Things turned out to be just like Sigmund predicted. There was no real establishment that could be called a ‘school’ and the teaching process to the dozen or so kids could hardly be called a ‘class’. Everything revolved around one young boy named Robert, the heir of the Hansen family.
Every other day in the governor’s mansion a Qi expert for few hours taught and explained different aspects of Qi cultivation, but all his attention was focused on Robert. The other children seemed to ‘know their place’ and never even asked a question, but mostly tried to befriend or gain favor from the most important person in the room. After all they learned the Qi techniques in their families and were here only on their parents orders.
Alex didn’t care about it, but carefully listened to what the teacher had to say. From what he gathered, the man dressed in the black robe was saint’s right hand and had plenty of experience. If he didn’t count his father’s peculiar technique, in this life Alex continued to practice the self-modified Qi techniques he acquired during the previous lifetimes, therefore he was not the least against finally learning something useful from a local expert.
There were no school-years or semesters and Alex joined already an ‘ongoing practice group’. No one intended to ask if he understood anything and allowing him to be present could already be counted as a boon.
Luckily for Alex, Robert was not the smartest cookie in the world. He did have an amazing memory, but his comprehension abilities lacked even compared to the most kids in the room. Nevertheless the teacher, master Hilmi, patiently explained for who knows which time the principles of Qi flow while performing different specific techniques. Thanks to this, within few classes Alex caught up to the previously taught subjects with ease.
During the upcoming months he continued to silently sit in the far end of the room, patiently listening to master Hilmi’s teachings. When it got boring, he practiced Qi or mapped out different Qi techniques and tried to come up with something new consolidating several he learned during different lives. Such mental exercises were a refreshing change to his routine and he actually began to enjoy these classes.
There was only one problem. Classes were only every other day, but in the days between there was a combat training. Alex had no intention to spar with children, especially since everyone present was only here for Robert to practice on. Well, everyone from the bunch, except for the only girl, Johanna Weber, who apparently was already betrothed to Robert and walked around as if she owned the world.
Unfortunately somehow the group discovered who was Alex’s father and from that day on the dozen kids continued to pester and annoy him to come and join them during the ‘practical training’. At first Alex didn’t find it hard to ignore a bunch of ten to twelve year olds, especially since he already was physically their size. But with time they became braver and apart from throwing provocative words at him and calling him a ‘coward’, they occasionally began to push Alex around physically as well.
The whole situation reminded him of the events in the Holy empire’s capital Serenity, when Alex was living in the bishop’s nursery. He even began to plan on whom should he ‘help to awaken’ with a kick in the nuts, like he ‘helped’ Vova back then, when one day even master Hilmi pointed out that Alex shouldn’t ‘stray away’ from the group and had go practice with everyone.
“Trust me, it will only be good for you!” He said.
“When will you teach us about branding?” Alex immediately asked ignoring teacher’s intentions.
They have been going through the basics of Qi multiple times and if he couldn’t learn anything new, there was no need to waste his time here, to not speak about some idiotic ‘straying away from group’.
Hearing Alex’s attitude, master Hilmi furrowed his brows in displeasure and said, “I won’t teach you that. When Robert, I mean, when you all reach the appropriate level, a trusted Qi warrior will instruct you.”
But then he got an idea and continued, “In fact, he is currently teaching your group the combat essentials. If you want to meet him, you should go together with the others to the practice grounds.”
The ‘trick’ was so primitive Alex wanted to laugh, but held back in the end. He didn’t intend to become a superhuman warrior like his father, but branding was an important subject in his books, thus the next day he showed up on the practice grounds behind the governor’s mansion to meet the man who could actually teach him something.
Alex had no illusions about being able to persuade to him to start teaching sooner or at all, but at least he would get acquainted and see if this could lead anywhere. For the last couple of months Alex already began to plan the upcoming years and he didn’t see himself remaining in Haldenburg at all. His thoughts were directed towards the capital, especially after hearing from Sigmund that the potential saint candidates from all over the empire were taught there. The only problem was – formally he was only seven years old and the capital was in the southern side of the continent – more than two thousand kilometers away.
The weather was sunny and warm, and Alex, dressed in plain linen shirt and trousers, arrived early. Few guards were sparring in the primitive arena, but Alex ignored them, sat nearby and closed his eyes to meditate. Only after another hour Robert with Johanna at his side and the whole entourage behind them arrived, dressed in colorful clothing and with ornamental swords at their sides.
“Come on, barbarian! Show me what you’ve got!” Robert shouted after marching to the middle of the arena.
The guards left the moment they spotted the group as if avoiding a plague and now only children remained.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Alex opened his eyes, looked around and since the teacher was not here yet – ignored the future saint and continued to meditate. One after another children began ridiculing him and calling names, for some reason not getting tired of it at all.
It all stopped only when the teacher arrived. Alex, hearing the dickheads finally shut up, opened his eyes and grinned in delight. The world really was a small place – he immediately recognized the leather jacket teacher wore, this time – despite the warm weather. It was the Qi warrior, the middle aged squad leader he saw six years ago in the marketplace. He was also the reason for Alex to become interested in branding in the first place.
Alex got up, patted his trousers, but before he could go over to the warrior, Robert loudly said, “Teacher, can I spar with him?”
And pointed at Alex.
The Qi warrior shrugged and said, “Sure.”
Obviously he was already bored before the practice began and was here only because of the orders.
“What now, barbarian?” Robert laughed, “Nowhere to run?”
Alex slowly came over to arena, but then passed Robert completely ignoring the boy and approached the Qi warrior.
“Hello, I’m Alex. May I ask you a question?” He tried to politely start the conversation.
But teacher was not in a good mood, “Fight!”
He expressionlessly said.
Alex sighed and looked at his opponent.
‘Do I really have to hit a kid? They can’t be seriously expecting me to obediently take a beating, can they?’ He thought to himself.
Meanwhile the small crowd began to cheer at their leader who theatrically drew his ceremonial sword.
“Let’s go!” He loudly laughed.
“Can you even use a proper Qi technique?” Alex shook his head seeing Robert swinging his fake sword from side to side.
“Qi techniques are not allowed here!” Johanna shouted, “You must fight with your skill!”
Alex looked back at the Qi warrior and asked in confusion, “Seriously?”
But the teacher simply ignored him.
‘What kind of nonsense is this?’ Alex immediately lost any respect for the man.
While Alex battled his ethical values, Robert had warmed up enough and slashed at him, but the target cowardly took a step to the side and barely dodged.
“What is it, barbarian? Not so tough anymore?” Other kids shouted confusing Alex even further.
From his first move they had to recognize the disparity in their abilities, but for some reason they though he was desperately running away. Even more, after Alex evaded few more slashes, they started booing at him and ridiculing even more.
What Alex didn’t see was how the teacher finally observed the action in the arena with interest. Even though Alex was a child, he had practiced for decades and didn’t even need to think about the basic movement and such fact couldn’t slip by the experts eye.
Unfortunately Alex had practiced the Bond’s style for too long and purely out of instinct at some point he stepped forward in a lightning speed and his fist landed right on the Robert’s nose. It happened so fast none of the children even noticed – all they saw was Alex blurring out for a split second.
But the Qi warrior widened eyes in surprise. If Alex had a weapon in his hand, the rich kid would’ve lost his life.
When Robert lifelessly fell on his back, his face bloodied all over, dead silence filled the training grounds.
“Ups.” Was the only thing that was heard.
Alex really didn’t mean to do that, but it was too late.
“You bastard!” Johanna was the first to comprehend what just transpired and, with her own ceremonial sword drawn, jumped towards Alex.
“Die!” She screamed.
But Alex only threw a glance her way, then sidestepped and slapped her on the left cheek. He already messed up, so shutting up one annoying girl who actually intended to kill him was only for his own pleasure.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Suddenly Alex heard the Qi warrior’s voice next to him.
The man soundlessly arrived at his side without Alex noticing it.
“Ye, my bad.” Alex said, “But she was really annoying.”
Alex never really hit a woman, to not speak about a little girl. But to his defense he was seven years old himself, at least formally.
“Nah, I’m talking about him.” Teacher pointed at Robert, “My guess is you’ll be in big trouble.”
“So be it.” Alex shrugged, “In that case, could you fulfill a wish of a dying kid and teach him the principles of branding?”
“That was what you wanted to ask?” Warrior’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
“What else? You can’t teach how to fight, can you?” Alex grinned back while pointing at the two unconscious bodies on the ground.
“Ok, now I understand why they wanted to kick your ass.” Warrior laughed in return, “But what you ask is not something a beginner can learn.”
“I’m quite an overachiever.” Alex honestly said, “And truth to be said, most of the children are bored out their minds – master Hilmi has not taught anything new for the past month.”
“Fine! One lesson!” Warrior said and left.
Only then the cheering squad reacted and ran over to Robert and his fiancee while throwing glares full of hate towards Alex, but he ignored them and happily jogged to the beach to practice for the rest of the day.
What Alex didn’t know was that the news of some regular kid kicking prodigy’s ass spread around Haldenburg like a wildfire making his future stay in the city impossible and even keeping his life improbable. Of course, he had a plan ‘b’ for the worst case scenario – he would continue with his initial experiment and try to get next ‘good’ reincarnation in the same world.