After leaving Lilliwood's castle, I made my way back to Lilia-san's mansion. A servant informed me that Lilia-san and the others were out at the training grounds, so I decided to head there myself.
Aoi and Hina usually practiced there from morning until noon, and there was a specific reason for that. From the afternoon on, the mansion's security force typically used the space, so the girls avoided it then to stay out of their way.
I’d been told I was welcome to watch whenever I liked, and I’d actually taken them up on the offer a few times. Apparently, it wasn't just Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san who trained; Anima, Eta, and Theta joined in on occasion as well.
I walked to the expansive training area behind the estate, greeted by the rhythmic ring of clashing steel. As I drew closer, I saw the security guards standing at a respectful distance, watching a spectacle that looked far too intense to be called "training."
Sieg-san was a vision of grace, wielding two swords to effortlessly parry Lunamaria-san’s dual-wielded short spear and rapier. It was impressive, but my attention was immediately stolen by the second duel.
Anima had extended her claws, lashing out with terrifying physical force. Lilia-san met every strike with a greatsword that looked far too large for her slender frame. It was a clash of pure power; every time their weapons collided, a thunderous shockwave echoed through the air.
Every time I'd visited before, Anima had been putting Eta and Theta through their paces. This was the first time I’d seen her square off against Lilia-san. While Anima had technically beaten Theta in the past, that hadn't been a fair representation of her abilities. Back then, she'd just finished a shift in Rigforresia and run across several mountain ranges without a wink of sleep. She'd been running on fumes, even if she didn't let it show.
In fact, during a mock battle after Zita entered my service, Anima had ended the fight with a single punch. Her combat power was supposedly on par with a Viscount-class High-ranking Demon, which led me to believe she was likely the strongest person in the household.
Yet here was Lilia-san, matching Anima blow-for-blow in a head-on collision. Even if they weren't going all out, it was an incredible display of skill. As I stood there lost in thought, Sieg-san and Lunamaria-san seemed to reach a natural break in their sparring. They spotted me and made their way over.
"The fight between Lilia-san and Anima is incredible, isn't it?" I remarked.
"Yes, Anima-sama is truly a marvel. To face Milady head-on like that..." Lunamaria-san replied, her voice full of genuine praise for my attendant.
Hearing Anima being complimented made me as happy as if the praise were meant for me, and I couldn't help but smile.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask... putting Lunamaria-san aside for a moment, can even you not match Lilia-san, Sieg-san?"
"Miyama-sama? I feel like there's a certain amount of sting behind that question," Lunamaria-san interjected with a playful sigh.
"My strength lies in being an all-rounder," Sieg-san explained gently. "It’s only natural that I’d be a step behind in a direct, head-to-head fight. To answer your question... the last time I could truly keep up with Lili in a duel was when she was about sixteen."
"Wait, really?"
I had assumed the three of them were on roughly the same level, with Lilia-san perhaps just a hair above the other two in terms of overall versatility. Lilia-san had said as much back during the Treasure Tree Festival, but Sieg-san’s tone suggested that Lilia-san was in a league of her own. Seeing my shock, Lunamaria-san offered a knowing smile.
"Do you remember back when you first met the Underworld King? You didn't know her identity yet, and you thought she was just a Peerage-class High-ranking Demon. Do you recall what Milady said then? 'I would prefer not to fight a Demon of that class if possible.'"
"Yeah, I remember. She said she was relieved a fight didn't break out."
"Miyama-sama... she never once said she couldn't win."
"...Oh."
"Lili is... well, she's vain in her own peculiar way," Sieg-san added. "She doesn't like showing off her more 'savage' side. It's very rare to see her truly get serious."
I nodded, finding that perfectly believable. Lilia-san was very conscious of her image as a proper lady. She seemed to hate the idea of being feared, so she did her best to downplay her terrifying strength... though she usually wasn't very successful at hiding it.
"When it comes to the art of war, Milady is a singular genius," Lunamaria-san said. "She isn't called the 'Strongest of Humankind' for nothing."
"In the Human Realm, the only person who could likely face her on equal footing would be His Majesty King Laguna, the 'Strongest in the Human Realm,'" Sieg-san noted.
Laguna was the King of the Hydra Kingdom and a former member of the First Hero's party. To be compared to a legend like that—a person who had lived for over a millennium and held the title of the Human Realm's strongest—while Lilia-san was only in her twenties? Her talent had to be bordering on the supernatural.
"Out of curiosity... between Anima and Lilia-san, who's actually stronger?"
"If they both fought with everything they had? It would undoubtedly be Lili," Sieg-san replied without hesitation.
"She's really that powerful..."
It seemed Lilia-san was far more of a powerhouse than I had ever given her credit for. Sieg-san and Lunamaria-san were considered top-tier within the kingdom, yet even they couldn't hold a candle to her. It was genuinely impressive.
I wondered if I would ever see the day she actually let loose. Lost in those thoughts, I turned my eyes back toward the training field, watching as the duel between Lilia-san and Anima continued.
Dear Mother, Father—I always knew Lilia-san was strong, but I never imagined she was more powerful than even Anima. Now that I’ve heard the truth, I can’t help it... Call it a bit of morbid curiosity, but I find myself wanting to see Lilia-san truly get serious just once.