Carseain and Rovenin were practicing magic in their Personal Training Grounds which had fortified walls on all four sides with no roof.
It was not very far from the Knights Training Grounds.
It was made for the Lords to train in peace without being disturbed but Carseain was allowed to use it because Johann didn't want him to disturb others while training.
Rovenin : ' I finally understand why The Marquis insisted on it.
He gets way too obsessed when he wants to learn something.'
He monitored Carseain's growth which was unusually quick.
Rovenin : " You've improved! The time you take to cast a spell has decreased by half."
Carseain was flushed red. He knew that too but he blamed it on the heat.
Rovenin brought two glasses of water and gave one to Carseain.
Carseain held it and caught his breath.
" Big-Brother."
He said loudly while looking at his own reflection in the glass of water.
Cough... Cough...
Rovenin choked on his water.
Rovenin : ' Big Brother? Not foxy or Carrots '
Carseain was trying his best to say something.
Rovenin : "Ye-yes, Sian What is it? "
Carseain was speaking in a shaking and broken voice.
Carseain : " It's about the challenge."
Rovenin tilted his head and Carseain was still not looking at him.
Rovenin : 'What? Was there something like that?'
Carseain : " You know the one where I said I'd withstand your training. "
Rovenin : ' Ah.....there was something like that. It was a year ago...'
Rovenin found himself withering away, turning into pale white dust as he drowned in memories of the terribly exhausting events of the past year.
Rovenin : ' I so blissfully believed it would be an easy win.
I want to go and knock some sense into my past self.'
Rovenin sighed deeply and then a gentle smile crossed his face.
' Well, it's obvious that he won this time. I should give him some credit for his diligence and persistence. Not to mention he actually succeeded in pulling off a feat that even a seasoned veteran like the Marchioness has a hard time getting it right.'
Rovenin lifted his hand to pat his younger brother's head but Carseain suddenly looked up and yelled,
" I admit defeat."
Once again, Rovenin turned into a stone
"Come again?"
He mumbled.
Carseain had a flushed face akin to a sad puppy.
Carseain : " I know I said I'd persevere through your hellish training but I couldn't."
Rovenin : ' What the heck is he going on about?'
Carseain : " In the end, before I could do it myself!"
He clenched his fist.
" You're really amazing. You found a sure shot technique to make it work."
Rovenin froze but he was all ears.
" Now that I look back it was all thanks to you I was able to do it.
That is why I SHALL ACCEPT MY DEFEAT."
Rovenin was deep in thought.
" Sian, you sure did pull another number on me."
He mumbled.
Rovenin : ' I also admit defeat, Sian.
BUT THERE IS NO NEED FOR ME TO TELL YOU THAT. '
Rovenin grinned
" So you do, huh?"
Carseain nodded lightly.
Rovenin : ' That's right, that's right
That's how it should be.
I swear you and my father made my life a living hell.
What should I be running until I pass out with a bunch of stinky men?
All these 'elite' knights who only care about muscles have flowers in their heads.
How can they make a frail boy like me run 10 rounds of that gigantic training ground?
[ The knights run 100 rounds, Carseain runs 80 and the new recruits start at 50.]
I need the smell of wood, books and ink not the sweat of these stinky sword cretins. '
Rovenin : " Sian, are you ready for the penalty ?"
"Yes, I am."
Carseain mumbled softly gritting his teeth.
'Now, I shall have my revenge.
This was worth all the all-nighters.'
The Court Mages and Magic Tower sang no end of Rovenin's praises however the Magician himself found the fruits of his endeavours in his Younger brother's defeat.
The Magic Tower Chaos and the Imperial Capital getting impressed were simply the by-products of the process.
Thus, Carseain was able to cast Chant-less spells thanks to Rovenin who slogged to learn Magic Circuit Tampering at the age of 13 and succeeded because he couldn't stop Carseain's stubbornness.
___________________________
Side story - Rovenin's Revenge on his father, Ron.
Rovenin was tired of playing hide and seek with Carseain.
So, he climbed over a bookshelf in the third lounge, the top of it was just wide enough to comfortably accommodate him. He had found one of Askaneira's capes lying around which was used by him as a sheet to keep himself warm and block light.
Rovenin : ' Seriously, Sian should stop pulling all-nighters if he's dragging others into it. '
Although the person he disturbed was Rovenin. Carseain always gingerly tip-toed his way to Rovenin's room so that no one else is disturbed. Nevertheless, he always made a mess of Rovenin's sleep.
' How does that kid even find me? '
He heard a clacking sound of the door opening.
' Huh? What business is left here now? When I asked the maids, they said they finished cleaning this room today morning. '
Rovenin decided to sleep regardless.
He didn't even bother checking who it was.
He sensed a new pair of footsteps, this time it was of a child's.
' Kiha? Kina? or don't tell me..Sian? '
Carseain : " Oh! Found you. "
Rovenin jolted.
" Young Master? Were you looking for me?"
Rovenin : ' Huh? Father's voice? I see... he was the person who entered before.
I'm glad he isn't looking for me.'
Carseain : " Yep! I was."
Ron : " Is that so? How may I help you?"
He asked bowing
Carseain : " I can't find Rovenin anywhere. "
Ron : " Oh, I see ... Hmmm...."
He fell into thought for a moment.
" He didn't sleep well last night so he must be all groggy right now. So, look for him in places where he could sleep. "
Carseain : " I searched all rooms and even under the beds and inside closets."
Rovenin : ' Huh... seriously? You did? Do you know how gigantic this estate is? Don't have classes to attend?
Besides, I wouldn't use the same trick twice.'
Ron : " Is it because you found him there last month?
My son wouldn't use the same trick twice.
Let's see...look for him in dark places, he can't sleep when there's too much light.
Oh, I saw the Marchioness take out her cloaks, she must have done that for Rovenin.
He must've used it to protect himself from the cold.
That child is so skinny that he easily gets cold and also has trouble sleeping.
Ah...keep an eye out for places out of your reach and sight. "
Rovenin's Status : Sleepy; on the top of a shelf (out of Carseain's reach and sight) ; Wrapped in Marchioness's cloak.
Rovenin: ' That sly old fox....he got it all correct.'
Carseain : " Really? Then I'll do as Ron says.
I can never find him on my own but somehow when I try to think the way you tell me I always find him."
Rovenin : ' Really father?! Not only do you make a threat plan with him now you're even helping him find me.
Do you not care for your only son? '
Ron : " I'm glad to be of help to you, Young Master."
Carseain : " Don't say that! Thank you for the help, Ron. "
Ron smiled.
Ron : " I'm actually very happy because that sunlight-deprived Vampire son of mine has actually spent some time outdoors.
The Lord and the Lady spoil him too much. I was almost forced to threaten them to lock Rovenin out of his lab and the library or submit my resignation. "
Rovenin : ' Ugh...they had a deal.'
Carseain: " You have it rough too."
Carseain wanted to pat his back but as he was too small he ended up patting his knee as he was too short.
Ron chuckled and got on his knees for him.
Carseain : ' Does he want to be comforted? '
He completely mistook the gesture.
Carseain patted his back hard and boasted.
Carseain : " Leave it to me, Ron! I'll make sure he runs 20 rounds at the very least starting tomorrow."
Ron : " Oh , Thank you!"
Rovenin : 'Oh, No Thank you! '
Carseain waved and dashed off to find Rovenin.
Rovenin : ' Damn you old man! I'll swear to have revenge. '
____
Next day, Rovenin planned a series of perilous incidents for his father.
In the Morning, Head Butler's room.
Every morning, Ron had a habit of carefully glancing through the pictures of his deceased wife.
He only had three portraits whose frames he would clean first thing every morning while having a conversation with it devoid of words.
Rovenin sneaked into his room to see his face.
Rovenin : ' I can't tamper with Mother's portraits so I cast a bit of distortion Magic on it.
The portraits will be unharmed but he won't be able to see them.
It will make him feel like there's something wrong with his eyes.
He should feel upset. '
Rovenin grinned.
However, Ron wiped the frames of the portrait as usual.
He opened his drawer beside the bed and took out a locket.
Rovenin : ' Huh? Did that locket have a picture of mom too?'
____
In the Head Butlers Office,
Ron came to finish some paperwork.
Rovenin followed him secretly after losing Carseain.
Rovenin: ' Ah... he's here. I rearranged all his documents in the form of a mathematical equation.
Until he figures out the equation and solves it he won't find the coordinates that indicate the position of the documents he needs to work on.
Of course , he can also search the whole place but that would take him weeks. '
Rovenin looked at his father with satisfied eyes.
Ron sighed.
He left the room and headed to the Library.
He nonchalantly picked a few seemingly random books.
He opened them and found a few pages inside all of them. He collected those pages from each book that he picked. They were the documents he was working on.
Ron asked the librarian to keep the books back in their place.
Rovenin : " No way..."
He mumbled...
' It is impossible to figure out the equation in such a short span of time let alone solve it.
How did he do that? '
Half a day passed and everything else that Rovenin had planned ended in an anti-climactic way.
He ate his lunch with a pout on his face.
He was trying to figure out how his father did it.
Kiha came in whilst Rovenin was eating.
Rovenin : " Ah...Kiha? Did you have lunch? Wanna eat?"
Kiha : " Nope, I ate with Young Master and others. "
Rovenin : " 'Kay. "
Kiha : " Head Butler told me to give you this."
Rovenin : " Huh? Father did? "
He turned to him to see what it was.
She held out a small piece of paper.
It was a note.
Rovenin took it and opened it.
It read.
" Dear Son,
Your little games were quite fun. It was nice to see that my son had such a cute side to him.
However, you shouldn't be so arrogant.
The equation you used was the one that took you a day to solve last week, right? You probably thought it'd take a while if it took you a day.
You see, no matter how much of a genius you are, I am your Father.
You tried so hard to look mature by not directly harming your mother's portrait or tearing my documents so I'll praise you for that, My child.
P.S : I knew you were on the top of the bookshelf yesterday. I purposely talked to the Young Master there so that he wouldn't check the third lounge and you could get some sleep.
Love,
Dad. "
" Damn it all."
Rovenin gritted his teeth.
[Title edited ] -
Side story - Rovenin's ( pathetically failed ) Revenge on his father, Ron.