“Mizumi, what’s your plan from here? Since the Northern Abyss Continent is to be handled by the Mizumi Clan.”
Her question drops like a pebble into still water. I wipe the crumbs from Hill’s mouth, and Celia Maya looks my way.
My chest tightens like a bowstring. I want to clear my shame with my own blade, but the gap between me and Wilsar is a canyon cut by time. Charging now would be heroics without hope; I’m not that kind of fool. If I block my clan and let Wilsar and the Dark Demons roam for a few years, who knows what storms will roll in.
Threats are weeds—better uprooted early. And to keep this from happening again, I need to—
“Next, I want to train for real. I have to get stronger. That loss was total, humiliating—unworthy of the Mizumi Clan.”
“Dear brother! Please don’t say it like that. Your opponent was a peerless powerhouse in the Law Realm. Even if we fought together, defeat was inevitable.”
“If anything, you lasting that long against someone in the Law Realm was already rare.”
I finish speaking; the sisters answer at once. Their voices carry grit, like flint under water.
“Lingxiao and Lingsaki are right. Emperor, don’t cling too hard to that battle. When a gap is wide as sea and sky, no trinket can turn the tide.”
Lixue sets down her empty bowl; her gaze is steady as a blade at dawn. “But I agree with you—now, we train and grow stronger.”
“Whoa, that sounds fun! This little one wants to be stronger too!”
Hill sits on my lap, thinking we’re plotting some game. Her spark skips across the table; the heavy air lifts like morning mist.
“For your age, Mizumi, your strength is already a miracle across the world,” Celia says, clapping once, like striking flint. “Still, if you all want to grow stronger, I have an idea.”
“Miss Celia Maya, what do you have in mind?”
“The Dragon Realm doesn’t have many scenic spots, but it does have many sanctuaries for training. Not as grand as the Central Continent, but far better than the Northern Abyss Continent. Mizumi and Miss Tianyu, you’re both Sword Wielders, right? We have a master of swordplay in the Dragon Realm, high-tier Law Realm. If you don’t mind, I can ask her to help you train.”
“A master swordswoman in the high-tier Law Realm? Please introduce us!”
At that, Lixue leans in, eyes bright as stars on a river. Mine aren’t far behind. A high-tier sword expert is the best whetstone for us right now.
“What kind of person is she?” I ask. Better to know the mountain before you climb.
“She’s our famed Sword Emperor—second in reputation only to Saint Cole. Her name is Crimson Dragon Heart. She walks the dual path of magic and martial, with fire as her keenest blade. She lives on Dragon God Island, in Crimson Dragon Valley, not far from here. Her temper can be strict, but she’s fair. You’ll know when you meet her.”
Sword Emperor. The title rings like steel on stone. Lixue and I trade a glance; our shared expectation glows like a lantern between us.
“Miss Celia Maya, what about me and Lingsaki?”
“We need to become stronger too, or we won’t be able to protect brother.”
The sisters look up at Celia, faces full of hope like budding plum in late frost. That loss in Seit City carved our weakness into bone.
“Lingxiao and Lingsaki, train with me. I’m not as strong as Crimson Dragon Heart, but I’m mid-tier in the Law Realm. In magic, few in the Dragon Realm surpass me—no more than three. I even understand the Rule Book somewhat. Teaching you for a while is well within my reach. And don’t think being a Holy Light Dragon means I only cast light. Light and darkness walk hand in hand; I’m skilled with dark magic too. Frankly, I’m versatile across all elements, though light and dark are my keenest blades.”
Is it just me, or is Celia blazing with energy? Teaching is supposed to be dull, like grinding ink alone. Xinuo only ever guided me when boredom took her by the sleeve.
So our next path clears like clouds after rain—Lixue and I will train under Crimson Dragon Heart, and Lingxiao and Lingsaki will train under Celia.
“Eh?! Mother, what about this little one? This little one wants to go with the boss!”
“This is a rare chance, Hill. Don’t distract Mizumi and the others. Go play for now.”
“Nooo—this little one wants to play with the boss!”
Hill starts to pout; her cuteness rolls over me like warm sunlight. I hug her and smooth her silver hair, fine as moonlit silk. “Be good, Hill. We’ve been too lax. We have to train hard now and raise our strength. Tell you what—come find us anytime during breaks, and we’ll make you tasty food.”
“Mm… okay. Boss, remember to make yummy things often!”
“Of course—whenever we’ve got time.”
I pinch her soft cheeks, springy as fresh mochi, and laugh. From the side, Lingxiao and Lingsaki’s stares feel like arrows grazing past. Yup—ignoring, ignoring.
“Mizumi, you and Hill sure get along,” Celia says, half-envious, half-playful, like teasing rain. “She never acts spoiled like this with me or Saint Cole.”
“Uh… maybe because I’ve played with her longer?”
I think back to the Central Continent. If Xinuo hadn’t found Hill to be her mount, Hill might still be alone in the Lunar Forest, counting passing clouds.
“I’m kidding,” Celia says, smile soft as spring light. “There’s no need to rush training. Rest a few days. Play more with Hill. I’ll go discuss this with Xinyin.”
“Yay! Awesome! The boss can play with this little one for days!”
Of course, the happiest is our little dragon whose head is full of snacks and games. And she’s right—training with haste is like boiling tea too hot; better to rest first and return with blade and spirit in peak shape.
The table’s feast vanishes like a tide while we chat. Once everyone’s full, Celia has the maids clear the dishes, then turns to us. “The hot spring’s ready. Mizumi, want a bath and a soak?”
“Absolutely!!”
We answer in chorus, sparks jumping like fish in a stream. After days laid up in bed, a hot soak and clean steam sound like heaven.
...
