trial X

Whish whoosh

A light breeze carrying the aromatic smell of blossomed flowers blew towards Arthan, who was sitting cross-legged on the shore of the man-made lake.

Eight months had passed since the incident at the cavalry training ground, and for the eight months, he has never seen his family since then.

Even though his father had acknowledged his existence, however, for some reason, Arthan's family refrained from appearing in public, or they never appeared where Arthan could see them.

It doesn't matter how much commotions Arthan does. Like having all the handyman boys under him, fighting almost every day with the young soldier boys under Pedro,  or even spreading nasty rumours around the castle.

Yet not even the young George was provoked to go out to meet him.

And just like that, six months of Arthan probation time as a handyman boy ends, and he can choose a designated job.

Arthan then chose the gardener job as his designated job and began living in the back garden and not yet coming out from it till today.

Arthan does not choose to be a gardener because Arthan like the green, but more because of the place of the garden, which is in the elusive back garden of Douglas castle.

Rumours had it that the Douglas family young-old loved to play in the back garden as the garden is like heaven on earth, or so the name is.

"The scenery is indeed stunning or even mind-blowing..." mumbles Arthan as he raises his head up and sees a gigantic blossomed cherry tree with its rosy pinkish colour blooming flower filling every branch. "....Yet, two months, and not even their shadows step in here? Which bloody fucker does the rumour monger be?"

Whish whoosh

No one answered Arthan question, and merely breezy winds came at his face like a slap before it escaped without saying sorry.

“Sigh…” taking a brown fallen leaf near him, Arthan let out a sigh. He put the leaf to the water and blew it towards the middle of the lake, “… as the day keep advancing, somehow I always have a nasty foreboding that something will happen.”

tap tap tap

"AH! Here! He is truly here, master! He must have slacked off again!”

From behind him, Arthan could hear rushing footsteps and a shrill voice of loquacious Poci, his senior gardener. 

ta ta ta

“Don't act like you not hear me, you bastard!” Poci dashed quickly to Arthan and threw a snap kick to push Arthan into the lake.

Whoops

Leap!

Arthan, as if he has an eye behind his back, leap to the left side and let Poci kick hitting the air.

Push

"Aaah..."

Boom Splash~

With a simple push of Arthan on Poci left ribs, Poci fell into the lake.

Splash~Splash~

"Arrrg! Master, you saw it yourself that Arthan bullied me again!”

“Give me a rest! You are the one who wants to kick me in the lake!” snort Arthan.

tap tap tap

“Hahaha…” a series of laugh sound coming from behind Arthan. “...but, Arthan is right, Poci. You should have made a more polite approach.”

"Good morning, master Eram." Arthan quickly turns around and give a bow to his master.

Splash~ Splash~

“How can you make a polite with this slacker, master!” came out of the lake quail wet, then raged at Arthan, “He absolutely has contracting water element, yet act like he wasn't! He is just slacking off because he doesn't want to work! You have to believe me, master!”

Yes, Arthan still doesn't announce that he was water magico. And like what Poci said, Arthan did choose to slack off, or he doesn't have a reason to work when nothing seems right inside his head.

"Water magic : water ball" Poci cast his water speel to absorb the liquid around his body out.

"Master, you should judge him and give him punishment!"

Ignoring Poci tantrums, master Eram, “So, how it is Arthan? Did you find the answer to your life pursuits?”

Last week, in this same place. Master Eram had asked Arthan about his life pursuit and why Arthan chose a gardener as his job to motivate Arthan to work.

"Yes, I did, masters."

"Bah, He must be want to lie about another way to slack off! Don't believe him!" interject Poci with a snort.

Glares!

Poci, who is frightened by the glare from Arthan, immediately hid behind Master Eram back while pointing at Arthan and shouting. “Look… look… master! Arthan wants to bully me again!”

Ignoring the noisy Poci, Master Eram merely looked at Arthan for an answer.

"I want to go to the south garden. I need to go there and find my answer. So, please let me purge those spiders, master.”

Master Eram is a servant of the same generation as old Terry. He was one of the oldest servants in Douglas castle.

Although master Eram doesn't know who Arthan parents are. But Arthan faces contour, piercing eyes, high nose and straight hair made master Eram sure that Arthan is a Douglas house descendant. 

That's why Master Eram did not admonish Arthan too strongly, but Arthan choice made him worried, "Are you sure?"  

‘Is he after the reward from Baron or the Baron himself?’

Master Eram is right. Arthan truly, after the bounty from the Baron to purge demonic insect that infested the south garden, and the chance to meet his father. 

Though Arthan doesn't want to see that white-haired man face. It is the only way Arthan can go near his family and ask them 'why they are avoiding him'.

"I want to help the gardener in my own way, master!”

"No, no, no, master. He is mad! Don't hear him!" Poci quickly yanks master Eram sleeve to garner his attention. "He will certainly die! Those demonic insects will be killing him for sure!”

"Didn't you like it more when I die?" Arthan is baffled at Poci reluctance to let him go to the south garden.

"Dang are you out of your mind? Without you here, who am I going to bully? Oops!” Poci quickly closed his mouth after blundering, but when he saw Master Eram didn't care, he felt relieved. "Fuhh..."

Arthan, just rolling his eyes at Poci, and back to looking at master Eram, “How is it, masters? Can I go?”

'Douglas descendants are known for their hard-headed. It will be no use even if I forbid him. But let's decide after knowing his goals more.' determine master Eram. 

“You can go, but I need to test you first. To make sure you will be safe.”

"What is the test master?"

"No masters! You can't! I will be losing a little junior if you let him do it!” Whine Poci.

Pat

Patting Poci head, Master Eram looks into his eyes and smile, “Can you give me a rest, child?”

nod nod

Poci nodding his head quickly, he knows master Eram also disagrees with Arthan's decision to go to the south garden.

Master Eram turns around and looks at Arthan face. Though his face still looks like a warm elderly, but somehow, there is strict air around him now.

“You should have known the reason for the demonic insect-infested south garden had yet purged by the knight under the Baron is for the young soldiers to train themselves, rights?”

"I know!"

"Huh? Is that real? I thought it was just a rumour?” Poci is baffled at the news.

He was the most up to date about news around the back garden than Arthan, or so he thought. Yet when Arthan says he knows what he doesn't know, he feels betrayed, and it's hurting his pride.

"How can you know it when I---"

Clench

Clenching Poci head to stop his blabbers, master Eram continued to ask Arthan, “Then you should also know that your decision to purge the south garden is the same as declaring war with all the young generation soldiers?”

“But, master, the back garden is the place for gardeners. I think there should be nothing wrong with it!”

“Fine, as you have made your choice and know the consequences of your choice. I can let you go there. But as the test, you need to show me your best lifesaving spell. No life saving you can't let you go." demands master Eram for Arthan to show to him that he is a magico.

Without wasting words, Arthan goes into action. His hand is covered by light blue mist and keep moving to make numerous hand seals, “Water magic – Blob wall.”

“Look, master! I'm never lying. He truly is a water magico! He's just slacking off! Humph!”

A wall of water in the same size as a door and as thick as a water bottle coagulated from a massive amount of water mana, and nine sections of the wheel is glowing in Arthan's caster wheel. So the water wall appeared without defect showing Arthan expertise in water magic.

‘Modification version of level-one water wall spell? So he can already modify a spell formula at age six? What a genius! Which master of Douglas house does this Arthan parent are?’ ponder Master Eram.

"How?!" Poci currently is like a gorilla that suddenly has its freedom from the zoo. He swiftly closes into Arthan and grabs his collar, “Modification version of level-one water wall spell? Hell, no! How can you do it?!”

"No, No! NO! You already can modify a spell formula and yet act like you are a newbie and made me do your task? Each fucking day?!! What an asshole you are!!!”

Whoop

Bam!

“Argh...” Arthan yanked his forehead at Poci punch, and then with a kick on Poci belly, Arthan pushed Poci to the ground.

"Screw you! It's hurt, you bastard!"

Ignoring Poci that he thinks is a test from master Eram, Arthan looks to master Eram in the eye, “Please let me go there, master! As you can see, I can easily defeat hundreds of Poci if I want!”

Blip!

Clack!

Master Eram suddenly appears right in front of Arthan like a ghost and knock at Arthan head. With a smile, master Eram commented about Arthan forehead, “Yes, your head seems hard!”

'How? Is it a spell? No, there is no mana disruption in the air! Then physical abilities? Did master Eram spellcaster job is a knight? Like Boin?’ Arthan face becomes pale at the sudden revelation of master Eram power.

"Now. When are you going to help me up?” scoffs Poci from the ground.

"I'm sorry, master. I didn't mean to be arrogant..." Arthan quickly apologizes to master Eram and helps Poci stand up.

"Yeah. an arrogant junior! Humph!” Poci admonished Arthan sternly, like a senior. But when he goes behind master Eram back, he sticks out his tongue and makes a funny face at Arthan.

Pat

Patting Poci head to make his stop, master Eram told Arthan his decision, “You can go, but you need to bring Poci with you!”

"No, master! I can't bring him!”

"Hello. I also don't want to hang my life on this stupid kid, master!"

"This is my decision. Take it or leave it, no counteroffer!” with a smile, master Eram looked at Arthan.

'urgh... Poci's existence will be a burden and a nuisance. But without him, master Eram won't let me go…'

Making up his mind, Arthan agreed to master Eram's conditions, “Yes, Master Eram. I will take Poci with me.” 

"HEY! That's is my life who is in the line! You need to ask my permission first! Damn, I'm not an air!" scream of Eram madness boomed through the air.