A wooden sword pierced through the air as the sweat flew down from the hilt. Only the sound of colliding wood resounded across the training ground as sand crackled under Nero’s feet.

‘A stance, legs, breath. Focus on your opponent, any openings and attack.’

As Gustav’s words flashed through his mind, Nero kept moving, attacked, changed his stance, position and repeated. For Nero, these wooden dolls were those bastards who attacked his village. Rage filled his movements.

While Nero kept training, there were two men, dressed as officials, who were watching him. One of them was Primus, the one who delivered him to Wingville, while another was an elder Stein, the one who got an honor to teach the heir of Claus family.

“At first I doubted he is indeed her son. I still remember how rebellious she was when our Lord tried to sue her with any partners. But, now after seeing his eyes and face, I am sure about that. No wonder, Lord recognized him as his relative. This boy looks very similar to him when he was his age. Besides, a bracelet, an artifact transferred from the elder generation to the younger in the Claus family is in his arm. He is Claus, or the artifact would have long killed him,” said Stein when Nero’s sword, covered in small bits of inner energy, imparted slight damage to the wooden doll. “Are you happy with your new disciple, my boy?”

“Of course I am. Elder, you know how honorable it is to teach a Claus, especially if it’s martial arts. Besides, this boy has a good talent. His basics are good, body trained, instincts shaped. He is even a first-rank squire already without any use of alchemy. That shows how many efforts he made to reach his current strength and makes him different from most of the children of his age. Compared to certain someone, it would be an easy road to teach him,” said Primus, unaffected by a manner in which elder Stein addressed him. He was long used to the weird manner this old man talked.

“I wouldn’t have been so confident in your stance. Have you forgotten whose blood is flowing in his veins? You can’t know if Young Lady passed some of her childhood habits to her son,” said Stein, making Primus make a thoughtful expression and nod to his words.

“Elder Stein, what do you think about his candidacy for becoming an heir of Claus family?” asked Primus a moment later, making the old man furrow his brows and make a serious expression as if his easy-going face just moments ago never existed.

“It’s up to see whether he is illegible to become one. I don’t doubt his martial potential, but an heir is not just a warrior. He is the future of the Claus family and everyone who serves under them. Even though he is the only direct member of Claus family, he needs to prove his right to become one. If the Lord would proclaim him as the one without proof, I and my colleagues, other elders will be the first to oppose such a decision. In the times of chaos and instability, when war threatens our homes at any moment, we can’t have a weak leader.”

“But ...” said Primus when Stein interrupted him.

“My boy, there is still time. Our Lord is alive and strong. If he has such a fate, he will prove it and become our future leader,” said Stein, returning his easy-going face and a slight smile to his lips.

At that moment, after Nero unleashed another thrust, he finally noticed them when he positioned for the new attack. He only paused for a moment before returning to his doing as if he never saw them.

“You better go, my boy, or the boy will soon finish his training, leaving you without assessment of his abilities,” said Stein, as his eyes gleamed with amused flames. Primus only nodded to his words before taking a wooden sword and approaching Nero.

“Young Master, why don’t you choose an opponent who can retaliate?” asked Primus as he raised his wooden sword in front of him.

“It’s you,” said Nero, with no reaction on his face. “Why do I need it?”

A nostalgic smile appeared on his lips as he adjusted his stance.

“Your mother also used to act that way each time Lord introduced new teachers and instructors to her. Young Master, starting from today, I am your martial path instructor,” said Primus as jumped in his direction, launching a clash of wooden swords.

...

..

.

As soon as Nero asked him, he couldn’t even raise a brow in surprise at the news that Primus was his mother’s teacher when a wooden sword was already an inch away from his face. Only his instincts, shared in many sparring sessions, helped Nero raise his sword and dodge that thrust, retreating.

Nero couldn’t even finish his retreat when another thrust followed the first one, increasing the pressure and leaving no choice for the boy except the block if he wanted to save his stomach.

*Clack*

His fingers went numb from the collision as Primus pushed him. Nero just could recover from that pain and imparted all the inner energy he could use, covering his sword to counter-attack his opponent at his opening.

Primus only smiled when he made a step to the right and made a fast thrust, hitting the boy in his hand. A moment and Nero was disarmed and looked at the sword near to his neck.

“Isn’t that enough to show the difference? If you don’t want me to be your instructor, someone else will replace me, but, Young Master, basics are just a small part of the real battle,” said Primus as he stretched his arm, helping Nero to get up.

Nero still held his right arm, but he wasn’t angry at the person who made it with him.

“No need, Sir Primus. I won’t call you my teacher, but I would be glad to learn from you,” said Nero as he put away his sword and looked directly into his eyes.

“Good, it’s an honor to become your instructor,” said Primus as he nodded with no reaction except for the happy gleam in his eyes before he moved his glance at his arm. “How do you feel?”

“I am fine. This is not the first time someone hits me. No need to worry,” said Nero.

“Then let’s make it this way. I won’t tell you about your mistakes till tomorrow, allowing you to analyze our sparring session before we fight once again and you show me what you learned,” said Primus as he put away his wooden sword and sat in the nearby seat. “Now, it’s time to see how hard you trained your body. You can start with push-ups. Two, no three hundred should be enough.”

When Nero heard him, he just smiled, considering that task easy because he made more at the village during his training with Gustav. But his smile shattered when he felt how Primus tied several objects to his arms and legs, making him feel an additional weight.

“I already know that ordinary push-ups won’t be hard for you. So, it’s useful to increase your training difficulty,” said Primus with a smile on his lips when he returned to his seat while Nero already felt how difficult it was when he made several push-ups.

In such a manner, Nero once again experienced the same feeling, which he has long ago forgotten when Gustav made him pass through real hell when he started training for the first time.

...

..

.

The day already started when any signs of night retreated from the skies. It was the time when Clara usually came to wake him from his dreams. But now it was different.

As his exhausted and sweated body lay on the sand, Nero just breathed the air, paying no attention to the fact that his instructor, Primus was talking to a short old man with gray hair, brown eyes, and shabby, black official’s uniform.

Only ten minutes later, when Nero recovered his breathing and stood up on his shaky legs, he finally disrupted their conversation and made them look at him.

“I guess it’s my turn to assess this youngster,” said elder Stein as he patted Primus on his shoulder while he just stood from his seat and approached the boy.

“That’s it for today, Young Master. The next training is tomorrow, and it starts just like today. I will meet you here when first rays appear in the skies.” said Primus as he quickly untied all ropes made of unique material and put them away into his artifact. At that moment, elder Stein cleared his throat, reminding Primus about him. “By the way, besides me, your martial path instructor, Lord, arranged a wise man to teach you other things, unrelated to the physical or battle training.”

Just as Primus wanted to introduce his companion, Stein interrupted him as he approached and closely looked at Nero before returning his gaze to Primus.

“My boy, I am not that old. I can still introduce myself. You can go,” said elder Stein as he watched how Primus nodded, unaffected by his words, and left the training ground.

As soon as Primus left the training ground, a silence descended there. Elder Stein just continued to stare at Nero while he returned the favor, playing into the glancing game.

Only five minutes later, Stein pointed in a certain direction.

“Follow me,” said a short old man as they moved away from the training ground.

Soon, they entered the garden, where Stein found the closest bench and made a sign to sit with him. Nero said nothing and just followed him.

“You know, I watched after your training and sparring with Primus, watched how you made push-ups, and looked into your eyes. If you showed me you had no potential, I would have left long ago, but I am still here, boy. I don’t know about your other abilities, but you are a hard-working one, can bear the pain and your eyes shine with a goal. Even though Primus made it hard, you didn’t complain and continued till the end, even when your body was exhausted and you could barely make it. I like it, you are a material I can work with, much better than your mother was at your age when I first saw her lonely and sad figure,” said Stein as a smile appeared on his lips. “As her former teacher, I will warn you and give you a choice at the bank before starting. My teaching will be hard, no different from the Primus. He will make you strain your body, while I will make you strain your brain until you barely stand and gasp for air. Now, if you don’t want to stress your mind and brain just like your body, you can get another teacher. He will be softer than me and will give you a standard of education. I won’t take offense, it’s your life, boy. So, think, you have a minute to decide.”

Just as he finished his phrase, Nero already made a choice and looked at his new instructor. Only a sole fact that he taught his mother was enough for Nero. He just couldn’t let such a chance to learn similar things his mother learned to slip by in the attempt to approach his dead mother even further.

“I am not afraid of hardships, instructor. I am glad to learn from my mother’s former teacher,” said Nero, making Stein furrow his brow. “I already have a teacher, the only one who lives in my heart.”

His words made Stein ease his brows, and a smile appeared on his lips.

“Good. I can understand you, boy. There are many instructors along the path, but only one teacher stays as one till the death. It’s a pity, but I don’t mind it,” said Stein just when Clara appeared in the garden.

“Young Master, you are here,” said the maid and stopped when she saw elder Stein, who kept a slight smile on his lips. As if it was a scheme of fate, Nero’s stomach made a loud noise, reminding its existence and making Nero blush a bit.

“Breakfast is ready, Young Master,” said Clara with a smile on her lips.

Nero only nodded and already started thinking about what to say when Stein took his word.

“Deliver his breakfast to the study room. I won’t mind getting a portion too,” said Stein as he stood up from the bench while Clara nodded, bowed, and disappeared, leaving them alone.

“Follow me, boy, it’s time to check your mind and see how strong it is compared to your body.”

In such a manner, Nero became a personal disciple of the first sword of Wingville and a personal disciple of the wise elder Stein who stopped taking disciples in decades.