It was embarrassing.

Not losing to Sentra, but being scolded by Toya in front of her.

According to Toya, we’re like a “pack”, and because Sentra was defeated and broken by Toya, she is the lowest in the pack’s “hierarchy”.

However, it’s without a doubt true that Sentra is stronger than me. Which means that Toya is stronger than me too, right? She beat her by herself, didn’t she?

So what use am I?

But Toya says it’s because of “bad affinity.”

I’m a “brawler” who needs to get in close to beat down my enemies, while also able to take on the attacks of others.

Sentra is a “sorceress” who attacks from afar, and specializes in keeping her distance from attackers.

On the other hand, Toya can stop time and circumvent most defenses—putting him outside of any usual classification.

Because of that, a fight between me and Sentra becomes one of attrition, and because Sentra is a Fox Spirit with a vast amount of Divine Force, she has the upperhand.

Toya says that I need to learn to push through her defensive wall, and build up my speed. Once I do, beating her should be easy.

But at the same time, Toya has Sentra learning to control her plants faster.

I think I’m stronger than I was when I first sparred Sentra. But Sentra is also stronger than back then too.

It frustrates me.

However, I made a promise to Toyaru. I want to protect her and stay by their side—even if I’m the one who ends up protected. If I’m not strong enough, I’ll get stronger then.

—“Don’t push yourself too hard,” Toyaru said, as he handed me a small muffin from the basket.

He suggested we rest, but I still had too much on my mind to realize the basket of snacks Toyaru brought out. Even the little Lin who was playing with some of Sentra’s tails, had became an afterthought, as I reached for the muffin and took a bite from it.

“But I’m supposed to be able to protect you,” I complained.

“Incorrect!” Toya denied with his usual theatrics, as he pointed his right index finger at me. “You are my agent; not my bodyguard. You are to represent me,” he explained.

—“Take Sentra for example; I’ve sent her down to the nearby villages to represent me as their guardian spirit. Like you, she is my agent, and I’m using her mobility to communicate with those that would be troublesome for me to do.”

It sounded more like he was being lazy.

Did he merely want me to do his chores?

“Then why are you teaching me to fight?”

“Because things will not always go so peacefully. With my continued involvement with societies, fights will break out, countries will wage wars, and occasionally one of you will need to fight in my place. And like I said, you must represent me. It would be disgraceful if my representatives were in some way inadequate,” He said.

“As such, not only are you two my negotiators—you are also my war potential,” Toya said with that seemingly innocent smile he always gives.

War Potential? Like his soldiers, right? What war does he expect us to fight for him? There’s the fight that Princess Aire is going to have to participate in, but where is our place in that? Why is Toya interested in throwing himself into this war?

Hasn’t he said himself that he belongs to no nation?

Is he fond of the Princess?

Or perhaps he wants something from her? Toya hasn’t quite explained it all to me yet.

I feel that he still sees me as a child in various ways, and he doesn’t realize that I’ve matured enough to understand complicated things. I’ve had Sentra teach me about the world in these last three years, so I like to think I’m pretty smart.

Yet he still doesn’t see it.

But perhaps it’s because during our spars, I lose myself and I can’t drop my brute-force tactics.

I get irritated and frustrated, and try to punch down all my obstacles, especially those which refuse to be toppled.

Perhaps that is why I have taken to using Sentra? As payback and to relieve my stress…

“So, I want you, little Yenna, to be the most powerful human there ever was,” He said, giving me an impossible goal.

Weren’t you the one who told me not to push myself? Like, two minutes ago?

After giving me that outlandish goal, and taking a few snacks for himself, Toya took little Lin, and began heading back to the village.

I stood up, and looked in the direction Toya headed. I couldn’t tell what he would do after he drapped her off, and how much time that would take, but I wanted to have another short spar with Sentra. To… cool off.

“Again,” I snapped, looking over at the four-tailed woman, and got into a fighting position. She looked at me with slightly widened eyes, but didn’t complain, as she moved the small basket to the side with her vines.

With little warning, I sprung forward, hoping to catch the Fox off guard.

—She’s never off guard.

A wall of bark is suddenly in my way as I try to punch through. However the thick wood supporting it refused to budge, as I gave it more and more punches. Was she repairing it as I hit it?!

Groaning annoyed, I try to circle around, however a cocoon had been formed around her, and I have to wonder—how will she attack me like this? She can’t see from inside, right?

No, I forgot about it, but she’s used this ruse once before. She’s not inside the shell!

As I jump into the air to avoid the incoming branches and vines, I find myself defenselessly in the air.

My arm is snagged by a free flowing vine, and without much time to react, I am sent flying through the crowd of trees, until landing against the base of a tree trunk.

That… was not painless.

A normal person could have easily died from that.

“Oh no!” I heard Sentra shout, as she hurried over to my location. Ah, so she was hiding in that tree, huh?

I don’t try to move much, as she comes over to me with a worried expression, and fumbles with her clumsy excuses.

“I-I’m sorry, I saw the chance… But I didn’t mean to be so rough,” She said, as she leaned down beside me, whose back was embedded into the tree behind me.

However, she suddenly gasped and went silent as I grabbed the back of her neck.

She didn’t resist, as she gave a knowing expression, and her eyes became calmer.

Author Notes:

Surprise Chapter!

...

Well... What is one to do?

So over Spring Break I was on a cruise and had zero time to write. However, I wanted to write this chapter, and started shortly after I came home, but then about half-way through, I put off writing the rest.

Perhaps I've lost a lot of motivation, even though I've strangely thought up some future ideas to aim for.

Hmm, well, I'll continue to write as I can, and post chapters as I can, but I doubt I'll be able to return to my daily chapter schedule.

Anyways, so this chapter was a POV chapter for Yenna, a bit older than last time. I tried to portray a much more mature, or different mind-set now that she's 14, and not 11. Not a huge jump in years, but it's a large difference when you consider how much closer that is to adulthood in this world, and how even in our own world, one's outlook changes drastically as they progress into adolescence. Maybe that's also why I had trouble with this chapter? Before Yenna's personality was childish and simple, but now I feel that I don't know how a 14 year-old girl in the (fantasy) middle-ages should have acted. Ultimately, most of the chapter was narration of her frustration, and how she deals with it. Also, with how Toya still pretty much sees her as a child.

Anyways, as always feedback and suggestions of all kinds are appreciated and encouraged!

If you liked the story, or even hated it a bit, please leave a review so I can get better! (Or to break/fuel my ego. Which ever works)