The next morning, William woke up and got ready with the help of the maids. After eating breakfast, he headed to the training grounds and found Mia already there, still in her maid outfit with the same stoic expression.
"You're late by five minutes," she said the moment William entered.
"Pansy was being playful today," William replied.
Mia tilted her head slightly and said, "Then learn to move on your own from now on." She then tossed something at his feet.
It was a suit, but William gazed at it with a mix of surprise and concern. The suit was so heavy that it cracked the ground where it was thrown. "Wear it and run ten laps. This is your punishment for being late," she said emotionlessly, sitting down in a meditative position.
"Now, wear it and run," she insisted when William hesitated.
William nodded, picking up the suit. As he lifted it, he realized, 'It's 50% more than I can lift,' but seeing Mia's look and the shadows swirling around her, he put it on without complaint and started his laps.
As William began his laps, the weight of the suit pressed down on him heavily, making each step a grueling effort. His muscles screamed in protest, but he grit his teeth and pushed forward, knowing that complaining would only lead to harsher punishment.
'I have endured more then this' William reminded himself whenever he felt like giving up, wherever his body screamed to give up.
Mia watched him silently, her eyes never leaving his form as he struggled with the immense weight. She showed no sign of satisfaction or sympathy, just a calm, emotionless gaze that bore into him like the edge of a blade. Every time William completed a lap, his breathing became more labored, sweat pouring down his face, but he refused to slow down.
By the time he finished the tenth lap, William was nearly at his limit. His legs felt like they were made of lead, and his lungs burned with every breath. He collapsed to his knees, panting heavily, but still managed to look up at Mia, who remained seated in her meditative position.
"Good," she said, her tone as flat as ever. "You completed the task. Now, remove the suit and get ready for today's training."
William struggled to his feet and began removing the heavy suit. His body ached all over, but a sense of pride swelled within him for enduring the punishment without complaint. Once he was free of the suit, Mia stood up and approached him.
"Today, we focus on refining your dagger techniques," she said, handing him a pair of daggers. "Your punishment was a reminder that discipline is crucial, even in the smallest things. Precision, speed, and control are essential in close combat. Now, begin."
William nodded, gripping the daggers tightly. Despite the exhaustion from the earlier punishment, he was determined to master the techniques Mia was about to teach him. The training session began with Mia demonstrating a series of fluid, precise movements, her daggers cutting through the air with deadly grace.
William mimicked her actions, his movements initially clumsy from the fatigue, but he quickly adapted, his focus sharpening. Mia corrected his posture and form with minimal words, her presence a constant reminder of the high standards expected of him.
As the day progressed, William found himself pushing past his physical limits. Every strike, every block, every maneuver became more refined under Mia's watchful eye. The grueling training, combined with the earlier punishment, was a test of his willpower and resilience.
By the time the sun began to set, William was drenched in sweat, his body aching from the relentless training. But he had made noticeable progress, his dagger techniques becoming more fluid and precise.
Mia finally called an end to the session, nodding in approval. "You did well today, William. Rest and recover. Tomorrow, we'll continue where we left off."
For a month, William diligently refined his dagger techniques under Mia's strict guidance. Although the training was intense, he didn't complain, knowing he was being taught the best art his family had to offer—the Chronos Family Art of Daggers. Myre had already drilled him in the basics, and now it was time to learn something more sophisticated than simple stabs and assassination techniques.
"Your way of handling the dagger is looking good now," Mia said after exactly one month of training.
William couldn't tell if she was genuinely praising him, as her stoic expression made it difficult to read her emotions.
"Now, I will be teaching you the Chrono's Severing Time Dagger Arts," she announced.
"If you had any other question before we begin ask straight away" She said, as he picked two Daggers.
William nodded and finally asked the question that had been on his mind for the past month. "Weren't you supposed to teach me swordsmanship? So why are we focusing on daggers now?"
Mia, while examining the daggers, responded, "Yes, that was the original plan." She then turned around and added, "But after your one-day vacation turned into a monster-hunting trip, we discovered that you actually have a natural talent for the sword. The other instructors backed off because their main goal was to identify your true talent, which you clearly demonstrated during the hunt. Still, since your mother insisted that you learn multiple weapons, archery and shield arts are still part of your lessons."
"Because of this, we have plenty of time now," Mia said as she picked up two daggers, one black and the other white.
"Normally, the Severing Time Dagger Arts can only be used by those with the Chronos lineage talent, like your father's Watcher's Eye or your Dragon Transformation Spirit talent, which is also related to time," she explained.
"But His Majesty James found a loophole."
"Look at this dagger," Mia continued, holding it up. "It's designed to store Chronos or Time Sila, allowing others to use this special art as well." She took a stance, demonstrating.
"Severing Time: First Stance," she murmured, and the gem at the dagger's handle lit up. The entire dagger was enveloped in Time Sila as she cut through the air. "Past Severance."
"Argh!" William suddenly yelped in pain, looking at his hand where a long cut had appeared, causing him to bleed.
"But how?" he gasped, seeing the cut. Mia had only slashed at the air, yet he was injured.