Adam stood utterly still.
The steam still hung in the air of the bathroom, but his attention was fixed on the figure in front of him. A woman in armor floated at eye level, her arms crossed, her expression calm.
Her golden eyes watched him without hesitation, as if this situation were perfectly natural to her.
A heavy silence fell between them.
...I just summoned her.
It took several seconds for the idea to sink in.
Is this... a hero?
Even as he processed what had happened, something in particular caught his attention.
"Britain...?" he repeated quietly.
The name was completely unfamiliar to him. Not in his past life, not in the historical records he knew, not even in ancient legends. That alone puzzled him more than the invocation itself.
The woman smiled slightly before answering.
"That's right. I am the queen of the knights trained in Great Britain and leader of the Knights of the Round Table."
As she spoke, Asterin puffed out her chest slightly, as if the simple act of introducing herself were an oath of honor. Despite her small stature, her presence was overwhelming. She did not need to raise her voice or adopt an aggressive posture; the dignity and pride she exuded were enough to command respect.
Adam didn't respond immediately.
He watched her silently, assessing her. He didn't detect any deception in her words.
A possibility began to form in his mind.
What if Britannia belongs to a much older era... one that even history forgot?
If that were true, the answer would be obvious.
I have summoned a hero from the past.
His heart skipped a beat.
For the first time since he had traveled back in time, Adam felt something other than fear or confusion.
Expectation.
He let out a slow sigh, forcing himself to calm the emotions that were beginning to stir inside him, and looked back at Asterin.
Just as he was about to speak, a sound interrupted the moment.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knock echoed against the bathroom door, followed by the respectful voice of one of the maids.
"My lord, it is time for your training. His Lordship wishes you to proceed to the training grounds."
Adam blinked once, abruptly returning to reality.
"Got it! I'll be right there!"
As the sound of footsteps faded away, Adam turned his gaze to Asterin and asked quietly:
"Can they see you?"
Asterin shook her head calmly, a slight assurance reflected in her expression.
"I am a heroic spirit. To others, I do not exist," she replied. "You have nothing to worry about, Master."
Adam nods and leaves the bathroom; he puts on some clothes and heads to the training ground.
...
Once at the training ground, his father was already waiting for him; he held a wooden sword and had his shirt sleeves rolled up.
"Shall we begin training?"
Zephyr throws him a wooden sword; Adam catches the wooden sword, and a nostalgic smile forms on his lips.
When he turned thirteen, his father stopped teaching him posture and instead trained him through sparring matches.
Part of it was because Adam learned much faster with this method.
"If you were as dedicated to training, you would be a great knight and even surpass me," his father had told him more than once.
Back then, he didn't like training and spent most of his time goofing off, so he didn't try very hard.
He was ashamed of that past.
"Father."
Zephyr raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Yes?"
Adam took up a stance with his sword.
"Teach me seriously from now on."
A flash of surprise passed through Zephyr's eyes.
"Hahahaha! You've finally opened your eyes, my son. Well, I will show no mercy."
Adam just smiled in response.
He knows that his father is known as the Blood Knight, who once defeated countless enemies before being given the title of noble and a territory.
Zephyr lunged at Adam.
Wooden swords rained down from all directions.
It was lively and destructive fencing, like a demon in the midst of a slaughter.
Adam, who had not yet awakened his mana, could barely keep up, but thanks to his SSS-rank talent, he was just about managing to defend himself.
That is the big difference between a High-Ranking Knight and one who did not even have access to mana.
Then Zephyr's sword recoiled, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
In his past life, Adam had been one of the strongest people on the continent, becoming a knight of the highest rank.
In addition, he roamed various battlefields, learning swordsmanship solely to kill and seek revenge. He knew so many styles that he earned the title of wandering swordsman.
"Father, is that all you've got? It seems that the title of Blood Knight has rusted away over the years."
He even allowed himself a blatant taunt.
Adam wanted to squeeze every last drop of potential out of that SSS-rank talent. If he was going to awaken his strength, he had to do it against someone who wouldn't hold back.
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"My son... are you trying to provoke me?"
A deep laugh escaped his lips as he stepped forward, wielding the wooden sword with a broad, dangerous smile.
"Good. You've caught my attention."
Adam watched as the wooden sword seemed to grow in size, or perhaps the pressure emanating from it distorted his perception. An invisible weight fell on his shoulders, forcing him to tense every muscle.
He took a deep breath and adjusted his stance, preparing to block the attack.
The sword came down.
Just before impact, Adam changed the angle with unnatural smoothness, as if guiding the blade down an invisible ramp, deflecting its trajectory at the last moment.
Adam gritted his teeth.
Even so, the full force of the blow was transmitted through the weapon. The force exploded against the ground with a dry thud, shaking the earth beneath his feet.
Zephyr pulled the sword out of the ground, a smile on his lips. "Now that's what I call a big surprise."
Adam, still numb from the impact, flashed a broad, almost triumphant smile. He had seen his father's attack with absolute clarity... a clarity he had never experienced before.
I saw it. Every move. Every intention.
He turned to Zephyr, full of enthusiasm.
"Father, let's have a..."
He couldn't finish the sentence.
In front of him, Zephyr was smiling.
It wasn't just any smile.
It was that smile.
"Let's continue with the training," he said in a dangerously calm tone. "You still have a lot to learn."
Adam's smile immediately faded.
His soul, on the other hand, screamed.
Ah. I see. I've made a terrible mistake.
Even with all the memories of his past life, his body was still that of a young man. He had limits. Very real limits. And standing before him was a man who enjoyed breaking them with a wooden sword.
Adam swallowed hard.
"J-just... just don't hit me too hard..."
Zephyr raised his sword.
"That will depend on how much you keep smiling."
Adam knew, at that very moment, that the rest of the training would be a one-sided massacre.