Battle Race in the Fantasy World

Battle Race in the Fantasy World – 40

EP.40 I’m So Glad! This Is Such a Relief!

Kyle woke up an hour earlier than usual.

He wanted to visit the newly established chapel in the academy, specifically to see the saintess there.

Of course, he could never skip his workout. That’s why he got up an hour early.

He had to meet his exercise goals before leaving to dispel any inner feelings of anxiety and guilt.

Working out in the gym alone at dawn was truly refreshing.

It would be nice if it were like this forever, with no one else around.

When it’s morning or evening, it’s a bit bothersome when the students come.

They spend ten minutes talking and barely use the equipment once, which is enough to drive anyone mad.

But it would be too guilt-inducing to kick everyone out and have the place to himself.

After finishing his early morning workout, Kyle stepped outside.

There was no one around on campus. It must be because the morning sun was just beginning to rise.

Even the most diligent people would just be waking up and starting to wash up at this hour.

By that time, Kyle had already finished his workout and was on his way to the chapel.

‘There’s morning prayer, so Sister Hilde, the saintess, must have woken up early too.’

And just as he expected, as soon as he entered the chapel, he came face-to-face with the saintess dressed in her priestly garb.

“Brother Kyle? What brings you here at such an early hour?”

The saintess blinked her mysterious silver eyes and tilted her head in curiosity.

After all, it’s her duty to wake up early, but why him?

Kyle seemed curious as he suddenly entered the chapel.

“I wanted to express my gratitude to you for what happened yesterday.”

“Yesterday… Ah, right, yesterday.”

The saintess smiled and gestured for him to sit down.

“Did you have a good time with Sister Tisha?”

“Yes. It’s all thanks to you, Saintess.”

“Thanks to me? But it was Sister Tisha who made the suggestion and Brother Kyle who accepted. I didn’t do anything for the two of you.”

The saintess chuckled as she said this, genuinely happy for the good news of others.

“Did you wake up early just to tell me that?”

“No, I get up at this time to exercise. It’s like how you wake up early for morning prayers or dawn prayers.”

“Brother Kyle, you are truly diligent. Some of the brothers struggle to overcome their sloth.”

“Sloth does not exist in Jonathan. I assure you, those who possess sloth would change to diligence and sincerity soon after arriving in the Jonathan domain.”

It’s not a joke. It’s the truth. I guarantee it will be so.

If they are not diligent, Jonathan will make them so.

Who could afford to be lazy when their life is at stake?

Even I, who used to detest the very ‘e’ of exercise, have almost become a professional athlete.

If I don’t exercise for even a day, I feel anxious, irritable, and as if I’ve committed a sin.

Ironically, I fled from that exercise hell to the academy.

Why can’t I shake off that habit, to the point that I woke up an hour early again this morning!

“Exercise… Ah, that’s right! Now that I remember!”

Suddenly, the saintess began flapping her arms, showing a sense of urgency.

Kyle, who had been quietly watching, wondering what she was doing, suddenly asked.

“…What are you doing?”

“The posture you taught me last time!”

The posture I taught last time? Ah, now I remember. It was a basic exercise for minimal muscle strength.

But no matter how I look at it, what she’s doing is completely different from what I showed her.

That’s not how you’re supposed to move at all. The method and sequence are all wrong.

“Saintess? If you move your arms like that… No, why are your legs…?”

“That’s why I’m saying it’s too hard! Please help me! It was a special request you made for me, but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t do it!”

“…”

I can’t just tell the saintess, ‘What you’re saying makes no sense.’

It wasn’t a complicated posture I taught her, just a simple muscle-strengthening exercise.

But why on earth is she doing such a nonsensical posture?

There’s no need to do it like that in the first place. No, Saintess. What exactly are you doing?

“Isn’t it done like this! Grrr! Like, like this!”

“…Absolutely not.”

Please don’t do that in the chapel, Saintess. You’re not some kind of dragon.

It feels like ‘a twisted monster from the netherworld’ has been summoned in the chapel.

“Um, Saintess. Maybe you should start by fixing your outfit….”

“Yes? What’s wrong with my priestly robes? Is there a problem?”

Of course, there’s a problem. Who would wear such clothes when they need to move their body for exercise?

They’re so baggy that she’ll end up stepping on and crushing the fabric while moving.

Or if she turns her body, the robes might cover her face like a blackout curtain.

“And your movements are all wrong. That’s not how you’re supposed to do it.”

“Eh?! Why?! I did it correctly!”

“That’s not something you can just claim to have done correctly.”

At Kyle’s words, the saintess looked deflated.

She had clearly put in her utmost effort and worked hard.

But being told that everything was wrong from the start, she seemed saddened by her own inadequacy.

“Then please teach me again! I really want to succeed! It’s a special request you made for me, and I absolutely cannot fail to fulfill it due to my own shortcomings!”

Normally, I would have said it’s okay, that her effort was enough, and spoken kindly.

Honestly, if the saintess! If she had tried even this much, that would have been sufficient!

But the blood of Jonathan. The will of the strong, honed in that place.

“Then I will explain it to you in more detail, so please try to follow along.”

In the end, even in front of the saintess, the presence of that strong will made itself known.

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If it were up to me, I’d take the saintess to the gym right away.

But the saintess can’t just leave her domain, the chapel, carelessly.

Moreover, after seeing the saintess’s condition, Kyle judged that the gym was not yet suitable for her.

‘How can there be such a disastrous level of exercise proficiency?’

In the saintess’s private space within the chapel, I had a chilling feeling from the moment we started the simple exercise.

I showed her personally, held her arms and legs to position them, and repeated the movements several times, but still.

“Is it like this?!”

“That’s incorrect.”

Kyle nearly muttered ‘Oh Lord’ while clutching his face, having to restrain himself several times.

No, it can’t be. Our saintess can’t possibly be this bad at exercising. It doesn’t make sense.

She’s so beautiful, cute, and kind! She can’t have such a terrible exercise proficiency!

I don’t even know where to start with this.

The will to do it is there, and the effort is certainly very strong.

The problem is that her body just won’t follow along at all.

I was nearly driven mad because she couldn’t even follow the basic push-up posture.

And then there’s the saintess’s basic physical strength, which is so poor.

After just 10 minutes of managing to get into the push-up position, she did one and then collapsed with a ‘thud!’

“It’s so hard. Brother Kyle… I, I think I see God…”

I think I see God too. Oh. Lord Almighty.

Did you give the saintess everything but the ability to exercise in exchange?

After just 1 minute of moving, she claims to see God. What should I do with her?

‘…No, maybe it’s to be expected.’

What is the saintess’s main job? Of course, it’s prayer to God.

She often participates in volunteer activities, but given the pride of the church, she wouldn’t engage in strenuous work.

And I heard that whenever she travels somewhere, she always uses a carriage.

Wasn’t it said that the saintess’s radiant figure couldn’t just be exposed to anyone?

So, realistically speaking, she’s someone who’s been far removed from exercise from the start.

Her daily activities consist of sitting inside doing work, and occasionally going outside for light tasks.

Moreover, she doesn’t walk but uses a carriage, and crucially, she has no exercise proficiency to begin with.

‘How can such a perfect being exist?’

Kyle pondered deeply. He seriously considered what to do with the saintess.

Should he give up? Or should he try a little more?

Exercise is meant for those who can do it. There are those who try but can’t.

Unfortunately for them, it’s like hearing ‘We’ll give you a full refund, so please go back.’

“Brother Kyle!!”

Did she somehow hear Kyle’s internal debate?

The saintess, who had been gasping for air while sitting down, grabs his hand.

“I, I will try my very best! I will definitely fulfill the request you made, Brother!”

The request to exercise a bit for the saintess’s sake had somehow become something that must be fulfilled.

It’s a bit strange, but what does it matter? There’s a certain pleasure in teaching with such an attitude.

Even if she’s an exercise novice, isn’t she much better than those without any will?

…That thought was immediately canceled.

“Saintess.”

“Hiiii!”

” Saintess Hilde.”

“Yes, yes, Brother!”

“That, um. I think you can stop now.”

“But! I haven’t finished yet…!”

“No, really, you can stop now.”

There’s this thing. Smart people get frustrated watching those who struggle to learn.

People good at sports go crazy watching those who are exercise novices, that kind of situation.

But beyond even that, there’s just a pitiable and regrettable situation that exists.

The saintess right now was exactly that. Her will to do it, the effort she shows, it’s all good.

The problem is that her body can’t even follow 0.1 percent of that will or effort.

The sight was so pitiful and regrettable, and ultimately, I felt sorry for even bringing up exercise.

“Hiiing.”

The saintess, unable to complete the targeted number of repetitions, makes a sad face again.

“I’m sorry. It must be frustrating for you? I’ve been staying inside too much…”

“Not at all. It’s just that I need to go to my morning lecture soon.”

“Ah… I see. Oh! I’m sorry! Shouldn’t you hurry then?!”

“It seems I should. So, I want to say this, it’s not because you’re lacking, Saintess.”

“No! People are always lacking. That’s why we constantly learn, train, and cultivate ourselves! I’ll keep trying! I will definitely show you an improved version of myself, Brother Kyle!”

Sometimes there are things in the world that even willpower can’t overcome, but for now, I’ll just have to wait and see.

Kyle, with a ‘Ha-ha!’ smile, cheered her on with a ‘Keep it up!’ and then escaped the chapel.

Hoping that at least God would bestow upon the saintess some basic sense of exercise.