— Shizu, would you like to take a walk? Today, I’ve decided to spend all my time with you, — Ao said warmly, looking at her with a gentle smile.

— Mm-hmm!

She was so delighted that she nodded three times. Hand in hand, we strolled leisurely through a modest garden, chatting about trivial things.

On the way, we came across a frosty apricot tree. One of its fruits had fallen nearby and split into two halves. As the name suggests, the apricot tree bears fruit only in winter. The most fascinating thing about this fruit is that it doesn’t freeze, even during the harshest cold spells.

Picking up the fruit, I examined it. Its flesh was a coral color with a round pit, and the skin was semi-translucent. I had read about this tree in the «Guide to the Northern Continent», but I had never seen one in person.

— Shizuku, shall we gather some? — Aenari suggested, his gaze still fixed on the tree.

Noticing my interest, she immediately agreed.

— Okay, but how are we going to do it?

— It’s simple. I’ll lift you up, and you’ll pick some fruits.

Blushing slightly, she eventually agreed, and we got to work. I lifted her so she could reach the branches. Thanks to my training, it was no effort for me, and Shizu felt as light as a feather.

«By the way, she’s so soft… Ugh, stop thinking about that!» I mentally scolded myself, trying to stay focused.

Shizu picked several fruits and, once back on the ground, handed them to me. She knew it was only thanks to me that she’d been able to reach them.

— Here, these are for you, — I said, offering her three fruits and keeping two for myself.

— No, big brother Ao, take three. Two are enough for me, —she protested.

Not wanting to argue, I simply sliced the third fruit in half and held out a piece to her.

—Try it. Is it good?

— A little… — she murmured, shyly averting her gaze.

«She doesn’t want to admit she likes it, haha! I thought, suppressing a laugh.»

We continued our walk, talking about all sorts of things until I suggested, — Let’s go to a certain place.

I took her to a small yet well-known establishment called Melting Sweetness.

— Wow! Big brother Ao, isn’t this place too expensive? — Shizu asked worriedly.

— Haha, it’s my treat. Don’t worry about it.

— Okay.

The interior of the shop filled her with a light sense of wonder. We chose a corner seat with a good view of the entire room.

Soon, a maid approached us.

— Young master, young miss, what would you like to order? Here’s the menu.

We looked over the menu. I chose a tangerine dessert and fruit juice.

— Shizu, have you picked something? If it’s hard, I can help.

— Really? Thanks, she replied.

Together, we settled on a berry dessert that resembled blackcurrants.

«Hmm, it’s quite convenient to have status and influence. Of course, it’s all thanks to my grandfather and father; otherwise, we’d probably have been thrown out of here.»

While waiting for our order, we continued talking, learning new things about each other. We truly looked like siblings, though calling us a couple seemed premature.

Little did Shizu and Ao know that soon, a pair with ill intentions would come to visit them.

Meanwhile, in another part of the settlement:

— Are you absolutely sure they went in there? — the boy with a neat appearance and a haughty voice pointed toward the building.

— Yes, Lord Zen! — the passersby nodded quickly.

— If he’s in there, let’s go. — Rendo said with anticipation.

Opening the doors, they looked around, ignoring the maid’s greeting, which left her momentarily stunned.

— Lord Zen, Lord Rendo, let me ask again. Can I assist you with anything? — the maid inquired respectfully.

— No need. — Zen waved her off dismissively.

— Oh, found him! Zen, follow me.

Aenari noticed their approach and kept his gaze steady, holding eye contact until they came close enough.

— Were you looking for me? — Ao asked with a smirk.

Rendo, though it took him a moment, noticed that Aenari had changed.

«What’s with him? The old him wouldn’t even dare lift his gaze.»

Rendo got lost in thought until Shizu’s voice snapped him back to the moment.

— What do you want? — Shizu asked with a hint of anger, rising from her seat.

Zen was equally shocked, especially upon seeing Aenari alive and unharmed.

«He was definitely dead! I personally checked his pulse.»

— Why the face? Like you’ve seen a ghost. — Ao teased, his tone mocking.

— Hmph! — Zen scoffed, recovering his composure. With disdain, he said — Shizuku, since when did you start hanging around with this idiot?

— It does not concern you. Apologize to Brother Ao for what you just said!

— And why should I? Is he some kind of hero?

— A hero? Hahahaha! Brother Zen, don’t make me laugh like that. Hey, idiot! We’re taking little Shizuku with us, so —

Smack!

A loud slap landed square on Rendo’s ugly face, leaving a vivid red handprint. The sight provoked laughter and shock among the onlookers.

«Aenari, it seems you won’t leave unscathed today,» Zen thought maliciously.

Skillfully grabbing Shizu’s hand, Aenari calmly left, warning — If you dare to follow me, I’ll teach you a lesson!

Very confident! That was the first impression of the nearby bystanders.

— Hey, is that Lord Akano’s son?

— Doesn’t seem like the playboy the rumors made him out to be.

— Aenari! I’ll tear your ass apart, bitch! — cursing viciously in front of everyone, an enraged Rendo followed out.

He still couldn’t believe the turn of events. How had this cowardly playboy dared slap him — a man a head taller?

«And since when did he get so bold? Is he drunk?»

— Wait, Brother Rendo, I’m coming with you! — Zen shouted, rushing after him.

— Gentlemen, shall we take a look? This might be a show we won’t see again. — suggested a man in his fifties.

— Yes! Let’s go, quickly!

Whoever was curious followed to witness the unfolding drama.

Aenari stood nearby with Shizu, his face grim.

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Seeing his expression, Shizu became worried and suggested — Brother Ao, there are two of them, and they’re taller than you. Let’s leave.

— Don’t worry. Just trust me and watch. — Aenari said calmly, but there was a noticeable hidden pain in his voice. Mentioning his height was unnecessary.

— Hahaha! You’re joking! You really didn’t run? — Rendo laughed, disbelief written all over his face as he emerged.

Ignoring his words, Aenari spoke with a condescending tone — If you kneel three times and beg pitifully for forgiveness, I might consider showing mercy.

— You... — Rendo could barely believe his ears.

Provocatively smiling, Ao continued to humiliate him in front of everyone, and Rendo finally snapped.

— You bastard!

Yelling, Rendo’s rage boiled over as he charged forward.

Though Aenari appeared calm, inside he was far from it. A mix of fear and unease gripped him tightly.

«Why do I feel so unsettled? No, this isn’t the time to think about that.»

Biting his lip, Ao snapped out of his thoughts due to the sudden pain. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

«Judging by his weight and height, I shouldn’t take the hit. Even though the armor will absorb the damage, he’ll still crush me, leaving me in a helpless position.»

And now, he was just three yards away from Ao.

At that moment, Rendo leapt high into the air, spreading his arms wide, ready to slam down and choke him with sheer weight.

«This looks dangerous!» Ao thought, his expression turning serious.

Seizing the moment, Ao jumped back and managed to dodge, but as if anticipating this, Rendo didn’t stop. After landing, he immediately charged forward with a vile grin on his face.

Unfazed, Ao assumed a stance, extending his right leg and firmly planting it. In quick succession, he leaned slightly forward and spun around, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at the fat man’s face.

And suddenly — Wham!!!

The loud sound echoed across the square.

Everyone fell silent, women and children gasping with mouths slightly open.

— What is happening here!? Roaaargh! — roared Agro, like a wild beast, upon hearing the loud thud.

Pushing through the crowd, he noticed his son, frozen on his knees. In the next second, he collapsed like a sack of shit, with such a crash that everyone around jumped in horror, and the stench of dust and filth hung in the air.

Standing there with slightly disheveled hair, Ao declared, — I taught him a lesson on your behalf, — leaving the onlookers shocked and amazed.

— He dared to insult Agro the Tyrant. He’s done for now.

— No doubt! No one has ever survived his wrath, especially after such insults.

— You’ve got a sharp tongue, brat. If that’s the case, let me fix it and teach you a lesson in your father’s name — heh-heh," Agro said, advancing menacingly.

«Damn it! I absolutely can’t take this hit!»

Ao understood his limits and prepared the protective charm he’d been given. But before he could act, a familiar figure intervened.

— Clang! Sparks flew.

It was Akano.

— Were you about to harm him? Or did I just imagine it?!

— Don’t joke like that, Lord Akano. I merely wanted to give him a little scare, I swear, — Agro said, trying to explain with a forced smile.

— Is that so?

Without warning, Akano infused his sword with magic and launched a counterattack.

— Damn devil! Agro cursed aloud, but then —

— Whoosh! A gust of wind swept everyone back.

— Enough! said an elderly man with a raspy voice.

— Agro, take your useless son and leave. This is your first warning. There won’t be a second.

— Yes, honored father!

— Akano and Ao, follow me.

— The rest of you, disperse.

Though Akano was dissatisfied, he couldn’t disobey. Internally, he decided to punish Ao during their next training sparring session.

As we walked, I asked my father, — How did you know we were here?

— My subordinates informed me. I instructed them to report anything concerning you. Fortunately, I was nearby. I wanted to intervene from the start, but when I saw you weren’t panicking, I decided against it. I know you’ve been secretly training for a month now, but I never imagined you had reached such a level of control over your body. For your age, that’s impressive, — my father said, patting me on the shoulder.

During the entire walk, my grandfather didn’t say a word.

Eventually, we entered the pagoda and sat down near a small table.

— Honored father, may I ask why you brought us here?

Not answering him right away, he decided to praise his grandson.

— Aenari, that was a good strike.

To which Ao simply remained silent.

— As for why I brought you here, it’s simple. Aenari, if you finish the last two years consecutively with top grades in our small school, I will grant you access to the family library. I don’t think I need to tell you how important it is.

I simply nodded in response.

— Alright, let’s get to the main point. I gave your foolish brothers a task, and if one of them completes it within three years, my position will be transferred to him without discussion. Today, I’m going to announce this to everyone.

— Ao, wait for me outside, I’ll be there soon.

— Alright. — With a bow, Aenari left them alone.

Leaving the pagoda, Aenari spotted Shizuku.

— Brother Ao! I was afraid you’d be punished, did everything go well or was it postponed? — Shizu asked, worried.

— Shizu-chan, you weren’t with us. Did you sneak behind us?

— Uh... yeah.

Laughing at her antics, Aenari began to tell her about the conversation with his grandfather.

— I’m glad you’re alright.

— You don’t need to worry about me — Ao patted her head.

Then he added — Be careful with Rendo and Zen. They might try to harm you if they can’t vent their anger on me. But I will do my best to prevent that. Because of me, you’ve now run into trouble — Ao said with guilt.

— It’s nothing. I’ll get stronger and beat them, you’ll see!

— Uh-huh, — he weakly smiled in response.

Soon, after saying goodbye to Shizuku, I ended up at home.

After taking a bath, I went downstairs to the living room, where father and Alfred were sitting.

— Welcome back, young master. — Alfred greeted me.

After listening to my account of the day, they nodded approvingly and praised me.

— After what happened, Agro will certainly hold a grudge against you, my master.

— Alfred is completely right. You should inform us of your actions or plans, so we can come to your aid if necessary. I think you understand everything, don’t you?

I nodded in response.

— Alright, if that’s the case. Now, let’s get to the main point.

— I see how diligently you’ve been training up to this day, and that’s certainly good. But, I’ll be blunt, you don’t owe us anything. Don’t force yourself if you don’t enjoy following the path of a mage or a warrior. In any case, we will accept you, even if you want to stay an ordinary person. Rest assured, we’ll always support your choice — Akeno patted me on the shoulder and went off to his business.

After his departure, Alfred spoke up — My master, the thing is, Lord Akeno thinks you’re training to your own detriment. My lord will undoubtedly be happy if you follow in his footsteps and become a skilled warrior like him. But he also doesn’t want you to become a warrior just because of his whim. And yes, he knows that you are more interested in magic — finishing his words, Alfred held his gaze on me for a couple of seconds.

— Alfred.

— I’m listening, young master.

— Bring me a cup of tea with berries to my room.

— As you wish.

Inside the infirmary at that time:

— Mistress Tina, he won’t make it now, but he’ll die soon. You’re not to blame for this. You’ve already used up all your healing mana, but there’s no result. If he had come earlier, there would have been a chance, but now...

While Tina’s assistant comforted her, she hated her helplessness. This feeling had always oppressed her, even to this day, as she still remembered those who had died because of her. If she hadn’t gotten into that forest trouble, then Akano wouldn’t have had to leave his zone. And then there was the recent accident with her only son.

It seemed like this circle would never end.

«If I don’t become stronger, I’ll lose everyone close to me. But who will help me, a pathetic healer with nothing in her pockets...»

In truth, they couldn’t be called poor, but given the requirements to advance in class, it wouldn’t even be enough to cover 2/5 of the whole journey.

Starting this month, Tina and Akano would have to work all-out to save up for a rainy day. Before, they could work every other day, but now, with the current circumstances, things would have to change. Everyone felt that the coming years would be hard for all of them.

Late evening.

— Sitting at the table, Ao asked — Mom, you look tired, did something happen?

— Nothing special, just a tough day. She didn’t want to say that she couldn’t save the patient due to her incompetence, even though it wasn’t her fault.

— Ao, are you wearing the light armor I gave you?

— Yes, is something wrong?

— You’re right, don’t take it off unless necessary. Your safety is important to me.

— Understood.

— Good. Now let’s eat!

— Enjoy your meal, everyone!

For dinner, they had a grey rabbit, which is active during warm weather and burrows deep tunnels underground in winter to protect itself from the cold and other predators. The meat was cooked over a slow fire, wrapped in a thin layer of fat, with sliced vegetables shaped like rings, which looked very appetizing. After a hearty dinner, I was about to head to my room when I was asked a question.

— Ao, you seemed to want to ask me something last time. Don’t be shy, go ahead. I’ll listen to you — Akano said enthusiastically.

— Alright.

— The first thing I want to know is: are there any body techniques or unique arts? And do they depend on class definitions?

— Good question! — Akano was surprised for a moment, then continued: Actually, yes, but there are limitations. And not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance.

— I’d like to know which ones.

— Quite simple. My class is Explosive Swordsman. As the name suggests, my specialty lies in delivering quick and precise strikes to weak points, and if you start studying my body techniques and combat skills, then your path to becoming an Elementalist or an Assassin will be closed.

Also, there are people in this world with special gifts. Gifted — at least that’s what they are called.

They can play on two fronts, meaning they can have two or even more classes. Of course, you can simply not study any body techniques of archers or warriors, but the effectiveness of your moves and skills will be drastically reduced, making you weaker than someone who focuses on one class.

So, you’d better choose your class carefully.

“The doubts about class selection weren’t in vain. If I want to succeed, I need to weigh everything carefully. But what if I try to find a balance?”

«As far as I know, my breathing exercises don’t belong to any class, as they weren’t made for mages or warriors, which is what calms me. It’s kind of like laying the foundation that will ease the study of subsequent body techniques.»

— Understood, Father. I’ll think about it before making a decision.

— Good. Your grandfather insists that you shouldn’t rush. You still have plenty of time.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Akano began talking about what happened after his son left:

— Our little Ao beat Rendo?! Where did he learn to fight? — Tina was truly astonished.

— I’m not sure myself, but he’s been training for a month now. I thought he was just strengthening his body, but apparently, it wasn’t without combat techniques. You should’ve seen that strike, and how Agro’s son fell like a sack of manure! — Ha-ha-ha! — Akano laughed wholeheartedly.

— Darling, this event definitely calls for a drink to celebrate!

— Alicia, pour me the strong liqueur we recently bought from the merchant.

— Yes, sir!

— He really has changed. Not only has he become more serious and attentive, but he also stopped causing trouble. Before, he either got beaten by someone or injured himself due to carelessness. It’s a bit sad, but I’m glad that at least now he’s started to take care of himself — Tina finally came to terms with his changes.

— You’re right, but I think it’s for the best. I also believe he’ll have a good future.

— I support your faith in our little one!

Meanwhile, in Aenari’s thoughts.

As he went to his room, he felt a swirl of questions in his mind. The path he would choose would determine his future, and perhaps the fate of others. But despite all the difficulties, he was ready to face them with the new possibilities ahead.