Dramatic Exchange!

Early morning.

Merlin was woken by the irritating squawking and cooing of birds outside the window.

His eyes slowly opened.

He got out of bed and checked the pocket watch on his bedside table. It was 6:10 a.m.

A week was more than enough time for Merlin to develop a precise body clock.

With a swish, he drew the curtains aside, and the fresh, icy chill of the morning rushed in at once.

Standing by the window, Merlin couldn't help shivering.

"It's getting cold. But I've got the Lynx, so I'll be fine. Lami and Yol should get a few warmer clothes, too!"

A little while later,

Merlin went out into the courtyard and began his basic physical training bare-chested.

He warmed up with a hundred push-ups, a hundred squats, and a hundred sit-ups, then continued honing his flexibility with the Lynx Body Tempering Technique.

Twenty minutes later, he switched back to another round of a hundred of each exercise, repeating the cycle.

At 7:30 a.m., when Lami emerged, still bleary-eyed, the first thing she saw was Merlin exercising, drenched in sweat and wreathed in white vapor.

Lami greeted him with a cheerful grin:

"Morning, Brother Merlin. You're up early again! Unlike me—I've only just gotten up."

"Kids need plenty of sleep to grow properly. For now, you just need to eat and sleep on time. As for training, a moderate amount is enough."

Merlin spoke to Lami while doing push-ups, lowering and raising himself.

Listening to him, Lami couldn't help looking exasperated. She went to a spot three meters away from Merlin, planted her feet shoulder-width apart with her toes turned slightly outward, straightened her arms with her palms facing each other, and kept her back straight as she engaged her core. As she squatted and rose in time with her breathing, she complained in a sing-song voice:

"You could just help me absorb the stuff that's bad for my body, and then I could train at high intensity too. Why won't you?

You only give Sister Yol special treatment. Stingy."

She puffed out her cheeks at Merlin.

Merlin switched to squats, exhaling the stale air in his lungs. He breathed in as he lowered himself and out as he stood, replying in the same singsong cadence:

"How are things going with the other kids at the dojo? Have you made any new friends? I remember there are girls in your class, too."

Lami rolled her eyes at Merlin in exasperation. He was changing the subject again.

She knew he was only doing it for her own good. Sister Yol had told her that her brother wanted her to have a happy childhood.

But after what she had been through, she just couldn't bring herself to care about kids who had grown up in relative peace.

All they talked about was when they'd eat, how they could finally slack off, or what new clothes they'd get. Lami had asked herself what she wanted, and all she wanted was to become stronger, so she could help Merlin and Yol.

She didn't want to be a burden to them. Brother Merlin was one thing, but Sister Yol was naturally gifted. She improved at swordsmanship every single day.

In just one week, she had mastered the fundamentals of swordsmanship completely.

She could already pick up a sword and spar with Brother Merlin from time to time.

She might be young, but she knew how to be grateful.

She didn't want to be a useless little parasite, doing nothing but leeching off them.

Seeing the dejection in her eyes and the stubbornness beneath it, Merlin couldn't help sighing. Children who had lived through war had completely different values and outlooks on life from children who didn't even know what war was.

Rather than keep trying to hold her back, he might as well let her experience it for herself. If she couldn't endure the hardship, she would give up on her own.

So,

Merlin smiled faintly and said, "If you're really sure you want to train at high intensity, then I won't stop you anymore.

"But it'll be incredibly painful. Are you sure you'll really like it?

"While other little girls dress up and talk about all sorts of games, you'll be gripping a cold bamboo sword, exhausted in body and mind every day. Sometimes, your hands and feet will get rubbed raw.

"Is that really the life you want? You have a choice.

"Lami, you're only a little over seven. You can wait until you're eight or nine before starting swordsmanship and physical training. There's no need to push yourself so hard."

Lami lowered her head, but quickly looked up again, beaming.

"So that means you've agreed, Brother Merlin? That's great! I won't have to waste time every day anymore!"

"I'm going to tell Sister Yol the good news!"

Lami stopped squatting and happily ran back, laughing.

Merlin could only shake his head helplessly.

At 8:30 a.m.,

After dropping Lami off at the training area where she practiced, Merlin and Yol made their way to the dojo's VIP training grounds.

They jogged laps around the training grounds to warm up, keeping their breathing steady. Yol chuckled and said:

"I didn't expect you to agree."

"Lami was so happy just now. She ran straight over to tell me!"

"Do you really think that's a good idea?"

Merlin's breathing remained steady. The two of them ran at a fast pace, the cold wind rushing against their faces. His expression was calm as he replied:

"I gave her a choice, but I can't force my will on her. Lami may be young, but girls tend to mature earlier, especially after going through a war.

"All we need to do is make sure she grows up healthy in both body and mind, with enough food and clothes. We can give her advice about the path she takes later, but we can't choose it for her.

"Because every person is unique."

Yol's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "Mm, that's all we can do. By the way, the dojo only teaches the children in the beginner class how to read and write. Isn't that a little too little?

"I was thinking of buying some interesting books to read to Lami."

"Sure! We've got a study at home, and it's practically empty. We can buy some fun books at the bookstore!

"Then we can read in our spare time and relax a little, too!"

Yol nodded with a smile. "Mm, I also want to buy some cookbooks. Eating out all the time will get inconvenient.

"Oh, I heard there's a path up the mountain behind the dojo. Lots of wild animals live on Sea Swallow Mountain, and there are a few hot springs, too! How about we go explore one day?"

"Sounds good! We can hunt some wild animals and improve our meals. I'm still growing, so I need to eat more meat!"

Yol burst out laughing and doubled over, clutching her stomach.

Merlin didn't stop. Instead, he sped up, swinging his arms, leaning forward, lifting his head slightly, and striding rapidly.

He sprinted off at full speed.

A short while later, at 9:00 a.m.,

Fiore arrived right on time. Seeing the steam rising above both their heads, he gave them an approving look.

"Good. It looks like you've finished warming up."

A week had passed.

From what he had observed, both of them had far greater endurance than ordinary people, and neither had the restlessness common to young people.

They took even the basics seriously. He had watched the two of them build their swordsmanship from the ground up.

They were both clever, too.

They had learned most of the fundamental stances, and he had corrected their more awkward movements.

As far as the "foundation" of their swordsmanship went, it was safe to say it had been "built."

A look of satisfaction flickered in his eyes. For a teacher, instructing a bright student was a cause for joy.

And this time, he had two of them.

"Teacher Fiore, what are you planning to teach us today?" Merlin asked curiously.

Yol was just as eager to find out.

Learning swordsmanship systematically and gradually mastering her own physical strength filled her with joy. She loved the feeling of growing stronger.

Fiore stroked the short beard on his chin and smiled.

"After a week, thanks to your intelligence, we've already laid the foundation for your swordsmanship.

"Now, all you need to do is keep refining that foundation, day after day, without fail,

"until it becomes instinct.

"I'm sure I don't need to go on about such a simple principle to two clever and diligent students like you.

"As for the fundamentals, that's enough for now. If you run into anything you don't understand as you train, come to me anytime.

"What I'm teaching you today is the foundation of the Rockheart Kendo Dojo."

"The foundation?" Merlin asked, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You're teaching it to us this soon? Aren't you going to assess us a little longer?"

Fiore smiled.

"Soon? Not at all.

"People generally live only a brief hundred years. As your teacher, I can't hold back your progress.

"You're both talented, and you're not that young. Yol in particular has already missed the golden years of childhood.

"So we'll have to make up for it in other ways."

At that, Fiore suddenly winked at them. "Besides, you're my VIP students. I can't let you spend all that money for nothing, can I?

"Any dojo can teach the basics. Since you chose my Rockheart Kendo Dojo, I have to teach you my best stuff.

"This is an equal exchange!"

Though he said it in a joking, lightly humorous tone, his words seemed rather mercenary. Still, they held a teacher's affection for his students.

It seemed he really was the sort of man who delivered the goods as long as he was paid.

No matter how their relationship had begun, they had to acknowledge the care he was showing them.

"The real skill I'm going to teach you is a calming method, an approach called the rock heart."

"It can also be called a form of mental conditioning.

"Use it together with the breathing method I taught you earlier, the one that goes along with swordsmanship, and gradually calm your mind.

"Then imagine yourself as a mountain rock. Feel the breathing of the mountain, and attune your body and mind to nature. In doing so, you'll temper your spirit and will.

"The final stage of the rock heart is to feel the Breath of All Things.

"Of course, at the moment, only my eldest son has come close to reaching that stage."

Fiore looked at Yol, who seemed completely lost, then at Merlin, who was deep in thought. A smile curled his lips.

"Now, follow my lead and get started!"