Chapter 9: Student
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Kingdom of Holfort
Bartfort Barony
Farm Fields
Omni POV
A light breeze rolled across the Bartfort farmland, carrying the scent of damp grass and tilled soil.
The fields stretched wide under a pale morning sky, their edges fading into distant floating landmasses.
"Leon!" A voice drifted across the open fields, cutting through the calm.
"Leon!" The call came again, louder this time.
It had been a few hours since Leon had managed to slip away from his family for some free time.
Every spare minute had gone into his project—one that had now stretched across three years.
From the outside, it looked like nothing was changing, but Luxion's calculations told a different story.
With every failure, every correction, every discarded attempt, the probability of success had slowly but steadily increased.
Progress… just not in a way most would notice.
"Leon!" Nicks's voice echoed again, closer now.
Luxion's red optical sensor shifted slightly.
"Sir, I believe your allotted time has ended. Your afternoon lessons are scheduled to begin," Luxion stated calmly.
Leon let out a long, tired sigh. He rubbed the back of his neck as if physically trying to shake off the fatigue of focus.
"…Sigh. I was really getting into it." He bent down, brushing loose blades of grass off his trousers. His movements were reluctant, almost like someone being pulled away mid-thought.
"Come on, Luxion. Let's go." A faint shimmer in the air marked Luxion activating full camouflage as it followed silently beside him.
Nicks stood waiting near the edge of the field, arms crossed, foot tapping lightly against the dirt. His expression tightened the moment Leon came into view.
"Leon!" Nicks called again, more direct now.
Leon lifted a hand casually, forcing a relaxed smile. "Nicks! You called?"
Nicks immediately narrowed his eyes.
"Where have you been? I've been calling you for a while."
Leon didn't hesitate. He tilted his head slightly, putting on a harmless expression.
"Oh, sorry about that. I must've fallen asleep. The grass was just too comfortable, and the weather's been really nice lately."
He stretched his arms as if proving how relaxed he had been.
Nicks stared at him for a long second.
Then sighed.
"Yeah… that's not convincing at all."
Leon froze slightly—
—but Nicks continued, lowering his voice instead of pressing further.
"Anyway, it's fine. I'll keep your secret."
Leon blinked. "…Secret?"
Nicks nodded knowingly, leaning in a bit.
"Your training. I get it. Everyone needs extra practice if they want to catch up."
He smirked slightly.
"How else are you going to beat me before I get my Grace?"
Leon's expression shifted instantly.
That word stuck.
"…Wait. What's a Grace?"
Nicks blinked back at him, surprised.
"Huh? Dad hasn't told you yet?"
He scratched the back of his head, slightly awkward now.
"Maybe you're still too young."
That immediately snapped something in Leon.
"Too young for what?" he stepped forward. "Just tell me."
Nicks raised both hands. "Nope. Not me. Ask Dad during today's lesson."
Leon frowned deeply at that. "…Dad's teaching today?"
His eyes flicked sideways. "What happened to Mom?"
Nicks's expression softened slightly.
"Mom went out. She's giving aid in Rivia. There's a plague there."
At that, Leon paused.
Just for a moment.
Rivia?
The same place Sir Gelralt came from.
"…I see," he muttered quietly.
Nicks turned away and started walking.
"Come on. You're already late."
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Luxion POV
As they walked, Leon's voice lowered slightly.
"Luxion… do you know what a Grace is?"
A brief processing pause.
"I have no record under the term 'Grace' in my primary database," Luxion replied. "It may exist under a different classification."
Leon clicked his tongue softly. "Figures…"
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Bartfort Residence – Few Minutes Later
Balcus sat near a low table, a rolled parchment resting beside him. Sunlight filtered through the window behind him, casting warm tones across the wooden interior.
"Leon. You're finally here," he said, looking up.
His voice was calm, but his eyes briefly scanned Leon as if checking for injuries or fatigue.
Leon scratched his cheek.
"Sorry, Dad. I fell asleep in the flower fields."
Balcus chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"It's fine. We still have time before I return to work."
He gestured for Leon to sit closer.
"Now, where were you and your mother in your lessons?"
Leon straightened slightly, thinking.
"We were talking about the noble houses. Their emblems… and their specialties."
"Good," Balcus nodded approvingly.
Then his tone shifted into instruction.
"Tell me then. What is our house emblem, and what is our specialty?"
Leon answered without hesitation.
"A white pegasus, standing on its hind legs, surrounded by flowers… about to take flight."
He paused briefly.
"And our specialty is farming."
Balcus smiled faintly at that.
"It's good to see you understand your house."
But Leon's expression didn't change.
Inside, his thoughts were colder.
We work ourselves to the bone… and Zola just drains everything away in the capital.
His face stayed neutral.
Only his eyes carried the weight of that thought.
Balcus slowly unrolled the parchment.
A large map spread across the table with a soft rustling sound. Inked borders, faded coastlines, and floating landmasses stretched across it. The edges were darker—blackened like burnt parchment.
"Today," Balcus said, placing a hand on the map,
"we'll talk about the countries of the world."
Leon leaned in slightly.
For once… this wasn't useless information like how to drink tea.
This was useful, he would learn the scope of the world.
"First, Holfort."Balcus pointed to the largest and most detailed region.
Leon immediately noticed it.
It had far more detail than any other nation.
'It seems the countries aren't on friendly terms…' he thought.
"Its economy is mainly based on agriculture,"
Balcus continued.
He proceeded to point to the lands of the most prominent houses in Holfort.
"And these here are our lands" He pointed toward smaller noble territories near the border.
Leon internally cringed. "We really are backwater nobles…'
"Next is the Principality of Fanoss." A neighboring continent, as large as the capital continent of the Holfort and close unnaturally so, as if they had once been a single kingdom.
"Then the Alzer Republic," Balcus continued.
A region marked by a massive tree illustration at its capital.
"Source of most magic crystals."
Leon studied it carefully.
"Then the Holy Kingdom of Rachelle…"
The explanation continued.
Names. Borders. Politics. History.
Leon listened closely, his concentration never faulting.
Leon tilted his head slightly.
"Dad… what are those dark edges?"
Balcus looked at the map with a slightly grim expression.
"Those are the Badlands."
Leon repeated it slowly.
"Badlands?"
"Yes. Areas decimated by the dark war that we still haven't fully mapped."
His tone darkened slightly.
"Filled with dark beasts, toxins… everything there wants you dead."
A pause.
Then he added casually—
"Still, there are treasures. Lost ruins. Gold. Lost Items."
Leon's eyes flickered slightly.
So it isn't completely abandoned…
After that the lesson continued for a while before it finally came to an end, Balcus finally rolled the map back up.
"That should be enough for today. Any more questions?"
Leon hesitated.
Then spoke.
"Nicks mentioned something earlier and when I asked about it he said I should ask you…what's a 'Grace'?"
Balcus paused.
"…Ah."
His expression shifted slightly—like someone realizing they'd forgotten an important explanation.
"That's what you were curious about."
He scratched his cheek.
"I was going to tell you in a few years… but I suppose there's no harm now."
Leon's posture straightened slightly.
Balcus exhaled.
"Graces are blessings given to humanity by the Gods."
Leon blinked.
"Wait… what?"
Balcus raised a hand slightly.
"During the time of the Dark War, the Gods granted mankind power through Graces. They allow us to use magic."
Leon's expression sharpened immediately.
"Oh… so like runes?"
Balcus shook his head.
"No. Runes are just tools. They control the energy that Graces allow us to access."
He tapped the table lightly.
"Think of it like a key. Graces unlock the connection to divine energy."
Leon absorbed that silently.
Then asked—
"So when do I get one?"
Balcus's expression softened.
"When you turn ten, I will bring you to one of the seven churches. They test you."
A pause.
"If you are chosen, you will get one."
Leon's expression dipped slightly.
"…If?"
Balcus nodded.
"Yes. Not everyone receives one."
A brief silence settled in the room.
Leon's shoulders lowered slightly.
Then—
Balcus placed a hand on his head gently.
"But don't worry. Even if you aren't chosen, humanity has created artificial Graces."
He turned slightly, revealing faint rune-like markings beneath his clothing.
"I have one myself."
A sudden change in tone.
"Sir," Luxion said over the Comms.
"Can you request for any information regarding the Dark War."
"Dad, what happened in that Dark war?"
Balcus blinked.
"…That's unexpected."
"I'm just curious".
Balcus exhaled slowly.
"I'm sorry. Most records from that time are gone. What remains was sealed by the higher ups."
He stood up and then added quietly—
"That's all I can tell you."
And with that, he left the room.
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[Chapter Image]
I am writing my A Levels this year so I'm already stumped and if you add the time I use writing I think I'm entitled to POWER STONES sooooooo give them to me
P.S
Let it be known that the Story is undergoing a Rewrite, hence if you read the unedited chapters its on you, they are no longer part of the story.