14 Conviction
*Clang* *Clang* A series of metallic sounds resounded inside the enormous training room.
"Your blade techniques aren't bad at all but they need to be refined a bit." Dora praised Ink while deflecting his attacks.
'The most surprising thing is that I can't even predict moves of someone who practiced swordplay only for a few years at most...I need to find out why I can't read his attacks.' She thought inwardly.
"What are you thinking of whenever you swing your sword?" Dora asked with a curious expression while parrying Ink's overhead slash before trying to kick him to the side.
Ink twisted his body and narrowly dodged her kick before making some distance between them.
"What do I think of? ...I guess nothing, I just swing it." Ink replied with a thoughtful expression.
'So that's why...' Dora thought.
"That won't do, your swordsmanship is pretty good and unpredictable but it will be hard for you to advance further. Most people choose their reason behind swinging the sword, whether it is to protect someone, because of their loved ones or just to simply kill their enemy. Having some kind of vision of whenever you swing your sword, it helps you perfect your own swordsmanship. It also makes your attacks more predictable but that's the price for perfecting it." Dora said with a calm expression and closed eyes while sheathing her 2 swords.
Seeing her returning her swords into sheaths, Ink stopped pointing his sword at her.
"I need to find a reason...?"
"That's right, let's stop here for tonight and the next evening, I want to hear your answer so think about it. Just a little hint, don't think about it too hard." Dora said with a small smile. Although she said she will be expecting his answer the next evening, she knew that most people had trouble figuring out their own conviction behind swinging their weapon and some of them might take even a year to figure it out before eventually just settling for the "blade of killing". She just wanted Ink to trouble himself with this problem. After witnessing his eyes, she knew that he will have to settle for the "blade of killing" unless something special happens to him.
"Alright, thank you for teaching me, Cassandra" Ink lightly bowed his head to show his gratitude.
"No need to thank me...Still, "Cassandra", huh? Looks like I didn't make as good a first impression as Gil did." Dora said with a teasing smile.
"...Dora. How did you know? I haven't sensed anyone behind the door at that time." Ink said to satisfy her before curiously asking her as his intuition rarely failed.
"Mm, I have my ways how to force something out of Gil. However, I wouldn't have noticed anything if she wouldn't have first left to train you with a sour expression and then returned with a smile on her face. I and Gil were friends for a long time so I can easily read her." Dora nodded her head in satisfaction and said with a smile as she was walking towards the door before stopping right in front of them.
"...Ink" Dora called out and looked at Ink from over her shoulder.
"Yes?" Ink remained standing at the same position with the sword still in his hands.
"Don't worry too much. Maybe you can't see it now and maybe you think that Mera-sama and some of our fellow maids hate you but you are still part of our family. I know that you built some bonds with Taeko and advisor Babara so if you have any questions or if you feel like you need to talk to someone...You can always come to me or Gil. Although she might show an annoyed look, she would definitely listen to the member of our family to the best of her ability." Dora said with a gentle smile before leaving Ink alone inside the room.
'Part of the family...huh? I have a general grasp of Gil and Dora's personalities. Both of them are so different from each other yet both in the end try their best to do the same thing...protect this place.' Ink looked down at the sword in his hands, however, even though he could feel and appreciate Dora's warm words, he couldn't feel any desire to swing the sword in order to protect her or this place entirely.
To him, it felt too forced.
'?!' Ink widened his eyes as he realized what Dora actually meant by swinging the sword with some kind of conviction behind.
From the very beginning, he started swinging the sword only to pass the time then a few more reasons added up and they were to catch up to Taeko and overcome her. However, he knew that such reasons wouldn't even be enough since he would lose it if he became stronger than Taeko. With that kind of reason, he would remain in Taeko's shadow.
He needs to find a reason that could be used from the very beginning when he started training. He just realized that there was truly no real reason why he even picked up the sword.
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Ink took a bath after the training and went immediately into bed so he can start tomorrow early in the morning however he had a hard time falling asleep as he kept thinking about Dora's words and task.
After an hour of thinking, Ink unconsciously thought of something he never even wanted to think of.
'What would that man in my dream choose as his reason?' Ink thought of the scenes where the man saved several people with his skills.
'...Most likely to protect people.' Ink narrowed his eyes while looking at the dark ceiling. He had no idea why he has such clear memories of that man when both of them are completely different. That man in his dreams was walking the path of the savior while Ink was on the path of the reaper. At least they weren't complete opposites since the man was good while Ink is neither evil nor good...he was in the middle, keeping the order and nature in balance.
Frustrated at such a seemingly simple question, Ink started to roll around on the bed before his eyes settled on the table in his room and his brows furrowed.
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The next day he trained in the morning with Gil who taught him hand-to-hand combat. He obviously couldn't meet her head-on even if she wasn't actively using her superhuman strength, therefore he got a few bruises from the training with her, however, he never showed any type of resentment towards her which slightly surprised Gil. Even Gil who was usually sadistic felt a bit of guilt after seeing Ink thank her and leave with a blank expression and bruised body.
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"Do you have what I asked for?" In the evening inside the same training room, Dora asked with a small smile but after seeing dark rings under Ink's eyes, she already knew the answer.
"I do-" The first two of his words actually greatly shocked Dora.
"-however I wish to train all alone for a few next days. I do have an answer but I am still not sure if it's legitimate. I want to confirm it without anyone's help." Ink's next words caused Dora to considerably calm down.
'Maybe he just doesn't want to adm-'
"I know that you must feel like I am lying due to my appearance but I swear that I found the thread especially made for me." Ink said before Dora could even truly doubt his words inside her mind which once again surprised her.
"Alright, but what is your plan?" In the end, Dora chose to let him do as he wants and in case he fails, he will at least learn the lesson.
"Can you please tell maids to bring a small table and chair here along with tons of paper, inkwell, and quill pen? I will train my swordplay for a few hours before immersing myself in other "things" for another hour." Ink said and his words caused some confusion for Dora but she still nodded her head as such a small request didn't matter at all.
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And so it became Ink's daily routine for the next week. He always trained in the morning with Gil, learning etiquette and other "useless" skills such as tea brewing or cooking in the afternoon with Daniel. And in the evening he kept swinging his sword, always in a different manner from the previous day, after the swordplay, he sat down on the chair and started writing or occasionally drawing on the papers with ink and quill pen.
The entire week passed by and he informed Dora that he is ready to give his answer. As every news are also immediately reported to Mera, she asked for them to "perform" in front of everyone, pretending that she wants everyone to check up on the progress of their "youngest" one.
"Let me see your answer, Ink" Dora said with an encouraging smile while holding two swords.
Ink stood several meters opposite her, holding the training sword in both hands.
"Yes..." Ink replied and closed his eyes for a few seconds before reopening them.
'?!' Dora frowned when she felt the way how Ink looks at her changed. She could feel a new type of pressure she hasn't felt before. She couldn't describe it but she knew that it wasn't his killing intent.
Ink rushed forward and when he was near enough, he slashed his sword diagonally from the left bottom.
Dora could dodge parry his attack to the side but she decided to test the power of his attack by blocking it head-on with her swords crossed.
*CLANG*
"Ugh..." Dora's eyes widened as her defense was penetrated, she groaned as she felt her arms being a bit dumb. Thankfully, Ink's attack didn't completely break her defense since his sword missed her by a few inches. She quickly jumped back to regain distance and to let her arms recover.
'I underestimated him, yes, but this is...' Dora thought with narrowed eyes.
"I can see that you already have an answer since this attack was at least twice as better as your previous ones but can you tell me what it is?" Dora asked curiously.
"...With my sword, I am trying to open a sealed inkwell, I want to use its ink to draw on the paper." Ink replied, keeping his sword to the side, pointing with it at the ground.
"? W-What do you mean?" Dora asked with a confused expression as this was her first time hearing such a thing.
Ink narrowed his eyes and raised his arm, pointing his sword's tip at Dora.
"You are my inkwell, your blood is my ink, the earth is my paper, and my feet are my quill pens." Ink said in a cold tone, making Dora grit her teeth as the pressure she felt previously increased.
