After the war, all Kingdoms were silent and no one dared to even make a single sound.
A year after the war, most kingdoms brought back war orphans to replenish their population and hope that some of them become one of their swordsmen.
Becoming a swordsman is the main job that most people prefer to do, as they are able to become stronger and it is also the mainstream among all Kingdoms.
There are also other types of fighting styles but most died out over time and couldn't keep up with the rise of the swordsmanship or was wiped out by others for some reasons.
Since the first kingdom Excalibur was created more a thousand years ago, the main theme of the world became swords.
Now there are hundreds and thousands of sword arts, techniques and weapons.
And these resources are mostly dominated by the strongest or those by the richest.
There are also those that were passed down from their ancestry, creating the story of their family's legacy over time.
With these legacies, they are given a foothold in the Kingdoms that they are in and are integrated into nobles of the kingdom.
But not everyone is fated to be born into such luxury, most people dream of becoming even just an affiliate swordsmen of these families or even servants.
But there are more that are struggling, not knowing where to get their next meals.
Because of the war, there were a lot of orphans in all the kingdoms, and with the replenishment plan, they took most of them and have them enroll in their Schools to be taught basic things such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and especially sword skills.
One of such orphans is Noya Eiji.
He is an orphan from the kingdom of Masamune. He was living from one of the villages around the kingdom when the claws of the war stretched in to their village and killed a lot of people.
Noya Eiji's parents were killed when the Zulqifar's Swordsmen came. His father at that time, bravely used his old machete that was being used as a soil raker, to defend him and his mother.
Even though he is an only child, being born in a poverish family taught Eiji a lot of things in life.
But when the war came knocking on his door the lesson that taught him at that time was, 'I am weak therefore I am Suffering, and my parents as well as the villagers are killed! Unless I became strong myself, I will always suffer!"
Yet, when his father died in front of their home, and the killer brandishing his sword towards his mother came, Eiji's minds was blank. He didn't know what to do.
His parents hid him at the top of the small compartment that was used to store their necessities such as salt, sugar and others.
His mother was stabbed in the stomach, the man didn't even looked at her as he took back his sword and then left the house directly.
Eiji hurriedly came down the compartment and hugged his mother as tears streamed down his face.
But his mother, even with blood gushing out of her stomach and tears running her face she smiled at him and said her final words.
"E-eiji! Remember!.... It's better to survive, okay?! D- do not be swept by revenge, and fall into darkness!
B-being strong... nothing g-good comes with it, you'll still be swept and used by others with m-more power!
So-so! Survive! D-Don't become strong unless you are the s-strongest!
S-Surviving this h-harsh world is all we w-wish for y-you!"
Then she passed away smiling for him.
Eiji was torn between two things, become strong and avenge his parents or heed to what his mother's final words were and just survive?
He doesn't know.
He doesn't know what to do.
He doesn't know on how he should go on by every day.
His parents are gone. He doesn't have any other relatives, and now he is at the orphanage of Masamune kingdom.
He is gonna become six years old this year, so he is eligible to go to school and practice to become a swordsman.
Although he doesn't know if he has the talent to become one, he wants to try it out.
He will still listen to what his mother's words said, but if at any chance he could grasp the thing that can change his fate, he wants to try and take it in his own hands.
The School will have an annual assessment and see if they have the talent to become a swordsman, and it will happen in Monday, today is Sunday, so tomorrow is the assessment and the orphanage sister will take those that are interested to the school.
For the orphanage, it was also a great opportunity if they have kids that can pass, as the government would give them some subsidies if they successfully enrolled.
Eiji is now at the orphanage for almost a year, although he doesn't usually go outside the orphanage, he knows the inside better.
He walked towards the hallway as he watched the other children play at the open space of the orphanage.
It was past midday already, and the sun was up high. Eiji will now talk to the orphanage director and tell her that he wants to apply for the assessment for tomorrow.
Eiji arrived at the director's office and knocked on the door.
*Knock! knock!
"Come In!"
A mild voice could be heard from the other side og the door.
Eiji opened the door and there saw a middle aged woman at the center of the room reading some papers in the table, her name was Rebecca.
"Hmm? Eiji?! Why are you here?!"
"Uuhhmm...Sister Rebecca...I want to apply for the assessment for tomorrow."
"Oh? Okay! I really thought you don't want to join, I haven't seen you play and talk very much to the other kids, so I assumed that you don't want to be bothered!"
Rebecca said so as she smiled.
Eiji was a bit embarrassed and looked down the floor as he was fidgety.
"Alright I will take you along with the others tomorrow for the assessment alright?!"
"Okay! thank you sister!"
Eiji bowed slightly at Rebecca and left the room.
Rebecca smiled at the retreating figure of Eiji.
She liked the kid the first time he came as he wasn't fussy when he came, but she became worried as the time passed by, as he was just looking at the air dazed for hours on end.
She knew that like most of the kids here, he was traumatized by what happened to his parents but doesn't know how to express it.
So she tried talking to him, but he still wouldn't open up.
It took her almost a month before he decided to express his feelings.
And when that came, he cried for the whole night, and she accompanied him the whole time.
As for the assessment, in fact, they would just ask the children that are eligible to apply tomorrow morning, there was really no need to come in the office and ask for permission.
But with his polite attitude, Eiji decided to do so, which made her smile a bit.
She just hopes that if he gets accepted, he wont be bullied or get killed because of his subservient attitude.
Or he might become sad and depressed if he knew that he can't become a swordsman.
Either of the two outcomes are what not she was hoping for, for Eiji and the other kids.
But she can only sigh and pray as this was beyond her capabilities and even if she did have some capabilities, she still can't stop what those in power wants to do.
End Of Chapter.