By Zephyria 
Holding Michael, I quietly recalled the bright faces of Mother and Father. Dealing with those pitiable and lovely beings who constantly burst into laughter felt less like respecting them as parents and more like doting on a cherished nephew or grandchild. Today was just like that. Their reaction, so surprised and delighted by a mere invitation to play, was unbearably cute. Recalling Mother’s face, excited at the thought of the whole family dressing in clothes of the same color and going out as if to a ball, and Father, who usually put on a solemn and dignified air, unable to hide his thrilled heart and fidgeting, a smile crept onto my lips. I wrapped my arms around the child sleeping with his arms around my waist and held him tight. Perhaps it was because he was buried in the soft goose-down duvet, or perhaps because he was sound asleep. Michael’s body temperature was noticeably warmer than usual. I already felt a pang of regret that the two months I would spend with my family were passing by so quickly, and I pondered how best to spend each day.
❖ ❖ ❖
A journey is a journey, but training must not be neglected. I woke up before dawn and, as usual, headed to the family’s martial arts training ground. It seemed they had continued their morning training diligently even after I left for the academy, as fifteen out of fifty knights were present in the training ground. As I greeted the familiar faces, some among the group let out cheers. Seeing the exchange of silver coins among them, I let out a hollow laugh. There were times I had found them unsatisfactory, lacking a serious demeanor despite walking the path of a martial artist, but not anymore. These knights, with their delicate dispositions of mutual respect and concern, suited this free and gentle territory well.
“See, I told you our young master would definitely show up on time.”
“Did you really come out for training at the crack of dawn every day even at the academy?”
“What’s there to say? It’s a waste of breath. Right, young master?”
“Yes, I did.”
The knights of Count Ernhardt’s family were called the Magnolia Knights. It was said that the knights from the Count’s estate, where my paternal grandfather resided, and the knights from the Viscount’s estate where I currently lived, were close. They trained together a few times a year and exchanged members on a regular schedule. Knights who had not yet started families, in particular, would move between the two estates more frequently, choosing which workplace suited them best. The duties of the knights belonging to the family generally involved the security and guarding of the mansion, and the maintenance of order in the territory. Naturally, they were admired by many. Their magnificent bearing, characteristic of those who consistently trained their bodies, easily captivated people’s eyes. Being able to maintain a robust physique even in old age and receive a steady monthly salary was also something to be proud of. Children who dreamed of becoming knights would, at a young age, voluntarily pledge themselves as retainers and join the family’s ranks. Even without an exceptional martial physique, by the age of eight to ten, they could become third-rate martial artists by performing errands and training their bodies. Those who progressed further and reached the level of second-rate martial artists would receive the title of knight from the lord they served. The title of knight was a Single Ascent Title, and any family head with a title of Viscount or higher could personally bestow the rank of knight.
Before I enrolled in Shierun Academy, I honed my body in this martial arts training ground. I ran a set distance with sandbags strapped to my arms and legs. I drew the Three Calamities with a wooden sword. This seemingly simple training was partly due to my underdeveloped body lacking a solid foundation, but it was also an effort to avoid arousing suspicion. It was unexpected that the knights, seeing my efforts, would also come out to train. The family’s knights ran alongside me at my pace or swung their swords with me. Seeing their efforts, I also reviewed their stances and we contemplated swordplay together. In this way, we naturally grew closer. When I repeatedly urged them to treat me informally, as the son of their master, they spoke to me casually, unlike how they treated other servants. Perhaps because of this, they were the closest and most familiar people to me, excluding my blood relatives.
Among them, Sir Clover Lawrence was a great effortful individual. When I first began training, he was only at the level of a second-rate martial artist, but he reached the Peak realm in less than ten years. Even considering that he grew up listening to lessons on how to utilize qi in various ways with the clear energy of Shierun’s nature, it was a commendable pace. Lawrence, who was barely a youth, was now close to twenty and five years ago, he married one of the maids who served my Mother closely, holding the wedding reception at the Ernhardt Viscount’s estate. It was rewarding to have feigned ignorance after seeing him sneak into rooms several times, shyly worried about being discovered by his superiors.
Lawrence, tucking silver coins into his pouch, approached Ikyun with a wide grin. “Thanks to you, young master, I made a lot of money today.”
“Are you going to give it to Daisy?”
“It’s nice to give it to her as is, but I was thinking of buying a flower as a souvenir too.”
I smiled back at his playful expression and tone. Perhaps it was because their affection began at work, or perhaps they were more anxious because they had to suppress their longing for each other during working hours, he rambled on, but I only half-listened.
I took my position in the training ground. The knights also familiarized themselves, standing at a distance where their swords wouldn’t reach each other, and raised their swords.
“How did you all train while I was away?”
“We did a simple warm-up, and we considered one round to be five hundred repetitions each of horizontal cuts, vertical cuts, and thrusts of the Three Calamities Sword Technique you taught us.”
“Five hundred?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…”
“…No, you said the same thing when you were here? You said it would interfere with afternoon duty if we did a thousand, so you adjusted the number of repetitions years ago.”
“It’s been years since then. You should be able to do five hundred repetitions with ease now. If you’ve reached a higher realm, you should be a bit more ambitious.”
“Well, that’s true…”
There were about four or five who hesitated. They were content with this peaceful land. Even though they knew that reaching a strong realm was distant if one couldn’t endure immediate physical discomfort, they were like that. When they were at the third-rate or second-rate level, they trained diligently because they wanted to become stronger, but once they reached a certain level, they were satisfied with their current selves and neglected their training. If it were me before entering Shierun Academy, I would have scolded them severely. Thinking that they wouldn’t be able to hold onto their lives if they didn’t strive to become even a little stronger, I would have urged and reprimanded them until they listened to me. But now, even if I tried to feign impatience, I wasn’t impatient.
“Those who don’t want to can sit out. Only those who wish to will do a thousand repetitions of the basic training. I’ll teach you a newly learned sword technique based on what I see today.”
“What? No, if you say it like that, we have no choice but to do it.”
“Wow, no… It seems our eldest young master learned something strange at Shierun Academy.”
The knights, who had previously witnessed the Changcheon Muae Sword and learned some of it, grumbled but took their stances. Even the lazy ones’ eyes lit up, filling me with pride. These were the people I had personally selected and painstakingly taught basic sword techniques, sword techniques that could be used without internal energy, and footwork, nurturing them to this point. There was a reason I considered them my disciples and cherished them.
The knights grumbled about dying here and there. I paid them no mind. As soon as the first swing began, all the knights wore serious expressions. Standing firmly with their legs spread, they drew the path the sword should take, as if they had never made a sad face. Straight and true. Right and proper. The path they drew with their upright lines filled me with delight. I suppressed the urge to smile constantly at their quiet, calm swords, which were so lovely and commendable. Facing them, I also drew the Three Calamities. Simultaneously, I counted the repetitions in my head. The feeling was so different between those who were merely doing their own training and those who were teaching. Mimicking Maelo Sanson’s expression, I looked at each of them calmly with a gentle smile. It was quite amusing when they deliberately put on a crying face whenever I offered a correction. Sir Ian Venters, who had seen me off to Shierun Academy, was relatively better among them. Sir Ian Venters, now forty-three years old, held the position of vice-captain of the Magnolia Knights. He knew how to smile humorously, his speech and actions were full of ease, and his shoulders were broad and his muscles robust. He was a master of the Peak realm. His martial prowess was too great to remain as a mere knight of a single territory, but having grown up under Ernhardt’s protection since his days as a retainer, he was a man who commanded sufficient respect within the family, his shining loyalty unwavering. It was no wonder that the Three Calamities did not seem difficult for a master of the Peak realm, yet he trained with a consistently serious attitude. I observed him closely. In my heart, I wanted to teach them exactly as Maelo Sanson trained, but my own realm was still insufficient, so this was the best I could do.
Even those who easily completed five hundred downward strikes began to falter in their stances just before reaching a thousand. It took quite some time to correct them, and after the remaining two groups also practiced the Three Calamities, the day had already dawned. We parted ways, promising to continue next time. Everyone hurried to wash up and eat breakfast, heading to the dormitories in a group. I also headed to my room. Familiar footsteps followed behind me. It was Sir Venters.
“What is it?”
“No, it’s just that since you’ve been away for so long, I felt like I couldn’t properly greet you. I was also curious how much our eldest young master has grown. You should tell me about your academy life too.”
“Well…”
Looking up at his good-natured smile, I felt the reality of being home. However, the scent of sweat wafted from his large body standing close by, and I shook my head.
“Let’s finish talking after you wash up and come back. Seeing you at morning training today, Sir Venters, you’re on afternoon duty, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s have breakfast together. The three of us, with Michael.”
“Yes! I’ll go get ready. I’ll tell the kitchen to be sure to include meat for breakfast.”
“…Alright.”
I felt a sense of amusement anew. Meat for breakfast, of all things. Well, that large body wouldn’t have been built easily. It was a body shaped by everyone in the kitchen. I smiled contentedly. In the Central Plains, people often subsisted on wall-breaking pills (pills made of grains and other ingredients, often used as meal replacements during secluded training) while pursuing the Way or cultivating qi. However, it was natural for those who ate and slept well from a young age to have larger bodies. He was a big eater who consumed enormous quantities of food in a neat and mannerly fashion, not being picky about what he ate. As far as I knew, he was also a martial artist who used a fork most deftly. If there were a martial arts competition using forks, Sir Venters might even win. For that reason, as a child, I used to try to emulate his boundless appetite by eating with Sir Venters. Now, I knew that consuming an appropriate amount and increasing exercise was a more suitable method for me than eating a lot without restraint, but dining with Sir Venters was not an unfamiliar experience.
A servant informed me that breakfast was prepared in the greenhouse. I, having just washed up, carried Michael, whose body was not yet fully developed for long walks, on one arm and headed to the greenhouse. As soon as I saw the table, I burst into laughter. It was common for the kitchen staff to put in their utmost effort to prepare a lavish meal when preparing for my and Sir Venters’ meals, but this time, perhaps because it had been a while, it was excessively abundant and very amusing. Michael’s exclamations and clapping rang in my ears.