Maxi smiled when he saw Techxin approach. "Oh, hey big brother. How have you been?"
Techxin smirked, his red eyes glinting like rubies in sunlight. "As good as I ever could be."
"I can see that," Maxi replied, watching as Techxin stripped off his outer clothes, revealing sleek black and gold training gear underneath.
Techxin rolled his shoulders and stretched. Maxi mimicked his movements, slipping into his own training clothes and strapping on a leather chest plate. He gripped his rapier and stood still for a moment, breathing deeply.
"Alright," Techxin said, cracking his neck. "We'll keep it short today. I can tell your body's still recovering from last time. Don't want you bedridden again."
Maxi winced at the memory of lying in bed for two days, muscles aching, body on fire. He nodded and stepped into his self-made guard stance—rapier upright, blade splitting his face in perfect perpendicular symmetry. Eyes closed, he waited.
Techxin, now armed with two heavy fire axes, raised an eyebrow and said simply, "Begin."
Maxi's eyes snapped open.
Techxin lunged with a downward swing. Maxi flipped sideways, avoiding the strike with an acrobatic twist and returned to stance mid-air. The axe came again in a sideways sweep—Maxi danced backward once, twice, blade steady. A vertical strike followed, crashing down like a guillotine, but Maxi dodged right, his body flowing like water around a stone.
Then Techxin smirked and swept again, this time with both axes—one leading, the other trailing in a baited motion. Maxi sidestepped the first, then barely evaded the second, his rapier singing as it stayed aligned in perfect form. His feet never lost balance.
And then came the opening.
Techxin lifted an axe high for a final blow, and Maxi's eyes gleamed. He shifted stances, rapier now turned sideways and above his head, intercepting the axe at the beard . The clash rang out. Maxi used the momentum to push forward not just himself forward but Techin too, he then piercing Techxin's shoulder lightly causing him to start falling over then maxi spinning around in a crescent motion—striking Techxin's wrist, forcing the axe from his grip with a crack of redirected force.
Techxin fell to the ground, one axe skidding across the dirt. When he looked up, Maxi was already pointing the rapier at his neck, a smile dancing on his lips.
"You did it again," Techxin chuckled, breathless. "You scheming bastard."
Maxi laughed, letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding. For a brief second, he felt it—three gods clapping for him from somewhere impossibly far and yet intimately close.
Techxin sighed and said, "Fine, you win again."
Maxi lowered his rapier and offered a hand. Techxin took it and got to his feet, dusting himself off. "You always plan every fight out, huh?"
"Of course," Maxi replied. "You have an awakened blessing. I've got to stay sharp—even when you're not using it."
Techxin grinned. "Fair enough. Listen, about training…"
Maxi raised an eyebrow.
Techxin continued
"You're flexible. Way more than me. Your body isn't built for raw strength, but for speed and maneuverability. That's not my style-I wield axes. I may be flexible, but I'm not the one to help you master it."
Maxi tilted his head. "So what are you saying?"
Techxin crossed his arms. "I'm saying… maybe it's time you asked one of our siblings. Someone who gets movement. Someone like Sunwu."
maxi says kinda confused out of Instinct "Kong?"
Techxin says bewildered
"No! What the hell-no, not that monkey." Techxin face pulled looking disappointed and continued. "Sunwu our brother the one how wields a quarterstaff, even uses a massive YonSetsuKon. He's an ideal mentor for someone with your body type. But… he's got a short temper, so you'll need patience. If not him, maybe Dalles?"
Maxi sighed. "Fine. I'll ask when I have the time."
"Sorry for dropping this on you," Techxin said, his voice softer now. "When I left you bedridden, something didn't feel right. I realized maybe I wasn't the one to take you further."
"Does this mean we're done training together?"
"Not exactly. We'll still spar every day," Techxin grinned. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Maxi gave a small smile. "Okay."
Techxin smirked, stretching again. "One last round? For old time's sake?"
Maxi laughed. "Fine. Let's go. Just don't put me in a coma again."
"I promise. No comas today."
As they sparred again—lighter this time, filled with laughter and strategy—Angelina watched silently from the side, her expression calm, a quiet smile playing on her lips as she witnessed the brotherly bond between them.
Evening turned to night.
Maxi, drenched in sweat and panting, waved goodbye to Techxin and made his way back to his small castle, Angelina in tow. He bathed in warm water, slipping into soft white pajamas, and collapsed into his bed.
"Angelina," he murmured, "could you make me something to eat? Then you're dismissed for the night."
She nodded silently and left. Maxi lay back, his thoughts drifting.
He had to ask one of his siblings to train him-Sunwu or Dalles. And worse, he still hadn't spoken to his father about the choice: go through with an arranged marriage now, or delay everything until he turned sixteen for the Blessing Awakening Ceremony.
His life was a mess.
But at least… he'd seen his mother today. That made the mess a little more bearable.
"I can do this," Maxi whispered to himself. "I was organized once. In my old life, I managed things. I can do it again."
An hour later, Angelina returned with a tray.
"Lamb chops," she said softly, placing the plate on the bedside counter.
The meat was rich in color, almost smoky brown with hints of red blood. Green sauce and herbs sparkled like dew, and two soups—one deep crimson, the other an emerald green—rested on either side of the meat like guards protecting royalty.
"Thank you, Angelina," Maxi said, smiling.
She bowed. "Enjoy your meal, young master," then left the room.
Maxi took a bite.
Flavor exploded in his mouth—meaty, juicy, breathtakingly tender. The green sauce was like breathing in winter air after chewing fresh mint. The red soup deepened the meat's richness—like drinking watermelon juice on a lazy Sunday. The green soup refreshed and cooled, as if swallowing icy water after a run.
And together? When Maxi dipped the lamb into both sauces?
Red and green, sauce and soup-heaven within heaven. It was paradise. Secret, perfect, undisturbed paradise.
That night, he slept deeply, belly full, heart calmer, and mind at peace-if only for now.