Chapter 21 - Fun Training Times With the Saintess

"So you are saying that we will bait thugs for practical training?"

The saintess asks me in a slightly angered tone.

"Yup, that's the idea. They are the parasites of our society anyway so it's time for them to contribute"

"I can see your point but isn't it a cruel thing to do?"

"Just think that you got deceived and follow along for now. Who knows, you might change your opinion after we are done"

"I highly doubt that"

We are now walking together with just the two of us in the slum area. We also changed our clothing to a more commoner-ish style. And I am also holding a coin pouch that seems filled to the brim, acting like I'm afraid of losing it.

After we finished our business in the hunter guild's office, we visited the orphanage for a bit to look at the kids for a while and change our clothing.

The saintess' guard seems to have left while we are processing the saintess' registration to the hunter guild and handing her the personal request. Well, good riddance. One less problem for me to think of.

Of course, it isn't just the two of us here walking. Hidden guards are escorting us from a distance. Better be safe than sorry, right?

"Why are you acting like that?"

"I am just acting insecure to make the thugs think that I am a fat prey that is easy to target. We are baiting after all so at least I must act like it"

"Do you have to do that?"

"I feel like I need to act like this. Or the one that is coming for us will be a stronger thug which would waste us some time to defeat. And it might also have long implications in the future if that were to happen"

"I…. see?"

"On the flip side, you don't have to do anything to become bait. You are pretty after all"

"That made me feel less safe"

"You should. never let your guard down unless you can be sure it's safe”

The saintess turned silent after that. I don't mind it and just continue acting while walking in the direction of the hunter guild. Gotta make it look like we are going to the guild from the orphanage.

The road that we are walking right now is often used by people to get out of the slum area so it is relatively clean here but the real slums are just awful. People just defecate everywhere and there are sometimes rotting corpses found. Just walking on the road is already a form of suffering. Much less living in it.

The situation is now a bit better around the orphanage. My army troops would make rounds from time to time to prevent crimes. I also ordered my people to build toilets around to prevent people from defecating all over the place. There are also a few wells to provide water. After all, the one living in the surrounding area of the orphanage could be said to have dealings with my organization in some sort of way. So I need to help them have a more comfortable living condition.

My army soldier who made rounds in the area also caught many homeless trying to move to this area as it became more comfortable for living. Not to evict them of course. But to force them to work. Some ran away but many decided to stay after they tasted the sweetness of a fulfilling life of labor. They get better living conditions by working after all, so I am more confused by the one running away.

Anyway, the situation in the orphanage has improved from the previous slum. But it doesn't mean everywhere else follows. The road that leads to the exit of the slum is still filled with thugs. Or there are even more thugs hanging around these roads now as there are fat, juicy targets commuting every day.

Even my army soldiers’ frequent patrol wouldn't stop their behavior.

So, besides training the saintess, I also want to make an example of what would happen if anyone dared to do bad things here.

And here comes our first contestant.

I can feel someone is spying on me. No, multiple people are spying on me.

The fish is lured. Gotta be patient until they bite the hook.

“Celestine, get ready"

“Someone's coming?"

“Not yet. But we are being watched. Just act normal and obey my order"

“... I guess I don't have any choice"

And just like I've guessed, I can see a group of 3 coming our way with their eyes on us. I can also feel 2 people coming from the back. 5 people? Just the perfect number.

"Cel… run!"

I kinda fumbled as I suddenly thought that calling her full name would be detrimental. Anyway, I just grab her hand and pull it. Celestine has been ready for action and she immediately follows me.

Seeing us running away, the thugs soon chased after us. Good, the hook is set. Now I can round up these thugs more easily.

I intentionally run into a dead end and make it look like we cornered ourselves. The thugs immediately corner us and start laughing.

“Hahahahaha, why don't you continue running? Come on, run!"

“Hii~ forgive me! Don't kill me!"

“Hahahahaha, look at this weakling. He’s begging like a worm. Ain't he pathetic?"

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The thugs laughed at the derision that the man I supposed to be the leader of the thugs said. Miss Celestine, your gaze hurt by the way. Please stop looking at me like that and act scared.

"Hahahahaha, I'm in a good mood today so I won't kill you. Leave your pouch and take off your clothes. I will let you get away with that”

"Thank you, sir, thank you, sir. How about my friend here sir? Can you let go of her too?”

"What did I hear? Do you know your situation now? I will let you get away right now if you are obedient. This girl here will have to play with us he he he”

"The-then… will you let her go after that?"

“Hahahahaha, of course not! I can sell her to the brothel and get a lot of money that way, why would I let her go? Quick, leave everything you have and get away from here or I'll kill you!"

“Good, as expected of your typical thug. Did you hear that Miss?”

"Loud and clear”

Oh wow, even if she is just a tier 1 magician, I could feel the pressure from her anger. Hell indeed hath no fury fiercer than a woman's anger.

“So, did I manage to make you change your opinion?"

“Yes. Very"

“Shut up! Why are you not taking off your clothes? Forget it, I changed my mind. Die!”

And the thugs… tried to move forward but got stuck in place. When I finished fishing for the thugs' intention in mugging us, I already started moving my shadow to immobilize them.

“What, why can't I move? What did you do?"

"Your question should be what am I planning to do. Everyone, restrain them!”

"Sir, yes sir!” x5

With my soldiers' reply, they immediately show themself out. I can see 3 of them taking in 3 more unconscious men with them. So there are more people involved? Well, more training dummy for our saintess then.

“Reporting, sir. We find these 3 trying to block the way to this alleyway. These 3 should be acting as the thug group’s backup”

"Excellent job. Lock them up. We will conduct the training here”

"As you wish, young master”

"You. Who are you? How dare you try to mess with us! We are from the night demon gang! You will regret capturing us!”

"Oh, I'm not capturing you strictly speaking. I just want you guys to cooperate on something and we will let you guys go”

"You will let us go”

"Yes”

"I don't believe you”

"Whatever, it's not my problem if you don't believe me. But you might feel that dying is easier instead”

“What do you mea- ARGH!"

I use my shadow to form a baton and smack it into the leader thug’s arm. A crisp broken sound could be heard when my shadow baton made contact. I have broken the man’s arm. His forearm to be precise.

“Okay. Miss, it's your turn. Try healing him"

“I see now what you mean by baiting helpers to volunteer"

"It's a good method, right? You won't feel guilty from hurting them, you can also give them correction to make them repent, and above all, it is free or if you are someone cruel, you can even rob them to let them taste their own medicine"

"No! That would make us not that different from them. And we should also give them payment or they will be forced to rob again"

"Sigh, miss, I admire your kindness. But please remember that kindness will become poison at times. And kindness without strength is just plain weakness. You guys heard it right? This missy here will only ask you to help her train her healing magic. And she also insisted on paying you. So be thankful that you met this missy and not me. Be grateful"

I say that to the thugs being tied down on the floor.

That's right, I'm playing good cops bad cops here. Celestine is naturally the good cop while I am the bad cop. With such a dynamic, criminals would feel indebted to the good cop and might be willing to listen to them.

They have been very noisy with their appeal to spare them so I just break all of their left hand to make them stop.

Of course, Celestine doesn't understand my intention and looks at me with a resentful expression because of what I'm planning to do with the thugs.

Anyway, my soldiers have prepared the place. They have made an emergency tent to not let us be exposed to the sunlight by using the combination of earth magic and a leather tarp. That is enough for now I guess. So let's start the practice.

“Shall we start your training?"

"Alright. I'll give it a try”

Once again she starts chanting her healing magic. A moment later, the light emitted by her spell receded and she successfully cast her spell. I can see the broken bone wound visibly get better… but the bone is healed in a crooked way.

"Hmm. Indeed you can heal broken bones. But not in the correct way, yet"

"Why is it bent like that? I correctly cast the spell, right?"

"Well, I can see that you cast the spell correctly but you could not use it skillfully"

"Use it skillfully?"

"Yes. Do you think that managing to cast a spell is the end of training? No, that is not the correct mindset. A spell is like a tool, a weapon. If you have it, you can do your job easier. But if you are skillful in using it, you can be called a master. Just like how master craftsmen could make a better quality item and master swordsmen could defeat an army alone"

"I see"

"So do it again"

With a smile, I controlled my shadow to break the healed bent arm again. The thug screamed again asking for mercy but I ignored them. But they are getting too loud so I just control my shadow to shut their mouth.

Ahh, some peace and quiet at last.

"You are really a cruel man. I can see why people have been calling you a demon when someone like you owned such absurd power at your age. Are you even the same age as me?"

"I simply don't have any excess energy to think about other people so I just focus on the people that are precious to me. Okay, let's go to the next patient. Let's rotate the healing process so we don't over-exert one of the 'volunteers'"

"Sigh, ok. But you are still a demon in my eyes"

"Well, just know that I won't act like this to the innocent and my friends. I'm fine being a demon If I can protect my happy life"

Celestine only let out a sigh as she felt defeated in talking philosophy with me. She just continued healing the thugs one after another but she didn't show any visible improvement.

"It's bent again. Okay, let's rest up a bit. You seem to exert yourself too much there"

"Of course I exert myself. There's a wounded man in front of me. I can't dilly-dally in such a situation, okay?"

"Miss, you are cornering yourself because some criminal got injured. You need to relax yourself a bit. When someone's life is in danger, a healer should keep their head cool so they can solve the situation with a calm mind. If you are in a panic, the things you can do before will become harder. Let's calm down and review our result while you catch a breath, shall we?"

Celestine seems to accept my reasoning so she takes a deep breath. I ordered my soldier to bring some food and drinks to accompany our rest. It's easy to boil teal with magic. All I need to do is bring the tea leaves and some sweetener, in this case, fruit jam, and I can enjoy hot sweet tea anywhere and anytime. Water? I can conjure water with magic, remember? and the tea leaves? Well, it is dried herbal leaves strictly speaking. But who cares?

There is also smoked meat as a snack for tea time. Not the most elegant snack indeed but it will satisfyingly fill your stomach.

Celestine hesitated at first but she quickly gave in to the sweet taste of the tea and started nibbling at the smoked meat. She gave an excellent bright expression as she enjoyed her meal.

"So this is a noble's enjoyment"

"What noble's enjoyment. If you ask a noble from the capital, our enjoyment now will be derided as uncouth and crass. This is more like a mage army's enjoyment. Anyway, let's discuss what you did right and what you did wrong in the first round. Knowing where you are wrong is the first step to improvement"

Celestine's expression turns serious. She started to think again about what she just did. I wait patiently and let her finish her thoughts. Sometime later, she starts explaining.

"It is just as you said, I have mastered the spell enough but I can't use it well. It seems like I just heal the wound as is without correcting the bones' position which ends up in healing them in crooked form and I have no idea what to do"

"The answer is simple actually. Just heal it when you already corrected the bones' position. Do you know how to control objects with mana?"

"Of course, I know. That is the basics of mana control. But I can't do it while casting my healing spell… Maybe I can do it with my arms instead"

"Well, there you go. You get the answer now so you can try again after you got enough rest"

"But how do I know that the bone has been set straight? By checking it with my sense of touch? But what if touching the already corrected bone makes it crooked again?"

"Then let me teach you a good way to 'see' it. Have you heard of mana sense?"

"Mana sense?"

My training with Celestine would take a while longer to finish it seems.