Left, right, stab, dodge, counter, I repeated these movements in my mind as well as others. The most important thing I could do right now to become stronger is to sync my mind with this body and strengthen it. Since Victor left the training room, I've practiced the same moves repeatedly to perform them instinctually. There is a great difference between a master's and a professional's in any field, and most of that difference lies in a master's experience. Masters are usually so good at something they can perform their jobs entirely based on instinct. How do you get closer to the level of a master?

Training there is no other way. Of course, unless you are a magician under those conditions, your potential is predetermined at birth, I think to myself as I grind my teeth.

Why is life so unfair?

As I am training, I hear the door begin to open, so I put down my sword. I already knew who it was. Aldrich Mobeal. I expected this since I showed Victor my swordsmanship. I knew he would have to report my skills to the head patriarch since the youngest son showing potential could be a big deal.

I bow down. "I welcome, father."

"It seems that you are practicing your swordsmanship. Why the sudden interest?"

I try to think of an answer that will please my father, but at the same time give an explanation for my high level of swordsmanship. And then it came to me.

"It isn't really an interest; I've just felt the need to hold a sword in my hand ever since earlier today."

"What do you mean?" My father asked in an impatient voice.

"This morning when I was with Victor, I got this terrible headache, and I saw this white light, and at that time, I heard a voice say, "you are the apostle of the sword." Ever since then, I have felt the need to hold a sword.

Obviously, this story is a lie and might sound crazy, but in this world where gods truly exist and make contracts with people, this was definitely possible. And in this world, a god might also force a human if they are impressive enough to be contractors, but these people are called apostles. This was also a story that Victor was somewhat witness to; it was too perfect. Not only will this story make me of greater importance in my family, but it should make my ineptitude in magic less important later in my life.

The only problem is that the god of the sword is a god that has only ever made one contract, and that was with the first king of the country of Lundria, King Alfred, and that was hundreds of years ago. Also, usually, gods bless their contractors and apostles with abilities, and I had no ability to show. However, I could write this off as there are some people in history who didn't figure out how to use their abilities till later in life.

Father looks at me with shock but interest at the same time "is that so? Have you learned to do anything new since then?" Aldrich says with sky-high expectations in his eyes.

I was planning on saying no, but then I had a better idea.

"Kinda, whenever I'm holding the sword, I feel at peace, relaxed, like I can do anything."

My father seemed somewhat disappointed but at the same time intrigued. I guess he was expecting something more exciting.

"Is that so?" My father says as he goes to the front door of the training room and pulls a servant away from his work. "You come here." Second, later my father and the servant are facing me again.

"What's your name?" My father asks the servant.

"E-Emily." The servant responds with slight fear. She was a girl, if I would have to guess, about 19. She had a small stature. I don't know if that is why my dad chose her or it was a coincidence, but I knew what was coming next.

"Emily, how many stars did I rank you?"

"T-Two stars, sir."

"Are you a swordsman or a magician, or are you capable of being both?"

"I would consider myself more of a swordsman..."

"Take a sword, and I think you know what to do with it."

She looks at me, surprised but doesn't ignore Aldrich's order and picks up a sword. We both get to in our positions when Aldrich gives the signal; I analyze Emily's stance. To say the least, her form was horrible. But either way, I shouldn't let my guard down.

As Aldrich gives a signal, I rush in at full speed, knowing full well if I dont impress him here, I will be considered a failure in this life as well.

I will show him the swordsmanship of me and my past life, one he never got to witness but nevertheless the greatest I know.

As the gap closes, Emily positions herself defensively, probably surprised by my speed, and our wooden swords clash. Faster, I think to myself as I pull away my sword and continue my endless barrage. To a commoner, my strikes might seem meaningless, but each strike I attempt has a significant meaning. Even an untrained 2-star warrior like Emily could see that all of my strikes had meaning, or else she wouldn't be so powerless by now. At this point, Emily seemed to neither have the strength, stamina, nor willpower to block me. I decided to put this little spar to an end. What I had shown so far would already be considered extremely impressive since I made overwhelming a 2-star warrior look easy; I felt terrible for poor Emily. Still, I backed up, preparing my finishing blow.

I decided that the most impressive thing I could do at this moment was release a bit of aura as a child having aura at the ripe age of 10 is awe-inspiring, and the aura I was going to show wasn't going to be regular aura, after all, it is my aura. The aura of someone with a profound understanding of the sword most who see my aura would describe it with one word endless and not because of the amount I have but because of the sensation seeing it gives.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Knowing all this, I release the slightest bit of aura, something even the greatest swordsmen are able to do around the age of 13, and the youngest person to do was kind Alfred at the ripe age of 11.

After releasing the slightest bit of aura, Emily seems to have gone into some state of shock as she is not even able to move. It is like she is staring into an abyss, the inevitable. This is what happens when a novice peers in the aura of a master.

My father seems to have also noticed that my aura is different after all in this world; there should not be one that possesses the understanding of the sword, which I do, so he also takes a peek into the abyss, but he doesn't get sucked in like Emily. Realizing all this, I prepare a final attack.

"Stop!"

I bring my movements to a halt and stop showing my aura. After I do, Emily instantly falls onto the ground, wheezing, coughing, and crying, gasping for air. After all, once you get so entrenched in the aura of a master, it is hard to function. Even breathing becomes impossible in front of what should be the impossible and incomprehensible.

As she struggles to get up, I go up to help Emily and ask if she is alright, but she seemed scared of me. My presence seemed to trigger fear into her to the point where she essentially crawled out of the training room just to get away from me.

"How did you do that?" asked father in a calmer voice than I expected.

"Do what?" I ask, acting like a fool.

"Release aura that essence you released that power how did you release it?"

"I dont know. I just did," I say.

"It just came to you naturally?"

"Yes, father."

My father stood in front of me as he thought probably about what he should do about me, keep my abilities a secret till I'm stronger in the future, or use me as another object for clans to fear before they attempt to defy us. I honestly didn't care what he chose; option one allows me to have more time to train and get stronger and option two probably means I will get more real-world experience. Not that I dont already have plenty, but more is always better.

My father then smiled and rubbed my head. "Good job," he said. I rarely ever got treated this well by my father in my past life, but I had to admit it felt good.

Given that I wasn't told what to do with my abilities, I assumed my father chose option 2, so I kept this in mind and headed to eat dinner with my family.

As I head to the dining room, I see a familiar face I haven't seen in years, a warm but at the same time calculating women Alicia Mobeal, my mother. I never hated my mother, but at the same time, I never liked her as she looked at me differently from all my other siblings, even before she knew of my incompetence in magic.

But before I do anything, I take a second to look at all my other siblings, Aldrin, Mars, Rosaline, and Rose. I almost cried as my emotions overwhelmed me, but I restrained myself.

They are here now thats what matters.

I take my seat at the dining table as mother stares me down.

"Leo, where are your manners? What makes you think you can come late to dinner and sit down like nothing?" My mother asked.

Before I get a chance to answer, Aldrich's loud steps and immense presence can be both heard and felt down the hallway in which I came from.

"Leave him be; he was with me," Aldrich responds.

My mother and siblings all look shocked after all, father isn't a man who is known to spend much time with his children until they are old enough to learn how to wield a sword, and he also isn't known to make excuses for his children.

As silence overtakes the whole room, my father pulls his chair and sits down. Aldrich then speaks up after being served food by servants.

"Aldrin, I heard that you were recently evaluated to be a 4-star warrior after your most recent subjugation. I congratulate you."

"Thank you, father. It means a lot coming from you. Hopefully, at this rate, I can grow to be strong enough to continue your legacy." Aldrin says back

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Just cause you are powerful won't guarantee that your siblings won't be stronger."

"Exactly, I couldn't have said it better myself!" Mars said in his childish voice.

Rosaline and rose both said, "I will become heir the lady of this household... Hey, stop copying me!" As expected of the twin sisters.

I missed this childish banter. It kept my days exciting and made me grow to care for my siblings, even if it was through stupid conversations we bonded. So I joined in.

"What do you guys mean? You guys are competing against me, the world's greatest swordsman; you have no chance of becoming the heirs to the household."

"You wish," Aldrin says as all of us siblings laugh.

Mother tells us to stop joking around and eat, and father stays silent. All in all, dinner was good not because of the food but because of the people I ate the food with.

After dinner, I head to my room to go to sleep, but I stay up most of the night trying to gain a deeper understanding of the sword and doing mental training. I would probably need to do this for years in order to catch up to my dad but I was hopeful when it came to my potential in swordsmanship.

As I finished up my training and laid on my bed to sleep, I thought to myself. I had a lot to worry about in the future the murders of my siblings I must pervent, attacks on my household I must prepare for, and so much more. But probably my biggest worry was the gods. Some gods may be considered evil, and some gods who can be considered "kinder" the contactors of these gods are powerful; the Apostles are also to be feared as well as they have obtained abilities that transcend their humanity. But the worst part was while I knew the future would be challenging; every time I tried to remember details of whats to come, it all appeared in my head as a blur, or even worse, I got one of those head-splitting headaches. Either way, I shouldn't be expecting a life of leisure.

*** ***

"I pity him. His future is one none would ask for, full of struggles. But if he can't correct the wrongs made by us, who can?" Says Fugashi.

"He was cheated of what was rightfully his, but no one except the few of us will ever know, the hatred he has for him is like none I have seen before but to interfere the way he had. I still can't believe it."

"Yes, some lives are just made to be tragedies, but what could've been done? You stayed by his side to the very end even if he was cheated; you did your part. You're one of the reasons why we are being allowed this second chance to correct the wrongs of those like us." Says Fugashi.

"Shhh, he might hear you then all of this would have been for nothing, and I plan on seeing this through to the end."

"Fear not that coward would never leave his territory, especially for the likes of us." Says Fugashi.

"I assume so. That world... This one, too, of course, they genuinely aren't fair when will "he" understand the importance of balance."

"Don't you understand? Balance to him means nothing. He has no honor. All he values is his life. If he were to believe in balance, we wouldn't be where we are now, and he would be dead." Says fugashi.

"Let us hope that he is able to overcome all obstacles "he" puts in his way. He may not remember it all, but it will come to him bit by bit. I await his victory for our sake."

"It won't be easy. He is at a disadvantage, and "he" will only try to make things worse for him." Says fugashi.

"Well, he still has me."

"Yes, that is true. This is, after all, your story, no, your life too." Says Fugashi.

"I must go. We shouldn't remain together for too long. He might not know of our surveillance, but he still is wary of us. We should make sure that he is ignorant of what we have done... Goodbye, Fugashi."

"Yes, you are right. We shall meet again when the time comes... Remain vigilant, my friend."