Chapter 18 Cael's Training

Cael Horais Sirius POV 

“Cael woke up already at daybreak,” Fragarach said telepathically.

I slowly opened my eyes. My back felt so great thanks to the soft mattress covered with white fur bedding.

The thick fur blanket kept me warm.

I’m glad Fragarach woke me up as I asked him to, or else I’d be stuck in bed until breakfast.

“There’s no doubt about it. I don’t think Vesper can even wake up with that kind of comfortable bed,” Fragarach commented.

“What did the bed look like a thousand years ago?” I asked in curiosity.

“It’s made of wood with straw on top, plus a blanket made of fur or the hide of an animal,” Fragarach answered.

No wonder the bed I used for ten years made my back feel stiff. It is outdated by a thousand years, I thought.

“Vesper complains all the time about the straw poking his back. It’s one of the reasons he always wakes up early,” Fragarach added.

I don’t think that’s a good trait for a bed, though, I thought as I grabbed one pair of my training clothes that was on a desk beside my bed.

“Fragarach, why are you using a Mirage Cloak?” I asked.

“Because I’m outside of the Faust mansion,” Fragarach answered.

“Oh, so you’re not here... Don’t tell me you’re watching the whole compound the whole time,” I asked telepathically.

“Well, there’s nothing better to do while you’re sleeping,” Fragarach replied.

“Don’t you sleep?” I asked.

“I’m a sword, specifically a Holysword. I don’t need to sleep, and even if I can, I won’t,” Fragarach replied.

“Well, thanks for looking out for us,” I said.

I guess that’s his way of protecting me and the people I care about, I thought.

“Is the courtyard empty?” I asked.

“There are two servants here, but the backyard near the garden is pretty much empty,” Fragarach replied.

“To the backyard, then,” I said as I grabbed and unwrapped the large wooden training sword.

Looking closer, the hilt and the guard were both made from some kind of metal.

The hilt is big enough for three of my hands. It’s definitely made for an adult, I thought as I grabbed the Sword Harness that Uncle Ray and Talya gifted me.

I quickly put the training sword into it, and just as expected, it automatically fit itself.

Looking at my back from the large body mirror in the room, the training sword fit snugly. It was a bit shorter than Fragarach by about a span of a hand.

Other than that, it is almost identical to Fragarach’s size.

Though it is a bit darker in color compared to normal wood.

I then quickly moved out of my room, thankful the floor is not made out of wood, or it would have creaked with every step.

I really should be more aware of how I handle things, since even if things are light to me, it doesn’t work the same way for the people around me or my surroundings, I thought as I looked at the floor where I had stepped before.

Wait a second. This was leaning on a wooden table when I grabbed it, I thought, remembering where I grabbed the heavy training sword on my back.

“I cast a Rank 4 Personnel Wind Magic on it, Levitate,” Fragarach answered.

“I see. That’s why it felt like nothing when I grabbed it,” I replied.

Knowing this, I walked faster to not waste any more time.

And in just a span of a minute, I’m in the backyard.

“So how do you plan to train?” Fragarach asked.

“For now, I’m going to do twenty sets for each slash and twenty rotations of every slash,” I answered.

“Not one hundred?” Fragarach asked.

“I’m thinking of starting with a shorter training time, but I’m making the wooden sword twice as heavy as you, Fragarach,” I said.

“I see. That may work since you need to get back before breakfast,” Fragarach said.

“Little Hand, Four,” I uttered, and instantly, the large wooden training sword felt twice as heavy as Fragarach.

I then performed a Vertical Upward Slash.

“One...” I counted.

“Do you think there is a situation where we can use Little Hand’s reverse ability?” Fragarach asked.

“Hmm, even if I make it heavier, I just won’t be able to lift it, but its original weight will be the same for everything,” I stated as I performed another Vertical Upward Slash.

“Two...” I uttered.

“Plus, doesn’t the number of times I swing my sword depend entirely on my Endurance and Power Aspects?” I asked.

“You’re half right. It depends on how much you have in your Endurance Aspect and your Power Aspect.

“But there’s another factor, your body’s familiarity with strain. The more your body is familiar with it, the less your stamina consumption,” Fragarach said as I performed another Vertical Upward Slash.

“Three...” I counted.

“You mean I could swing more the more I get used to it?” I asked.

“That’s right. The more you practice it, the more your body moves the way you want, removing unnecessary movement will save you a ton of Stamina,” Fragarach explained.

“So it’s like writing letters and numbers. You get to write faster and more as you practice since your brain and body just naturally do it,” I said as I performed another Vertical Upward Slash.

“Four...” I counted.

“That’s right, and the more strain you put on yourself, the more your body gets used to a heavier sword. The better,” Fragarach said as I performed another Vertical Upward Slash.

“Five...” I counted, and I felt a little tiredness in my arms.

“I think you should return that sword to its original weight if you plan on completing twenty sets of each slash. Your Aspect may be a lot higher now, but your body isn’t developed enough for it yet,” Fragarach suggested.

I quickly followed Fragarach’s suggestion and cancelled the effect of Little Hand.

“You wake up pretty early, Cael,” Talya said as she walked towards me.

She’s not an early person, but she is already in her training clothes and holding a wooden sword.

“She probably used her special ability,” Fragarach said.

“You mean, like, intentionally?” I asked.

“Remember when I told you that her father arrived and she quickly got up as if she knew it?” Fragarach stated.

“That makes sense,” I agreed.

“But I don’t think we should pry into it,” Fragarach said.

“So what am I supposed to do, Cael?” Talya asked as she imitated my posture.

“For now, we will do 10 sets of swings of 11 different sword slashes and thrusts,” I said.

“I think I can manage it,” Talya said as she looked at me performing a Vertical Upward Slash.

Talya then imitated it as best as she could.

“One...” I counted.

“Won’t she get tired of it? That wooden sword isn’t light even for a 10-year-old girl like her,” Fragarach said, worried.

“She’ll be fine. The tools she used when farming with her dad are a lot heavier.

Swinging a light wooden sword a hundred times is nothing to her,” I said as her Status reminded me of my own before I got my special skill.

G1 PA10 P1S1E1F1

Talya Dasos Belel Class G1 Physical Age: 10

Vitality: 110 + ?

Psyche: 110 + ?

Power: 11 + ?

Speed: 11 + ?

Endurance: 11 + ?

Fortitude: 11 +?

“I see. That’s why she can easily drag you around,” Fragarach commented.

“Two...” I counted as I repeated the same swing.

Talya and I repeated it for another eight times before performing a different slash.

“The next one is Slanted Upper Right Slash. This time, the sword comes from the lower left to the upper right,” I explained as I showed Talya how to do it.

Talya then performed it.

“One...” Talya counted.

“She definitely has a knack for using a sword,” Fragarach commented.

“She’s a quick learner,” I replied.

“Talya, what made you interested in practicing sword swings with me?” I asked.

“Hmm, apart from needing a bit of exercise so I won’t get fat from eating sweets, I kinda felt that I need at least to learn how to defend myself,” Talya answered.

“Now that you’re a hero, there will be a time when you will be very far away from me, and I don’t want you to worry about my safety,” Talya added as she perfectly performed another Slanted Upper Right Slash.

“Two...” she counted.

“You saw something, didn’t you, Talya?” I asked.

“I’m trying, but the only thing that I see are images that are just a few minutes or a few hours from the present,” Talya said.

“I’ve been trying to look further into the future since the dream I had before worries me a lot,” Talya added as she swung her sword again.

“Three...” I counted.

“You shouldn’t worry too much about it. I’m not gonna leave you alone,” I said.

“Promise?...” Talya looked at me with the same face she had when she bid goodbye to her mom.

“I promise,” I said.

“And don’t worry about me leaving you. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not, Cael,” Talya said as she swung her wooden sword again.

“Four...” I counted.

It took us an hour to complete the ten sets of swings for each slash and ten full rotations of it.

By the time I performed the last Forward Thrust, my clothes were drenched in sweat.

I know Talya is used to working hard on their farm, but she was barely tired, and she performed the same number of swings.

“She did have a hundred times lighter sword,” Fragarach commented.

“But I have a hundred times more Aspects than her,” I said telepathically.

“As I’ve said, your body is still not developed enough for your current Aspects. That is why you’re consuming a lot more stamina than you need to,” Fragarach explained.

“So this is where you two are,” Uncle Ray suddenly called.

“Breakfast is served. You two should take a bath and change your clothes,” Uncle Ray suggested as Gavis and a female servant approached us.

“We’ve been looking for you for a few minutes now. You could have told us you were going to train in the backyard,” Gavis said.

“Sorry, I forgot to say it last night,” I said.

“Anyway, you two should take a bath and get yourselves into your casual clothes. The noble tailor will be coming after breakfast,” Gavis said.

I then headed to the men’s washroom while Talya went to another one, as Gavis and one of the female servants went to fetch our casual clothes.