Despite his disappointment, he stopped his investigation. For his and everyone in the manor's safety. Flora's nanny and Sir Okumura were stripped of their positions and were thrown out of the duchy to work in the mines as punishment for attempting to assassinate a member of the nobility. The punishment was considered light, if it were based on imperial law, they could've gotten their lives taken.
"Brother, you shouldn't be too upset about it, we'll get the culprits sooner or later," Flora smiled as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"I know," Blake sighed before changing the topic, "how's your exercise going?"
"It has been going well," Flora replied with a smile as she took the cup of water a maid offered and drank it all in one gulp.
"that's good to hear, don't push yourself too hard, you got that?" Blake smiled softly, combing his fingers through Flora's green hair.
"Of course, brother!" she smiled happily.
It has been about a week since Flora could run around again. She started exercising to get back her stamina from before. Despite having her previous swordsmanship teacher get fired, she was determined to learn swordsmanship. Even if it meant she would be learning from her father instead of with his extreme ways of training.
******
A year had passed and Blake had turned 8. After a discussion with the duke, the duchess and his mother, he had decided to attend the academy. Blake's mother and the duchess were worried for him, of course being a prodigy, he was bound to go to the academy at some point in his life. Blake's father, the duke welcomed the idea of Blake going to the academy, only if Blake comes home every weekend to spend time with family. And of course, Blake accepted that.
Today was the day Blake was to go to school for the first time. He stood at the gates of the Silver Edgewater Academy gates, staring right at the crest at the top of the gates before glancing back to the carriage where his whole family sat, waiting to see him off.
"I never thought I would go back to school after escaping that hell hole," Blake mumbled under his breath as he looked back to the gates and began walking,
"Brother!!" Sebastian shouted from the carriage.
Blake turned around and flashed a soft smile. "Take care of yourselves! Listen to father and the duchess! Don't be disobedient, got it?" Blake advised his siblings from afar before waving at them.
"Take care!! We'll miss you!!" Flora shouted.
With a chuckle, Blake nodded and walked into the academy without any regrets. That day, was the mark of a whole new adventure awaiting our protagonist.
[ end of volume 1 ]