Clang! Clang! Clang!
The dull ring of metal striking a battered training dummy echoed through the grounds of the Rubenhart Estate, piercing the quiet chill of the early morning.
As was his habit, Ulrich had risen alongside the estate's very first servants, trading sleep for the demands of his physical conditioning. Back when it was revealed that his magical core was a broken one, he had poured all of his frustration and determination into mastering the martial arts, encouraged if not forced by his father. Even now, despite having miraculously obtained a new legendary core, he saw no reason to abandon his routine. Pushing his body to its absolute limits was simply ingrained in his bones at this point, a second nature he could never discard.
Esther watched him quietly from the shadows of her hiding spot, turning these thoughts over in her mind.
