I am Gavin, 28 years old, Captain of the Royal Guard of Arcadia.The sharp, rhythmic clinks and clangs of swords fill the training room as Ren and I spar, locked in a relentless exchange of strikes and parries. Moving as though in a choreographed dance, we shift around the room, testing each other's limits with precise footwork and rapid strikes.Ren, only 9 years old, has become an exceptional swordsman despite his age. Though he lacks the raw strength of an adult, his meticulously practiced technique and potent physical enhancement magic make up for it. Each swing of his blade carries force and precision beyond what one might expect from a boy his size.I shift into Ochs (the "Ox" guard), holding my blade high to threaten his position. Ren, ever quick, counters with a low stance, fluidly transitioning from defense to offense as he strikes at my leg. I barely dodge his blade. His attacks are swift and powerful, his sword a blur as it arcs toward me. I deflect his strike and respond with a downward blow, but he sidesteps nimbly, pivoting into position for a riposte.The dance continues, our blades clashing faster and faster, until they're almost too quick to follow. Ren adapts fluidly, his footwork impeccable as he circles me, maintaining the perfect distance to defend or attack. His strikes are relentless yet calculated, forcing me to push myself harder than I expected.I no longer hold back against him. Despite his youth, he's already mastered techniques that many of my guardsmen still struggle with. As the sparring intensifies, I realize there's little more I can teach him about the long sword."Enough," I say, and both Ren and I step back, letting our swords drop to rest.Ren looks at me intently, expecting guidance or correction. His breathing is controlled but sweat drips steadily from his brow after the hour of intense training. I smile at him and sheath my sword."Very well done, kiddo," I say proudly. "There isn't much I can teach you about this weapon."Ren lowers his sword, his expression shifting to surprise and concern. "No... Master Gavin, I still have so much more I need to learn to be a master."I chuckle. "You're far from being a master, but that will require experience. If you keep training like this and growing your magical skill, you will be a master one day. I have no doubt about it."Ren sheathes his sword as well. I walk over and place a hand on his shoulder, leaning down to meet his gaze. "Don't look so glum, kiddo. I'm not saying I'm done training you. I'll still be your sparring partner.""So, you're going to keep training with me in the evenings?" Ren asks, still a flicker of worry in his tone.I pat his shoulder firmly, causing him to wobble slightly under the weight of my hand as I let out a booming laugh. "You kidding me, boy? I wouldn't give up seeing my favorite prince."I turn toward the exit of the training room, rolling my shoulders in a post-training stretch. "And I certainly wouldn't give up eating Lady Willow's amazing cooking."Ren hurries to catch up, walking beside me. "Besides," I continue, "I can still train you on other weapons. You've only mastered the techniques for ONE type of sword."I wave my hand ahead of us dramatically. "There's a wide world of weapons out there for you to master, Spears, Hammers, Axes..." I smile in nostalgic joy. "Awe yes, axes, I love axes!"But I'm more partial to axe wounds."Well, it would be nice to practice dueling with my off hand," Ren says thoughtfully."When has that been a problem?""Uh, it hasn't… but what if my sword arm were incapacitated?" Ren counters, his tone a bit evasive.I raise an eyebrow, smirking. "That's a pretty big word for an 9-year-old.""I'm 8," Ren corrects with a slight pout. "You were at my birthday.""Forgive me, you've always acted older than you really are." I say with another laugh."In any case, that's no problem, we can mix in off-hand sparring starting tomorrow." I add with a shrug.I glance back at Ren with a sly, knowing smile. "I want to make sure you have all the skills in case you ever want to masquerade as an adventurer one day."Ren meets my gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to discern whether I know his secret. I let my grin widen but say nothing more, continuing toward the exit of the training room. Of course, I've seen the masked figure sneaking in and out of the castle. Knowing who comes and goes from this castle is my job, and I am damn good at it. So of course, I investigated, and I found the hidden passage to the prince's tower, the truth became obvious.I wasn't angry or worried, I was too busy being proud of the kid.His impressive advancement in skill must partly come from his moonlighting as an adventurer. And honestly, I respect him for it. The boy is probably out there culling horned rabbits, picking herbs and finding lost pets. What's the harm in that? It's probably the only fun he has, so I'll keep his secret. He doesn't need to explain himself, and I won't force him to.As we exit the fourth-floor training room, the scent of roast pork wafts up to meet us, and my mouth waters instantly."Yes! Roast pork tonight!" I say, quickening my pace down the spiral staircase. Practically skipping down the last few steps, I burst into the second-floor dining room, making a less-than-graceful slide into my seat. Unfortunately, I hit the table harder than I intended, causing it to shake. Plates and silverware clink precariously, and I wince at the threatening glare Lady Willow shoots my way.She softens instantly when she turns to Ren. "Perfect timing, young master," she says sweetly, placing the roasted pig's platter on the table."Thank you, Willow, looks great!." says Ren taking the seat at the head of the table and eagerly placing food onto his plate. Lady Willow pours ice water into Ren's glass.I nod appreciatively. "Thank you. Your food looks amazing as always, Lady Willow."She acknowledges me with a small nod before taking her seat across from me, beside Ren. True to her usual demeanor, she sits quietly, her hands folded neatly in her lap, making no move to eat. I assume, that she will dine alone later after her master has finished, as most servants do.Ren and I dig into the food, and as always, it tastes just as incredible as it looks. Truthfully, I'm deeply grateful for these meals. I don't have anyone at home to cook for me, and the sorcery that is the culinary arts remains a mystery to me. The warmth of a hot meal and the company of Prince Ren and Lady Willow have been a precious treasure to my lonely heart.It's almost like having a family again."Willow," Ren begins, cutting his seasoned correl-root into precise pieces. "Can you teach me how to use healing magic? I've read a few books on it, but everything says that healing magic requires hands on training to learn correctly.""Teaching you healing magic would require a steady supply of injured people to practice on," Willow replies, her tone carrying a faint, mischievous edge."There are a lot of sick and injured people at the apothecary," Ren suggests, with a wary look at Willow.Willow shrugs lightly, seemingly losing interest abruptly. "Sure, that could work too," she says, her tone less than enthusiastic. "We can talk to Lady Muara. She may be willing to take you on as a part-time apprentice.""As busy as she is, she'd probably appreciate the help." I add."That'd work," Ren mutters almost to himself, his gaze fixed on his plate, clearly lost in thought.I glance at the boy, marveling at his ambition. Learning healing magic on top of everything else he's already doing? His talent is undeniable, but how does he find the time, or the motivation, to juggle it all? If I had a son, I hoped he'd have a fraction of the drive Ren has."Master Gavin, you're a baronet, right?" Ren asks between mouthfuls."Correct""Then why do you go by your given name? Why don't you go by your family name?" Ren inquires.I pause, setting my fork down as I consider the question. "Well, I was stripped of my family name when I was fifteen."The sharp screech of Ren's knife against his plate echoes through the room, a clear sign of his shock. "Why is that?" he asks, his voice filled with disbelief."I am the second son of Lord Cromwell, one of the twelve leading noble families of Arcadia. My older brother Paul was born to my father's wife, while I was born to his concubine. Because of that, my brother, being older and born of the marriage, should have been the undisputed heir to our family's noble title."I pause, a heavy sigh escaping me. "But things weren't that simple. For lords with large domains, the support of their people and retainers is vital. Unfortunately, my brother had a reputation for being self-absorbed and incompetent. Though I had no intention of challenging him, I became popular among the retainers. My father, fearing I might one day claim the title, demanded that I renounce the family name the day I became an adult."Ren's gaze sharpens, disbelief plastered all over his face. "And you agreed?""He gave me little choice," I explain with a regretful tone. "He offered me ten gold coins in exchange for my name and a promise to leave quietly. My father made it clear that one way or another I would be leaving the family, by choice or by force. If I had refused it would have cost me much more than a name."I pause, staring at the piece of pork on my plate. "That was the day I learned how easily family can betray you when power and titles are involved.""I'm sorry, Master Gavin," Ren says, his voice tinged with concern, and looking unsure of how to respond."You should never give someone your name," Willow interjects with an odd air, as though recalling something amusing. "Rookie mistake."Ren and I exchange a baffled glance in her direction, but Willow waves a dismissive hand. "Don't mind me, continue with your tragic story."I chuckle softly at her bluntness and continue, "After giving up my name, I became a commoner. The best path for a commoner to earn a noble title is through the military, advancing with hard work, skill, bravery, and a good measure of luck.""And we've all heard your war stories. That's how you earned the title of baronet?" Ren asks with curiosity."That's right!" I say, forcing a smile. "Even though I'm not a mage, I was able to work my way back to a noble title, albeit the lowest one, and eventually earned the position of Captain of the Royal Guard."At that moment, Lady Willow tilts her head slightly, as though hearing something the rest of us cannot. "Someone is approaching the door," she states, rising gracefully from her seat and descending the stairs. A moment later, a faint knock echoes through the halls."How does she do that?" I muse aloud.Ren's attention returns to me. "Have you seen your family since then? Their domain is just northwest of the capital, in the city of Ashford, right?"I shake my head slowly. "No. Per their wishes, I've stayed away. But I've heard plenty of rumors. My father is advanced in age and has passed management of the lands to my brother. From what I hear, the retainers are unhappy, he's been running the domain poorly and punishing anyone who dares to speak out."Before I can say more, Lady Willow reappears at the staircase, followed closely by a petite beastkin maid with vibrant orange hair, cute fox ears and a fluffy tail swishing behind her. It's Abigail.For a moment, my mind goes blank. Abigail's radiant smile and graceful steps completely overtake my thoughts. Her delicate beauty, paired with her small, quick strides as she tries to match Willow's longer ones, is almost too much for me to process."Master Gavin, you're staring," Willow remarks flatly as she leads Abigail into the room.I don't care. Would you ask a starving man not to look at a feast set before him?"Good evening, Gavin. I wasn't expecting to see you here," Abigail says sweetly, her voice soft and melodic. A slight blush creeps across her cheeks under my gaze.Her words jolt me back to reality.I've been staring too long.I scramble to compose myself, attempting to lean casually on the table, but my elbow lands on the edge of my plate, sending a piece of pork flying onto the floor."Hey, my d-darling Miss Abigail," I stammer, quickly correcting my posture and trying to recover. "It's so good to see you!" I say, pretending like there wasn't a chunk of pig meat splattered on the floor feet from us.Abigail giggles softly, her smile growing warmer. "It's always a pleasure to see you, Gavin," she says before turning to Ren. "Prince Drakemore, I've come to deliver you the new books from the academy.""Thank you Miss Abigail." responds Ren. "How was your trip from Stonebrook?""The trip was fine." Abigail continues. "Though my carriage wheel broke along the way. Luckily, a passing adventurer helped repair it."Ren nods. "What a stroke of good luck.""Convenient," Willow adds dryly as she places a plate and utensils in front of Abigail."Thank for the food." says Abigail taking up her fork."You are very welcome." answers Willow retaking her seat."I'm so glad you're ok, you must be exhausted." I say, watching Abigail take dainty little bites of pork."I'm tired, but I would like to head back after I eat." Says Abigail sounding a bit fatigued "As a slave I try to spend as little time in the capital as possible." Abigail adds, gesturing to the ornately embroidered cloth collar she wears that identifies her as a slave to the Griswald family."If you are planning to go back tonight, I will go with you. The roads can be dangerous at night." I say with concern.Abigail looks overjoyed, responding with a little squeal and placing one of her small hands on my comparably large forearm. "Oh that would be great! I would feel so much safer with you and your company would make the long trip more enjoyable as well.JACKPOT!Six hours of uninterrupted time with Abigail? That sounds perfect! Ever since Lord Griswald brought her home from the slave market and freed her, I've been captivated by her charm. Her kind heart, infectious smile, and gentle nature are irresistible. I found myself making up every excuse possible to visit Lord Griswald so I could see her. Thankfully Abigail seems to enjoy my company as well.We've stolen countless moments together, talking about her dreams, her homeland, and the things that make her happy. I've fallen for her completely. I dream of one day making her my wife, but marriage between humans and beastkin is forbidden in Arcadia.Many times, I have offered to leave everything behind and run away with her to the beastkin territories of Fukeysujin, where such laws don't exist. However, Abigail refused. She didn't want me to abandon the life I'd built. Instead, she suggested I purchase her from Griswald so we could be together legally.The thought of keeping her as a slave, even as a formality, bothers me. She deserves freedom, dignity, and happiness, not chains, no matter how gilded. One day, I hope this kingdom will abolish slavery altogether. Until then, I'll do whatever it takes to protect her and build a future where we can truly be free together.