'I don't know.'
It was interesting since Ian the Brave had also disappeared 20 years ago. It was a legendary warrior who had driven out the Demon Lord, but the rumors were saying he abandoned his family, his lands, his country and so forth. But if he really did do all that…. Where did he go?
There were many questions Asher had. Did the Hero actually kill the Demon Lord? Was he injured? Did he get taken down together? What happened to him after the fight?
Asher shook his wrist with the dagger and it twisted it with a curved trajectory.
"But some things don't change…"
Asher murmured in a low voice. He only wielded the sword. Whether or not he would find out what the secret was, he would always be with his sword.
"Do you have a lot of worries these days Asher?"
"Eh…. well moderately I guess."
After a month of keeping his relationship with Reika relatively delicate, it had gone back to what it used to be. He just focused on teaching her as best he could.
"How's the lord? I think he's busy these days."
"They were training the soldiers. The Swordmaster must have told him something. Thanks to him, the soldiers are practically dying from discipline training."
There were no threats these days coming to Asher. Ever since he was accepted in name, as the Swordmaster's disciple, nobody dared to anger him. This was because disrespecting Asher, meant disrespecting a swordmaster. Which could easily lead to one's death. Especially since Lord Halvark was now active in protecting Asher, the soldiers around the estate had picked up hellish training to not fall behind a little kid like him and Reika.
"Then what about the young heir?"
"Luke? He'…s um…."
Reika paused and said with a reluctant look.
"He's been acting a little weird."
***
"AHHH!"
Crack!
The glass was breaking. The little girl in the corner and her mother trembled in fright. Luke was screaming and howling violently.
"Drinks! Bring me more…NOW!"
"Yes, yes!"
The middle-aged woman rushed to the kitchen with her daughter's hand clenched. Luke was shaking with a bright red face.
"Oh, my God…"
He couldn't get rid of his anger. Whenever he felt miserable or angered, he would always come to the town's bar and vent his anger. However, he had been coming more recently, and he'd been getting much more violent.
"Yes sir, here it is!"
The middle-aged woman hurriedly put the glass down on the table. In the process, a few drops of alcohol splashed on Luke's hand. His face was distorted even further in that very instant.
"You bitch!"
"AHHH!
Crunch!
Luke kicked the table and threw the glass bottle of alcohol at the lady. The glass immediately shattered on her head upon contact. Luke got up and shoved her to the ground and started to kick her violently.
"How dare you! A mere commoner! I am a NOBLE, and you DARE to stain my shirt with alcohol!"
"AHHGH! I'm sorry! Please spare me!"
The woman screamed and cried loudly, but Luke did not stop. He kicked her in the stomach with a sadistic look. As he was kicking her and she was coughing for air, her little girl burst through the back door from the bar and yelled.
"Mom!"
The girl hugged the woman who was being beaten while crying in tears at the sight of her mom.
The small body of the girl couldn't cover even half of the mother's body, but she tried to block the impact as much as possible.
"Don't hit my Mom!"
"This…."
Luke's hand was lifted up for a moment, but it went down soon. He kicked the chair roughly and moved on. There was a sob coming from behind.
"These rotten commoners…"
As Luke went outside, He could feel the eyes around him settle on him in fear. His face crumpled and shouted.
"What are you looking at, you bastards!"
He quickly turned himself away from the stares and walked away angrily. Luke, who briefly turned away, went into the alley. He felt like he was hearing somebody giggle at him in his drunken stupor.
"I'm like a dog."
Everyone seemed to despise him now.
He was worthless and disgusting in the eyes of his own people.
Those words hit him inside where it hurt. He clenched his fist and his eyes shook violently.
"...."
Luke knew himself well. He was not talented with swordsmanship like his sister, nor was he as gentle as his father. Had it not been for his title being the only son of the Halvark nobility, he would have been beaten and kicked out long ago.
But it was okay. It was because of the fact that he was the only son of the Lord, that he was the heir and felt he was irreplaceable. No matter how much trouble he made, he would never be kicked out unless he killed someone. Above all, there was a bigger trash than himself in the estate.
Asher.
He was the walking definition of trash in Luke's eyes. He was stupid, illiterate, caused trouble for everyone, and was like a lecherous dog that left his shit everywhere.
Luke was relieved to think of him.
There was always more hate and talk about Asher. No matter how much he was gossiped about, he was never as trash-like as Asher.
It was an ugly feeling of self-comfort, but Luke was satisfied with it. It was good that there was a bottom lower than himself.
But one day, Asher changed.
He had stopped causing trouble and only practiced with his wooden sword all day. At first, Luke thought it was just