"Lord Cyan!"
"Huh"
"It's because you don't want to go to the sparring match isn't it? Well gather up your courage and go!"
"Sparring match what sparring match"
"Don't play dumb. You have a sparring match with Kranz. And the Duke is going to be there"
"Emily can you please excuse me. I want to get ready."
"Sure", Emily said as she left me alone.
I was breathing heavily. 'Have really gone to the past', I thought.
I looked at the window only to find my young self. 'If it's true', I clenched my fist, 'Then I can change the future'.
I remember this day. Every month a sparring match was held to know who is worthy of acknowledgement by the Duke, my father. I was feeble and had little combat experience to spare against Kranz, my half brother. As a result, he embarrassed me on that day.
(Flashback)
"Kranz all you need to do is point the rapier at me then the match is over", I said crying.
I was lying on the floor, pathetically.
"Oh but it won't be fun that way", Kranz said with a grin.
Kranz raised his leg and kicked me.
(End of flashback)
It didn't stop there. He kept bullying me in the academy as well, making me the laughingstock. But now...
' I'm going to make you suffer Kranz', I thought.
After getting dressed in my casual wear (in the chapter Character and skills). Emily escorted me to the sparing field which is a circular area covered with sand outlined with bricks.
It's located at the back of the castle. My dad glanced at me. He's probably thinking that this match isn't worth his interest. He sat on a throne few metres away from the sparring field.
Beside him, the current duchess who's also Kranz's mother sat on a similar throne.
Emily bowed at them, and I did the same.
"Cyan Vert, the youngest son of the house of Vert stands in your presence", I said to my dad. He nodded his head in acknowledgement
Kranz stood on the opposite side of the circle from where I was. "I didn't think you would show up, but well I'll probably scare you away", Kranz said.
I didn't shed my neutral expression which surprised Kranz's mother. 'I'm 27 years old for God's sake, why would I react to that', I thought.
"The sparring match shall commence in 3, 2, 1, begin!", my dad's body guard said.
Kranz grinned as he launched himself towards me. 'What's this. He's as slow as a snail', I thought as I dodged the attack by turning 90 degrees.
"Dodging coward", Kranz said and swung his rapier at me. I blocked it with mine them kicked his leg. "Aaaaaaaah", he said as he fell down and held his leg.
"Kranz!", the duchess said while putting her hands on her mouth.
'Hmm, all I need to do is point my rapier at him but', I clenched my rapier. ' I'm not satisfied, since I'm in the past, I'm going to do worst to those who wronged me', I thought as my pupils glowed dark red and glared at Kranz.
I kicked him three times, first on the abdomen, second on the back and third on the forehead. "Kranz!", The duchess said "What are you doing, call the nurses!!", She said, pointing at the guard next to her.
It was noon, 2 hours after the spar. Emily kept jumping around in the room. "You did it! You did it! I guess the nutrients I add in your daily meals do work after all", Emily said.
She kept praising me and also herself for taking good care of me. I couldn't help but chuckle. To me it isn't a big deal but to Emily it meant I've finally awakened some talent in my weak body. Plus, her reaction is pretty funny.
*Knock, knock, knock*. The sound travelled all over the room. "Hello, what can I do for you?", Emily said after she had open the door. "The duke wants to have a word with Young Cyan Vert", replied a hoarse voice.
I walked up to the door to find the Duke's personal body guard, Edric. "So we're going now", I said.
"Yes right now", he said as he made way for me.
'Its probably because of the sparring match', I thought as we walked through the hallway.
'Hmm here comes the duchess, she look royally pissed, she be on her way back from the infirmary', I thought as I spot her coming our way.
"How's Kranz?", I said with a teasing voice to make my intention clear.
"You! Do know what kind of injuries you gave Kranz"
"Sorry but I need to go now", I said as I passed her.
" Well, I don't care if you apologize or not, considering that your were just an orphan, it'll be easy to get rid of you", she said while glaring.
'She just crossed the line, should kill her', I thought then grinned ' No I know a much better way of making her suffer'.
"You know I and Kranz are going to the academy right"
" What do you mean"
" Aren't you afraid, of what I'll do to him"
" You undeserving impure noble. I'm going to make sure you'll never use your mouth –", she raised her hand to slap me but Edric stepped on the way.
" Sorry ma'am but we can't afford to delay any further", said Edric, glaring at her. " Fine I'll be on my way then", She said as she left.
*Knock knock knock*. Edric knocked at the Duke's office. "Come in and Edric please excuse us", replied a voice from the other side.
I walked into the Duke's office and the first thing that came to my mind was...
'Whoa', I thought, the office is nothing to scoff about. It was the size of a sitting room.
The luxurity of the office was probably nothing less than the emperor's room if not better. A giant chandelier, a golden wallpaper, curtains with tassels, weapons display, not to mention the giant round couch in the middle.
Of course there were also an office desk, bookshelf, and a long drawer, but that's normal.
"Cyan have a sit", the Duke said and gestured his hand towards the couch. I took a sit.
"Let's go straight to the topic, you dogded the rapier with a very large amount of skillfulness"
"Pardon?"
"When Kranz lunged at you, you dodged it knowing fully where the rapier was going to land, when did you learn swordsmanship"
" I've been training myself, whenever sister Ellis trains I copy her moves"
" You learning swordsmanship yet alone have interest in it"
" I wanted to become stronger", I rejoindered.
" But how did you keep this a secret"
" I don't know how, I guess I didn't want to gather much attention"
" Hmm but don't you think what you did was a bit excessive"
'That's a biting question', I thought,'Is it to test my character'
" I-I wanted to prove that even though we're half brother and he's older than me, I am superior to him"
" Although I guess that was too excessive", I continued while scratching the back of my head.
" Excellent, you'll make a great assistance to Echelle someday", he beamed at me
' He's still over Echelle', I clench my fist, 'Fine I'll be a great assistance'.
" Ah I should properly reward you for your victory of the sparring match, what do want Cyan?"
" Well, I want..."