Battle Race in the Fantasy World

Battle Race in the Fantasy World – 63

EP.63 If You Can’t Handle It, You’re Weak!

The academy isn’t just home to the children of noble families.

Within it lies a chapel, and in that chapel resides one of the two symbols of the church, the Saintess.

If an explosion had occurred inside, the chapel would have been damaged as well.

So, in a broader sense, Kyle had protected not only the students but also the Saintess.

In doing so, he had incurred a debt of gratitude from both the royal family and the church.

“I heard the news, Brother Kyle. Are you hurt anywhere?”

The Saintess hurriedly checked Kyle’s body as soon as she met him.

She had already heard that the intruders at the academy had become stronger through some strange means.

On the day of the incident, she had personally healed the knights who had been severely injured.

Given their serious conditions, it was clear that there had been a fierce battle.

“You’re not hurt, right? Please, tell me you’re not hurt, Brother Kyle?”

As she checked on the injured knights, the Saintess anxiously looked for Kyle.

Knowing his kind heart, she was sure he would have helped the knights.

Although she knew he was strong, the ambush by those who used illicit methods was extremely dangerous.

She had been so worried that Kyle might have been seriously injured and brought to her.

“Don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine without a scratch.”

“Is that so? Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness….”

The Saintess sighed in genuine relief, her heart finally at ease.

‘I was so worried that Brother Kyle might be among the injured.’

She didn’t voice this thought out loud.

As a Saintess who must love all beings equally, she believed she shouldn’t show too much concern for one person.

She was careful not to let others misunderstand her words and bother Kyle.

Of course, this was only because Kyle was unharmed, allowing her to maintain her composure.

If he had indeed been injured and brought before her, she couldn’t even bear to imagine it.

“I heard about your heroic deeds from the knights. They said you were truly amazing.”

“I merely added a spoonful to the efforts of the knights who bought us time.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The real heroes are the knights who were injured while defending the academy. I just did my part, and it’s a shame that others don’t see it that way.”

From Kyle’s perspective, it was a natural display of humility.

To the Saintess, it was the mark of a truly admirable person who knew how to be modest.

‘I’ve already heard everything from the knights, Brother Kyle.’

They had been unable to do anything, merely getting subdued and defeated.

A young man had appeared out of nowhere, swiftly taken down the intruders, and then disappeared.

It was only later that they realized he was Kyle Jonathan.

All the knights, restored to their original state through divine healing, spoke of it.

Appearing like the wind at the moment of greatest crisis, he had swiftly dealt with the situation and vanished again.

To the Saintess, he resembled the heroes she had read about in the scriptures.

She had already felt her heart race when she witnessed the battle between Priscilla and Kyle.

Hearing about his incredible deeds made her clasp her hands tightly without realizing it.

If only he were a Holy Knight of the church, it would be so wonderful!

She could see his strong figure every day, pray together, and so much more!!

‘No, you can’t think like this! Calm down. Calm down.’

She scolded herself, trying to calm her heart.

The Saintess then spoke in a slightly more composed voice.

“The church also wishes to express its gratitude.”

“The church? Why would they…?”

“If those terrifying intruders had reached the academy, I would have been in trouble too.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, the academy housed not only students but also the Saintess.

Although there were knights guarding her, they would have struggled against the doped intruders.

With their self-destruct capabilities, it could have been a disaster.

However, Kyle had forgotten about the main characters and even the Saintess.

He had only acted out of anger towards those who had grown stronger through illicit means.

Their mockery of his efforts had infuriated him, prompting him to take action.

“I want to express my gratitude for what you did, Brother Kyle.”

“It’s really okay. I just…”

“This isn’t on behalf of the church, but from me as an individual.”

At her words, Kyle hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

A personal thank you from the Saintess, something not even found in novels.

He was a bit curious about how she would express her gratitude.

“Could you sit down for a moment?”

After seating Kyle, the Saintess gently held his face.

She lightly kissed his forehead and recited a few lines of a prayer.

A soft golden light briefly enveloped Kyle’s body before fading away.

Kyle blinked in surprise, and the Saintess took a couple of steps back.

“It’s not healing, just a light blessing.”

“A blessing…?”

“I thought you might be tired, so I gave it to you. Do you feel a bit lighter?”

“Oh, yes. I feel… uh, very refreshed.”

What is this? My body feels as light as if I had a good night’s sleep.

At this level, I could probably exercise at peak performance right now.

Kyle had always associated priests of the church with healing.

He thought the Saintess, being a priestess, would be no different.

But to think she could give such a blessing, one that could alleviate fatigue!

‘Does this mean I can exercise more? Keep the overload state as it is?’

Healing was problematic because it returned overloaded muscles to their original state.

Microtears in muscle fibers would regenerate, making the body stronger.

But divine power would heal those damaged muscles, eliminating the time and space needed for stronger fibers to grow.

However, if it was just a light blessing like this,

he could start at maximum capacity and overload his entire body.

What would happen if he exercised to his limit, received a blessing, and then exercised again?

Caught up in his curiosity, Kyle forgot that the Saintess had kissed his forehead.

‘Did I overdo it with the kiss…? He seems a bit uncomfortable.’

Unaware of Kyle’s thoughts, the Saintess was scolding herself for her sudden action,

worried that Kyle might feel awkward or burdened.

Honestly, there was no need to kiss his forehead.

The blessing didn’t require it, just a touch would have sufficed.

Yet, the Saintess herself was flustered, not knowing why she had done it.

‘This is a great discovery. Maybe I should ask her for another blessing later.’

‘Why did I do that?! Why suddenly?!’

Though they were facing each other and in the same space,

their minds were occupied with entirely different thoughts.

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***

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“Huff, huff!”

Hot breaths, rising body temperature, taut muscles.

Everything was perfect. Today, he felt he could handle more overload than usual.

Maybe he could push himself a bit further than he normally would.

He always felt in good condition, but today his body felt particularly light.

“Huff!”

Dagon Jonathan, the head of the Jonathan barony, lifted the barbell.

The bar was already loaded with so many plates that there was no more room.

The bar bent as if it might break at any moment, but it was a Jonathan barbell.

It seemed to say it could withstand this weight and did not break.

– Thud!!-

Having surpassed yet another limit, Dagon Jonathan smiled.

It was the kind of smile that would make the people of Jonathan applaud in celebration.

But if other citizens of the Empire saw it, they would beg for mercy, their heads pressed to the ground.

– Knock, knock. –

A knocking sound was heard, followed by the voice of his eldest son, Leo Jonathan.

“Father, it’s Leo.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Leo entered. Both he and Dagon were dressed similarly.

They wore clothes optimized for exercise, designed not to hinder movement.

“Sorry for the sudden interruption. The youngest has sent a letter.”

“Kyle sent a letter?”

Dagon Jonathan tilted his head in curiosity as he extended his hand to receive the letter.

In Leo’s hand, it looked like a letter, but in Dagon’s massive hand, it turned into a note.

Why had the youngest suddenly sent a letter?

With that thought, Dagon Jonathan quickly read through the contents.

[Dear Parents, Hyung, and Noona. How have you been? I am writing this letter due to an urgent matter. I recently experienced a truly tragic and horrific event. An atrocious act where results were sought without any effort or training….]

“Father.”

As the baron turned his gaze from the letter, Leo continued speaking.

“I think I need to go there.”

“….”

“This is something we, as Jonathan, cannot overlook.”

At Leo’s determined tone, the head of the Jonathan family finally nodded.

Having received permission, Leo bowed and was about to leave the room.

“I will go too.”

A woman, similar yet different from Leo, entered through the still-open door.

It was Lea Jonathan, the eldest daughter of the Jonathan barony and the protagonist of the academy’s partial destruction incident.

“Lea, you too?”

Dagon’s expression showed reluctance, especially towards Leo.

It wasn’t out of concern for his daughter. The Empire had been shocked by the academy’s partial destruction incident.

If the protagonist of that incident headed to the Empire again, it might cause an uproar.

“I want to see Kyle.”

“The youngest, you mean?”

“Yes. I want to see his face and check if he’s doing well with his training.”

“Then go ahead.”

Rather than seeing it as a sister wanting to see her brother, it was more about a senior athlete checking on a junior’s condition.

This was the Jonathan way.