In the middle of noon, on the outskirt area of Wornest Kingdom, there stand a small village. The villagers made their profession by selling lumbers and local fruits, it was a tranquil yet ambitionless village.
The villagers had enough resources to live with leisure and so everyday was spent in happiness.
“Clang!”
The bell tolled, signalling the end of work By the time the sun fell and half of it was covered by Cret Mountain, the day had ended. Any commercial activities were forbidden to be done by the king decree and those who breached it will be sent an Inquisitor upon their home.
Of the butcher and tanner that filled the village, there was an unusual commercial platform. It was a small hut where an old man with a limp in his leg taught children how to read and write for merely a bowl of gruel and a glass of beer. By no means it was comparable to the university that was attended by clergy and nobility but at least the children weren’t illiterate.
“That will be all. Please review the materials at your own leisure and have a good life. ”
“Thank you instructor!” The children said in unison.
The small school only taught the basics and nothing more as such it only took about one month for the school to end and for the students to graduate. The children were crying and hugging their instructor for the last time, though they will surely meet again outside of the confines of school.
“If you do good deeds then good things you will reap. If what you seek is pleasure then you are more blind than bat. From now on, how you use your life and what you want to do will determine your happiness in the future,” the instructor, moved by the sight of crying children, gave his last lesson.
So school came to an end. From now on the students would embark on their own path. Those who chose to live in the village would become a farmer just like their parents while those who wanted to see the world would embark inside the walls of Wornest Kingdom, becoming a merchant or taking apprenticeship.
Faster than what anyone could have seen was a flash of silver. For the students there that phenomenon was an ordinary thing as the one who ran away with such a swift speed was someone they knew well.
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“The same as ever that girl Joan,” a group of boys were witnessing her as their classmate ran off with unbelievable speed. “Do you think she will get what she wants today?”
“Are you kidding!? Of course not. I mean beating an adult in a duel? That is impossible.”
“Then again this is Joan we are talking about.”
“I guess we just need to see the result.”
And so Joan ran off to a house on the border of the village. The house was beside the main road leading to the village with the front facing that very same road, witnessing everything. Arriving at that house, she kicked down the frail wooden door and quickly ran inside it.
In the study room was a man of no remarkable quality. From a quick glance it was clear that the man was trained but his physique was not as big or muscular as other trained men. He was a man who worked for the kingdom yet he wore nothing that shows it, not even an insignia. Solitary was the one word to describe him as not even animals want to get near his house and even the people of the village were reluctant to contact him unless it was really necessary.
“Bang!” the sound of a door being kicked out and it being snapped in half by the force.
In the past, that man would have thought that the sound was an intruder or assassin but he was relaxed now. For he knew the sound was from something he had witnessed for years, his daughter, it was the sound that marked the end of his solitary life.
“Dad! Dad!” Joan was enthusiastic as she jumped and tried to do a flying kick to the man in front of her.
Catching the attack midair, the man stood up, still holding his daughter's entire weight in one hand.
“Remarkable improvement in your attack but you lack trickery. Your flow of movement is still amateurish. If you don’t at least incorporate feint then you won’t even scratch me after training for 1000 years,” he said as he swung his hand and the small girl was flung into the air.
Taking a spinning maneuver midair to reduce the impact, like a butterfly she gracefully landed on her feet.
“At least your reflex is good. If only you aren't so muscle brained.”
The girl with silver hair pouted. “What are you talking about father! The truly strong person doesn't need trickery or technique!” She swung her arms in the air, raising protest over the preposterous advice.
“Then you can say goodbye to your dream of visiting Wornest Kingdom and becoming knight,” the black haired man put his straight hand near her head. “Remember, I’m the weakest knight in the kingdom. If you can’t even beat me then you won’t stand a chance once you make mischief there,” the so-called dad tried to hit her neck with one clear motion, stopping it midway before touching her neck. “And lastly stop calling me dad. You can either call me Forte or Mr Spadam.”
“Grrrr…” the small girl as the loser could only listen to the unneeded lecture. “Just wait until tomorrow. Next day for sure, I will beat you!”
“Haha,” Forte smiled, alerting his so-called daughter. “If you can do it then I will be happy to see the future where you beat me.”
