I came back in the afternoon. It was almost lunchtime. Handing over the things I collected from the forest to my mother, I sat on the dining table waiting for my food. Elder brother Karl and Ralph were present there too. As I was waiting for my meal, I realized that father and Shu were not present.

「Mom, where are Dad and Shu?」

She looked at me and spoke in confusion.

「What do you mean? I thought they were with you all.」

「No. I didn't see them after breakfast.」

I asked my brothers the same but they too didn't know anything. Then it hit me.

「D-don't tell me, are they still training in the yard!?」

I quickly got up and started running. I knew that my father was excited to teach him but it couldn't be that he went this hard on him on his first day. I prayed to God that nothing too extreme might have happened to him.

When I reached there though, I was surprised. Honestly, I was expecting Shu to be completely exhausted and presumably running for his life from the clutches of my father. But the scene before me stated otherwise.

Shu and father had picked up the wooden sword and were facing each other. Both were panting loudly and covered in sweat. It seems they have been duelling for quite some time now. Suddenly my father spoke-

「You are rather good. Are you really sure this is the first time you have ever used a sword?」

「....Yes, sir.」

After a brief amount of time, they both stared into the eyes of each other. It looks like they were waiting for either of them to make the first move. My father smiled.

「Let's get going now, shall we?」

Saying so, it was my father who made the first move.

He moved his huge body vigorously, yet quickly, and swung down the wooden sword held at the upper level.

With that much power, if you hit your head, you can't avoid fainting. If it is done poorly, there is a possibility of death.

A normal person would have fallen flat on their backside under the pressure of that pressure, but perhaps because he has been through a fair amount of trouble, Shu calmly stepped back and avoided the sword.

He then quickly turns to attack, but despite slashing with so much force, my father quickly regains his position and avoids his sword. As expected, Shu was surprised to see that as well, with his eyes wide open.

My father was not a muscle idiot, and his skills were top-notch.

Now my father would be the one to attack. Shu was surprised, but he wasn't fazed and accepted my father's attack.

Then, with tremendous speed, the slashing began.

I, who had been foolish at first, became silent when I saw the attack and defence. The reason for this was because I knew exactly how strong of an opponent was my father. None of the soldiers in our territory could compete with him in a decent one-on-one match. And yet, Shu was almost able to keep up with him.

I could feel it.

This time my father is fighting for real as if he doesn't care what happens to his opponent. He is truly enjoying this match. Even so, Shu hasn't taken a step back from that.

But gradually, Shu began to be pushed back.
At first, he was able to attack, but gradually he was becoming more and more defensive.

Quite some time had passed, but my father hasn't been able to make a single move on him yet but that goes the same for Shu as well.

I watched the mock battle intensely, captivated by the sight of those two.

My father is starting to run out of energy, and his movements begin to slow down.

As if he had been waiting for it, Shu attacked father, squeezing all his remaining strength and energy out of him.

This would be his last chance, a prepared attack.

He aimed at his feet. My father wasn't expecting it, so his defence wasn't up to the task, and he was hit in the snare area.

I watched the outcome of the battle with stunned expressions, unable to understand what had happened.

Even though he was attacked, my father was not hurt and stood still.

However, Shu succeeded in taking a swing at my father and won the mock battle. On the contrary, even in the actual battle, now that was a victory for him. If they did it a few times, Shu might lose more often, but this time, he won.

「Well, you won.」

Saying so, my father started to laugh.

「Oh, please. You were going easy on me, Sir.」

「Don't be modest now. But still, although I had heard that demon have abnormally high physical capabilities. If you are like this after inheriting only some of their traits then I can't even begin to imagine what the real deal must be like.」

They both talked for a while more until my father looked at me.

「Oh, Claude! What are you doing here?」

「WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?」

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

「Jeez! Calm down, will ya? We were just having a mock battle.」

「THAT WAS A MOCK BATTLE?」

If that was how a mock battle was supposed to be, then what have I been doing my entire life?

My father kept on praising him, all the while telling me to work harder. I didn't let this chance slip by.

「Of course, father! You are right.」

My father was surprised by me accepting my mistake so easily. But I quickly followed before he could say anything.

「As such, I think you should train Shu instead of me. Until I don't match up to him, I don't think I should train with you. It hurts my heart to say this but, I say that you train Shu.」

My father gave a light chuckle after my response.

「What's gotten into you? And here I thought you were becoming mature for a second.」

........What? Why is he looking at me as if I was spouting some nonsense?

「What do you mean?」

He looked at me and gently smiled while saying-

「I ain't training him.」

「................huh?」

◆◇◆◇◆

In front of me now, there's a lonely mountain lodge, there is the house of an Old man very well-known in this village, the house is located at the distance of a short walk from the village. Now that Shu's all healed up, I am being forced to go that geezer's house.

Now, as to why I came here, the beginning goes back to the events of a few days ago.

『W-what do you mean you won't train him? You yourself said that such a talent in sword would be wasted if he didn't practise everyday right. So that means you-』

『Now hold on, I did say that but I never said I would be the one to train him.』

『What do you mean? You like training right? So why-』

『Because such talent is wasted on me. Although I learned swordsmanship, I never did it formally. It was your grandfather who taught me. As he is right now, he will probably surpass me within about a year or two.』

『T-then....what about him?』

『Hmmmm.........Ah! How about you take him to old man Zen? I am sure he has enough ability to hone a talent like his.』

In the village, it is said that this old man, Zen, who lives in this desolate mountain, was once a famous swordsman who worked in the royal castle.

However, due to some reason, he moved to this village where he became a farmer. His identity of who he was before coming here is unknown.

Many children's from the village have asked him to teach them(myself included) but he rejected all of them.

--It's a long story, but you've probably figured it out by now. Yes, I'm going to ask him if Shu can be taken as his apprentice so that he may become a swordsman.

It's a job very promising and it's a good idea to be able to get out of this village.

That's why I have to take him because the father wants Shu to become his apprentice.

「..........I'm sorry.」

「What are you sorry about?」

「That.....you told me to take your place but your father didn't accept me. I couldn't fulfil your order.」

I feel like he is making fun of me right now, but looking at his face I feel like he is serious. It actually makes me feel like I am in the wrong.......... I am not, right?

I tell him to not mind it and proceeded forward.

The old man's house is just outside the village, a short walk through the forest.

*knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*

「Please give me a minute!」

Behind the door, I could feel someone coming and hear the sound of the cloths scraping against the floor. Before coming, I was wondering if he would be at home, but it seems I didn't have to worry at all.

The door opened with a loud sound, and I was able to see him, he was tall and his hands were holding onto a hoe.

Through the gap in the open door, his head lazily emerged.

「Yes, what can I-....... Oh, it you.」

He sighed after looking at me. He also looked at Shu for a brief moment before looking at me again.

「So? What has the young master come here for.......again?」

「I didn't want to come either. I was forced.」

「I see. Anyways, I don't care why or what you are here for but leave.」

「But just listen to-」

「Young master, I think I already told you I will not take you as my apprentice. Just give up already.」

「I am not here for that reason! Though I still don't understand why you won't take me, someone, who is the most perfect being to ever exist, under your wing.」

「WHAT DID YOU SAY!? YOU? PERFECT?」

Saying so he started to laugh.

「You really need to reassess yourself. I mean the reason you even wanted to learn swordsmanship from me says it all.」

「What do you mean? I think my reason was good enough.」

I refuted back. Does this man take other people's dream as a joke? My reason was probably the most realistic reason possible.

「WHAT DO YOU MEAN GOOD ENOUGH? LEARNING SWORDMANSHIP TO 'PICK UP CUTE GIRLS' SHOULD NOT BE YOUR DRIVING MOTIVATION!」

「H-hey it only sounds bad when you say it out loud. Even Aiden said the same thing!」

「Who? That blonde kid? Why do you mean he said the same? He said he wanted to become stronger, unlike some horny little brat.」

「W-whatever! This time I am not here for myself but him.」

I said as I pointed towards Shu. Shu bowed to him and he did the same. Old man Zen started to look at Shu and gave a confused look.

「You........what exactly are you? You give me the feeling of a demon but I can sense mana flowing in your body.」

「You can what?」

Did he say he can sense the mana flow of his body? But the books didn't have anything mentioning such things.

「Ah! Nothing. Don't mind it.」

He said to me while facing Shu as if asking him the answer to the question he asked before. Shu bowed down before answering.

「I am a half-demon half-human, sir.」

His eyes widened.

「But then....those eyes......... it's real?」

He started murmuring under his breath.

'What about his eyes? Yeah, they not of your everyday colour but that's about it.'

I thought to myself. Still, it seems like he has grown an interest in him.

「So, how about it? Will you train him? He even got a recommendation from my father you know.」

I said. He looked at me and then at Shu. Then he signed again.

「........No. My answer will not change even if lord Geroge himself asked this from me. Now move aside, I need to head towards the fields.」

Saying so he started to move. I was about to say something when Shu called out to him and stopped him. He then asked.

「Sir, please wait! Can you please tell me what about me is not to your liking that you are rejecting me? I will improve myself and even-」

He looked towards Shu for a moment and without saying anything went ahead on his way without listening to anything he had to say anymore.

「Sir! Sir!」

Shu kept calling him but he didn't listen.

This old man did the same with me when I had asked him too. Just how arrogant is he?

「Forget about him, Shu. He never answers anybody when they ask him. Let's go.」

Saying so, I started to walk away but then I noticed that he wasn't following me.

「What happened? Are you coming?」

「...........I am staying here, Master Claude. I need to know why he rejected me.」

「What!? Also, drop the formalities man.」

「I will make him accept me. You don't need to worry about it, Master Claude.」

「No, it alright. I didn't say that you have to. And again with the formalities, just stop it.」

But he didn't want to move. I tried to persuade him but it did not have any effect.

Well, he will come back on his own sooner or later. I thought so I left him there and got going.

「Remember to back before dinner though, alright?」

「I shall keep that in mind, Master Claude.」

「Dammit, drop the formalities already! Please!」

Saying so, I left.