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Captain's POV
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"How... Didn't I even... Manage to land... A single hit on you?" (Ryu)

He spoke in between deep breaths while lying on the floor.

"Hm. You're too aggressive... You only focus on hitting the person you're fighting rather than defending." (Captain)

I stand over him, my sword placed on the ground and lean on it while pointing out his mistakes.

"So... If I defended... I would have won?" (Ryu)

"... Certain battles can only be won by experience alone. Even once you perfect your swordsmanship, there will always be a better opponent." (Captain)

"Even if... You've only lived... Fighting?" (Ryu)

"No one person can live a life and experience everything. One fighter will always excel at one thing than his opponent even if they are of equal skill. This goes both ways." (Captain)

Around when I finished this sentence, Ryu stood up, dust covering his clothes and scrapes across his arms and hands, a slight stain of blood over them.

"... That's it for today. Go back to the inn and wash up. Spend some time with your sister." (Captain)

It looked as if he wanted to rebuke what I was saying before I finished, but he didn't speak out and walked away quietly.

I watch his back for a few seconds, then turned and pick up both swords, putting them back on the rack we had gotten them from.

Whilst placing the second sword, I hear a call out to the side and see a guard from the wall jogging towards me, holding something in his hand.

"Captain Doujima! Captain Doujima! I was told to give you this..." (Guard)

He hands me a small piece of paper, a letter, sealed with a red wax and the symbol of a weasel imprinted on it.

Not paying much attention to it, I tear it open and pull the letter out.

It was accompanied by a strange, elegant smell and overly-zealous handwriting, signed off at the end in a barely legible signature.

I had to read it a few times to understand it fully, as most of it was filled with unnecessary filler, but it was sent by Baron Fior.

The Fior family wasn't particularly well-known, to say the least. Rumors claim they bought their title rather than had it bestowed to or inherited, but none evolved further than that.

They rarely attended social parties and didn't seem to do much outside of their land.

What was common knowledge, however, was that they were very much siding with the aristocratic faction and not the Royal Family since the Baron criticized them in the few outings he does goes on.

But the letter did not say much, merely inviting us to visit him as we were close by and he wished to congratulate me on taking command of a true King's Squad.

It was laced with so many sweet words that it was almost difficult to read.

"Ah! There was also this one that was sent in a few days ago, but we couldn't find you." (Guard)

The next card he handed me was similar to the first, but the wax had a lion with a sword above it rather than a weasel.

The Argefelt Barony. A family that was known for producing above average knights, and also the parents of Leon Argefelt, the knight who caused a bit of trouble before we left to kill the Fenrir.

Opening the letter, I was not greeted with a pungent smell, unlike the letter prior. It seems that the Baron didn't intend to put me to sleep while writing it either.

He was fairly concise with what he wanted to say. He knew we were at Greif, and he also only recently found out what his son had done. Knowing that we'd eventually return to the Capital, he's invited us to stay at his manor on our way back, claiming it as a form of apology for the mishaps of Leon.

It was an appealing offer. Much more so than the previous letter. It'll also give me a more ideal spot to train Ryu, or maybe spar with him, if he wants to.

Even so, I can't exactly decline the Baron's invite. It isn't... "customary" for someone of a lower rank to do so.

I was planning on leaving Greif soon anyway, especially after the surprise meeting with Kagei, but I didn't exactly have a destination, since His Majesty hadn't given us another mission.

So now, thanks to these letters, we have a destination, though I doubt one of them is going to be as pleasant as the other.

"Hey! Tell Ryu to come to my room at the Inn." (Captain)

I call over to the guard who was starting to walk away from me.

"Huh? Oh-- Yes, Sir!" (Guard)

He salutes me and quickly runs off.

"And tell him to bring his sister too!" (Captain)

"O-ok!" (Guard)

As he runs off, I fold the letters into my pocket and begin to walk back to the Inn.

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"Captain?" (Ryu)

"Come in." (Captain)

A voice called from behind the door and I answered quickly, to which the door opened.

I spin around from the desk that was filled with paper and see the two of them hand in hand.

"Aah! It's Hero!" (Akari)

Akari's face lights up when she sees me and calls out to me, but Ryu stops her from running towards me.

He could have probably already guessed why I called the both of them here, or at least some of the reason.

"He wants to have a talk, alright. Let's listen to him." (Ryu)

He speaks softly to Akari, much unlike the cold voice he uses to the rest of the squad.

"... Mm, ok." (Akari)

Her head drops a bit, but seems to be paying attention.

"We're going to be leaving Greif soon." (Captain)

"How soon?" (Ryu)

"Within the next few days." (Captain)

"... I see." (Ryu)

"Eh? Ryu? Are you... Leaving already?" (Akari)

It takes a few moments for Akari to realize what we're talking about, but tears begin to well up in her eyes when she does.

"You'll be coming with us, Akari." (Captain)

"Really?" (Akari)

"You'll have to. It's... Too dangerous here for you." (Captain)

"... Dangerous? Why?" (Akari)

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Author Notes
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Hey guys. It's been a while, huh? Last chapter I posted was in March, and now it's July.

I have to say, I'm not proud of myself. I could always put it down to excuses, like" Oh, school is draining me" or "I've had exams so I haven't had time" but I would be basically lying st that point.

But, I can say that I have thought about this series every single day since I last posted a chapter. I have thought about where I want to take, how I'm going to take it there.

The problem was getting to those major points that allow me to continue this story. This chapter was one of those obstacles.

In those 4 months of writing very little, I managed to write myself into a ditch that was seemingly impossible to get out of. At around 700 words, I couldn't find a way to continue this chapter.

I must have opened the chapter maybe 10 or 20 times to no avail. But, here I am. I've finished the chapter. And, I'm going to be honest, I've surprised myself with it.

But I'm not going to talk much longer, I have chapter 100 to write after all. That'll also be a long one, as I've promised.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this, please continue doing so!