The afternoon sun blazed down on the wide stone courtyard, its rays beating against the weathered cobblestones and casting long shadows from the old oak trees that surrounded the training area. The heat made the air shimmer, creating small waves that danced above the ground.
*Slash!*
*Swoosh!*
The sound of steel cutting through the hot air echoed across the empty courtyard. Zhang Wei's breathing stayed steady despite the tiredness creeping into his arms and legs. His eyes never left his target - a stone pillar that had served as his practice dummy for countless training sessions.
*Crack!*
The sharp sound of breaking stone filled the air, followed by small pieces of rock hitting the ground. Zhang Wei stepped back right away, sliding his sword smoothly into the leather holder at his side. The weight of the weapon felt familiar and comforting against his hip as he reached up to wipe away the streams of sweat from his face.
He looked closely at what he had done. The stone pillar, which had once stood tall and unmarked, now had a clean cut about two inches deep. The edges weren't perfectly smooth - they looked more like a controlled break than a true slice through stone - but it was still much better than his earlier attempts. Just last month, he could barely manage to cut through a thin tree branch without hitting it several times.
*Ding!*
A familiar sound rang in his mind, and suddenly a blue screen appeared in front of him, visible only to his eyes. The glowing text seemed to float in the air before him.
**Practice Session Completed**
**Complete 100 sessions of focused intermediate swordsmanship practice (3/100)**
Zhang Wei looked at the message with satisfaction. Below it, his personal information updated automatically:
---
**Name:** Zhang Wei/Ethan Vale
**Age:** 14
**Techniques/Skills:** Intermediate Swordsmanship (0.1/10)(+), Language Expert
**Magic:** (×) Unawakened
---
"This is really tiring," Zhang Wei said quietly to himself, rolling his shoulders to ease the tight muscles.
He had been practicing for at least half a stick of incense and all he had gained was a tiny improvement in his skill level.
But then he remembered the upcoming test.
Gritting his teeth, he picked up his sword again.
"One more round!"
Even if he couldn't participate without awakening his magic, he still wanted to improve. Magic awakening was uncertain, but the strength he gained through hard work was real.
At worst, even if he never awakened magic, he would push his swordsmanship to its highest limits. He didn't believe that magicians were truly unbeatable. Surely there had to be a level of sword skill that could challenge even magic users - a level where he could split mountains and cut through the very sky itself.
Whether he would live long enough to reach such heights was another question. Maybe the strongest mages would always be beyond his reach, but people like Jasper - definitely wouldn't be able to look down on him forever.
With new determination burning in his chest, Zhang Wei drew his sword once more.
*Swoosh!*
The blade sang through the air as he began another practice session. For the next several hours, the courtyard echoed with the sounds of his training - the whistle of steel cutting air, the crack of stone being split, and the steady rhythm of his breathing as he pushed his body to its limits.
The sun slowly moved across the sky, painting the courtyard in shifting patterns of light and shadow. Zhang Wei's movements never stopped, even as his muscles ached and sweat soaked through his simple training clothes. Each strike was careful and planned, each stance held steady despite his growing tiredness.
By the time the sun began to sink toward the horizon, coloring the sky in bright shades of orange and red, Zhang Wei finally allowed himself to stop. He lowered his sword with shaking arms and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, breathing hard.
"This should be enough for today," he gasped, feeling the full weight of tiredness settling over him.
His arms felt like they were made of heavy metal, so tired that he could barely make a fist. His legs shook with the effort of keeping him standing, and every muscle in his body ached with the satisfying pain that came from a hard day's training.
But despite being exhausted, Zhang Wei couldn't help but smile - a tired but satisfied look that reminded him of a farmer looking proudly at crops that would soon be ready to harvest.
*Ding!*
The notification sound rang again, and his status screen appeared:
**Practice Session Completed**
**Complete 100 sessions of focused intermediate swordsmanship practice (15/100)**
His character information had updated as well:
---
**Name:** Zhang Wei/Ethan Vale
**Age:** 14
**Techniques/Skills:** Intermediate Swordsmanship (0.7/10)(+), Language Expert
**Magic:** (×) Unawakened
---
"Not bad at all," Zhang Wei said with real pride in his voice.
He had managed to complete twelve full practice sessions in one day, bringing his skill level from 0.1 to 0.7. It was significant progress that represented hours of dedicated hard work.
Walking over to the wooden sword rack against the courtyard's stone wall, he carefully placed his weapon in its spot. The blade gleamed softly in the fading sunlight, still warm from the day's training.
Looking back across the courtyard, Zhang Wei examined the results of his work. The ground was covered with broken stone pieces and marked with dozens of small cuts from where his sword had struck. Several practice targets showed fresh damage, and the main stone pillar had multiple deep cuts at different heights.
If he had been a common person, the cost of replacing these training materials would have been huge. But as a member of the Vale noble family, even as the often-overlooked son, he had access to resources that most people could only dream of.
"Young Master Ethan, the healing bath is ready!"
A soft, slightly nervous voice called out from beside the courtyard's entrance. The voice belonged to a woman and carried a shy, respectful tone that immediately showed the speaker was a servant.
*Creak!*
The wooden gate swung open smoothly, and a young maid stepped into the courtyard. She looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, with warm brown hair tied back in a simple braid and wearing the standard blue and white uniform of the Vale household staff. She had the pleasant curves of a young woman, and she carried a clean white towel in her hands.
Despite her obvious nervousness, she moved with careful grace as she approached, her eyes looking down in the proper manner of a servant speaking to her master.
"I see," Zhang Wei replied, turning to face her completely.
This was one of the many benefits of being born into a noble family. Even though Ethan Vale wasn't considered particularly outstanding among his siblings, he still received daily access to resources that would be impossible for common people to afford. The healing baths alone cost more than most families earned in a month, filled with rare herbs and magical ingredients that strengthened the body and helped recovery from training.
This was why his body was naturally stronger than the average person living in the nearby forests and villages. While common people spent their time and health just trying to earn enough money to survive, nobles could use their inherited wealth to improve their health and live longer lives. It was an unfair advantage, but one that Zhang Wei had decided to use fully.
However, as the maid continued to approach even after he had acknowledged her presence, Zhang Wei's eyebrows came together with confusion and slight annoyance.
"Didn't I already tell you people not to come into the courtyard while I'm practicing?" he asked, his tone carrying authority despite his young age.
The maid immediately froze in place, her face going pale as she heard the displeasure in his voice.
"I-I don't know! Forgive me, my lord!" she said with a shaking voice, quickly dropping into a deep bow.
Her whole body trembled as she realized she might have made a serious mistake. As a servant in a noble household, her very life depended on staying in her master's good favor. A single moment of displeasure could result in being fired, punishment, or worse.
She clutched at her uniform skirt with shaking hands, not daring to lift her gaze from the ground.
"Did I make a mistake already?" she thought desperately, fighting back tears. "This is only my first day, and I've already made the young master angry!"
Seeing her genuine fear and confusion, Zhang Wei's expression softened slightly. Her reaction seemed too real to be fake, and her terror appeared completely honest.
"Are you new here?" he asked in a gentler tone, studying her carefully.
He was certain he had never seen her face before among the household staff, and her behavior suggested she truly wasn't familiar with his daily routine and preferences.
"Ah? Y-yes!" she replied, finally daring to look up at him. "Madam Mira showed me great kindness and saved my family from starvation!"
When she mentioned his mother's name, her expression changed completely. The fear melted away, replaced by genuine warmth and gratitude that lit up her entire face.
"She really does seem to like my mother," Zhang Wei thought, raising an eyebrow with interest.
This positive reaction made the maid appear much more pleasant to look at. Her genuine appreciation for his mother's kindness spoke well of her character.
Hearing someone praise his mother always put Zhang Wei in a better mood, so he smiled and reached out to take the towel she was holding.
But as his hand got close, the maid quickly pulled the towel back, holding it protectively against her chest.
"Huh?" Zhang Wei blinked in confusion.
Suddenly seeming to realize what she had done, the maid's face turned bright red with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry! Young Master Ethan, please let me wipe your sweat," she said, stepping forward with the towel raised. "It's my duty to take care of you."
Her face was burning with embarrassment - this was the first time she had ever been asked to provide such personal service to a young man, and she wasn't sure how to handle the situation properly.
"No, let me do it myself," Zhang Wei said firmly, shaking his head and smoothly taking the towel from her grasp with practiced speed.
"Ah?" The maid stared at her empty hands in surprise, then seemed to panic. "Y-Young Master, please let me do it! It's my job to serve you!"
Looking at her worried expression and hearing the desperation in her voice, Zhang Wei's frown returned, deeper this time.
"No, I'll handle it myself," he repeated.
"But I—"
"Did someone specifically order you to do this?" Zhang Wei interrupted, his voice turning cold and sharp as he stared at her intensely.
Under the strength of his gaze, the maid felt as if the temperature around her had dropped several degrees. Strange pains like pins and needles raced across her skin, and she found it difficult to breathe properly. The young master's eyes seemed to see straight through her, searching for any sign of lying.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her throat felt frozen with fear.
"Tell me the truth!" Zhang Wei commanded, raising his voice in a way that made his authority absolutely clear and copying Ethan speaking habits.
The sharp tone and sudden loudness were too much for the nervous maid. She stumbled backward and fell to the ground, landing hard on the stone courtyard. Tears immediately began forming in her eyes as she trembled with genuine terror.
"Y-Young Master... Madam Mira told me to take care of you properly! I'm sorry, I won't make this mistake again!" she sobbed, her voice breaking with emotion.
"I thought someone was..." Zhang Wei's expression immediately softened as he realized his mistake.
Looking down at her tear-streaked face and trembling form, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Without hesitation, he reached down and gently helped pull her back to her feet, his touch careful and apologetic.
"She's just a hardworking girl trying to do her job," he thought, shaking his head at his own suspicion.
As he helped her stand, he could feel her small, slightly rough hands trembling in his grasp. Her palms were cold from fear, and the texture spoke of a life spent doing hard work - probably helping her family survive before coming to work at the Vale mansion.
"What's wrong with me? How could I scold her like that?" he asked himself, genuinely disturbed by his own behavior.
The truth was, he had initially suspected that someone with bad intentions might be using this innocent maid as a tool in some plan against him. Perhaps threatening her family or bribing her to spy on him or cause him harm. In this world of noble politics and family rivalries, such tactics weren't uncommon.
"I'm getting too suspicious," Zhang Wei admitted to himself. "But I can't help it - I have too many enemies here, and I never know what they might try next. Who knows what kind of twisted thoughts was going on in their head?"
Once the maid was steady on her feet again, Zhang Wei released her hands and took a step back.
"Lead the way to the bath," he said gently, his voice now carrying none of the previous coldness.
The maid looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes. She couldn't believe that this young noble master had actually helped her up from the ground with his own hands. In her limited experience with nobility, she had been told they were cruel, demanding, and quick to punish servants for the smallest mistakes.
But the person standing before her had shown her unexpected kindness and consideration.
Warmth bloomed in her chest, replacing the cold fear that had gripped her moments before.
"They say that nobles are impossible to please and naturally evil," she thought, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "But I don't think that's true at all. It must be because most people haven't met a truly good master."
With renewed confidence and genuine gratitude in her heart, she bowed properly and gestured toward the mansion.
"Please follow me, Young Master Ethan. The healing bath is prepared and waiting for you."