A few days pass without incident in the Aditi Estate.
The autumn breeze slowly loses its strength, and hints of winter dot the landscape. Cold air fills the world, and the Estate gets blessed with the frosty wind. The darkened sky provides dim sunlight, and overexposure to the outdoor world causes chills to run through the bones.
Despite that, Jerome Sirius stands amidst the company of wilting trees and dry shrubberies.
The shade provides no evident benefit, but he still stays beneath the large tree and uses it to hide the bulk of his body while staring at someone in the distance.
It is Selicia Aditi.
Despite being surrounded by icy air that accompanies early winter, she does not cease training.
It is already evening, slowly marching into night, and Selicia's small frame moves with nimble grace, slicing through the air as though it were an epic foe. Her martial dance causes her short strands of hair to bloom like yellow lilies.
Such a beautiful sight mesmerizes this old man, and so he watches in silence.
These past few days, he has been secretly watching this girl—wondering if she would stint in her training, or if the bitter weather would cause her to relent—and contrary to his expectations, she has yet to surrender.
Using every chance she gets, she diligently picks up the blade and trains.
Such fighting spirit… it impresses him.
For a brief moment, an image of his dear niece overlaps with that of this girl, and a small smile forms on his face.
"Beatrice…" As he murmurs those words, a certain silhouette walks right next to him.
It is none other than Javier Aditi.
"Looks like you've taken quite a liking to my sister…" His voice is smooth as silk and calm like tranquil waters.
His face is calm and serene, revealing the demeanor of a gentleman who remains composed at all times. His raven black hair and olive skin gleam with a pristine allure, and his gray eyes possess a maturity forbidden to youth. Despite wearing simple clothing befitting a Knight Household, there is an air of elegance about him.
Jerome Sirius takes note of all these things as he slowly glances at Javier.
He had noticed him approaching, even while watching Selicia. As a result, he isn't too surprised by the new company.
"Isn't this what you wanted?" Jerome Sirius chuckles softly, staring at the boy with keen eyes.
He certainly isn't an ordinary child.
The composure and familiarity Javier displays before him, accompanied by a comfortable air that seems to suggest a kind of closeness between them—something that he still doesn't understand—tells him that this person is special.
Perhaps even more special than the girl he is trying to bring his way.
"I apologize for doing things in a rather complicated way, but I am certain you will be satisfied with my sister's progress in a few years." Javier expresses a genuine apology and looks at the girl at a far distance.
A warm brotherly smile permeates his face in that moment.
'So you can make that kind of expression too…' Jerome Sirius smiles to himself and nods.
They enjoy that moment of silence together.
Until… it is inevitably broken.
"Your father was my subordinate in the expedition to the North. There were rumors spread of a Resource Point there, and our Kingdom desired it. If we succeeded, we would have a third Special Resource. Naturally, the surrounding Mid-sized Kingdoms didn't want to see this happen, so they also sent their obstacles for us."
"…" Javier remains silent and listens attentively to the old man speak.
"The Resource Point was at the fringe of our territory, but it apparently also overlapped with another. This gave them the excuse to wage war against our Kingdom. It would have led to a full-scale battle, too, if we hadn't discovered early that the whole thing was a hoax." Jerome Sirius laughs bitterly, his eyes cringing as he remembers the past.
"There was no Special Resource. We lost so many good men and expended so many resources for nothing. I was one of the people sent into battle, and I nearly lost my life due to the ambush of the enemies. I was also being suppressed by my fellow Royal Knights, who weren't happy about the acclaim I was getting. They wanted to see me fail, so they found a way to poison me. I would have… perished in that battle. If not for your father, who bravely stepped into the front lines with me and kept fighting even when I ordered retreat."
Javier still remains silent, his expression not even revealing the slightest hint of emotion.
"Your father is a great person. An exemplary warrior. An honorable Knight." Jerome Sirius says and breathes deeply. "I owe him my life. If it hadn't been for him, I would not have been able to return home to see my family and witness the birth of my grandchildren."
"If I remember correctly… You retired after that battle."
The old man nods slowly.
"I wasn't suited for life in the Royal Palace. The politics and schemes disgusted me. I only wanted to hone my skills and serve my Kingdom, but my time of service there disillusioned my view of the world." He turns to Javier and laughs aloud. "I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this, but I suppose you'll need to understand the nature of those in high society since you wish to enter the Royal Academy."
Javier chuckles the moment he hears this. "So, my father told you, after all…"
"I asked him." Jerome Sirius confesses and fully turns to face the boy. "I noticed the friction between you and your father. I naturally got curious, and after a little prodding… Luther told me everything—that you no longer wish to be a Knight, and instead desire to be a Scholar like his brother."
"I do not wish to be like anyone. I simply want to be myself… but yes, I want to be a Scholar."
Jerome Sirius rubs his beard and nods slowly.
"Your resolve is strong, just as he told me. He wanted me to convince you to cease your plans and hearken to his wishes. If you resisted, he wanted me to force you to do as he wished."
"And will you?"
"I owe your father a debt, Javier…" Jerome Sirius sighs, his tone dangerously low. "I promised to do any one favor for him. He invoked that favor when he asked this of me."
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to listen to another favor from him… because I won't be going anywhere he wants me to go. I will do what it is that I want." Javier shakes his head and offers a stern rebuttal.
The obstinacy he displays is unreal.
Even before a Royal Knight, he is completely unmoved.
'This boy…'
Jerome Sirius lets out a breath of turbid air and raises his gaze to the sky, the darkened clouds reflecting in his blood-red eyes.
"You continue to amaze me. Even during that duel… You performed exquisitely."
"My sister was the star of the show, though."
"Indeed…" Jerome Sirius makes a wry smile and stares down at the boy. "But only because you let her."
Subtly, he passes on the message that he is well aware of Javier's scheme.
Such a thing was too obvious for a man of his caliber.
Still, he went along with it.
In fact, he is still going along with it.
Why?
Because, somehow, the boy before him seems to display a spirit that one rarely finds in the world.
He is an adult… yet only a child.
"Are you not scared of failure? More often than not, the path a man walks alone is fraught with endless difficulty. This is why many tread the road that others have traveled. They learn from the errors of others and make their own journey smoother."
The wisdom hidden in his words is immediately captured by the boy, but Jerome Sirius still feels the need to elaborate.
"Your parents have a path that they wish for you to follow. It will not be easy, but it is bound to be far less difficult and dangerous than what you are attempting. I understand that this is your wish, but is such a risk worth it?"
Javier laughs and stares at the man with a bold expression while making his declaration.
"If it is what I want to do… then it is worth it."
Jerome's eyes widen.
The gray irises of the boy have never looked so clear to him. It is devoid of fear, devoid of even the slightest hint of hesitation. It sharply contrasts the coming winter, instead mimicking a clear sky with the bright rays of the sun.
Without a doubt, this boy means every word he utters and will refuse to follow another path.
He would rather die.
Jerome Sirius has never seen this kind of expression before.
Not even from his niece.
"Just who are you, Javier Aditi….?" He mutters under his breath, his voice barely audible.
"There is no true path that a man can walk besides his own. Even if I choose to obey my parents, I am merely walking in my own path while mimicking their steps. That is akin to living like another person and not yourself. Why would I want that? Who desires such an existence? Why should my gaze constantly be on others and let them determine how I should travel on my own journey? No… this is my life. I will choose to look ahead and brave my challenges my way…"
For a moment, Javier pauses to let out air, and then he smirks confidently.
"… That is who I am."
Jerome Sirius quietly processes those words and nods to himself.
"You are correct."
Just like he, who chose not to marry or have children, despite the customs of the land. Instead, he chose the path of the blade. He also chose to abandon all the wealth and honor of the Royal Palace once he no longer desired it.
In the end, he too lived according to his desires—no other's!
Because that is what it means to be alive.
To live.
"I truly wish you and your sister well." Jerome Sirius smiles and slowly walks away. "I look forward to seeing if the girl will overcome the barriers before her."
He doesn't see Javier's broad smile behind him.
"Even if she doesn't… it doesn't matter. What matters is that she is able to try. After all, she is still young and has her whole life ahead of her."
"Is that so?"
He continues walking forward, not stopping for a moment.
"What about your agreement with my father?" Javier's voice is loud now, as it calls after his old Master. "What are you going to tell him?"
"What else?" He glances back for a moment and gives him a broad grin.
"I will simply have to extend my apologies."
Both men laugh at this, further increasing the distance between each other.
Every man has his own path.
Javier walks towards his sister with a brave smile, while Jerome Sirius walks towards the manor with a grin of equal veracity. They walk in opposite directions, yet their journey remains the same in the end.
An endless march… towards the end.
The next day, Sir Jerome Sirius would leave the Aditi Estate and return to his manor.
************
A few months came and went in the blink of an eye.
The winter was harsh, and the storms were especially fierce, but things were surprisingly calm in the Aditi Household.
Only silence dwelt in the hallways.
Even now.
As Spring slowly rears its head, a miraculous letter finds itself to the Estate.
It comes in the form of an envelope, sealed with golden wax, and bearing the symbol of the Academy. Months after the exams, the results have finally been posted. For the first time in a while, the entire Household enters an uproar, and the letter is delivered to my room.
I open it.
With a dull, darkened gaze, I stand as a witness to my results.
"This is…"