9 The Path 009

Since she was already there, Orianna took the opportunity to groom Aeolus while William attended Ailbhe. In the process, she revealed, "I received word this morning that the person we hired to be your Martial Instructor has reached the entry of Runecryst. They should arrive here within the week."

Blinking in surprise, William asked, "You hired someone from outside the territory?"

Understanding William's concerns, Orianna smiled approvingly and said, "Caution and vigilance are commendable traits, but the person we hired is one of the most trusted representatives of the Warrior's College. They are bound by a powerful Geass to remain neutral, so while the possibility isn't zero, the odds of them actively conspiring against our family are slim."

"May I ask the name of this representative...?" asked William, a troubled frown marring his face.

"Mmm...I wanted it to be a surprise, but since you've asked, I suppose I can answer..." replied Orianna, directing her gaze to William and narrowing her eyes as she added, "Though, before that, tell me what troubles you. I expected you to be more enthusiastic. Are you not looking forward to your training...?"

"It's not that..." replied William, shaking his head. "I'm just worried about the state of our domain and its people..."

"Listen to this kid..." mused Orianna, setting aside her grooming tools to approach and muss William's hair as she stated, "It's good to keep such sentiments near the forefront of your mind, but you're still a child. Focus on strengthening your body and mind so that, no matter what life throws at you, you can endure. As for our domain and its people, your father and I are more than capable of tending to them."

Removing her hand from William's head, Orianna winked before returning to Aeolus and resting her forehead against the battle-hardened Gryphon's crown. Shortly after, she left the aviary without further comment, leaving William to contemplate her words while Ailbhe preened where she wished for him to brush...

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Several days after he learned of their imminent arrival, William, Therese, and several of his attendants gathered in an isolated training hall to await his instructor's arrival. The hall was a rectangular room with a dirt training area surrounded by stone archways and walls comprised of a special type of cement known as Aegicite, making it resistant to most magical attacks. Wooden training posts and dummies could be installed in circular grooves along the field's periphery, but its most prominent feature was the Mana-Gathering Formation that had been engraved into its foundation, causing a faint, bluish-white mist to permeate the hall.

"This feels incredible..." remarked William, standing with his head tilted back slightly, enjoying the feeling of revitalizing Mana flowing into and spreading through his body with every breath he took. He had swapped out his usual attire for a simple beige tunic, a large belt with fixings for a sword and a dagger, brown pants, and a brand-new pair of leather boots, so he was ready to begin his training in earnest.

"Be mindful not to inhale too much, too quickly," said Therese, standing off to the side with the cat-eared Ryza and raven-haired Amira flanking her.

"I'll be fine," assured William, turning to face the trio with a smile. There was a phenomenon known as Mana Inundation that caused those who took in too much Mana to experience an addictive high, but as this was his seventh life, he knew to limit the amount flowing directly to his brain.

"Has the Young Master already decided on a Martial Path...?" asked Ryza, her green, gem-quality eyes glistening as she materialized a large, seven-bladed mace out of thin air, stating, "I personally recommend a flanged mace. They're somewhat unwieldy initially, but once you get accustomed to them, you can flatten most monsters in a single blow...!"

Narrowing her angular black eyes, Amira cast a sidelong glance at Ryza as she flatly argued, "Everyone knows that the sword is the noblest of all weapons. Would you have our Master become a laughingstock among his peers...?"

"Bah! Swords are boring!" retorted Ryza, shouldering her oversized mace as she asserted, "What matters most is functionality! If you wield a sword improperly or fail to parry a blow, the blade could splinter like a twig. That rarely happens with a mace!"

"Our Master is first and foremost a son of House Oirthear," stated Amira, narrowing her eyes further as she asked, "Do you expect him to stand on the frontlines, swinging around a mace like a lunatic? That's a role better suited to someone with more mass around their chest than sense in their head..."

"Ha!"

Puffing out her chest in a way that accentuated her endowments, Ryza was about to comment on Amira's comparable lack of femininity before Therese silenced them by looking back with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Observing the interaction between the trio, William couldn't help smiling. He could do without being monitored twenty-four-seven, but being born with a golden spoon in his mouth was much better than growing up in an orphanage or being forced to help tend a farm at the age of four.

"Are you my charge...?" asked a voice from behind William, causing him to tense. Therese, Ryza, and Amira also became alert, the former readying a wand while the latter duo brandished their oversized mace and a curved, single-edged sword reminiscent of a scimitar but with the wavy pattern of a katana.

Recovering much faster than the average six-year-old, William turned to face the person that had spoke, surprised to find a white-haired Elf that wasn't much taller than him. He was a pretty early bloomer at 110cm, but since Elves were known for being tall and slender, William felt a sense of incongruency seeing one that was only 140~150cm. Then there was their clothes, threadbare but formed of exceptionally high-quality materials...

'This person is strong...' William concluded, standing with his back straight and adopting his most welcoming smile as he placed his right hand over his heart and said, "You must be my Instructor. I look forward to learning what you have to teach."

"Hmmm...?"

Raising their right brow, the white-haired Elf, Leshien, gave William a once-over before remarking, "Your temperament is unusual, especially for the son of a noble house..."

Shifting their glistening blue eyes to Therese, Leshien asked, "You're his Governess, right? Did you teach him to behave this way...?"

Lowering her wand but keeping it out, Therese answered, "I am Therese Morsten, formerly of House Morsten. To answer your question, yes, I am Young Master's Governess. However, it is not my place to teach him how to behave, only to advise and guide him."

"Is that so...?" droned Leshien, returning their attention to William and stepping into his personal space so that their faces were separated by only a few centimeters. William felt as though they were peering directly into his soul, but they ostensibly failed to find anything abnormal as they eventually stepped back and remarked, "You're certainly an odd one. Or does it not bother you when others violate your personal space?"

'Ah...'

Adopting a wry smile, William answered, "I'm used to it. Besides, if you were my enemy, I'd have already been killed. Anyone who can slip past Therese, Ryza, and Amira must be at the pinnacle of the Fifth Grade, if not higher."

"Hmmm..."

Crossing their arms, Leshien gave William another protracted once over before nodding their head, stating, "It appears you are as perceptive as the Lady of the House claims. As for my Grade, I serve as Gatekeeper of the Seventh. My name and title are Leshien, the Ebonsword..."

*CRASH*

Dropping her mace, causing the weighted tip to smash the floor below, Ryza's complexion paled as she stammered, "D-D-Did you just say you're the Ebonsword!?"

Though their reactions weren't nearly as extreme as Ryza's, Therese and Amira also paled slightly, the former gripping her wand tight enough that her knuckles became pure white.

Nodding in affirmation, Leshien adopted a smile and replied, "Indeed. But, don't worry. I never kill without proper cause..."

Disregarding the trio, at least outwardly, Leshien turned to meet William's gaze, surprised to find him staring back without a hint of fear or concern. If anything, he appeared curious, a presumption that was confirmed when he unhesitantly inquired, "Are you someone famous...?"

Exhaling a faint chuckle, Leshien smiled wryly and asked, "You don't read a lot of history books, do you? I was one of the people who traveled with the Hero King, Callum, on his journey to save the world. Some call me the Thirteenth Constellation, but I'm no Hero..."

Raising their right hand, Leshien congealed a black mass reminiscent of ferrofluid, shaping it into a dagger as they explained, "I was the only one to deal a blow to the Creator God himself, but it came at a heavy cost. As retribution, the Sacred Treasure of the Elves became corrupted and I was cursed to roam Andora as an immortal, fated to bear witness as the world draws toward its inevitable end..."

Approaching to stand behind William, Therese placed her hands on his shoulders as she said, "Master Leshien...please do not say such things in front of our Master. The world we created in the wake of the Creator may have its flaws, but we're only here because you and your comrades fought for our future. I can't fathom the burden that has been forced upon you, but please be a little more optimistic..."

Rolling their eyes, Leshien retorted, "If I were a pessimist, I wouldn't go around eliminating Cultists and eradicating those who seek to fill the void left by the Creator. Now, back off. I want to see what my new charge can do before I organize his training regimen."

Following Leshien's words, William placed his right hand over Therese's left, surprising both her and the white-haired Elf as he stated, "I'll be fine, Therese. Please stand back."

"Young Master..."

Though she 'really' didn't want to entrust William to Leshien, Therese ultimately nodded before removing her hands from his shoulders and returning to her position between Ryza and Amira. One of the things that Leshien had failed to mention was that they were the single most prolific killer in history. However, as it wasn't her place to question the judgment of her Lord and Lady, Therese could only clench her teeth and maintain a firm hold on her wand.

"Do you not fear death...?" asked Leshien, causing Therese, Ryza, and Amira to tense. As for William, he appeared completely calm, smiling as he responded with a simple, "Nope."

"Hoooo? And why not...?" asked Leshien, crossing their arms with a faintly amused look adorning their face.

Shrugging, William responded, "Because even you have to die, eventually. I'm more worried about what comes before. I don't want to live a life that fails to leave an impression on others."

"So you seek fame...?" asked Leshien, frowning.

"I seek attainment and self-mastery," corrected William, placing his right hand over his chest and bowing his head ever so slightly as he added, "To that end, I entrust myself to your capable hands..."

"You don't conduct yourself like a child of six cycles..." remarked Leshien, narrowing their eyes. Before William could respond, however, they turned around and made their way to the opposite side of the field, cracking their neck as they said, "I want you to come at me with everything you have at the moment. Boys your age usually pick up a few things through watching others, so show me what you've learned."

"Understood!" responded William, confirming Leshien's suspicions by snapping to attention and performing a Knightly salute. Then, making his way over to the nearby weapon rack, he looked between various wooden swords and training spears before picking up the latter.

Noticing the atmosphere around William change when he grabbed the spear, Leshien couldn't help thinking, 'There's definitely something odd about this kid. It's unpolished, but the way he carries himself and holds the spear hints at a deep familiarity with the weapon...'

"Come," said Leshien, placing their left hand behind their back and making a come-hither gesture with their right. In response, William gave a curt nod. Then, without so much as a hint of hesitation, he rushed forward much faster than a child his age should have been capable, ignoring the implied target of Leshien's outstretched hand in favor of stabbing toward their diaphragm with a simple, swift, and precise thrust...

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