Whoosh
With a slash, the silver blade sparkled, cutting through the morning mist.
Swish, thud!
At first, it was mere mimicry of techniques found in books. After mastering one volume, then two, three, ten, the more he knew, and the more his own martial art took shape. Diving deep into the world of books, practicing, and making selective choices—thus—
Ha!
Beautiful, rational—this is William's swordplay, a culmination of knowledge and practice.
William practices his swordsmanship at times when no one else is present, late at night and early in the morning. It's a habit he’s continued since his days as Al, never missing a day, not even in rain, snow, or storm.
“...”
He had long been aware of the gaze watching him.
"Phew"
Wiping the sweat that had just formed, he shifted his gaze. In a hurry, the figure at the window disappeared.
‘I don't think it's that fun to watch…’
It had been like this for the past few days. The first day was an exhibition with Carl, Einhart, and Roland all spectating, but Einhart and Roland soon lost interest, no longer rising early to watch. Carl tried to train together, but whether morning or night, he ended up asleep. The only one left—
‘Rutgard... huh?’
From their first meeting, there was never a proper exchange of glances, making William struggle with how to respond. Yet, there she was, waking up early just to sneak peeks at William. She probably hasn’t even realized she's been noticed.
‘She said she's shy, but what's she thinking?’
As William looked away, the gaze sneakily returned. William, feeling the gaze on his back, continued to pretend not to notice.
‘Well, today's the last day. If I let it bother me, I lose.’
༺༻
“I'm off, then!”
Carl bid farewell to his family with vigor. Roland waved with a smile, Einhart showed his face as a formality, and Rutgard bashfully looked down.
“Be careful, William.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
William bowed deeply. Einhart, seemingly indifferent to William, didn’t even try to meet his gaze. For William, such detachment is more comfortable.
'The problem is...'
William glanced over, his gaze briefly intersecting with the one he's been feeling on and off.
“Eek!”
In an instant, the gaze is averted.
'...Rutgard it is.'
It had become routine, Rutgard watching William, always in a sneaky manner. And when their gazes met, it quickly turned away. Look away, and after a while, the gaze returns—it's a cycle.
'I really can't tell what she's thinking...'
Suppressing his complex feelings, William maintained an expressionless facade.
“Oh, by the way, Rutgard has something she wants to give you.”
Startled by Roland's words, Rutgard shuffled over to her brother and handed over a necklace with a blue gemstone shining at its center. Carl's face lit up.
“Wow, a sapphire. And when you shine a light on it... just as I thought!”
The beauty of it astonished William. Even more beautiful when lit, the six rays of light sparkled like stardust. It was a gemstone of such splendor that William, who had dealt in trade, had never seen before. The goldwork surrounding it was also delicate and exquisite beyond estimation.
“A star sapphire, huh? Is that okay, father? This is one of our merchandise, right?”
“The stone was purchased by me, and the setting is Rutgard's handiwork. Well, it's a charm, and I thought it should have a bit of a bounce to be effective.”
A bit of a bounce. At those words, William's face momentarily contorted. That gemstone, he surmised, could sell for enough to buy a house in Arcus. Not quite enough for a noble's estate here, but still a substantial sum.
'Are these guys even richer than I thought?'
Even for nobility, it's not something one can buy with just a 'bit of a bounce.' But perhaps for a son's first battle, they might make such a preparation.
'...The first battle, indeed. The skirmishes in Laconia are nothing compared to the battlefield's scale this time. Such a gem would indeed be unnecessary for garrison soldiers in mere scuffles.'
As he mused,
'Um, uh'
Unnoticed, Rutgard had approached William. Startled, William jumped, and Rutgard did the same in response.
“What is it, Lady Rutgard?”
Seeing William's startled expression, Roland chuckles quietly.
“Didn't I say she had something to give you? That's your share. Of course, the craftsmanship is Rutgard's own design.”
Rutgard, staring at the ground, extended it towards him.
“This is for me?”
William stared at the offered item, his voice trembling with astonishment.
“Unsatisfied?”
“No, not at all! I mean, I can't just accept something so valuable all of a sudden!”
Before William stood a gemstone of deep crimson, encircled by sparkling silver craftsmanship. The silverwork alone was beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, not to mention the ruby—
“Oh, a ruby? Father has chosen quite the bold piece.”
Einhart's surprise was understandable. In this era, rubies were second only to diamonds in value, incomparable even to sapphires. Their rarity, not found within the Seven Kingdoms' domains, further elevated their worth.
“Well, Rutgard insisted on it. She wouldn't hear otherwise, claiming this was the perfect match for you, William. She even said she'd sell all her own gems if necessary—”
Rutgard, face flushed red, glared at her father. Roland chuckled wryly and shook his head.
“Please, accept it. Carl's was prepared in advance, but yours was made in haste. Rutgard had the design ready the day after meeting you, likely pulling an all-nighter. It would be quite tough if you didn't accept it.”
William wasn't sure what expression was appropriate. His hands trembled as he reached to take it, inadvertently touching Rutgard's hand, causing her to startle, but he was too overwhelmed to react. Such a sizable ruby, its color and shape were exquisite. The stone alone could build a house in this vicinity.
'This isn't something you just hand over to someone you've only recently met, is it?!'
William looked at Roland, who smiled back warmly.
'So, this is an investment in me? That's quite an overestimation.'
William gripped the gemstone in his hand. It felt as if it radiated heat, it was as if passion itself resided within his grasp. A stone is but an inanimate object, devoid of will. Yet, before the label 'ruby,' bestowed with rarity and immense value, people see something that stirs them passionately.
“Thank you, Lady Rutgard, Lord Roland. I will certainly live up to your expectations.”
To live up to expectations—likely Roland's wish for Carl's protection. William had intended to protect Carl even without such a gift, but its receipt reaffirmed his commitment. At the very least, it signified that Carl held more value to Roland than these jewels. A mistake leading to loss would be unfathomable.
“...Um, good, good fortune in battle.”
“Yes, thank you.”
'But... Rutgard is unreadable. What is she really thinking?'
While responding, William suppressed his complex emotions. Roland's intentions were clear: protect Carl and thereby serve the Taylor family. But Rutgard's intentions remained a mystery.
“Hmm, giving a man a gemstone of your own making, huh?”
Einhart's meaningful remark earned him a sharp glare from Rutgard. He retreated to the mansion, jesting about fear. Left behind, Rutgard's cheeks burned red as she remained silent.
“Shall we go then, William?”
“Yes, let's, Carl.”
They placed the gifted jewels around their necks and looked southward. Laconia, destined to be a battlefield, lay beyond their sight, somewhere under the same sky.
'At last, my chance has come. If I elevate the nobleman ‘Carl’, I naturally rise too. As Carl advances, so do I. For now, I'll ascend as a shadow. And someday—'
William and Carl began their journey, the future unknown to anyone.
“Please take care of Carl.”
Roland's gentle expression carried a firm request to William, who responded with a smile,
“Of course.”
'I'll devour him too. Isn't that right, sister?'
The crimson gem at his chest reflected light, blazing like fire. It was a perfect representation of William's burning inner resolve.
“...May you return safely.”
As the two walked beyond earshot, Rutgard murmured softly. Roland watched with a complex expression.
'Now, what will his presence bring to our house?'
Whether a boon or a bane, even Roland could not foresee.
“By the way, Carl,”
As they left the noble district and walked through the city streets,
“Yeah, what is it?”
William decided to confront his most pressing question.
“What exactly does the Taylor family do? I've heard bits and pieces about managing a consortium.”
The Taylor family's business was not overtly grand, but their prosperity was evident. The lavishness of gifting a large ruby necklace to a virtual stranger piqued his curiosity.
“Well, we manage a consortium of jewelers and fashion merchants. We handle everything from procuring gold, silver, and gems to crafting them, and our designs are quite popular. Rutgard is actually a well-known designer. It's frowned upon for a nobleman's daughter to work, but she does.”
A surprising revelation. William finally understood. The Taylor family likely oversaw the various jewel and fashion merchants he knew of. They were indeed wealthy. Jewelers were already known to be profitable, but managing them—
“I see... that's impressive.”
Carl's expression was mixed in response to William's reaction.
“It's nothing extraordinary. I'm just the third generation, and we have no military achievements. As far as nobility goes, we're quite second-rate.”
'Second-rate in nobility, perhaps, but probably quite wealthy among them. The Taylor family is formidable.'
William gained a new appreciation for the Taylor family's stature.
'But at least they're not mere barons, which is somewhat reassuring.'
The peak he aimed for was distant. For now, the goal was to distinguish himself in Laconia during the Great War.