After Toshi carried the unconscious Ryouma back to the manor, Lady Sayaka remained on the sparring ground, her wooden sword hanging loosely in her hand. The cheers had faded, but the echoes of the clash still rang in her ears.
Her amber eyes narrowed, replaying every strike in her mind.
A seven-year-old child….. with talent like that. Can I even call him a genius? She let out a sharp breath. No. Genius is too small a word. That boy..… he is a monster. One that shattered every expectation I had.
Sayaka's gaze lowered to the sword she still held. The weight of it felt different now. He forced me to release my ki….. me, a seasoned warrior, compelled by a mere child. Ryouma isn't simply gifted_ he is one of those rare beings born once in hundreds of thousands. No wonder the sacred temple revealed such an ominous presence within him.
The faint memory of Ryouma's cold, menacing gaze in the temple resurfaced. Sayaka shivered. Perhaps that look wasn't malice..… but the reflection of untamed skill and overwhelming power.
Footsteps broke her thoughts. Lady Akane approached quietly, her expression calm yet curious.
"Lady Sayaka," she asked, voice steady, "what do you truly think of Ryouma?"
Sayaka exhaled slowly, a thin smile curving her lips.
"Do not worry too much, Akane. That look we saw in the sacred temple_ what you fear_ it is nothing more than the result of his training. There's no danger in it. But..…" Her tone hardened, her eyes narrowing. "…..I did not expect him to push me so far. That child forced me to use my ki. Akane, you have given birth to a monster."
Akane's lips trembled faintly, but her gaze carried neither fear nor regret.
"Yes. I have always known. Ryouma may be kind at heart, but if he is also a monster….. then so be it. I have placed many hopes upon him."
Sayaka tilted her head. "And what hopes are those?"
Akane's voice was calm, tinged with longing. "I wish for Ryouma to one day restore Tenshogai. To bring back the beauty, the peace, and the light it once held. That is my dream."
For a heartbeat, silence lingered. Then, unexpectedly, Sayaka chuckled_ a low sound that grew into a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha..…! So your dreams are grand indeed. But after what I've seen today, perhaps they are not impossible. If Ryouma continues on this path, your wish may very well come true."
She sheathed her wooden sword, her amber eyes softening as she turned toward the manor.
"Enough for today. Let's return inside. We've spent long enough on the training ground."
Akane nodded gently. "Yes..… let's."
Meanwhile, the atmosphere among the spectators had yet to calm. The soldiers whispered in disbelief, their voices hushed but urgent.
"Lady Sayaka was forced to use ki against him..…"
"At seven years old….. unthinkable….."
"Just how far will the young master grow?"
The maids clutched their aprons, trembling with a mix of fear and reverence. The duel had carved a new image of Ryouma in their hearts_ not just as their young master, but as a force beyond comprehension.
Even Takeshi and Rika, who had cheered so loudly before, were silent now. They exchanged uneasy glances, their small hands trembling. The image of their mother's glowing amber eyes and Ryouma's overwhelming presence haunted them.
For the first time, awe was mixed with something colder.
Not only admiration..… but fear.
Inside the manor, the air felt calmer than the battlefield-like tension of the training ground, yet an invisible weight still lingered. In Ryouma's chamber, his personal maids_ Yui and Hana_ worked carefully, tending to the unconscious boy. One dabbed a cool cloth across his brow while the other adjusted his sheets with motherly care. Outside the door, Toshi stood guard, arms folded, his posture rigid and unwavering. His silent presence made it clear: no one would disturb the young master's rest.
Down the corridor, Takeshi and Rika clung tightly to Lady Sayaka's hands, their small faces pale with worry.
"Mother, Mother," Rika whimpered, tugging at her sleeve, "what happened to big brother? Why isn't he waking up?"
Sayaka knelt gracefully, gathering both children into her arms. Her voice softened, like a warm blanket. "Do not fear. Nothing is wrong with him. Ryouma is only sleeping. When he wakes, he will be stronger than before."
But her reassurance failed to ease their hearts. Takeshi's lips quivered, tears threatening to spill. "Then why….. why did you look so scary when you were fighting him? Both you and brother_ you looked frightening. And_ and why did you hit him, Mother? Isn't that why he fell?"
His voice cracked, breaking into sobs. Rika nodded firmly, her tiny fists clenched. "Yes! You hurt him. Don't lie to us. If you keep lying, we won't talk to you anymore!"
Before Sayaka could respond, the children wriggled free from her embrace and darted to Lady Akane, pressing their faces against her skirts. They peeked out, glaring accusingly at their mother with watery eyes.
Sayaka froze in place. "…..Eh?" Her usually sharp amber eyes blinked wide, her aura of confidence crumbling instantly.
Akane covered her mouth with a gentle laugh, eyes sparkling with amusement. "My, my….. Lady Sayaka. It seems your little ones are quite serious. What will you do now?"
Flustered, Sayaka scratched the back of her neck, cheeks slightly flushed. "W-Wait, it isn't what you think! My children_ listen, I didn't hit Ryouma. We were only sparring, do you understand? That's all! Look, he'll wake up soon and you'll see for yourselves. So..… don't be angry with me."
But her awkward tone only made the others chuckle. The maids lowered their heads, failing to stifle their laughter, while even the ever-stoic Toshi allowed himself a faint smirk.
Lady Akane bent down to pat Takeshi and Rika's heads, her lips curved in mischief. "Well, Lady Sayaka, it seems today you've lost to more than just Ryouma. You've also lost….. to your own children."
Sayaka let out a long, defeated sigh, raising her hands in surrender. "Good grief….. what am I to do with you two..…"
The hall filled with muffled laughter, the heavy air finally lifting. For the first time since the spar, warmth returned to the manor.
Ryouma's unconscious body stirred at last. A faint groan escaped his lips, and slowly, his eyes fluttered open.
"Yay....! Big brother!" Takeshi and Rika exclaimed in unison, clutching the edge of his bed with small, eager hands. Their faces glowed with excitement as they leaned forward, ready to throw themselves onto him.
Ryouma lifted a weak hand, offering a gentle smile. "No, no..… not so sudden, little ones. Let me sit up properly first," he said softly.
The children paused, pouting but obedient, perching anxiously beside him. Relief rippled through the room like a warm current. Lady Sayaka exhaled deeply, while Lady Akane's lips curved into her usual amused smile. Yui and Hana, the young maids, bowed low, tears glimmering in their eyes at the sight of their master awake. Outside, Toshi's sharp voice still carried orders to the guards, unaware that Ryouma had already stirred.
"Hoh….. so I really lost consciousness, huh?" Ryouma muttered, his gaze sweeping across the familiar chamber.
Lady Sayaka immediately stepped forward, her tone both stern and tender. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, Ryouma. What you showed earlier is beyond what even a boy of thirteen or fourteen could manage. For a child of seven to push himself to that level….." She paused, her amber eyes glinting with a mix of pride and awe. "It's monstrous….. yet, in human form."
Ryouma chuckled nervously, shaking his head. "You exaggerate, Lady Sayaka. I'm nothing like that." His eyes drifted toward Takeshi and Rika, noticing their unusually sour expressions. "But…. tell me, why do you two look so angry at Lady Sayaka? Did something happen while I was unconscious?"
Without hesitation, the twins blurted out, "Mother hit you! We saw it! That's why we won't talk to her anymore!"
The room went silent. Lady Sayaka froze, caught between shock and despair, her hands trembling as she reached toward her children. "O-oh my….. my dears, don't say such cruel things. If you turn away from your mother like that, it hurts me deeply."
Ryouma's face lit up with laughter. "Hahaha! So that's what this is about?" He waved a hand dismissively. "No, no, little ones. She didn't hurt me at all. That was sparring_ training. Lady Sayaka never struck me with malice."
The twins blinked, confusion replacing their anger, then slowly turned back to their mother. "Really? It was just sparring?"
"Of course," Ryouma said firmly, his voice gentle yet certain.
Lady Sayaka, recovering her composure, added quickly, "Yes, you see? I would never harm him. It was only training."
The children hesitated for a heartbeat longer, then finally nodded. "Fine..… we'll talk to you again, Mother. But for now, we want to stay with Big Brother!"
Sayaka released a long, shaky sigh of relief. Her lips curved into a faint smile, though her eyes still shimmered with unease.
Turning back to Ryouma, she asked softly, "Tell me, child…. when did you first learn to use mana?"
Ryouma answered without hesitation. "It's been quite some time. I reached the first stage early on and built my mana core. At first, it was unstable and weak, but constant training has made it steady..… and much stronger than before."
Sayaka's brows arched, impressed. "Good. Then keep pushing yourself. If you continue like this, there's no telling how far you'll go."
Before her words could linger, Lady Akane interjected with a playful scoff. "My, my..… how long do you plan to talk about such things? There are other matters to attend to."
The gentle banter continued until evening painted the skies in shades of gold. Eventually, Lady Sayaka had to return to her manor, her children tugging reluctantly at her sleeves. Lady Akane immersed herself back into her duties, while Ryouma resumed his rigorous daily routine.
Outside the manor walls, however, whispers began to spread like wildfire. News of a seven-year-old young master who had forced Lady Sayaka to draw upon her Ki during sparring traveled swiftly across the lands.
Far away, in the grand halls of Lady Reina's manor, hushed voices trembled with disbelief. "What? Young Master Ryouma sparred with Lady Sayaka..… and forced her to use Ki?" one attendant whispered.
Lady Reina narrowed her eyes, her silken gown trailing as she moved toward the window. "So the boy has begun to reveal his true talent," she murmured.
Meanwhile, in her training courtyard, her son Renjiro swung his wooden sword with fiery determination. Hearing the rumors even here, his brow furrowed in concentration. The news only fueled his resolve.
At the royal palace, Lord Hanzou received word of the incident. Seated in his study, he listened silently as a servant reported.
"My lord, it is true. At merely seven years old, Young Master Ryouma forced Lady Sayaka to use her Ki."
A slow, knowing smile spread across Lord Hanzou's face as his sharp gaze drifted toward the palace window. "Hmph….. so the child finally begins to show his fangs."