... What kind of training was Ramaze doing with Henry? I've never seen someone strip the meat from a boar so fast before, does Ramaze's training involve starvation or something? I've got to observe their next training session for Henry's sake, or well, just to satisfy my own curiosity of this world's training methods.

“Mmmm, that hit the spot. Nothing better than a large meal after a hard day of training.” Henry's announcement snapped me out of my state of thought. Equally distracting was Henry's personal bone throwing contest, and I do believe the furthest went a good mile out.

However, before I could estimate the distance of the other bones thrown, Henry began to speak again, “Now, I did say I would tell you a story.” Please, Henry, don't word it like that, you're making me feel like a child getting a bedtime story. “Now it's been quite some time since I've last heard it, so some details may be skipped or skimmed over.”

Ramaze at this moment called out to us, informing us of how he currently felt about the situation, “Your an inspiration to storytellers everywhere.” And I couldn't agree more, but that's neither here or there. He could be making the entire story up as he went along, but as long as he told me the important information, then I couldn't give two shits.

Ahem, “As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, the story I'm about to tell you is called the Witch and the Pauper.” What a terrible name. “Our as the upper classes calls it, the desolation of the Malum Imperium.”

Changing with to a more sombre one he started his story, “Our story is set five hundred years ago. In an era of constant war and strife.” Nothing's really changed there then. “The current frontier borders were non-existent. The budding nations state that spear-fronted the expansion at this point were either subject's or were suzerainty to the even now ancient empires far to the east.”

“One such empire was more domineering than the rest. Backed by a mythical group of people who were able to bend the very world to their beck and call, surrounding nations dared not to draw the ire of this colossus nation.” Great, seems the martial artists have their fingers in everyone's pies way before we've been contracted by the Rising Lotus sect.

“This nation of greed, debauchery and corruption ruled for nigh on a millennium. However, that all changed when they came.”

“From within the ancient woods, the first pioneers would discover the portals to the endless forest, from here the witch and her knightly lover appeared in a whirlwind of fire and death. Though the exact date of their invasion is unknown, but the event which started the whole thing was to be known as, the fall of the Tear king.” Well, I've heard worse nicknames before, specifically the orangutan of confetti. Huh, I miss that guy.

“After their appearance the Witch and her lover had spent some time helping the outermost provinces of the empire, giving hope where none was before. At first, they were left alone, thought of as nothing more than ants which given time could help to squeeze even more money out of there already destitute people.”

“However, what worried the governor most was reports off not only these peasants training under the witch's knightly lover but that reports of the witch's mythical power which the peasants were telling were much greater than the empire's guardians combined.”

“The Tear king; who governed this area with an iron fist, would not stand for this. So being the arrogant and proud man he was, he could not let someone who is rumoured to be better than he was live. He would put down these people and show the world it's true place in front of him.” Pride cometh before the fall, never an apt description as right now I suppose.

“The Tear king rode out the next day, ahead of a massive army and surrounded by his personal disciples. On the way, they pillage any village which even dared to mutter the witch's name. Thus it was only time till the witch herself set off to stop this despicable man, backed by only by the few hundred militiamen the knight had trained.”

“For days the witch's force marched eastward, gaining more followers as she went. By the time both forces met, the witches force had swelled to equal the Tear kings size, but both leaders knew which army would win.” You never know, miracles often happen in most massive battles.

“Being so confident in victory, the Tear king first sent his very own disciples; protected by his very own elite bodyguards, to harass and demoralise the witches force. Seeing the inevitable rout of their army the witches knightly lover took up his sword and shield, mounted his warhorse and charged.”

“The knight killed every last disciple and bodyguard. Swords bounced off his armour and projectiles deflected off his shield. And when they surrounded him, his sword lit up the sky in a violent wave of fire and lightning, which decimated his erstwhile foes.” Well, that escalated quickly.

“The Tear king was beyond furious, he howled to the sky for vengeance on that lone knight and without backup from his army, he charged. The witch seeing her lover in danger was said to call upon the very winds themselves to propel her across the battlefield near instantaneously. And thus the witch and the Tear king engaged in a death battle.”

“For many hours they battled each other, the Tear king's attacks would often envelop the witch whole, but to the continued surprise of many, she always came out safe. The witch, on the other hand, chanted strange words and brought out a strange formation that would continue damage to the Tear king.”

“But the Tear king often shrugged off such attacks, letting his magical armour absorb the blows. What the arrogant man didn't know was that each attacked chipped away at his armour, bit by bit.”

“Many hours later when the sun roared overhead, the Tear king fuming with rage at how this witch stilled live, begone to turn his eyes to the women's lover and prepared to take him as a hostage to neutralise her.”

“This plan was his undoing, for the split second he was distracted the witch called upon the very powers of the sun and with one final attack, bore a fiery whole straight through the Tear kings chest. Made only possible by the broken armour she caused with her constant attacks.”

“With his death the Tear king...”

“Okay, that's nice and all, but so far this story doesn't seem very relevant to me at all.” Well over than the witch's power, since it seems awfully close to the chanters techniques back home. “Can you at least tell me the witch's and knights name, since that might be a bit more useful.” Nevermind it being less annoying constantly calling them the witch or knight.

“Well, it's hard to recall since it's been a while, but, ah!” Strange. What's caused Henry to suddenly cradle his head like that? But before I can ask, he raises his head and says, “The Witches name was lost to history, however, the Loronlia Empire shall remain a part of her, and her one true love. The Grand Marshall of Loronlia, Slayer of the God King and Emperor of Loronlia, Maximilian Morolia.”

“That's impossible!”

“What?” Henry fell back slightly from my outburst and I could fell Ramaze stirring in the background as well.

Seeing my emotions get the better of me I begone to quickly think of a way to escape, “Ahem, never mind that. Would you look at the time, it's time for you to sleep I think. Well, see you in the morning.”

“What in the...” Before he could finish I retreated into my sub-pocket, the name Maximilian Morolia troubling my mind. Since I had know this boy back at the academy. Training to be a magic swordsmen and at the time he had no second name, no nothing.

How Max managed to catch the eye of Catherine Von Lorhenestalea, Duchess of Morolia and heir to the Lorhenestalea Dominion, I will never know.

But their strange love story can be put on hold again for know. Since what's more important is the fact that supposedly five hundred years have passed since she came here. Which can't be right, at most there should have arrived in this place about one hundred years ago since they disappeared eighty years before Euphemia got her soul sucked out by that damn cylinder.

Honestly, the potential time different has got me more worried than how the two got here in the first place. But if I had to guess, then their transport might be down to the experimental teleportation spell Catherine was working on. Since up till now I never knew what happened to those two after the Lorhenestalea Dominion decreed that they were not to each other and soon came to apprehend them when they begone to resisted.

I can only hope Catherine is still alive since she did manage to undergo her first body re-building before her escape. Max on the other hand, well I've been surprised before but with this world's mana, he should be safe. Hopefully.

I need to go to where the empire was. I need to find clues to they whereabouts. And hopefully, it'll lead me to Euphemia in the end.

I wish you were still here.

Euphy.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

“... world?” I'm shocked. Not because teach got angry, but more so because this eccentric man could actually muster up such emotions from just an old fairy tale. That and I somehow remembered an old fairy tale I haven't heard for at least a decade.

“Don't let it bother you, Henry.” Ramaze's voice wakes me up from my stupor. “A man like him has many secrets young one, and sometimes those secrets may leak out at the worst possible moments. You yourself haven't upset at all. But something inside remembered something, something that he either wanted to forget or was looking to remember all along.”

Ramaze's voice drifts off with those parting words. I'm thankful that Ramaze is trying to help, but the I know I haven't upset teacher. What I'm worried about is the strange feeling of remembering the story, Since it felt like I was being fed information on how to proceed when I ended up at a point I no longer remembered.

Surprisingly this has been the weirdest moment of this trip. Even weirder than the trick teach was trying to teach me. Truly peculiar, though I wouldn't be surprised if the sensation wasn't another one of teacher technique's, helping me to remember by having my brain dig up the relevant information from deep within my memories.

Huh, I need a vacation.

Though Ramaze is properly going to up my training tomorrow. Especially since I could feel him glaring at me doing the whole Qi taming. If my hunch is correct, then other than trying to do my second circulation, Ramaze will most likely have me to try and tame my Qi in order to help circulate it around my body easier.

Huh.

Where are you mother when I need you? Come save me from these mad men, I don't think I'll last more than a week before either I die of fatigue, or to one of teachs increasingly dangerous test. Oh how I was stupid to go drinking that day, I promise I'll take any punishment, just pick me up as soon as possible.

Failing that, at least knock some sense into these two maniacs with utmost urgency.

And say hello, since I miss you, mother.

It's going to be a long day tomorrow.