Chapter 5: The Duke's Trial
A week.
That was all Vee had before leaving for the Academy.
It should have been a week of rest.
Instead...
It became the hardest week of his life.
---
Before sunrise.
A loud knock echoed through the mansion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Up."
His father's voice was calm.
Too calm.
Vee groaned.
"...Five more minutes."
The door opened.
A bucket of freezing water answered his request.
"SINCE WHEN WAS WATER AN ALARM?!"
His father simply walked away.
"The training ground. Three minutes."
---
The Duke's estate was enormous.
Hundreds of knights trained there every morning.
The moment Vee stepped onto the field...
Every knight stopped.
Then bowed.
"Young Master."
Vee scratched the back of his head.
"...Morning."
His father stood in the center of the arena with a wooden sword.
"Pick one."
Vee looked at the racks filled with weapons.
He reached for a steel sword.
His father shook his head.
"The wooden one."
"...You're joking."
"No."
Vee sighed.
"This is going to hurt..."
---
The duel lasted...
Eight seconds.
CRACK!
The wooden sword flew from Vee's hand.
Before he could react—
THUD!
He hit the ground.
His father looked down at him.
"Again."
---
Again.
Again.
Again.
Morning became afternoon.
Afternoon became evening.
Vee lost count after the fiftieth defeat.
Every mistake was punished.
His stance.
His breathing.
His timing.
His hesitation.
Nothing escaped his father's eyes.
"You rely on strength."
"Again."
"You telegraph your attacks."
"Again."
"You stop thinking when you're angry."
"Again."
By sunset...
Vee's hands bled despite the gloves.
His legs trembled.
He could barely lift his sword.
His father finally lowered his own weapon.
"Good."
Vee blinked.
"...Good?"
"You lasted twelve seconds."
"..."
"...I'll take the compliment."
For the first time that day...
The Duke smiled.
It was small.
But Vee saw it.
---
The next morning belonged to someone else.
His mother.
Unlike his father...
She never held a sword.
She stood beneath the shade of an old tree with a warm smile.
"Come."
Vee frowned.
"...We're training here?"
She nodded.
"You've trained your body."
"Today..."
"...we train your heart."
She handed him a small teacup filled to the brim.
"Hold this."
He did.
"Now..."
She smiled sweetly.
"Walk around the garden."
"...Without spilling a drop."
Vee laughed.
"That's easy."
Five steps later—
Splash.
"..."
His mother giggled.
"Again."
For hours...
She made him walk.
Run.
Jump.
Balance on wooden poles.
Meditate beside flowing water.
All while keeping the tea from spilling.
At first...
He thought it was pointless.
Then he realized...
His breathing became steadier.
His footsteps lighter.
His mind quieter.
For the first time in years...
He wasn't fighting anyone.
He was fighting himself.
As the sun set, his mother poured another cup.
"One last time."
Vee crossed the entire garden.
Not a single drop spilled.
His mother clapped happily.
"There."
Vee looked down at the untouched tea.
"...I get it."
She smiled.
"No."
"You've only taken the first step."
She gently tapped his forehead.
"A calm mind..."
"...is stronger than an angry sword."
That night, Vee lay in bed unable to move.
His body screamed in protest.
His muscles felt like fire.
Yet...
He smiled.
Kai had shown him the gap between them.
His father was teaching him skill.
His mother was teaching him control.
When he finally entered the Academy...
He wouldn't just be stronger.
He would be worthy of becoming truly powerful.
The Farewell Ball
The week passed in the blink of an eye.
The bruises faded.
The cuts healed.
But the lessons remained.
Vee's sword was steadier.
His movements were sharper.
His mind was calmer.
Even the knights of the Duke's estate noticed the difference.
"The Young Master has changed."
"He doesn't waste movement anymore."
"He feels... dangerous."
---
As promised, Duke Ashford held a grand ball before Vee's departure.
The Ashford Manor, usually quiet and dignified, had transformed into a palace of light.
Crystal chandeliers illuminated the ballroom.
A live orchestra filled the air with elegant music.
The kingdom's nobles arrived one after another.
Dukes.
Marquises.
Counts.
Barons.
Even members of the royal family sent representatives.
Everyone wanted to see the Duke's only son before he entered the Royal Academy.
---
Vee stood at the top of the grand staircase.
He wore a black suit embroidered with silver patterns.
His white hair had been neatly combed.
His violet eyes remained calm.
He no longer looked like a reckless teenager.
He looked every bit the heir of House Ashford.
The butler announced,
"Presenting...
Young Master Vee Ashford."
The hall erupted into applause.
---
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
"So that's him."
"I heard he awakened extraordinary talent."
"They say he survived a battle against Kai."
"He resembles the Duke when he was younger."
Others looked at him with envy.
Some with admiration.
Some...
With hidden hostility.
Because in noble society...
Power attracted enemies just as quickly as it attracted allies.
---
Vee greeted the guests politely.
He thanked them for coming.
He smiled when appropriate.
He answered questions with confidence.
His mother watched proudly from across the hall.
"He's grown..."
The Duke nodded.
"He still has much to learn."
"But he's ready."
---
As the evening continued, Vee stepped onto the balcony to escape the noise.
The cool night breeze brushed against his face.
"...Finally."
"Some peace."
"You hate parties too?"
A girl's voice came from the darkness.
Vee turned.
A young noblewoman, about his age, leaned against the marble railing.
Her silver-blue dress shimmered beneath the moonlight.
She smiled faintly.
"I've been hiding out here for ten minutes."
Vee chuckled.
"So I'm not the only prisoner."
She laughed.
"A prisoner with expensive clothes."
For the first time that evening...
The conversation felt natural.
No titles.
No politics.
Just two teenagers enjoying the silence beneath the stars.
Little did Vee know...
This chance meeting would become the beginning of another important chapter in his life.
To be continued