"So… all I've been doing until now was meaningless…?"
Her voice was quiet. Not broken, but close to it.
"I wouldn't say that," I replied, leaning back against the tree. "It's just that… sometimes we forget the basics. Happens to everyone. We're only human, after all."
It was the fifth day of our training schedule.
Stacia had settled down near the large tree beside me, her posture slouched as if she had finally let go of everything she was holding in.
She looked tired—drained, even.
Her usual grace seemed loosened, her shoulders falling, her grip softening.
But despite the fatigue, her princess-like aura was still there.
Her beauty, the way she carried herself—it didn't allow her to look dirty or haggard like the rest of us would after a tough fight.
We had just finished a short spar earlier.
Nothing serious—just a few exchanges—but that was all it took.
Stacia sat quietly, holding her sword in both hands like it was something unfamiliar.