"Mmm...ugh."

Sitting on the long bench in the corner, the Princess closed her eyes as if meditating. After about three minutes of silence, she couldn't help but jump up. "I can't take it anymore, it's so boring!"

Aya, on the other hand, had changed into a knight uniform designed by Mimi based on the template of a Crusader uniform. She practiced swordsmanship against a wooden dummy, considering that there might be more situations in the future where she would have to fight in human form. Learning some martial skills instead of relying solely on Dragon's brute force seemed valuable.

—Of course, compared to the initial version maliciously designed by Lady Tiran, the uniform had the skirt replaced with form-fitting, elastic pants that wouldn't hinder movement, so there was at least no risk of accidentally exposing oneself with any movement.

"You were the one who claimed this was a brand new training method."

"I was just making things up. I'm not a Magic wielder, how could I strengthen Chi through meditation?" Tiran shrugged.

Although according to a certain "Chi Basic Theory" book that Lady Tiran had read a long time ago, Chi, as an outwardly emitted energy, essentially originated from spiritual power just like a Magic wielder's mana. However, its intensity was also affected by the body, with energy generated in the flow of blood and the circulation of breath being unified by the spirit before being emitted outward to produce the power to split mountains and rocks.

Even though the spirit was the foundation, it played a role of coordination and unification, and true strength had to be built up through continuous training. Therefore, for practitioners following the path of Chi in close combat, physical training that maintained the circulation of Chi in the body was the primary way to improve strength.

As for Lady Tiran, she was just...

"But I just don't feel like moving..." Lady Tiran lay flat on her back in a completely listless manner.

"Even though you used to exercise regularly before, and yet now you're stepping into the Holy Rank. Lady Tiran, are you trying to drive people crazy?" Aya sighed dejectedly.

"Hmph, it's because I'm a genius." Lady Tiran proudly put her hands on her hips and suddenly perked up.

"Yes, yes, but even a genius like you still got dragged here to train, didn't you?"

"Seriously, why point out the obvious!" Lady Tiran complained.

Yes, having gone through a series of events and finally returning to everyday life, Lady Tiran was determined to be a couch potato for a while at home. It was impossible for her to actively suggest going to exercise, and as for Aya... Let's not kid ourselves, aside from certain specific situations, how could Miss Aya assert herself in front of Lady Tiran?

Moreover, with the slacker personality of the Dragon Rift Lilium Meid, possessing the top talent of a Golden Dragon Martial Magician combination and living for over two hundred years without breaking through to Holy Rank and even being knocked down by a seventeen-year-old Silver Princess with one sword strike... With such humiliating records, how could Aya prioritize training?

The reason they were at the training ground was entirely due to being kicked out by Vivianne.

Suddenly, Lady Tiran fell into contemplation, wondering if parents were the same no matter the world. She remembered the changes from the initial warm welcome and care when returning home from school during holidays to the abrupt shift to scolding her to exercise more after just one day.

Mimi surprisingly cooperated at this time as well. She immediately said that it was a good time to clean Lady Tiran's room thoroughly. With the maid manager and her birth mother teaming up on this matter, even the Princess had no means to resist.

As for Aya, part of the reason she got dragged into this mess by Lady Tiran was because of helping out, but if that was all, there was still the excuse of "helping the mother-in-law test new cake flavors." However, Vivianne, with a smile on her face, had to go and say something like, "Aya is no longer needed, Mom just needs Chirp."

"Who was the one earnestly asking for my help in the first place! This is an outrage! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻"

After a careful recollection, both felt a bit betrayed.

"And in the end, at this point, the significance of training is no longer that great."

Lady Tiran stood up from the bench and walked over to the wall, where various training weapons were displayed on racks. She picked up a heavy double-handed sword, threw it up and caught it effortlessly, and even twirled it with a flourish.

Forget about Aya, with her still growing up, even without any magical or Chi reserves, her powers would increase over time. Lady Tiran herself had realized that her feeling of gradually enhancing her Chi and physical abilities due to the "deal with the gods" buff she had received before getting stuck at the Holy Rank was coming back.

"At this rate, I might even be able to knock Aya down with one sword strike..."

"No, no, back then, you were only able to land that hit because you had the rules in your favor. Now, it seems like I'm the stronger one in every way." Aya chuckled and shook her head.

"Huh?" Lady Tiran smiled and clenched her fist. "In that case, shall we have a little spar?"

"I'd be delighted."

Aya also flexed her muscles, and since their initial encounters after getting caught, she and Lady Tiran hadn't exchanged blows. Although they didn't have a hundred percent certainty of winning, both of them were now at least on the same starting line in terms of strength.

So let today's battle decide their future family hierarchy!

They locked eyes and echoed the same sentiment silently.

When Gilliast Castle was being constructed, Lady Tiran already had considerable strength, and the training ground, which usually served as a place for practice, was also equipped with protective spells tailored for arena combat.

Standing in the center of the arena, the metal floor with polished anti-slip grooves was covered with a layer of dark blue radiance to prevent damage during impacts—although initially designed to withstand attacks from knights or high-level Magic wielders, given the current strengths of Lady Tiran and Aya, it could be easily damaged. So Aya had added an additional layer of protection against impacts.

"Let's make it clear, no using abilities above the laws."

Standing about ten meters apart, Aya reminded them. At this distance, their abilities beyond the rules could be triggered for attacks, risking harm to bystanders.

"Don't worry, I'm not rich enough to destroy my own home without regrets." Without her storage bracelet, Lady Tiran had to pick up two training long swords from the weapons rack.

"Aya, are you fine without using a weapon?"

Recalling Aya's battles in humanoid form, Lady Tiran inquired.

"Oh, speaking of which..." Aya pounded her right hand and slapped her left palm, then hurriedly ran to the weapons rack and grabbed a cross-shaped long spear.

"Let's use this."

Aya slung the spear over her shoulder in an exceptionally cool pose. She thrust, stabbed, swept, casually kicked the spear forward, caught it, and followed up with a vertically-splitting strike—all done with style.

"But are you sure you want to use a spear, Aya... Looks like you're pushing your luck."