Chapter VI

"Just like that? Old man, this is unfair, I had to go through all those roundabouts you told me to do but he just gets to be your apprentice that easily?"

Lotte's thoughts were complicated as he stood on his hand on a rock in the middle of the river, his body aching from the position and the weights strapped to his legs. The strain is almost unbearable, but his irritation made him grit his teeth and hold his position, even as sweat dripped down his brow. This punishment was ridiculous.

"Is my resolve a joke to you?" He waited for five years before finding someone who could mentor him. He had to do labor and sacrifice his precious potion to save a kid to be taught.

Then that kid who hated him is now his apprentice?

The unfairness of it all still gnawed at him. Saul, who had barely gone out from his room, is suddenly an apprentice?

'Is this a major character privilege or something?'

"Stop talking and focus, if you don't want to fall into the currents."

"Yes sir."

Byrne, as always, remained unfazed. His calm, collected nature only served to further intensify Lotte's sense of unfairness. He used to be so silent and moral, but Lotte realized that the old man had a way of deflecting any accusations of bias with his philosophical musings, as though the weight of his experience gave him an automatic pass on favoritism.

As the minutes stretched on, Lotte couldn't help but steal glances at Saul. The kid was sitting there like nothing had happened, looking comfortable while Lotte's body screamed in pain.

But he flashed a sneer at Lotte, Saul was looking at him like he was a joke.

'What the?'

"You're already way ahead of him, Lotte. Don't be upset," Seeing Lotte's distorted face, Byrne said in that same detached tone. "Saul is from a bloodline of warriors. His untapped potential is... significant. He needs to be nurtured."

'Oh really?'

Lotte couldn't help but mock the idea in his mind. If Saul's such a hidden gem, then where was it yesterday when I knocked his sword out of his hand in one hit?

But instead of challenging it, Lotte swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. His punishment wasn't over, and if he spoke too much, the consequences might just make this feel like a vacation.

From his position, Lotte noticed Saul, glancing at him with that same familiar sneer again. It was like the kid was savoring the awkward tension between them. That angry kid from yesterday was gone and replaced by this brat.

Then, Lotte's lips curled upward involuntarily.

"Really huh? I didn't see any of it yesterday though?"

Lotte remarked looking at Saul while returning a smug smile despite the sweat trickling down his face.

Saul flinched slightly at the remark, his eyes widening as if Lotte had caught him off guard. It was enough to make Lotte feel a bit better in his position. He was glad that the kid was easy to talk to and taunt.

Byrne, as always, maintained his air of calm and authority. "Later on, we will have a lecture starting from the basics, etiquette and chivalry, the foundation of what it means to be a knight."

"Again?" Lotte had heard enough of this lecture already and would rather know about other topics. As far as he was concerned, chivalry was just an obstacle to avoid offending pompous nobles. Who cares about all that formality when survival's on the line? He's more interested in the combat lectures.

But Lotte kept his mouth shut. Byrne had the patience of a saint, and Lotte was under no illusion that he could get away with voicing his objections again.

"Stay there for ten more minutes Lotte."

'Arrgh!'

Even if Saul didn't become Byrne's apprentice, Lotte concluded it was only a matter of time before he would. The logic of this world's story must work that way, them meeting in this place was probably in preparation for when Saul will finally take his revenge.

The story was unfolding before Lotte. He didn't know how much of an impact Saul would have in the story and what his relationship will be with 'Arlen' the supposed main character but the impression he left with Saul will help him form a connection with him and perhaps other characters in the future.

Saul had a reason to seek out Byrne—a thirst for vengeance, for power. He needed strength, and where else would he turn but to the only man who could teach him? If the story was following its typical path, then Saul would be trained, and eventually, he would gain the power he needed.

Lotte sighed, his body straining under the weight. 'I'll give him credit for having the guts to ask Byrne for training, though. It couldn't have been easy. Even if Saul had been a noble, holding onto that kind of anger and frustration and letting it go couldn't have been simple for a kid his age.'

He didn't know if Saul still considered Byrne an enemy at this point, he hadn't expected him to swallow his pride and ask for help. It was... impressive in a way.

This works too as Lotte couldn't ignore the fact that he now had an opportunity. I could get close to him, befriend him, and maybe get some information. Though I don't expect much from a kid. Even if he's a runaway noble.

He felt like a nosy neighbor peeking through the window, itching for the next piece of gossip.

After his punishment, he found Saul. He was by the river, washing his face. Lotte approached slowly from behind, unable to resist the temptation to catch him off guard.

"Wah!"

The sudden shout made Saul stumble backward, nearly slipping into the water. He whipped around, his face contorting in a mix of surprise and annoyance. Lotte couldn't help but pause, momentarily struck by the sight. 

Even in that flustered state, with wet, shoulder-length hair clinging to his face and his small, delicate features, Saul somehow looked... unfairly good. His expression was a mess, but even then, it was clear that the kid had a face meant to be admired.

'He must really be a major side character…' Lotte mused, if with these looks, Saul wasn't one of the more important side character then it's such a waste.

Saul's hand twitched as if he wanted to strike Lotte on instinct, but he held back, the tension in his body clear. He remembered how Lotte had floored him yesterday.

"… What do you want?"

Lotte snapped back to reality, but forgot what he was supposed to ask. His mind was occupied with reminding him that he does not swing the other way around.

"Nice to meet you, Junior. How does it feel to be my junior?"

"It sucks. Leave me alone."

Lotte laughed, unphased. "Hey! That's not how you talk to your senior. You don't know yet, but Byrne taught me that juniors should always respect their seniors."

"You're not someone respectable. You're just someone who exploits Byrne."

"Still hung up on that huh?"

Lotte found it amusing what his reaction will be once he finds out that all of that was a lie. There was silence for a little while without any of them moving.

"I'm curious, though," Lotte said after a moment. "How did you do it? Byrne literally flipped his attitude—I've never seen him look so... alive before."

"You don't need to know."

When did this kid start to act like Byrne?

"But… There's one thing I'll tell you. You'll be my first."

'First?'

Saul pointed at him with clear and calm eyes.

"My first stepping stone," Saul continued, his voice steeled and confident. "I'm going to learn from Byrne to defeat you. Surpass him, and eventually defeat my brother too. Mark my words."

If he didn't have enough power, then he just had to train for it. He was young and is a prospect of a warrior family. His brother was strong, but was also capable enough to be supported by the various factions of the rebellion. Then, he just had to be even stronger. Stronger than what his brother would have imagined.

The determination in Saul's eyes was unwavering, and Lotte actually felt slightly nervous. He had felt it before from people who was extremely certain of their goals and dead set to accomplish their goal. Saul's words were wrapped in a deep, quiet resolve. It wasn't just about training anymore—it was a lifelong pursuit of vengeance. Lotte could feel the weight of it.

Was there really that much hatred between Saul and his brother? Was it a battle to the death, a story of only one surviving in the end? He'd seen this kind of tragic story play out in novels, but to see it in real life, in the eyes of a child so determined to destroy his own flesh and blood, was something entirely different.

Lotte couldn't help but wonder, should he stop him treading on that path of no return?

No, he realized. Not yet. Saul's path was already set, but that didn't mean Lotte couldn't try to help him find another way, even if it meant meddling in his business. No child should carry such a heavy burden, especially not someone so young.

Reading it as a novel was another thing. But actually seeing a kid, dead set on the pursuit of growing stronger to kill his brother… Is the tragic side of this story finally showing? Regardless, he doesn't have any capacity to stop it. Not yet, at least.

Although he felt a little determined to do so even if it was meddlesome. Living the rest of his childhood like that, instead of fond memories is such a waste..

'But I guess his childhood was already over the moment he left his family.' Lotte thought, a pang of sympathy striking him.

"Well, we'll see about that, junior. But first, you've got to actually land a hit on me."

Saul's glare deepened, but Lotte could see the determination behind it. It was even more clear that he took this seriously as much as a goal in life. Saul had a mission, a purpose, and Lotte was now part of it. 

Lotte still had a lot of questions, but it can wait. Two years is a long time, compared to the five years he already spent here. He can make Saul talk about himself eventually. A kid is easier to convince compared to an old man like Byrne.

For now, he just had to get along with the kid. Even if his first impression wasn't the best.

And thus, Lotte and Saul's training together had started. Whether they would remain rivals or form some kind of strange bond, time would tell.

On the day their series of training started…

The days of relentless training had become a blur for Lotte. Each day was grueling, pushing him further than he ever thought possible. But somehow, despite the exhaustion, the physical strain, and the mental fatigue, he could feel the power of his trained body.

His muscles were building, his reflexes sharpening. It was a hard-earned progress, and he couldn't deny the satisfaction of seeing himself improve.

But when he glanced behind him during their runs, he saw Saul struggling to keep up. The kid was severely out of shape. Lotte could see how pale Saul is, his labored breaths could be heard in short bursts as he tried to push himself further. His face was almost funny, as he struggled to run.

"Are you alright back there, junior?" Lotte called, but Saul didn't even seem to hear him. His own ragged breathing seems to have drowned any voice around him.

"Ugh!"

Lotte halted his steps. He looked back and saw Saul who had his face planted on the ground. Byrne had let Lotte be in charge with Saul while they trained together, in exchange for Saul treating him like a real senior.

He stood before Saul who still grasped for breath heavily and was coughing. His face upon looking up was full of dirt just like the day he saw him. Some bruises found themselves in what once used to be spotless skin.

"This is the basics of the basics junior. As you can see, I'm wearing weights, and you're still more winded than me. Do you think you can get at my level?"

Saul gritted his teeth, struggling to get up, but after a moment, he managed to force his legs beneath him. He limped and passed by Lotte without looking back.

"Still refusing to talk, huh?" Lotte muttered to himself, watching Saul wobble away. At least his determination was impressive.

In turn, Lotte did the same, but at full speed.

"Just scream if you can't take it anymore okay? I'll come running to rescue you."

Saul felt the wind rush by his side as he stared wide-eyed at Lotte who was now far ahead than him, leaving dust in his trails. Lotte lost count how many times he passed by Saul.

Next was brutal strength training. They had to carry sandbags in certain positions, Lotte piling them on top of his weighted gear, while Saul struggled with even a fraction of the weight.

Next they had to hold their breath underwater, an act of which Lotte is familiar with. It was one of the crazy training he came up with during his last five years of boredom, and now he's at the stage of being able to move underwater for a long duration.

Saul meanwhile had to breathe almost every few seconds and couldn't help but float like a log.

During swordsmanship training, Saul was too tired to even keep up and clumsily swung his sword with his form all over the place. But all of that was just a part of their daily training, and Byrne had told them that it was just the beginning. That there was more they had to do.

Byrne had promised to push them both to their limits—and he certainly wasn't holding back. With every sparring against the old man, they were beaten to a pulp and experienced pain they didn't even know existed. Lotte felt pain the most in those moments compared to his previous and current life. Saul just straight up fell down and curled his body, unable to endure.

It wasn't a friendly practice session, Byrne treated every encounter like a real battle, he countered with absolute precision and attacked with heavy blows. Lotte had nearly passed out from exhaustion once, but it was nothing compared to the way Byrne beat Saul with brutal efficiency. One hit had Saul vomiting right there on the training ground.

He wondered if this will help them in the long run, but he decided to grit his teeth and swing his sword anyways. This was something he wanted and wished for, for his own sake. For whatever will come when the story starts. Enduring hits, is in a way, a form of training to toughen up too.

'Was he not serious with our training back then?'

It wasn't the physical pain that struck Lotte—it was the cold, resolute look in Byrne's eyes. There was something in that gaze, something he had seen at the same day he asked for the potion.

It reminded him of the craftsman back in the village, the one who had worked tirelessly on perfecting his craft. Every strike, every move Byrne made felt deliberate, as if he was honing them like a piece of unpolished steel, shaping them into something stronger.

Like a craftsman polishing his best piece.

'Was that how it is? Saul… Is that kid the reason?'

The more Lotte thought about it, the more unsettled he became. Saul was young, too young to bear the weight of such high expectations. Was he really intending to create a weapon out of Saul? Did he actually support the kids desire for revenge?

Suddenly, Lotte found himself annoyed at the whole situation. He wanted to know so bad. He wanted information, and the conclusions he could come up with were simply not enough. It was a shame that for now, all he could do was keep training, keep pushing.

And so, the days repeated. Waking up, training, eating, and repeat. Until an accident occurred one day.

Lotte had become used to the sound of Saul's footsteps and rugged breathing behind him that when it disappeared, it immediately halted him in his steps. He turned just in time to see Saul veering off the path, his legs giving way beneath him. The next thing he knew, Saul collapsed, his body crumpling onto the rocky terrain as his face hit the dirt.

***

When Saul opened his eyes, the view came into focus, and he realized he was back in the room he'd come to loathe as much as he relied on it. The light of the lamp and the faint scent of herb told him exactly whats going on. His body, had been pushed too hard.

His arms and legs felt like they were being ripped with so much as a small movement and occasionally pulsed due to the intense training they had gone through. 

His rugged breath didn't stop for almost half a day every time they trained. His throat felt dry and he felt dizzy swinging a sword during the swordsmanship lesson. There wasn't any memory of anything he learned.

He only remembered that he was having a hard time.

But at least, it made him forget the other forms of pain that he couldn't get rid of. 

He recalled what happened to him. As he ran and took deep breaths, he started to lose his way. His vision was fading and he no longer knew where the way was. Instinctively he thought of the back he has been chasing for a certain time now. He didn't see any visage of the dark red haired kid in front of him.

And then the last thing he remembered was Lotte's voice somewhere in the distance, calling him. Then nothing.

He shifted slightly, only to wince as a sharp pain shot through his side. A soft clatter made him turn his head. He didn't have the energy to lift it more than a few inches, but it was enough to see him sitting there.

Lotte.

The red-haired boy was sitting on a stool, a bowl of soup in one hand and an ever so infuriating faint smile plastered across his face. He blew on the spoon and held it out toward Saul.

"You really have to stop doing this, junior," Lotte said, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement. "If you keep fainting like this, Byrne's going to think that I'm bullying you."

Lotte blew on a soup before slowly feeding it to him, but Saul scowled and turned his head away, though that made even his neck ache. 

"Why is it always you?" This was the second time that he found Lotte by his side upon waking up.

"What, do you want Byrne to spoon-feed you instead?" Lotte retorted, laughing. "I'm sure you're gonna have a really good time."

The thought of Byrne hovering over him, with nothing but that serious stare and silence between spoonfuls of soup, was horrifying enough to make Saul grimace. Even if Byrne had accepted him as a disciple, it was a different matter when it came to getting along with him. Besides training and lectures, they basically didn't talk at all.

He hated to admit it, but he'd rather Lotte fed him even if he pisses him off and avoid that awkward situation with Byrne. He let Lotte help him sit up against the headboard, every movement sent jolts of pain in his limbs.

Lotte, meanwhile, was doing this because Byrne seemed to be doing something important. He was always meditating and there was an overbearing presence around him whenever he got close. He showed worry upon hearing about Saul's accident, but told me to handle it in the end.

Was this Byrne's way of pushing them to get along? Well, it wasn't like Lotte hadn't already planned to smooth things over with Saul. If Byrne wanted to nudge things along, so much the better.

Saul glared at him over the rim of the bowl, but the warmth of the soup and the tantalizing smell kept him from retorting. He sipped it cautiously, the rich flavor easing some of the tightness in his chest. He hated that it was comforting.

"It's delicious right?" Lotte said with a triumphant smirk. "I cooked it myself." They say that a person's way to his heart is through the stomach. No one would hate someone who can feed them good food.

He hated it even more now that Lotte was right. It was more delicious than what Byrne usually cooked. But even as he sat there, regaining some semblance of strength, the same thought burned in his mind.

'I'm not giving up. No matter how hard it gets.'

After Lotte was done feeding him…

"Now I need to wipe you down."

"W-what? Wipe?"

"Yes, you don't want to stink like sweat do you?"

Lotte brought hot water for Saul, since he had a cold. Along with a tub and towel. 

Saul's eyes widened, and he recoiled. "Y-You're going to?" he stammered, panic rising. "No, I—I can do it myself!"

Lotte raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "If you say so. I'll just leave this here," he said, placing a tub of hot water, a towel, and some soap on the table. "Call me if you need anything, though."

He wondered if wiping someone who has a cold with hot water was not the norm from where Saul came from, but if he says that he can do it himself then that saves him some effort. 

His father used to do it for him when he got sick due to training too much and also to his little sisters. At first he was embarrassed and against it too. But he gradually got used to that strange tradition.

For an instant, Lotte saw something shine in Saul's neck. He didn't pay it any attention before, but Saul had a pendant he always wore. The shine was gone when he blinked, but he was sure that it was already rusty.

"What are you looking at? Get out!"

He didn't want to talk anymore and just left.

'He sure is rude to someone taking care of him.'

Saul watched Lotte leave, still trying to wrap his head around everything.

Lotte had been acting strangely helpful, so… responsible. Maybe it was all just for show, maybe he had some ulterior motive, or maybe he was genuinely trying to make up for his earlier behavior. Saul couldn't decide.

Once Lotte was out of the room, Saul reluctantly began to clean himself up with difficulty. The hot water soothed his aching muscles, though it didn't make his mind any clearer.

Then, something caught his eye—a glimmer from the pendant around his neck.

Saul paused, fingers brushing over it. The charm had been with him ever since he left home, it was already rusted, but lately, it seemed tarnished, its shine dulling more with each passing day.

"D-don't you dare peek at me, got it?" He called out, trying to ensure that Lotte was gone. He hadn't realized how loudly he'd spoken, but Lotte, thankfully, was still outside. A long silence followed, and Saul finally exhaled, grateful for the moment of privacy.

Lotte, however, was out there thinking of scenarios how to bully Saul played around in his mind but he had to hold himself back for the sake of befriending him.

***

In the following days that Lotte took care him of, Saul realized that Lotte was very different from when they met each other. He would come to take care of him, covered in sweat and catching his breath.

He never stopped training even though he already performed really well in every physical aspect, yet he was still smarter than him. As if the scumbag he met from before was someone else entirely.

And in the midst of it all, he didn't complain, as if all of this didn't bother him one bit.

'Was it all an act? Is he doing his best so that Byrne won't make him leave? Or is he just being kind to spite me later on?'

"Why do you keep helping me?" Saul asked one afternoon, frustration slipping into his voice.

Lotte answered with a shrug. "Like I said, we're fellow apprentices. I'm your senior, so I'm just looking out for you. And besides, if I don't take care of you, Byrne will make me handstand carrying weights again."

"Oh… So that's why."

"… Don't tell him that, okay? I'll kill you if you do."

Saul could only shake his head. Lotte's behavior was still hard to read, although the guy might have started off as a jerk, he was proving to be a much better person nowadays.

And Saul? He wasn't sure what to think about this version of Lotte.

When Saul finally recovered, the doubts and questions that had been gnawing at his mind were quickly shoved aside. There was no time to dwell on as his relentless training resumed

But the training didn't lighten in the slightest. Byrne came at them even more mercilessly and harsher. He didn't spare Saul any kindness or gentleness. Instead, he stood by and watched as Saul struggled through training, offering only instructions. Rinse and repeat, Saul would push himself past his limits, end up bedridden for days, then get up again to run alongside Lotte.

Everytime Lotte had to take care of Saul, while Byrne left them alone.

Lotte didn't realize when, But Saul could finally run a full round around the village, even if he still couldn't be compared to him. The kid who could barely hold his breath under water was now able to last longer.

During rest periods, they ate together. During sparring with Byrne, they suffered together. And sometimes, they even slept under the same roof of the manor after a long day. Saul no longer got sick due to the intense training.

"Hey, junior, do you still hate me?"Lotte asked one day, filled with curiosity.

"I do." Saul didn't even hesitate with that response. Although, for Lotte, it was a much better reaction than before. Going through hard times together does pay off.

"Heh, you don't say." He grinned amused by the answer. Lotte had a feeling that Saul's hatred to him had definitely toned down a little bit.

Both lay there, looking up at the starry sky. It was the same sky Lotte had seen countless times before, both in this life and the one he barely remembered. But he never seemed to get tired of it. If the vast sky during the day comforted him, the starry ones during the night awed him. Even as it reminded him of how much he had changed. 

The days when he sat for half a day in front of a monitor, got yelled at by his superior and used his salary for drinking with coworkers could barely be remembered. Even the days he spent in this world, cooking different dishes and training with random movements felt faint.

He used to be alone, pushing himself through self taught crazy ideas of training. But now, there was Byrne, his mentor, and Saul, his junior. Lotte had once been alone in this, but now… now it felt different. He was supposed to be in a fantasy story, but it felt real in its own way.

Time until Chapter 1: 1 year, 299 days and 14 hours.

The countdown was still there, ticking away in the back of his mind. It appeared as he willed. Until now, he still didn't know what clearly happened to Saul and how he ended up here.

Hoping that this moment is a good time…

"Do you think this is all worth it?" He didn't know if he was being melancholic, but that was how he intended to sound to appeal more genuine to Saul.

"What?"

"This training. I don't know about you but… what are we even doing this for?"

Saul shifted slightly, discomfort written on his face. He didn't like where the conversation was heading, and his answer was sharp. "You lied, didn't you?"

Lotte didn't flinch, just smiled softly. It was a smile that had carried him through a thousand difficult moments in life, one that Saul would probably never understand. It was an easy lie to discover. Just by observing how diligent he was, and whenever he left before sunset was already a dead giveaway.

He didn't think that Saul wouldn't mention it for this long though. He wondered whether Saul realized too late or just couldn't care less.

"You're not staying with Byrne because you need someone to provide for you. You never needed it. Did you do it because it amuses you?" Saul's tone was sharp, and Lotte felt a little startled. The questioning tone and doubt was apparent. Was it that bad of a lie?

Lotte's relaxed smile faltered, and he glanced at Saul, his expression slightly frowning. Saul had pieced together his own conclusions, and they were against what Lotte expected. After all his act as an amazing senior who took care of his junior this is what he gets?

In the silence, Saul's voice grew quieter this time. "You still have your family. You're still in the village you grew up in. People who love you are still around... Why do you train so hard? Why do you want to be this strong?"

Lotte stared up at the stars to think of an answer, letting Saul's words linger in the air between them. How could he answer it without revealing too much? How could he explain that it was because he was sent by an entity to become a character in this Fantasy-Tragedy novel, for entertainment purposes.

"Hmm... So that I won't lose them." He closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking about the important people in his life. "But... First, I can't lose myself. I have to be strong enough to survive, strong enough to protect them."

Saul's eyes narrowed, as he wondered. "But why did you lie to provoke me?"

Lotte hesitated, his fingers brushing over the edges of his clothing. He hadn't thought much about it when he provoked Saul. It had just been... a way to get a reaction, to make the boy vent. It wasn't supposed to be anything deeper than that.

"I just wanted to distract you, I guess," Lotte said finally, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips.

 "I didn't want our conversation to end like that, and you looked like you were carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders, keeping yourself shut in that room. So why not provoke this kid into venting it all out?"

Remembering that day made him smirk. He was desperate to know this kid he labeled as a special character. Boredom had really changed him these past five years-six soon. Maybe his brain became muscle due to training too much?

"I still don't know what sin Byrne did to you or your family, but that was the only thing I could come up with in the heat of the moment to get your attention."

He looked sideways at Saul, the weight of the truth sinking in. "You're doing all of this for revenge, aren't you? You're chasing after your brother. I know I have nothing to do with it, but I don't want to see a kid live like that. A childhood is supposed to be a happy and cherished memory."

Lotte was really hoping that Saul would understand and open up, but Saul's gaze hardened as he stood up and looked down at him. "You're meddlesome. You should mind your own business."

Unfortunately the kid still refused to open up. Saul left without so much as a word of goodbye as always. But he knew that their relationship might never be the same after this.

"You're right." Lotte said quietly. "I should. But I hope, one day, you realize that there's more to life than that."