Esoteric Training
“Are you prepared, young master?”
“Yes. Let’s get started.”
The training grounds of the new mansion stood empty, the other guards occupied with their patrols, leaving Rowell and me alone under the open sky.
This was it.
The moment I’d finally learn about the Boyd family’s esoteric techniques.
“First, allow me to clarify one thing: I don’t recommend practicing until you’ve fully mastered the basics.”
“Because my fundamentals are lacking?”
“Precisely. Think of this as light preliminary study, nothing more.”
So the reward’s as solid as promised.
Even for someone like me with shaky basics, they’re still sharing it, right?
“Do you understand the difference between the standard basics and the esoteric technique I’ll teach you?”
“What is it?”
“It combines the existing basics.”
“...In what way?”
You can fuse them like that?
Aren’t they all completely different styles?
“Allow me to demonstrate.”
Rowell stopped right in front of me, as if to show me firsthand.
Dead still.
Perfectly frozen, like time had halted.
“What are you—”
I started to ask if this was some technique, but then a faint prickle tingled at my back.
Crack!
“Ow!”
A sharp impact rocked the back of my head, staggering me forward for a moment.
“Huh?”
Who hit me?
I whipped around. There was Rowell.
“What the—?”
He’d been right in front of me a second ago.
Look at him, standing there frozen...
“No... wait.”
...He was definitely there, but now he’s gone again?
“Holy shit, what is that?”
“The Boyd family’s Esoteric Fleet.”
“What, like a clone or something?”
Leaves an afterimage and slips away with Fleet?
No one without constant Track active could counter that easily.
“Precisely. It blends the subtleties of Guard into the standard Fleet.”
“That works?”
You can just mix them like that?
I couldn’t even fathom how to pull off something like that.
“That’s why it’s esoteric.”
“Ah, right.”
Of course. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be esoteric.
And this is from the Boyd family, the mightiest nobles in the Adel Kingdom.
Easy would be weirder.
“Is that all there is to Esoteric Fleet? Just leaving the afterimage?”
Excitement was already building. Me, mastering this?
“No. That’s merely the foundation.”
“Meaning...?”
“There are intermediate and advanced versions.”
“Whoa...”
The bare basics, and it’s already this insane. Esoterics really are on another level.
Commoner knights without a family must have it rough.
“However, I can only teach you up to that basic form.”
“...Not the full package, then.”
“Family rules: outsiders get the basics only.”
Fair enough.
If they spilled everything just for some merit, it’d be public domain in a century.
Esoterics could become liabilities if they spread, so even basics are a huge privilege.
“Even so, mastering just the foundation will take you years.”
“By my standards?”
“Yes. Most take a decade for all four techniques.”
“Hmm.”
A decade’s a long haul.
How brutal must the advanced versions be?
“So the main difference from standard Fleet is the lingering afterimage?”
The afterimage alone was impressive, but I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of disappointment.
“No. It’s more efficient and faster than standard Fleet. And once mastered—even at basic level—you can do things like this.”
“There’s more?”
“Take this.”
Rowell handed me a wooden sword, his words sparking anticipation.
“Thrust at me once.”
“Understood.”
“...Such quick compliance.”
No blood would spill from a poke with this, right?
And he had something to show, obviously.
I gripped the wooden sword, assumed position, and thrust without hesitation.
Then—
Shunk.
A slight resistance, and the blade sank right in.
“Huh?”
I’d assumed it was an illusion, but...
Something felt off. It mimicked stabbing flesh perfectly, yet no blood sprayed.
The entry wound looked unnatural too.
“What the hel—”
Shock hit me again.
Crack!
Another blow to the head.
“You thrust without a shred of hesitation.”
“Huh?”
“Show respect for your elders.”
Same situation as before.
So that was the afterimage left by Fleet?
“How’d you do that?”
“I coated the afterimage with Guard, mimicking human density.”
“Pardon?”
“Even typical Aura users get fooled in the moment.”
“Ah, yeah...”
Anyone would fall for that.
I just did.
On a battlefield, I’d have sheathed my sword thinking I’d won—right before my head rolled.
“That’s the full basic package?”
“Yes. Master this, and you’ve grasped Esoteric Fleet’s foundation.”
...No wonder it takes years.
And Fleet’s just one of the esoteric arts.
“How many are there like this?”
“Four, like the standard basics.”
“I can learn all the basics?”
“Of course.”
I’d been a bit bummed about no advanced stuff, but...
This might take years just for basics if I stick around.
“Long road ahead.”
“You learn quickly, though. It’ll come fast.”
“Yes.”
Fine.
I could photosynthesize all day training.
Grind hard while young, and options open later.
“Then teach me the rest.”
“Yes. Next is the family’s Esoteric Rush...”
That’s when—
“Puppyyy!!”
A familiar voice rang from the garden’s far end.
“Oh.”
“Ah.”
Rowell and I exchanged glances, both wincing in realization.
“...Early dismissal today?”
“Seems the young miss wants to play.”
“No, wait...”
“Puppy!”
Before we finished, the young miss came toddling from the garden’s edge, full speed.
“Y-you were supposed to stay put...!”
Panting.
Her tiny cheeks puffed out in a pout.
Broke a promise and she’s mad?
“Uh, about that...”
What to even say?
An angry adult man? Easy.
But a fuming girl half my height? No clue.
As I fumbled for words—
“Young miss, this is training time.”
Rowell spoke up in my stead.
Too blunt?
She might go full glare-mode hearing her puppy needed training, but...
“Training? Why’s puppy training?”
“Animals train too, young miss. Beasts especially need it.”
“Rowell?”
What’s he saying?
“Uh... really?”
Surprisingly, it landed.
“A noble house’s pet must uphold proper dignity.”
“But he’s just loose in the yard?”
“He’s rather special for that. And with guests in the garden, he needs proper education.”
Is this a real conversation with me right here?
Whatever. She bought it, and Rowell was defending me, so I stayed quiet.
“Hmm... okay?”
Seemed convinced. Good.
Dog treatment was status quo anyway.
As long as I could train...
“Then I’ll train him!”
“You, young miss?”
“Yeah! Owners train their pets, right?”
Thought we were safe. Nope, new hurdle.
Now her eyes sparkled at me expectantly.
“Hand!”
“...Yes.”
“Good boy! Now head!”
“Here...”
What even was this?
I sighed inwardly, bowed my head, and her tiny hand patted it.
Pet, pet.
“No training needed? He listens great.”
“He’s clever, knows basics. Time for specialized training.”
“Specialized? Like what?”
“Frisbee toss, for instance.”
“Frisbee!”
Her eyes lit up at the word—not dangerously, just pure excitement.
“Should I throw it?”
“I’ll demonstrate today. Observe first.”
“Okay!”
She marched to the training ground’s edge.
Servants nearby scrambled, fetching a chair and parasol against the sun.
“Now what?”
Turning a sulky entrance into this? Impressive.
But actual frisbee now?
“As said: I throw, you catch.”
“...Where’s the frisbee?”
“I’ll fetch it.”
Frisbee on hand?
I watched to see where from, but—
“Hm?”
He froze mid-step. No movement.
Ah, no way.
I swung my arm through. Passed right through.
Fleet just now?
No warning.
Where’d he even...
“Here.”
“Gah!”
...Back already? That fast?
The afterimage even faded before the young miss noticed, and he was back in place.
“Ha... what rank are you in the kingdom?”
“Pardon?”
“Anyone faster than you, Rowell?”
Not some shounen munchkin protagonist.
Humans could do this?
“The family head surpasses me.”
“Whoa...”
“The Empire has its share of experts too.”
“Ah, the Empire.”
Right, that monster existed.
Adel Kingdom crushed others, but the Empire was continental overlord.
We were neighborhood thugs by comparison.
Still, picturing Rowell bowing to anyone? Tough.
Unless other nobles had esoterics too.
Not the time to ponder.
Training derailed for frisbee duty—me catching.
“Where’d you get the frisbee?”
“From the doghouse in the yard.”
“Ah.”
Yeah, saw that while touring.
“Step back. I’ll throw.”
“What is this... Fine.”
Old, wrinkled geezer and me playing fetch? Absurd.
But I played along.
I backed off a bit.
Rowell waved the disc, then hurled it.
Faster than expected.
Still catchable, but...
Prickle.
Something ominous about it.
Look close: it’s swelling...
“Block it.”
His voice hit; I wrapped myself in Guard—one of the basics.
Then—
BOOM!!
The disc exploded right in front of me.
Fuck.
“Puppy!”
“Firework, young miss.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. See? He’s fine.”
Fine... yeah, intact.
Just a loud pop, no real blast.
“...What was that?”
“The Boyd family’s Esoteric Rush.”
“Frisbee toss is esoteric?”
“Precisely: infuse an object with Rush and detonate on impact.”
“Whoa.”
Insane.
Imbuing Aura into objects is advanced already.
Then packing Rush and chucking it?
“...Can I learn this too?”
Took the hit, but the technique hooked me more.
Ranged explosive Rush? Game-changer.
“It’s risky, so after you master basic Rush.”
“You’ll teach it?”
“Naturally.”
“Haha.”
Whatever the optics.
Tech this broken? Sign me up.
“More frisbees.”
“Catch without exploding this time?”
“How?”
“I’ll teach you the Boyd family’s Esoteric Guard.”
“Heh.”
And so, methods quirky as they were,
I learned more of the Boyd family’s esoteric arts.