Paul pov
It's been over a year and half since Lilla told us that Rudi's a miko and since it became like a challenge between me and Zenith how we raise Rudi I want him better than me. Especially in swordsmanship and I also give him here and there advice about women to help him in the future.
Zenith at the same time teaches him millis religion. And Rudi imitated her at the dinner table and memorized all the laws she taught him. But apparently he didn't take it well. It seems he won't be a religious type like a true Greyrat.
I also gave him advices about women as much as I can but he prefers reading books to listening to my advices. So I usually take a different approach to give him advice.
5 months after Lilla told us about him being miko
He asked me to train him in Sword. I felt immense pride and I was going to start teaching him immediately but I remembered how weak his body is. So I told him after he became steady on his feet I will start to train him on fitness first.
Of course I may be showing off a bit. When, I felt his presence coming. So, I showed some of my best moves to impress him. I started with flow technique and with some of the best counter attacks on advanced level. Then went to show off north god style. (Don't get me wrong I don't like the style. But, it has some flashy moves). And after that I finished with sword god style and the last move was sword god the long sword of silence combined with the most powerful skill of north god I can do. (No way he wouldn't be impressed by this).
As I finished showing off I realised Rudi was smiling at me then a crack sound happened and his smile faded and changed into an anxious one. When his face was aimed at Zenith I took a moment to put what happened together. (I damaged Zenith's favourite tree!).
After taking the worst scolding in my life after taking Rudi out when he wasn't even one year-old. Zenith that day reminded me that her plants are like her children. Yes she loves them to this extent. But we both know. She loves me and Rudi more. After saying sorry and promised her I will never hurt her plants again and if I did she is right to put any punishment.
As she was leaving to deposit the weeds she planted when she was pregnant with Rudi a very small and very fast gray matter moved at the same time I sheath my sword. Hitting Zenith's favourite tree breaking another branch and it's looking like I did it. (Oh uh, Not good).
Zenith this time didn't waste time according to her and she didn't even scold me she said this. "You are not allowed to touch me for at least ten nights. And don't try to fix this with your ways of sweet talk."
I couldn't even defend myself even with my faster eyes. I couldn't get a grasp of what broke Zenith's tree. So, I can't prove my innocence. So I stayed silent. Until, our angel like Zenith started calling him. Rudi came.
First he asked me if I'm okay then asked me if I could read him a book. Not my best point but when I saw the book some of my happiness returned. It was a book about swordsmanship and labyrinths. It was 'The three swordsmen and the labyrinth'. It's like a guide to sword and labyrinths with a story of the early gods of swords of each school.
But I realised that Rudi was focused on north god style. For a moment I thought he liked the style more that brought a frown to my face but Rudi claimed he wanted to discover the secret of gravity magic like the north god. That almost made me laugh at the secret of the whole world other than the kalmans researching for he wanted to find it by himself. And he told me he likes the man himself. That improved my mood.
I also idolise the man who killed many monsters, finished many labyrinths alone and more importantly married three times.
So I talked deeply about him with Rudi that we missed lunch so Lilla brought snacks and sent some to Zenith. After that Rudi had a big smile on his face and looked with respect to the North god's description. So, I told him I'm also strong and advanced in three different schools of sword. Which made him say. "Amazing!"
I almost made a deer jump like Zenith but kept my facade in front of Rudi. And to hide my smug. I moved my head to the other side. Then he asked me to train him in sword.
I smiled and laughed and I was going to accept but remembered when I saw his weak body so I told him to wait when he is five. But the opposite of what I expected of the maturity of mikos that he shows happened. I found him pouting then told me.
"Can't you just train me now?" (Did He like swords that much?)
"As much as I want to say yes. Rudi, this has to wait." (I tried to be as mature as I could to follow Zenith advice to me when I'm with Rudi as I could).
"Okay.." I found Rudi with an even bigger pout and looked sad so I tried to ease this by saying. "Okay Rudi, let's make a promise here if you become steady on your feet and able to run I will start to train you but that's too have to wait until at the very least you are two." (I said trying to appear cool as much as I can).
Then said, "After that I will train you in Sword god style, the strongest school and its counter water god style to be able to protect yourself." I will train him in North god style if he somehow becomes double advanced before leaving. He is the son of me and Zenith. Of course he will leave home soon. And after my slip with words yesterday. I gave him permission to leave us when he is at least twelve. (I was scolded very badly because of this).
That got Rudi spirits back and said something that impressed me. "Thank you Daddy. But, Be ready because I will beat you soon." He said it with a happy smile. (Well, that's a surprise).
I just smiled and laughed then ruffled his hair. He made me really happy today. I almost ignored the applauding crowd. And Zenith punishment too. (Wait, where is Zenith?).
I found her in the middle of the applauding women with a very fake smile and immense blood lust that made Rudeus lose his footing for a second. And quite literally threatened Mrs Eto while she was talking to her. And Rudi understood everything so he patted my back and wished me luck.
In the house
To my and Rudi surprise nothing happened when we were outside Rudi for a moment thought she was going to kill me. Even during the whole dinner he was praising her cooking and gestured to me to do the same. (Also he prayed to millis before food to even calm her more).
After we finished dinner Lilla removed the dishes and started washing them. After this Rudeus was first to go to sleep then followed by Lilla to her room after that Zenith went to bed and slept immediately to prove her words. (I have to change her mind soon).
The next day
I woke up early and started doing village patrol rounds. And I realised those days the monsters were growing both in numbers and strength. But still no mutates until now. So I woke up all the reeves and made Laws call the hunters and watchtowers. Our numbers together are thirteen. So I called all the combat mens on the village, increasing our numbers to 21.
I told the young reeve the boy Pete he will be village guard with Zenith until our return. At first my decision was to make a fast forest exhibition and return before the day finishes.
But the increase in the numbers of the monsters made me change my mind. I made all the villagers return with what we hunted. And sent 3 to different missions. I sent the first one to the doctor to ask him to come with us to the exhibition. The second to Zenith and families of the hunter and Reeves to leave a note that we will take at least 3 days. The third is to talk to the bar owner at the outskirts of the village to come with us to prepare food. In exchange 30% of the monster's meat after detoxifying them will go to the bar after we finish.
After that I told the strong villagers who came with us. To return but their rules will change. They will only move hunted monsters and protect the doctor and the chef because it became too dangerous for them to participate in hunting.
The monster's numbers are not that much of an increase but it's almost the same like how I first came to the village in numbers. I know I can beat almost all of them single handled but to be sure. I take the Reeves and Laws with me when they are around. I feel I can trust my back to them.
The first day was easy and with fast camps Mr Smith told me even if I wanted I couldn't stand up guard they needed me in full concentration tomorrow to move fast like today so I slept without watching overnight as a guard.
The second day was easier and we found many normal monsters and killing them was easy. And lesser in numbers than yesterday. After sending Laws as a guardian to the villagers who will return with the monsters and wounded. I sat with Mr Smith to think about next steps. He has the same opinion as me. To lessen the monsters' numbers while we are in the forest. So, even if we leave them as they are for the next month we won't have any problems with them. (So we decided we will at least continue the 3 days).
Laws and the men returned at late noon and after he came. Laws warned me that maybe I will be in more danger at home than fighting monsters at the moment. So I declared that if we didn't find anything dangerous in the deep forest tomorrow we would return immediately.
On the third day we got deep in the forest and found a mutated terminator boar leading 4 monster ones with 10 hunting dogs with them. It took me, Mr Smith and Laws all out to kill them all thankfully we didn't have casualties or very strong wounds on our side. So I sent most of the group with the wounded under Mr Smith guidance. And told the rest to return to the camp except me and Laws we will make sure no mutated ones are near. After that I told Laws if he found mutated ones to hide over the trees and fight with bow and arrows from there. (His strongest way of fight. He isn't that good with the sword). And I will fight from the ground. (I wish we don't find any more mutated ones I will obviously send about increasing monsters that happen to Philip).
After a good round we found many normal and unmutated monsters in our part of the forest. We didn't kill all of the them all, we left some of the normal ones to prevent their extinction.
Before returning I felt strong presence in the next village domain so I told Laws to take a look and he told me that he found another mutated terminator boar leading also another mutated one with many mutated hunting dogs in the group. And many unmutated and normal ones almost a whole army he told me if we left them they will probably make stampede on the next village and after that the nearest village is us and if we are lucky they will go to milltibos region.
I told him to defend my back from the trees and I will take the ground and after this we will retreat until we take the rest of the men with us. To gather the hunted monsters and clear all the nearby domains to prevent stampedes from happening. Our village can't take another strong stampede while we are still in our recovery state. We haven't even built a new wall yet.
The fight was harder than usual, especially with the mutated ones and to make matters worse, Laws jumped on a treant in the middle of the trees and it was a vampire one too. He needed saving so that made me lower my guard and use attacks only with my maximum speed and with the fastest I could to reach him. After that I freed him. And after hours of close calls with me and Laws we finally killed them all. (We were exhausted and with many ragged clothes).
When we returned with ragged clothes and Laws bleeding and in a very terrible state the camp mood turned tense when the doctor bandaged us he told Laws he must return to get healing magic especially detoxify and after that he must rest for the next ten days. (Shit without him the village lost 1/3 of it's fighting power, the other 1/3 is Mr Smith and the last one is the reeves and hunters combined). I don't count me and Zenith for the fighting power of the village because she can't participate until Rudi is older and I usually don't stand guard on watchtowers with the hunters or watch the fields with the Reeves.
After this I made the big decision after consulting both Mr Smith and Laws the group will be cut to 3. The first group under me will stay in the camp and try to hunt monsters from a distance and fight the monsters three vs one monster. Because we can't afford to get another big loss like what happened to Laws. The second group under Mr Smith will go to other villages to tell them to be prepared for stampedes and if it didn't happen on the first day of the sixth month of the next year. We will make a big exhibition group to the forest and solve the problem for the time being. And the last group with Laws and most of the reeves leaving only Bragg with me and the hunters with me making us only 7 people left. (With these numbers and with me tired like this the best we can fight is one mutated monster at best).
The rest of the days were easy compared to the other days but our strength started to waver by a lot, especially me. I started reaching my limit on the 5th day so we called it a day and took the camp down with us. Then we returned home.
When I returned I found a very tired Zenith with a tense mood in the house almost to scary level but thankfully after me explaining the whole situation made the mood slightly better especially when I told her the next ones will be on lower levels. (She was very happy for some reason after I followed Rudi's whisper when he came to greet me with a hug, he told me to praise her efforts and hard work, but also for some reason he face-palm when I just thanked her with a hug).
Suddenly Zenith came and kissed me then she told me what she suffered when I was away and told me. That the village clinic had a very hard time. Because she was working alone with numbers at least doubled daily and after that she had to detoxify the meat. After that she also has to look after the village. So I understood what Rudi meant and praised her efforts and hard work. The effect of this. Well, Zenith lifted the ban from our activities. (Also Rudi looked surprised then he looked how close we were then face-palm again).
The days continued peacefully with some new events. Which is from now on will Rudy came with us when we go to the monthly groceries and with he also came for the day to take our part of the monsters hunt and it was 5 silver Asuran coins. (It's too much considering all the monsters are either C-rank monsters and lower levels too).
Also the whole way back Rudi was silent the opposite of how he was when we bought essentials in the morning. At the time he was asking for everything. Now he is in deep concentration mode. After that he asked us to talk to him about all our groceries and asked us how much money we make a month approximately and how much money we spent monthly at maximum.
(If Lilla didn't tell us he is a miko I would suspect he isn't my son or he is someone who took my kid's body, his way of thinking and mine are nothing alike, maybe he pulled Zenith intelligence).
After this Zenith told me we must give him some of our time to help him grow up more because he was always bored and she kinda broke a promise with him that we will take him with us on light days and free days to our work to help him with his boredom.
Time flew quickly and out of nowhere I found myself on my 20th and Rudi was asking us about our lives, families, friends, journeys and how we know each other. (He is a very curious child and he wants to know everything).
When me and Zenith finished our stories, omitting a very large part of it as Zenith warned me it's quite early of some talks especially with her beatings. When I talk more than what I supposed to. We found time also passed by and Rudi will soon be 2 years-old.
Before he reached 2 years-old by 14 days I found him running and jumping and moving very energetic as fast as he saw me. It got my curiosity. I think I will ask him what's going on.
"Finally stopped being dainty little princess Rudi?" (I love teasing him especially when he copies Zenith pouting like when we first meet).
He changed his smile into a fake smile after what I said. Then said, "No, I'm being in shape. So, I can beat you as fast as I can. So you better train as well and don't try to search for reasons when I beat you." (Was Zenith this cooky when she was young who he pulled this character from).
"You are still 100 years early from beating me." I said with a smile but I found Lilla who was cleaning the house with a nostalgic smile then muttered under her breath not for anyone to hear her. "Like father, like son." (Is she telling me that Rudeus pulled out my character).
Rudi stopped me from asking her anything by saying. "If you are so sure like this then start training me when I become two years-old like you promised me." After this he smiled a triumphant smile.
(This kid is a schemer just like Philip, he put me between rocks in here. If I refuse then I'm scared of him beating me and if I agree I will probably be scolded for being too impatient with Rudi treatment in growth).
"If you could keep up for the whole morning training in two weeks then I will continue training you but if you fail you will wait for another year little Rudi." I smiled after I finished the first time I won a verbal and intelligence fight. Rudi smiled then jumped in celebration.
At night I found Rudi holding 'the legend of Perigruies's book and the magic manual was next to him but closed. So, I tried to get his attention. I started by giving him advice about adventuring because it appears to be the thing that gets his full attention these days.
He listened to me carefully until I tried to give him true Greyrat advice and the warning we gave our kids of our natural enemy the succubus in Berrigreeit. Even though I have never been there myself or seen one of them. But the warning is moving from generation to another like this. (The attempt failed badly, he didn't listen to me).
Maybe because I told him about women first before talking about adventuring.
The only good thing I realised from this conversation was that he really likes swords because whenever I mentioned them or adventuring he always become very focused on what I say. I think he really likes Swordsmanship.
I found him stopped giving attention to me when I stopped talking about swords and adventuring. He started to just nod when I finished my sentences. I sighed and was leaving the room but realised he was really focused on reading the book. So I broke his focus by saying. "With this low energy you have after 14 days you won't be able to continue our training and you will have to wait to be 3 years-old." I said with smirk to provoke him into focusing with me
"Are you that scared? That I will beat you so badly." This rascal just says he will beat me. I will give you the hardest training you will get.
The day Rudi become two
He proved to me he wasn't all bark. I gave him one of the hardest training regimes for a first timer. Not mentioning for a toddler. If anything this training if he could do it daily I would say he will be beginner level before he becomes three. And he finished it like it was a very normal lap around the house.
After finishing every bit of energy and stamina he had and he was holding on for 4 hours of intense training. (He won the challenge, but after that I will slow down on training with him until he builds his muscles). After that I finished the training regime by telling him a theoretical explanation about swordsmanship.
After we finished the theoretical lesson I found Rudi standing up again shaking his legs about to give out but he continued to stand. I gave him a tree branch. (Not from Zenith trees). And told him to copy the easiest sword stance for as much as he can. It was from SGS. Arm chop technique.
After that I showed him how to break stone with a wooden sword but he didn't get it after explaining it many times he just didn't get it. But at last he copied the stance but because his stance was bad and his timing was worse he broke the sword with just cracking the stone very small crack.
(He is almost at beginner level of Sword God Style. I will try him later with Water God Style). But he tried to protest because he didn't understand anything. I ignored him and continued to train him to make him as close as possible to a beginner level in Sword god style.
After we finished the training where the later parts were too sloppy from the Rudi side. (It's very good he kept up this long). I carried him home without him protesting about wanting to walk. He just asked me to tell his mom to heal his arm and legs.
After Zenith bathed him and put him to bed she scolded me heavily for pushing him to this limit . (Oops I forgot to mention her to heal him). After she finished scolding I told her to heal him now and heal him again when he wakes-up.
She took him after lunch with her to the clinic and she returned at dinner with a very big smile and always laughing when she saw how red Rudi's face was. Apparently he tried to imitate Zenith in greeting not knowing she was greeting using noble women greeting. That made Rudi pout again and had teary eyes barely holding back tears. After asking him about what happened apparently he did this in front of Mrs Smith and her daughter. (That's why Miss Ena and little Anna were laughing on their way home).
After that Lilla teached him how to greet like noblemen for now and he imitated her perfectly. Almost making my jaw drop because it took me 2 years to do it when I was kid. (Zenith wasn't lying when she said she was a perfect Millis Lady and apparently he pulled that from her perfectly).
The next day I told Laws that tomorrow he may bring his daughter with him and I will bring Rudi to play with each other. With this I will both bring him with me to work and maybe have a good friendship especially with Laws saying that his daughter is more timid than him. (And he still believes that his father was superd because of that she had green hair because of this he still blames himself).
After finishing the daily village round I went home to tell Rudi that tomorrow he will come with me tomorrow to work and continue training him. (I want to use yesterday's enthusiasm before he loses it all).
When I reached home I suddenly heard a crash sound and Rudi made a very loud cry of pain. And when I reached his room I found him clutching his head with teary eyes and a big bump on the back of his head and his bed was very untidy. (He has to explain everything because I can't imagine him jumping from bed and falling).
Rudeus pov
I woke up with some muscle sore after healing it with X-Healing. I went to have breakfast with mom and Lilla. While having breakfast I remembered something. I always tried to control only one thing with gravity magic like telekinesis, not gravity control.
So after finishing breakfast I returned to my room and started focusing to make the whole room levitate and pushed as much mana I could from all my limbs. (After 15 minutes I finally figured out how to use gravity magic).
The whole room was levitating and I almost touched the ceiling. So I had the brilliant idea of removing gravity magic from both of my hands. And the moment I did everything in the room hit the ground hard. I slowed my fall by grabbing the bed sheets. Still, the hit was very strong to my head.
I heard someone coming, making me stop healing my head. And started to think of a good explanation of what I just did. After 5 seconds Paul stormed the room with his speed as usual followed by mom after him by 10 seconds after Lilla came. Mom when she saw my bump she healed my head perfectly the first try.
"Rudi what happened? And what was the crash sound that just happened?" Asked my father to push me to the corner with his question. I haven't yet prepared an answer.
"Are you going to ask him this before asking how he is?!" (Watch out dad that's a landmine question if you answered wrong I won't be the only one who is in trouble).
"Of course he is fine, he is my son. I'm just curious. What was he doing?"
"I was jumping over the bed daddy and while I was jumping every time I reached higher so I was doing some moves while I was up in the air I ended up falling while I was falling I pulled the sheets. I'm sorry."
(It's bad to lie but I can't expose my gravity magic while it's still really early states and I can't even control it right they will probably make me stop training it, I'm really feeling sorry for lying).
" . " " . " " . " (Oh shit they didn't believe me).
"Mommy my head hurts." After she healed me again. "Daddy, when will we start training?" (I changed the subject to save myself from questions).
"I thought you were going to stop training after how you cried like little dainty little princess. While running away. Yesterday." Dad said with a mocking smile. (I changed my mind, I'm not going to just beat you I will teach you a lesson just you wait).
"Are you that scared that your son will beat the shit out of you." I said with a smirk.
"I'm listening to nice talk you were saying Paul, Rudi." Mom said with a terrifying smile and with a twitching left brow. (Scary help us Lilla).
"Madame, I will continue cleaning the house." Lilla looked at me and dad with a smile before saying them after that left the room and closed the door. (Traitor)!
Me and dad got scolded very badly because from mom pov she saw dad are ruining my well-mannered tongue. (If she discovers I was very bad at mouthing with everyone while arguing in my past life I don't want to know what will happen to me).
After 5 minutes of scolding me to respect the others, especially the older people she told me to leave the room and wait for dad out. After 15 minutes I found my father with dark-eye and I heard him leaving the room with the promise he won't do it again.
Me and dad made the promise of 2 things when we were alone. First thing is never to talk in front of mom, especially with men's talk. Second thing, never ever make mom angry again. Also, Of course not fearing she will do her part of the promise. (That she will give both of us a beating we will never forget). We just decided to respect each other and the other people.
After intense training but easier compared to yesterday after that, my father told me he will start spars to rank me after 6 months and he told me I'm supposed to learn a new technique called parry. He will start teaching it to me after finishing the arm chop. (I am only missing the essence of speed to do it the right way).
Before finishing, dad told me I will come the next day with him to meet his friends and colleagues and their children. (Is he really jealous because I went with mom to her job and met her friend?)
After finishing, I went to take a bath as usual. But surprisingly Mom for the first time wasn't the one who was bathing me. Apparently she was at the clinic today because the doctor's son Arlo fell and broke his leg. But dad thinks that the kid Somal is the one who broke his leg when they were playing. (Note to self avoid the friendship between me and that kid Somal in the future he appears to be the village troublemaker dad mentioned his name with problems many times to be considered coincidence).
After finishing bathing dad left and took me to bed to rest. And went to search if the kid Somal is the one who broke Arlo leg or not. And if he did he will just tell him to watch out next time because a healing mage is in the village so no big problems. (This world doesn't know human rights).
After dad left the room Lilla entered and warned me to be cautious with my playing and gestured with her hand to stains because the bed and the cupboard and even the table next to the bed were not in place. After that she wished for me to be careful with my health. After that she left the room.
(I can't understand this woman until now. Is she afraid of my health or my magic playing and destroying the house?). In both situations she is right. I will learn to control things the safe way first, not pushing my way through. I will be careful from now on.
After 5 hours of training on gravity magic here is the result.
For telekinesis I can control it with better mana usage and I can lift not very heavy things my maximum with right hand only is the table next to the bed with left hand alone I can slightly lift the table but after long time my left-hand become stiff and starts to generate pain. Making me uses healing magic on it again.
As for gravity magic itself I first tried with one hand which barely left me from the ground and made everything slightly above the ground. With double-handed I can lift myself casually and same with anything around my weight I also can decrease the mana slightly to decrease the height. Increase slightly to remove the weight.
Increasing the weight is out of control right now so I will delay it for now because this training barely leaves me with any mana. I'm delaying my sleep until I have dinner. (Not to mention I took a nap early in the morning after training to recharge my mana before starting).
After having dinner with the family while mom and dad almost made a sibling to me in front me and Lilla which provoked our coughs to wake them up. And to make them realise we are still there. They blushed for a second but dismissed themselves to the room and continued making me and Lilla sighing at the same time.
After going to the bed trying to sleep I was thinking either provoking mana exhaustion to help me sleep or just sleep with about 10% of my mana I have now. After 2 seconds of useless thinking I started wasting mana by double healing my body to remove sore muscles and stopped just as I feel sleepy. (I stopped leaving mana exhaustion till I fell asleep for a long time afraid of the book warning of the chance of losing life if I failed badly. I don't want to sacrifice this life that early.) After that I fell asleep.