Chapter 12: The Agawa Clan

In the tranquil hours just before dawn, the backyard of a large mansion, an eager young girl of 12 years old diligently practiced her swordplay in the backyard. With unwavering determination, each swing of her blade was accompanied by glistening beads of sweat.

"Hyah!" Her voice echoed as her strikes fell upon a straw man.

Born into a family from a long line of military service, the girl had diligently honed her swordplay skills since the age of 5. Her father, a distinguished soldier in their nation's ranks, had personally guided her training from a very young age.

As soon as she could understand speech, her parents had been teaching her about her important role as the heir to the Agawa Clan. The weight of her role and the honor it carried were deeply imprinted on her.

Her father spared no effort in training her rigorously, shaping her to be prepared for her future military service. For generations, her family had produced skilled soldiers whose purpose was to reach the highest rank in the military. While several managed to attain significant military ranks, but none had ever reached the esteemed position of commander.

Attaining the esteemed position of commander within their nation holds a special significance. This rank not only establishes a close connection to the king but also elevates one to the status of a national hero. The role of a commander represents unparalleled excellence and leadership, signifying the pinnacle of the country's defense forces.

Throughout generations, the Agawa Clan had relentlessly pursued this rank, driven by the promise of glory and the honor it would bestow upon their family. Now, the responsibility rested on her shoulders, and her family held great hopes that she might break the tradition and ascend to that revered rank, setting a new precedent for their lineage.

“That’s enough, Tsui. Go and get yourself ready for the academy.”, Tsui’s father instructed. His face held a stern and strict demeanor, a reflection of his military background. He stood in his military uniform, adorned with badges and medals that represent his remarkable service and accomplishments.

Tsui respectfully lowered her head in a slight bow, acknowledging her father's words, and then promptly left. Despite their father daughter bond, any display of affection was absent between them.

Tsui strode through the large hall of her family's mansion, where imposing portraits of her predecessors lined the walls. Each depiction showcased her predecessors donning the same resplendent military attire as her father, their uniforms bedecked with badges and medals.

Arriving onto a white wooden door featured with golden patterns, there was a maid standing next to it. Her head bowed down upon Tsui’s arrival.

“Your bath is ready, miss.”, the maid said, her head still bowed, and eyes closed.

After her bath, Tsui descended the staircase and entered the dining room. The room featured an elegant oval table crafted from walnut wood. At one end of the table, her parents were already seated. Tsui took her place beside them, and without delay, the attentive maids served her breakfast. Among their efforts, one maid gently placed a napkin around Tsui's neck, ensuring her dining experience remained pristine.

While the family was enjoying their breakfast, the father spoke up.

“In a few months, Tsui, you will be turning 13 years old. This will lead to a reduction in the privileges you currently experience.”

Tsui stopped eating her meal, gently placing her utensils down, and responded with a polite yet firm tone, “Yes, father.”

“I trust you understand the reason.”

“Yes, father.”

“Then explain.” Her father replied, testing her comprehension of their actions.

"This is meant to improve my independence, ensuring I won't rely on maids for trivial tasks. It's preparation for my future in the military, where such assistance won't be available."

"Good, always keep in mind the purpose behind this. Finish your breakfast. I'll be leaving first." Her father nodded, rose from his chair, and exited the room.

Now, only Tsui, her mother, and a few maids remained in the dining room.

“Leave us, you may come in after we’ve left the room.” Her mother instructed all the maids in the room.

“Yes, Madam Agawa.” In perfect unison, all the maids responded and exited the room, gently closing the door behind them.

In the private space of the room, it was just the mother and daughter. Her mother's voice turned soft and gentle as she spoke to her daughter. “How was your training today, love?”

Tsui shifted her tone from the seriousness she held while talking to her father, adopting a softer and more casual manner of speaking. “It was the same as always, exhausting.”

“I’ll have the maids to cook your favourites tonight, okay?”

“Won’t father be mad if he finds out?”

“Hmph, your mother is the lady of the house. If I want to eat those for dinner, I’ll have them for dinner! Your father won’t have a say in it. So how is it, dear, your favourites tonight?”

“Mmm, thank you, mother.”

Before departing from the mansion for the academy, Tsui's mother embraced Tsui in a warm hug and bid her farewell. Accompanied by her maid, Tsui made her way to the school on foot, with the maid carrying her bag.

Tsui studied in a prestigious academy, reserved for the upper echelons of society—royalty, nobles, and the privileged. Unlike Tsui, many of her fellow students arrived in luxurious carriages, showcasing their high social standing.

At the prestigious school, students were immersed in a multifaceted education that encompassed a range of subjects. They delved into the world of chivalry, honing their skills in the art of combat, etiquette, and noble virtues.

Additionally, they engaged in literacy studies, mastering the intricacies of reading, writing, and communication. Cathedral schooling was also a vital component, where students explored matters of faith, blessings, philosophy, and theology, nurturing both their intellect and spirituality.

Tsui devoted herself to honing her combat skills and mastering literacy, excelling in these areas. However, her performance in cathedral studies was just above the passing mark, as she considered it less relevant to her military goal.

During the class, Tsui's teacher was imparting lessons on their nation's history.

"128 years ago, a significant agreement was reached between our king and the ruler of Ceania. Recognizing the futility of continued warfare, both leaders wisely chose to halt hostilities.”

The teacher proceeded to delve deeper into the subject, and Tsui attentively took notes.

“As you've been studying, Ceania boasts remarkable mastery of magic, surpassing our own nation in this aspect. However, we have harnessed our understanding of magic to create technologies that outshine even the most powerful spells. By engaging in mutually beneficial trade and knowledge-sharing, our nations have thrived in peace, maintaining a lasting edge in technology, military prowess, and various other domains up to the present day."

A student raised their hand to ask a question. “Sir, then did Krow come from Ceania?”

“Krow Gadran, the Great Inventor, why do you ask?”

“Many of our technology are invented by him, and he’s the only person in our nation that can perform magic higher than 7th tier.”

“Good question. I can see why you might have assumed his origin to be from Ceania, but in fact, Master Krow is from Ocara. He possesses one of the five Catalyst blessings from birth, coupled with his exceptional aptitude for magic. As a result, his proficiency in the realm of magic transcends that of even the accomplished Ceanian practitioners.”

"So, like, why can't he just be our magic teacher? Then we'd totally have better magic than those Ceania folks, you know?"

"In your upcoming cathedral class, you'll learn more about this, but for now, let me provide you with a brief overview. Mana, the magical essence within all living beings, it determines your connection to magic.”

“Yeahh, we’ve learned that our mana determines what sort of blessing we would get too!”

“Among beings, Ceanians stand out due to their significant mana reserves. This enables them to use powerful, though somewhat unstable, high-tier magic. In contrast, Ocara-born possess less mana. However, our mana lies in precision and finesse.”

“So…do you mean like Ceanians have more mana, but theirs are harder to control while we can perform more specific magic?”

“Yes, that is correct.” the teacher affirmed, picking up multiple chalks of varying colors as he began to illustrate on the board. “Reds are Ceanians, and Blues are us, Ocara.”

“As you know, Ceanians have abundant mana, so their spells are stronger. Ocara folks, it's the opposite. Now, think of a weapon: Ceanians might accidentally put too much mana when using it, breaking it due to excessive release. But for us, mana is easy to control, which is why we focus on creating powerful technology. When combined with our mana, these creations can match or even surpass the raw power of Ceanians' magic.”

“Then what if they got hold of our weapons, wouldn’t we lose?”

"This is why we safeguard the knowledge of our technology, and even if others possess our weapons, without adept mana control, those weapons would remain susceptible to breakage."

A surge of students enthusiastically raised their hands, with some even jumping in anticipation, all eager to capture the teacher's attention.

“Sir, sir! Then who would win in a war? Us or Ceania?”

“Have Ceania ever tried to steal our technology? Does that mean even though we have less mana, we still managed to become stronger than them?”

“Are our commanders stronger than theirs?”

As the students' questions grew more sensitive, the teacher intervened to calm them down. It took a few minutes to settle down the excited atmosphere among the students.

"First and foremost, let us acknowledge that we are currently in a period of peace. Engaging in discussions that seek to rank nations or establish superiority serves little purpose. It is important to understand that our ruler and the leader of Ceania share a strong bond of friendship. Thanks to their efforts, we are fortunate to live in times of peace, spared from the hardships of war."

The teacher shifted the focus back to the subject at hand. Throughout the discussion, Tsui had not asked any questions, instead diligently jotting down key points in her notes for later study during her free time.

When Tsui's classes were done for the day, she started putting her things into her bag. She noticed some of her classmates chatting and having a fun discussion together. Curious, Tsui finished packing and then went over to join them.

“What are you guys talking about?” Tsui asked.

“Oh, hi, Tsui!” One of her classmates greeted her, and said, “I think we should invite Tsui too.”

“Sure, it’s more fun when there’s more people!”

“Are you sure? I don’t think she can go.”

“Hmm, why?”

“Tsui is always busy, some of us tried inviting her before, but she’s always unable to come.”

Still confused as to what her classmates were talking about, Tsui asked. “Where are you guys going?”

“We are going to Romann’s birthday party tomorrow after school.”

“Yeah, my mum bought a lot of stuff for us to play too! Do you want to come, Tsui?”

Tsui wished to attend the birthday party, but she needed her parents' approval. “I’ll tell you tomorrow at class, okay? I have to ask my parents first.”

“Sure, Tsui. I hope you can come!”

“That’s what you said last time, Tsui. She won’t come, Romann.”

“Hey, don’t say that! She said she would ask her parents.”

After their conversation, Tsui departed from the academy alongside her classmates. Outside the academy gate, rows of elegant carriages awaited to take the students home. Each students said goodbye to their friends as they entered their own carriage.

Tsui stood by the gate, waiting for her maid to accompany her home. To her surprise, she spotted a familiar carriage approaching – with the emblem of her clan. Her mother was inside, waving at Tsui with a smile. “Here, Tsui!”

Tsui hurried over to the carriage, and her butler courteously opened the door for her. Stepping inside, Tsui greeted her mother.

“Why did you come to pick me up today, mother?” Tsui asked.

"Oh, dear, I was just heading back from a meeting and happened to be passing by your academy. I thought, why not pick up my precious daughter on the way?"

“What about Jenny? Does she know that you came to pick me up instead?”

“It’s okay, I’ll use [Message] to inform her later.”

During the carriage ride home, Tsui had been gathering her thoughts, preparing to ask her mother a question. Quietly contemplating, she carefully considered how to frame her question.

Gripping her own hands tightly, she asked. “Mother, can I ask you something?”

“Yes, love?”

“Can…can I go to Romann’s birthday party tomorrow after school?”

Her mother let out a soft gasp and turned her gaze toward Tsui, a hint of surprise evident in her expression.

“Don’t you have magic practice after school tomorrow?”

“Yes…I know, but can’t I have them on another day? It’s my friend’s birthday.”

“I’m sorry, but you can’t miss your lesson to go to a party.”

“What if I practice my magic after I finished studying tonight?”

“But then you would not get enough rest, love.”

Tsui came up with various ideas in an attempt to persuade her mother to allow her to attend Romann's birthday party. However, each suggestion was met with a rejection.

"I'm sorry, love. I know you're excited, but it's important to prioritize your studies right now. When you're a bit older, there will be more opportunities for such gatherings. For now, let's focus on your studies."

“You said that when I was 7 years old…when will I ever be old enough?” Tsui muttered quietly to herself.

Tsui’s mother heard the whisper, a tinge of sadness could be seen on her face. It was evident that she wished she could fulfil her daughter's request, but she knew Tsui’s father would disapprove such request, and may even reprimand her daughter for even asking.

Resting her head against the carriage window, Tsui remembered the lessons she had learnt at the academy today. She asked her mother, “Mother, we are in a peaceful time, is there even a reason for me to become commander?”

"My dear Tsui, I know it might not seem clear to you now, given your age, but the title of Commander holds a deeper meaning beyond times of conflict. It's a symbol of hope and guidance. You see, being a commander involves more than just leading in battle. It means shaping our nation's soldiers, ensuring they are well-prepared for any situation, even in times of unexpected challenges."

“What if I don’t want to be one?”

"Darling, this choice isn't solely ours to make—it's a tradition that has been passed down through our family for generations. Consider the immense honor and pride you could bring to our name, and the positive impact you could have on our nation's future. What better expression of your love for our homeland could there be?”

“Mmm…I won’t ask to attend any party in the future again.”

"I hope that with time, my dear Tsui, you'll come to understand. As you grow older, things might become clearer." Her mother's voice was tender, her arms wrapping Tsui in a comforting hug, patting on Tsui’s back and head.