A week slowly pass by and now Erez will learn basic swordsmanship before he learn his family's sword art.
"Okay let us start the real thing"
Miguel held the wooden sword and without any mercy to the boy he immediately rush with the purpose of beating him up.
'He's stance are quite good and his strikes are stable he's hands held the sword firmly'
"It seems like this practice will be fun"
Miguel put more strength in strikes sending the wooden sword flying out of the boy's hand.
"Arg!"
Holding his bleeding hand Erez dodged the incoming strikes.
"The battle doesn't end with just your sword flying you should learn to use your body"
With a swift movement Miguel used his legs to kick the boy's abdomen.
Clenching his teeth Erez tried to grab his wooden sword but Miguel kicks it away.
For an entire day he was beaten and healed beaten and healed.
"Butler young master won't get up even how much we tried to"
"Leave him be he needs more rest since tomorrow is another hell for him"
Morning came he was beaten black and blue but Miguel was very satisfied with his students at first he couldn't fight back but as time pass he could strike once or twice and even sometimes counterattack.
"Nice! nice! more young Pendragon!"
Every time Erez counterattacks or able to react properly to Miguel it would turn on the craziness within the former head knight.
"Um wasn't the young master supposedly learn a basic swordsmanship why did it turn into a intense sparring"
"That's what I want to ask as well"
The servants and knights inside the training ground all have the same thought because their young master never held a sword and was supposed to learn but end up exceeding everyone's expectations.
"Our young master master the basics immediately"
"Not just that within a day he was able to have a few exchange with Miguel"
Knights and trainees of the Pendragon family all felt pride feeling that the talent of their young master can surpass everyone.
"I think a little bit of beating and you can start learning your family's sword art"
Miguel stated while looking at the beaten young master of the family.
"Nick bring another bottle of potion here!"
After recovering he would receive another round of beating then Miguel switch from teaching basic swordsmanship to how to disarm your opponent.
"Use your body not just your sword!"
"What are you doing letting go of your sword wanna die!"
"Your stance are not stable!"
"Move faster!"
Miguel's shouts scared everyone but what even scarier was the boy whose eyes are bloodshot with determination.
'Focus and concentration'
Those words would echo in his mind while he listened to the shouts of Miguel.
.....
"Good evening baron Pendragon"
"Evening Miguel so what do you think of my son?"
"Hahaha he is good although his stamina is much lower than your two other sons but when in terms to technical and analytical skills he's better ....my lord none of your children was able to detect my feint attacks during our initial sword training but your son Erez was able to do it once or twice while we spar"
"He did?"
"Yes! and the fact he just learn the basics yesterday attest to the level of talent your son have"
Elek couldn't hide his happiness at first he was worried since he can't sense any ki energy from his son Erez but hearing those praise he couldn't help but be relief.
"I know what you are worried about sir but maybe the young master is a spirit user this is why we can't sense any ki energy form him"
"Right spirits how could I forget about it"
"Spirits are powers of nature it can't be sense and be detect easily but since the young master is still young his ki circuit must still be immature we will need to wait until his 12th birthday "
"Sigh indeed we should be"
That night baron Pendragon walk alone inside the large grade of their family.
"Something must be bothering you"
Liliana said while slowly walking towards her husband whose face covered with worries.
"It'll be alright" she said while putting her hand on Elek's face.
Feeling the warm hand of his wife Elek close his eyes to firmly feel it.
"I'm worried"
"I can see it, Erez?"
"Yes.... Miguel told me he had a talent for the sword"
Liliana became silent she tremble slightly which didn't escape her husband's eyes. Slowly Elek embraced his trembling wife knowing full well why.
"I already heard it from the servants they report to me everything....Elek I'm also very worried.....sniff... worried that he's talent might take him from us....and...sniff...and if he wasn't talented enough he might be devoured by his peers ....I'm stressed with this thoughts Elek"
"Yes I know I know"
Softly he whispered into her ears coercing her to calm down.
"It is better for our son to be strong than to be weak at least that way we could be less worried about him"
Liliana didn't answer she only nodded while holding Elek's arms. That night the couple didn't leave each others side both knew each others worries which they gladly share.
"Goodnight Liliana"
"Goodnight Elek"
....
The Knights and servants were very energised they found pride and happiness seeing the growing strength of their young master.
"I brought this ointment from Legolas it was blessed with a tree spirit I'm certain young master will like it"
"Mine is a wooden sword made with phyllon tree"
"That's expensive pay for it?"
"I just told the maker it's for our young master and he agree for a discount I'll save up some of my salary it'll be done before his birthday"
Three months before Erez birthday the servants already arranging their birthday gifts for their youngest master each time they gave a gift the young Pendragon would be pleased.
"I'm giving him a leather journal since the young master likes to write and read"
"Oh!! I remember I'll buy a quill then"
While the servants were enthusiastic the young master they all love was beaten yet again bruises and cuts surrounds his body he couldn't even move properly.
"Nick potion"
After he recovered he would received the same treatment but Erez never wavered he's focused enough to exchange few strikes from Miguel.
"It's only three months before your birthday isn't?"
Erez only nodded while drinking from a glass bottle of water.
"What do you like to received as a birthday gift?"
Erez only stare blankly before shaking his head.
"I'm good anything would do the trick"
Miguel noticed his eyes he see to be worried if something but him being but at words might give the wrong response so he didn't pry any longer.
Night fell again and Erez was to worried to sleep.
"What do you like to received as a birthday gift?"
He asked himself remembering Miguel's question.
"Ki if someone just give me ki I would be very happy about it"
Since he was seven he been swinging a sword practicing but he noticed the trainees of his family he saw how his years of hard work was achieved in a couple of weeks of training.
"People thought I'm a genius for giving up with Miguel but I've been practicing since I was seven"
He then look at the spirit manuals and materials he had bought he shook he's head yet again.
"I'm no spirit user either there is no spirit ambience within me nothing"
Frustrated with nothing for himself Erez stopped the growing tears in his eyes.
"What should I do then?"
"I'll definitely disappoint them"
"What should I do!!!"
"I'm so useless"
Erez gasp his head while trying it think but nothing could come for it.
"There hasn't been a record of someone not having ki energy it is impossible not to have one"
"I'm certain father had felt it before"
This time his father's image came to his mind then his brother and mother.
"I have nothing"
"I'm sur he felt it"
He whispered to himself he begun breaking down not knowing what to do he knew the competition was on but there was nothing he could do.
Everyone count the days away from his birthday the boy whom they wish the happiness merged himself with unending loneliness.
Every morning servants and knights would watch Erez sparring match sometimes Miguel would ask other knights and to Erez surprise he would often won.
'It's to slow' he thought compared to Miguel who attack like beast the other knights came like snails to Erez he was used to spar with a monster that when he spar with a regular knight he felt weird.
'It's already been a month now I can feel it'
Miguel thought while feeling the leaking energy from Erez.
'This different from ki energy but it's still felt the same it must because he is still young'
...
"Energy?"
"Yes I felt it while sparring with son baron a small energy would leak ere terehe young master's body"
Elek smiled he shoulders show his excitement.
"You see my lord it seems like you are worried for nothing" Ian sain feeling relieved.
"Everything will be fine baron and like the previous generation of Pendragons the Kingdom of Acacius will welcome a new genius"