Morning at Hearthwood Haven began with chaos.
The Blade King sat on the porch, straw hat tilted low, as he watched the scene unfold. A cacophony of squawking echoed across the yard as Elya and two younger boys chased the same stubborn chicken from the day before.
"I told you to corner it!" Elya shouted, her fiery hair bouncing as she skidded to a stop near the coop.
"I did! It's just really fast!" one boy whined, flailing uselessly as the chicken darted under his legs.
The Blade King stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting technique. Your formation's a bit loose, though."
Elya whirled on him. "You think you can do better, Master Woodchopper?"
The Blade King stood slowly, brushing dust from his robes. He walked toward the coop with deliberate steps, his hands clasped behind his back. The chicken, sensing danger, froze momentarily before attempting another daring escape.
But the Blade King didn't chase it. He didn't lunge or shout. Instead, he simply crouched, extended a hand, and whispered softly, "Come here, little one."
The chicken cocked its head, confused. Then, to everyone's astonishment, it waddled forward and hopped neatly into his waiting arms.
The children gawked.
Elya crossed her arms. "You're kidding me."
"Chickens respect calm authority," he said, straight-faced, as he handed the bird to one of the boys.
"...What kind of nonsense is that?"
He didn't reply, simply tipping his hat and walking back toward the porch.
---
By midmorning, Rina had assigned him a list of chores, starting with patching the roof. The Blade King approached the task with casual efficiency, balancing on the creaky beams as though gravity didn't apply to him.
"Master!" shouted a voice from below.
He glanced down to see a tall, lanky boy with messy black hair glaring up at him. The boy was carrying a rake, which he waved like a weapon.
"You're in my spot," the boy said.
"Your... spot?"
"Yeah, my spot. I'm the one who patches the roof around here!"
The Blade King raised an eyebrow. "You seem very attached to this roof. Should I leave it as it is?"
The boy hesitated, looking up at the sagging shingles. "...Maybe fix it a little. But don't mess up the alignment!"
The Blade King chuckled, waving a hand. "As you wish." With a few precise movements, he secured the roof's weak points, making it look effortless.
The boy, realizing he'd been outclassed, muttered, "I'm Kain, by the way. Don't think this means I like you."
"I wouldn't dream of it," the Blade King replied, smirking.
---
By lunchtime, he'd made a full circuit of the orphanage, fixing broken doors, mending fences, and subtly reinforcing weak structures with qi. He worked slowly enough not to arouse suspicion, but the results were undeniable.
At the table, the orphans chattered excitedly about the improvements.
"Did you see the coop? It doesn't wobble anymore!" one of the younger boys exclaimed.
"And the fence! It's actually straight!"
Rina watched the Blade King from across the table, her expression curious. "You've done more in a day than we've managed in months. What's your secret?"
He shrugged. "Steady hands. And years of practice chopping wood."
Elya snorted into her soup.
---
That afternoon, the Blade King gathered the children in the yard.
"All right," he said, clapping his hands. "We're going to do some exercises."
"Why?" Elya demanded.
"Because strength comes from discipline," he replied.
"Sounds boring," Kain muttered.
"Would you rather chase chickens again?"
That shut them up.
The Blade King led them through simple drills—stretches, stances, and breathing techniques disguised as calisthenics. To the untrained eye, it looked like a basic workout. But the careful rhythm of the movements and the controlled breathing began to subtly align the children's qi.
Lin, a mischievous boy with a perpetually cheeky grin, flopped onto the ground after five minutes. "Master, I'm dying!"
"You'll be fine," the Blade King said. "Though if you don't finish, the chicken might outrun you tomorrow."
Lin groaned, dragging himself back to his feet.
Elya, however, was watching him closely. She mimicked his movements with surprising precision, a glint of determination in her eyes.
---
Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the Blade King sat on the porch, gazing at the stars.
Elya approached him, arms crossed. "You're not just a woodchopper, are you?"
He tilted his hat back slightly, meeting her gaze. "What makes you say that?"
"People like you don't just show up and fix everything. What's your deal?"
He chuckled softly. "My deal, young lady, is that I've been around long enough to know how to fix a roof and catch a chicken. Nothing more."
She narrowed her eyes, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. "Fine. But I'm watching you."
"I'd expect nothing less," he replied with a grin.
As she stalked off, he leaned back, letting the night's cool breeze wash over him.
This might be more fun than I thought.