Chapter 43 : George Is George, After All.

"Stabilize your breathing. Feel the pulse...Feel them across your body. There are connections that lay there, beneath the surface of the world and the vast and boundless sky. Find them...And accept them."

Currently, I was watching two girls making a horse stance in the mansion's garden, beneath the scorching sun. Besides me, there were Howard and also Adam. The two were busy frolicking despite saying that they wanted to watch their sisters' training.

"Alyson, your legs are loosening up. Helena, be precise with your breathing. Don't let impatience rule your mind."

Maya, with eyes as sharp as an eagle, kept spotting the tiny changes and mistakes the two were making and guided them flawlessly. For most of the obvious mistakes, she let the two figure it out by themselves, and for the tricky ones, like their habit or some confusing part, she pointed it to them meticulously.

Coming from the Kareya kingdom in the east, Maya practiced an exotic path of magic, completely different from the magicians here in the Boreas kingdom.

Here, magicians often used a medium such as a staff, wand, or mana stones to help with the process of formulating a spell, and afterward, a product of an element born out of that spell would materialize into the world.

Maya, however, didn't use those kinds of mediums, and the purpose of the spell was also different. The medium she used was none other than her own body, and by assimilating different types of elements and formulas of spells, she could weave the elements using her own body before proceeding to release them outside in one go. If a traditional magician could be best described as someone who valued stability and balance, then Kareya's Martia Magicians would be known for their burst-like magics.

Long story short, they were similar to that one cartoon series with the badass bald tattooed kid who could use kung fu with magic...Yeah, I changed my mind about Maya's resembling the greenish alter ego after I got a somewhat better grasp of how Kareya's Martial Magic functioned fundamentally.

That's why it piqued my interest because I was looking for a reference to combine my physical ability and magic in the future.

Thus, lo and behold, here I was, sitting snugly beneath the shade of a huge tree, watching Maya train the girls, despite wanting to try it myself...

Then again, It could be said although I didn't join them with practical lessons, I did learn the theory behind it.

The formula or sigils were simple, I think almost anyone could understand it if they were told. But the problem didn't come from there. Learning and understanding the sigils might be the hardest part for traditional magicians, but that's not the case with the Martial Magic from the East.

Strong and solid foundation, independent systems of movements, and consistency. What that meant was that you need to build and train your muscles to a certain degree, learn how to have a full and extensive length of control of your own body, and have a stable mind to execute everything in quick succession and precision in order for it to work.

Don't understand the hell I was talking about?

Well, it is what it is. It was the best and most detailed translation I could offer by digesting Maya's words and seeing how the training went before my very eyes.

"Hoo...Blessings of Wind. Tempest Claw!" Alyson exhaled long, releasing the tension in her mind before she moved.

Coming out from Alyson's hand, five elongated thick claws of wind emerged. When she cut the air, a torrent of slicing wind would come flocking ravenously. When she punched the ground, the heavy and sharp gale would crush it down.

'I'mma be real...that looks cool as hell...'

It did. It really did...

"Huhuhu..." She cast a victorious smirk at Helena, who was watching her with an ugly look plastered on her face.

"Tch!" As a result, the ruby-haired princess clicked her tongue and threw her gaze elsewhere.

"Very good, Alyson. But remember, we are training...Always keep your breathing steady, and to do that, you must have a clear and unperturbed mind."

"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry."

Maya then turned to Helena, calling her.

"Helena. That also goes for you. Keep a clear mind. Be strong and firm with your spirit. Don't subject yourself to any type of provocation thrown at you. Remember it's always you against you..."

"...Yes, teacher." Helena took a deep breath, following Maya's words.

"Good. Your turn...For you, the gentler you are with the flow, the stronger the result will be. Don't be impatient. Feel and follow the flow."

"Hoo...Blessings of Fire. Flame Umbra!" Called Helena, clenching both of her hands hard on each side of her abs.

Lighted by her command, the air bent as the image of Helena became distorted, as though she was cloaked in an invisible veil of flame.

Blades of grass were scorched dark in the wake of her punches and kicks.

'Damn, that shit looks cool too...'

Yes, I ended up praising both of them.

It is what it is.

"What's with that weird grin, Alex?"

"Brother grinning weirdly!"

Howard, who caught my reaction from the side, commented with a frown while pulling his neck back.

"You, punk, stop teaching the kid bad things."

"Don't put this on me, man. You're the one who had this weird look on your face earlier."

"Brother Alex is weird!"

'Ah, damn you, Howard!'

"What!? No, I don't want-...I mean, there is no need to, Duke."

"Yes, I do agree with my sister. I shall send a word back to the royal capital myself and inform them to reject the invitation for both of us, Duke."

Refused the twins zealously.

To explain what this mess was all about, it was because Helena and Howard received an invitation to take part in Duke Heliard's daughter's birthday party. I believe his full name was, Rodrigo Green Heliard...

The Queen Dowager, the King's Mother, was Duke Heliard's aunt, and his sister was also the King's concubine who gave birth to the second prince. And both of them were now pushing for the second prince to claim the throne. It's like they were trying to turn the kingdom into their family business or something.

Anyway, since the twins didn't have any backing whatsoever, it was clear what this invitation indicated. They wanted to feel out what exactly the play was, regarding Helena and my engagement.

"Your Mother has expressed her will quite clearly in her letter for me to let both of you attend the party." Stated George calmly.

"Tch!"

"..."

Howard didn't respond harshly like his sister, but the coldness on his face was apparent for all to see.

'So the Heliards bought their Mother...'

I guess I kinda feel about them. Being abandoned without having a memory of it was one thing, but to realize you were but tools in the eyes of someone who should be your most precious must've been terrible.

"I have no power in play to bar either of you from attending the party."

George's message was clear; he had no intention of dipping his feet in the already murky water.

By preventing the twins from attending the party, he was inviting unnecessary trouble to our doorstep.

"The only thing I can do is to make decisions for my own family."

"Then, will you let Alex come with us?" Queried Howard, plagued with doubts.

"No, that's-" Alyson was about to interject, but Helena was a beat faster than her.

"It's okay. Alex doesn't need to be there."

Alyson's troubled expression soon melted, hearing Helena's response.

"But Helena, he is your fiance!" Argued Howard.

"He is my fiance...That's why I want him to stay healthy and safe. What if something happens to Alex there? I will burn them all, Heliard bastards..."

"Oh, my!"

"Cough!"

To Maya and George's reactions, Helena raised her eyebrows in wonder before seemingly realizing something. Her neck and cheeks boiled red from the rising heat.

"I-I don't mean that! Hey, Alex! Forget what I said, alright!?"

'Forget what? About you charring people up? It's not like you've said them once or twice anyway...'

Ignoring the steaming Helena, I look at George, who strangely looked like he had been waiting for me to say something this whole time.

"I'll go with them, Father. It's a party for kids our age, right? Maybe I can make some friends there?"

The objections came simultaneously from both Alyson and Helena. Howard, however, was casting me a hopeful look, maybe hoping for me not to change my mind and be able to persuade George.

"Are you sure?" Asked George simply.

"Yes. But how many of us will go?"

What I meant was, how many guards would he send this time, but my words fell short unknowingly.

I wanted to ask because everyone knew just how serious George was if it was about his family's safety. He seriously was the type of man who had no qualms in bringing about dozens of scary-looking dudes in armor to a kid's party if he saw the need to.

Just as I was about to correct myself, George had spoken up.

"All of us will go, and your grandparents will also be there."

'Ah, Rygor will also come?'

Yeah, why bother sending dozens of guards when you can just put a monster and get everyone there to behave?

'George is George, after all...'