6 Just Who...? Part 1 (1/2)
Morning, at Count Stein's office.
”So, Riley had a go with the sword?”
”Yes.”
Ian reported to Stein what had happened yesterday.
Yesterday, Riley had gone to the training grounds after watching his mother collapse.
Ian added that the lazy atmosphere that usually surrounded Riley had vanished for a moment.
”Well he did have a go, but...”
Although it was good news that the lazy child displayed potential to some extent, there was an additional piece of information that would counteract the former, with room to spare.
”He lost interest immediately.”
”Immediately?”
”I assume he was disappointed with the power of his swing.”
That meant that his swordsmanship was beyond pathetic.
”Hmm.”
Stein who had been tapping on his desk nodded.
”Alright. You may leave.”
”Master, perhaps you should give...”
”I'm already having a headache with the rat that infiltrated the manor. I had already surmised that Riley would only amountto that. There is no reason to teach the swordsmanship of the Iphelleta House to someone who lacks any form of motivation. I'm sure my ancestors would think the same.”
After finishing his words, Stein flicked his hand to shoo Ian away.
Ian turned to leave with his head lowered ruefully.
***
Riley managed to find the perfect angle to lie down on his preferred apple tree.
This was the sort of angle he found only once a fortnight.
If he were to move now, it would be lost for the rest of the day.
Therefore, Riley would not move from where he was.
”I wonder if that will fall anytime soon.”
He had been licking his lips while staring at the apple which had been dangling on the tree.
For a while now, he had been waiting for it to fall on its own.
Perhaps by the wind,
Perhaps due to a worm,
Or perhaps a bird would land on it.
He was waiting in anticipation for the single apple directly above his head to fall to him.
Were he to stand and take it himself, he would be forced to relinquish his perfect position.
”Ha. Young master...”
Riley, who had been counting the number of leaves around the apple, turned his attention away.
The words that came from behind were equivalent to sighs of dismay.
Naturally, the man who spoke those words was a dejected Ian.
”What's up? You seem pretty down.”
Riley shifted his eyes to glance at Ian.
”...”
”Ah! I see! Is it raining today? Your back and knees must be aching.”
Ian began to give Riley a glare.
”...”
”Right?”
Riley scratched his head and looked up at the sky.
The sky was blue, with not a cloud in sight.
”Was I wrong?”
”Young master!”
Ian suddenly shouted at Riley.
”Geez, you surprised me...”
Riley almost flinched out of his perfect position.
”Will you really give up after that?”
”What about it?”
Riley replied as if asking what the problem was.
Ian continued speaking with his hands curled into fists.
”I will give you praise for finding those seeds for Lady Iris; she has recovered considerably thanks to them!”
Of course.
They were no ordinary seeds.
Riley had placed special enchantment on the seeds.
”But, to give up after only one swing! That's... That's....!”
Ian's words began to falter.
As the first man to have had seen Riley's potential, he was also the one to be the most devastated by his lack of motivation.
He wondered if his lifespan had shortened from watching so much potential wither away. Or perhaps it had given him cancer.
”Well, if I can't win with a sword, I'll just become a mage. I like reading better anyway.”
At least cancer could be cured, with some luck.
Ian screamed in frustration.
”What, you think becoming a mage is...”
Is that easy?!
Just when he was about to ask, Riley turned his gaze elsewhere.
It was directed above him, between the leaves of the apple tree.
”What are you looking at?”
”An apple.”
”Why?”
”I thought if I became a mage, I could take that apple without standing...”