Chapter 5: Selena’s Training

Chapter 5: Selena’s Training The day passed quickly, and evening arrived on the northern border. Silent footsteps echoed through the grand hall of the castle as Arthur made his way to the third training ground of the Arcain Family. The maids bowed as he passed. And since Isabella had already told him where his sister would be, finding her was easy. He opened the large door to the training chamber and stood near the edge of the spectator’s seats, snow crunching lightly beneath his feet. In the center of the training area, a stunning figure moved gracefully, accompanied by the wind and snow. Silver hair and blue eyes that glimmered softly under the moonlight. Selena Arcain, his sister, moved like a blade through snow, her long ponytail trailing behind her. Her form was flawless. Every swing of her blade carved clean arcs through the air. Arthur was mesmerized. ’So this was what a knight who wields force looks like.’ She moved swiftly, landed with precision, and twisted mid-step, delivering sword strikes that sent snow swirling upward. "Beautiful," Arthur muttered, almost unconsciously. The blade reflected the moonlight, and the blue energy that swirled around her, made her sword dance seem like artwork. Her movement didn’t resemble that of a swordsman, nor did it seem like something designed to kill. Selena stopped and turned her gaze to Arthur, who stood there, his eyes wide in admiration. For the first time in a while, she smiled. "Did our baby come to see big sis?" she asked, then gestured for him to come over. "Come here, Arthur." Arthur walked over slowly, unsure of how to react to his sister. Even though he had inherited his predecessor’s memories, Selena had never spoken much. She was the quietest and most reserved of his sisters, only ever opening up to him and his mother. "I’m sorry for not visiting earlier," she said, placing a hand on his head. "Things at the border got... hectic." She let out a soft sigh,’ What am I even saying to my baby brother?’ Arthur looked up shyly at his beautiful sister. Perhaps because he had never had a real family, it felt oddly cozy. "Sister..." Arthur began. Selena looked into his eyes, a strange vulnerability in her gaze. Arthur didn’t want to ask, but since he was both a child and needed to know how difficult his second scenario would be, he had to ask. "How much do you love me and mom?" Arthur grinned internally. ’Yes, why feel embarrassed when I can just add something to make it sound more natural?’ Selena blinked. "Huh?" Before Arthur could correct himself, she took a step back. "You want to know how much I love you, right?" Arthur’s face turned red in embarrassment, but he nodded. "Yes." Selena looked up at the full moon, then took a deep breath. "You want to see something cool?" Arthur tilted his head. "What?" In one fluid motion, Selena leapt into the air, spun, and landed a perfect crescent slash that sent a wave of force forward. Dust and debris flew through the air as Selena landed, a glowing arc appearing on the ground. ’That’s... Force?’ Arthur’s eyes widened. It was mesmerizing. But that wasn’t all. Something deep inside Arthur urged him to try it out. After his brief interaction and from the memories he inherited, Arthur knew Selena was a sword enthusiast. That meant, if he showed her something impressive, he could increase her affection. But more than that, Arthur just wanted to try. Perhaps his predecessor’s feelings were getting in the way, or maybe he was starting to see Selena as a real big sister. He wasn’t awakened. That meant he couldn’t use energy like his sister. But even if it was just a poor imitation, even if it was only a fraction of what he had just seen, he was going to try. He gritted his teeth and visualized the movement again. The movement, the flow of force. It all came naturally to him. Perhaps this was what people called a "genius", because after that single move, he could process the sword art in his mind. Arthur forced one of the two energies in the atmosphere—Force, into his legs, arms, and his core. It felt like raw lightning coursing through his veins. But he didn’t stop. He closed his eyes, letting the foreign energy settle, and then leapt into the air. For a moment, his body moved just like hers. His hands moved like the sword, and the wind danced with each of his motions. Opening his eyes, Arthur used the last of his energy to create the same elegant arc his sister had made. But just as he thought it didn’t even make a dent... Only the snow around his feet was disturbed. Nothing more. Arthur landed, his gaze fixed on his palm. ’Pathetic,’ he thought. He had hoped to make at least a small dent, but all he managed to do was push the snow away. However, Selena remained where she stood, frozen. "Art... Did you just copy me?" she asked. Arthur looked at his sister, disappointment in his eyes. "Um... kind of." He stared at his hand again. "But my body didn’t move exactly as I envisioned." She walked forward, narrowing her eyes. "Art... I thought you were a mage." Arthur coughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I, uh... started sensing force a while ago." ’It’s not a complete lie,’ he told himself. Arthur Arcain wasn’t supposed to be able to sense any energy. But somehow, he, Beom-seok, could. Maybe it was the system. Maybe it was just him. He didn’t know. Selena smiled again, getting on one knee and cupping his face. "Does that mean you would be a knight like me?" Arthur wanted to reply with a no, but seeing his sister’s expression, he nodded. "Maybe." Her smile softened. "I’m glad." As if remembering something, she reached into her yukata pocket. "This is for you." "What?" he asked. She ruffled his hair lightly and pressed the item into his hand. It was warm, strangely warm, and a bright shade of red that resembled the sun. 『 #Scenario 2: Raise Your Sister’s Affection to 80% – Completed 』 『 Bond Achieved: 81% ❤️ 』 『 +30 Mana (Temporary Storage Unlocked) 』 『 +40 Force (Temporary Storage Unlocked) 』 『 New Item Acquired: Phoenix Feather Rune 』 『 New System Information Unlocked』 Arthur blinked. He looked down at the glowing, fiery feather-shaped item in his palm. It pulsed gently, almost like a heartbeat. 『 Reading Artifact Info... 』 ✦ Item: Phoenix Feather (Rune) ✦ Type: Combat Artifact – Life Preservation ✦ Description: Once per lifetime, upon fatal injury, revives the bearer with 30% health and full mana. ✦ Rank: High-Grade Rune ✦ Bound: Yes (Arthur Arcain) Arthur stared at the rune. "A high-grade rune?" Selena blinked. "Seems I don’t have to explain." Arthur completely ignored the system message again. "But why give me something so precious?" Selena shook her head. "I have more good stuff. So when you become a knight, I’ll give you more." "You dodged the question, didn’t you?" Arthur remarked. Selena turned away, and Arthur couldn’t help but smile. Families were truly fascinating. And his sister had just given him something that could literally save his life. He held it tighter, then smiled softly. "Thanks, big sis." Selena grinned widely. Two scenarios had been completed, but even with all this, Arthur still wasn’t sure he could pass the awakening ceremony. There were still the issue about his talent’s rank. Plus, he couldn’t ask for a teacher since those trained by others couldn’t awaken. ’No need to be faster than my shadow.’ This was a new life, and there was still plenty of time before anything major happened. But first, he needed to tell his mother about the attack. That was the only thing he could do for now. ’I have to get stronger, so I can protect everything.’ Arthur felt like vomiting from his own words, but he still meant them, though it didn’t remove the cringe. Two weeks. In two weeks, he was going to grow strong enough to pass the awakening ceremony with ease. ─── ✦ End of Chapter ───