A Will Sovereign Chapter 29: Chapter 29— Progress through pain.

Read chapter 29 of A Will Sovereign by Sloche on NovelPedia.

------- When Soldret opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was the stars adorning the night sky alongside the Eastern Continent's twin moons. The second was the familiar scent of medicinal herbs and the warmth of the liquid surrounding him. The medicinal bath. Again. For several moments he simply stared upward. Then the events of the day resurfaced — the training, the relentless barrage, and most importantly, that single successful dodge. A small smile appeared on his face. Not a big one. Just enough to show his satisfaction. He had actually done it. After days of being beaten unconscious without even understanding what hit him, he had finally dodged. Only once — but once was enough. It meant his efforts weren't meaningless. The gap between him and Radahn wasn't completely impossible to cross. The smile lingered until a familiar voice broke the quiet. "…You're smiling again." Soldret turned slightly. Medici sat beside the bath, regulating the temperature as usual. Her golden snake-like eyes stared at him. "You smile more after being beaten unconscious," she said, suspicion clear on her face. "Don't tell me you're the type that enjoys being beaten." Soldret immediately wanted to correct her. Unfortunately, the moment he moved, a sharp jolt of pain shot through his body. His smile twitched. His ribs still hurt. His muscles still ached. Even breathing felt uncomfortable. Yet compared to before, the pain felt… different. Not meaningless. Not hopeless. Knowing that, Soldret chuckled. Medici stared at him for several seconds, then slowly shook her head. "No one on this mountain is normal." That somehow made him laugh harder. The snake-eyed girl simply continued tending to the bath. --- After climbing out, Soldret noticed another change. He wasn't fully healed like yesterday morning, but he wasn't far from it. His body still carried traces of soreness and his muscles felt tired, but the sensation was no longer overwhelming. It felt natural now — like the exhaustion after real training rather than the aftermath of torture. He stretched. **Crack. Crack.** His bones released several satisfying sounds. A strange feeling stirred inside him. The more he adapted, the less terrifying Radahn's training seemed. It still hurt — a lot — but his body was beginning to understand it. To grow accustomed to it. To change. Soldret looked down at his hands and slowly clenched them. Earlier he had dodged. Tomorrow… maybe he could do more. The thought alone made his heartbeat quicken. Seeing this, Medici frowned slightly. "Get back in." Soldret blinked. "What?" "You aren't done yet." He immediately obeyed. The medicinal liquid swallowed him once more. Medici nodded approvingly and returned to her work. Soldret leaned back and quietly looked forward to tomorrow. --- Morning arrived. By the time Soldret reached the courtyard, Radahn was already there, sitting beneath the bamboo pavilion. The old man was still reading the same romance novel, tea in hand, expression calm. Soldret immediately felt some of his hard-earned respect crumble. Radahn glanced up. "Oh. You're smiling." Soldret sat down. "So?" The old man narrowed his eye and smirked. "Don't tell me you're enjoying this. Weirdo." Soldret's smile disappeared instantly. This coming from the guy who reads romance novels every morning? The hypocrisy felt incredibly unfair Radahn calmly sipped his tea. "Don't get too excited. That was just the beginning. It'll become far more painful." Soldret sighed. There it is. The encouragement he had come to expect from Radahn. "But," Radahn continued. He looked at Soldret and nodded. "You are definitely impressive. To achieve this much in only a few days…" He didn't finish the sentence, but the acknowledgment alone was enough. For several moments Soldret said nothing. The praise was simple, almost casual, yet hearing it from Radahn felt strangely satisfying. Unfortunately, the old man immediately ruined the moment. "Don't let it get to your head. I still have