Chapter 4.

PART 1.

This is the third day since Hatori has been brought here most unwillingly. While keeping his homesickness to himself, he noticed some things about people here.

Mainly, how everyone seems to be assigned some rank, and they have to live their lives accordingly. Of course, some people dare to break the structure, but by large, people appear to comply with this societal norm.

Hatori asked about this to the staff of the castle, since he feels that they would be honest while answering his questions. So, he stumbles his way to the kitchens of the castle, where he inquires about these ranks.

“Of course, there is a structure like that.” The chef told him. “But honestly, there are no hopes for say, someone like me, to rise above my current place in the society. The powerful magical families will never stand for it.” The chef feels guilty for venting like that to a curious kid, so he apologized. “Sorry.”

Hatori took note of the bitter tone of the chef. So, he complimented his food.

He might have many complaints about being brought here against his will, but food is not one of those. (Unlike a certain place, where he was sent once, also against his will…) ‘Better not think about that.’ he thought to himself and very firmly blocked those memories.

PART 2.

A man walked to the throne room of the king, not even noticing the group of guards trying to stop him. He barged inside. “You called?” he asked with a lazy curl of his lips.

“Punctual as always.” The king motioned for him to sit, and dismiss the guards.

“So, did these backstabbing sons of bitches learn of my arrival?” He questioned. His language would have scandalized a lot of people if there were people in the room.

“As far as I know, not yet.” Answered the king, not taking notice of the language of this man.

“Well then. I’ll wait until you think it is suitable for me to meet the boy.” The man rubs his palms. “I haven’t got any recent students to tor—train.”

“Nice save.” Smiled Porus in amusement.

PART 3.

Hatori lies in his bed, remembering how he acted during the morning. He was, and still is, missing his home. Raven and Josh, (Who are surely going to leave him in two weeks,) tried to console him as best as they could.

After lunch, he requested that they just leave him in his room. The castle is so big, he is having trouble remembering ways.

So, after the boys left him in his room, he just lies in his bed, depressed.

At least the bed is soft.

The door opens, and an adult woman enters the room, judging by her footsteps. “Hatori, are you awake?”

He recognized this voice. She is the same woman who prepared him before he appeared in court. “Yes.”

“The king has called you. There is someone here to meet you.”

For a moment, he thought of protesting but decided that it wouldn’t be worth it. So, he gets up, and after his hair is fussed over by the woman (you must look immaculate before the king always) she leads him to the throne room.

PART 4.

“Ah, welcome! Welcome!” Porus said, after Hatori enters, “I have someone here, who wishes to meet you.”

Hatori tilted his head in curiosity. Usually, people meet him for two reasons. Either they were forced to, or they liked him (which is a rather short list of people.) so this must be the first one, given he hasn’t met too many people outside of the castle. And even in the castle, outside of Raven and Josh, his contact is mostly with the staph.

The king continued, “He has arrived to train you in magic—”

The person interrupted Porus. “I think I should take over from here, your majesty.” Hatori detected an amused tilt to the rough tone of the man while calling Porus with that title.

‘They must have known each other for a long while, then.’ He concludes with his thoughts.

“My name is Zeko, and I will be training you in the use of magic, as well as various other things which the government of your majesty disapproves of. I look forward to your… training.” Hatori is concerned. Why did he pause at the end for a second?

“Well?” He said then, “Don’t you have anything to say?”

“What can I say?” Hatori speaks finally, “After all, all of this is happening without my choice.”

“Choices, choices. In the end boy, they are just an illusion.” Replied Zeko.

“I liked that illusion, thank you.” After a moment’s consideration, Hatori speaks once more. “I expected you to be some sort of infamous cruel master, you know?” The laughter which followed after that statement was frightening.

“Who said that I’m not? This is a fine one Porus.” Hatori noted how the king didn’t mind being called by his name since he didn’t hear any sharp intake of breath. “I like the witty students. They are so interesting to train.”

“I would have preferred it if I didn’t need your training at all,” Hatori said, in a calm and controlled tone, which he has been using to talk with adults since he arrived (Brought against his will) here.

This, of course, is the result of his experiences with adults. If you scream and throw a tantrum, they won’t listen, they might even get violent. This is one of the lessons which he learned at the place. ‘Better not go there.’

“Indeed? Don’t you care what would happen to innocent people in the future, whatever event might take place because of this prophecy?” asked Zeko.

“It is hard to care about the faceless masses.” Porus looked at Zeko worriedly after this reply, but he shook his head, telling the king to remain silent.

“But I hear that you befriended two wonderful boys in this castle. Don’t you care what would happen to them?” Zeko wanted to see how Hatori would reply to this curve ball.

“Hmm. Maybe I might care a little then. But to be honest, you all are going on someone’s word that something is going to happen in the future, without having the capability of confirming for yourselves. I can’t say whether either of them dies or not,” speculated the child. “But for all we know, they might end up not involved, or die in some unrelated causes.”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

This time, Zeko looked at Hatori in speculation. ‘Most children of his age don’t have a speech pattern like that. Not to mention, how easily he talks about death. I’ll have to be careful, or he might turn mad.’

This is the unfortunate fact of the world that mages can, and do turn mad. This could be the result of their experiments, or just the demons of their lives overwhelming them.

“Since it is a day of the Saturn already, you have one day free until we begin training. You better be prepared, boy.”

PART 5.

“Whaaaaatttt!” Two childish screams echoed on the ground.

“You mean you got that cruel monster as an instructor?” Raven asked after regaining his composure. Though from his tone, Hatori thinks that he might lose it any time.

“Yeah.” Confirms Hatori.

“Oh man,” Josh coughed to get rid of the sudden croak in his throat. “You must be the unluckiest guy.”

“Probably,” Raven said in agreement.

“He doesn’t appear to be that bad.” Hatori protested, “If anything, he insulted the king right in front of me. He is more likely to end up in trouble for disrespecting him.”

“Yeah, he can get away with that,” Raven said in a grave tone. “You see, this guy has a reputation.”

“What kind of reputation?” asked Hatori.

“When some parents wish to discipline their children, they call him.” Answered Raven, “Didn’t we hear about the case of that spoilt guy?”

“Oh yeah.” Josh remembers, “He was picking fights with people, despite being a genius; he was doing poorly in school. His parents called this guy to straighten him out.”

“Indeed? What happened to him?” Hatori asked in a fascinated tone.

“By the end of his training, he was a gibbering mess, and acquired the fear of cows.” Raven looks at Josh strangely, apparently not aware of the last fact. “They say,” Josh whispered, and Raven and Hatori leaned forward to hear him more clearly. “That he constantly left him exploding cows.”

“That sounds rather dubious.” Hatori shook his head.

“Here’s another one then.” Raven said, “There was this one guy who needed to prepare for a dueling tournament. But since he was lazy, Zeko was called on to train him.”

Josh paled, though Hatori did not know this. “By the time of the tournament, that guy lost all of his teeth; his hair ripped from his scalp.” Josh whimpered while putting his hands on his head protectively. “And despite all of that, he won the tournament.” Raven finished the recounting.

“Probably the fear of punishment motivated him,” Josh mumbled.

“That is not all.” Raven whispered, “I hear my father talking about soldiers subjected to his training methods.” Raven shuttered, “He always mutters how they never come out sane.”

Hatori zoned out in the middle of this conversation. So, his sudden interruption came as a surprise for the two boys. “Say, how things are outside of this castle?” he asked.

“Good. Why?” Josh didn’t get it.

“Well, I mean, that is to say—” Stuttered Hatori.

“You want to go outside?” Raven guessed.

“Yes.” he nodded.

Both boys grinned. “Well then. Let’s show you the city outside!” declared Josh.

“Yeah, more like the fraction of the city. We won’t be going too far.” Raven doused the flames quickly.

PART 6.

“But the surprising thing for me is that you have such a rowdy population outside. How come they don’t just barge in here?” asked Hatori, still talking about the things he experienced outside of the castle.

“Probably because they respect the king too much.” Raven gave a practical answer, which Hatori noted he tends to do a lot.

“Yeah, imagine if a wimp were on the throne?” Josh snickered at the possibility.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here?” a haughty voice said near their table.

More like the voice tried to sound haughty, but failed to do. ‘Maybe he should try that once he grows a little?’ thinks Hatori.

“What? Aren’t you gonna say anything to me?” The boy thumped the table.

“What can we say to you, we barely know you.” Replied Josh.

“You!—" the kid splutters for a few moments. “How can you not know me? I am Avinash, the future king of you all. Remember that, or else!”

“We’ll do it, your majesty.” Replied Raven respectfully.

“You. Are you mocking me?” Avinash didn’t like Raven’s tone.

“I cannot do that to your majesty.” Replied Raven once more.

Seeing a zoned-out Hatori, he asked, “And what’s his deal? Why is he so inattentive to the future king’s presence?”

Raven and Josh tried to offer various excuses for Hatori. But Avinash was having none of it. In reality, Hatori is not zoned out. He just looks that way when he’s bored. This isn’t the first time people have mistaken his expression for something else.

“Oy, you! What’s your name?” Avinash asked.

“Hatori Eagle.” He answered in a monotone manner.

“What, don’t tell me you have Nihongan island ancestry?” Avinash looked at him interestedly.

Hatori, however, is too confused to answer. ‘What exactly is Nihongan, what does an island have to do with it? I remember that people at the court were also talking about it.’

“Whatever. You will pay respect to your future king, you hear me?” said Avinash.

Hatori didn’t answer.

Avinash walked closer to the still-seated Hatori and poked him. But Hatori still didn’t react. So, he pushed him hard, nearly making him fall off his chair.

At that point, Hatori leaped at him and wrestled him to the ground. Turning Avinash to his stomach, he sat on his back and pulled his head to his chest by grabbing his chin, all the while ignoring the complaints of pain and how a king should not be treated so roughly.

After Hatori left with his friends, Avinash experienced a strange feeling. Usually, kids around his age treat him with respect, (because they’re threatened by their parents), but this guy was not afraid of him. He even dared to touch him physically.

Before long, a smile broke out on his face. Maybe he has found his competition. ‘As father always says, competition is best for improving yourself.’

(End.)