Yasuo swung his fist to the right, then quickly to the left. Noboru easily weaved past the first punch, and as the second came mid swing, he grabbed Yasuo’s wrist, chopped it downward, and shoved him back. Yasuo lost his footing and hit the ground with a thud.

  Noboru stood over him, unfazed.

  I watched from the sidelines, barely holding back a sigh. Man, all I can do is sit here and watch. I wish I could join in, but it was already a hassle convincing Mom just to let me outside this close.

  Noboru and Yasuo had been training under our father, who was an expert in hand to hand combat. From what I’d gathered, they were preparing for something bigger an academy of some sort. It had to be a combat academy; why else would they be pushed to train like this every single day?

  We were in the backyard, a place I hadn’t even known existed until last month. I used to think the front yard was massive, but the back was on an entirely different level at least ten acres, maybe more. The whole area was fenced in, creating a private training ground.

  My brothers never trained too far out, always sparring close enough that I could watch. Every day, they learned something new, and by the afternoon, they were left to spar for hours. They always came back sore, sometimes too tired to eat or even take a bath.

  "Again!" Volker commanded.

  Without hesitation, they both scrambled to their feet and resumed their fight.

  I couldn't help but feel bad for them, but at the same time, they were improving fast. Before long, I'd be out there too, going through the same grueling training. Maybe I should spend the rest of my free time wisely…

  Yet here I am, wasting half my day watching them.

  I found myself running over whenever one of them got badly hurt. I guess it made sense I’d spent the last seven years with them. They were my brothers. My blood.

  Noboru would be enrolling in the academy in a year, Yasuo in two. That left me wondering what I’d do in the meantime. Probably get in more trouble around the house without them around to keep me occupied.

  As I watched, they seemed to be moving closer and closer, the fight becoming more intense. Wait… isn’t that a little too close?

  Just then, they nearly crashed into me.

  Instinct kicked in. Before they could trample me, I swiftly dodged to the side. They didn't even notice they just kept fighting.

  Yasuo balled his fist and swung hard with his right, but Noboru was faster. With a swift motion, he swept Yasuo’s legs out from under him, sending him to the ground again.

  “That’s enough for today. We’ll start again tomorrow,” Volker announced, a slight hint of disappointment in his voice.

  I sighed. Yasuo had barely managed to land a hit on Noboru. Still, they were young they had time to grow.

  But I already knew the type of fighter Yasuo was. Over the years, I’d noticed something: he was incredibly smart, even for his age. He had always been the first to figure things out, crawling, walking, talking. He could already count and speak better than most kids his age. That kind of intelligence was a gift, and he could use it to do great things.

  But his curse?

  He couldn't fight for shit.

  His punches were wild, his stance unsteady. He lost his balance if he moved too fast. Maybe it was because he was still young, but that didn’t explain why Noboru was the complete opposite.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  If Yasuo was ahead in everything else, Noboru was late. Walking, talking it had taken him far longer to pick those up. Even now, his speech was a mess, barely understandable at times.

  But when it came to fighting?

  It was like he was born for it.

  He learned at an alarming rate. If this academy really focused on combat, Noboru would no doubt be at the top of his class. But if it had anything to do with academics, math, reading, tests Yasuo would take that spot instead.

  “Do you need help getting inside?” Volker’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

  I blinked and realized everyone had already gone in. Without answering, I rushed into the house after them.

  The moment we entered, a maid greeted Volker. Naomi. Out of the three maids who took care of us, she was the one assigned to Noboru.

  “Master Volker, I have important news. A letter from the king.”

  Volker wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, then slid it back into his pocket. “Alright. What does it say?”

  Naomi cleared her throat and read aloud:

  “Volker, I hope you’re not too busy. I know this is sudden, but my family and I are coming to Solmara. We’ll be staying with you for a couple of weeks anything to escape my duties. I’ve signed more documents today than I can count. Don’t worry, my little brother will be taking over while I’m away. We should arrive early morning on Velis.”

  She lowered the letter. “That concludes the message. Today is Sornis, so the maids have been working tirelessly to prepare for the king’s arrival.”

  Volker chuckled. “Well then. Hajime, you and your brothers will be meeting the king for the first time tomorrow.”

  With that, he walked away.

  Naomi turned to me, lifting me into her arms. “Natsumi has been looking for you. It’s bath time, young master. I’ll take you to her.”

  As she carried me through the halls, my mind raced.

  I had never really thought about a king before, but it made sense. Every world needed a ruler, just like how we had a president back home. If he was coming here, though, that meant he had to be on good terms with my father.

  Not only that, but I had learned something new today.

  “Sornis.” She said today is Sornis… and tomorrow is Velis.

  That meant the days here weren’t the same as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. For some reason, that felt strange to me.

  I decided I’d ask Natsumi about it.

  When we arrived, Naomi handed me over, and Natsumi thanked her. She showed me the clothes I’d be wearing tonight and the outfit I’d wear to meet the king.

  “Why do they have to be so formal?” I muttered, then immediately covered my mouth. Crap. Am I even supposed to know that word at this age?

  Natsumi laughed. “Someone’s been reading. Because he’s the king, young master. He owns and rules over everything apart of this continent. Even though your father governs this state, the king still has ultimate authority over it. Does that make sense?”

  I met her gaze and nodded. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

  “Young master, if you don’t want to wear it, I won’t force you.”

  I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. If he’s that important, I should dress the part.”

  She smiled and picked me up with one arm while carrying my nightclothes in the other.

  As she bathed me, I took the chance to ask, “Hey, Natsumi. I want to learn about the days and months. Could you teach me?”

  She seemed pleased. “Of course, young master. It’s good that you want to learn.”

  She explained everything, the 360-day year, the twelve months, the six day weeks. My birthday was on the 12th month of the year Azrithos 30th , 1363 UC. The current year was 1370 UC.

  By the time she finished, my brain felt fried.

  “O-Oh! I’m so sorry, young master! Was that too much?” She started bowing in apology.

  I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I just need time to memorize it all.”

  She relaxed and finished washing me up. After dressing me in my nightclothes, she let me go off on my own.

  Tomorrow, I’d meet the king.

  Not because I was excited but because if I misbehaved, Natsumi would get in trouble.

  With that thought, I crawled into bed.

  The next morning, I woke up early. I dressed myself in the outfit Natsumi had prepared white collared undershirt, fitted black vest, tailored trousers.

  I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the vest slightly.

  I was ready.

  Ready to meet the king.