Stroke of luck.

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A/N: I made the chapters longer because I have the time, Enjoy :D

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Today I'll be graduating from Lennon's discipleship, he has thought everything he knows and he pretty much acknowledged my growth.

And on July 15 I'll be turning 12. I stopped my culinary knowledge from birthing New dishes and some items worth a patent because I don't want to get caught by the Emperor's eyes again.

If so I'm afraid they might drag me and order me to become a noble and get married to the Imperial family.

It has its pros and cons but I chose to be with the Marquis. They're like family to me that I never had before ya see.

"Ugh… "

"What kind of training is that?"

Lennon asked as I balanced myself at the edge of a 20kilo weight with a metal stick in one hand.

"...Calisthenics"

I said roughly. As I try to control my breathing.

"well… it's on the extreme part of calisthenics though! Ugh!"

I put myself down and laid on my back as I started breathing roughly. Lennon looked at me with interested eyes.

"No matter how I look at it, Samuel…"

"...?"

"You're getting more and more handsome as you grow"

"Hearing that from the Marquis makes me feel embarrassed"

"Don't be, instead try to make it show"

"No… I already gathered some attention that I didn't want" I said whilst shaking my head.

"Hahaha! Is that so"

Lennon let out a hearty laugh. What I said is justified.

"Well go and tidy yourself, the sun is setting"

Lennon reminded me and I nodded. I'm pretty sure I'm reaching the peak of a 3rd class swordsman. But because of my body, my limitation is my physical growth. Not letting me reach a higher height, well it's not like I'm in a rush.

I was left alone by Lennon in the training grounds. I laid there to rest for a while.

—Tap tap

Not so long after a silhouette covered the remaining sunlight there was covering me with a shadow.

"Lia?"

She squatted, looking at my face.

"You look better with your hair up"

"I think it's better with a bald—"

"don't."

Her voice changed to a cold one when she said that. I wanted to be average but I guess God made me handsome.

"Why?"

"Well… I wanted someone handsome on my side…" Ophelia mumbled

"Pardon?"

"N-nothing! Just don't get yourself bald!"

She yelled and then threw a towel to my face. I removed it just to see her walking away, but her red ears didn't go unnoticed.

"How adorable…"

I chuckled and used the towel that was thrown at me.

"A servant could do this, my lady, you could at least be less obvious."

With that, I took a rest and returned to my quarters.

Next day.

If I remember today would be my birthday, I woke up early as usual and tidied myself up. Walking towards Ophelia's room I knocked and was allowed in.

But to my surprise, the usually sleepy head Ophelia in the morning is fully awake and sitting on her stool with a smug look.

"Is the sun going to rise from the west?!"

For a servant that was rude to say, but I'm close to Ophelia so that doesn't matter.

"How rude!" she pouted "I woke up early to give you my gift you know!"

She puffed her cheeks making her adorable, I just resisted the urge to pinch her cheeks.

"Haha," I chuckled "Thank you for that my lady~"

"A-anyway! I had a hard time choosing what to give because you seem to know everything so…"

She took out a tiny box, from the looks of it, it could only house a few things, from bracelets to handcuffs, to necklaces and rings.

"Hmm… "

I acted curiously, but thanks to my eyes I can see what was inside it. It seems to be a necklace.

While she was sitting on a stool I was stopping myself from teasing her. So I decided the best course of action is just to close my eyes.

"Hey! Ever since you got back from that mountain you always close your eyes!"

"Well…"

I walked up to her and took the tiny box in her frail hands.

"I need to since it will hurt my eyes the more I open it"

I opened the box and took out the necklace. The necklace has a gem that looks like a black sapphire. I can't help but have the edge of my lips curl up.

"Thank you… Ophelia.. "

"urk… y-you're welcome.."

We continued our daily routine, even later when I served Ophelia the Marquis; Lennon, Penelope, and some servants congratulated me on my 12th birthday.

But the most curious event I have in mind is…

"Happy birthday, Sammy"

"Thank you… Tim…"

The Crown Prince visited the Marquisate today, talking the usual with Ophelia and spending his time trying to seduce her.

Right now, he went to me and congratulated me which made me happy and nervous at the same time.

"Where's your escort?"

"Haha… they're back at the entrance. Besides, I'm pretty sure the Marquis Knight garrison isn't falling back to that of the Royal Knights"

"True."

I nodded.

"In any case thank you, although I can't invite you since the birthday party was made by the madam I'm still thankful you wished me a happy birthday"

"Oh, not only that"

"...?"

Timothy pulled a long box out of his spatial storage, which is his ring. I already suspected his ring to be a magic item since a compilation of mana is swirling around it but it to be spatial storage.

"Here's my gift"

The long box he showed me contained a sword, yes I could see the mana inside it.

"u-uhm…"

"Don't be too uncomfortable, it's a genuine gift from a fellow swordsman ya know?"

"Sheesh, this feels like something I would make my family heirloom you know…"

Tim laughed "Sure why not make one, my Birthday is on September 6th by the way"

"Haha, by saying that you'd want one sword too right?"

"Right.. "

"Alright thank you, Tim"

I genuinely thanked him and took the long box.

"Mind if I opened it here?"

"No, no. Go on"

With his confirmation I opened the box and it revealed a plain sword, I was almost disappointed but when I held it. The solid structure of the sword started melting.

"Wha- what!"

"Just wait" Timothy assured me.

I was nervous but then held it carefully when the sword was melting its structure like molten glass. It started reshaping just in my very eyes.

Then it formed into a curved sword, its…

[A Khopesh]

"Oh wow!" Timothy exclaimed in surprise.

"Why?"

"That's a sword used in the western countries. One was currently in turmoil with… and that sword I gifted you will form the sword best for you... "

"Hmm… let's go to the training area, I want to test this sword out"

[No wonder you felt forced when using double-edged swords]

'What do you mean?'

[It just doesn't feel right, the nearest we could get a good grasp on is those short swords]

'Now that I think about it…'

I and Timothy walked to the Knight's training area. He seemed quite excited to see me in action I guess.

"Ah! Sammy. Why won't we have a spar?"

"Eh?"

The Knights let out a sound after hearing the Prince asking me for a spar, and since I have nothing to do for a while I nodded in agreement.

"Sure… but don't you like… in uniform?"

"Well don't worry about that haha"

He displayed the ring on his finger.

"Ah, that makes sense."

I went to the training grounds removing every extra garment on my top till I only had my long sleeves.

In the small open area that's commonly used as an arena, I stood on the other side. Timothy on the other wearing a long sleeve as well stood on the other side.

He is armed with a claymore fit for his stature while I have the Khopesh as stated by Markus earlier.

"Oh! The Prince vs our rising star"

"Rising star more like a superstar!"

"Why's that?"

"You don't understand! My Sister from our barony told us that Samuel is very famous in the talk among the ladies"

The Knights started gossiping so I immediately started our spar.

"Tim, are you ready?!"

I yelled because I'm getting red from all of these gossiping Knights.

"Ready when you are!"

Tim yelled along with his stance.

{Ooh! Seeing him in action is going to be an experience.}

[I remember you saying that Samuel's Sword Saint's inheritance was supposed to be Timothy, why is that?]

{I dunno, the Devs just made him OP in his route. In other routes, he did become a sword Saint even without the inheritance. That's why I just had Sammy take it}

[So he's that impressive]

I dashed towards Timothy and so did he, we slashed our swords and they collided with sparks that lit up the arena.

Our swords clashing nulled each other and it gave us a vague idea of how strong the other is.

We took a few steps back and stared at each other.

"The Prince is really strong"

"A servant from the Marquis really can't be underestimated huh, why not come under the Royal Knights?"

"Surely you jest"

"I don't though?"

I dashed in front of him and attacked with my blade vertically. Instead of attacking me, Tim attacked the sword by slashing horizontally and it nulled my attack.

But it took me quite a while to recover from the flash and Timothy had the upper hand from that clash.

He kicked me away but that only pushed me a few steps away which gave me a surprised look from Timothy.

This time Timothy went for the attack and used a swordsman learned skill.

"Double strike!"

A double slash from one move, it's quite a hard technique to learn but for Timothy to use it against me means he considers me as an equal, or a threat.

I reciprocated with a similarly hard technique.

"Cross slash"

Making a cross slash from one move is an equally hard technique. When our attacks met each other it nulled each other out once again.

But Timothy, who was the victim of the sparks, had to close his eyes momentarily after being met with bright light.

I took this chance and kicked him in the gut as well, making him stop a few steps away.

"Ugh!"

"Ha… ha… "

Cross slash is still a difficult technique for me but the same could be said for Timothy as we are both panting at this point.

"Oh! Samuel is going toe to toe with the Prince!"

"Damn! We have a genius in our garrison!"

The Knights can't keep their mouths shut for a reason.

Oh well, I plan to end this soon. Timothy, who knows the look in my eyes, stood up and got on his stance once again.

"This time I—"

"Oh my! Samuel! Crown Prince! Is this a duel to bet on who's going to marry Ophelia?!"

"Pfft—!"

Timothy and I couldn't help but choke on the shameless declaration of Penelope who just barged into the training center of the Knights.

The Knights greeted her with manners and so did I. Timothy on the other hand did the same but along with Penelope as an exception from us.

"M-madam that wasn't it, my friend Samuel was just testing his new blade"

"Oh is that? What a shame…"

How could you be like this Penelope? Besides betting Ophelia? I won't do that…

I guess I showed an expression as Penelope was looking at me smugly.

"Yes, it was that madam. We are only testing my new blade and it was suggested by his Highness to spar, so I gladly took his offer."

"Why? We have knights here"

"Let's just say they're a bit extreme"

The Knights booed, I don't like their training regime to my 12-year-old body.

"Oh, true… "

"And to that… madam isn't Ophelia my Fiancee?"

Timothy brought up his poker face smile towards Penelope but Penelope just continued her smug smile and whispered to Timothy.

"it's only in paper, remember that~"

I don't know what deal they had but I'm not getting curious. When it comes to Penelope she looks cheerful but in truth, she's one of the most dangerous in high society.

Someone you wouldn't want to face.

"Anyways. That blade… looks familiar"

Penelope pointed at my sword.

"Ah, the Crown Prince pointed out that the western country uses this type of blade."

"Ah! No wonder."

Penelope nodded.

"Well I hope you boys have fun, I only came here because I heard something interesting~"

"B-bye, madam…"

"See you later, Madam Penelope"

We both said our goodbyes, but it got awkward since we got spar interrupted. So instead of continuing it when our muscles are about to hurt we just wash up and I walk with Timothy towards his carriage.

"Well, I guess I'm taking up my time in the marquisate but the time I spent here was quite fun."

"Yeah."

"Anyways, My friend, we could continue our spar in the academy. Looks like I have to work harder."

"Yeah make sure to do your best" I grinned.

"Why, of course" he returned a competitive smile

We walked to the gates, where Ophelia was waiting.

"Hello, Lia."

"Hello Ophelia"

"Hi~"

The carriage was waiting just in front of the gates. It seems Ophelia has something to say for her to wait here.

"Don't overcomplicate it. I'm just here to say goodbye to my fiancee"

"O-oh is that so?"

Timothy was surprised and lost composure for a moment just for him to get it back.

"Well, I also have something to say. We might start talking in letters"

"Eh? Why?" Both I and Ophelia asked in shock.

"haha! Well, I'm glad both of you care this much for me." he then added "it's just some idiots who dare to filth the Empire. So we'll have to do a little cleaning"

"Ah—"

I understand why he said that, in Luna's stories Timothy has always been diligent in making the Empire better so it's no surprise he'll do some 'cleaning'

"Be safe.." worried Ophelia.

"Why of course. See you both in the Academy, alright!"

"Sure."

With that, Timothy rode his carriage. We wouldn't see each other for the next two years.