4 Nightly Guest Part 1 (1/2)
In the training grounds of the Iphelleta mansion.
Within the dark field, a black-haired boy stood.
The way he held the wooden sword was a little awkward.
”Hoo…”
The boy sighed while staring at the dummy.
It was a dummy filled with straw, without any sort of internal mechanisms; it was purely for novices.
'Shall I test it?'
He mumbled to himself as he spread his feet to shoulder width.
This stance was quite different from that of his two brothers.
After controlling his breathing, he charged toward the dummy, striking it.
”Huwaap!”
Smack!
The strike made a dull noise.
”...”
A new mark could be seen on the dummy.
The mark was very faint, but it was a good strike nonetheless, considering it was his first time swinging the sword.
Yet, it was hard to count it as a strike from the Iphelleta House, the House that was said to be blessed by the sword.
”Young...master?”
Ian, who saw the strike happen, spoke uncertainly.
It was…severely lacking compared to his expectations.
As far as Ian knew, Riley had more than enough talent to cut the dummy's head in a single slash.
The situation now looked worse than ever.
”P-Please, try again!”
Ian shook his head and pleaded once more.
He thought to himself repeatedly that his eyes did not deceive him.
”This should do...”
Riley muttered faintly.
He then proceeded to cast away the wooden blade upon the ground.
”Young master?”
”That's it. I'm bored.”
Surprised, Ian stretched his arm towards him.
”W-Where are you going?”
”The library. I'll just read myself to sleep.”
”Young master! Please, just one more time!”
Ian bit his lips as his eyes gazed upon the wooden blade lying on the ground.
”Kuu...”
A warrior throwing his blade away?
Ian knew how heavy of a meaning it carried.
Although Riley would not have had a clue what it meant.
***
”He changes his mind like a girl does changing her clothes.”
”Really?”
In a room, shrouded in darkness.
A woman wearing a white dress turned her head.
Behind her was a hooded man, who had his head lowered. Dressed fully in black, he followed her like a shadow.
”How was his skill?”
The woman asked while looking out through the moonlit windows.
”His skill was...”
The hooded figure paused momentarily.
”Atrocious.”
”...”
”I do not know if these words would fit a man of the Iphelleta House, but his talent for the blade was nonexistent. The strike he displayed was a perfect example of a novice.”
The woman smirked upon hearing the man's report.
”Well what did you expect? He is the famous Master Lazy Sword.”
As she spoke to herself, the man tilted his head as he asked a question.
”Then are the rumors true? That he has never swung a sword?”
”Yes. It is true.”
”Huh.”
The man, an assassin hired by the woman, sighed in disbelief.
Anyone in the Iphelleta House could become successful by wielding a sword.
In that family, he was born a third child, and did nothing.
And when he finally changed his mind at the age of 18, he threw away the sword realising it had little effect.
How useless.
How pathetic that child is.
”It didn't seem like he has a weak body either. How shameless.”