Today was a good day. I finally made my first true friend in this world, if you could call it that.
Sylphiette, a little three-year-old girl with severe signs of depression, but fortunately I was able to at least give her a moment of peace while we played.
She turned out to be pretty good at basketball considering she beat me 17-9.
Still, it was comforting to see that little girl running and playing as happily as any child her age should.
I didn't even realize it, but it was already nighttime, and my surprise was even greater when I saw Laws about to gather the whole town to look for us. Although it makes sense; we're just two unsupervised three-year-olds.
Any parent would be worried, but Paul isn't just any parent, as he welcomed me home with nothing more than a "Did you have fun with your new friend?"
I could only sigh at my father's comment, but I also nodded.
Now it was time to apologize to Roxy...
I walked into the house and was greeted by the welcoming aroma of freshly baked bread, which I had grown accustomed to.
"Honey! I heard from your dad that you now have a friend!" my mother's voice sounded in the kitchen, and I walked over to her.
"Yes! Her name is Sylphiette, and she's Mr. Laws's daughter!" I said as I sat down at the table. Paul and Roxy were already there.
As soon as I saw Roxy, she avoided my gaze and blushed.
Paul just raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything about our behavior.
Dinner passed without incident after that. Lilia cleared the table, I took a bath, and my parents... got to work making me a new baby brother.
"Haaa...not even a single day," I muttered as I left the bathroom, and to my surprise, Roxy was standing in front of the door, her fists clenched and her expression flushed.
"Rudy-"
"Teacher-"
We both spoke at the same time and fell silent in unison.
"...I'm sorry about that night," I muttered while scratching my neck in discomfort.
"No! I'm the one who should apologize! You s-saw a scene you should never have seen, not now!...so please forgive me," she said. I could see that she was truly sorry for this.
"Yes, and like I said, I'm sorry, Teacher. I don't want things to be awkward between us," I said with a smile, and she nodded, and unexpectedly, she hugged me.
"Nnngh! Sometimes I forget you're just a kid!" she said, then started pinching my cheek. "Okay, that's enough, teacher..." I muttered sulkily at such a degrading act, but she only smiled even wider, and I could see a blush on her face.
"Haaa!...Ha!!, dear!" My mother's moans ruined the beautiful moment, and I decided to separate from her.
"Okay, then I'll go take a bath," Roxy murmured, now blushing with embarrassment.
"Yes, see you tomorrow, teacher," I mumbled and quickly locked myself in my room.
...
(Tack!, poow!, boow!)
The sound of wooden swords could be heard throughout the house. Another three months had passed. Roxy had been teaching me for half a year, and according to her, we were about to move on to advanced-level spells. But the lessons were over for now. Right now, I was training with my father.
Since the day he returned from his aforementioned attack, his personality has changed in certain parts. He still retains his usual mocking personality almost all day long, but when he's training, or when he's training me, he's a completely different person.
"You're applying too much force to your right arm," he said out of nowhere.
"Understood!" I said as I readjusted the sword in my hands and after a couple of seconds, I lunged at him.
(Clap!)
"Better!" he said, and I smiled.
In these last months my progression with the sword has been slow but sure up to a certain point, it is true that Paul has now taken his training seriously...but his way of training me...that's another topic.
"No...it's more like a Ziuuun!!" Paul said while making a diagonal movement with his sword.
I stopped immediately as I stared at her.
Is this guy serious?.
"And you're doing something like a woom!" he said making the same movement
Damn, he's serious!!.
"That doesn't make much sense, Father..." I muttered as I looked at him.
Paul grunted and shrugged, then he put a hand to his chin.
"Rudy...could you do me a favor and create a rock for me please? One meter high and as thick as you can" Paul said out of nowhere.
"...ok" I replied as I walked through the garden and did what he asked, I have only learned intermediate level magic but still I am confident that this rock will not break that easily.
"What do you need it for?" I couldn't help but ask.
"You'll see!" He said and I just narrowed my eyes.
Paul walked up to stand in front of the rock, raised his sword above his head, and I could see him momentarily close his eyes and...
(Ziuuun!!)
In a move I couldn't follow, Paul punched through the rock in half, and the top half fell to the ground like butter...
"Huh?"
What the fuck? How is that possible? He's just using a wooden sword!
Paul noticed my reaction and a proud smile formed on his face which annoyed me even more.
"Impressed, huh? That's just a small demonstration of what a true swordsman can do!"
"How did you do it?" I asked almost breathlessly.
"Hmm? Yes, like I did... hehe, you just have to feel it! Feel the power within you and you can do it!"
I couldn't hide the grimace that immediately formed on my face.
"the power?..." m I muttered annoyed as I stared at Paul.
"Yes! You heard me right! You have to feel the power within you! That is the power that makes us swordsmen the most powerful in this world!"
"What kind of explanation is that?" I growled in frustration.
"Hehe! Don't get angry, my son! Try to feel the power inside you, try to break that rock like me!" Paul said with a mocking smile and I just sighed in resignation.
Power, huh? What does that mean?
I closed my eyes and raised my sword above my head just as Paul had told me.
I inhaled and exhaled, I had no idea what Paul was talking about but according to him, I have find the power that is within me.
"fuuu..." I sighed softly and...I could feel it
It was like a warm feeling inside me, like something that filled me with life and revitalized me immensely.
I felt it in my chest but according to Paul I should use it to break the stone and with just a wooden sword I won't be able to do it...
That power must travel to the wooden sword?...if so then...
I imagine that feeling, I gave it a shape and a color, like a fire inside me which wrapped itself around my wooden sword and then into my arms.
Suddenly the burning pain in my arms disappeared and I felt stronger in an instant.
"I think I have it..." I muttered to myself as I opened my eyes again.
The leaves of the trees seemed to fall in slow motion, my father's presence no longer mattered to me, everything necessary and everything that mattered to me at that moment was in front of me.
The rock, now about forty centimeters high, cut perfectly diagonally thanks to Paul
"Haaa!..." With a battle cry I threw myself at the stone, everything happened too fast and... confusing.
(bloow!!)
"ugh!!" My wooden sword bounced off the rock and shock waves hit my arms causing me pain.
I clenched my teeth reflexively and after a few seconds I dared to look at Paul but I did it anyway.
The mocking smile had left his face and now he stood with his arms crossed as he stared at me.
"Rudeus...did you feel anything when you tried to break the stone?"
"huh?...oh yeah, it was like something warm in my chest and then I was able to manipulate it to bring it towards my sword" I told him and Paul remained impassive but I could see that he had started thinking about something.
"Did I do something wrong?..?" I muttered unsurely.
"No, in fact you did better than I thought" he said and approached the stone again but he pointed to a part in the middle of it.
"It's not every day someone achieves something like this on their first time," Paul said, and then I saw it.
A huge crack in the rock, it hadn't been split in half but it had broken, I had done it.
"I...did that?" I muttered in disbelief and Paul nodded, not mockingly but proudly, there was genuine pride in his gaze.
"That would be all for today, review well what you learned" he said and so I returned home.
...
[Paul Pov]
I watched as my three-year-old son came back into the house. He's only three years old and he's already learned how to wield power...
I never really understood how it worked or what caused it, but every time I train or fight I use that power.
I never thought Rudeus could access this at such a young age.
"Our son is a genius" were the words Zenith told me one day, specifically the day Roxy arrived.
At first I was sad, I thought my son would only dedicate himself to training with magic but it turned out that he was also overflowing with talent for the sword!
Day by day, his sword, his movements and his strength increase at alarming rates.
And with his demonstration today there was no doubt.
My son was a total genius and could even surpass me sooner than I thought.
Usually the idea that someone younger than me was stronger always caused me conflict, but for some reason the fact that that person was my own son filled me with a pride that I couldn't hide.
At this rate, my son will be an intermediate swordsman before he's four...
Never in history would I have thought of such a feat, but seeing my son train with me then there was no doubt.
And I also realized something, when he surpasses himself then he will remain stagnant, and that is something I do not wish.
I don't want my son's talent to be truncated by his own father's inefficiency.
I've gotten a little stronger these past few months, yes, but he'll outgrow me faster than I can improve.
It is extraordinary and terrifying to think how much Rudeus can achieve and as a father it is my duty to watch over him.
"Dear, what are you still doing out here? Go take a bath, dinner will be ready soon," Zenith said, taking me out of my thoughts.
Hah, my wife
Since the day NuckleGard almost killed me, I've seen life through new eyes.
I realized what was really important, my family, the people I love.
I knew that if I had died that day then I would have died terrified and only Millis can know what they would have done to my family...
"Come here!" I said as I pulled her in for a kiss.
I'm certainly very fortunate to have this woman as my wife. Despite my flaws, she knew how to put them aside and start a family with me...
And to think that I really thought about cheating on her with Lilia when I had the chance...just thinking about that again makes me nauseous.
"d-dear...what's happening all of a sudden?" She asked blushing but I could see a big smile on her face
"Nothing, it's just that Rudeus has advanced a lot in his training, let's go in," I told her and so we entered our house holding hands.