Inside the training hall, a place Christian had started frequenting almost as much as his workshop lately, mostly because of his sister and Eva, each often doing their training alone.
Nearly three months had passed since he achieved his first stage mastery. And at this moment, Christian was sparring with his sister. Or rather, more than sparring, it was closer to him teaching her the basics of bare-handed combat, after they'd already completed the physical training portion.
Annabelle had grown considerably stronger.
She was no longer anything like an ordinary human.
In terms of raw constitution, Christian estimated that she had now reached around thirty points.
Raising her constitution by nearly twenty points in the span of three months, no matter how one looked at it, was very good.
Even Christian himself had taken longer to reach that thirty point in constitution.
Was he envious of her training speed?
Naturally not. If anything, he hoped she could raise it even more.
Because while Annabelle's growth had been impressive, Christian's own progress hadn't slowed either… no, it was accelerating!
His constitution had increased even more than hers, after all.
And the fact that he could help her to this extent was also thanks to the improvement of his skills.
Both Essence Manipulation and Flawless Body, the very foundation of the exercises they practiced… had leveled up during this time.
Everything was moving in the right direction.
His skills, his plans, the people around him. And Christian was glad for that.
While holding those thoughts in the back of his mind, the training with his sister continued.
She hadn't been able to land a single solid hit on him. Not once.
And eventually, that began to wear on her.
Annabelle, now exhausted and on her last leg, clenched her teeth and pushed herself for one final move.
With everything she had left, she stomped her foot on the ground and launched herself forward at full speed, determined to at least graze him once before the session ended.
But her control over her strength was still far from perfect.
The power behind her step threw her off balance, and in the next moment, she stumbled, lurching forward toward the ground…
Only to be caught in his arms.
Christian pulled her into a tight hug, holding her firmly against his chest before leaning in close.
His breath brushed softly against her ear as he whispered in a low, steady voice, "I think that's enough for today. What do you think, sis?"
Annabelle, while hugging her brother tightly in return, grumbled out a reluctant, "… Fine."
She sounded dissatisfied, but the way her exhausted body melted into his arms, completely leaning against him, said otherwise. She had no strength left.
Christian smiled and gently gathered her up into his arms. Then, carrying her out of the training room, he made his way to the rest area at the front of the hall, a space with cushioned seats meant for cooling down and resting after intense training.
He lowered himself onto one of the wide sofas, letting his back sink into the plush Enjoy reading on NovelHub - your free online novel platform. Then, with great care, he settled Annabelle on top of him.
Her body was still damp with sweat. So, softly, he brushed aside the bangs that clung to her forehead, letting his fingers linger for a moment as he tucked them behind her ear.
Amid the silence that enveloped the place, Christian relaxed, holding his sister close.
It was already May, yet the air was still too cold here. And while he naturally didn't mind that anymore, with his current strength… the warmth of Annabelle's body pressed against his own still felt perfect, comforting in a special way.
He gazed at her quietly, his eyes gentle, until finally, he broke the silence with a soft smile, "My Bella… what are you thinking about so seriously?"
Annabelle blinked, pulled from her thoughts, and looked up at him with eyes overflowing with love. Then, in a low voice, she said, "I was just thinking… I've already grown this strong without even having an essence technique to train with. So then… how strong will I become once I finally have one?"
Christian chuckled, brushing her hair again as he answered, "Well, naturally, everything will change then. It's the space attribute, after all."
Then, he added, "I'm steadily working on developing an essence technique related to space, so, hopefully, it will not take long."
Though his voice was light, a trace of guilt still tugged at him. It was the first time Annabelle could be considered to have asked something of him, after all. And yet… he still hadn't been able to give it to her.
Catching the slight change in his expression, Annabelle only smiled more softly. Feeling even more cherished, she reached up and touched his cheek.
"Take your time," she whispered. "I'm not in a hurry anymore."
Annabelle meant every word she said. Now that she was actually still working on the digital library for him, and training seriously, along with the tangible progress… she felt genuinely satisfied. Fulfilled!
So, without waiting for Christian to respond, she changed the conversation, her voice curious, "By the way… what's the current situation with Zero? I'm more interested in that now."
Christian didn't mind the change of topic. He already knew that, he can't do anything more on that topic, after all. So, with an equally curious tone, he asked, "Don't you usually keep up with his reports yourself? I thought you were already following everything closely."
"Well, I do know the general details," Annabelle admitted, before adding. "But I haven't had time to look into everything deeply, especially lately. So, you tell me… how is he doing, really?"
Christian paused for a moment, giving it a little thought. Then he asked, "You probably already know that he formed a team, and he's tackling that task I assigned him with their help, not alone… right?"
"Yes?" Annabelle answered, slightly unsure where her brother was heading, but clearly intrigued.
"Then," Christian continued with a small grin, "do you know much about the team members he's currently working with?"