Chapter 4: The Squire and the Dreamy Noble

Bruno returned to the villa where the Saclea’s daughter lives. Living for a while with the lady, he has grown accustomed to his life here. At first, he thought that he would be looked down upon. But it was worse. His meaning was nowhere to be found in this place. His family was a minor noble. And learning that he would soon serve the lady of Saclea brought meaning to his life, or he thought so but yet after three years he found nothing but uselessness. It was like a weed trying to become as beautiful as a flower located on top of a mountain.

The noble lady of Saclea was far too talented. Unlike what he expected she was perfect in all talents. She could fight on her own. And if possible she would be able to care for her alone. In fact serving as servant/follower made Bruno realize that even without him, the lady would still manage. He only instructs the maids around and escorts the lady to the Academy. Other than that he was a waste that does nothing but lazes around. Her lady could do anything she puts her mind into, and with her noble blood. She was far better than him on every possible way.

This makes him frustrated. Only through somehow practicing his blades that he finds a bit of meaning, in fact, his meaning right now was to serve as a squire for the lady. Even though he hates being useless. It doesn’t mean he was not determined to serve his lady. In fact, most of his determination comes with the idea that he would be able to reach the top of the mountain where his master lives. His talents are not worth to her but despite that Bruno strives on.

Currently, he was in the backyard of the villa. His eyes pointed at the moon. Holding a blade of decorated with the crest of his family. Bruno swung his sword at the illusion in front of him. An image training done by tricking the mind, he has used this since it was introduced by his father.

His father served the Saclea’s for during his time. His ancestors were pretty much loyal servants that hold the Saclea house in high regard. At first, he didn’t know why they were obsessed with the Saclea house. But only through coming and witnessing their daughter that he changed his mind.

Bruno isn’t obsessed with like his father. But he is willing to follow the lady into hell if she does. Bruno swung his sword forward horizontally, leaving a blur. Channeling his energy on the sword gave it a pale light. Doing this allows his sword to be sharper than usual. A normal noble art it is, but a useful one that would allow even the bluntest sword to be used.

He swings his sword again leaving a blur again. The moonlight illuminating him made him quite a charming figure to the maids peeking. Wearing a military uniform with seven buttons in front, and an open skirt that reveals his front legs, made Bruno looked dashing. He has charmed most of the maids in the villa. But he has no interest in them. His eyes didn’t look at them mainly because he was looking at something far greater.

Again he swings his sword, another swing, and a thrust. He breathed out, his body shoulders didn’t rise, and his face looking forward to the front. The backyard faces the landscape. There are flowers on the backdrop of the garden but not one of the flowers was harmed, they are well cultivated too. Bruno’s foot steps forward, he gripped his sword tightly and took another swing at the image in front of him.

The result of the training was that he got killed four times. He manages to land a blow to his imagined enemy only once. He wipes his sweat, a clear frustration emitting out. He sheathed his sword, rested on the ground, regaining his energy. Myriads of light came to his body, to his limbs and to his head they gather. This is the energy of the world, as a noble, he was able to absorb it through a method only available to nobles.

After absorbing his energy returned to normal, so he went to practice again, swinging his sword again and again until he could land another blow to the illusion he is fighting. His goal was to be better, and clearly, it was not enough for him. His already the best squire in his class. It is expected for him to be so but to him, he is worth nothing compared to the lady who can even slightly contend with some of the knights. She was that good. It was embarrassing to even declare that he was someone worthy following the lady.

So Bruno trains his swordsmanship and magic at the same time. The night came hard at the villa. His sword swings echoed around the garden. The eyes of the maids swirled. The hum of the wind dance along with Bruno’s training. Repeating the action, again and again, not caring for his fatigued body.

He has no meaning at the moment. That is why practicing and achieving his meaning is something he can only do. So he practices, practice until he felt his arms go heavy, the maids stare were like bugs to him, and only the wind being slice was the only thing he can hear. This practice of his continued, and as he does his best, an ear was listening to his progress. That is why despite Bruno not acknowledging himself as a true servant of the lady; he was already looked upon by the owner of the ear listening, as someone worthy of escorting her.

Under the moonlight, Bruno practiced. His efforts were not in vain and his heart made of pure desire followed through his determination. Not wasting any second, not wasting any thought. Merely becoming someone holding a sword.

After Listening to her servant’s progress, Sena nodded in satisfaction. She waited for a bit before leaving through the patio door of her room. She looked at the city landscape with glowing eyes. After practicing for a day she would spend her time gazing at this scenery.

She like the scenery, it calms her ever beating heart. She wondered what to do every night. At the moment she is just waiting for winter to come, dearly awaiting her ascension. Her dream is simple. That is to become a knight. Though she might be confident, haughty and pompous due to her noble upbringing, at heart she was a dreamer of some sort that only wanted to become someone like the knight she saw that day.

That white-mantled knight rescued her that day. She was someone with only strength, walking a lonely path that she could not turn back. This aspect of her was lonely, yet the way she shines in the night made Sena admire her. She still remembers the female knight’s weary smile.

The Female Knight was chasing after someone. She told Sena this when they were resting near a campfire. The Female knight was at first someone’s worked with someone stubborn and eccentric. They did not get along and like the mantle, she was wearing they have opposite views and beliefs. But even so, they worked together. Yet one day their morals clashed and even though she adored that man. She walked her ideal path, carrying her white mantle.

It was a simple story of two abandoning everything to follow their ideal. The Female Knight did not regret it. As for that partner of hers, she didn’t know if he did. Sena, a young lady at that time admired such story, and even though she was advised not to head that path. She insisted, putting her noble face on, boasting that she will become a better knight than her.

Hearing this, the female knight widened her eyes. There were difficulties on what she wanted to say to such pure expression. It could be said that Female Knight didn’t advise her to stay out of such lonely path. She merely kept her silence. And as if malicious she unknowingly looses another screw at the noble’s head.

Sena didn’t know what the female knight did. All she knew that her path was to become a knight brighter than that female knight. That female knight left her mark Sena too much.

So the moment she gains her ascension, Sena plans to leave. She plans to roam the overworld, joining battles one after another. Gaining fame, glory, and honor, in order to shine like a beam of hope, a light in the darkness that people can follow.

She already told her family about this. They deemed it a worthy path to take. Even giving her all assistance they can mainly because it is a path that a Saclea can trek. As long as she gains glory, fame, and honor. Her family would allow her to become an errant knight that would eradicate evil at its roots.

Sena’s heart was filled determination. No matter what she won’t turn away from such path, there was no path left for her other than this. Turning back only means she would have no meaning to her life. All her efforts were focused on becoming a knight. Only through becoming a knight and becoming someone, no, a better version of the white-mantled female knight she countered that she will be able to live her life with meaning.

Sena went back to her own room to meditate. Her ascension is an important event and despite the season still autumn she still practices, nourishing her soul with world’s energy. At her level, she mastered all the basics. From stances to spells and techniques, she learns it all without any mistake. But there was something she was lacking, she lacked real combat experience. Her practice is merely consisting of fighting with squires, and at best her instructors are people who didn’t even step out of the city after they graduated, not experience the forging by blood.

Sena is unconcerned whenever she sees blood. She could only look at it as water mainly because her father, grandfather, relatives would sometimes return with blood stains. The only reason she wasn’t scared when she was kidnaped because of how she was used to seeing blood, the thugs that were killed before she didn’t scare her, adding to that she was interested in the Female knight that overtook the despair she was in.

Sena wanted to overcome the weakness by trying to take on bounties. But as she was noble she could not allow herself to do such dishonorable killing for blood money. Left with no choice she had to practically beg her instructors to something, only for her instructors to agree on something, which was still a secret. Her instructors call it a formation ritual, and before autumn ends they would commence it, and they might let Sena join in to test her aptitude, which made Sena excited.

She doesn’t know that ritual is, or what is it. Her instructors keep her mouth shut; in fact, most of them are troubled by Sena’s persistence. This makes Sena curious but at the same time, makes her anticipate what that ritual is. Unlike the ritual of ascension, the ritual that her instructors have been planning has become a rather important event too, so despite the dangers that it might bring to her, Sena would persevere to join, not caring about what it is, simply because she wanted nothing more than to get real combat experience.

So the upcoming ritual formation that her instructors will be something fun for her to look forward to. After all, with the winter far away, her ascension still far from sight, and her practices becoming detrimental to her, she can only hope that her instructors will provide something that will allow her to make use of her talents, allowing her to grow further to what her current stage is.