The training yard reeked of dust and old sweat. Wooden dummies lined the wall, and racks of blunted blades gleamed under the pale morning sun.
Alfred tossed a practice sword at William's feet. "Pick it up."
William bent down and grabbed it. The grip was rough against his small palms, the weight awkward. Still, he held it tight.
"Stand," Alfred ordered.
William tried. Feet apart, knees bent — like he'd seen in shows back in his old world. He thought he looked pretty solid.
Crack! Alfred's cane struck his ankle.
"Too wide," Alfred said flatly.
William hissed, adjusted.
Crack! This time across his elbow.
"Too high."
And so it began.
Every mistake punished. Every wobble corrected. The wooden blade grew heavier with every swing, his arms screamed, his lungs burned. Alfred's expression never changed — cold, sharp, relentless.
"Strike," Alfred commanded.
William swung, clumsy and slow. Alfred didn't even block. He simply stepped aside.
"Again."
Another swing. Miss.
"Again."
Another. Miss.
By the fiftieth strike, William collapsed to his knees. The blade slipped from his hands, breath tearing from his chest.
Alfred studied him, face unreadable. At last, he spoke.
"Not good. But not hopeless."
The System chimed.
> [Quest Started: Earn Alfred's Respect.]
Requirement: Train consistently. Show progress.
Reward: Alfred's Respect.
William spat sweat from his lips, grinning. Figures. Even my butler's a boss fight.
---
Days blurred into weeks.
Alfred drilled him like a man possessed. Stances. Footwork. Strikes until William's arms trembled, blocks until his forearms were nothing but bruises. The cane cracked across his shins whenever his balance faltered.
But slowly — painfully — William grew sharper. Faster. Stronger.
By the time his ninth nameday came, his swings carried weight. His balance held. He could spar longer before collapsing into the dirt.
That evening, after a particularly brutal session, Alfred finally lowered his blade and looked at him — really looked at him.
"You've stopped being a boy swinging a stick," Alfred said. "Now… you are the beginnings of a swordsman."
The System chimed again.
> [Quest Completed: Earn Alfred's Respect.]
Reward Gained: Alfred's Respect.]
New Skill Unlocked: Beginner Swordsmanship.]
William collapsed flat on his back, laughing through the pain. "Finally. Took you long enough, old man."
Alfred's brow twitched. "Do not test me, boy." But William swore he saw the faintest ghost of a smile.