The Path 010 (Patreon)

"Aiming for the Font of Life without hesitation. Wise choice," said Leshien, releasing their hold on the tip of William's rubber-tipped spear. The latter hadn't channeled any of his Mana into the attack, but their ability to stop it without budging alluded to Leshien's physics-defying power.

Instead of responding to Leshien's remark, William redoubled his efforts, thrusting at the diminutive Elf's face, compelling them to tilt their head. In the same series of motions, he pulled back with his right hand, retracting his spear, sliding his legs apart, and bending his knees instead of backing away. Leshien expected him to follow up with another thrust, but as that would leave him open, William made a low, sweeping slash at the former's ankles, expecting them to jump to step back.

"Not bad," said Leshien, briefly retracting their right foot before stepping forward onto the neck of William's spear. The latter wasn't too surprised by this, but the force Leshien was able to exert caught him off guard. He should have been strong enough to lift them with ease, but the moment Leshien stepped on the neck of his spear, it was forcibly ripped out of his hands as if thousands of kilograms had been exerted on it.

"If it's true that you haven't received formal training, you've got talent," said Leshien, nodding in approval. "Your physique is also exceptional for one so young. You possess the power of a Dwarf and agility comparable to a member of the Zoan tribe. Were you not born into a noble House, you could have easily become a Master within twenty to thirty years. Perhaps even fewer."

"Why does being a noble preclude me from becoming a Master...?" asked William. Though, if he were being completely honest, he already knew the answer.

"It's a matter of focus," replied Leshien. "You're actually luckier than most. Those of lesser Houses might begin training around this time, but much of their instruction is oriented around etiquette and learning how to integrate into the Houses they will be wed into. As the Gamma Star of the Oirthear Constellation, you are fated to inherit a tremendous burden. However, as the only House surpassing yours is the Royal Family, you have far greater freedom and autonomy."

Catching Leshien a little off guard, William adopted an unpretentious smile as he got into a relaxed boxing pose and replied, "Even more of a reason to give it my all while I have the opportunity."

Punctuating his words, William stepped forward, shifting his weight and lowering his center of gravity before throwing a swift left jab at Leshien's lower abdomen. They used their right hand to redirect the blow with little effort, but since he didn't put his weight behind it, William wasn't knocked off balance. He followed up with several swift, weaving blows, but due to the tremendous difference in their speed, Leshien was able to use just the tip of their right index finger to redirect his strikes.

'I'll at least get you to move your damn feet...' thought William, smiling but feeling slightly irked by the fact Leshien hadn't moved from their starting position.

"Hmmm...?"

Sensing the Mana in William's body enkindle, a feat that was exceptionally difficult to achieve without careful guidance or exposure to a life-or-death situation, Leshien's brows perked. They were similarly surprised when he lunged forward in an apparent attempt at a takedown, but while his speed had more than doubled, Leshien's stimulated perception made him appear to move slower.

'This should be enough force...' thought Leshien, raising their right hand as if they were about to make a vow before carefully smacking the back of William's head, sending him faceplanting into the hall's dirt floor with enough force to fracture it.

"Master William!" 

"Young Master!" 

"Young Master!"

Seeing Leshien unceremoniously send their Master faceplanting into the ground, Therese, Ryza, and Amira exclaimed in shock before hurrying to his aid. Their actions caused Leshien to grimace, but when they noticed William didn't immediately recover, the diminutive Elf began to feel slightly panicked as they wondered, 'Did I misjudge his resilience...?'

Fortunately for Leshien, though they could have easily fought their way out, William was smiling when Therese plucked him from the ground. He was bleeding from both nostrils and missing one of his front teeth, but he didn't seem upset by his loss. Rather, his eyes bore a tell-tale glimmer of conviction as he stated, "You're really strong. But, even if it takes me the next four years, I'll definitely get you to move..."

Raising their right brow, Leshien looked down at their own feet before adopting a smile of their own and responding, "Ordinarily, I would tell you to aim higher. But the world would be much more peaceful if more nobles possessed pragmatic sensibilities."

*THOOM*

Following their statement, Leshien's feet abruptly sank more than a centimeter into the ground without them moving a muscle. It was like their mass had suddenly increased by several tens of times, but that was just the tip of the iceberg as William noticed the dust and debris they had kicked up gravitate toward them.

'So he or she controls gravity...that makes things a little more difficult...' thought William. However, as he had always wanted to try gravity training, which would have been inconceivable in his first life, the smile on his face became even broader.

'It's a shame this kid was born into a noble House...'

Seeing William's fearless, excited smile, Leshien felt he might have what it took to become a Master. Unfortunately, he was fated to attend the Royal Academy once he reached his tenth cycle. After that, he was bound to be wed and have various responsibilities thrust upon him. He could try to run away, but William didn't strike Leshien as the type that would abandon his family. Thus, while he was undoubtedly a prodigy, well ahead of his peers, he would be lucky to reach the Fifth Grade throughout his life.

With such thoughts in mind, Leshien decided they would humor William for a few years, interested to see how far he could go. Before that, they needed to do something about his overly protective retinue. So, once their inaugural training session was over, Leshien returned to Orianna to inform her of their initial assessment of William's abilities, just as the latter hoped they might.

Being doted on was certainly better than being maltreated, but after six years of constant surveillance, William longed for at least a few hours of privacy per day. Ryza was endearing, but waking up in the middle of the night to find her staring at him with her reflective, cat-like eyes was a bit discomfiting...

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[Six Weeks Later]

"This is the tumbler," explained a young man with short and spiky, golden-blonde hair and blue eyes, patting what looked like a barrel with a saddle attached to it, mounted to two mechanical arms. The world of Andora had a distinct, medieval fantasy vibe. However, thanks to the Dwarves sharing their tech more than five hundred years prior, it wasn't that uncommon to find fairly advanced machinery based on golems.

"See these two arms attached on the ends?" asked the man, referring to the five-jointed mechanical arms connected to the front and back of the tumbler.

"These arms work together to simulate just about any movement your Gryphon could perform," explained the man. "There are times when the link you've established with your Gryphon won't function due to stress or other factors, so before you're able to ride a real one, you need to be able to remain on this bad boy for at least an hour."

Turning to meet William's gaze, the man grinned as he revealed, "This is the penultimate test for a prospective Gryphon Rider. The Young Master has a little less than four years to complete it. Fail to do so, and the odds of you becoming a Gryphon Rider in the future are slim, at best."

"Then I suppose I shouldn't fail," responded William, wearing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He didn't mind being looked down on, but the smile on the instructor's and onlookers' faces as they eagerly anticipated seeing him eat shit annoyed him. Fortunately, he had received the perfect item to flip the situation on its head...

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[Gryphon Featherfeet]

Grade: C[Rare]

P.Def: 30

M.Def: 110

Enchantment(s): [Featherfoot(B)], [Stabilization(C)], [Self-Repairing(C)]

A pair of boots constructed from the hide and wing feathers of a mature Gryphon. The materials utilized facilitate the use of Wind Magic, but their most prominent feature is their ability to let the wearer move silently while also increasing their balance.

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Though he could find himself in dire straits if he depended on the boots too much and then lost them, William had four years to get used to riding the tumbler. Once he got a feel for it, he could ride without depending on a crutch. If not, well, he wasn't that attached to the idea of taking care of a Gryphon while attending the Academy. Not because he lacked fondness for Ailbhe but because she would invariably be targetted by those jealous or resentful toward him.

With such thoughts at the forefront of his mind, William followed the instructions of the young instructor to mount the tumbler. He looked out of place since it was designed for people much older and larger than him, but William did his best to appear confident and dignified as he emulated his Mother's posture. This surprised and disappointed the spectators, as many had been looking forward to seeing him sit straight and proud, only for him to fall the moment the machine was turned on.

"Are you ready, Young Master...?" asked the instructor, looking marginally more serious than before.

"Ready," responded William, his expression one of absolute focus, but his body relaxed. His Mother had given him a few pointers to avoid making a complete fool of himself, and they seemed to pay off as, rather than being unceremoniously thrown from the tumbler, he managed to stay on for the entire ten minutes it was set to run. It bucked, dipped, and rolled near the end, but thanks to his inordinately high stats, at least for a six-year-old, it wasn't particularly difficult.

"That wasn't so bad," mused William, sitting up and wiping his dampened brows with a shit-eating grin. The instructor and onlookers sported looks of confusion and disbelief, but once they reconciled that he was barely six yet had already successfully attuned to a Gryphon, they accepted he was simply a prodigy...

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[Within a spacious, dimly lit chamber]

"Is what you say true...?" asked a young boy with features remarkably similar to William's but with spiky, combed-back hair.

"I would never dare to lie before my Master," responded a dog-eared woman with long, wild red hair and matching eyes, her muscular body garbed in a Maid outfit as she knelt before the young boy, her Master, David.

"What could Mother and Father possibly be thinking...?" David asked himself, clenching his hands into fists as his face sported a grimacing, childish pout. He didn't mind that his younger brother was exceptional, but the more focus he received from their parents, the more David felt William might replace him.

"You're much too concerned with the activities and achievements of your younger brother," said a lazy, mature, and feminine voice, followed by the vermillion-haired Archmage, Primis, appearing out of thin air.

"Master..." muttered David, rising from his position atop his faux throne and smiling as he performed a respectful curtsy. Primis had served as his Governess alongside two others, so while both he and William had been born with golden spoons in their mouths, it could be said that David's was adorned with precious gems.

"You needn't worry about your brother," said Primis, further explaining, "While it is true that he possesses many boons, your Connatal Mana and Aura far surpass his. He fundamentally lacks the capacity to inherit your esteemed Father's power and the legacy of House Oirthear. Thus, rather than fretting over a possibility, you should focus on bettering yourself and preparing for the role you were born to fill."

"I understand," replied David, feeling as though a tremendous weight had been removed from his shoulders. He didn't know what he would do if his younger brother were chosen to inherit the position and title he had spent his entire life preparing for, so Primis's words were a great relief. What he didn't know was that his Mother had specifically sent her to alleviate his concerns, worried that her two sons might start conspiring or be turned against one another by those who would see their family brought to ruin...

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