More progress

"shadow clone jutsu" Alex raised his eyebrow at his brother's antics, Rudeus was making a plus sign with two of his fingers.

Rudeus looked Sheepish, as he chuckled lightly, scratching his head.

"Great, the next thing you need to do is tell " Kamehameha" while in the middle of a fight, then well be set," Alex remarked, with a blank look, but this gave him an idea, he could use some knowledge of his old world and make spells in this one... too bad, they didn't explain anything, just 'big attack make a bad guy go away.

he creates a stole with one hand and tries to disturb it with the other, after a few seconds the rock fell.

he managed to develop the spell, but he was still perfecting it, it took time to take effect.

"anyway, her tenth birthday is coming soon isn't it?" Alex asked while looking at his brother who sat down on a chair and started making figurines.

"yes, though I still don't get why they celebrate only three birthdays, and that for the first 15 years" he questions the customs of this world, to which Alex just shrugs.

"Anyway, it's already been a year, hasn't it?" to the question Rudeus just smiles and looks over at the figurines of their family he made, Paul loading his sword over his shoulder, Zenith kneeling, looking at Norn who was trying to walk, and Lilia who was teaching Aisha how to read, the last two ware improvised, and then there ware the figurines of Roxy and Sylphie.

right now, he was making a Figurine of Ghislaine, holding the sword over her head as if blocking something.

over the last year, Alex came to look up to Ghislaine, as a master, and as a swordswoman, which made him want to get stronger, faster.

"so, you going to dance with her?" he asked again, watching in amusement as his brother went red.

"ah going for two women, you sly dog" Alex teased, enjoying the advantage he had.

but that only master for so long until Rudeus returned fire "says the guy who spends all of his free time with Ghislaine" but it was ineffective.

"You know that we are training, you were there once" he pointed out.

"why would she need to give you private lessons?" He wasn't giving up,

"...maybe because Eris gets pissed when she doesn't pay attention to her?"

he gave Alex a deadpan stare, not believing a word.

Alex just sighs at that reaction, he didn't have time for this, Ghislaine was waiting for him, more training to do.

___

"she's going at a faster pace than the music...how does she manage it?" Alex asked looking at Eris dancing with some noble brats and failing, she was going faster and couldn't follow the rhythm.

"..." Ghislaine was remaining quiet, but one look at her and you could see the drool coming from her mouth, she was looking at the food.

Alex looked forward and saw Rudeus going up for a dance...well their cover is blown.

(so much for keeping our connection to the grayrat family secret)

he watched as the two danced, a few minutes later he noticed someone walking up to them, she was wearing a yellow dress, brown hair, and a round face, two big eyes, you could even dub her as cute. too bad he wasn't a pedophile.

"good evening, would you care for a dance?" she asked, smiling at Alex.

(so they connected the dots huh?)

"my apologies, young Lady, I would love to but as a guard, I should keep watch just in case anything happens" Alex bowed tilting his torso sideways and putting his right hand on the left side of his chest.

"oh, well that's unfortunate, I hoped you could find a time for a short dance, very well then" she left as soon as she came... Alex remained silent, and Ghislaine raised an eyebrow, before asking.

"you know, you could have gone right? I can take care of things" she questions

confused at his actions, since he's still young, he should be interested in girls, he's still a grayrat, right?

"im just not interested" was his only replay, he didn't see the smirk on Ghislaine's face since he was looking forward.

"so you into guys?" Alex who was standing still, Alex who was on the border of being a Saint Rank swordsman, miraculously tripped.

"No" Alex responded with a glare, but Ghislaine was unaffected, she was too busy trying not to laugh.

(Damn woman)

he straightened up, and dusted off his clothes, frozen still on his face.

___

Alex blocked a sword coming his way, deflecting it he went on the offensive, clashing swords with his opponent, he pushes down, giving him space for a kick to the temple, but unfortunately, It was blocked by a hand.

jumping back from the standoff he lowers his posture and dashes in yet again.

meanwhile, on the sidelines, four pairs of eyes are watching, Rudeus, Eris, Philip, and Sauros.

"hm, he's talented for one so young," said Sauros, looking at the fight while scratching his chin.

"yes, Paul told me how he trained, I'll be honest it was hard to believe, but I saw him swinging the wooden sword, even before the sun was out" commented Philip, watching his performance with a smile.

"ware you spying on him?" asked Eris with an agitated voice, she was still a little mad that Ghislaine didn't pay attention to her as much as she did to Alex but, she calmed down after some time, to the point where she could hold a civil conversation with him.

"no, I had some documents to take care of, couldn't sleep that night, and saw him training early in the morning" Philip tried to pacify his daughter since she started training and getting stronger, her punches started to actually hurt.

they heard a small yell and looked over to see Alex laying on the floor a few feet away from his opponent.

"Congratulations, you are now officially the youngest sword saint," Ghislaine said walking up to her student and extending a hand with a small but proud smile on her face.

Alex grabbed her hand with a smile of his own and stood up, he could hear footsteps and looked over to see the four spectators coming closer.

"Congratulations, Alex, You've Worked hard for this Achievement," said Sauros, nodding in approval.

"thank you, Sir" Alex responded with a bow, he was still an employee, and he was the employer. He just laughed in his booming voice, even Ghislaine flinched.

___

"hmm" Ghislaine hummed while observing Alex who was suppressing his sword's aura.

"good job, now you can use it without worrying, and it only took you a little over a year" she comments, watching him swing it around.

(well, that's one problem out of the way)

since it was getting late, he decided to retire, heading straight to bed, he only had two more years until the displacement incident.

and he had a few questions he needed answers to.

getting into bed he contemplated on what to do.

(only if I could talk to Bob right now)

was the thought he had when he drifted off to sleep.

___

"hey there," said a voice he hadn't heard for over eight years.

"you could talk to me all those years?" Alex asked looking over at Bob who was still sitting on the same couch he made.

"so I assume you have some questions?" Bob asked with a raised eyebrow.

"yes, yes I do" answered Alex with a nod and continued "so about Avalon"