After waiting a little for the feeling of fullness to subside,
he led the two of them to a private courtyard.
It was a little smaller than the dojo on the outermost edge of Kūmachiza where everyone usually trained.
Stone slabs paved the ground, and some expensive plants grew in the corners.
Swordsmen did not normally come here.
It was Xia Xi's own private training space.
If he and Gyomei had not gone overboard fighting today and left the grounds outside somewhat wrecked,
Xia Xi might almost have forgotten he had such a place.
Young Kumeno had been in a fairly good mood, but the farther he followed Xia Xi, the less confident he felt.
He still remembered everything his senior brother had just said.
Had all my hard work lately still not been enough?
That's true. Compared to Makomo, I'm dead last.
The boy gritted his teeth and began to blame himself.
The fox girl beside him showed no particular reaction.
With her hands folded behind her back, she swayed along after him like a little girl following her big brother out to admire the moon.
Xia Xi stopped in the middle of the courtyard.
He turned around, his gaze settling on Kuang Jin.
The night wind rustled softly through the leaves, sending a chill down the boy's back.
"Kuang Jin..."
"Here!"
"What are you shouting for?"
Xia Xi looked at his junior brother, speechless.
I'm giving you some extra private instruction... why do you look like you're about to be hauled over the coals?
Kuang Jin ventured quietly, "Senior Brother, weren't you going to blame me for not training properly?"
Xia Xi rolled his eyes. "With that personality of yours, would I not know whether you've been working hard?"
"It's just that, a lot of the time, hard