Aidan groggily opened his eyes as he glanced from his bed to the sand clock attached to the wall upside down. Rubbing his face, he stood up and walked towards the door, opening it.
Two servants stood outside waiting there for him.
"Good morning, young master. We will prepare all the necessary things for you to freshen up," both of them said.
"All right. Good morning to you too, Amy and Jack," Aidan replied, his eyes half-closed. Still half-asleep, he thought about how last night's events had kept him tossing and turning. "He yawned before walking towards the toilet, which was located outside the inner castle, followed by Amy and Jack.
Aidan had already become used to this routine of having things done for him by the servants—heating water, cleaning, and so on.
A few moments later, Aidan returned to his room, early chores complete. He now wore black robes similar in style to yesterday's clothes, with embroidered patterns over the sleeves.
"Kid, you ready?" Erwin called from the door. "You better be ready at the training grounds. Come on time—it's a rule. I won't hesitate to punish you just because you're my nephew. Understand?"
Aidan hurriedly went toward the door and opened it, squinting at Uncle Erwin as he asked, "Uncle, have I ever been late until now? Yet you always seem to like threatening me."
Erwin shrugged, saying, "Deal with it, kid. Even if you're coming on time today, who knows about tomorrow? So, I like to always add some threats for kids like you—keeps you from getting lazy."
Aidan just shook his head, understanding there was no point in arguing. It seemed to be some kind of habit his uncle had developed after being away on missions for long periods.
"Anyways, kid, I have good news for you. Want to hear it?" Erwin said, his tone enticing—like a devil's.
Aidan arched his brow. "Huh? What is it?" he asked, curious.
"Any guesses?" Erwin pressed, clearly wanting to tease Aidan more.
"Is it related to Mother?" Aidan asked, sensing his uncle's odd behaviour.
"Oh? So you figured it out?" Erwin smirked.
"Ahh, you mean Mother agreeing to combat lessons?" Aidan said, his tone gloating.
Erwin took the sword from the servant and strapped it to his waist before replying, "Kid, be grateful to your uncle. I am the one who persuaded her."
Aidan eyed him suspiciously. "That seems hard to believe. She didn't even listen to Father and Aunt, so why would she listen to you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as both walked away from the castle entrance toward the training grounds.
Erwin waved his hand, sighing. "Just let it be. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not."
Aidan couldn't help but question further. "Why did you, though?"
Erwin turned, not understanding. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Why did you persuade her? For my sake?" Aidan said.
Erwin tilted his head. "What do you mean, 'for your sake'?" He let out a small sigh, then added, "Because I saw a boy burning to learn, but with nowhere to put that fire." You had that fire in your eyes, but you couldn't act on it. So I gave you a push." He ruffled Aidan's hair with a smirk. "Now quit being all sentimental on me. Let's go—you've got people to meet."
Aidan couldn't help but smile. He truly felt blessed to have been born in a household like this. Love was something he'd hardly felt on Earth—something so distant it had never been within his reach. But on Maaya, it felt close, as if he were surrounded by it.
Aidan stepped into the training grounds once again—but this time, not as an observer, but as a participant.
The crisp clang of wooden swords echoed from one side of the grounds, while muffled grunts came from a line of trainees struggling to train for strength and stamina. Their gazes briefly lingered on him before returning to their own tasks.
He walked with his uncle and stood beside a bench before Erwin turned and said, "Let me call the captain."
It didn't take more than a few seconds for three people to gather at the bench, their gazes shifting from Aidan to Erwin.
As they bowed slightly, they said, "Good morning, Lord Erwin. Good morning, young master Aidan."
Aidan recognized him—it was the same man he had met with Sophia when he was five months old.
He still looked the same, with his slightly darker skin tone and hair that matched his beard—short and styled in a boxed cut. What was his name again? Aidan thought. Before he could remember the name, he was interrupted by Erwin's voice.
Erwin stepped forward and said, "Aidan, meet Captain Matthew. Captain Matthew, along with Captain Joseph and Captain Mia, oversees the training for both guards and soldiers.
He will be your instructor until you reach Rank One."
"Why not you uncle?" Aidan asked. "Or maybe Father —or even Aunt Lily." He paused before adding, "No offence to you, Captain. I just thought it'd be better if someone familiar taught me." He didn't take his mother's name because he knew she was not a fighter, unlike the name he listed.
"None taken," Matthew replied, clearly unbothered.
"Kid, stop daydreaming," Erwin said. "We're not free enough to teach you—let alone your father." He continued, "Quit whining. It was your father who asked Matthew to train you. Do you understand now?" Erwin clarified.
"Father told him? Why?" Aidan looked once again at Captain Matthew before saying, "Master, I will be in your care." Without any hesitation—after learning that his father himself had asked Captain Matthew to teach him—he accepted him as his master.
Aidan knew his father wouldn't just ask anyone to train him.
Matthew, who had expected to be questioned, studied Aidan as the boy acknowledged him as 'master' rather easily.
"Good job," Erwin said before continuing, "Matthew, the kid is in your hands now. Remember—don't go easy on him." Then, turning to Aidan, he added, "And you, kid, remember to listen to Captain Matthew. Don't take him lightly—Captain Matthew is strong." His gaze locked with Aidan's as he spoke.
"Bye, Uncle," Aidan said giving Erwin a last wave before Erwin reached the other part of the training ground—a section meant for Rank Two beings. It was a completely different area.
The place he stood now was merely a training ground for humans striving to become Rankers. This was just the beginning, Aidan thought, as his small fist clenched.