"Ready? Let's begin then…""What is this? You are going to teach me the sword...?" Josiah asked."Teach you 'about' the sword, that is. Here, grab it." Thomas did not hold himself as he threw a heavy broadsword at a four-year-old child. Josiah didn't mind and caught it on the air by the hilt, like he was accustomed to it, though."You really are skilled. I used to be skeptical about the stories surrounding the royal bloodline, but watching the son of the emperor grow beside my eyes made me realize the rumors really are true… The superstition surrounding the royalblood is something I never gave credit, but seeing you with these old eyes, I'm starting to believe…"Josiah stopped looking at the sword's shape and brightness and got focused on the old servant's words:"What is this all about royal blood and bloodline you keep saying of?""You know you have been born inside the castle of Bucoa. Those who are born with the bloodline of the emperor or the high skilled combatants are called 'ro
"Listen… I am going to tell you all about the role of the blood on the level system…" Thomas said as Josiah was holding his promised sword given by his mother."…Young master, I believe you must have noticed how the hilts of the blades are very heavy on the design. Do you see this symbol on the very center of the hilt of yours?""Yes. It resembles the one mom was holding…" "You remember!?""Huh… Vaguely, yeah." 'Oops. I almost let it out…' Josiah thought to himself."If you look closely this is a number that is engraved, it's stylized but it is the number '1'.""You're right!"Of course, it was not the sticky figure of the number 1 of the language oh the world Josiah was accustomed to, it was the number 1 engraved on the calligraphy of Bucoa's written language, which he strived to learn in the first four years of his new life."This means this blade is currently at level one."Josiah made a skeptical face. 'Is this really an RPG then?' He muttered to himself."But the power of the bla
"Ngaaa!""Wraaah!""Ya!"Thomas was resting one of the hands on his chin, as he sipped his beverage, watching the young boy trying to make something of his new present."You do know you don't need to shout those words every time you swing it, right?""Shut up, old man. It's unavoidable! I think I'm almost getting it!""Oh?""Wraa! You don't sound convinced…""To be fair I haven't seen a trace of my unique skill until my bind sword was level 10 or so… Of course, it could be different for you. You do have the bloodline of a strong family, which has bound great weapons for generations, after all."Josiah was already panting, and after all, he just swung his weapon repeatedly. His blood didn't seem to hint any other interesting bound with his blood.'That old vile bastard… 'it could be different for you', but you are not believing this at all are you?' He observed.Josiah had a sudden idea:"Maybe if I drip some droplets of blood on my own above it?" "No! That's a taboo!""Wait, it works!
For one year and a half, Josiah took the words of his mother's loyal servant to the risk and went out to train every single day after the farm work. Thomas would supervise him, as promised, and they would return home late at night.Josiah would slay beasts to strengthen his sword and would train on the air and inanimate objects to strengthen his skill expertise. Occasionally he would also spar with Thomas himself, who would then give him some tips.In that night they were sparring with each other. Whenever Thomas was about to overcome the kid with his weapon he would stop right before the blade cut him through. Josiah didn't hold the skill to do the same, but so far he never needed to, as he never landed a single blow on the old man.But he was getting better fast. As of now, it was very unlikely he would let himself get caught before thirty seconds of fighting.In the middle of an exchange of clashes, Josiah was analyzing:'There… He always uses his body weight and momentum to lean m
Josiah got so obsessed with him unlocking a new ability that he could barely sleep. On the next day he quickly finished his chores at the farm so that he could stay free to practice his newly acquired skill. He was willing to check the extent of the power of his newly acquired weapons. 'Apart from inner strength was there something else? What if the bound weapons generated by the blood reaction also gave other weapons powers as well? That would be the best!' he thought.Josiah knew the quockpete he fought that day over a year ago lived in a swamp near the farm, ever since that day he moved out from the woods after he killed its partner. Thomas had told him not to go there until he was ready, but every once in a while, the stubborn Josiah would disobey and try.It took him over a year, but lately, he had been able to almost deal with it. Although he didn't have much confidence in his win since he would win 1 or 2 out of 10 battles in his current state.This time, however, Josiah had an
"Are you okay?""You… I told you to run away… Argh."The girl ran to Josiah in order to help him lift his body out of the grass."Not now. You are all hurt. Come.""Come? Where? Do you live around here? I also live nearb…" 'Wait' Josiah interrupted himself with a thought: 'it's better to let her mother treat me or something. If the old man finds out I was fighting a pair of those things out of his sight he'll never teach me anything again.'He followed the girl around the forest. She would walk fast with her hand on his arm, but her fast wasn't exactly his fast, as he was accustomed to Thomas' heavy training.She wasn't much of a talker either, probably an age thing."How old are you?""Five. And you?""F… Er… I'm also five." Josiah answered. 'Yeah… That's my age.' He thought."Then we are the same age!"She stopped running for a second and looked at Josiah.She had deep black eyes and a bright smile."I am Lenny.""I am Josiah.""Come. Let's go."She resumed walking."But then again…
"Hey Josiah, where were you?" Thomas asked.He was in the front of the entrance and Josiah knew he wouldn't let him in without answering properly."I… Was in a friend's house," Josiah answered. 'Not exactly a lie…' He thought."A friend? What friend?"'Good. The conversation took this turn instead' Josiah celebrated internally."Have you ever heard of a girl named Lenny living around, Thomas?" he asked carrying the most neutral intonation he could while he casually walked around Thomas to the interior of the house. 'Maybe if I pretend nothing wrong happened, he won't notice…'The servant followed him in and answered the question sincerely:"Lenny…? No… Can't say I have. Who is she? Daughter of the milkman?""She said she lives nearby, but she has no parents. She lives on her own...""How would a child live alone on her own?""I know, right? It must be hard. I was thinking… Don't we have space for someone else…""…No!" Thomas interrupted.Josiah swallowed his words."But…""Young master
"Thomas…? Thomas? Are you ok?"Josiah was crouching, standing next to the servant's eyes, who had collapsed on the floor."For low long did I sleep?""Did you sleep? I don't know… Two seconds? You just fell and now I'm here.""Ouch, I see… This feels like… This feels like back when someone in the castle wanted to poison lady Mirild's chalice and, as the cupbearer was out, I had to experiment it first. I remember seeing all spinning around and then I fell down, exactly like that," Thomas said as he rubbed his face and tried standing up. "I believe this weapon can strike at distance. I am completely sure your attack was out of my range after I dodged it.""So it's like a mid-ranged attack with a poisoning effect?""If so, a somewhat mild one. I felt the dizziness but I don't feel anything inside my stomach, in fact, I can just get up just fin…"He stumbled upon his own legs and fell down again before he could get straight."You don't seem fine…""Ach, Josiah. Can you bring me to the hous