Legacy (Daughter of War #2)

Chapter 1: Old Friends, New Greetings

Music is The City of Commerce from the NieR soundtrack, composed by Keiichi Okabe. Play it!

Media: The inner ring gates, featuring our favourite duo!

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The boy soils his breeches as soon as he sees me.

At least, I assume he did. That's the effect I have on most pageboys around here, unless they're stupid or innocent enough—on rare occasions, both—to defy me. Every time I asked Captain Eldric why they all feared me even if I didn't lift a finger against them, he would just shrug his shoulders and reply that it had something to do with my status.

The problem is, he never tells me if it's because of my Champion status or my apprentice status. So I can't tell if it's me who's terrifying or if it's my abilities that are terrifying.

"Report?" I ask the boy.

"The c-captain would like to meet y-you at the inner ring gates, sir," the boy stammers. So, he had deliberately searched for me then. Why is he still so nervous?

Give the boy a break, says Abner.

He needs a good hiding, I reply crossly. Whelp like him will never help in Perinus' army.

Perhaps that's why the pageboys are so terrified of you.

Shut up, Abner.

Whatever you say...

"Report received," I say to the boy. His mousy brown fringe flops over his eyes, as though they could shield him from the world—or me. "You may go now."

He falls into a deep bow—an inappropriate sign of respect for someone of my relatively low rank. "Y-yes. Of course, sir." He then scurries off into an indeterminate direction, towards one of the many passageways that connects the structure of the outer ring.

"I'm not even a knight," I mutter, more to myself than to the wind biting my cheeks. "Why did he even address me as 'sir'?"

Can you think of any addressment more appropriate for someone as terrifying as you? Abner interjects unhelpfully.

I roll my eyes. Squire Rutherland, perhaps?

Clearly the boy holds you in a higher regard. Just appreciate it.

With a sigh, I finish polishing my training sword and return it to the stands. Perhaps that's why the pageboy had looked so terrified of me. Not surprising. Gilbert had once told me that plenty of bards around the country were singing songs of my skill with the sword, and of my victory over Diomedes. It would be logical if those songs had originated from Castle Larstand itself. Otherwise, Cordair.

I look around the training field. Only a blessed few are left under the waning heat of the midday sun. Not that it was much to begin with. If anyone had thought that training during summer was terrible, that thought would quickly be vanquished every winter. It's preferable for most to boil underneath sweltering weather than not being able to feel your fingers at all. Those men still hacking at the wooden dummies are most likely part of Captain Eldric's Elite Guard. The ones who had been specifically trained to take down ghosts two years ago. Now, their services are no longer of use, but they do still keep their skills honed sharp.

Under my watch, of course.

After buckling on my scimitar, I finally head over to the inner ring gates, having to slosh through a sea of snow. Unusual, for the captain to specially deploy a pageboy just to ask me to meet up with him. I already do so every day, to receive my numerous assignments from Captain Eldric. He hadn't been jesting when he'd said that being his apprentice would be tough work, but it's all worth it so far.