Fate and Liza both sat frozen, stunned at the words that Jacob, who was currently smiling as if he was unaware of their reactions, had just uttered…

 

-...Student?! He wants to make me his student, to teach me?! What in hell, does this old man want to teach me...Is the class going to be ‘how to die at the hands of a teacher 101?!’ Personally, I’d like to fail that class, receive the lowest grade I can while doing so, and him out while doing a jig and sprinting down the hall, screaming profanities all the while!

 

True, Jacob had attempted to ‘test’ Fate by nearly killing him and it didn’t seem like Jacob could gain any benefits by teaching him anything useful. 

 

Jacob: “You may ponder what use I have for you that I would attempt to educate you, the disowned son of my lord and...nuisance of my Lady.”

 

Fate was able to recover slightly after Jacob had validated some of his concerns, which made him think that Jacob was, at least capable if nothing else. His willingness to get straight to the point, in Fate’s eyes at least, made him seem slightly more trustworthy than a person who might ignore him or lie to his face.

 

Jacob: “I can judge your thoughts by the look on your face, young master. It is an important skill to master, no matter your occupation and it is one of but many things I will be inclined to teach you if you agree to learn from this humble servant.”

 

-Humble servant, who does this guy think he’s fooling?

 

At this moment, to Fate and Liza’s further surprise, Jacob took a knee and held his hand over his heart, making him seem as if he were ready to swear fealty to a king This perplexed Fate since he had neither Jacob’s respect nor a position superior to his that would force such.

 

Jacob: “Young master, by the Goddess, Luna, I swear that the words I speak are no lie, or else shall my heart be crushed and my soul be entrapped within the shine of the moon.”

 

The moment he uttered those words, a strange aura swept across the room. Along with this aura, was a pale-blue light, a color Fate recognized from his time with his mother, which seemed to illuminate every surface in the room…

 

Fate felt every hair on his body stand up and his chest quickly tighten as the light made its way towards Jacob and towards himself, fearing the consequences of touching it. Liza seemed to notice this but seemed to be gripped with fear as well, tightening her hold on Fate. However, when the light was about to pass over them, it seemed to diverge, splitting in two before quickly merging together again and proceeding towards Jacob.

 

The two children heaved a sigh of relief but instantly cautioned themselves when the light, which had now gathered into a small orb, fused into Jacob’s chest. It looked dangerous, but Jacob didn’t show any signs of discomfort and continued maintaining his posture.

-W-wh...w-what was...that?! I...c-can still...feel my body...t-trembling!

 

Liza: “L-lor...lord Jacob, are you...alright?!”

 

She seemed to be just as frightened as Fate, though she still managed to enunciate her words, unlike Fate’s completely shaken thoughts. Jacob, however, only gave her a curt smile and nodded before continuing to speak toward Fate.

 

Jacob: “Though I suspected you would recognize it, young master, I did not expect that both your and the young miss’ instincts would be quite so acute, truly you continue to amaze this humble servant.”

 

Though Fate was still quite frightened, he gave Jacob a look which seemed to be saying that he was full of sh*t, but its recipient went unperturbed by this.

 

Jacob: “What I have just performed is a ‘Sacred Oath,’ more specifically the one in homage to our nation’s patron Goddess, Luna. The one I have used for this occasion, the ‘Oath of Damnation,’  will cause the affected party’s body to break down slowly and painfully, in the event that they would utter a falsehood.”

 

 The fear that both children felt was now replaced with further shock. If what Jacob was stating was true, it would mean that he could be courting his own death if he lied…

 

-What sane person in their right mind would do something that batsh*t crazy?! ...He has the advantage so why is he going so far to get me to trust him…?!

 

Fate racked his brain for some logical answer but could find none that would explain Jacob’s behavior, opting instead to shut up and wait for one. Seeing Fate pay attention, Jacob resumed his speech.

 

Jacob: “It is my most sincere wish to instruct you, young master. Hence, I have burdened myself with this oath to prove my resolve for doing so. The reason I wish to impart my teachings unto you is that I recognize my own mortality and merely wish to pass on my meager legacy…”

 

His explanation was quite vague but was spoken seriously. Fate scanned Jacob’s body, looking for instances where the oath would have had an effect if he had broken it, but found none and so he chose to believe him for now.

 

Fate: “I have a question though...If you want to pass on...whatever set of skills you possess, is there not a more worthy candidate than myself?”

 

Jacob’s response was swift.

 

Jacob: “Young master, you are the only one to date that has met the requirements I hold myself to. Granted I have seen many with potential, but none who have quite measured up to you.”

Fate attempted to figure out just what it was that Jacob saw in him that made him want to pursue himself to this degree. Could it be magical affinity, comprehension, resolve, or natural talent?

 

Jacob: “You see, young master...The requirements I hold for instructing a student are simple and there exist but two of them, which are...resolve...and a looming fear of death.”

 

-...What…? You need to be resolved...but you also need to be fearful of death…? Wouldn’t those things kinda contradict each other, just a little?

 

Indeed, resolve was indeed something that was required for anyone who was willing to fight and to kill, but while the fear of death could keep someone alive, it most certainly would weigh heavily on one’s resolve…

 

If such fears overwhelmed a person’s resolve, they would cause that person to make rash decisions, falter in their tasks, or even opt to stay out of danger in any respect. Such a fearful person could not be called fit for battle, to say the least.

 

Jacob: “For I who have stood at the edge of death, wandering and creating countless lands scarred and bleeding...I am the one who has no true fear of any force that would impede my goals, for I have gazed into the darkness which swallows the arrogant and the strong alike…”

 

-Another...oath...?

 

Jacob: “I who walk the edge of life itself fear no battle and shall not let any enemy overcome my senses. No matter how meager the worth or how high the mountain, I shall conquer and obtain, reigning from out of sight of those inferior to be my match…”

 

Fate felt a presence, much weaker than the oath which Jacob had bound himself to previously, but one still radiating a villainous, unmistakable presence…

 

-What...is this…?

 

Jacob: “I shall crush those who I deem worthy and offer up their skulls as a pathway to my own victory and to the despair of the world I have rejected…”

 

『Jacob Alvizain wishes to become your master, do you accept?』