Ch. 12 Visitors

Tyrian's POV:

After the battle, neither parent treated Medeia much differently. They didn't shower her with affection or explained what happened.

Instead, they made sure she wasn't alone. Elek changed the daily training routine to games or trips to the forest. He then placed a training dummy in the small yard but didn't use it for anything.

One morning, Deia was about to leave with her father when she suddenly stopped in front of the dummy. She stood there for a while and Elek just watched.

Slowly, she lifted her small arm and lightly hit the dummy. Then, she took a stance and punched it slightly harder. Again and again, she hit it continuously and gained momentum. After a while, her face contorted and 2 rows of tears began flowing down her cheeks. Several minutes later, when she was done, Elek hugged her.

And, that was it. Her training didn't resume, but she did seem better.

Now that Marcus woke up, they seemed to be using the same laid back approach. Breakfast ended and he went to his room. Deia left with her father, and Maia was washing the dishes.

"Are you not going to ask him what happened?" I asked.

"Eventually, if he doesn't tell us himself."

I couldn't tell if their parenting style was ok, but there was one thing bugging me. After hesitating for a while, I decided to just ask.

"Mam, what's the extent of Marcus and Medeia' education?" During the period I was with them, I hadn't seen the children receive any formal education. Marcus was already 20, but Deia was 10. The Carbo family wasn't poor, so they could afford a formal tutor.

"They've learned language, math, history, and etiquette. I've taught them myself."

"But…" I picked my words carefully. "Isn't Deia at the right age to have a professional tutor?"

"What for?" Maia answered. "I've taught her everything she'll ever need. If she develops an interest in a particular subject, I'll get her a tutor then."

It seemed like Mrs. Maia's noble origin had backfired. Did she think she was more qualified to teach her children than the capital's scholars? And, of course they didn't ask her for further education. What child likes studying?

She was right about them learning all they needed, but only if they wanted to remain in this village. The family had a good standing in the country's nobility and at least some degree of wealth, from what I understood.

Even without the looming war, the children would take ownership of their fortune one day, and they'll need to know how to handle it. Right now, they were greatly deficient.

"I will suggest a few subjects to the children. Of course, it's up to them if they agree."

Instead of arguing with her, I decided to use her words in my favor. Convincing Marcus would be easy, and he'd speak to his sister afterwards.

"Does Deia know?" Maia turned towards me. She really was sharp.

"Yes." I answered bluntly. "Marcus told her last night."

A long awkward moment passed before she continued.

"It may be better this way. What subjects do you have in mind?"

I listed a few areas they might need including furthering the subjects they already learned.

"I could teach them some of these subjects. My husband can cover the others."

"With all due respect Mam, I believe the children would benefit more if Sir Elek focuses on training. They also need you to keep this house together."

I couldn't let her interfere again with their education. Although she was probably somewhat qualified, how could she compare to trained scholars who teach for a living?

"Do you want me to be a maid, mister Tyrian?" said Maia while raising an eyebrow.

"A pillar they can rely on for things not related to punching or smashing." I retorted. "Also, even if the teachers you hire are less knowledgeable, your children will pay more attention if the information comes from a formal professor. It will benefit them to meet intellectuals from different fields in person."

There was a long pause. Mrs. Maia sat down at the table and watched me intently. Fortunately, my lack of a face prevented any emotions from showing.

"What is your goal Tyrian?" she eventually said with a flat tone.

"Huh?"

I didn't exactly expect this question, so I could only widen my invisible eyes.

"I've answered your question, so answer mine. What are you guiding my son towards?"

What was she on about now? I couldn't keep up with her train of thought, so I just answered truthfully.

"My purpose is to guide Marcus to become the new God of War."

"Really? Even at the cost of the former?"

'I see…' I wandered when this would come up. I actually found it strange they didn't question my loyalty sooner.

"Unfortunately, there is no way to fully prove my innocence." I explained. "However, my existence is tied to Marcus. He can dismiss me if that's what he wants."

"Good. Because my purpose is to keep my children safe. Both of them."

"Of course."

"Sure…" she answered. ��Just remember this: I would be honored and proud if my son becomes a God, be it even one of war. However, if he starts acting like a God of War, I will also start eliminating possible causes, starting with you."

Medeia Carbo's POV:

Just north of our village was a large dense forest. People get an eerie feeling as soon as they enter it. The sun is mostly blocked off by the canopy, so you can barely see.

It's quiet and noisy at the same time. There is no wind inside, so any sounds you do hear are caused by something else.

Fortunately, I was with the one person in our village who could traverse this place as if going on a picnic. Dad knew every inch of this forest, so even when I felt completely lost, he knew where we were.

According to others, the animals in this forest were very aggressive and would hunt even humans. However, I rarely saw predators during our trips.

A couple large wolves once stumbled upon us and ran immediately after noticing dad. We were also attacked on one occasion. A large fox-like creature with 2 long tails and protruding canines once stalked us for hours. Finally, it jumped from a tree and dad sliced it open.

"A creature of Tartarus," he said. "They sometimes sneak into our realm. If they're not strong enough to attack us, they'll hide in secluded places biding their time."

One of the reasons dad visited this forest was to take care of any such creatures before they hurt someone. The second reason was the giant rock in the middle.

It was so big I first though it was a hill or a small mountain. However, when I got there I noticed it was one big solid stone. Only moss grew on it, and there weren't many footholds. Dad had to carry me so we could get on top.

From there, we could see the entire village. We could see the river flowing near it and the road connecting us to the rest of the nation. Dad took me here several times in the past week, so we could admire the scenery and chat about whatever.

We were located on one of the few major routes in the country, between the capital of Laus and the western city of Chalcis. While taking in the view, from the direction of Laus, I saw a bunch of small dots moving on the road.

"Looks like we have visitors." Said father.

Suddenly, my body began trembling. Dad put his hand on my shoulder and told me to relax.

As the dots grew bigger, I could distinguish a group of people riding on horses. They shinned in the sunlight, but I couldn't make out their features.

Then, dad extended his hand and caught a small object that almost fell beside us. It was an arrow. Someone actually shot an arrow all the way up the cliff. On it, there was paper which dad unfurled and read.

"Looks like they're friendly." He reassured me. "And capable."