32 The Actual Truth?

"Did you adopt me?!" Allen asked shocked.

"Why did you think I went to such extent, needing the firms of the three commissioners? The succession's rights of a noble family are quite complicated, required all this work to pass." Tomoki explained.

"But why did you do it? I haven't even passed your qualifications yet."

"You have already passed them, my last spar being my form to acknowledge you" Tomoki explained as nothing "I trust in you and I would bet in your talent with all my power."

"I still can't understand" Allen shook his head "What do you win with this? You could have simply made me your subordinate or apprentice."

"Allen" Tomoki approached Allen and flicked his forehead with his fingers "In life is not all about winning and losing. Not everyone is moved by interest like Pantalone. If with this simple act, you can open a little your heart it will be worth and if not..." Tomoki smiled "it doesn't really matter."

"You shouldn't act so reckless" Allen sighed.

"Allen, you are an orphan without any place to call your home" Tomoki said "Until you are able to make your own, this will become yours. There's nothing more important than to have a place to return" Tomoki said looking at the horizon.

"A home?" Allen thought about Snezhnaya, his most lingering feeling being her sister and not truly having many happy memories of it.

'If I could choose, it's not a place that I would like to return' Allen thought 'If I'm able to cure and take Ellen away, I don't want to live over Snezhnaya. A place like this is not so bad' Allen said thinking about Inazuma.

'Moreover, having a noble name would be a great help for future plans and movements, letting me be connected with the most important people over the region' Allen thought about the perks.

"Ah!" Tomoki sighed strongly, breaking Allen's thought "You are again thinking coldly. I'm sure that you are thinking about what can you do now that you are a noble" Tomoki shook his head "Let's pray for you to open a little and change in the future.

"I don't know about you, but I have an objective to fulfill and even risk my life. This type of thinking is necessary when you lack talent in other areas." Allen explained.

"Let's try to make you strong enough, for you to not need it so" Tomoki said with a smile, both of them taking a boat and returning to the Niwa's residence.

It had been a long day, so they simply take dinner and went to sleep, letting more talk for tomorrow.

...

The next day, Allen was summoned by Tomoki over to the dojo of the manor.

"Now that we have finished your first trial, I'll need to change your training regime" Tomoki informed "First of all, you'll need to learn about the minimum responsibilities of being part of the Niwa clan so as to not create opposition from other factions that would provoke a lot of headaches."

"In what would consist that?" Allen asked.

"First of all, you'll need the learn about the Inazuman culture and a mere minimum of etiquette." Tomoki explained.

"And you would teach me that?" Allen said looking distrustful at Tomoki.

"Hey! I can do it if I put myself, it is simply that it's not to my liking" At Allen glance, Tomoki avoided it "Anyway, Honoka would be the one to teach you."

"Better, I really don't know how it would be finish if I was taught by you"

"Hey, I have adopted you as a brother, but I'm your clan leader and higher ranked. I can chase you out any moment that I want." Tomoki defended.

"And would you really do it after everything that you have done until now?" Allen said grinning.

"Tch! Smartass" Tomoki clicked his tongue "Anyway, I would also teach you about blacksmithing."

"Blacksmithing?" Allen asked strangely, not really knowing the need of it.

"You will learn it in more profundity later, but the Niwa Clan is a clan with a long blacksmithing history that is why we are part of the Yashiro Commission that takes care of cultural events, blacksmithing being considered an art here." Tomoki explained.

"And I thought that you were from a samurai family. What a bummer"

"Nothing dictates that a samurai clan is stronger than a blacksmithing one. Anyway, I'm not really much into blacksmithing but I will taught you the bare foundation." Tomoki explained.

"Lastly for the next course, I would like to know your situation." Tomoki requested.

"My situation?"

"Yes, I want to learn about your life, dreams and objectives. There are different ways to become strong, so we need to choose the most according to you." Tomoki said.

"But aren't you already aware of me. You should have learned about it. I'm sure that Pantalone had a very detailed report." Allen said doubtful.

"I haven't read it" Tomoki shook his head "I'm aware that you are an orphan without family and nothing much. Why would I learn about someone that I was thinking about throwing away instantly? Moreover, listening to yourself would let me have me a greater insight into your character."

"Okay." Allen nodded, preparing to tell everything about 'Allen's' life. In the end, it wasn't confidential information that a Harbinger like Tomoki could take. "Let's start with..."

Allen explained about his life, about him and Ellen being orphans growing at Snezhnaya and their difficulties, about Ellen falling ill and about everything that elapsed, finally Allen obtaining a Vision and joining the Fatui under Pantalone by the Tsaritsa's decree, with all his missions finishing coming towards Inazuma to train under Tomoki.

"I see..." Tomoki said thoughtfully "So this is all a test to see if you are able to follow your sister."

Allen frowned "What are you saying?"

"I'm talking about her Majesty's trial and the time given to you." Tomoki answered.

"That time is for me to become strong to forgive my crime and save my sister that is taken as a hostage" Allen explained.

"Woaw" Tomoki was surprised "Your sister is really very important to you, enough to cloud your thoughts. Tell me, did you really think that a mere crime of not firming over the army in time will require her Majesty to act?"

"That-" Allen stopped still, carefully thinking about it "It doesn't make any sense!" He made a thoughtful look "Her objective was Ellen since the start!" He realized.

"Most probably" Tomoki nodded "For what you told me, it seems that your sister Ellen has great talent and that "sickness" of her is most probably an aftermath of them, not being something irreversible."

"But if that's the case, why create that play with me?" Allen made a thoughtful look.

"That is because her Majesty is too kind for her own good" Tomoki said with a profound look in his eyes.

"I'm Ellen's weakness" Allen realized "The Tsaritsa knew about it. Asking about choosing my life or her was a test to see my resolve."

"Most probably, she wouldn't kill any of you, not mattering your answer" Tomoki said "In the end, the choice was for you to stay with your sister or leave her. Anyway, choosing to stay with your sister will make you her biggest weakness."

"So this time and my test are simply to attest if I'm able to be strong enough to not disturb her and protect my own?" Allen discovered "But if it's so, what the hell is Ellen?"

"Your sister might be a monster" Tomoki nodded "Enough so that becoming a Harbinger is the minimum to be at her side, someone that would of course become strong."

Allen fell over the ground, looking at the ceiling while pondering about everything that he had discovered.

"But this might not be the case" Tomoki hurriedly said, seeing the shocked face of Allen whose world seemed to have been broken "You have shown great talent with the sword, if fully exploited, you will reach great heights. Her Majesty might have been able to see it."

"Tomoki" Allen slowly said coldly "Could you leave me alone? I need time to think about."

Tomoki was about to say something, trying to cheer him, but seeing his serious face decided otherwise "Okay, let's start the training tomorrow." Tomoki left the room, giving one last worried look to Allen, concerned about his possible change.

"What would I do if I was the Tsaritsa?" Allen pondered about it.

"If it was for my talent, there's better way to process" Allen thought "Rather than capturing Ellen's in ice and keeping her as insurance. It would be far better to have healed her, gaining my favor, and then simply kept her over the capital while I'm working for them."

"Maybe this way of keeping her sealed might push me to become stronger quicker, but they will gain my distrust and hate. Also, if they truly wanted for me to become strong and she knew about my talents, it doesn't make sense for them to not really test my combats talents early on, leaving it in my way at first."

"On the other hand, if I was truly Ellen's weakness and not the other way, I would decide between two options. One should be taking advantage of the weakness, taking me as a hostage, forcing Ellen to work for them."

"If Ellen can really become so strong, that might be dangerous as she would start hating Snezhnaya, only working forced."

"The other option would be eliminating the weakness, killing me and then lying to Ellen from my death. They even had perfect scenery, they could push the blame for killing me to Kirill or to that Electrowarhammer Vanguard, presenting themselves as Ellen's saviors and even letting her take revenge over them and gaining her trust and favor."

"Or maybe pushing the blame to one of their enemies, making her and agent of vengeance."

"Anyway, I wouldn't act like th-" 'Her Majesty is too kind for her own good' Tomoki's words resounded over Allen's mind.

"If that's truly the case..." Allen thought about it "Yes, I would act exactly like that. Letting me an opportunity to chase after her, but if I can't reach that standard, they most probably will push me away, killing me or at least keeping me away from meeting her again."

"That's the most probable thinking objectively, but in that case, why freezing her?" Allen made a thoughtful look "It might be part of her treatment or could it be all to trick me, having already been unfrozen by now."

"Pam!" Allen threw himself over the ground "What should I do?"

...

The next day, Tomoki waited for Allen over the dojo, nervous and concerned about Allen who left his room and didn't leave all day.

"Should I search for him and ask?" Tomoki asked himself worriedly, however, there was no need as the dojo's door opened, Allen entered the dojo.

"That's a good look" Tomoki smiled seeing Allen's face that was full of confidence, making clear that he had chosen his way "What have you decided?"

"I'm not truly sure about it" Allen scratched his neck shily "But it truly didn't matter" he made a serious face "It doesn't matter what the case is, the thing that I must do, doesn't change. If I want to be with Ellen, I'll need to become strong."

Allen bowed towards Tomoki "Please, train me to become strong!"

"Good" Tomoki nodded in approval "Let's train."