>>6162009You decide that it was time to speak with Elric. Last night, he’d achieved his first kill, having slain a Riahi assassin that had tried to catch him off guard. It was a feat that had surprised even you. He’d seemed shaken up by the deed, and seemed as though he could use someone to talk to. Though you found Elric to be the furthest thing from useful, you thought it would still make a nice gesture to see how he was doing. You find the boy off by himself, in a deserted area of Ithaca. He looked as though he had been training. He was taking practice swings with the sword he’d received from 99, and judging by the sweat he was drenched in, he’d been at this for quite a while.
>“Oy, how’s it going?” You call out to Elric as you approach him. The boy hardly pays any attention to you. Instead, he continues swinging his sword rhythmically. The strange ebon blade slices through the air, seemingly light in his hands.“Ah…Lord Tristain!” Elric answers in between breaths. “Good to see you! I’m…doing well! How are you?”
>“I had some time and I thought I’d check in. How are you faring? Last night was your first kill, was it not? I imagine that must be weighing heavy on you.” You could really only imagine. You recall that your first kill had occurred during your time at the Officer’s Academy, against a bandit that had been terrorizing a local village. You slept as soundly as a baby that night.“Weighing heavy?” Elric practices an overhead chop with his sword, and you can feel the force of his swing from here. “Hmmm…I was a bit shaken at first. But now, I guess it’s just not bothering me too much. People are naturally going to die on this journey, no? Better them than me, I suppose.”
Now that didn’t sound like the Elric you knew.
>“Not that I disagree, but what’s gotten into you? That’s an unusual statement from you of all people. Not to mention, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do a second of training since I found you here. What’s this all about?”“I’ve decided that I don’t want to be a burden on you and the others.” Elric declares. “No more holding you back. I want to fight on the frontlines alongside you, just like Cuthbert and Adeline. So, I’m going to give it my all. From this day forward, I pledge to get stronger. I swear that I’ll see that you win the competition, Tristain!”
>“Is that so? I mean…the competition is in less than 30 days. I don’t know how much realistically stronger you can get in a month’s time. Still, this is certainly a step in a positive direction for you. And that sword you’re swinging…I’ve never seen anything like it, but it appears you’ve acclimated to it quite quickly. Looks like having you babysit that brat for a few hours proved to be a good thing.” 