Forcedius (5)

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3rd floor of the palace.

South hallway.

The sound of windows moving from the breeze outside.

'Isn't that Quafy?' A young boy thought before eyeing the girl who seems to moving somewhere.

His trail of thoughts continued, 'I thought she said that she was visiting the library...' Placing his books down, he approached the sunlight. Exposing his appearance.

An older Forcedius, about twelve years old. Wearing regular clothing.

His curiosity made him follow her.

Going through the long hallway with numerous intersections.

Before long, he noticed that Quafy was stopping by near a room. Peering inside the window while masking her presence.

Forcedius was confused until he heard the sound of his older brother, Sephilio.

It seems that he was teaching a lecture at the moment.

Forcedius sneaked through to have a better view. He finally understood that Quafilia was oogling on his brother. Shown by her flushed expression. Not to mention eyes which were glued on Seph.

Forcedius felt a sense of pain, but eventually shook it off before walking away.

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In a certain courtyard. Near the squire's residential area.

A young man covered in sweat, took of his leather helmet. He then walked pass multiple sparring sessions of recently recruited trainees. Giving compliments and correction to them while on his way.

Specifically walking towards a teenager.

After getting close he asked, "Say, Farengoth?"

"Hmm?" After hearing his question, Farengoth dropped the large boulder. He was using it to train as instructed by his mentor. The person who inquired was none other than Merask. Having a clear smile on him and growing beard.

He then continued by asking, "Would you like to join me and Seroi to an evening's dinner? Since today our training will be cut short." Patting his shoulder, "My wife will prepare a nice meal in our home."

"How about the travelling and wouldn't it take at least two days?"

"No worries, I got some horses booked for us. And you can stay overnight over there. I got permission from our instructor to give us at least three days off."

Farengoth thought about it for a moment before asking, "Can I bring Sheirl along?"

Expecting this he immediately replied back, "Why not. Though she'll have to sit behind you."

Farengoth nodded.

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Inside a special area in the palace. Which was made to train students in the art of magic.

Sealing the place with hard materials and enforced with strength magic.

The sound of the ground could be heard at the moment. But alas, it was overshadowed by a certain lady's loud yelling.

It was a middle-aged lady with purple lips. Having a fierce look as she aggressively yells, "Sheirl! Concentrate properly on the stick!"

A young lady's voice rang out. "I am!"

The flow of refined mana coursed through her before entering the wooden stick. Glowing in brown before she flicked it around in a certain motion. Leaving a trail of dispersed mana behind.

As expected, a large crack appeared on the ground. The feeling of vibration followed afterwards.

A large needle made of earth, launched from bellow.

The teacher then praised, "That's great. You finally were able to correctly shape it. It probably could skewer anything." She then stared upon the shattered roof on top of her.

"Teacher Margarette, I thought you said the surrounding area is encased in a barrier? How come I'm able to shift and move the earth in here?"

"That's only the outer most area, the inside area can be deformed to your liking, my dear Sheirl."

"Sweet!" She then made her hat fly away.

Margarette stretched her arms before saying to her, "Go take a bath, being covered in mud isn't presentable to your lover."

Stretching her clothing, she replied after giving it a look, "You're right." She then smiled.

After giving her teacher a respectful bow, Sheirl then made her way to the bath.

Margarette sighed to herself before thinking to herself, 'Must be nice having a man.'

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Near the entrance of the palace. In an area filled with greenery.

A certain lady was swinging her legs happily. Sitting on a stone bench covered in vines; Also, with signs of aging.

The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard as a certain person's shadow looms over.

It was a man around his twenties, having a slightly flushed expression from what seems to be a long run.

After getting close, he finally could stop to catch his breath. He then gestured to give him a moment.

Fixing his disheveled hair, he then says, "Sorry. I made you wait for so long."

Blinking twice, the lady replied, "No worries, I had my fun." She then smirked. One of her adorable dimples showing. She then asks, "So what made you be so late?"

"Brother asked me to do something after I was done with lecturing the students." Even with all the hurried running, he still kept a cool mind. That's just who he is.

"I see." She then closed her eyes before continuing, "So, are you going to invite me in? Or turn be tanned from this sunlight?"

The eye of the man twitched, before he says, "Oh, pardon me. I'll bring you to the dining hall. My lady Anne."

She then stood up before fixing the back of her dress.

"I just want to ask this but why are you so secretive about me? Aren't we a couple?" She pondered with a stern look.

Seph straightly replied, "It's better not known. Lest the killing attempts." Before he allowed her to curl her arm around his.

She already figured out what he meant.

"From your admirers?" Revealing her teeth, she then continued, "Do you still think I'm harmless."

"You don't get it. I'm more scared of my admirers being harmed by you." He then showed a rare wry smile.

"Smart man." Giving a pause before she continues, "Bring me along then. I'm quite famished."

He nodded before spotting that her clothing seemed a bit off. But he couldn't point which it was.

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Inside a large dining room, both Sephilio and lady Anne were having lunch.

After taking a sip on the wine, Lady Anne then sparked a conversation, "So, I hear that after this coming month, you'll be having a tournament set here. Every five years or so, it occurs."

"Oh, that. It's nothing that large. Just something that my father and the heads of other houses use to brag about their offspring." Seph placed down his utensils before wiping his mouth with a napkin.

feeling curious, Lady Anne asks, "I remember my sister mentioning that it was about a duel of swords?"

"Yes, without any trace of magic involved." He replied.

"Ah, I see." She then placed the glass on the table before asking, "So you'll compete?"

He nodded, "Well, I'm the second oldest."

Anne rolled her eyes in reply.

She then asks after a moment, "Females are allowed to participate too?"

"That was held last year."

His answer piqued her interest further. She asks, "And who was the victor?"

Seph gave off a sigh, "Unexpectedly it was little Katherine."

Raising one of her eyebrows, she reconfirmed, "Her?" Not hiding the surprise on her face.

Seph smiled before confirming, "Yeah, somehow she even bested Claremonde."

She almost couldn't believe. Asking afterwards, "An actual duel? Not one where the other surrenders?"

"Indeed, she was quite agile and leaving no opening. Though if magic were involved, there would be no contest as Claremonde will dominate hard. Not to mention if mounts were also involved."

"Ah, I see." She then observes the man in front of him before saying, "You've changed Seph, this past two years."

"Hmm, how so?"

"...You feel more human."

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Next morning.

The sound of sword clashing could be heard. Sparks of metal here and there.

Afterwards, the image of a sword flying could be seen.

"That's enough." Said a middle-aged man.

"Did I do it? have I finally bested this perverted teacher!?" A boy said out loud.

Feeling embarrassed, the teacher says, "No, my sword just slipped." He then averts his eyes.

"Haha, I have finally beat you! The great teacher Feng was bested by me, the great Forcedius!" He then raised his clenched fist up in the air.

Shrugging, Feng then says, "Well, I'll give you that. You actually beat me."

He then told him to stay put. Saying afterwards, "This is the thing about you that differs from others. Normally it would take numerous tries before someone masters a sword move. But in your case, the moment you get the movement correct...You can easily repeat the process."

Forcedius rubbed his nose before replying, "I was always praised for that."

"But then again, your mentality makes it so hard to teach you at the same time. No wonder you have so few mentors."

This caused him to feel flustered before he comments back, "It's not helping that my teacher is a large womanizer!"

"Haha, but you got something wrong there!"

"And... what's that?"

"I've stopped my ways of chasing women!"

"That's..." He couldn't complete rebuking him. Instead he admitted after thinking about it for a moment again, "That's true..."

"See! Now you can stop with calling me a pervert!"

"I will still call you one! Ever since I caught you inside the bathroom of the maids!!"

Feng's eyebrow raised, "And why were you there too!"

Forcedius eyes wavered before he replied, "Looking for you so that you can stay away from problems! Do you know how many things you damaged in this palace!?"

"Fine. But don't call me that in front of them." Feng crossed his arms before leaving the courtyard.

"What's the point if they already know..." He sighed afterwards.

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After walking out of the training ground, Forcedius found Quafilia chatting with his brother Sephilio.

She seems to be happily laughing.

Forcedius didn't want to disturb them, so he just waited for their conversation to end. This time he wasn't hiding.

Sometime later, his brother nodded before walking away. Giving a wave to Forcedius before departing.

Spotting Forcedius, she made her way towards him.

Having a different expression. A simply pleasant one with a nice smile on her.

The green hair of hers were cleanly tied into a small bun. Matching the noble attire, she was wearing.

By just seeing her face, it drove away the darkness that sprouted in Forcedius chest. A sense of relief filled him.

Quafilia then asks, "Done with training?" Bending over slightly, she then continued, "Took your sweet time."

He nodded before asking, "Were you talking about something with brother Sephilio?"

"Yeah, he asked about my family and such. How we are faring and all."

"Ah, I see." Forcedius replied before thinking about something. Seemingly busy on the trail.

Feeling that the atmosphere was gloomy for some reason, she then says, "Anyhow, another letter was sent here from Tuiret. He has some important things to say to us."

"Please do tell." He replied for gesturing for both of them to take a sit on the bench nearby.

After they took a sit, Quafilia skimmed it, "Well, it's kind of brief compared to others."

She then fixed her voice before telling Forcedius as to what was written on the letter, "He mentions that the wound he gotten three months ago is almost completely healed. A good thing. Another paragraph was dedicated to the detailed story of him slaying a really large arctic ape, which must be fabricated as usual." Both Quafilia and Forcedius rolled their eyes.

She the continues, "Though this next paragraph seems believable as he was stationed to scout. Later on, being commended for spotting enemy movement."

Amazement was shown on Forcedius's expression, "Wow, never thought he would contribute that largely."

"Me neither, but thankfully he's doing fine. He scared us almost to death when we received the letter with blood covered on some areas." She shook her head afterwards, as if trying to forget that memory.

"Don't remind me of that time, it was certainly a horrid moment." forcedius then shut his eyes closed.

"It was. I had to stop you from rushing there. Wouldn't want your body found dead in Xoplis soil." Quafilia told him while sounding cold and so sign of joking around.

"That would be tragic..." He commented.

Pinching her nose, she then says, "Anyhow, since you're done with training, you should take your bathe. Cause the smell is intolerable."

"Only now you speak of it!? How did you handle it during the whole conversation!" He was flabbergasted

"I was breathing through my mouth of course!" She replied.

Forcedius was further flabbergasted, "And how come you decide to sniff now?"

"I couldn't resist! Now I regret!" She said before looking pale.

"Fine, I'll go to the bathe!" He yelled before stomping away.

Behind, Quafilia watched his back while giggling to herself.

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In the open hallway near the fountain courtyard.

A teenager appeared with a towel on hand.

She went and sat beside the tired red-haired instructor. Afterwards asking, "Done with training?"

He took the towel on her lap before wiping his hair. Replying at the same time, "Yep, it's now time for my daily wine." Showing a blissful smile afterwards.

The teenager knitted her eyebrows before saying, "You promised me to spar." Showing an irritated look afterward.

He gave out a sigh before replying, "No thank you. Sparring with you is simply time consuming..."

The lady gave out a pout before pestering, "It won't be like yesterday!"

"I'm sorry to say this bluntly Elana, but you're almost like that green haired girl... You tend to never give up until you win." He then shook his head before thinking to himself, 'Almost identical to add.'

She stood up before leaning towards him with a sad expression, "Hey I'm getting better, aren't I."

He pushed her away before replying, "Of course you are. Your tenacity to learn might make you the best someday but unfortunately, I don't use the flail. Especially one with three metal balls."

"Do you really mean it!? I can become the best someday!?"

He replied immediately, "Then you better enroll yourself as a squire and have proper training."

She pondered before commenting, "I doubt they know how to use the flail. It's such a unique weapon after all."

He showed a wry smile, saying afterwards, "Of course they will, stop asking silly questions and just get your name signed into one of their contracts already. Though you would need the permission of any prince or princess." He then pulled out a metal container before gulping the contents down.

Elana sneered at him before having an idea.

She then says, "So, when am I going to call you, father?" Her eyes blinking with all signs of curiosity.

Hearing her words caused Feng to spit out the drink.

Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he then asks, "Excuse me!?" Completely startled.

She blinked twice before coyly saying, "Aren't I going to be your sweet daughter?"

Feng stared at Elana for a moment.

Birds could be seen flying off in the sky before the sound of someone suffocating could be heard.

Feng was on the ground with a foam on top of his mouth. Unconscious.

Elana was panickily shaking his body as she thought, 'Did I go too far this time!?'

Luckily, later on, he was diagnosed to not receive any severe injury. Though his life expectancy took a toll.

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Near the area where goods are stored.

"Are all the preparation of the event set?" Said a man with curly long blonde hair.

"My lord, we require more wine. The storage room is surprisingly almost empty when it comes to anything related to wine."

Hamlyn smiled but the aura he emits was deadly. Making the servant shake for a moment. He never could compare anyone's anger to the man in front of him.

He then asks quietly, "Did you remember to lock the storage room..."

The servant replies, "Of course sir, I can even swear!"

"Then how did they get empty in a short manner of a month's time?"

"Sir, we believe it is Royal Instructor Feng's fault..."

"I know that it's his fault for sure." He then squinted his eyes as he continues, "But who allowed to make him drink countless of gallons!!"

"We don't know my lord; it keeps magically disappearing at night. Even when we had patrol nearby."

After massaging his nasal bridge, Hamlyn then sighs. He then says dejectedly, "Doesn't matter, just get the wine prepared again by next week."

"Yes, my lord."

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