Clack... clack...
The sound of a wooden sword echoed through the trees. Birds, disturbed by the noise, took flight from their perches.
"Six hundred ninety... seven."
"Six hundred ninety... eight."
"Six hundred ninety... nine."
"Ughhh."
His arms trembled. Salty sweat stung his eyes, but he refused to blink.
Gathering the last of his strength, Neze swung his nearly broken wooden sword at the tree before him.
"Seven... HUNDRED!"
He wiped the sweat from his brow, smearing dirt onto his already faded, yellowed clothes.
"Fuh! Maybe tomorrow I'll reach a thousand swings."
Neze collapsed, leaning back against the tree he'd struck thousands of times.
"Look—look! That guy's weird."
"Yeah. He hits that tree with his wooden sword every day like a madman."
"Do you think he actually believes his skill will improve with that kind of training?"
Neze glanced toward the three boys mocking him.
'Huh… They're back again.'
"You guys—"
He tried to retort, but his body had nothing left after the grueling practice.
Still, he mulled over their words as he stared at his worn-out wooden sword.
'They're not wrong.'
Thud!
A fist-sized stone flew through the air and slammed into the ground right in front of one of the boys.
"What do brats like you know?"
A small girl stood there. Her brown hair contrasted with Neze's silver, and her eyes burned with defiance.
"Tch! The guard dog's here!"
"Let's go! It's a waste of time dealing with someone who only dares throw rocks."
"Exactly. Let's get out of here!"
The three boys turned and left, still laughing mockingly.
"Just you wait—if you come back here, I'll make you regret it!"
Neze smiled at the girl—Neysie, his younger sister, his step-sister, really. She walked toward him, carrying a basket of jam-filled bread in both hands.
"Those brats! What do they know?"
Neysie sat down in front of Neze, fuming.
"Never mind, Ney. At least they won't bother us anymore."
Neze kept smiling at her. His hand reached out to gently ruffle her hair.
"But aren't you still a kid too?" Neze teased his little sister, who looked adorably pouty when upset.
"Ahh! Don't compare me to them! I'm thirteen, and they're only ten!"
Neysie puffed out her cheeks. Her face was scrunched in anger, yet she didn't pull away from his touch. She clearly liked being petted like this.
"Hahahaha. Alright, alright—Ney is a grown-up girl, not like those kids."
"Exactly! And you're the most handsome brother ever!"
Neysie couldn't hold back her grin, beaming with joy.
"Oh, right! Aren't you hungry, Brother?"
She lifted the cloth covering the basket, pulled out a slice of bread, and offered it to Neze. She knew his blistered hands struggled to move.
"My little sister really is the best in the world!" Neze smiled and took the bread she fed him.
"Oh, and Brother! Did you know? I've completely memorized the history of the Kingdom of Valerion!" Young Ney boasted proudly, her smile wide across her small face.
"Really? Then explain it to me," Neze replied, chewing slowly.
"Alright! But don't fall asleep!" Ney said excitedly. She adjusted her sitting position, cleared her throat with a soft cough, and began.
"Ahem! Long ago, four centuries past, the continent of Reginia was an endless battlefield. War was everywhere—no day passed without violence." Her voice grew dramatic, almost sorrowful.
Neze gave a wry smile as he chewed. He'd heard this story a thousand times—but he let her continue.
"Then came an even greater war! Demons rose from every corner of the continent, slaughtering humans without mercy."
"And then came the Hero, Leonard Valerion!" Neysie's eyes sparkled as her hands slashed through the air. "He received the holy sword Leineron from the Great Goddess and cut down the demons! Swish! Bang! He united the kingdoms into one—the Kingdom of Valerion!"
She paused, leaning closer to Neze. "Pretty amazing, huh, Brother?"
"Absolutely! Hero Leonard was incredible. But what happened to the holy sword Leineron afterward?" Neze asked, testing her knowledge.
"I know! Hero Leonard shattered his holy sword into seven pieces and gave them to the Seven Great Houses of Valerion. Each reforged theirs into a guardian blade—the 'Holy Swords of the Realm'!"
"And what's the name of the sword in Duchy of Valerine?" Neze asked again.
"The sword in our Duchy? Hmm…" Neysie thought hard.
"Ah! Lucida!"
"You mean Lucidus?"
"That's what I meant—Lucidus!"
Neze smiled and ruffled her hair once more.
"Hehehe…" Neysie giggled softly. "But Brother… is it true that only nobles can wield the holy swords?"
Neze fell silent for a moment—as if reality had just slapped him.
"Yeah… that's true," he forced a smile.
Neysie noticed her brother's gloomy expression and quickly tried to lighten the mood.
"Alright! You're done training and eating, right? Let's go home!" Neysie stood up energetically and held out her hand to Neze.
"Want to come over to my house again?"
"Of course! Who's stopping me?"
Neze's smile returned, thanks to Neysie. He reached for her hand, tried to stand—but they both tumbled to the ground because Neysie wasn't strong enough to pull him up.
"Hahahahaha!"
They laughed freely before finally standing properly and walking together under the beautiful evening sky.
As they walked, Neze sensed something behind them—but saw nothing.
"What's wrong, Brother?" Neysie asked curiously.
"Nothing."
Neze shook his head.
'Must've just been a rabbit,' he thought.
After a few minutes, they arrived at a settlement just outside the walls of the small town called Dolco.
The place wasn't poor, nor was it wealthy—just simple enough for common folk, quiet and unassuming.
By the roadside, Neze spotted a wooden board nailed with various notices. One caught his eye.
Neysie followed his gaze and realized what he was looking at.
"Brother! There's a tournament in the capital to find Lucidus's wielder! They say the holy sword hasn't had a master in ages because no one can pull it out!" Neysie exclaimed excitedly.
Neze's eyes briefly lit up—until reality struck again.
"Only nobles can draw the holy sword," he said quietly.
"Father was a knight elevated to noble! You have a chance!" Neysie insisted, trying to encourage him.
"Maybe… I'll try it someday."
'No… it's just an impossible dream.'
Neze silently reminded himself while pretending to agree with her.
They continued walking until they reached a modest house—barely maintained. But something unusual waited in the yard: a horse-drawn carriage. A well-dressed middle-aged woman stood there with a guard beside her.
"Neysie, didn't I tell you not to leave the house?"