Becoming The Strongest Angel With A Saintess System

Chapter 20: Progress

{Diana}

Well... damn.

Diana could hardly believe it. But, she had to admit it.

Grace's sword swings were no longer a complete joke.

"AAAAH!" Grace gave a battle cry as she charged forward. A crowd gathered around the circle, dozens of curious faces watching the practice session curiously.

Diana easily parried the girl's swings. Grace continued, trying to swing her sword in the controlled, calculated way Diana had told her to. Using just the right amount of force, just the right amount of effort so as to not get winded early.

No, Grace hadn't suddenly become a warrior or anything. But, in less than one week she'd gone from literally falling to the ground with each swing to where now she hadn't gotten close to falling once!

[Feels like a pretty big improvement, huh?] Diana huffed. [Still nothing but a twig, though.]

To emphasize that point, Diana waited until just the right moment and responded with a particularly strong vertical swing.

"Eh!?" Grace stopped and put her sword up horizontally and Diana's sword crashed into it.

[Hm?]

Grace's sword managed to remain in that blocking position. Sure, Diana could see her arms trembling under the force of what was a very light swing on her part, but still.

[Good. I was worried I'd split her skull in half for a second there.]

Diana and Grace traded a few more blows, the clang of their swords ringing out across the training ground. Grace's face was scrunched up in concentration, a thin sheen of sweat making her skin glisten in the sunlight. Her face was funny.

With a final clash, Diana disengaged, stepping back and lowering her sword.

"That's enough for today."

Grace blinked, looking like a startled kitten.

"But I can keep going!"

Diana smirked.

"Oh, I'm sure you can. But I have other things to do than babysit you all day."

Grace puffed out her cheeks in the way she usually did when she was annoyed.

"Fine," Grace huffed, planting her sword in the ground and leaning on it heavily. "I guess I could use a break..."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she wobbled, her knees giving out. She would have face-planted if not for the sudden swarm of concerned angels around her.

"Grace! Are you alright?"

"Do you need healing?"

"Let me help you up!"

Diana rolled her eyes as Grace disappeared beneath a sea of wings and worried faces.

[Honestly, you'd think they'd never seen a trainee overexert themselves before.]

She took the opportunity to slip away, hoping to find a quiet spot to-

"Diana!"

[... Or not.]

Seraph jogged over, her fiery braid bouncing with each step. She clapped Diana on the shoulder, her grip just a little too tight. Seraph wasn't one to watch her strength.

"So... How's our little prodigy doing?" Seraph asked, her blue eyes glinting with mischief.

Diana shrugged off her hand.

"She's improving. If you consider not falling on her face an improvement."

Seraph laughed.

"Sounds to me like high praise!" She glanced over at the crowd still fussing over Grace. "Poor thing. She's going to be smothered at this rate."

With a wink at Diana, Seraph strode over to the group, her voice rising above the chatter.

"Alright, alright, give the girl some space! She's not made of glass!"

As the crowd parted, Grace looked up at Seraph with wide, grateful eyes. Diana definitely didn't feel a twinge of... something at that look.

"T-thank you, Seraph," Grace stammered, letting the warrior help her to her feet. "I should probably get to my next class..."

Seraph grinned, ruffling Grace's hair.

"Of course, little one. Off you go. And good work today."

Grace beamed at the praise, practically skipping away despite her exhaustion. Diana watched her go, a strange tightness in her chest.

Seraph sidled back over, a knowing look on her face.

"So, about that excursion..."

Diana tore her gaze away from Grace's retreating form.

"What about it?"

"You coming? It'll be a good chance to see if our little Saintess can actually walk the walk."

Diana hesitated. A part of her, larger than she cared to admit, wanted to go. She couldn't help it. Could demons be slain? But at the same time...

She didn't want to see another demon again for a while.

"Nah," she said, feigning nonchalance. "I'll just wait here for the good news."

Seraph shrugged.

"Suit yourself," she said, turning to walk away. "But you're probably going to be missing out."

---

{Grace}

Grace practically dragged herself into the rookie wing, every muscle in her body screaming with fatigue. She was pretty sure even her hair hurt at this point. Training with Seraph and those muscular menaces in particular had been torture - glorious, ab-filled torture, but torture nonetheless.

She was so tired and sore that even as she was being kissed in Venus's class, she could focus on nothing else than her exhaustion.

[Ugh, I think I've discovered muscles I didn't even know existed,] Grace thought as she collapsed face-first onto her bed. [Is this what being an angel is all about? Pain and suffering?]

"Graaaaaace!" a singsong voice called out. Grace groaned into her pillow.

"Alia, please, I'm dying," She mumbled.

Alia bounced into the room with Zephyr right behind her, both grinning like the sadists they were.

"Aww, did someone have a rough day?" Zephyr cooed, plopping down on the bed beside Grace. Her hand found its way to Grace's back, rubbing soothing circles.

She had to stop herself from moaning, it was so good.

"Rough doesn't even begin to cover it," Grace whined. "I think Seraph is trying to kill me. Death by a thousand sword swings."

Alia sprawled out on Grace's other side, her head propped up on her hand.

"But you're still alive! That's progress, right?"

Grace lifted her head just enough to glare at her.

"Barely. I'm pretty sure I left my dignity back on the training grounds."

Zephyr laughed, the sound far too melodic for Grace's liking.

"Oh please, like you had any to begin with."

"Hey!" Grace swatted at her half-heartedly. Even if she'd done so full-heartedly, it probably still wouldn't inflict any damage. "I-I'll have you know I was a very dignified farm girl before all this."

Alia snorted.

"Sure, sure. And I'm the Queen of Heaven."

Grace buried her face back into the pillow with a groan. Why did she put up with these two again?

"Anyway," Zephyr said, "while you were off playing swords with the Bravery Girls, we were answering prayers."

That caught Grace's attention. She peeked up at them.

"Oh yeah? What did you do?"

Alia's eyes lit up.

"Actually, yes! We got a request to help with a demon problem in some little village-"

Grace shot up, fatigue momentarily forgotten.

"A demon problem? Like, actual demons?"

Zephyr nodded.

"Yup. Apparently, they'd been terrorizing the poor townsfolk for weeks now."

"Wait, but how did you two help with that? You're Love Sisters."

Zephyr arched a brow.

"When did we say we helped by fighting?"

"We. Boost. Morale, Grace! You still haven't figured that out?" Alia asked with a giggle.

[... Oh.]

Still, just hearing that they'd been in the same general vicinity as a demon made Grace's heart race.

Truth was, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to make a difference. To prove herself.

Besides, some day she was going to fight a demon again. If she could pick, she'd like to have it be on her own terms.

For a moment, she nearly asked them a bold question. Something like, "hey, next time you go near demons, take me with you." But, she stopped herself.

[Eh, I probably shouldn't go that far yet.]

Still, it was fun to think about.

She could see it in her mind's eye - Grace, the noble hero, swooping in to save the day, slaying demons left and right with her trusty sword. The townsfolk would cheer, the angels would finally respect her, and maybe, just maybe, when she came back and inevitably bragged, Diana would look at her with something other than disdain-

"Grace... Did your boobs get bigger?" Alia asked.

...Wait, what?

Grace blinked, Alia's outburst effectively shattering her heroic fantasy.

She looked down at her chest.

Huh.

"I don't see it," Zephyr said.

"No, no, I swear, they did," Alia added, squinting as she drew closer. "Like... 2% bigger."

"How can you even tell!?"

"I fancy myself a breasts enthusiast~" Alia wriggled her brows. "And, I'm pretty sure they randomly got bigger."

Now that she mentioned it, her tunic did feel slightly little tighter than usual...

[No, no, it's just the power of suggestion. She's wrong.]

"What have you been eating, Grace?" Alia asked, grinning. "Has Sister Mara been feeding you, eh? Something so you can grow big and strong?"

Grace felt her face flush.

"N-No! I haven't- I mean- my breasts are NOT growing!"

But Alia was already reaching out, hands outstretched.

"Can I touch them? For science?"

"NO!" Grace yelped, crossing her arms over her chest.

Alia pouted.

"Aww, but they look so soft..."

Zephyr, bless her heart, chose that moment to intervene.

"Okay, okay, let's all calm down. Anyway, you two wanna go get some dinner? How about it?"

"Ooh, yeah!" Alia pushed herself into the air, spreading her wings and gliding onto the floor. "Let's go!"

Grace sighed with relief.

[... But, about those demons, though. One way or another, the time will hopefully come when I can prove myself.]