Roosters crowed to greet everybody good day, waking Mael early in the morning to do his routine. He opened his eyes and responded "Good morning" to the sound of their living alarm clocks, stretching as he yawned. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the golden corners of his blue painted room, realizing that he woke up with another chance to live. He rolled off the bed and felt his muscles ache badly. Even so, he deemed it bearable and diverted his mind to the things he needed to do.
His aching body made him worry about his father who was suffering a far worse condition than him. So while he was still in his nightwear, he hastily went out to check for him. The maids greeted him cheerfully, thinking about congratulating him for being their next lord. Their happy greetings didn't make him feel any better, since his father's condition was bothering him. He continued to look straight ahead and not notice them, walking as fast as he could in the white painted hall that has golden corners.
Heading towards his father's room, he watched the gardeners doing their jobs with glee. Trimming the plants into various shapes, watering them, and picking off dried leaves that fell from their mother plant. Some of them looked at him with a smile on their face. A gardener even took off his hat and bowed his head.
Mael thought that it was normal and understood their respect so he continued his pace to see his father, taking them for granted by rarely reciprocating their greetings, since it was their usual reaction towards him since birth.
He saw his father's room opened, and there exited an aged man wearing a butler uniform with a silver tray tucked in his left arm. He saw Mael approach as he closed the door. He just finished delivering the lord's breakfast. Surprised by the young master's early stroll, he wondered why but seeing him in front of the Lord's room gave him the idea that Mael wanted to check on his father.
Their butler smiled at him, showing his wrinkles. He held the side of his eyeglasses that have small chains attached before giving a swift bow. Mael had known him for a long time as someone who was respectable. Malidic Greenfield, a man with dignity and principles to his very core, the jack-of-all-trades butler of the Kael household and was as old as his grandfather.
"How's my father?" Mael asked worriedly. The Butler lifted his eyeglasses and replied in an old respectable voice. "Lord Melvin has regained his consciousness. You may now talk to him since has recovered, young master." Giving a courteous bow with a hand on his chest.
"Oh! That's good news. Thank you for attending him." said Mael, twisting the doorknob.
Mael entered the room at ease, seeing his father whose face was back to its normal hue. Looking healthy and in a condition far from his ill self. "Aura's damage cannot be healed by health potions; only by rest. So it is quite troublesome if you're hit by one during a battle," said his father, scratching his head.
"Yeah, quite troublesome indeed!" Mael closed the door. "I woke up having body aches all over my body too… so, how are you doing?" Mael scratched his head as well.
"Quite good now… I apologize for not attending the celebration, you got me with your last hit." Melvin chuckled. "Well, let's finish what we were talking about yesterday," He said, sounding serious.
"I will be on a journey and leave the Golden valley in your mother's hands. But do not worry, because your butler will be with her. She will train you how to rule since you are still a child. So I advise you to be the Lord in name while your mother rules the realm in the background. Your mother takes your place the moment you go to the academy. I will immediately assemble the announcement of your Lordship." He looked at Mael.
"Now, I will hand this ring to you as a gift, and for the last time, I will teach you the last and secret technique. Master it just in case. And remember, our family must be the only ones that can learn this technique," Melvin handed the ring to his son.
"What is this ring for?" Mael asked, dumbfounded.
Melvin sighed, "You will find its use at the right time. Also, let me remind you that we have a secret mission, so never tell anyone about it and wait for our return. It will take us in ten years… but be patient, and when the time comes, you will be stronger than me."
Mael hugged his father and replied, "Well at least we still have time to practice that technique. Train me to your heart's content."
"Yeah, At least we can do that still," his father laughed as he hugged him back, patting his head.
"You better prepare yourself now, my son. Your pronouncement as the new Lord will be this afternoon. We still have all morning for your practice, so wash first, then we'll train afterward." They broke the embrace.
Mael left and went back to his bedroom where busy maids await him. "Good morning, young master!"
Melvin closed the door and grabbed their family picture before asking the maids to prepare a backpack filled with his clothes for his journey.
"I will wash first," he said, and a maid immediately prepared hot water for his bathtub. He sat on the bed and thought about what's going to happen next. The other maids prepared some clean towels and ordinary clothes for his upcoming training.
Mael arrived at his room and the maids prepared his clothes and bath. After some time, all of it was now ready.
"You can now take a bath, young master," The maid informed him. He nodded at them and they all hurried out the room. Mael stripped and went to the bathroom, dipping his foot to test the water.
When he felt that the warmness was just right, he immediately submerged his body, entering a trance state to contemplate why things have to be abrupt. 'I wonder what my father's mission is to leave us so early. I will miss him for some time. Ten years are so long. [Sigh] And to leave Golden Valley in my mother's hands while I train to be a lord? What exactly is this mission? Nevermind, I will prepare for the future. I can do this." He sat up and looked at the ring his father gave him.
"And what is this ring for?" He twisted it left and right, observing every detail. It has the symbol of the kingdom's seal. An eagle with its wings and legs stretched. The kingdom of Dwight's symbol. He looked at the ceiling then submerged his body but not his nose in order to breathe.
The water was relaxing and his body felt calm. He emptied his mind and remained in the tub for thirty minutes before getting out of the it. He went back to his room and grabbed the neatly folded clothes on his bed that were prepared for his training. He hurriedly wiped his body with a towel and got dressed.
He went into the practice field to meet his father who was already waiting for him. There was a rack of weapons on his side and his father was looking at him by the distance. He wondered what the last technique was, but seeing Lord Melvin have a shield and chains on the other hand, his question was answered. He approached his father, scratching his head.
"So the last technique is about shields and chains?" he asked, touching his chin.
"Don't underestimate this technique! For this is the last that I'm going to pass onto you. This a favorite and an original technique of mine. The shield is the best when charging into the battle, as well as the chains but it is difficult to master. It has many benefits. You see, it can be used to move from tree to tree, or building to building. You can also use it to envelop your arms before attacking or striking an enemy mid-range with your long reach." His father approached him.
"I will let you see it in an actual battle. Now, choose any weapons. Anything you want, and I will use the shield and chains. Is that clear?" Melvin buckled his shields on his right and grabbed the chains on his left, equipping both to demonstrate its use in a brief manner.
"Hurry up and pick your weapon, son. We don't have all day!" said Melvin, irritated. Mael grabbed his spear and whirled it to his left, his right and behind.
"Now let me demonstrate things here. Attack with all you've got!" Lord Melvin yelled.
Mael swiftly darted to his father. But his father slammed the chains to where he stood. Fortunately, he was fast enough to evade at the exact moment. The ground was left caved-in due to the force inflicted. Lord Melvin retracted the chain to his hand, and Mael dashed to him, but his attempt was met with a shield charge from his father before getting slammed by a hand covered in chains.
Tuk! Bang! Huk!
The sound of the shield making contact with the spear was heard across the backyard, along with the clank of the chains striking the poor Mael who's gasping for air. He was astonished by the fact that his father was demonstrating a complete offense-defense strategy.
He was thrown to the ground by the impact. He stood up immediately to show that it wasn't strong enough but his father swung his chains before he could react, entangling him.
Lord Melvin then pulled Mael and executed a shield bash, throwing him off to a distance. But the chains followed his fall, surprising him a bit. Mael did a backflip to gain distance but his father appeared in his sight, ducking before slamming his shield upwards. Mael tried to block it with his spear but he was thrown to the air and hitting the ground with a thud.
"Okay! okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I underestimated the power of your weapons!" Mael pleaded while his father prepared to slam his chain-covered hands to his face.
"Oh? So you see it now, huh? The greatness of shields and chains!?" Lord Melvin yelled as he stood like a dignified hero. "Now you try it," he handed it over to his son. Mael memorized the technique and has surprisingly mastered it in a few hours.
His mother prepared a picnic at the green hills so they can cherish their time together. The grass swayed as the wind blew gently. Mael sat on the picnic cloth watching his mother take out the meat bread and grilled cheese from a basket. The grilled cheese served as an appetizer for their main dish–the meat bread.
Mael grabbed a grilled cheese and ate a chunk of it."Whoa! Delicious!"
"Now try the meat bread," Erza handed it over. Mael took it and went for a big bite.
"The cheese flavor lingers, intensifying the taste of the meat bread!" Mael talked with food in his mouth.
"See? It's perfect," Erza smiled.
"Yes, indeed," said Lord Melvin who was savoring its flavor.
"Mom, what hour will be my pronouncement?" Mael asked, after he finished his meat bread.
"It will be at six-o-clock right after the sun has set," she said to him, holding her summer hat.
"You will become the next lord, so prepare yourself for it." She took a sip of some refreshments. "You must be well-dressed that night, okay? And I, as your mother will support you all the way."
"Thank you, mom! And dad! But, may I ask what the reason behind your mission is? It seems like an emergency if I think about it," Mael asked.
Eating his meat bead, Lord Melvin looked at Mael and stopped. "Yes, it is an emergency. Something disturbed the king, so he immediately wrote me a letter. I am moved by his pro-activeness and am glad to be of help. I apologize, but I will have to leave Golden Valley to your mother's hands. I want you to know that it is to protect you, my son. I hope you understand me… as well as the King."
His father was expressionless, like in a trance. Seconds have passed and he took a deep breath before looking down to his hands and eating another meat bread. "As you become a master level of the techniques, you should be strong enough to spar anyone your age. But be careful, not to mess up with the Job classed family heirs. They will be as strong as you, my son."
Mael was dumbfounded by his warning. He thought that he was like a frog in the well, not knowing the vastness of the ocean.
"Do you mean that they will already reach Master level?" Mael asked.
"Yes. As you can see, you're not the only one training. They are training with their Job class too. So they would be stronger by the time they enter the academy… or even stronger," Lord Melvin said in a serious voice.
"You are underestimating me, father. I know you're trying to hold back on the Coming of Age, but I didn't even have my full potential yet. I am still a kid, you know!" Mael punched his father on the shoulder. Lord Melvin chuckled before he became silent.
"You certainly will be stronger as time goes by. I know that, but son let me ask you one thing. Why are you so strong and mature despite your age? You even showed me- what do you call them? Those… kind of fighting styles you used when you were five?" Melvin asked curiously.
Mael's heart raced, worrying that he would blow his cover. He racked his mind to find an alibi.
"Ah, those are something that I made up. I will teach you if you want to learn them." Mael let out an awkward laugh while holding his knees.
"Ahhh, haha. Well, sure, sure, someday. Sorry if I doubted you. I thought that you were a man from a different world. But whatever happens, you are still my child." Melvin said to him while patting his head.
Mael nearly burst when his father asked him. His heart raced for a while but managed to calm down a for a bit. Smiling bitterly at the thought that he was nearly exposed.
"Dad, what is the reason why the King summoned you?" Mael asked him with worry on his face.
"There will be chaos. A coming dark age. It is what the Sage had said to the King. That's the only thing I can tell you. Spreading this news will only make irrational panic… Thinking ahead, the King plans on preventing it from happening. That's why I am needed, so I hope you understand," Melvin said to him as the wind blew stronger.
"Now, now. We should prepare for the pronouncement. Let's get going." Said Erza, packing things up. They head back to prepare for the upcoming event, walking from the hills towards the Manor. Mael entered the house and saw that his attire was already prepared. So he stripped and dipped in the tub to wash up the dirt that stuck to him from rolling all over the field.
He was reminded of his father's warning about an incoming doom the King is trying to remedy. The hair all over his arms went up and chills traveled through his spine as he thought about it. Now he understands why his father was desperately needed, exactly right after his pronouncement. He couldn't help but worry.
Mael wore a black tuxedo along with his black slacks before putting a ribbon tie around his neck. He met his mother who was patiently waiting for him outside his room so they could walk to the reception hall together, meeting his father who was already prepared for the beginning of the event.
"Mael, remember to walk like a noble and straighten your back. You have to walk with us at a steady pace," Erza whispered at him. "May I present to you… Lord Melvin and Lady Erza, along with Mael Kael, the sole heir of the Kael family… Our next Lord," Malidic announced and the door to the reception opened. Every maid lined up to greet them, while their butler gave them a courteous bow. They took a whole day to prepare for the pronouncement so they are all happy that the pronouncement has finally come.
The family marched on the red carpet in their elegant and formal attire. Numerous guests from different families and positions stood up in unison, looking at them. Every representative from different sectors of Golden valley had come as guests too, giving the family a round of applause.
Lord Melvin stood up in front of them and raised his chalice to deliver his speech. "To all residents of Golden Valley, this is the night when we will celebrate the success of my son, Mael Kael… Due to the king's request, I will be on a long journey to fulfill his quest. I will step down as the Lord and give my wife the authority to act as a temporary ruler until our son, who is lord by name, is ready to take place… And now I pronounce Mael… as the new Lord of Golden Valley!" He raised his chalice higher.
"Cheers!" They all cheered and spent the night eating and drinking, approaching Lord Mael to give him their personal greetings.
Early in the morning, Melvin walked outside with his son and wife where his carriage awaits him. When they reached the front of the Manor, he looked back at them and said, "Be a good son and don't overlook your people, love them like your family… like the way you love me," he lightly pat Lord Mael on his back.
"And by the way, be a good brother," he said as he climbed into his carriage. Mael smiled sadly as he watched his father's carriage went further and further until it was no longer seen, thinking about ten long years until his return.