Things didn't start great for Rean with many of his classmates, especially so with the girls. First there was the misunderstanding with Alisa, and now Laura had taken offence with him due to what she perceived as weakness.

She had asked him to come to the Academy Field at the crack of dawn, for a practice session. He tried to refuse but she didn't exactly seem to take no for an answer.

He showed up:

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Laura: You're late.

Rean: Am I? Sorry, but I had to pick up my requests from Towa.

Laura: Requests? More like menial tasks that won't help you grow at all… That time would be better spent on your training, "8-leaves school student". Or shall I say dropout?

Rean: I like to help. She's a sweet girl and she does so much for us.

Laura: Enough chit chat: we'll obviously never agree. Are you ready for that fight?

Rean: You mean practice?

Laura: I mean fight. And let's make a wager to make things more interesting. If you win, I'll handle Towa's requests for you for the entire day. If you lose, you'll have to entertain my requests as well. Sounds fair?

Rean: I don't particularly like the sound of that… You have a tremendous advantage.

Laura: You don't have to like it. Do we have a deal?

Rean: You're the pushy kind aren't you? Fine…

Laura: En garde!

Rean: Like this, without even warming up?

Laura: Ever seen a real fight where the enemy lets you warm up? If you wanted that you should have come earlier. Let's go!

They spar. Rean tries his best but is quickly defeated and falls to the ground.

Laura: Good Lord… I expected nothing, and yet I am still disappointed…

Rean: I did my best. I told you I wasn't a real swordsman yet!

Laura: And you never will be with that state of mind. Fine. I'll help you. Consider yourself my little pet project from now on. I see you have potential and I hate to see talent go to waste. Besides, you're the only proper sword wielder in our class and I yearn for a sparring partner. We start now.

Rean: Hold on, I never said I needed help… I am quite content with my ability as such. I am only 17 after all.

Laura got angry. Rean seemed so wet, so unwilling… It was a sight for sore eyes. He was laying down on the floor, out of breath and still had the gut to tell her he was happy with himself.

Laura: Silence! Start off with 10 laps, presto! You agreed to do my requests right? Well, I request you to follow my training regimen for the day! Up you go!

Rean: I can't even get up, give me a minute to catch my breath...

Laura was about to lose it. As she was about to grab him and slap him, her eye caught the riding club's equipment that was hanging on the storeroom's wall. Suddenly she thought that Rean might need a bit of special motivation.

Laura: Can't get up? Fine. Stay on the ground if you wish.

Rean: I just need a minute. Bear with me…

Laura grabbed a saddle and reins. They were small, probably intended for a young shetland pony or some other small breed. She walked back to Rean and pulled his hair. As he gasped in surprise, she shoved the bit in his mouth and tied the reins real tight.

Rean: Mmmmmmmmh!

Laura: Silence! And stop moving. The more you struggle and the more this will hurt.

Rean tried to struggle anyway, but she was just too strong. She was done with the reins and was now tying the saddle around his waist. He tried to stand up but Laura quickly pushed him back to the ground.

Laura: A bit late to try and stand up, you chose to stay on the ground to catch your breath remember? Now stay there. On your fours! Let me help you with those 10 laps!

Laura grabbed the reins and saddled up. Rean was so shocked he didn't even fully process what had just happened. He was prepared to lose, prepared for a demeaning speech… But that was surreal. He felt her weight on top of him but that wasn't her full weight, as her feet were still on the ground.

Laura: Let me get my feet in the stirrups. You'd better be steady: you really won't like what I'll do to you if you make me fall.

She put her feet in position and grabbed the reins, forcing him to look up. She was a strong woman but he was equally muscular and could take it, at least physically.

Laura: Good. You might not be so useless after all. Now giddy up!

She dug her boots in his sides. He cried a bit but instinctively started moving and before he knew it, he was carrying her around the field…

Laura: Good, good… This is surprisingly soothing. I feel calmer already.

While Laura seemed to be cooling down, Rean was boiling with rage and felt the ogre struggling inside of him for the first time in many years. He was forced to silence by the bit, basically unable to express his anger and frustration. He had enough. They had done one lap and decided to stop there. He reached for the bit which had gotten a bit loose after his initial struggle and removed it.

Laura: Who told you to stop? You still have 9 laps to go.

Rean: Get off. This is it. I'll do the rest normally, standing on my two feet.

Laura: No. You had your chance. I intend to finish this. Now get going before I add more laps! I am pretty confident you could easily do double before anybody wakes up.

She spanked his rear with remarkable force. Rean had enough. He moved laterally and shook Laura off. Strong as she may have been, she had underestimated his resolve and got caught off guard, for about a second.

Before Rean had even fully gotten up, Laura had recovered and grabbed him by the hair. She forced him to the ground and layed on top of him, with her knee on his back.

Laura: I'll make you regret that. A real noble would've kept his promise. You have to do as I say, remember? I'll make a proper swordsman out of you if you let me… and even if you don't.

Rean: How does this have anything to do with my training? How will carrying you around like a mule make me better? I hate it!

Laura: I didn't expect to enjoy it but I love the idea of taming you. And it's even better if you hate it, I'll enjoy breaking you into shape even more. Think of it as an incentive: you'll have to do this every free day until you beat me in a swordfight. That should provide ample motivation, wouldn't it?

Rean: Every free day? Our agreement was for today only!

Laura: Yes but you broke that agreement didn't you? You tried to throw me off and run away. That gives me all the more rights over you. I own you, get it?

As she said those words, she added even more weight on his back and forced his face onto the dusty ground.

Laura: Get it? Say it!

Rean: Let me go you crazy b****!

Laura: Stubborn mule aren't you? All the better… Let's see if you still talk to your owner like this after 20 laps. Come on: on your hands and knees! We're losing daylight.

She tied the bit back around his head and forced him up. She sat down on him but this time she was a lot more confident, somehow more determined but also calmer. She put her boots back in the stirrups and dug her heels in his body.

Laura: Giddyup! 20 laps and I'll add even more if you misbehave.

The pain was too much and there was no way he could prevail against her physically without keeping his ogre powers in check. He had lost this fight…

He walked around for what seemed like hours, without stopping as he feared she'd just ask him for more. He just wanted to get it over with.

Laura: Good boy… This is actually a great workout for you. You lack discipline but this shall whip some sense into you, figuratively. Maybe I'll get a proper whip next time. How do you like the sound of that?

Rean: mmmmmh…

Laura: Glad we're on the same page. This is nice. Almost nice enough to make me forget about your mediocre performance earlier. I never really enjoyed horse riding but this is something else. More comfortable and less back-breaking, for the rider at least!

She laughed. She seemed to enjoy ordering him around a bit too much. He guessed that her noble background had gotten her used to being in charge, and that she liked a bit of resistance once in a while. And like an idiot, he had humoured her. The anger somehow helped to get him going as it gave him something to think about while he walked around the field.

Laura: Okay, that's 20 laps. You did well Rean, at least on that front. I'd love to take you around the whole campus but that will have to wait another time. Take me back to the storeroom over there so I can put the equipment back.

His knees were hurting but he was otherwise muscular enough to carry her without feeling too tired so the 20 laps weren't as trying as he thought they would be. Rean took her there quickly, feeling relieved that the whole thing was over.

Laura: Look at you trotting! I knew you had it in you. Looks like training with master Ka-fai wasn't that useless after all. I'll keep it in mind for next time… We can take it up a notch or two.

She got off and removed the saddle and bit. Rean felt relieved, though humiliated beyond anything he'd ever experienced. He didn't get up right away, still somehow afraid of what she'd do if he didn't wait for her signal.

Laura: Off you go then! I believe you need to help Towa. Don't want to make a Lady wait do you? You'd better not make me wait next time, I'll drag you here gagged and bound if I must. Got that?

Rean: Yes, I got that.

Laura: There's a good boy. Now Scoot! Normally I'd ask for a proper thank you but i'll let you get away with it, at least this time.

Rean picked up his gear and walked away, still in shock of what just happened. He hated this situation but had no idea how to get out of it except by becoming the better swordsman. He vowed to train more diligently and to get Towa's requests over with ASAP. He entered the building and knocked on her office door.

Towa: Come in Rean! Good morning to you. Are you sure you still have the energy to do my requests? That looked like you had an intense workout just now.

Rean froze. The student council office had a view on the academy field.

Towa: It's okay Rean, I enjoyed watching it! Actually, if you ever feel like exercising with me, I'd love to help! Maybe not ride you right away but if Laura needs a squire of sorts. I'll ask her!

Rean: Please don't. That was a one-time thing.

Towa: What a pity… oh well. Here are the requests! See you later.