Gravity's Brutal Lesson
Tiny couldn't help but feel thrilled, like a real thirteen-year-old kid. 'The heavier it is, the stronger it gets!' It felt like this attribute had been custom-made just for him. And it wasn't just adding power proportional to weight—it seemed far more profound.
"The higher your mana realm climbs, the stronger and faster you become in proportion. It's nothing like a regular Expert who just adds attributes to create variables. That's why it's one of our family's greatest treasures."
The more he heard, the more he liked this thing called gravity. But there was one small problem.
He couldn't understand a word the duke was saying.
"......What?"
"So, between objects, there's this attractive force, and the greater the mass...... that is, the weight......"
"What kinda nonsense is that?"
"Urgh, just listen! So, a massive continent has a huge pull on objects because......"
"Why would the ground pull stuff? You eat fancy food and start spouting crap. Then why ain't everyone plastered to the dirt?"
"Hah...... hahaha......"
"Ha, gotcha good, right? Can't argue with that, huh?"
"Ugh! You ignorant little......"
He'd raised a perfectly valid counterpoint, and all he got was called ignorant.
"Then why do things up high fall down?"
"......'Cause that's how it works."
"Exactly!! Why does it work that way?!"
"'Cause that's how it works, why nitpick? You're weird. Never pegged you for that......"
"Urrgh, you thick-headed punk......!"
"Eek! No violence!!"
He'd just called out the weirdness, and a fist came flying.
"Don't you even try to understand if you don't get it!?"
"Why make life so complicated?"
"......What?"
"If you don't get it, just shrug and move on. Why bother......"
"Urrgh, you halfwit with your dumb beliefs! Driving me nuts, you stubborn ass! Arrrgh!"
"......That's a bit harsh."
Even the duke, who started with patience to explain it all, gave up on theory after just three days. Eyes bloodshot from stress, he grabbed Tiny by the collar.
"You little shit, come here!"
"Whoa! Gack! Wh-what......!"
Ignoring Tiny's words, the duke kicked out a window and dashed along the walls. Their destination was......
Whoooosh.
The top of a spire in Valentia's inner castle, whipped by biting winds.
"Wh-why here......?"
"......Guess you gotta learn the hard way."
A chilling, murderous voice brought a bad premonition—and it came true.
Woooong.
"Ack!?"
In an instant, the duke's power froze his mana and paralyzed his limbs. Then, the hand gripping his collar extended over the edge. Tiny's face drained white.
"Wh-what the hell are you doing!?"
"What? You won't listen to words, so I'm kindly teaching you with your body!"
Were the duke's red eyes rolling back? Or was it his imagination?
"One more time. Why does a 'person' up high have to fall?"
......Person? F-fall......?
"Arrrgh! At least unseal my mana, you psycho!"
"Figures words won't cut it......"
The moment the duke's grip loosened, Tiny screamed like lightning.
"Gravity!"
The duke paused.
"......Oh ho?"
"Because of gravity! Uh, yes, because of gravity!"
Survival instinct moved his mouth.
"Why?"
"......Pardon?"
"Why does gravity make your body fall?"
He's really gonna drop me! He wanted to yell, but facing those wild eyes, he couldn't mouth off.
"Uh, th-that...... probably 'cause the ground pulls people?"
He racked his numb brain, spitting out fragments he'd half-heard.
"Exactly. Why?"
"Why?! You said......!"
The instant he snapped in frustration, the duke let go.
"Arrrgh!"
"Feel gravity with your body, kid."
"You crazy bast—!"
The duke's voice faded distantly. Ornate walls and buildings blurred past. He didn't know what gravity was, but falling like this would kill him. No time to ponder—instead, he focused on breaking the mana seal.
"Arrrghhh!"
Just before hitting ground, he shook off the duke's mana and activated Mana Body over his whole form. He hastily summoned Wolrang too.
"Woof!?!?"
Wolrang, yanked into midair, locked eyes with falling Tiny. Betrayal flashed in those pupils.
"Sorryyyyy!!"
A scream-slash-yell, and—
BOOM!
"Yelp!!"
Wolrang, the cushion, got reverse-summoned from the impact.
Crack.
Even with Mana Body, ankle-shattering pain hit full force.
"Urgh."
[Grrrrr! Woof! Woof!]
From the soul realm, Wolrang's furious protests echoed.
'R-real...... sorry. Ngh.'
As Tiny swallowed tears, forcing mana to align his bones—
Tap.
"Felt the greatness of gravity, kid?"
Light footsteps and that eerie voice.
"You...... psycho......"
"What?"
He swallowed the curse threatening to burst, facing those twitching eyes again.
"......Felt it vividly, that gravity thing. Haha......"
To live, he'd say anything.
Still—
"Good, that's right. Just high enough you wouldn't die. So, can you wield gravity now?"
"......Pardon?"
The duke's madness wasn't over.
"You felt it so vividly, you can wield it now, right?"
"N-no...... haha, gotta practice that......"
He couldn't see his face, but knew his eyes shook wildly. Dread surged again.
"W-well...... guess we do it a few more times."
"No! I think I get it if you explain now!!"
True desperation this time—but
"Nah! If so, you'd have gotten it in three days."
"N-no. Words just......"
"Nah! You learn fast with your body."
"Explain it, you crazy geezer!!"
Terror broke his mouth again.
"Oh......?"
The duke's red eyes burned brighter.
That day, Tiny fell from the spire three more times.
And the most infuriating part......
"Haha, should've done this sooner."
In the final drop—wrists snapped, ribs cracked—he truly grasped the Gravity attribute.
'......It actually worked?'
But triumph paled against boiling resentment.
All he could do was—
"F-fuck......"
One curse laden with fury, then blackout.
* * *
Waking with a shattered body, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling and Cloi's face.
"Awake?"
Pure white light from her hand infused life into him. But rising sparked agony everywhere.
"Urgh."
"What kinda brutal training? Even as Father's disciple, overflowing with zeal......"
......Training? Zeal? What bullshit is that? Like Wolrang munching grass?
'Before that......'
Disciple of that lunatic geezer?
"Heh...... heh......"
Whose decision? Absurdity choked words.
But......
"Heard you hit Expert already? In three days with Father! Knights are buzzing! Century's genius arrived!"
Cloi's beaming excitement killed complaints.
"......Th-thanks."
"Yep! I'll tell Father exactly that."
"N-no...... for healing."
"Oh...... this? Duh, you're my guest. Gotta do at least this."
Her bright smile and kind heart—better not snitch on the duke.
'Embarrassing, but there were results.'
Still, one thing to clarify.
"Ngh...... um, I'm not joining the knights. Especially not Blue Wing."
"Huh? Why?"
Her disappointed face tugged guilt, but no was no.
Tiny sighed, rising.
"Hoo."
Crack.
Nian Ti's recovery plus holy healing? Bones felt mended, though tingling pain lingered.
"......Got things to do. Can't if I'm officially under the duke's house. His Grace knows."
He had to roam the world. "Empire guy" label was fine, but formal affiliation spelled trouble in enemy lands.
Loose ties to Valentia? Fine. Rumors spread slow; foes wouldn't dig that deep.
'Even if known, deny—rumors are just rumors......'
Official registry? Whole different beast.
"Really? Didn't hear that......"
Cloi's pout—childlike, unlike past life, emotions bare.
So Tiny asked straight.
"But why heal me yourself, Lady Cloi?"
"Huh?"
"Duke's house has plenty of priests."
More than plenty. Even greedy clerics would volunteer free for Valentia connections.
"Told you. My guest......"
"You're busy. Coming-of-age rite and all."
Her face stiffened.
"......You heard too?"
"Yeah, castle's abuzz with prep."
"Kinda...... just etiquette practice. Not busy."
"So, bored and healed me?"
Prodding lightly—
"Tch, bored?!"
She glared, axe-eyes.
'Tch? Treating me like a kid......'
Absurdity blanked him, blinking. Then her eyes softened, white hand patting his head.
"Like I said, you're mine. And youngest kid here. So......"
......Warm, awkward. Sensing it?
She smirked, playful noogie.
Thwack.
"......Just say thanks for looking after you! No nitpicking!"
Zero pain. And he got why she trailed off.
'......Anxious, uneasy. Can't whine as duke's daughter.'
Always poised before retainers. Needed someone to vent to.
'Best if clueless kid who don't know noble ways.'
Past life, no clue her pre-rite feelings. But humans get uneasy at big changes.
'I did.'
It was "adulthood," but just sixteen. Obvious.
No need for detailed advice now. Young or not, she was Cloi—wisest he knew.
So......
"You'll do great."
Simple cheer should suffice.
But she tilted head.
"Do great at what?"
......Ah.
"......The rite."
She flinched again. Lacked past life's poise.
Then, harder noogie.
"......Smartass. Duh, I'll nail it. It's my day."
Ahem, awkward chin-up—still childish, but cute.
Then, fake cough.
"......Notice a lot?"
"Normal to worry before big day. Close ones know. Like Knight Vivian."
"R-really? Ugh......"
Lip-biting pout sparked mischief, but she straightened first.
"You, not joining house, but Father's teaching counts, right?"
Hand on hip, finger pointed imperiously. Odd charisma yanked answer.
"......Y-yeah?"
"Then, basically family."
......Not really? Duke drops family off towers?
Fall horrors flashed, fear-rage bubbling—
"So, call me sis from now."
"......Huh?"
Out-of-left-field, he blanked.
Cloi meant much, but past life? Acquaintances at best. He hid history; walls of status, relations everywhere. Just alliance heavyweights nodding.
Plus.
'Sis......'
Reserved for one in his life. Others saying it'd earn curses—but Cloi.
"Uh...... th-that......"
Flustered, tongue-tied—
"What? Reaction's weird. Be honored. I'm duke's lady."
Chin-up again, mismatched haughtiness cracked him up.
"Wha, laughing?"
She raised voice, displeased. Then giggled too.
"Honestly, 'wise noble judgment' to snag genius early."
Smug emphasis tickled more laughs.
"Wise noble judgment?"
"Duh, that's why the kind healing."
True motive?
"......And keep my secret, thanks."
Muttered aside felt realer. Adorably so, another chuckle escaped.
"......Anyway, heard other nobles' rites? Tell me."
"Seen some."
"Yeah?"
"Well......"
Thus, boy still young and girl nearing adulthood shared long, pointless, joyful chatter.
And it left.
'Sis...... huh......'
A bewildering, but not unwelcome, ripple in the boy's heart.