Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

The capital of the northeastern kingdom, Amel, Felbertin, had fallen. After its fall, numerous refugees fled the city.

The demoralized remnants of the army were busy fleeing, while a few righteous individuals gathered people and took responsibility for the safety of the refugees.

However, even those righteous individuals discarded their swords and fled in despair at the sight of the approaching hordes of monsters and demi-human races.

In such a desperate and chaotic situation, where everyone was frantically trying to escape, two humans confidently stepped forward.

In the midst of the busy and noisy escape, these two seemed almost from another world.

Aira looked at Christian and asked,

“Why? Are you nervous?”

“It would honestly be a lie if I said I wasn’t…”

Though half-crazed monsters and hordes of non-humans were rushing toward them, there was hardly any tension in Christian’s eyes.

“But I am not afraid.”

“Right. It’s okay to be nervous, but you must never be scared.”

Aira, satisfied with Christian’s words, chuckled and patted his back.

It was merely a gesture of praise, but without a magical barrier, the force was enough to break the spine of the still-growing Christian.

“All right, shall we get started?”

“Yes.”

With a relaxed smile, she stretched and took a step forward. This was enough to dispel the remaining tension and anxiety in Christian.

Christian, who felt much more at ease, quietly drew his sword, and from his body, an immense and deep ocean-like mana flowed out.

He was only fifteen years old.

In terms of sheer mana capacity alone, it was enough to say he surpassed even his master, Aira.

Feeling the vast mana and the dominating mana waves around him, Aira Worden chuckled softly.

“Still a long way to go, you rascal.”

“I know. But for now, this is more effective.”

“Okay. It’s a good judgment, though it sounds like an excuse.”

“Please, just give me a bit of praise….”

The enormous mana mass that Christian had, in contrast to the extremely condensed mana that Aira pursued. Once his body fully matured, such large quantities of mana would no longer be necessary.

It was inefficient. No, it meant it was very inefficient for slaying dragons.

However, the monsters approaching were close to mere insects. Sometimes, what seemed inefficient proved to be effective.

“Fine! How about a gift from this master to commemorate your first real battle?”

“Suddenly, a gift?”

Aira grinned as she spoke to a confused Christian.

“If you slay more of those damned things than I do, I’ll let you rest tonight without training.”

“What? What kind of offer is that!”

“Don’t like it? How about no training tomorrow morning as well?”

“Oh? That sounds quite….”

Christian briefly hoped he might get to sleep in.

Aira, anticipating his reaction, grinned and suddenly dashed forward, shouting out.

“Haha! Don’t be too happy! If you lose, training doubles!”

“That’s too much!”

Though he gnawed his teeth, Christian’s body faithfully chased after her who had already advanced far ahead.

‘Ah, darn it….’

As Aira plunged into the mob of monsters and non-humans, their blood and screams erupted in the blink of an eye.

Aira’s image, with blood-red eyes, black hair flying, baring her teeth as if enjoying herself, was strikingly beautiful, though the surrounding scene was far from it.

‘I don’t want to become like that…’

Christian sighed softly and clenched his sword.

But soon he narrowed his eyes and swung his sword, imbued with brimming mana.

“Die for the sake of a long sleep!”

It was the first day of their practical training, where both master and apprentice gradually started to resemble each other while crushing monsters and demi-humans.

***

As he watched the girl foam at the mouth and fall backward, Christian clicked his tongue softly.

“Tsk…”

With a stern look at the girl sprawled on the ground, he made up his mind.

“For the honor of my master, it would be better if I ended it with my own hands…”

It was the moment he quietly aimed his sword.

“Stop! Stop it!”

Caught off guard by the sudden shout, Christian quickly adjusted his stance.

“… Who goes there?”

“Uh—? It’s me. Garcia. Garcia Felton!”

“…?”

Who was Garcia Felton, anyway?

A rather burly man, seemingly in his thirties, hurriedly approached with a flustered expression.

Showing neither hostility nor ill intent, and without even carrying a weapon, the man didn’t ease Christian’s wariness even a bit.

Even the traitors of humanity approached warmly, laughing while cruelly carving out people’s hearts. He couldn’t let his guard down.

Garcia, who stopped a few paces away from the wary Christian, took a deep breath and spoke.

“The winner of this duel is Young Master Christian. So, please lower your sword from Miss Aira.”

“A duel?”

Was this man mad? Or was he trying to put him off guard?

Whatever it was, Christian didn’t ease his stance. Instead, he gripped his sword tightly, changing his position slowly.

“… Huh?”

Something was odd.

His sword, which should have been stained with the blood of a mighty dragon, was clean.

That was peculiar enough, but the face reflected on the blade was even stranger. It looked vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar.

The blond hair was the same.

The blue eyes were the same.

But the visage was delicate enough to suit the title of “Young Master”.

‘Who is this?’

The scars etched all over Christian’s body were the marks of his life’s journey.

Without those traces, the man reflected in the blade would only be a mimic, not the real Christian.

As Christian stared blankly at the sword in his hand, Garcia, noticing something odd, spoke up.

“You were too harsh. Even if she allowed you to strike once, aiming for a vital spot in a duel is against the rules.”

“A duel?”

“What’s gotten into you, Young Master Christian?”

Christian.

Though it wasn’t the name given by his parents at birth, it was the first gift his master, who was like a parent, bestowed upon him.

And it was also the name of his master’s half-brother.

“Ha…”

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

“Is this a joke?”

Christian glanced at the girl sprawled on the floor, sharing the same name as his teacher.

Muttering softly as he looked at the girl still foaming at the mouth and unconscious, he said, “So, instead of passing away, you rejuvenated?”

***

He followed Garcia, who was carrying Aira, to the infirmary. Having received treatment for his side wound, Christian surprisingly remained calm and composed. It was a situation where he should have felt confused, wondering if it was a dream or reality.

Was it because of his superhuman spirit that even dared to confront a mad dragon?

No.

It was because there was someone who made him realize it was not a dream but reality.

“Chris! Are you really okay? Huh? You’re not in too much pain, are you? Say something! Chris!”

“Uh, uh, um…”

This woman shaking his body vigorously.

No, his mother. To be precise, the mother of Christian Worden.

She had magnificent blonde hair and eyes close to turquoise, but more noticeable was her youthful appearance despite surely being over thirty.

And besides his mother, there was another woman who also looked youthful.

“It seems like today’s duel ended in a draw.”

“Is that the first thing you say after seeing our Chris in this state?”

“It looks like my daughter got hurt more.”

“Well, that’s…”

Christian’s aunt and Aira’s biological mother, liana Worden.

Since Aira’s teacher rarely talked about her mother, Christian knew only fragments of information about her.

Among the limited information, he remembered the most crucial part clearly.

‘Didn’t she say their relationship was bad?’

Even from Christian’s perspective, the relationship between the two mothers didn’t seem good.

Their interactions reminded him of the time when he told his teacher, “Having two mothers must be great”, only to suffer sleepless nights for two days straight.

The vivid and dreadful memory made Christian’s face turn pale.

“C-Chris! Are you really not well? We need to call the priest right now…”

“I-I’m fine, can you please leave? I want to rest…”

“Fine. Since the esteemed one wants peace, we shall leave. Take care of your health.”

Liana shot a glance at Aira before exiting the infirmary.

Neria, who had been hesitating, followed suit, looking ready to argue about something.

“You guys should tone it down; there’s a patient here.”

Christian sighed lightly and looked at Aira, who was unconscious on the bed next to his.

The sight of his young master groaning in pain was far removed from the master he knew.

Christian’s idea of ‘a kind mother for her child’ was completely shattered, thanks to the squabbling mothers, heedless of the patient in the room.

“Phew, no wonder this family is falling apart.”

A son who died young, a daughter who ran away, and the lord of the house collapsed, leaving the household in shambles. Yes, they said the house had fallen into utter ruin.

“Hmm? Wait, a young death?”

A son who died young?

Wait a minute…

That son is…

“Me?”

Am I going to die?