7. ...Training?

"Your Highness, Wake up." A sweet voice resounded in a rather luxurious-looking room, trying to wake a little boy from his slumber.

"Hrrngh..." A muffled moan escaped from the Boy's lips in protest as he hugged his blanket tighter.

"Wake Up, Your Highness." Pulling the Blanket away from the Boy, the maid continued, "His Majesty is waiting for you on the Castle grounds."

"Hmm...?" After getting his 'dear' blanket snatched from him, the boy finally woke up rubbing his eyes. Lady drowsiness clinging onto his eyelashes dearly, refusing to go away.

"Yawn~ ...Why is Father waiting for me Yawn~, Elsie?" Due to waking up just a moment ago, the Boy's mind wasn't functioning fully, and he was spouting words without giving it any thought whatsoever.

"...Did you forget the promise you made yesterday with Her Majesty, Your Highness?" Picking up the Boy from the Bed, the Maid started getting the Boy ready.

"Hmm...? Did I promise something?" Still slightly dizzy-headed, the Boy muttered.

It was as clear as holy water that he was not a morning person.

"Sigh~ ...So, you really did. You promised Her Majesty that you would behave properly at the Birthday party for the training classes, didn't you?"

"Ahh... That. Right. I did promise that to save the Cocoa sticks... right..." 

"Yes, for the cocoa sticks. So, as you have already fulfilled your end of the promise, I think Her Majesty might have asked his majesty for your training classes." Picking the Boy up from his hands, the Maid changed Boy's clothes, brushed his teeth, and readied him for his first training class.

"I could do all of this myself too, Elsie!" Now, finally awake, the Boy protested but it was futile as what had to be done was already done.

"Alright, you could do all this if you ever manage to wake up by yourself, Your Highness."

"...Hmph!" Ignoring the Maid's words, the Boy rushed out of the room with a pout to grab the breakfast and headed to the Castle grounds.

BLINK

"I doubted his age seeing him handling himself with such poise at yesterday's party, but..." With a relaxing voice, the Maid muttered, a sweet smile tugging on her lips, "Gosh~ ...He really is such a kid."

**********

Nom Nom~

I headed towards the Castle grounds with a sandwich stuffed in my mouth and holding one in my hand.

The Manners I wore at yesterday's party had already been worn off... well, at least to some extent because my body and hobbies were subconsciously blending into that one befitting Royalty.

Only my old eating habits sometimes overtake my reasoning whenever I am famished. I was starving after waking up because I had not eaten at yesterday's party in fear of ruining my act of a perfect prince.

'I have to stay on alert so that Mother doesn't see me like this or...' 

It won't matter if any servant, soldier, or maid saw me because I know I could ask Elsie to shut their mouth, but if Mother herself saw me eating like that...

Uhhh...

...Just the thought of it sends chills down my spine.

Gulp

Arriving at the Castle grounds, as soon as I noticed Father's figure swinging a 2-meter-long Broadsword like a wooden stick, I stuffed the remaining sandwich in my mouth and gulped it down my neck without chewing in nervousness.

Even though I knew Father didn't care about these little things as much as Mother did, I just didn't- ...No. I never want to hurt anyone who loved and cared for me, even a little, neither in my previous life nor this life.

"Cough Cough"

My body didn't appreciate my actions as I choked on the sandwich.

"Hmm...? Oh, You are here, Aiden." Hearing me coughing, Father stopped and turned around.

"Yes, Cough I am here, Father Cough,"

"...Are you alright, Aiden? Need me to summon the Cleric?"

"No, I am Cough alright, Father." I repeatedly thumped my chest slightly with my right hand trying to get the food down my neck, and continued with a smile, "Nothing serious at all!"

"...Well, if you say so." He looked at me with squinted eyes for a moment and probably deduced already that I was telling him the truth, albeit not completely, but he decided not to ask me anything.

"So now moving on to why I called you here, Aiden." Making his tone slightly serious, he pointed that 2-meter huge metal sword toward me and continued, "...Kiera told me that you wanted to learn the sword. Is that true?"

'So, it has come to this, after all...' 

Honestly, I only told my mother that because I thought my father would refuse to train me.

After all, even a normal sword is bigger than my body at the moment and not to mention, the Greatsword father was holding.

It was almost thrice the size of me!

...

...

...

But still...

"Yes, I am ready, Father!"

...I can't disappoint him.

**********

"So now moving on to why I called you here, Aiden. Kiera told me that you wanted to learn the sword. Is that true?" Aziel asked Aiden, pointing the Greatsword towards him.

His tone made Aiden visibly nervous, ever so slightly, but for Aziel, it was more than enough to tell that he wasn't serious about training.

'Well, no surprise that he is hesitant and afraid. He is still a child, after all.'

Though he understood his son's feelings, He was still a little, just a little, disappointed not because Aiden was afraid or hesitant to learn the Sword Art passed down their bloodline.

It was not because of something stupid like that.

It was because despite being an Everhart, Aiden lied and made a promise he wasn't ready to fulfill.

'I would have to teach him not to repeat the same mistake aga-'

"Yes, I am ready, Father!" Aziel's thoughts were cut short when Aiden spoke up with determination.

He was still hesitant concerning the training, but his eyes were brimming with determination as if he would do anything for someone he cared for.

Anything.

'Heh...' Seeing his child behaving like that, Aziel felt amused for being wrong about him.

'...He deserves to be called an Everhart.'

"Is that so? Then..." Aziel handed him his Greatsword, and continued with a proud smile, "Let's see how long you could keep this above ground!"

**********

"*Huff* *Huff*" I was struggling for air, leaning my whole weight on that sword just to stand properly.

"11 Seconds huh..." 

'Just 11 Seconds?! ...I nearly died under its weight in 11 seconds?!'

"Don't be discouraged, Aiden." Father put his hand on my shoulder trying to comfort my broken spirit, and continued, "When I first held this sword, I couldn't keep it up above the ground for more than 9 seconds. You should be proud of yourself!"

"...Then *Huff*" Gathering my breath, I continued, "...Why do you sound disappointed, Father?"

"Oh, You already know how to read emotions in someone's voice? Did Kiera teach you that?"

"Yes, Mother did- But that's not the point, Father! ...Why did you sound disappointed?"

"Well... That's..."

He was trying to make up a lie to tell me. 

Even if Mother hadn't taught me how to read emotions on someone's face, I would have still seen his discomfort with that question.

His emotions were that clear on his face.

"...Am I not good enough?" I mumbled under my breath, more to myself than him but it did trigger a response from him.

"Ah, It's not like that, Aiden. You are talented, really talented. No one except the Hero of Water, The Great Alfred Everhart, and now you, Aiden, had managed to keep this Sword above the ground for more than 10 seconds, at the age of 3. You are more than good enough, Aiden."

"...Then why are you worried, Father?" I wondered.

To my question, Father crouched down to my level, put his sturdy hands on my shoulders, and continued in a shaky voice, "... because I fear your safety, Aiden. You are extremely talented and have the blessing of the Almighty Water Sovereign. I fear that as you grow up, you will be caught in the dirty politics of the world and become the target of many people because of that, and both, me and Kiera, don't want that. We just want you to live a life where you can be the happiest and at peace."

"..."

I was shocked by Father's words because I never thought that being blessed could also be considered being cursed if I were to look from his perspective.

Even on Earth, a talented person was subjected to hate and jealousy, and there were cases where it accelerated to a degree where they committed suicide.

So, in this world where Aristocracy and nobility are still a thing, I could only imagine what would happen to the mental health of such people.

'And right now, he doesn't even know that I have two sovereign's blessings...'

"I... Uhmm... I..." I couldn't form any words to speak out loud in reply to his words.

"Well, Look at me what am I even saying to a kid, haha..." Father took the Greatsword from me and stood up, trying to laugh off his previous words.

"..."

"Ahem! ...So, You were here to learn swordsmanship, right, Aiden?" Switching his tone completely, Father asked with a smile on his face that made me shiver.

A Smile of a Devil, if I could say.

"Y-Yes... but on a second thought-" I couldn't complete my words as Father continued.

"But right now, Your body is too weak to even carry a sword for a long time. That's why..."

'I have a really bad feeling about it...'

"From today onwards, You will run 20 laps of the Castle, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and hold the sword until your hands cannot handle its weight daily!"

'WEREN'T YOU WORRIED ABOUT MY SAFETY A MOMENT AGO, FATHER?!' My Soul screamed but I managed to keep my smile on my face.

That day, I learned that I could control my emotions to an impressive degree.

To a really impressive degree.

**********