Approximately 8 hours.

That's how long Jane and Momo spent intensively training the girls.

By the time they finished giving critiques and praise until their throats were raw, dawn had already broken.

And surprisingly, it turned out to be good exercise for Momo and Jane as well.

The girls had better coordination than expected, and their individual skills were impressive. In the short time they hadn't seen them, they had grown more than anticipated.

They were truly excellent. Each one was a genius worth teaching.

"Right. Gather the elixirs and medicinal ingredients I mentioned and bring them to Ichinose Jun's mansion. As quickly as possible."

After finishing a phone call with someone in Tigrova, Jane approached Momo, who was checking and loosening the girls' joints and muscles.

"Momo. Any news from Jun?"

"Nothing yet. Seems like they're still in the middle of it."

"Hmm... I shouldn't be the one saying this, but that guy really doesn't know when to stop."

"It probably means Rohan is keeping up well. Given my husband's personality, he would cut things short immediately if he felt efficiency was dropping."

Thinking about Ichinose Jun's character and behavior, that wasn't wrong. It made perfect sense.

"They're all healthy. No fractures or injuries."

Momo finished her assessment and stood up.

Now it was time for rest. Jane's voice echoed across the wrecked training ground.

"Alright! Everyone get up and head to the bath. Our daughters will guide you, and before bed, we'll all soak our bodies together."

"Ugh..."

Ichinose and Noah staggered to their feet, their bodies weary with fatigue.

But Rohan's lovers wore troubled expressions. Their hesitant movements were immediately noticed by Jane and Momo.

"Hmm? You pretty ones over there, hurry up and move."

"Lady Jane. They're at a sensitive age. Even among the same gender, they might be uncomfortable showing their bodies."

"Hmm?"

This was something difficult for Jane to understand given her personality. So she left the handling to Momo.

Momo calmly explained the reason to the three women.

"We use special medicinal water in the bath, so could you bear with the embarrassment a little? It relieves fatigue and is good for your muscles."

"Well..."

Unfortunately, Momo had misunderstood this time.

The three weren't simply embarrassed or reluctant to bathe together.

They just had certain marks under their clothes that would be awkward to show others.

"If we continue like this, it might affect tomorrow's training."

But everyone accepted that reasoning. Only a fool would miss such a valuable opportunity.

Their desire to fully absorb the opportunity Rohan had created for them was strong.

"...Thank you. Excuse us."

"I-I'll go!"

"Much obliged...!"

The three quickly rose and followed Ichinose and Noah.

..

..

Ichinose's house had a separate bathhouse.

It contained a medicinal bath brewed with precious ingredients from the Three Harmonious Nations, used not so much for washing but for relieving fatigue after training or when one wasn't feeling well.

And it was about the size of a hot bath in a public bathhouse.

"Wow! The water has a strange smell!"

"S-Sion, sister... here's a towel..."

"Thanks."

Sion, Clara, and Lethe entered the medicinal bath with towels covering their bodies.

The curious bathwater, which released bursts of tangerine and citron scents, maintained its transparency despite being medicinal. It remained somewhat clear.

"Hmnya~"

Noah was floating on her back in the water. With her eyes closed and her tail dangling like a jellyfish, she looked almost asleep.

"..."

Ichinose sat in the water, quietly reviewing today's sparring matches.

Then came a commotion.

The bathroom door opened noisily.

"Hahaha! Surprise attack!"

"We aunties need to wash too~"

Jane and Momo burst in.

Ichinose and Noah showed no particular reaction, as if they had expected this, while Rohan's lovers blinked in surprise.

The two newcomers, likewise settling into the bath, showed interest in the girls.

"How was today's training? It's going to continue like this, will you be alright?"

"Thank you. It's no problem at all. I have no fear of the training."

Sion answered on behalf of everyone to Momo's question.

The real fear wasn't the grueling schedule. It was the possibility of learning nothing from the opportunity they'd been given.

"My goodness! Look at these young, firm bodies all wrapped up tight. I was hoping for a little eye candy."

"Ehehe..."

Clara nervously laughed and gripped her towel tightly.

But that action only fueled Jane's mischievousness and curiosity. She looked directly at Clara and said:

"Child. Lower your towel."

"Uh, w-what...?"

"Medicinal elixirs are coming from Tigrova. I need to see your bare body for a more accurate prescription."

"..."

Clara looked at Sion with trembling eyes.

Sensing there was no escape, Sion removed her towel first to help Clara feel more comfortable. Lethe, reading the atmosphere, followed suit.

When Clara finally lowered her towel after hesitating, Noah and Ichinose's gazes joined in. They looked at their companions' bodies with pure curiosity rather than admiration.

Red marks appeared one by one on previously covered areas. They stood out clearly against their fair skin.

"What's this? Did you all get bitten by insects?"

"They should disappear after spending some time in this medicinal bath."

Ichinose and Noah didn't recognize what those marks were.

But Jane and Momo couldn't mistake kiss marks. Rohan's marks were clearly visible.

"My goodness... how passionate."

"Hehe, that boy certainly has a strong sense of possession."

So that's why they were reluctant to enter the bath—they were embarrassed to show these marks.

After living so many years, this was an unexpected reason.

*****

"..."

Rohan was still facing Ichinose Jun.

He had no idea how many hours had passed.

At some point, darkness had retreated from the mountain, and the sun was rising.

But Rohan wasn't granted any rest.

He had no intention of speaking first.

'I'll break through somehow.'

He felt like an elderly man challenging a robust warrior armed with a blunt weapon.

As a result, he was struggling desperately. He wanted to land an effective hit somehow.

Though he was being pounded like meat being tenderized for galbi, his determination burned even stronger.

Tssuk—!

Rohan changed his stance by pushing the dirt with his feet planted on the ground.

Ichinose Jun used his scabbard to hit Rohan's thigh and shoulder, altering his angle.

Day 2 night.

He had been standing still facing Ichinose Jun for hours.

It was his first time experiencing this kind of training, but it felt vivid, perhaps due to Ichinose Jun's strength.

He could see that any direction he chose would lead to defeat. Despite trying thousands of moves, he couldn't find a path against the determined Ichinose Jun.

So he didn't advance. He waited for his opponent to show a reaction.

For the first time, he was praised for making the right decision.

Day 3.

He had to consciously remind himself that he was holding a sword.

His strength was draining, and he felt he might drop it if he didn't concentrate.

While practicing footwork, he fell once and tumbled down the mountainside.

Day 4.

A three-eyed dog called Sammokgu, a supernatural creature from the Three Harmonious Nations, appeared unexpectedly.

It watched Rohan and Ichinose Jun facing off silently, then disappeared.

Sammokgu was a benevolent supernatural being. Ichinose Jun said this was a very rare good omen.

The supernatural creatures of the Three Harmonious Nations existed before the dimensional rifts appeared, so they were neither monsters nor ordinary beasts.

The rest was hazy and didn't come to mind.

That was the only thing he remembered clearly.

Day 5.

After being pushed to his limits for five days straight, Rohan was experiencing the extremes of sleep deprivation and fatigue.

Ichinose Jun still seemed perfectly fine, though Rohan couldn't understand how that was possible.

In the mountains, Rohan, who had randomly distanced himself from Ichinose Jun through footwork, made the bold choice to enter a cave where a bear was sleeping, using the bear as a shield to catch a very brief moment of sleep.

Ichinose Jun, who followed him to the cave, wore a rare expression of disbelief when he saw Rohan just waking up.

Day 6.

Ichinose Jun was surprised that Rohan's growth hadn't stopped.

Moreover, he never once complained. He was an exceptionally tough individual.

'Is he learning, or is something dormant awakening within him...?'

Whether Rohan himself noticed it or not, he was continuously growing.

Surprisingly, he only improved. There were no plateaus. Ichinose Jun began to wonder where Rohan's limits might be.

Day 7.

Looking at Rohan's eyes, he seemed half out of his mind. But he still responded accurately to killing intent.

He must have trained diligently normally, as the sword movements remained in his instincts. He could swing it even unconsciously.

Day 7 evening.

Rohan went to a reservoir on the mountain, broke through the ice, voluntarily jumped in, and then came out.

Day 8.

As they pushed on, the color imbued in Rohan's sword deepened.

As if he had realized something, his movements became more precise. He was still developing subtly.

Day 9.

[Four Swords - Red Cloud]

Rohan's sword achieved harmony.

A slash imbued with heat flashed, cutting away part of the mountain.

But cutting the mountain wasn't what mattered.

The sleeve of Ichinose Jun's formal attire had been cut.

[Quest completed]

[Acquiring reward]

Rohan lost consciousness while still standing.