After the spar, Mori headed back inside to wash off the dirt and sweat of the courtyard. Once he was freshened up and dressed in clean clothes, he went to find his mother. He tracked her down to the grand banquet hall, the massive space reserved for major family events and celebrations.
Walking into the room, he saw Annot standing near the center, sharply directing and coordinating the servants as they moved heavy tables, arranged elegant drapery, and mapped out the setup for his upcoming birthday party.
"Mother, how are the arrangements going?" Mori asked, calling out to her over the noise of the bustling servants. "Oh, Mori, my boy!" Annot turned, her face instantly lighting up with a warm smile. She walked over and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "Only the best for you. There will be so many good food options, and you can choose whichever ones you want. Tell me, do you want performers? acrobats, or maybe a troupe of illusionists?"
"I'll let you handle all that. You have the best taste," Mori replied with a smoothly.
Annot smiled brightly, clearly flattered by her son's charming praise. "Flatterer. Go on then, I'll make sure it's perfect." Mori offered a respectful nod and turned to leave the hall, his head butler walking a half-step behind him.
"Did you see the spar match?" Mori asked as they walked down the long, quiet corridor. "What did you think, Armin?"
"Yes, young master, I did," Armin remarked, his posture perfectly straight, his tone carrying the calm weight of an experienced veteran. "Your skills have shown immense improvement. Your footwork and blade control are far ahead of peers your age."
"Yeah, but did you see the flames he let out?" Mori muttered, crossing his arms behind his head, a slight frown crossing his face. "I'm calling it now, Ancel definitely has a fire affinity. I always have trouble getting through to fire unlike the other elements." He sighed, still genuinely dissatisfied with his own current progress when it came to manipulating fire magic. (And what type of dragon can't master fire magic) he said pouting to himself.
Before Armin could offer a word of comfort, a high-pitched shout echoed down the hallway.
"Big brother! Big brother!"
Five-year-old Jin came tearing around the corner like a runaway carriage, his little boots clicking furiously against the polished floors. He didn't even try to slow down, launching himself forward and aggressively tugging at Mori's clean clothes. "Big brother! Big brother Mori! You gotta show me that move! The whoosh-clack one where Ancel went boom on his butt! Teach me right now!" Jin demanded, pulling so hard on Mori's shirt that the fabric stretched precariously.
Mori looked down at his hyperactive brother, completely unbothered by the pulling. Instead, he reached out, placed a single palm firmly on Jin's forehead, and held him at arm's length. Jin's little legs and arms kept swinging wildly, running in place in the air, but he couldn't advance a single inch past Mori's straight-arm barrier.
"First of all, you're wrinkling the shirt I just changed into," Mori said, deadpan, fighting back a smirk as Jin growled like a tiny, frustrated puppy. "Second of all, that whoosh-clack move requires you to actually hold a wooden sword without dropping it on your own foot first."
"I don't drop it! It slips!" Jin yelled back, his little fingers still trying to grab Mori's sleeves.
"Young Master Jin!" a breathless voice gasped.
A maid came rushing around the same corner, her cap slightly askew from chasing the five-year-old down the estate's massive halls. She hurried over, scooped up the flailing Jin, and pulled him back with an apologetic bow. "Please forgive him, Young Master Mori. Young Jin, don't bother the young master while he is resting!"
"I'm not bothering him, I want to train with big brother!!" Jin protested, crossing his arms and pouting heavily as the maid firmly held onto his hand to keep him from bolting again.
Mori just chuckled, lowering his hand and shaking his head. "It's fine. Let him burn off some energy, or he'll end up tearing down the banquet decorations next."
As Jin continued to pout under the maid's watchful eye, his head snapped towards familiar faces. "Bellin and bellion, he called out to his half twin siblings" he wrestled his wrist free from the maid's grasp as he hurried towards them. The sound of hurried footsteps and chatter drew Mori and Armin's attention back down the hallway.
The small group of noble children from the training grounds came walking into view, full of post-spar energy and excitement. Walking right in the center of them was Ancel, who had also freshened up and was currently wiping a final trace of dust from his collar.
"Mori! A bunch of us are going to the pavilion, join us!" one of the young lords urged, waving his arm enthusiastically to get his attention.
"Yeah, come on!" another added, crowding around with Ancel in tow. "We're going to get some snacks and talk about that crazy counter-move you did at the end. You have to show us how you twisted your wrists like that!"
Ancel grinned, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked over at his brother. "You might as well come, Mori. They won't stop pestering me about it either, and you're the one who actually pulled it off." "Yes Mori, come entertain us" one of the young girls said, clearly shying for Mori.
Mori looked at the eager group of kids, then at Ancel's amused face. A small, confident smirk played on his lips as the minor irritation over his fire magic faded away.
"Alright, alright, lead the way," Mori said, stepping forward to join them. The noble kids cheered, immediately surrounding Mori and Ancel as the lively pack of six and seven-year-olds began marching down the corridor toward the estate's scenic outdoor pavilion.