"Why are you staring into space since this morning?" Alva queried the young prince.
"... It's nothing." Dustan responded with a despondent tone. The two kept at it, doing their designated workout for the day.
"Did that bastard say something to you?"
"I—"
"Did he apologize, at least?"
"What? Why would Master apologize to me?"
"Obviously, because he has wronged you. Greatly so."
Dustan sighed. "There is no need for apologies, from a person who is not sorry at all. I would rather stay silent."
"Dustan, Alva." I called out to them.
"Master." Dustan bowed in greeting, almost spontaneously. Alva rolled his eyes, then followed Dustan's lead.
"Master." Alva lowered his head a little before glaring at me. I ignored him.
"Today, we have a new one joining us." I stepped aside to reveal the new recruit.
"My name is Hund." The man introduced himself.
"This is Alva and this is Dustan." I gestured to the two. "You shall be sharing a room with them. Better get acquainted with one another."
"What?! But our room is already cramped enough as it is!" Alva was quick to complain.
"Shut it, Alva. All disciples are supposed to sleep in one room." Not to mention I only have one vacant room.
"That is bull. What kind of imbecile made such a rule?"
I glared at Alva. "The owner of the Tower, the one whom you owe your admission to."
"Master, I can stay at the training grounds." Hund joined in.
"No." I shot him down. "You are my disciple now, not Jaeger's. I shall look into the rooming later. For now, let us have a little sparring session."
I cracked my knuckles.
"Alva, step up."
"You are so on!" Alva took his stance.
"I'm not the one you are to wrangle, Alva." I chuckled.
"What?"
"Hund, show us what you got."
The man stepped up, towering over Alva by a few inches. The boy didn't look fazed by the difference in size. In fact, he seemed even more riled up.
"Begin."
At my signal, the two fighters made a dash for the other. Alva was quick to throw a kick to his opponent's face, which Hund caught with his bare hands. Just as I was expecting, Hund put Alva's leg on a grip and tugged the boy towards him.
But unexpectedly, Alva used that momentum to deliver a kick on the side of Hund's head with his free leg. Looks like he improved a bit.
"Hah!" Alva exclaimed. However, Hund remained nonchalant. As if the blow to his head did not bother him. Alva's expression went from vanity to shock. Taken by surprise, Alva failed to retaliate in time as Hund pulled the boy towards him and smacked his fist on Alva's stomach.
From his form alone, I could tell Hund was a heavy hitter. Alva began to cough vehemently at the hit. However, he was quick to dodge Hund's foot as the lean man stomped on the floor.
The boy got on his feet, clutching his stomach from the attack.
I snickered, which earned me a glare from Alva and that look of embarrassment on his face. He's probably feeling shy after he yelled out like that, only to be caught by Hund's fist. I guess he's still a kid, through and through.
Hund didn't spare that unguarded moment and dashed to Alva with his fist raised. The boy was barely able to dodge the attack by jumping. Landing on Hund's arm, the man attempted to make Alva lose his balance.
However, the boy was light on his feet. Using that momentum from Hund's upward movement, Alva propelled himself into the air and began to spin like a yo-yo. As he descended, the heel of his foot hit Hund's nape. From the recoil, Alva spun the other way and used his other leg to hit Hund's face.
I whistled in awe at the two-hit move.
But, Alva did not stop there. After all, the boy is good at throwing relentless attacks. Alva began to rain down kicks on Hund. The man had no spare time to block as Alva's attacks began to speed up from his gained momentum.
Just as I thought the winner was clear, I was surprised when Hund roared, then caught Alva's foot and proceeded to twirl him around.
Alva became pale as a sheet as he was twirled around like a toy. He looked nauseous. And then, to top it all off, even Hund looked like he was gonna vomit. By the time Hund decided it was enough twirling, both of them collapsed, eyes spinning. If that was not hilarious, I do not know what is.
A tie.
Man, I had not expected that.
As Alva and Hund slowly regained their wits, I slapped my hands once.
"Alright, that's enough."
"What?! But I have yet to win!"
I rolled my eyes at Alva's words. "It is a tie, Alva. Whether your win or lose matters not. Now settle down. I have an announcement to make."
Alva continued to grumble, obviously displeased with the outcome. As soon as Dustan, Alva, and Hund were seated in front of me, I cleared my throat.
"Starting today, Hund is your senior disciple."
"What?" Alva and Dustan looked at me in surprise.
"Wait, should it not be the other way around? We were your disciples first!" Alva quarreled.
I sighed. "For four days, Alva. So, shut it. Besides, Hund is older and has more experience."
"Yeah, I can tell that, going by the way he lost last night." Alva commented sardonically. That brat.
"It was a draw, Alva. And by the way you were losing earlier, just be thankful that all you got is nausea."
Alva huffed in indignation. "I was winning! It was you who adjudicated to cut me off from the deciding moment, right before I made my counterattack."
"While suspended like a rag doll? Do pray tell, Alva. How were you going to counter with you dangling on Hund's arms?" I raised a brow.
"ARGH—Fine!" Alva backed down, face slightly flushed. Hah! How boorish.
"I shall fix your sleeping arrangements after dinner. For now, I will leave the three of you to... get to know one another."
"Wait, what?! You're leaving us with this low-life?!"
"Alva." Dustan called out to the lad, admonishingly so.
Our gazes met for a second and he quickly looked away. Huh. What's with him?
Never mind. I let out a sigh at Alva's incessant protest.
I gave the kid a sardonic smile. "Now now, Alva. Be a good boy and listen to your senior Now if you will excuse me, I have to meet with some of my usual... guests."
As I left the training grounds, I immediately went to my room to get some much needed release. Only heaven knows how much those nobles would react when they hear about my third disciple. And, I'm gonna need more than a fancy outfit if I am to placate those old beards.