The sun proudly stood among the grey clouds of the Alabax kingdom and shone its light on the Armsworth training yard.
On the side, two figures could be seen observing a silver-haired child swinging his sword around in unrelenting concentration. The figure with the larger frame, fitted with military style cloths, had a stupid proud grin overlooking the scene. At the same time, the black robbed person with the comparatively smaller frame adopted a pensive expression.
Beothrice Captiosus was a smart man, not that he himself would call himself that, he had seen a lot of things in his lifetime and written about more. Yet, he never seemed to anticipate what lay in front of him.
"James… Are you pulling my leg?" strangely commented the green-haired man kicking his glasses back.
James shook his head at his long friend's inquiry, " What do you mean, Beo?"
'Beo's' eyes went to meet his friend's golden ones, "You know exactly what I mean... What have you been feeding him? Didn't you say that he just woke up a few months prior?!"
"I was there when little Eldric was diagnosed, James! It is simply not possible to recover this quickly! No. Get even better!"
"Be honest with me, did you sell your household's fortune and bought some magical elixir or something?"
James shook his head, " No I didn't, Beo..."
"Uh-uh."
Beothrice's gaze was doubting as he looked in front of him.
James shook his head. "I honestly got no idea, buddy. The doctors said it must have been a miracle." In the end, James shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care. I'm just glad that my son got better."
Beothrice, the current royal adviser, lamented James' carefree attitude. He obviously doesn't understand the severity of the situation. If people see his son's state, all the gates of hell will open as questions will arise in intensity— especially with his current state.
He was even better than before… Frankly, something was really strange in this entire scenario. It was simply too convenient.
It was almost a miracle, yet here he was...
'I wonder why I'm friends with him sometimes.' trailed off Beothrice.
He looked in the middle of the still slightly snowy field and observed what would be his daughter's fiancé. A white robbed child holding in his hands a wooden sword that was more than half of his size.
"Family of psychos…"
He had hoped that little Eldric would turn out to be different with Aria as his mother. But then Aria... Beothrice sighed and turned his gaze towards the child.
The child's eyes shone in clear hostility. Almost as if looking at someone in the empty air, the little child clutched the handle of the wooden sword with clear purpose.
He slightly opened his legs, leaned his body in, put the sword in front of him, and stabbed the empty air.
'A thrust.'
Going back into the initial position, the child grabbed the sword with both hands, turned his ankles at a ninety-degree angle, and swung it down with all his force. His shoulder-length silver hair fluttered along the chilly winds of the north.
'A slash.'
Putting his foot forward, stopping the momentum of the swing, the child bent his elbows and slashed it inversely with just as much force as before, if not stronger.
'A reverse slash.'
The thrust and the slash. They were only the two basic variations of sword strikes, known to all. The child took it further and repeated them until they blurred into a seemingly random film of random strikes.
"Hoh." James stroked his beard. "I didn't think he would improve this much…"
However.
To the eyes of the experts, it was no simple random assortment of strikes, each strike had a purpose, and each attack was meant to be fatal. If anything, the will behind those attacks was the most impressive part about them.
The strikes continued until they merged into a beautiful seamless dance as the snow was thrown each time to mark the start of another rotation.
Taking a deep breath, the child's silver clear eyelashes closed as he entered a deep state of focus.
Snowflakes fell on Eldric's shoulder only to get docilely mixed with the thrown-around mass of snow to make way for another wave that stuck close to the small child.
In a state of harmony, the child's white sleeves softly danced along the wind as he swung his sword yet again.
Silence.
The only sound that traveled was the tussling of clothes or the wailing of wind as a response to the swings.
"...."
If James was surprised, then Beothrice was utterly shaken. This was an unnatural amount of talent…
' Is he even trying to use Aura... This child...'
He no doubt would put him as close as any [Swordsman] in terms of technique. It was entirely stupid to even think about it, but he couldn't refute what he saw in front of his eyes.
'A seven-year-old...'
Of course, being a child, he was still off from reaching his full potential. But just his technique spoke volumes.
He would no doubt be making waves when he grows up...
Beothrice sighed,
" You really got me...."
"Was this why you were adamant about the engagement, James?" asked the green-haired man with no heat behind his words despite the bitter smile on his face.
As a change, James sufficed with a simple nod. "Sorry, Beo."
Beothrice sighed, still finding it hard to take his eyes off the spectacle in front of him. "I'll do what I can, James. But you know, my daughter comes first."
James smiled, "Of course, Beo. That's more than enough."
"Fuuh."
Having finished the full rotation, the child breathed out a heavy breath causing condensed vapor to escape his mouth.
No longer so engrossed in his training, Eldric turned to his right spotting his father waving at him and a new guest; that guest gave him a strange feeling…
Eldric put his wooden sword on the stand weapon-stand, and he headed out to greet his father. Deciding it made more sense to act ceremonial in front of the guests, Eldric bowed performing the usual noble greetings.
"Hello, father, and greetings to father's guest."
Looking at Eldric's immaculate greeting and display of authority, not disrespecting or overselling the unknown guest, Beothrice pleasantly smiled.
"Hmm… They must have been Aria genes at work here." brutally supplied Beothrice with his observation.
Eldric tilted his head, 'Mother?'
James coughed, "This is Beothrice Captiosus. He is going to be your father-in-law."
"H-hey. Just because I don't dislike the kid doesn't mean I agreed already, You brute." commented Beothrice.
'This is Beothrice? This is the royal adviser…' strangely commented Eldric.
Naturally, he had heard of the current royal adviser and his ventures. If anything, most of the big books that Eldric had his name at the bottom of them.
As such, he expected him to be more cordial and strict.
"Are you disappointed, boy?" commented Beothrice, noticing Eldric's reaction.
Meeting Beothrice's eyes, Eldric couldn't help but feel strange. He sensed like he was an open book in front of those piercing Emerald eyes. He had a feeling that no matter what he said, he would get seen through…
It seems the Captiosus blessing was not just for show…
"Not at all, sir. I had already heard from father of your former relationship. I assume you are simply feeling nostalgic about having a meeting again."
Beothrice sighed, "See. It's really Aria's genes. You couldn't even talk properly when we were at the academy. The times when you would beg me to finish your assignments…"
As payback, Beothrice made it his mission to embarrass James as much as possible.
James tussled, " H-hey."
They were in front of Eldric, James wouldn't want Eldric to think badly of him.
Eldric rolled his eyes understanding his dad's pride, " Do not worry, father. My opinion of you hasn't changed."
It was never that high, to begin with… At least in regard to intelligence.
James and Beothrice started bickering and reminiscing about the old days leaving Eldric alone to his thoughts.
'So this is the current adviser…'
Frankly, he didn't seem that impressive in Eldric's eyes. Unlike his father, Epine, and even Faith… He didn't give him some sort of lasting impact. Aside from his apparent observational ability, he seemed to blend in easily.
"No need to think so much, you say?" commented Beorthrice from the side. Eldric raised his head only to see both of them still continuing their chat.
'Was it magic?' thought Eldric in his mind. Wasn't the Captiosus only known for their intelligence?
"Intelligence is pretty important, you know…"
James laughed hitting Beothrice's back causing him to cough. " You only need to blast them off…"
"...."
'What is a coincidence? Or is he actually doing it on purpose...'
Strange.
It was almost as if Beothrice was having a conversation with the both of them at the same time. And his father was none the wiser. Not to mention that Eldric wasn't even talking...
If he hadn't given a lasting impression, then he had now. It seems Beothrice Captiosus, the head of the household, was not so simple.