THE PRINCE'S SERVANT

Haru stood before Xiu, both with serious expressions. The young man was deeply focused on a task his new teacher had given him. The elder, with his long white and bluish beard, watched the boy intently. Both were so concentrated they didn't even blink as the young servant tried to heal a small frog, which the elder had purposely drowned.

It was a daunting challenge, and the green-haired boy felt ashamed at the thought of failing in front of Xiu. The old man, using only one hand, made a small amount of water levitate toward the frog. He then used it to massage the tiny creature's heart until it began to move again. Watching this, Haru, frustrated, said:

"The way you use your power is so different from mine. I'm not sure I can do it like you."

The wise elder responded to the boy:

"Let's try another way."

The old man placed a seed in front of Haru and asked him to make it sprout. As soon as Haru focused on the seed, a beautiful flower blossomed. The plant's roots, desperate for soil, clung to the table. Both men watched in amazement. Haru hadn't known he could do that, and Xiu smiled as he said to the younger man:

"In all my life, I've never made a seed germinate. The books I've read make it clear that Solarion healers are the only ones with this gift."

Haru watched as the plant slowly withered while listening to Xiu:

"The feeling you had when making the plant grow—focus on that and heal the frog."

The elder quickly struck the frog with a bit of water, leaving the small animal motionless and injured. Xiu's coldness unsettled Haru, but he quickly reminded himself of the elder's experience and skill. Determined to master his powers, the green-haired boy held the little frog in his hands. Haru felt a pleasant sensation, and a soft green light, accompanied by a gentle breeze, enveloped the tiny creature. The frog began to move again, jumping out of Haru's hands, only to be caught by the elder, who held it delicately with two fingers.

"You're doing very well. If you keep up this pace, you'll be a great help in the Solarion infirmary someday. Did you feel dizzy?"

"This is the first time I've healed without feeling dizzy. Thank you so much, Master Xiu,"

Haru replied, bowing in respect, Happiness filled his pure heart, even though he knew there was much more to learn—healing people wouldn't be as easy as healing a frog.

Haru and Xiu shared lunch, and after a few more lessons, they parted ways. The young servant laughed as he saw the little frog trying to free itself from the professor's fingers without success. Excited to see how Kota's training was going, Haru hurried to the Solarion Battle Academy.

When I entered the large arena, I expected to find Kota and Liang Zhang training with wooden swords, but to my surprise, they were sweaty and exchanging punches. As the prince tried to land a blow on Liang's face, the swordsman grabbed Kota by the arm he was using to strike and threw the monarch to the ground. Shocked by the scene before me, I clasped my hands over my mouth, fearing for my master's well-being.

Despite the hard impact on the arena floor, Kota quickly stood up, demonstrating his resilience. The prince continued fighting without any sign of discomfort or pain, which reassured me. Still at the arena's entrance, I decided to sit on a nearby stone bench. Without drawing attention, I made my way to the long bench and watched Kota question Liang:

"You've seen I can take a few hits. Why don't you use your powers? It'd make the training a lot more fun,"

The monarch smiled warmly, his blond hair clinging to his sweaty forehead, as he spoke. Liang, poised and refined, responded with elegant precision in every gesture:

"My gift lies in my unparalleled mastery of the sword in Niray. If I use it, you'll lose too quickly and learn nothing. But if you insist, I can show you."

Finally, Kota got what he wanted—a fight where his opponent would give it their all. From the bench, I watched as Liang drew a thin, needle-like fencing sword. His footwork shifted as he pointed the blade at the prince's chest.

Kota smiled triumphantly as a yellow light enveloped his body. Looking in my direction, he winked with one of his blue eyes before being clad in a golden light-armor.

In an instant, the intense training turned into what felt like a real battle. Liang's blade struck Kota's armor multiple times. The swordsman's movements were heavy yet swift, but they still couldn't pierce the Solarion prince's armor.

I noticed Kota's movements became slower when he used his armor, but in return, when the prince finally managed to land a kick on Liang, the swordsman was hurled about three meters back. The brown-haired man managed to use his sword to reduce the impact with the ground, barely injuring himself.

As Kota approached, already boasting about his victory, Liang glanced at his thin blade. Rising from the ground, the swordsman assumed an attack stance, prompting the prince to take a defensive position, anticipating an imminent strike.

Surprising both Haru and Kota, Liang dropped his sword and clenched his fist, aiming a punch at the prince's chest. Confused, Kota asked:

"You're going to punch me while I'm wearing armor?"

Before the prince could process the situation, Liang executed an unexpected move. He feigned a punch but kicked his sword's hilt against the ground. The blade, being thin, bent upon impact but didn't break, propelling the sword upward. It struck Kota on the forehead with its hilt.

The strong impact caused Kota to fall backward, prompting Liang to burst into laughter. The brown-haired man, known for his tricks, had earned a reputation as one of the finest swordsmen in Niray. Rumors said that Liang possessed no special gift but was extraordinarily skilled with the sword. Whether true or not, only Liang himself could confirm.

I ran toward the prince, concerned, as his armor dissolved. Kota's power was truly impressive, but its limited mobility seemed like a significant weakness. Fearing he might be seriously hurt, I saw that the prince only had a swollen bump on his forehead. Liang, rolling on the ground with laughter like a child who had just played a prank, said:

"You should've seen his face!"

Kota opened his eyes, confused, and soon joined Liang in laughter. Realizing everything was fine, I couldn't help but laugh as well.