don't worry," I said, grinning despite myself. "I'm saving the cockiness for when I beat you."

Ananara groaned. "Delusional and exhausted. A truly inspiring combination."

"Keep talking, pineapple. One day, I'll figure out how to peel you."

"You're welcome to try," Ananara replied with an infuriating chuckle.

Seraphis finally stepped back, lowering her spear. "That's enough for now. Take five minutes to recover, and then we'll start again."

"Again?" I gasped, collapsing onto the ground.

"You want to survive out there, don't you?"

I glared up at her. "Right now, I'm just trying to survive you."

Seraphis smirked. "Good. Then this is working."

I groaned, letting my sword clatter to the ground as I flopped onto my back, staring at the ceiling of the training hall. My lungs burned, my arms felt like jelly, and my legs screamed for mercy. Five minutes wasn't going to be nearly enough.

Enara sauntered over, sipping her tea like she was watching a pleasant theater performance. "You know, Liria, I've seen goblins with better stamina. And goblins don't even train they just exist."

"Thanks for the encouragement," I rasped, dragging myself to a sitting position. "It really warms my heart."

Ananara chimed in from his perch, his leaves bobbing mockingly. "If your heart is warmed, it's probably from overexertion. You'll drop dead before Seraphis even starts the real training."

I glared at him. "Do you ever say anything useful?"

"Do you ever listen to anything useful?" he shot back.

Before I could argue, Seraphis's voice cut through the bickering. "Enough. Both of you." She didn't even look at Ananara, addressing him with the same dismissive tone she used for me. "Liria needs focus, not distractions."

"Thank you!" I said, momentarily relieved.

"But," she added, a devilish smirk curling her lips, "if you waste this break arguing with a pineapple, you'll regret it. I'll add an extra hour to our session."

The smugness in Ananara's silence was deafening.

[Host, recommend conserving energy and engaging in restorative breathing techniques. This will optimize recovery within the allotted time frame.]

I exhaled sharply. "Fine. Breathing techniques. Let's do this."

I closed my eyes, trying to follow the system's guidance, but the tension in my muscles refused to dissipate. Every breath felt heavy, like I was inhaling the weight of Seraphis's impossible standards.

Enara, apparently bored, began to hum a little tune. It was soft at first, but as my focus sharpened, she grew louder, intentionally breaking my concentration.

"Enara," I hissed without opening my eyes, "stop. Or so help me, I'll—"

"What? Fail at hitting me, too?" she teased, her tone saccharine.

"Ladies," Seraphis interrupted, her voice dripping with authority, "if you don't settle down, I'll make you spar each other next."

Enara went silent, but I didn't miss the sly grin tugging at her lips.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om