Obediently sitting in front of my strict teacher Yvonne, I only listened with half a mind as I reflected on the past year that had flown by in a whirlwind of wonder and excitement. Ever since I had learned how to use magic, time had passed in a flash. A passion that had consumed almost all of my free time and been on my mind every waking moment.

I didn’t regret a second of it though. From stealthily 'acquiring' spell books in the dead of night to practicing and perfecting my scientifically modified spells. It had been a blast. Who would have thought that I, a mere mortal, would have the ability to learn and cast magic? Not my past self, that’s for sure.

Other than that, I had gained a few responsibilities too, not that I was against it. A few days after the dinner, I had worked up my courage to request to ask father for an early education. I still remembered the meeting as if it had been yesterday.

My father had sat at his imposing dark-brown desk, carved from heavy wood, surrounded by towering stacks of paper that had loomed on both sides of him. His writing hand had never stilled, moving swiftly from one piece of parchment to the next as he meticulously filled each one with his precise script. His indifferent gaze on the parchment, as he had never spared me a look.

Mustering up all my courage, "Father," I had said, reaping the marquis’s attention, “I have been reading and learning as much as I can, but I feel that I am ready for more. I was wondering if I could receive an education beyond what is available to me at present."

The Marquis had raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Is that so?" he had said, his voice measured and cool. "I must say, I am pleasantly surprised. It takes initiative to want to improve oneself."

He had leaned back in his chair, his eyes piercing as he looked at me. "And what specifically do you wish to learn?"

"Everything, Father," I had said, my voice trembling only slightly. "I want to learn about history, science, geography and any other subjects that will broaden my mind and understanding of the world."

He had steepled his fingers, considering my request. "Very well," he had said at last. "I shall arrange for a tutor. But remember, my motivation is selfish. I hope that you will prove yourself worthy of my blood."

My eyebrows furrowed, and I got angry just thinking about it. What kind of parent would put so much pressure on a child? And who said stuff like that? 'I hope you will prove yourself worthy of my blood'. A shiver ran down my spine as I tried to shake off the feeling of unease.

“Hey!” Yvonne snapped her hand in front of my eyes, “are you even listening child?!”. Glaring at me with displeasure, “Always the same with you noble children.” She muttered as she clicked her tongue.

“I’m sorry Miss Yvonne, I was thinking about the words you said earlier,” I lied without missing a beat, faking a curious expression, “I believe you were talking about the 2 continents of this world? I had always wanted to hear more about the history of the world” I ended with a slight smile.

After a twitch in her brows, she conceded with a sigh. “I was talking about a completely different subject. But fine! Since you are so interested in History, we may as well cover this subject first. But remember, this is the only time I’ll let this fly. There will be no more inattentiveness in my lessons, am I clear?”

“Crystal clear, Miss.” Easy, I thought to myself as I kept smiling.

“Very well, let’s start with the history of our country and that of it’s king. King Ryker the Undying, a man feared and respected by many," began Miss Yvonne, her eyes fixed on mine. "His conquests have earned him the title of 'Undying', as he has fought and won countless battles, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake."

What a war maniac. He sounds like a bloodthirsty monster who took pleasure in the sufferings of others.

"His cruelty knows no bounds," continued Miss Yvonne. "Many have suffered at his hands."

How could someone so cruel be revered as a great leader?

"Nevertheless, we must understand the history of our kingdom," Miss Yvonne continued. "King Ryker's actions, no matter how cruel, have shaped the course of our history and will continue to do so."

I took careful notes as Miss Yvonne spoke, trying to understand the events that led to King Ryker's reign. I may not have agreed with his actions, but I had to understand them if I wanted to thrive in this world.

An hour passed before Miss Yvonne finished speaking about King Ryker, she took a deep breath and turned to me. "Is there anything you would like to ask?" she inquired.

I shook my head, still lost in thought about the atrocities committed by our king. I looked down at my notebook, filled with scribbles and notes about the history of the kingdom.

“Then that is all for this lesson,” She said while packing her notes into her bag “In the next lesson we will go into detail about our neighboring countries and the straining tension between our kingdom of Drakkon and the country of Azurith to our west.”

 

---

 

As I gathered my things and walked out into the long hallway of the mansion, I contemplated on what to do next, wondering if I should go back to my room or join my sister in her swordsmanship training with her new teacher.

I could train my magic any time I wanted, but right this moment, my sister was getting trained by one of our veteran knights. I decided to use this opportunity and made my way to the training grounds.

While walking to the training grounds, I couldn’t help but contemplate Miss Yvonne’s story about the King. Despite his reputation as a ruthless conqueror, there must have been more to him than what met the eye. I refused to believe that he managed to become King just by killing his way up. And what did she mean by rising tensions between our kingdom and Azurith?

As I approached the training grounds, I pushed these thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. My sister's training with Sir Reinhardt should have started by now.

Opening the door to the training grounds, I could hear the sounds of clanging swords and the shouting of commands echoing through the air. The smell of sweat and steel filled my nostrils, and I could feel the energy in the air. As I looked around, I saw my sister, with her long, curly hair tied back in a ponytail, standing in front of Sir Reinhardt, her swordsmanship instructor.

Reinhardt was a tall, imposing figure with broad shoulders and white hair. With a stern expression, he towered over my sister, barking orders and correcting her form as she swung her sword. Despite his rough exterior, I could see the passion in his eyes as he instructed her, and I knew that he was dedicated to helping her become the best warrior she could be.

My sister was a natural, fluid in her movements and quick on her feet. She danced around Reinhardt, her sword glinting in the sun as she practiced the techniques he had taught her. The two of them moved together in perfect harmony, as if they had been training together for years.

As I watched, I could feel a sense of pride swelling in my chest. My sister was becoming stronger and more skilled every day, and I knew that she would become a powerful warrior in her own right. Though I did wonder what she was training for.

I walked closer until Reinhardt noticed me. “Keep going!” he barked as he turned towards me. “Hello, young lady, come to join us once more?” he said in his raspy voice.

I nodded, “Yes, sir, I’ve just finished my studies with Miss Yvonne and wanted to get some more training before dinner.” I said brightly.

Smiling slightly, “As I’ve said before, you are always welcome to learn from me. At this point taking on new students is the best I can do with my time, and what more could I want than to train two cute noble ladies?” he finished with a laugh.

Holding back the urge to roll my eyes, “I’m sure there were many other important things someone of your stature could do?” I replied curiously.

“Perhaps back in my golden days, I could,” he adopted a faraway look, “but not anymore. I’m not fit for battle at this point. Too old.” he pointed at his white hair. “But it ain’t anything for you to think about little lady. How about you worry about yourself first? Training in a dress, ain’t that something?” With a bright grin, he pointed at my attire, which consisted of a beige dress most definitely unfit for training.

Feeling a blush creeping up at my clumsy mistake, “I’ll be right back. I’ll just change into proper clothes.” I called out as I ran towards my room and back.

 

---

 

I grasped the wooden sword from the rack and inspected its weight and balance, feeling a sense of satisfaction with my choice. With purposeful strides, I made my way back to Sir Reinhardt, eager to begin my training.

As I approached, Reinhardt shouted to my sister, "Break!" She stopped swinging her sword, clearly exhausted from the intense training. I walked over to her, impressed by her form and mastery of the weapon. I gave her a pat on the back and offered her words of encouragement.

"Good work, sis. Your form is as perfect as ever." A smile spread across her face as she turned to me, embracing me in a sweaty hug.

"Thanks, Amber," she said between gasps for air. "Are you done with your studies already?"

"Yes," I replied. "Miss Yvonne taught me some history today. It was mostly just about King Ryker and his wars, but I learned a lot nonetheless."

Scrunching her eyebrows, “Ugh, I hated those lessons. Once Miss Yvonne starts, she never stops talking,” she rolled her eyes, “I remember her talking about the importance of arithmetic one time, she droned on about it for hours! I couldn’t keep my eyes open and almost fell asleep!”

Personally, I found her lessons interesting. It was important to know more about the world you lived in, be it politics, geography or any other subject. Though perhaps the history of arithmetic wouldn’t be that high up in priorities. I imagined the vivid image of my sister struggling through a tedious lesson on arithmetic.

I chuckled, “That paints an interesting picture,” I smiled with one raised eyebrow, “surely you got into trouble for that?”

My sister planted her leather boots firmly on the ground, and with a flick of her wrist, began gesticulating animatedly as she recounted her story. "You wouldn't believe it!" she shouted, her voice rising. "Miss Yvonne made me write a three-page essay on the importance of arithmetic. It was the worst!"

I held my belly as I laughed harder, “That’s pretty rough, at least now you know the importance of arithmetic.” I said cheekily.

My sister puffed out her chest, mock-offended. "Hey! No laughing at your big sister's misfortune!" she said playfully, hitting me on the shoulder.

Before long i calmed down and she turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, do you want to spar for a bit? It's been a while since we last crossed swords."

Contemplating it for a bit, I’ll probably lose but it makes good practice. "Sure, let's do it," I said, giving her a challenging look. "I'll show you just how much I've improved."

With a smirk, she spread her arms wide, inviting me to come closer. "Oho? You dare challenge me? Instead of running away, you're coming to me?" she said, a playful tone in her voice.

I rolled my eyes, why did i teach her that. “Whatever sis, let’s go.” I walked 10 steps away from her.

We stopped playing around and started focusing on the spar. Both of us held a serious expression. My sister and I circled each other, both sizing up the other's stance. The sun beat down upon us, but I barely felt its heat. I was completely absorbed in the moment, my heart pounding with excitement.

My sister struck first, her wooden sword slamming into mine with a resounding overhead strike. I held my ground, letting the force of the blow pass through me. I countered with a quick swipe of my own, but she blocked it easily. We traded blows back and forth, each of us trying to find an opening in the other's defense.

I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead as we continued to spar. My muscles were starting to tire, but I pushed through. My sister was relentless, her strikes coming faster and faster. I did my best to keep up, but I knew I was struggling.

Not yet! I thought to myself as I moved my mana. I imagined it coursing through my veins, reaching my muscles and bones. The magic felt like fire, heating me up and filling my muscles with unbound energy. I focused on each muscle, feeling them contract and harden. Feeling myself become stronger, more resilient. This is it!

With renewed vigor, I lunged forward. My wooden sword flashed with speed, my sister was surprised and barely managed to sidestep the blow. As I attempted to strike again, she suddenly stumbled and fell to one knee. I couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph as I moved in for the finishing blow, but just as I was about to strike, she suddenly sprang back to her feet and countered with a swift strike of her own.

The two of us engaged in a furious dance, our wooden swords clashing together with a sharp crack. Sweat streamed down our faces as we strained against each other, each determined to be the one who came out on top. I could see the respect in my sister's eyes as we fought, and I knew that she was giving it her all.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my mana well ran dry and I became noticeably sluggish. She landed a decisive blow that overwhelmed my grip and sent my sword flying from my hand. She grinned as I rubbed my now-sore wrist. "Not bad, little sister," she was panting. "You're getting better every day."

“Thanks, sis,” I smiled ruefully “You’re still a beast as always”. All in all, I was satisfied with my performance. I may have cheated a little by using magic, but then again, my sister was 4 years older than me and that made all the difference at our age.

As I turned around to trudge towards my room with my now aching muscles, I noticed Reinhardt watching me like a hawk. Shit! He was probably suspicious at how I managed to move so fast. He might recognize enhancement magic. Play it cool.

“Thank’s for letting me join in today Sir Reinhardt,” I plastered on a polite smile, “It was very good training”.

He stopped squinting and smiled, “Always happy to have you here young lady, you made some amazing progress,” he said as I walked by him, “though you did cheat a little,” he whispered with knowing eyes and a slight smile. I stopped in my tracks and turned around, looking at him apprehensively. “Don’t you worry,” his smile widened, “Your secret is safe with me. Just make sure to come back and train.”

I thanked him for his silence as I trudged to my room, tired, belittling myself along the way for this unnecessary mistake.

 

---

Reinhardt