The human body was incredibly unique. It was woven together by thousands of blood vessels that ultimately converged at a single point—the heart.

However, in this world, there were special people who possessed abilities such as magic, swordsmanship, and more.

Most of them had something unusual near their hearts, commonly referred to as a center of power.

From that center, mana could flow, allowing a mage to cast spells and a swordsman to swing their blade with enough force to split a mountain.

With that center of power, a swordsman like Evalyn could possess physical strength, reflexes, and endurance far beyond that of an ordinary person.

That was why Nolan had deliberately sealed it. Now, Evalyn was nothing more than a weak, helpless woman.

And this was the key to pushing her body beyond its limits.

"Hah... Hah... Hah..."

The sound of Evalyn’s labored breathing could be heard from a distance. Her face looked deathly pale, as if all the blood had been drained from her body.

Her legs trembled, and sweat soaked her tight-fitting clothes, making the outline of her figure—her stomach and chest—faintly visible.

"What’s wrong? Are you tired? You’ve only finished eight rounds, you know?" Nolan asked teasingly.

"Hah... Hah..." Evalyn wanted to retort, but her breathing was too ragged for her to force out a single word.

Finally, after ten laps, her body could no longer endure it, and she collapsed.

Nolan was startled and immediately ran over to her. When he checked her condition, he realized Evalyn had fainted.

"Huh? She fainted?" Nolan’s eyebrows rose slightly. He quickly turned her over and placed his right palm against her chest.

Fortunately, her heart was still beating, though rapidly.

"Master, what happened to Sister Evalyn?" Eira’s worried voice came from behind.

Nolan turned and smiled. "It’s fine. She’s just exhausted."

He lifted Evalyn into a princess carry and then said, "Let’s go back inside. You’re hungry, aren’t you? I’ll have the servants prepare lunch."

The moment she heard the word "food," Eira’s face lit up.

"Mhhm! Let’s eat!"

***

"Nolan, what’s your dream?"

A little girl turned to the handsome boy beside her.

The boy rubbed his chin, seeming to think for a few seconds, then answered calmly, "I want to relax."

"Relax? You mean lazing around?" The girl blinked innocently.

"Mhmm! I want to laze around," the boy emphasized. "You know, being a prince is really exhausting. The responsibilities are heavy, too. That’s why I hope I can just lie down on a grassy field, feeling the breeze."

He gazed at the bright blue sky above and smiled.

"That must feel nice, right?"

The girl stared into the boy’s purple eyes, momentarily dazed, before breaking into a wide smile.

"In that case, I’ll make your dream come true!" she exclaimed as she slowly stood up and spread her arms wide. "I’ll become the new hero of this generation and bring peace to this world! That way, no threats will ever bother you again. What do you think?"

The boy looked surprised. He met her round, innocent eyes, then smiled broadly.

"That’s an interesting idea. Let’s make a pinky promise."

He raised his left pinky, and the girl quickly hooked hers around it.

"A thousand-year promise," they said in unison. "With this, we’re bound to it, and we’ll make it a reality someday."

They looked at each other, then giggled.

The sound of their laughter filled the air, warm and harmonious.

***

"Ugh..."

Evalyn slowly opened her heavy eyelids. The familiar ceiling of her room greeted her.

"My room?" she muttered, her brows furrowing.

She tried to sit up, but intense pain shot through her entire body.

When she forced herself, the pain worsened, and a hiss escaped her lips.

"What happened? Why am I like this?"

Her memory felt hazy. Then, little by little, she began to recall what had happened, and her eyes widened.

"I fainted earlier!" she exclaimed in shock. She looked down and realized her clothes had been changed into a nightgown.

"Did Nolan do this?"

The thought of that man changing her clothes made her heart race wildly.

As her mind wandered to the image of Nolan undressing her, the sound of footsteps approached from outside.

The door opened, and Nolan stepped in, carrying a tray with a bowl of corn soup, a plate of hearty food—stir-fried meat and fresh vegetables—and a glass of water.

"Oh? You’re awake? What a coincidence. I brought you some food."

He set the tray on the nightstand.

Evalyn snapped out of her thoughts and whispered, "Thank you."

She tried to sit up, but her body still refused to cooperate.

Nolan quickly moved to her side. He took her right hand in his, then placed his other hand behind her back and helped her sit up.

It still hurt, but it was much better. Evalyn was finally able to sit upright.

After she leaned against the headboard, Nolan picked up the bowl of corn soup and handed it to her.

"What’s this? Soup?"

Evalyn took it and was surprised by what she saw inside. The soup looked thick, yet it gave off a sweet, comforting aroma.

"Corn soup," Nolan replied briefly.

"Did you make it?" Evalyn glanced at him curiously.

"Who else?" Nolan chuckled. "Come on, stop asking questions. Just eat."

Evalyn nodded. She picked up a spoon and took a taste.

It was sweet, savory, and slightly salty. The flavors blended together perfectly, creating a taste that was both gentle and refreshing.

"It’s so good! Your cooking never disappoints!" Evalyn praised sincerely.

Four years ago, Nolan used to visit the Lionheart family often. Sometimes, he would cook and make her taste his dishes.

At first, Evalyn thought his cooking would be terrible. But she was mistaken. Nolan’s cooking was always delicious.

"Glad to hear it. By the way, how’s your body feeling? Are you still in pain?"

Nolan sat on the edge of the bed and looked her over from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze.

"I’m still in pain. It feels like my bones are being crushed," Evalyn replied weakly. "Actually, what happened to me? You never explained it clearly, you know?"

This was the first time she had ever felt so powerless. She never imagined that being weak—having no strength at all—could feel this terrifying.

"I sealed your power center," Nolan explained, pointing to the middle of her chest. "Now you’re no stronger than an ordinary person... no, you’re even weaker."

Evalyn sipped her soup, her mind drifting into thought.

"Then what’s the point of this training?"

"To break through your body’s limits," Nolan answered frankly. "Your training has always relied on your power center. That’s why your body only became strong because your power center was supporting it. Without it, you’re actually weaker than an ordinary person. That weakness needs to be eliminated."

A power center could disappear at any moment due to an accident or something unexpected. Such cases were rare, but the possibility still existed.

"So that’s how it is..." Evalyn murmured, as if she finally understood.

She lifted her head and smiled.

"Thank you, Nolan."

"It’s too soon to thank me." Nolan tapped her forehead lightly with his right index finger. "Hurry up and eat, then get plenty of rest. We’ll continue training tomorrow. There isn’t much time left before the contest begins."

After saying that, he stood up and walked out, leaving Evalyn alone.

Evalyn looked down at the corn soup in her hands and whispered, "What a cold man..."