Dance With the Nightingale - Chapter 54

The Ellsworth estate was a renowned place.

A place renowned for its size, power, and wealth.

A place quoted as – A place that lacked nothing.

Those who hadn’t had the luxury to stay there, called it an exaggeration.

She did too, as she was one of ‘those’ people, but not anymore.

Just three days, that is how long she stayed there, and that is how long it took for her old notions to crumble.

A famous saying said-

-You can’t but happiness.

But apparently, it seemed like Lord Ellsworth could, for everyone in his estate, from a small-time servant to official bureaucrats, everyone looked happy.

And now she was a part of them, no she was even above them.

She just couldn’t believe it.

Just a few days back, she was in a dying ditch, in a filthy hell-hole, that she thought she had no way of escaping from, and now she was here, in Ellsworth’s estate.

‘Just how fickle fate can be?’

She lamented.

Plucking out a flower from the seemingly endless flower garden, she brought it near her face inhaling its aroma, as she compared her life from how it was then to how it is now.

And she failed, she just couldn’t compare them.

-Whooosh

A strong breeze blew past them, blowing up the scattered petals into the orange sky creating a beautiful sight.

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it Allen?”

She spoke, asking the little boy who was walking with her.

“Mhm, it’s fascinating.”

The boy nodded.

Looking at his cute black eyes, she couldn’t resist rubbing the top of his head.

‘Fascinating, huh?’

‘Those eyes were fascinating too…’

She thought of the encounter she had three days ago.

Create a home for peculiar people.

He said that he could it.

Without any doubts, without any lies.

He said will do it.

For her, those eyes burning eyes as he said that were fascinating.

But could she really trust a child’s words?

Even if he meant what he said could she so trust him so easily?

No, she couldn’t.

What if he was controlled? What if he was brainwashed? What if he was being used?

She couldn’t trust him until she confirms this.

For now, though, she couldn’t do anything.

She couldn’t escape from this humongous estate nor could she act suspicious.

No snooping, no being nosy, not when there are various Archmages in the estate.

She had to lay low, confirm her suspicions, wait for the right moment, and escape.

The contract she signed allowed her to.

Rayne Von Ellsworth, the first heir of Ellsworth County.

‘I doubt he would be used or brainwashed. His status is too high for that.’

‘If anyone, then only his parents can do so. But his mother felt like a good person, and I never got to meet his father…’

‘Maybe he is genuine?’

She thought, before bursting into laughter.

“Hahahahaha.”

“Hm? Big-sis?’

Just how many times has she gone through this?

And how many times had she been used like this?

She couldn’t remember.

‘Maybe, I want to believe in him?’

‘Or maybe, I just want a savior who could save me?’

She didn’t know.

But there was one thing she knew.

If, if the unlikeliest scenario comes true.

If he really is someone who wants to help us…

‘Then, I will help him.’

‘I will help him, from my whole being.’

‘For I don’t want you, and many more to go through the same thing as I did.’

She resolved herself, as patted Allen head.

“It was nothing Allen, big sis just recalled something funny.”

“Oh, something funny? The tell me, too!!”

“Now, should I?”

She laughed as she moved ahead, enjoying her moment of respite.

***

What is life?

If someone asked him that, then he had a single answer for that someone.

Life is a series of battles.

Though he didn’t mean it literally.

He took it literally.

He knew that not everybody’s life was filled with violence and battles, but not his.

Fighting, killing, and surviving that was a part of his life.

A daily thing, a routine.

A routine established from the day he was 12-years-old, from the day when his owner decided that he had too many slaves, from the day he picked up the sword in his hand.

From 28 kids that went to the battlefield with him only 6 returned, including him.

And that number kept getting lower for the next year, until…only he was left.

Then he was sold again, not as a child slave but as cannon fodder.

From the lukewarm battlefields, he was moved up, to more intense, more dangerous battlefields.

And even there, he prevailed, for four years he prevailed.

Not only did he prevail, he got stronger, much stronger.

From a bag of bones who could barely lift his sword, he turned into someone who could survive the battlefield.

Then, another thing happened. He was sold again, not as cannon fodder but as a warrior, a warrior slave.

After years of fighting and surviving he was noticed. His ability to survive was noticed.

With his new owner the life was easier, he got much to eat, he could vent his desires, and he didn’t have to move at his master’s whims.

His only task was to fight.

It was also then, that he got his answers.

The answer to the question, that he kept asking himself from the age of twelve.

‘Why am I alive?’

‘Why am I the only one alive?’

He got the answer as soon as he wore his own Status Checker for the first time.

His previous masters didn’t bother preparing such things for slaves, after all, even the world stone was semi-rare stone.

Who would waste his fortune to buy these for slaves who may or may not return from the battlefield?

(A/N: Status Checker – Basically the bracelet that Rayne checks status with, can actually be anything, a necklace, a ring etc.)

**

[Innate Skill: Tempering]

The more you endure the stronger you get.

A skill that is passively active.

Every time the user’s body is stimulated by any type stimulus, it gets used to it, and gets stronger.

The body’s growth is irrespective of user’s rank.

The skill also increases the user’s limit to enduring something to maximum.

Note: Advised to judge the enduring limit carefully, as soon as user exceeds that limit he will die. Previous users died because they couldn’t judge it carefully.

**

“Haahahahhahaha!’

He laughed out loud as he read this.

‘So, that was it?’

‘I wasn’t some kind of genius or something of that kind.’

‘I was just born different. I am alive because I was lucky enough to have a skill that others didn’t.’

The answer he found was so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but do so.

Pure Luck.

Pure luck that he was born with a skill.

That was why he survived.

As much as his life felt meaningless from the revelation, it didn’t stop.

Life continued, so did he.

Doing what was needed, enduring as much as he could, getting stronger as he did, but in a much more carefully manner.

He was no genius, all he had was a skill, a skill with limits. So, he had to be cautious.

And just like that, eight more years passed.

Eight years of emptiness before his life changed again.

He was sold again.

But instead of the being sent to another battlefield, he was called back.

From the frontline city of Vanzahra in the demon world, he was called back to main material realm where he never stepped into.

And if that shock wasn’t enough, his new owner was Rayne Von Ellsworth, the son of Earl Reynold Von Ellsworth, a Archmage.

‘Why was I chosen?’

That question arose in his head, but it quickly disappeared in a few days.

The people he was travelling with, the people who were chosen, just like him they were lucky.

They had something that normal people didn’t.

Be it the beautiful woman, or the small boy.

Taking these hints, his 25-year-old brain connected the dots and came to a simple conclusion.

‘Maybe this guy wants to build an army of lucky people?’

He thought.

So, he wasn’t surprised when the topic came around.

What truly surprised him was what happened after.

-So, how about we…let our swords do the talking?

His new owner said, suddenly emitting D- ranked pressure.

Once again he couldn’t believe it.

He knew that his owner had just completed his 14th year a few days ago, and now in front of him he was emitting D- ranked pressure?

He couldn’t help but feel ridiculous.

And that feeling only escalated as they sparred.

What D- rank?

-Claannngggggg

This was the strength of D- rank?

Strength of D- rank can keep up with him, a D+ rank, whose body was actually C- rank!?

Absurd.

And what was even more absurd was that he was losing!!

A genius.

And a Lucky one.

His new owner was both of them.

He understood this, and he got more interested.

It was like a small flame had been ignited in his empty heart.

Just how far can he go?

Just how absurd he can be?

‘And can I follow him?’

He thought as the small flame got bigger.

And as a result-

-BANNNNGGGGGG!!

-BANNNNGGGGGG!!

-BANNNNGGGGGG!!

-SWISSSCCHHH!!

-SCREEEECHHH!!

-BOOOOMMMM!!

“Huff, huff. You are getting stronger Syrus, huff. Looks like the gravity training had a good effect on you.”

“Huff. Yes, seems like it.”

“Huff, huff. Another round?”

I asked.

“Yes.”

“No.”

And got two replies.

One from the front and the other, from behind.

Turning around, I saw remaining of the two of the trio coming along.

As for the one who answered, it was Cana.

Crossing her arms, the young woman looked at both of us like we were a lost case before opening her mouth.

“Young Master, you surely didn’t forget that you had to enchant your sword by today, correct?”

‘Oh, fuck!’

“Big brother totally forgot~?”

Allen chimed in playfully.

“No, I didn’t.”

I denied immediately,

“Then Young Master why are you here?”

“Umm, I-I wanted get some inspiration before enchanting my sword!!”

And spouted some bullshit.

“Then I think you must have gotten enough inspiration by now, correct?”

“Yes…”

I said, disappointed.

“Off you go then~”

“Oh yeah, wear some clothes before going.”

‘Oops, I forgot that too.’

Quickly summoning a black T-shirt to cover my bare torso, I ran towards the main building, not before reminding them, though.

“Don’t forget we are leaving tomorrow!”