Ocilia POV

I inhaled and suddenly noticed that the atmosphere was so stiff that I could barely breathe. How long was I in this room? 5 hours? 10 hours? Or was I already the whole day here? I was so focused on work that I forgot the time again.

One of my hands stopped moving, and I barely noticed the thread I had around it.

While reading, I try and train my thread-making Skills passively. Creating threads in all their forms, knitting complex forms, disintegrating them, and starting anew. Master said that I should train such a great Skill since there are a ton of uses for this, which I couldn't comprehend at first, but now, I get it.

I can make the thread so thin and firm that I can cut through regular wood while using only a little bit of force. Merely a few Spider-kin can do that, and because of this, they are either artisans or assassins.

I don't know why Master said I should do it at first... his answer was just, "Wow! This is cool! Do it!"

His vocabulary is also bizarre, stating that the words are from a secret Elven speech if I don't understand them, ... I kinda got the feeling that he was just making fun of me... However, after explaining it to me, I understood what he meant by "cool" and other phrases.

The reason why I should train specific Skills or why we research certain topics is... not really pragmatic, to say it nicely.

Maybe it is his unpredictability and his whims that make him this special? I am at least sure that the cathedrals scholars don't act like him, as I met them for health check-ups at least twice. They are very stern-faced and rational in their behavior.

After trying to discuss with Master what we could research, as he allowed and even commanded me to debate him on it, his whole rationale, in the end, was "this is cool!" while ignoring my input...

But I tried to argue against the practicality, and he said that everything can be used at some point, and I shouldn't be such a short-sighted naysayer... I really can't comprehend his reasons sometimes... maybe it is his age?

Yawning heavily and rubbing my eyes, I raised my head up. I looked around and could see my weird Master working on some insects. It was actually a funny story.

The entire Estate went mental after he demanded that thousands of living insects be delivered to him. Now we have dozens of giant jars in one of our research rooms with thousands upon thousands of insects in them... buzzing and crawling...

I shivered as I hated this thought and tried my best to ignore it. Also, Mom and Ms. Sarah barely visit us anymore. Who would've thought...

What could he do with the insects? He wanted to train some Mana skills and experiment with them. What the results will show, Master doesn't know and doesn't care.

I frowned, thinking that I needed to feed them tomorrow morning, even if it was my free day... I need a damn junior for all that menial work.

After half a year of working with Master...

*clank*

Larry came in as I took a little break, interrupting my thoughts. He has been regularly visiting us for the last weeks, like many other soldiers and guards, annoying the hell out of us.

Master looked up, and I could see a frown on his face building up. He and I knew why this giant Ox-kin was here, but you could only blame it on Master since he made some huge discoveries for the Estate.

It happened a week after I started, as he instructed me to train not only my mind and learn scholastic Skills but also do "Fitness." I asked around and even went to the Salyna and Noriken, but nobody knew what this was.

He made a whole regimen of exercises for me, and after a while, the in-house artisans built something he called a "gym."

The Mistress allowed it without even batting an eye and sent out servants to get the artisans he needed. I don't know if she just wants to spoil Master or if we are this rich.

After getting the artisans, finding an empty building was easy where his machines and tools could be built, stored, and used. It was close to the training grounds for the soldiers/guards.

I could train there since Master said that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, and while I was skeptical initially, he was 100% right.

I felt fit and was the healthiest I ever was. I could work and learn much better. Even some of my Strength and Constitution attributes rose by some points. This is where this annoyance started.

I went out of my thoughts, watching how amusing this interaction would be. Larry came close to Master and stated his request, "Mr. Alex, we need machines with more weights."

Alex looked up to this giant but was undisturbed by this sight, trying to avoid this work, "And why coming to me? I am not an artisan or have any of the funds."

The Ox-kin exhaled so strongly out of his nose, making Master's hair flutter, which annoyed him to no end, looking at his face. I needed to hold myself back from giggling, or he would punish me by doing some menial work.

Larry was clearly confused and ignored his previous statement. He was probably only the spokesperson for his troop and should ask Master for something.

Master was notorious for sending everyone away, but Larry was the only one who could bring him to do something, as he was persistent and wouldn't understand subtle clues.

While he scratched his butt, he essentially repeated himself, "Mr. Alex, the machines and tools need to hold more weight but can't. The artisans also have problems constructing them further, so I came here to ask you."

Master glided both hands inside his hair, holding his eyes closed, probably thinking about what was going on. After a while, he nodded toward Larry, "Fine, I will ready my work for today and come with you to the gym, and we will see what is going on, all right?"

Larry nodded, stepped back to some corner, and started meditating.

This was also Master's new discovery for the Leonandra's. The Skill [Meditation].

It is not a new Skill we didn't know about or anything, but as he worked on it on the side, he discovered that this Skill can actually improve the Spirit attribute. He found it out through me as I talked about how my Spirit attribute increased. After that, he got some guards to test it out, and it worked.

Especially Ms. Lorient almost cried when she heard that something like this was possible. She started to pet Master so often that it became a weird obsession.

He was so annoyed by this that he started hiding from her. It was always fun betting with other servants, who would smell the other one faster. If Ms. Lorient won, she would pet him, if he won, he would hide his smell through Mana and run away, but she won almost every time.

Regardless, another building was used as instructed by Master, mainly for meditating, where it was almost dead silent all the time. Ms. Lorient was there most of her time, trying to increase her Spirit attribute and Mental state, for whatever reason.

The other positive thing was that it also calmed everyone down. Guards and Soldiers are usually a bit more hotblooded people, but they have been much more "chill" since then. Another word I learned from Master.

He described this in his research that this has to do with their mental state and that [Meditation] would make them calmer, even in critical situations, if they meditated before.

At some point, he even dug himself another grave by mentioning, on the side, that, with a different kind of food, the training could be much more efficient, which was heard by some guards. A week later, Lorient and Sarah visited him, obviously wanting him to create a nutrition plan for them.

I also now know a bit about biology/medicine and diets, and I can see how the plan he created was a very rough one. Basically, explaining what proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are and optimizing them to fit roughly a person with a certain weight, build, etc.

Some saw much better results after 3-4 months, even with a generalized plan, and the best results came from the weakest ones.

The research he did on the Skills [Fitness],[Meditation], the blueprints for his machines/tools and the nutrition plans were locked away with Noriken.

Everyone who wanted to use the gym, read the research, or rather, some simplified pamphlets for the soldiers/guards needed to sign a non-disclosure Mana-contract, which guaranteed absolute loyalty. If not, death would be the result. This is how valued Master's discoveries were.

I could understand why the Mistress did what she did. The benefits were just too good, so much so that it could be dangerous if some other Nobles found out about it.

While it is a nice gain for a single soldier to increase their attributes, healthiness, and mental state, I couldn't even imagine if you take the military as a whole... you would basically increase the strength by a large margin!

With this, we could deal much better with the Demon-run, thinning campaigns and if the need arises with other Nobles!

The Mistress liked the discoveries so much that she sent some letter eagle's towards the Lord, with all the information, so he could also start preparing instantly.

After some minutes of scribbling, I also tried to finish my work for today as I knew that Master would send me home since he needed to visit the gym.

Not surprisingly, I heard his annoyed, high-pitched voice from the other desk, specially made for his small frame inside the room, "Lia, go home. I need to visit the gym, so have fun today, and don't forget, tomorrow is your free day, so relax a bit.

I packed my things inside my backpack, which he asked Mom to make for me, and said my goodbyes, "Have a nice visit, Master. See you the day after!"

He waved his hand while writing something down, not even looking up, "Yeah yeah, go home."

Giggling, I really hope that he would see how important he became for the territory. Even after talking with him about it, he just calls this "cringe," and there are numerous more talented people than him.

*clank*

*tap*tap*tap*

While walking through the long corridors of the Estate, decorated with beautiful paintings of landscapes like forests, mountains, and the sea, you could see that every painting also had some Lord or Lady of Leonandra line, slaughtering Demons, Monsters, or commanding wars against other Nobles.

I read dozens of books and saw that Leonandra's history was blood-filled. This showed honor and loyalty towards the Mal-Gil crown.

Every Demon-run they conducted was a roll of dice since there was not always known which Demon we would face, so deaths were inevitable.

War was not much better as the Lords and Ladies were only pressed in times of Demon-runs. Now is such a time again, and worse, Moorgrel is having other problems and thus weakened in their control, 'Hopefully nothing happens.'

But I couldn't but admire the Knightage they showed, full of bravery and honor. The Leonandra's are among the more valued Knighthoods, who will bare their fangs on their enemies, even after their death.

Master told me that I should take the literature I read with a grain of salt since it was written by us and obviously presented us in the best light possible. There was always the possibility that the records were polished, and other accounts could be found somewhere in other Noble Estates, which depicted something different.

What he said makes sense, but... doesn't he feel the pride of being the son of such an ancient knighthood?!

His answer was unexpected, but if I think of someone like Master, it is the most fitting he could give, "...pave your own path and ignore all others..."

Does prestige really doesn't mean anything to him? What about the adoration of his serfs? The love and tears of the soldier's loved ones, who now have much more peaceful lives as they were protected?

I listened to some talks when Mr. Narsiz came over and had discussions with Master, and they talked about serfs like they are some objects that needed to be controlled and pushed in the right direction so they could achieve their goals... like some game..., 'Where is the pride? Is this what nobility is? Cold and calculative?'

I really don't like this side of Master, and I don't understand it. With his research so free-flowing like a bird in the sky, but when he talks about politics, he is like one of those cold machines...

Where is all that chivalry from all that was told in our history? The one which was sang by bards for their heroic deeds and told from generation to generation?

Lost in my thoughts again, I stood before a painting. It was tremendous, and it was also my favorite one.

Roaring towards the sky while standing on corpses upon corpses of Demons. It depicted the first Lord, who slew thousands of Demons and pushed them back to Kratikal. He was holding the head of what was supposed to be the leader at the time of this Demon group that invaded. His armor was cracked, and his body stained with so much blood, you could barely make him out.

Seeing this, my blood was running faster and faster. This moment showed what I really wanted and desired since I was little...

At first, I thought it would be impossible, but now, with my Master's help, I have become much stronger and made more progress in half a year than in my 8 previous years.

I could do it... right?

'System open!'

I leveled and increased my Skills by so much. My body and mental state became so much better. If others would see me now, they would barely recognize me for the one I was.

I love the work, but I want more though... I need to talk with him about it. There is something missing inside of me... I want to feel pride... something achieving where songs will be written about me...

My family and Master are proud of me, and I have a promising future, but... is this enough... for me?

Looking at all the paintings around me, reading the history, and hearing the bards' poems... I wanted more.

...

I need to talk with Master... he never judged my ideas or emotions, so he will surely understand and help me!

Closing my Window, I started to walk again towards home.

...

...

...

*tap*tap*tap*

I needed to walk now much further to our rooms. Since I became his apprentice, our accommodation changed again but for the better ones, and we live together in the same mansion as the head servants.

*clank*

Arriving, I instantly went to my room to throw my rucksack on my desk. Afterward, I walked towards the dining room, which was specially assorted to our family for privacy's sake.

*clank*

Opening the door, I saw my siblings, my older brother Lepto, my younger brother Jarus, and my younger sister, Klili, sitting at the dining table and waiting there.

Waving at them, they waved all back, except for Lepto, who became highly envious since I started getting all the recognition from friends and family.

But I get him. Master explained that he was always the one, who was the pride of the family, but now I became the one, and he needed to step away from that spot.

Besides all the recognition, I also got so many benefits. Usually, an apprentice like Lepto, who was accepted as one by a famous locksmith in Wolfsteeth, was only allowed to clean up and do some menial work for at least a year before he got taught some minor things by his Master. Not me, though.

I could instantly start learning and working. I even got my clothes and utensils sponsored and received a monthly wage, while he needs to pay for all of his materials, which he needs for his training.

I don't get why Master pays me. His reasoning is that I should get paid since I work and help him.

Mom tried to talk him out of it since we get so many incentives already, like delicious and free food, we can live inside a splendid mansion, and more, but he ignored her, not even acknowledging that point.

Because of this, I actually make as much as Dad!

Bringing myself out of my short thoughts while I looked at Lepto, I went to the table and sat down, greeting them and asking, "Hey little ones, where are Mom and Dad?"

Those little hatchlings who looked at me with their big round eyes, smiling all over the place, were adorable, 'Thank God, they don't look like Dad.'

Klili was the first one who responded, high pitched and cheery as always, "Mom is in the kitchen cooking, and Dad is right now cleaning himself up!"

Suddenly, Jarus chirped in, "Lia, how was your work today! Did you ask Mr. Alexander if we can train?!"

I heavily sighed with a smile. They found out about the gym a week ago and wanted instantly to go there to train. I answered solemnly, "No, you are too young..."

I could see their smiles going down, but I had a surprise for them! So I changed my voice into a cheery one, "...but I could convince Master to make a training regimen for children! While it is maybe not as good, it is specially made for you, so just wait a bit!"

"You are the best, Lia!"

"Thank you so much, big sister!"

My smile changed slightly, and I looked sternly at them, "I needed to promise Master to do a lot of menial work, so you better be grateful!"

Klili hugged me instantly since she was close to me, but after a minute, Jarus came over and hugged me too, 'God, I need to do so much just so Master could make one, specially designed for children... he even refused to make one for some veteran soldier's children. Saying they should just meditate and run!'

Making one for children seems much harder, but it will be worth it if my siblings can become much stronger!

I could hear how Lepto spat his venom out of nowhere, "Tsk, what are you both so grateful to her? She is not even the one making it."

Glancing coldly at Lepto, I wanted to rip him into pieces, as he was trying on every occasion to put me down and humiliate me.

But today, I feel different, so I mocked him back, "Hehe, don't you wanna try and speak with Master? Oh wait, you will probably not even be allowed into the same room as he."

He *banged!* the table with all his might, clearly angry by my remark, spouting some wild nonsense again, "Do you think you are better than me?!"

My younger siblings backed away from me, and I got increasingly angrier, which was heard in my tone, and was somewhat new for me, "So what?! Maybe I am better now!"

After 6 months of hellish learning and training, I threw my shyness away, knowing that I had the talent to become someone! I will not shy away again because someone is envious and puts me down, like in the last few months. THIS IS ENOUGH!

Lepto's face was entirely red as he looked at our siblings and was getting angrier by the second. His face showed how agitated he was. He suddenly stood up and took a knife, taking a fighting stance.

Was this provocation enough for you to attack me with a knife?! Because I barked once back? Bullshit!

I did the same, standing up and pushing our siblings away. I started readying my threads in my hands and coiling them around as protection, and between my hands, I created a long thin thread for attack purposes.

Standing in front of him, I felt my heart beating faster and faster. I was nervous, but I would not let myself be pushed by someone who doesn't even have something to show for it!

Should siblings not be happy for each other? Why does he hate me so much!

The silence around us was suffocating, but he was the one who broke it.

Screaming and shouting, he rushed at me, "ARRRRRGH!"

Pointing his blade at me, I wanted to catch it with my hands and cut it off from his hands with my thread. If needed, with his fingers together... but someone was faster...

From behind came Dad, and with a *bang!* kicked his side. He flew towards the cabinet, destroying it fully!

*Crash!*

Lepto was lying on top of the broken cabinet. His clothes were slowly becoming stained with blood. All around him were all the precious tableware that was gifted to us, all cracked and broken, like the cabinet itself.

My heart was still beating so fast. It felt like it would flee any moment out of my mouth. I suddenly realized that my brother had now attacked me with a knife because of some remark, probably ready to kill me!

I unconsciously disintegrated my thread while still staying in my defense position. Out of nowhere, tears started to run down my face, and I heard how Mom rushed inside, probably hearing this commotion.

My legs became weak as I fell to my knees, my tears rushed out, and my hands started shaking... I was frightened, and thousands of thoughts went through my head, 'What if he stabbed me? What if I lost my hand or died?! What...'

I started sniffing and crying loudly, "Uwaaaaa."

I heard Mom's frightened voice, probably seeing what happened, but I couldn't make her facial expression out through my teary eyes, "What happened?! Why is Lep injured and Lia crying?!"

I couldn't hear anything anymore, but I could somewhat make out that my father "talked" now with Mom.

After half a minute, I saw Dad coming my way, slowly lifting me up and holding me like a princess in his arms.

I was still crying and automatically closed to him. Right now, all I wanted was to be close to him.

He went with me out of the dining room, and while outside, I could hear how Mom started asking my younger siblings before I lost my consciousness.

...

...

...

"Where am I?"

Opening my eyes, I was sitting in front of a stage, one like theaters had. I saw it depicted in some books, 'What happened...'

I looked around and saw that I was alone in the theater, but my observation stopped as the whole stage before I became suddenly lit.

A poorly made dragon made out of wood and childishly painted came from the right side. You could see how people wearing black were behind it. I couldn't make out who they were.

A child came from the other side, a small hatchling, with a wooden sword and shield. She was only a little smaller than the dragon, had black hair, and on top of her head was a funny helmet made out of parchment.

Suddenly I heard a childish roar from behind the dragon, sounding like a young boy.

After hearing it, I saw how the hatchling raised her sword, her eyes glittering, her posture as messy as her hair. Even though she looked nothing like a Knight, her demeanor screamed the code of chivalry. As such, she declared loudly and proudly, "By the knight's chivalry, for bravery, to live only by honor and for glory, charity, justice, and truth..."

She pointed her sword towards the dragon and raised her voice even more, almost cracking, "...your evil deeds will end here!"

The dragon moved back slowly, and you could hear his sorrowful and solemn voice, "Did I not apologize for my deeds? Do I not propose to attorn for my sins? Why do you want to slaughter me!"

The small knight's face suddenly changed, and you could hear a whisper coming from her, "What..."

The dragon started crying and begging, "I am sorry... I didn't want to destroy the village... I am so sorry..."

The demeanor from the knight went away, and she stepped back, but she still held her sword pointed at him. The dragon saw this and exclaimed, "Why are you running? I do not want to run away anymore! Am I not here, already giving up, crawling before you..."

From the side came another hatchling in a red dress, looking like the knight, only that the hair and eyes were also red. Her demeanor was full of wrath and sorrow.

She looked at the dragon, frowned, and returned to the knight. Agitated, she pointed at him and yelled at the knight, "What are you waiting for? Slaughter him!"

From the same side came another hatchling, her dress and hair in pure white and clear blue eyes, the mark of Royalty for the Spider-kin. She radiated an aura like she was above everyone else. She looked peaceful, full of pride like you would depict an angel in a fairy tale.

She looked at the red hatchling and questioned her issue, "But for what? Don't he want to attorn for his sins?"

The red one got more angry, grinding her teeth and pointing at the dragon more pronounced, screaming, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING! HE MURDERED THE WHOLE VILLAGE..."

Inhaling to catch some air, she continued in a more composed but sinister manner, opening her arms and gesticulating her disgust, "... someone's mother, daughter, son, and father died because of this disgusting lizard. So what if he wants to attorn for his sins? He already did the deed, and he should be paying for this!"

The white ones frowned and looked at the knight, then again at the dragon and at last towards the red one, becoming serious and holding her hands behind her back, pushing her chest out and holding her head high up. Her glistering eyes showed her resolve as her voice boomed through the theater, "Blood for Blood is not honorable! If she wants to be a knight, using the code of some barbarian mercenaries will not be what she desires in her heart!"

The red one stomped her feet and started walking around the white one gesticulating more emotionally, being more agitated, her voice almost cracked because of her anger, "This is reality! How can you avenge the family, friends, and lovers who are alive right now, saddened, crying, and praying that the souls of their closest ones will be avenged so they can lay in peace!"

The white one didn't move, even while the red one walked around her. She looked sterner, and I could feel how the aura around her changed, and she felt like she had tripled in height. Her voice sounded prideful, arrogant, and without compassion for the red one, "This is the way she wanted and chose! Did you not remember what she said about what she fights for? Where is the bravery she is looking for in slaughtering an already beat-up dragon! How can she keep on living for honor and glory by butchering something which has no will to resist?! Do you call that revenge is charity and justice?! There is also no truth to such conduct of someone who is a knight!"

The red one suddenly started crying, her voice full of emotions, clenching her hands into fists. Hearing her voice, she sounded disturbed, broken, and looking for resolve, "What if he does this again? Will you let him run again?! How many ditches for how many years is a life worth? You say you do it for charity, but where is the charity for the loved ones from who he took..."

The red one stopped, and her sight changed towards the small knight who stood there, sweating and not knowing what to do. The white one did the same, and simultaneously, you could hear their voice.

"DECIDE!"

"DECIDE!"

Everything went black.