Even the disciplinary measures taken against Damian were too lenient, as he had become a worse person, resulting in further strained relationships with both of his parents. This led him to naturally gravitate towards people of shallow character.
Damian regularly hung out in Belzerg and acted like a local menace with people he called his "friends." While his above-average sword ability made him tough, his magical capabilities left something to be desired.
Damian made every effort to avoid contact with Fenris as much as possible, except when he was forced to, such as during dinner. Fenris shared this sentiment, not wanting to deal with someone who acted in such a bratty manner.
Despite knowing he was inferior to Fenris, Damian contradicted himself by believing he would somehow surpass him sooner or later, whether by the sword or with magic.
-----
In the Tonelico family, many boys (and girls) had attended Argentis, one of the oldest and most prestigious magic academies on the continent. For the Tonelico clan, it was a tradition for children to have attended there. And since the relatively recent addition of swordsmanship classes, there was no excuse for them not to go.
To limit influence, the Tonelico's decided that only two of their children - one boy and one girl - could attend Argentis at a time. This rule motivated their children to strive for excellence in order to earn the privilege of studying there.
From Fenris's perspective, the most surprising aspect was that girls were granted equal standing with men in terms of inheritance, thanks to their ability to demonstrate impressive feats using magic. In contrast, back on Earth during those times, the situation was quite the opposite.
Fenris was still grappling with Rifa's departure, but now he had his mind set on attending Argentis. After all, it was her wish for him.
On his twelfth birthday, there was no grand celebration. Birthdays were not typically celebrated every year on this planet, unlike on Earth. Instead, a big party was held for each fifth birthday, with ages 5, 10, and 15 being the most important. This tradition was significant not only in the countryside but also among the nobility. The age of fifteen was considered the turning point into adulthood, as most people would start working at that age. However, for certain occupations such as the military, one had to be at least 18 years old to join.
That evening, the Tonelico family gathered for their usual dinner, but there was an unspoken tension in the air.
Damian had just learned of Fenris's desire to attend the prestigious Argentis academy and was furious about it. At the dinner table, he decided to push Fenris's buttons, hoping to discredit him in Marcos's eyes.
He started by giving dirty looks towards Sara, knowing that she meant a lot to Fenris. She felt uncomfortable and silently reached out to Fenris for support.
"Don't pay attention to him," Fenris whispered before returning to his meal. Sara followed his advice and tried to focus on her food, but she couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling caused by Damian's glares.
Damian's jaw tightened as he realized his attempts to provoke Fenris had no effect. Frustrated, he began eating faster in hopes of satisfying his growling stomach.
Meanwhile, Fenris had yet to share his desire to attend Argentis with his father. He stood up from the table and turned towards Marcos, catching the attention of everyone else at dinner.
"Father, I have a request," Fenris spoke up.
"What is it, my son?" Marcos raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Out of respect for Ms. Rifa's wishes for me, I, as a part of the glorious Tonelico family, want my own skills to contribute to the kingdom. Please allow me to enroll in the Argentis Spellsword Academy," Fenris stated, placing a hand over his heart.
A tense silence hung in the air as Marcos carefully considered his response. Though he had a soft spot for his son Fenris, he knew he needed to remain impartial. "Very well."
"But don't think being a count's son will exempt you from taking the entrance exam. You'll have to earn your place on your own merits."
"I understand, thank you," Fenris replied gratefully.
Damian's attention snapped back to the conversation as soon as he heard his father giving Fenris the opportunity to attend the prestigious academy of Argentis. Gritting his teeth, he shot Fenris an angry glare.
"I do have one other request," Fenris continued, ignoring Damian's hostility. "May I also bring Sara along as my attendant?"
Fenris wanted to keep Sara close and take advantage of the discount on tuition fees for bringing a servant with him.
Sara was taken aback by this request, but couldn't hide her excitement at the thought of staying by Fenris's side. She struggled to contain her wide grin of joy.
For Damian, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. He slammed his hand on the table and turned to face his father. "What are you thinking, Father?!"
"The Tonelico family has never allowed two sons to follow the same path for generations! I was supposed to be the one attending the academy next spring after Fabian! Why break this tradition and enroll this guy?" Damian angrily gestured at Fenris before Marcos could even speak.
"Fenris, I challenge you to a duel! The wager will be attendance at the academy! And the loser must leave this house immediately!!" Damian declared in a fit of rage.
Isn't that a bit beyond our control, Damian? Fenris thought as he forced himself a strained smile at the ridiculousness of it all. Sara was a bit unnerved by Damian's outburst, but she stood by Fenris's side, no longer wanting to cower in fear.
"Damian! Sit down and show some respect at the dinner table!" Marcos snapped, fed up with his son's insolence. But before he could scold him further, Fenris interrupted. "I accept your challenge."
Marcos turned to face Fenris in surprise that he would agree to Damian's offer. His anger was replaced with confusion. "Fenris, are you sure about this?"
"Yes, Father," Fenris confirmed.
"Then it is settled. The duel will take place tomorrow morning following the rules of the Kingdom's standard. That means no magic and treating it as a real fight. I will be the officiator," Marcos explained to both Fenris and Damian, who nodded in agreement.
With his food finished, Fenris stood up from the table. "May I be excused, Father?"
"You may," Marcos gestured for Fenris to leave the room.
Despite seeming satisfied with the outcome of the discussion, Damian stormed out of the dining room in a rage. Fenris followed suit and headed to his bedroom.
"What an ordeal..." he sighed heavily as he closed the door behind him. He made his way to his desk and pulled out a children's fairy tale book from one of his drawers. When he was younger, this book helped him learn how to read the language of this world. Now that he understood it, reading the book was actually pretty enjoyable.
As he flipped through the pages, Fenris became completely engrossed in the story until there was a sudden knock on his door, bringing him back to reality.
"Come in," he called out, quickly putting the book away. To his surprise, Fabian walked into the room. Even more surprising was the large dark box he was carrying behind his back.
"Fabian?" Fenris said, confused.
Fenris stepped aside to let Fabian close the door behind him. "Why are you here so late?" he asked curiously.
Fabian let out a sigh and decided to get straight to the point. "I know it's late, but happy birthday Fenris."
Fenris couldn't help but smile at Fabian's words. Meanwhile, Fabian revealed the large, slender box he had been hiding behind his back.
"What is that?" Fenris asked, pointing to the box.
"It's a present from Rifa. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to prepare it herself so she asked me to deliver it to you. Consider it a gift from both of us," Fabian explained.
"For me...?" Fenris said in disbelief.
"Of course! Open it," Fabian urged. Excitedly, Fenris opened the box and found a beautifully decorated sword inside.
The sword was a magnificent sight, adorned with golden detailing and a purple handle. Its blade bore a striking cross symbol and the cross-guard was intricately inscribed with runes. It was a truly captivating weapon, but how did Rifa acquire it?
Regardless, Fenris couldn't help but feel grateful for the gift from Fabian. "Thank you, Fabian," he said out of gratitude.
"You're welcome. I heard you've been working hard on your sword skills," Fabian replied. But there was something else weighing on his mind. With a heavy sigh, he decided to come clean.
"I'm sorry, Fenris."
"What for?"
"For keeping my distance from you. It's just...you were always such an odd kid to me and I didn't know how to act around you. Plus, my duties as the eldest got in the way..." Fabian explained, with a hint of emotion in his voice as he bowed towards Fenris.
"Thanks," Fenris nodded in gratitude.
"Oh, and in tomorrow's duel, could you maybe go easy on Damian? It could be a good learning experience for him."
"I'll try my best." Fenris chuckled at Fabian's request.
"And when you enroll in the academy, study hard."
"I will. And you make sure to learn how to be a proper court mage and lord, alright?"
"Hmph, we'll see how that goes," Fabian teased. They exchanged their goodbyes as Fabian left the room. Fenris turned his attention to the gift in his hands, its beauty almost nauseating.
He hung it proudly on the wall along with all of his other cherished possessions. As he gazed at the sword's sheath and blade, he felt a sense of pride and joy.
Fenris's senses suddenly picked up a large concentration of mana outside the house. His mind snapped into focus as he quickly created a barrier on the windows. However, the strong wind still managed to force the windows open, pushing against the barrier.
Thankfully, no damage was done, but Fenris had more pressing matters at hand. He recognized a familiar voice coming from below and approached the open window. The voice belonged to Damian, who seemed to be calling him out.
"Fenris! You think you're better than me? Then come down here, you little shit!" With an irritated sigh, Fenris grabbed his newly obtained sword and leaped out of the window to confront Damian on the ground.
The sudden gust of wind rattled the windows and stirred everyone awake in the mansion. They peered outside to see Fenris and Damian standing face to face, illuminated by the moon's light.
Fenris gripped his sword, still sheathed at his side, while Damian gave him a disdainful look. Fenris was the first one to speak.
"Couldn't contain your anger for one night? That's classic Damian for you," Fenris said mockingly. There wasn't much room Damian as giving him for respect, so why bother?
Naturally, Damian was even angrier now. "Oh, shut up! Stop playing innocent! You're stealing all of the attention from me! Let's handle this like men!"
"Screw Father's rules! They're way too soft!" Damian declared. "The first one to draw blood wins!"
Fenris smirked at Damian's words. "Do you have no sense of honor? That says a lot about your character. But go ahead, do as you wish."
Damian's face twisted as he used magic to enhance his physical abilities and charged towards Fenris at blinding speeds. However, Fenris effortlessly blocked Damian's attack with his blade.
Damian made another attempt, this time coming at Fenris from different angles in quick succession. However, Fenris effortlessly blocked each strike.
"Your technique is decent, but it lacks a certain finesse," he remarked. He then slashed across with his sword, but Damian managed to dodge it before being forced to retreat.
Feeling cheeky, Fenris decided to toy with Damian a little. He sheathed his sword and stood with open hands, signaling surrender. Damian took the bait and charged towards him. As Damian lunged forward, Fenris used his hands to guide the sword away and landed a swift punch to Damian's face, causing him to stumble backward.
Fenris's blow landed with such force that Damian's nose broke, even though he was holding back. Damian quickly used magic to heal the wound while giving Fenris an angry glare. "H-How... you bastard!"
"You said you wanted to settle this like men. But you seem to be less of a man and more like a tortoise," Fenris taunted Damian as he readied himself for another strike. He unsheathed his sword once again.
Time to put this sword to the test. Fenris could feel the immense power radiating from it as he went on the offensive. He appeared in front of Damian and swung the sword half-heartedly. However, when it made impact with Damian's blade, it shattered into pieces.
Fenris and Damian were both taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, but Damian seemed to be the most affected. Fenris stepped back to inspect his sword in disbelief, as it had effortlessly shattered a metal blade. Meanwhile, Damian remained frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.
Fenris snapped out of his trance and took advantage of the opportunity to win the fight. He held his sword to Damian's neck, pressing it against the skin until a thin line of blood appeared.
"It's over, Damian. If you have any shred of honor left, you'll tell our father tomorrow that you give up on the duel. Understood?"
Damian clenched his jaw in frustration but eventually accepted defeat. Fenris sheathed his sword as Damian walked away, using magic to heal the wound on his neck. Before disappearing back into the mansion, Damian cast one more glance back at Fenris with tears in his eyes.
Fenris let out a sigh of relief as he flew back into his room. With his spot at the academy secured, he could finally relax a bit. "I only have to wait three more years," he muttered to himself, flopping onto his bed.
Suddenly, he heard hushed whispers coming from his sword. He turned his head towards it, and the whispers grew louder until they abruptly stopped. Though confused, Fenris shrugged it off and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
