Brad, the youngest mercenary to have over a hundred A-rank missions under his belt—the feat most would dream about even after a lifetime's dedication—walked with Aleck through the narrow alleys, his movements calm, though there was something in him of vigilance, something that would have been honed through all those years of surviving battles men wouldn't dare face.His eyes lingers on Aleck, taking in the young man's blank face. He can't help but make a comparison between Aleck and himself. Brad had been just six years old when Anna had brought him into her home; a scared, scrappy kid with nowhere else to go. She'd trained him herself, molded him into the warrior he was now.But Aleck was different. Where Brad had once been a storm of emotions, fuelled by fear and anger, Aleck seemed not to flinch under the turmoil about him. The boy's quiet strength and unshakeable composure impressed Brad. It wasn't just that Aleck did not seem afraid; it was a sense of resilience Brad felt emanating from him-a silent defiance against the world.What excited him more was that Aleck was the first one ever to become part of their little family. For the first time, Brad felt curious about the boy's story, the circumstances that had brought him there.
On the outside, Aleck's face was expressionless, revealing no trace of the storm raging within his mind—a skill he had perfected during his time in the project. Still, his thoughts spiraled into chaos. He was strong, likely capable of holding his own against the rising mercenary Brad, yet the chains of self-doubt dragged him down, tethering him to his deepest fears.
It felt as though Ethan's sword weighed heavily on his very sore chest, symbolizing hope more than a solace at such times. Yet strolling through the open sky under those twinkling lights, Aleck could only be diverted at moments. The vast expanse above seemed to call to him, reminding him of the path he needed to take—not one of despair, but one that could lift him to the heights he was destined to reach. He would prove everyone wrong about Ethan's decision."Just cross the bridge, and on the other side, you'll find the school for the slums," Brad said with a light voice tinged with humor. "A retired knight started it to keep himself busy in his later years. Quite the workaholic, don't you think?"Aleck hesitated before asking, "So. we only learn swords there?"Brad stopped and came around to face him as he could see the dazed look in his eye. He understood that for Aleck, the word "school" did not signify a place of teaching or development. For him, it would probably only be another battleground—a learning ground for mastering the technique of survival and taking lives."School's not just about learning how to fight," Brad said with a grin. "It's a place to make memories, live a little. Don't stress about anything—just go there and enjoy yourself. Anna's footing the bill anyway."With that, Brad clapped a hand on Aleck's shoulder, his voice softening. "Come back early. And stay safe, alright?"Those words stayed in Aleck's head, stirring something unfamiliar in him. It was a warmth so powerful that it felt like it was going to engulf him entirely. But it wasn't something he wanted to get away from. It was the sort of warmth he wanted to feel again-a flicker of humanity in a life that was otherwise cold and barren.Brad had to leave Aleck to mind himself. Other duties came first--his most current work was protecting a merchant from the city of Olana situated well above the slum quarters.
Aleck crossed the bridge alone, echoes of his weary footsteps rooting him to the beginning of his long-overdue awakening. The wild, once a dying river lived a dreary black stream-witnesses of all the exploitation it found itself under.Aleck soon reached the school building; he saw sprawling fields all around it, dotted with cattle lazily grazing under the big sky. For Aleck, raised as he had been amid decay, this sight seemed far too placid.As he plainly approached, a chill rushed up til he swiveled around. Instinct took over; his senses were all set to high alert. Standing behind him was a man, no, a mountain of a man. There was an aura around him that proclaimed silent strength: this was not a man to trifle with.Before Aleck could do anything, the man dug, and his brain considering possibilities of being robbed and so forth and came back with an apple.Confusion spilled across Aleck's face as the man approached him slowly and presented him with it."You must be the new student Anna talked about," a gentle deep voice greeted him. "My name's Rodger, headmaster of this school. Welcome aboard, kid."Aleck blinked in disbelief; he had not expected kindness. "Ohhh--uhh... I'm Aleck," he stammered. "I'll be in your care here on out."He began to feel a bit relieved, the tension leaving his body. A part of him was sure that, just for a moment, he had been about to get robbed or, worse, killed by that mountain man. The apple was wholly given.The nearby ramshackle campus, worn buildings with crumbling walls depicting a forgotten place, sat at the fringes of the slum, far from impressive or kept to noble standards. The timbers are already rotten, the floors creaked with every step, and mildew and dust twirled slightly in the air. But to Aleck, that was not what struck him; it was, instead, a kind of neglect that a place like this, supposedly meant to impart education, was beyond hope to offer so little.
Rodger led him through buildings, walking past a few ragged students who looked like a bizarre cross of hopeful and lost. Inside, Aleck's gaze fell on the two teachers. One was attempting to teach the children proper sword-holding techniques, while the other was doing her best to control older students practicing their drills. The room was small and contained only the barest of necessities: a few wooden training swords, minimal practice targets, and that's about it.Aleck could not hold back from making comparisons with Valiant Academy—the highly regarded institution he had once caught sight of while in the capital. Valiant Academy has all that this school does not have: clean, well-stocked, and with students coming from every part of the kingdom to train as a cut above swordmasters. The halls of Valiant were huge, and their teachers were the best in the world, imparting lessons not only on combat but strategy, leadership, and the more civilized arts of warfare. It is here that a gentleman is made, and success is practically assured for anyone who passes through its gates. The contrasting institutions were miles apart, and it made Aleck wonder how different his life could have been if he had gone to the same school.But even as he was thinking of this, Aleck could not ignore the sense of unease creeping up on him. Here, the lessons seemed different. It was not about becoming a weapon of the Kingdom or raising to the upper castes; this little, ragged school seemed to educate for survival-to live in a world that long abandoned its people. It was, in a sense, more real than Valiant Academy was, much more closely connected with the struggles that Aleck knew so well.
He walked along with Rodger, but his thoughts were at sea thinking about the time Ethan lost his cool when a student was sleeping in his history lesson. The headmaster noticed that he looked distracted and asked, "You seem to be in a good mood. What are you dreaming about?"Aleck briefly smiled, his mind wandering back to the one memory that managed to still give him pleasure. "Of a distant memory . . . when I was with my friends, just laughing together," he said softly, his eyes glazing with nostalgia.Rodger's eyes softened. He studied Aleck intently for a few moments before actually asking, "When will you be joining?"Aleck deliberately hesitated; he really did have to take the breaking in of his new pursuits seriously now. The life he had known had been much modeled by expectations and duty. Here, within this unrefined school, however, he saw a chance to take his own course."What does today sound like?" he asked before he could call himself into account for the quietness of his voice.Rodger smiled warmly. "Today sounds fine."And in a moment, Aleck stepped forward into the unknown, ready to embrace this new chapter of his life, far away from the cold confines of the Kingdom's project and toward something for the first time in a long time which felt like freedom.