"Well, no," Aldwin admitted. "I would have liked to hold a celebration, but with nobles like you as my in-laws, it would've felt shameful to host such a small, simple ceremony. That's all I could afford, so I didn't bother."
Edric shook his head with a sigh. "It's fine—you could have still held it, I wouldn't have cared."
"Yeah, I know that's what you'd say," Aldwin replied. "But even so, I chose not to."
Edric crossed his arms. "You're too stubborn. If you wanted to make it grand, you could have just asked me for help. I would have lent you the money—however much you needed. Don't forget, I'm the son of a duke." He tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist before letting his hand fall away, then smiled. "Anyway, I want to meet him."
He turned toward Rowan, who was still watching quietly from the doorway. Edric's eyes softened as he walked closer. Rowan's pale skin, grey hair, and striking blue eyes caught his attention immediately.
"Wow… he's actually very cute," Edric said, kneeling down and cupping Rowan's cheeks gently in both hands. "I'm your uncle, Edric."
Rowan blinked at him, then pushed his hands away and stepped back. "I didn't know I had an uncle," he said bluntly.
Edric turned back to Aldwin, narrowing his eyes. "So you never told him? He has an uncle, yet you never mentioned me to him?"
"Yes, I didn't," Aldwin replied, still smiling.
Edric shook his head, then looked down at Rowan with a softer expression. "Yeah, I'm your uncle. It's very nice to finally meet you. What's your name?"
"I'm Rowan," he said.
"Rowan… that's a beautiful name. You're really cute. Can I touch your cheek again?" Edric asked, slowly reaching out.
Rowan smacked his hand away. "No."
Edric chuckled. "Rude—just like your mother. And you have her eyes too. Those blue, beautiful eyes. And your father's hair. You're actually really cute."
Rowan didn't answer, just stared at him. His attention shifted to the gleaming sword at Edric's waist. The armor, the way he carried himself—it was clear Edric was a seasoned swordsman. But there was more. Rowan could feel it. This man wasn't just skilled; he carried the aura of someone attuned to an attribute.
"You're actually looking at my sword? Do you like it?" Edric asked, noticing Rowan's gaze. "Do you want to hold it?"
Rowan's eyes lit up. "I've never held a real sword since I came here. Only the small one Father gave me… but I can't even use that properly."
Before Aldwin could protest, Edric unbuckled the blade and handed it to Rowan. "Here. Let's see how you handle it."
"Hey, stop! He could hurt himself—don't give him that!" Aldwin snapped.
"It's fine," Edric said calmly. "I just want to see."
Rowan wrapped his small hands around the hilt. The blade was heavy, yet he lifted it with ease. Edric raised his brows, impressed.
Rowan exhaled, then swung. The air whistled as the sword cut through it. Again and again, his strikes grew sharper, faster, more precise. He stepped back, then leapt forward with a clean slash, moving with a grace no child his age should have.
Edric's mouth fell open. Even Aldwin froze in shock.
Rowan caught their stares. His chest tightened. Damn. I got carried away. I revealed too much. Father will realize I've been holding back all along…
He quickly stopped, walked back, and returned the sword to Edric.
Neither man said a word. They only stared at him, stunned.
Aldwin started walking closer to the doorstep where Rowan and Edric were. "So… when did you—since when—were you able to move like that?" he asked.
"I don't know," Rowan admitted. "As I touched the sword, my body just moved on its own."
He didn't know what else to say. The only thing he could do was lie.
"Wow! That was amazing! I've never seen anything like that before. The way you moved just now… not even I could do that," Edric said, eyes wide.
"Really?" Rowan asked.
"Yes. It's like you take after your father. Your father was incredibly skilled. He fought Fenrir. Even if he didn't defeat it completely, he inflicted serious injuries. That beast was about to destroy a country, and even a thousand soldiers couldn't stop it," Edric said.
"Wow. Maybe you're right," Aldwin said, thinking. "I was wondering how he moved like that. Maybe this actually explains it. But even when I was his age, I wasn't as smart or strong as him. The way he moved now… it's like he has been following the way of the sword. Or maybe… it's just in my blood. I didn't realize it before."
"What? What is Fenrir?" Rowan asked, recalling the stories.
"I saw it in one of those books. It's actually a powerful beast. But I didn't know Father was that strong," Rowan thought, astonished.