Even with a break, the Grind never stops

It was important once in a while to take a breather, to stop what you're doing and take a break to unwind.

So when Romani and Da Vinci both announced that they would be taking a week long break from work, Ritsuka Fujimaru felt Chaldea itself shook from the sheer intensity of the cheers. It's occupants happy to finally take a moment away from the various battlefields they were slowly growing accustomed to and to take some time off for themselves and their various hobbies.

But of course Ritsuka should have known better.

She was with servants of old after all, so the meaning of breaks between her generation and theirs were totally different.

So, as Ritsuka ducked a sandal clad foot and crossed her arms to block the palm strike that followed, she silently wept for her shattered dreams of daydreaming the day away on her soft and cozy bed.

"Pay attention Master!" snapped a cool voice, before an elbow buried itself into her stomach, dancing through her guard and punishing her wandering mind.

And as she wheezed and groaned, she took a quick step backwards, she took a moment to recover before spinning into a roundhouse kick that was easily caught and deflected with contemptuous ease, sending her sprawling towards the floor.

"Oww," Ritsuka muttered before rolling upright in one swift and practiced motion, just in time to dodge a stomp of a leg and sweep of a foot that would have sent her reeling on the floor once more.

She winces at the thought before twisting to avoid a downward sing of the arm, "Li, please ease up on me, I'm a bit distracted today, can we please take it easy? I wanna take it easy for our break..."

"No." Li Shuwen simply replied, following up with his attack with a straight chop that sent her yelping backwards in a sound filled with despair and sadness.

And just like that, any remaining dreams of relaxation were crushed, shattered into atoms and gone to the wind. In a single strike that befitted the Master of Bajinquan.

She held back a sniffle as she dodge and blocked another attack, it just wasn't fair!

She wanted to lie down and snooze all day on her bed, was it too much to ask?

"It is important to keep your body sharp Master, or you'll pay for it down the line."

Yes, apparently. Yes it was.

Well, at least she wasn't Mashu.

[EXCALIBUR!]

"AAAAAH, HELP ME SENPAI!"

Poor girl, may God have mercy on her soul.

"You're open."

And strike found home on her forehead, sending her sprawling to the floor in pain.

"Oww."

It just wasn't fair, not one bit.