The next morning, at dawn.
Aomori and Elsa rose early as usual for their daily morning exercises. To their surprise, they found Ralph already in the courtyard.
"Good morning, my Lord."
"Morning." Aomori nodded briefly and signaled Elsa to begin her routine.
Relieved, Ralph found an open spot to start his own training. After some simple stretching, his gaze sharpened, and his expression turned fierce, as if a formidable enemy stood before him. He lunged forward, his right arm thrusting out like a spear, followed by a torrential barrage of strikes. After nearly ten minutes of intense output, he pulled back his fists and let out a long, slow breath.
Aomori, who had been watching silently, suddenly asked, "Ralph, were you in the military?"
Ralph instinctively straightened his back. "Yes, my Lord. I used to be a private soldier for a local lord."
"No wonder," Aomori remarked pointedly. "Your boxing style carries the unstoppable momentum of the military, but it's mixed with the ruthlessness of a street brawler. There's a lot of different elements jumbled in there. The strengths are obvious, but so are the flaws."
Ralph gaped in surprise. "You're exactly right, Klein-sama. My techniques are a mix of what I've stolen from others and what I've figured out myself. I know there are issues, but I don't know how to fix them. Please, instruct me!"
"I don't have the time for 'instruction.'"
Ralph's eyes dimmed, but Aomori paused, calling over Elsa, who was currently doing squats while hugging a massive boulder. "The two of you should spar. Sometimes, a hundred words aren't worth a single real fight. Ralph, Elsa has been trained by me. Whether you can solve your problems depends on how much you can learn from her."
Ralph's eyes lit up instantly. "Yes! Thank you, my Lord!"
"Elsa, you too. Ralph is experienced; he has much to teach you." Aomori added, "You may use weapons."
"Mm!"
Ralph was in his thirties. Facing a ten-year-old girl, he naturally let her take the first move.
"Oji-chan, please go easy on me," Elsa said with a sweet smile. Then, her silhouette blurred as she lunged. Two daggers danced in her hands, overflowing with cold glints.
Ralph, treating Elsa as Aomori's disciple, didn't dare be careless. He planned to stay on the defensive, observe her movements, and then counter. However, he didn't expect Elsa to see through him instantly. She attacked without reservation, pressing him so hard that Ralph lost the initiative entirely. The bout ended with Elsa's dagger pressed against his throat.
"I lost..." Ralph felt his face burning with shame.
"Did you find your problem?" Aomori asked.
"Huh?" Ralph shook his head blankly. "Please enlighten me, Klein-sama."
"Continue." Aomori didn't answer directly, simply ordering another round.
This time, Ralph took the lesson to heart. He traded defense for offense, his punches whistling through the air with enough force to make Elsa's hair flutter. But Elsa's response caught him off guard again; she ducked low and charged straight into his guard. By the time his fist was about to connect, her shimmering blade was already at his heart, breaking him out in a cold sweat.
He wasn't just worried about losing; he was terrified he wouldn't be able to pull his punch in time. If he accidentally maimed the "Young Lady," Aomori would surely execute him.
"Ralph, why are you hesitating? Do you doubt my ability to stop you both at the last second?" Aomori frowned.
"I apologize, my Lord, I—"
"Forget it, it doesn't change the outcome." Aomori waved a hand. "Ralph, you've gathered techniques from a hundred sources, which is an advantage on paper. But you don't know when to use which skill. You just scramble them together based on instinct, turning it into a disadvantage. That military 'unstoppable momentum' is great for a battlefield, but it's ill-suited for a duel. Do you understand?"
Ralph pondered the words, a light growing in his eyes. "So, I should be like Elsa-san, learning how to adopt the right measure for the right situation."
"Exactly. With your combat experience, you don't lack adaptability; you lack an overall 'big picture' for the flow of battle." Aomori looked at the smiling Elsa. "In this regard, Elsa does very well."
Praised by Aomori, Elsa narrowed her eyes, grinning happily.
"Thank you for your guidance, Klein-sama! I understand!" Ralph bowed deeply.
"Good. If possible, keep practicing with Elsa for a while."
"Yes!"
…
"Father, why did you call me back in such a hurry?"
A young girl in a plain robe stood before Grand, her lip pouted in annoyance. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen, quite pretty, with a green crystal hanging around her neck.
"Fynea, come with me." Grand hurriedly grabbed her arm, dragging her toward Aomori's quarters.
"Father! Where are you taking me?"
Grand didn't stop. "Yesterday, when I was attacked by snow bandits, I met a powerful Lord. If not for him, you'd never see your father again. It's rare to meet such an approachable expert, so I wanted you to see him. If a genius like you can catch his eye, we'll hit the jackpot!"
"Stop, stop, stop!" A vein popped on Fynea's forehead. "Father, are you trying to sell your own daughter like merchandise?"
"You silly girl, do I look like that kind of person?" Grand scolded, then added, "Besides, not to hurt your feelings, but even though you have my great genes and look okay, someone like him probably won't even notice your face. That's why you need to impress him with your talent!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Fynea huffed. "I might not even like him! Father, are you sure you weren't scammed? I'll see for myself if he's as amazing as you say!"
She yanked her arm free and marched toward the courtyard. The portly Grand struggled to keep up, terrified she would cause a scene.
However, his worries were misplaced. When Fynea reached the courtyard, Elsa and Ralph were in the middle of a fierce spar, but they didn't catch her eye. She held her breath, her bright eyes fixed unblinkingly on Aomori.
By the Great Spirits... this Lord is so handsome. Could he be the incarnation of a Great Spirit? Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
Aomori glanced at her, used to such reactions. He gave a slight smile and looked away. By the time Grand caught up, Fynea was still standing there, dazed. Grand figured he'd seen this before, back in his day, many girls had the same reaction to him (especially if he accidentally flashed his gold chains).
"Ahem." Grand coughed. "Fynea, your composure is lacking. You see your handsome father every day; haven't you gotten used to it yet?"
"Huh?" Fynea looked at Grand, then at Aomori, and said flatly, "Father, your skin is truly thick."
"Hahaha! Thick skin is a merchant's survival skill! Come, I'll introduce you."
"Mm," Fynea answered shyly.
Just then, the spar ended. Having taken Aomori's advice, Ralph utilized his physical advantages and finally managed to win a round against Elsa.
"Klein-sama, Elsa-san, good morning. Ah, Captain Ralph is here too."
"Grand, you're up early," Aomori said.
"The early bird gets the Mana," Grand joked, pulling Fynea forward. "This is my only daughter, Fynea. She is currently an Apprentice Spiritual Arts User."
"A Spiritual Arts User?" Aomori looked at her with interest and a polite smile. "Hello, Fynea."
"Greetings, Klein-sama." Fynea bowed low, her hands twisting nervously.
Grand chimed in, "I noticed you were interested in magic yesterday. Fynea is a Spiritual Arts User, I figured it's close enough, so I called her back. If you have questions, just ask her."
"I am indeed interested in Spiritual Arts."
"Excellent!" Grand clapped. "I'll go prepare breakfast. Fynea, stay here and serve the Lord. Tell him everything you know, understand?"
"Yes, Father," Fynea whispered, her face red. Her behavior immediately spiked Elsa's suspicion.
Aomori took Elsa's small hand and smiled. "Then I shall trouble Fynea-san."
"It's no trouble! Please, just call me Fynea."
Grand left happily, and the group sat in a small gazebo. After some small talk, Aomori asked, "I heard becoming a Spiritual Arts User requires exceptional talent. Is that true?"
"Yes!" Fynea straightened up proudly. "Only about one in ten thousand can become one. We must be liked by the spirits to form contracts and borrow their power to cast magic. This is very different from mages, who use their own 'Gates' to cast."
"Who is stronger?" Elsa asked.
"Spiritual Arts Users, obviously!" Fynea said without hesitation. "At the same level, a Spiritual Arts User is much stronger. There's a saying in other countries: 'If you meet a Spiritual Arts User on the battlefield, drop your weapon and your wallet and run.'"
"True," Ralph agreed. "They can contract multiple spirits. Fighting one is like fighting a whole squad."
"Impressive," Elsa said. "Fynea-nee, how do you know if you have the talent?"
"The spirits will tell us if they like being near you."
"What about me?" Elsa asked. "Can you ask your spirit if I can become one?"
"Well," Fynea laughed awkwardly. "I'm only an Apprentice; I can only contract with Lesser Spirits. They aren't very smart and don't always understand me."
"Spirits progressed from Lesser Spirits to Quasi-Spirits, Spirits, and finally Great Spirits. "If you really want to know, I can ask my teacher for help later!" Fynea added, seeing Elsa's disappointment.
"Thank you, but that shouldn't be necessary," Aomori smiled. "Could you perform a spell for me? I'd like to see it."
"Of course!" Fynea stood and faced the open ground. She gripped the green crystal at her neck and closed her eyes. Soon, the crystal glowed, and points of light swirled around her. She pushed her hands forward. "Huma!"
A blob of water appeared in her palm, but it lasted only a second before splashing to the ground.
"Uh... it doesn't look like much," Elsa muttered.
Fynea turned red. "I-I was just nervous! Again! Huma! Huma!"
After several tries, an oval-shaped water mirror appeared. Fynea beamed. "See? This is a water shield that can block sharp weapons."
"Mm, it's pretty," Elsa said dismissively, having already categorized Fynea as "eye candy." Her guard dropped significantly.
Ralph simply clapped his hands woodenly.
"I'm just an Apprentice..." Fynea sighed, turning her hopeful gaze to Aomori.
Aomori was lost in thought, inspired by the process he'd just witnessed. After a long silence, he manipulated the Yin mana in the atmosphere and spoke slowly:
"Shamak!"
BOOM!
The entire manor was instantly swallowed by a thick, impenetrable black fog.