Swish!

  The waves of wind were swirling in the sky, and fallen leaves were flying in that wind.

  Amid these trees stood a grand and luxurious manor, Five Lotus Sword Manor.

  The manor walls had been newly built, and the manor itself had been reconstructed again in the crowd.

  The manor which, some years ago, had been in the flames of a fire, today once again stood at its place.

  Around the manor, small houses and shops had now been built. This manor, which was once standing here alone, had now become the center of a small village.

  And the head of this village was also the manor master, no, the mistress of the manor.

  Her name was Atikansha.

  Atikansha was enjoying the view of the mountain valleys and the people of the village from the upper floor of the manor.

  White clothes, long hair, a beautiful face, despite being middle-aged, the glow on her face was still intact. But there was one thing that ruined all the elegance of her face.

  A black eye patch. One of her eyes was missing, and so she wore an eye patch.

  This Atikansha was none other than the woman who had plotted the murder of her husband.

  And she had succeeded as well, but her brother had died in it.

  No, he had died at the hands of that Asura-like boy who once used to be her slave.

  That scene was something Atikansha could never forget, how her brother died, and how the entire manor was engulfed in flames, destroying everything completely.

  But even more terrifying, and more painful than that, was the thing she saw, the laughter of that boy.

  So horrifying, and vile, that even thinking about it now made her soul shiver.

  From that day onward, Atikansha suffered from a kind of depression. She spoke less, and kept a great distance from most of the children, except for her own son.

  But with time, everything slowly began to heal. Her depression didn’t go away completely, but it did lessen.

  She rebuilt the Five Lotus Manor. And started anew. And now, five years later, her life was going well.

  “Mother.”

  Atikansha turned around and saw, it was her only son calling her. He was about 17-18 years old.

  “What is it, Adarsh?”

  “Mother, it’s been five years. You told me you would tell me what exactly happened five years ago? Who did this to you? Who killed my uncle?”

  “…”

  “Now I’m grown up, capable, and stronger than before. Now tell me the truth.”

  Atikansha looked at him, but did not speak. How could she even tell him about that day?

  That day, she had somehow managed to save her son from the fire.

  And from that time onwards, her son, who used to be delicate like a girl, started to grow strong.

  He began to change a lot.

  Seeing this made Atikansha very happy, her son was her last hope and reason to live. If he had not been there, she would have ended her life long ago.

  But she was afraid. Afraid that this boy, driven by feelings of anger, might set out in search of that child.

  At this age, children can take any step, without thinking. And Atikansha did not want her son to fall into trouble. And neither did she want him to meet that Asura-like boy to take revenge.

  “Haa!”

  Atikansha let out a deep sigh and said,

  “Alright, I will tell you everything. But you must make me a promise.”

  “What kind of promise?”

  “That you will not get angry, nor do anything with feelings of revenge, and will not go anywhere.”

  Hearing this, her son Adarsh clenched his fists.

  He had trained day and night in martial arts so that he could take revenge for his mother and uncle, from the one who had done this to them.

  ‘Why is mother stopping me?’

  Was all these years of hard work for nothing?

  No. He would not let that happen. He had decided.

  He would promise, but then break it and secretly leave the next day to take revenge for his mother, uncle and father.

  ‘Forgive me, Mother…’

  “I promise that I will not get angry, and I will not act in the fire of revenge, and after you tell me everything, I will not go anywhere.”

  ***

  At that time, from the road leading to the southern gate of the village, a black figure appeared, walking along the path.

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  The figure was of a young boy. As he came closer, his eyes widened in surprise.

  This boy was Sharv, who remembered that once upon a time, this place had only been a manor.

  Seeing a small village here now surprised him.

  “How many years has it been… This place has changed so much… Could that woman still be alive?”

  He thought for a moment and then smiled slightly, saying.

  “What does it matter? I only need that herb.”

  The fact was that, five years ago, when he was still a slave here, he had overheard something from another slave:

  “Are you telling the truth?”

  “If you want to believe it, then believe it, otherwise don’t!”

  “Alright, fine! Tell me, what else is there to hear anyway? Go on.”

  “I heard it from the manor master’s own mouth, that behind this manor, not too far away, there is a cave. And in it grow some very rare herbs, whose price is in million or even more than that.”

  “W-What did you say, million?!”

  “Shh! Don’t speak so loudly. I also heard that some physicians, diviners and alchemists come here in secret, paying the manor master to obtain those herbs.”

  Those two slaves might have spoken in whispers, but Sharv had heard it all.

  At that time, he had not paid much attention to the matter, but now he had to see that cave, for the sake of his cousin sister.

  There was little chance he would find the Blue Rose herb there, but what harm was there in checking once?

  He entered the village and started walking along the road.

  After going just a short distance, he came across a group of some guys, all of them were boys. And coincidentally, all were between 15 and 17.

  Meaning, around Sharv’s age, or younger. Sharv was about to ignore them and keep walking when he heard

  “What do you think? Who was that guy for whom the manor mistress herself gave a cart?”

  “No idea, man. But yeah, I did hear that the guy carries a big spear.”

  “I caught a glimpse of him from my house window, he looked a bit old, but at the same time, he felt strong too.”

  ‘A spear? An old but strong man?’

  All this matched what Sharv’s sister had told him.

  Does that means...in his uncle’s and sister’s condition, was the mistress of this manor also involved?

  Anger rose in Sharv’s mind, though his eyes were emotionless. But he took a deep breath.

  Just then, one of those boys looked toward him.

  “Hey! Look over there, someone standing there?”

  “Damn! His face!…”

  “Isn’t he way… too much... good looking?!”

  Sharv ignored their words and kept walking. When he entered the inner area of the village, the boys said to each other

  “Humph! So what if he’s good-looking? I didn’t feel any internal energy from him! That means he’s just an ordinary guy.”

  “Yeah! True, no one would even bother with a weak guy like him.”

  “Exactly! If you don’t have internal energy, and can't learn martial arts. Then what’s the use of a pretty face like that.”

  ***

  “So... Five years ago. There was a small boy around 12 or 13 years old. I don't remember his name but he was a slave in our manor...”

  “...”

  “...One day, I and your uncle decided to let that slave kid go, because it was very heartbreaking to see a kid like that working as a slave. So we decided to set him free, on that day when you father was ill. So that we don't get caught up by him. But...”

  Adarsh gulped, as he asked

  “But what?...”

  “...but. T-that kid... He did something unexpected, he pulled out a dagger out of his clothes. And with that he killed your Uncle by stabbing him at his heart. And then throwed the dagger at my face which pierced my eye. That's when I collapsed, but when I woke up... I say the manor in flames, and everyone there was dead, even your father and grandfather. They too died. Because of that slave kid.”

  “What?...Seriously, this is what happened?”

  Adarsh, hearing about the incident from five years ago shocked and angred him so much that he couldn’t control himself.

  ‘Just a 13-year-old boy, and a slave at that?’

  He couldn’t believe his mother’s words, that such a thing could be done by a 13-year-old boy, and that too to his uncle, who was such a powerful martial artist.

  Even though he had never seen him fight, he had heard many times from people that his uncle was a First Rate martial artists.

  And he ended up dying at the hands of that kid, taht too from a surprise attack?

  Only a fool would believe that.

  But seeing his mother speak in such a serious and heavy tone, he had no choice but to believe her.

  ‘I was also 12 or 13 back then…’

  Which meant that boy should now be about his own age, or maybe older.

  Thinking that the slave boy and he were of the same age only made him even angrier. Atikansha noticed this and held Adarsh’s hand.

  “See, I kept my word… I told you everything, all truth.”

  ‘Except the truth about your father’s death…’

  After all, how could Atikansha ever tell that behind Adarsh’s father’s death, both she and her brother had a hand?

  But she didn’t tell Adarsh this, and put the blame on that slave boy instead.

  Without pausing, Atikansha continued,

  “Now you keep your promise… You won’t get angry and you won’t go anywhere. Alright?”

  “…Alright.”

  Adarsh replied in a heavy and dissatisfied tone.

  But the fire inside him hadn’t gone out, he had now made up his mind that no matter what, he would find that slave boy and kill him, otherwise his soul would never find peace.

  But just then...

  Mummur! Mummur?

  Both of them began to hear voices from outside the manor. To be precise, from the manor gate.

  When they stood up and looked down from the upper floor toward the manor’s gate.

  They saw an youth trying to enter. But the guards had stopped him and were arguing with him.

  “These days a lot of people are showing up to see you, isn’t that right, Mother?”

  “...”

  “First there was that mysterious spear-wielding martial artist. And now this boy?”

  When Adarsh got no answer from his mother, he turned his head toward her.

  “Mother?”

  His mother’s only eye widened, so wide it looked as though the last of her eye might pop right out of its socket.

  A bead of cold sweat rolled down her forehead. Even in this bitter cold, who could possibly be sweating?

  “Mother?.. Mother?!”

  When Adarsh’s louder voice rang out, Atikansha snapped back to her senses and looked at her son.

  “Mother! What happened? Are you sick? Do one thing, go rest. I’ll go and see why this boy has come here.”

  Hearing this, Atikansha froze for a moment, then hurriedly said:

  “W-what nonsense are you talking? I’m not sick! There’s nothing wrong with me.”

  Adarsh looked at his mother suspiciously. Atikansha caught herself, calmed her mind, and said,

  “Do one thing, Adarsh. Why don’t you go and meet Radhika? She’ll be happy to see you, and the distance between you two will lessen.”

  Hearing this, a faint blush rose to Adarsh’s cheeks. Radhika—the girl to whom his marriage had been arranged.

  A girl of great beauty and elegance. One that Adarsh liked very much. But he never openly showed his feelings in front of his mother.

  Even so, she knew his feelings well. After all, he was her only son.

  “F-fine… I’ll go. But you, please take care of yourself.”

  “Yes, I will. And oh—don’t go out through the front gate, I have some work there, with that, guest. So, go out from the back gate instead.”

  After giving his mother a strange look for a moment, Adarsh nodded and left. And his mother, Atikansha, let out a sigh of relief.

  But one thought still lingered in her mind.

  “C-Could it really be him?”

  She spoke in a low voice.

  ***

  “Hey, I already told you, there’s no way you can just meet the manor mistress. She doesn’t meet just anyone.”

  “Listen, boy, you should just leave. It’s already so cold, if our tempers snap, who knows what we might end up doing to you.”

  The manor guards said to Sharv. Sharv looked at them.

  “Haa!”

  Looks like without spilling blood, nothing will get done in this world.

  But since he was inside a village that too outside the home of the most important person of the village, he thought it would be better if no blood was shed outside here.

  But perhaps fate… had other plans.

  Sharv brought his hands previously resting behind his back, forward. Seeing this, the guards grew even more agitated and drew their swords from their sheaths.

  Sring! Sring!

  But just then, a voice rang out,

  "Stop!"

  Hearing this familiar voice, Sharv let out a small chuckle.

  Both guards immediately dropped to one knee and greeted the owner of that voice.

  “We pay our respects to the Manor Mistress!”

  They spoke together. But the manor mistress—Atikansha had her eyes fixed elsewhere.

  On the boy.

  Her hands and feet felt cold.

  Sensing this fear, Sharv smiled, he clasped his hands together and spoke to Atikansha,

  “How are you… madam—Oh! My apologies, I meant, Manor Mistress.”