Matured

Commander Dyle's voice boomed, "How many times do I have to remind you to keep your head cool? You're assigned to a new post, and you're already getting reassigned on your first day?" I knew better than to argue with him and kept silent, just following him.

Suddenly, he opened up and shared something personal, "I'm a peasant as well. Born in the poorest part of the country." His voice suddenly shifts to his normal one. I was intrigued, wondering why he was telling me this.

"Is that why you were angry with the soldiers?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Don't assume that I did it for you. I did it for myself." He replied firmly, "When you beat them, I saw myself in you, as I had done the same thing in the past."

"I was quite taken aback when they referred to me as the vassal's toy boy."

"He has a reputation in this place. As you may already know, in the past, good-looking recruits were usually recommended by the Vassal. These recruits were usually from commoner villages or low-ranking noble families who wanted to climb the social ladder. However, they did not last long because many soldiers bullied them, as they did to you."

"So he likes to keep guys with good looks?" I asked in disbelief.

"I can confirm that he is attracted to boys."

"Does the king know?" 

"No one dares to tell the king because of the power Alexander holds over the people of the palace."

"Life's really unfair. He can easily cover up all those dirty things that he's doing." I can't help but be disgusted by Alexander. But now, I'm a little glad that I knew something that I could use to bring him down.

"But as I was saying, Nicholas, you must keep your head cool at all times. Next time, no one might favor you so be careful."

He just admitted that he favored me. Seems like I already gained his trust.

"As the appointed trainer of the Prince, your primary duty from now on will be to oversee the training ground. Since a lot of soldiers tend to engage in conflicts with each other, you must maintain a peaceful and respectful environment among them. You are expected to prevent any kind of trouble as much as possible and make sure that all training sessions run smoothly. However, if ever there is a serious fight, you must report it immediately to me."

"Commander, it sounds like you promoted me instead of punishing me," I said jokingly.

"Let's see if you can still say that once you're done with your duty," he said, implying something ominous.

And indeed, the commander insinuated that I was in charge of the entire training ground alone. I had to clean and organize the weapon rack after the training, and he even wished me good luck, which was not helpful at all.

On the other hand, since I was already assigned to the area, I could easily train if I wanted to and even spar with others as well.

It's different now compared to where I was a few days ago. I am here to work and not just to train. My priority now is the Crown Prince's training, fulfilling my duty, and of course my revenge.

As time went by, I grew accustomed to my new routine. Every morning, I mentored the crown prince, followed by personal training. After breakfast, I spent the rest of the day on duty. Despite some soldiers trying to mock me again, I paid them no attention at all.

Everything seems well until I notice that Xydel has been distracted for a couple of days already.

"Over the past few days, I've noticed that you seem to be out of focus. Is there anything troubling you?" I couldn't help but notice that he looked tired and sleep-deprived. Dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair, as if he had just woken up and rushed here, were visible. Moreover, his usually glowing complexion appeared dull, and he seemed to be exhausted. I wanted to know if everything was alright and if there was anything I could do to help.

"Don't mind me, master. It's just one of those days where I feel like I'm not worthy to be the Crown Prince of the empire." His voice is laced with sadness.

I set my sword aside and sat next to the Prince, who was leaning forward with his arms on his knees.

"I've always felt like I'm not good enough. My father doesn't give me enough attention and tells me to gain knowledge from people other than himself," he said somberly. "I always try my best, but I don't have the natural talents that other nobles seem to possess. If I don't study or work hard, I won't be able to succeed without putting in a lot of effort."

"Pressuring yourself will not only ruin you mentally but it will also affect the people around you. You don't have to be a genius like the other nobles or even like your family. You have a unique talent and attitude that will make you stand out and be a great ruler of this kingdom. I've seen how dedicated you are, especially with this training. His Highness won't give you the title of the Crown Prince if he doesn't see your potential as the next King of Sataraia. Try to believe in yourself sometimes, Prince Xydel," With a gentle pat on his back, I reassured him and let him know that everything would be alright.

I stood up and gave the prince some time to think and rest. Despite his approaching adulthood, he is still a child who craves his father's attention. He constantly seeks to impress everyone, which makes it difficult for him to appreciate his own abilities.

As I was warming up, I noticed the Prince jogging towards me. The sun was already up, so some soldiers were peeping to see what the Prince was up to, or more accurately, how well I was instructing him.

"Sir Nicholas, I challenge you to spar," he declared confidently, determination blazing in his eyes.

"Try not to get hurt this time, Xydel." He smiled at me at took the sword from the weapon rack that I organized while waiting for him.

"I'm ready." He said and our sparring began. 

It's easy for me to make him trip because his attacks are full of flaws. He looks so frustrated that he almost falls flat on his face.

"Check your stance and try to maintain your balance," I said as I was trying not to be too hard on him as we sparred.

As I shifted my gaze to the periphery of my vision, I spotted a group of soldiers in training, their eyes intently fixed on the scene in front of them. Some of them seemed to be paying close attention to the prince, carefully observing his every move as he demonstrated his skills with a sword. Others, however, had their eyes on me, probably curious to see how I would react to them.

Despite the presence of the soldiers, Xydel remained focused on our sparring, his attention solely directed toward me. It was as if he was completely unaware of his audience, his eyes never wavering from mine as we engaged in a more serious duel.

"Keep going, Xydel. Try to apply what we've been practicing." 

I managed to deflect his unexpected sword thrust that almost caught me off guard, then countered it by grabbing his wrist and pulling him, which made him fall face flat on the dusty ground.

"Prince!" I heard the soldiers around us scream.

A man of higher authority suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder, his face twisted in anger and concern. "What the hell is that?" he barked, his eyes going to the prince who was getting up slowly. "Are you attempting to harm the Crown Prince?!" He pushed me a little making me stagger, and then in a swift motion he helped the Prince get up to his feet.

"Captain, I'm fine," Xydel said, brushing off his clothes and face. "It wasn't the master's fault. I was reckless with my attack."

"Your Highness, he is responsible for causing you harm!"

"Captain Sander, I got hurt during the sparring, because I wasn't good enough." Xydel's voice was firm and determined. "It's normal to sustain injuries while training, isn't it?" 

"Your trainer should be able to teach you without causing harm or injury, Your Highness."

"Captain, I'm not going to learn how to sword fight, use weapons, enhance my energy, or anything else related to war if you keep hovering over me and trying to protect me from making mistakes. I understand that I'll get hurt, but I need to learn and grow from my experiences. You and the others went through training, and now it's my turn. So please, stop interfering with my training and let me learn from my trainer. I'm not a child anymore, and I need to be treated as such." 

The captain stands frozen in disbelief, staring at the prince without any signs of reaction other than shock which appears to have taken hold of him, leaving him unable to process what the Prince just said.

"Everyone, return to your training immediately! Is this how you practice? Spying on someone else's training?" Xydel's anger is palpable. However, this is a positive sign for me as it shows that he has come to realize the importance of wielding power and authority as a leader.

"I apologize, Crown Prince Xydel. I will ensure it never happens again and pray for your safety and good health," he said while bowing.

"Captain Sander, I need you to step up and fulfill your duties properly. I appreciate your care towards me, but I am not a child and expect to be treated as such from now on." 

"Understood, Your Highness." He once again bowed then turned towards the entrance of the area. He didn't even throw me a glance after all that had happened. Well, I don't care anyway.

Xydel sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. 

"I'm sorry about that Master, our training got interrupted." I can't help but chuckle a bit because he was back to being the soft Crown Prince again.

"Where is the authoritative Crown Prince just now? Shouldn't you be scolding me since I made you fall face flat to the ground?"

"It's natural, Master. If my reflexes would be as good as yours, I wouldn't fall--"

"What did I tell you? Do not compare yourself to others, let alone to someone like me who is a commoner."

"But you are skilled! It's not about the social status, blood, or the environment that we grew up in."

"There is still a difference between us, Your Highness." A big difference.