19 : One Hit Smash

The morning at the royal training grounds was a scene of revelation and resolve. After a brief conversation with the third Princess Lanner, the bald master, a figure of authority and wisdom, tactfully departed, leaving the royal siblings to their privacy.

Princess Lanner recounted to her brother, Crown Prince Ethan, the events that had transpired in the spirit forest. Her narrative of the Vinci sect's attack stirred a tempest of emotions in Ethan. His face contorted with anger as he listened, his fists clenching in barely controlled rage.

"Bastards, how dare they tried to attack you, the princess of Clark clan. I swear, Lanner, I'll avenge this insult in the Royal Arena," Ethan vowed, his voice seething with a promise of retribution. "No one threatens the Clark clan without facing consequences."

Lanner, touched by her brother's protective fervor, managed a small smile. "I know you will, brother. But now, let's have breakfast. You need a break from training also."

As they prepared to leave, Ethan's gaze fell on Eric, who had been quietly standing on one side of the Arena.

"Who is this?" Ethan asked while posting his finger at Eric.

"He's my new servant," Lanner replied nonchalantly, her thoughts still partly on the earlier conversation.

Ethan, sizing up Eric, observed him for a second. "Clean this entire training ground before I return. I want it spotless. And set up the new star iron dummies for my practice."

Eric nodded silently, waiting for the siblings to leave the grounds. Once they were out of sight, he approached the weapon stand in the center of the training area. His eyes settled on the Crown Prince's weapon – a rank 4 formidable golden mace, weighing 200 pounds, a testament to Ethan's strength and skill.

With a calm demeanor, Eric lifted the mace effortlessly with one hand, raising it high into the air. A surge of Qi gathered at the stout, round end of the mace. In a swift motion, he brought it down with a controlled smash onto the ground.

The impact sent a wave of Qi energy rippling across the training grounds. It was a silent, powerful wave, a display of Eric's mastery over Qi manipulation. The wave swept across the ground, collecting dust, debris, and remnants of the broken star iron dummies. As it moved, it left behind a pristine, clean surface – the ground as immaculate as Ethan had demanded.

"Nice," Eric muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He placed the mace back on the stand, its weight seemingly inconsequential in his grasp.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the training grounds lay silent and immaculate, waiting for the return of its royal occupants.

After ensuring that the training grounds were immaculately clean, Eric made his way back to the large warehouse of inventory. His task was not yet finished; the Crown Prince had also requested the placement of new star iron dummies for training.

He picked up two statues at a time, their hefty weight seemingly no burden to him. Back and forth he went, carrying over twenty star iron dummies to the training grounds.

With meticulous precision, Eric arranged the dummies in a specific pattern – a circular formation in three concentric lines. Each statue was positioned at a particular angle, allowing a skilled practitioner to strike them all in a fluid sequence without needing to lower their mace.

Having completed this task, Eric walked towards the fountain area at the entrance of the training grounds. He washed his hands in the cool, clear water of the fountain before settling down comfortably at its base. From the spirit ring given by princess Lanner, he took out a steak of well-fried meat (fried during his forest trip) and a bottle of wine (his personal collection).

As he began to enjoy his meal, his demeanor was that of a master rather than a servant. He ate with etiquette and care-free attitude, his posture relaxed yet commanding. However, his modest servant clothing and ugly features stood in stark contrast to his aristocratic bearing.

Passersby couldn't help but stare at the unusual sight. A servant, sitting so leisurely and enjoying wine and steak as if he were a lord of the sect – it was almost unheard of. The way Eric carried himself exuded a sense of self-assuredness that was typically reserved for those of higher status. Yet, his appearance led many to feel a mix of scorn and curiosity.

The peaceful interlude was abruptly interrupted by the hurried return of Crown Prince Ethan. Spotting Eric, who had just finished his meal and was rising to greet him, a surge of anger washed over the prince's face.

"You lazy servant! Have you been lounging here all this time?" Ethan barked, his voice heavy with accusation. "Did you even bother to clean the training grounds, or were my orders too taxing for you?"

Before the prince could call for the guards to discipline Eric, the latter raised a hand, signaling for a moment of patience. "Your Highness, the task is completed," Eric replied calmly, his attitude humble yet confident.

Ethan, taken aback by Eric's response, hesitated. His expression shifted from anger to skepticism. "What do you mean Completed? Did other servants did the work?"

"No, Your Highness. I personally completed your task. The training grounds are ready for your use, and the new dummies are set up as you requested," Eric affirmed, maintaining a respectful tone.

Intrigued and somewhat doubtful, Ethan strode towards the training grounds, Eric following a few steps behind. The onlookers, their curiosity piqued, followed the prince to see Eric's fate.

As they reached the training area, Ethan was visibly taken aback. The grounds were spotless, and the star iron dummies were arranged precisely as he also didn't understand why they were arranged in circles. He turned to Eric, his earlier anger replaced by confusion and doubt.

"Tell me the truth. More than Lazy servants, I hate liars. Who did all this. It is impossible for a single servant to clean all this in the short time." The prince demanded in authoritative tone while staring at Ethan

"I'm not a liar and definitely not a lazy person, you enquire others if you doubt my integrity." Eric declared in a humble tone.