Chapter:5

All of the servants bowed in unison as a tall and burly man walked into the dining room, Benedict immediately rushed to take the jacket of the man while saying,

“Good evening Master Daisuke, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

Mr.Daisuke simply gave a curt nod as if saying, likewise. Mr.Daisuke then turned to Damian,

“It is a great honor to be in your presence...Damian, that’s the name your parents had you go by. It is a real shame what happened.”

Damian noticed the deep sincerity in the man’s voice and calmly responded,

“Please let us not dwell on the past and make ourselves melancholy. Also it really is the highest honor to be in your presence Kusakabe Branch head, Daisuke. I am well aware of the implications of having close ones from the noble clan of Fujiwara. I am also grateful for having your son and daughter as my friends.”

Mr.Daisuke smiled, ‘Well spoken just like your mother and perceptive like your father.’ Mr.Daisuke cleared his throat,

“I do not know if I am being presumptuous in divulging this information to you. I mean your father wished for me to tell you this if a situation like this arose. I probably would get my ears talked off by many but meh I will get myself in trouble some way or another. The reason why I am honored to have you here and why all in this premises should also be is because we are in the presence of the possible hei to the Shingetsu and Tencho clans, Sir Kenji.We know him and his sister by their aliases, Damian Xavier Tesla and Gianna Katsumi Tesla

All the servants stood in their positions in amazement and they immediately gathered themselves and knelt, as did Akiko, Raijin and their father. While Damian looked unfazed by this announcement, Gianna looked mortified. Damian in a flat voice said,

“You may rise.”

And all rose. Mr.Daisuke was surprised at how calm and collected Damian was and he questioned Damian about it,

“Honestly, if you told me I was isekai'd here I wouldn't be too surprised, too much has already happened for that.”

Mr.Daisuke nodded in understanding. Mr.Daisuke decided that he would get right to the point,

“I know you are well aware of how you have been invited to attend a special school. The school’s purpose is simple, to train the next generation of leaders. You, Sir Xavier, are one of the individuals who will specifically need this training.After all ,it is not easy managing a clan and two at that.

(From this point on Damian will now be referred to as Xavier, although Xavier does have a Japanese name, it will mostly be used by strangers. Kenji)

Gianna laughed at Xavier,

“Man your life sucks jeez, well good luck with that little bro.”

Xavier dramatically rolled his eyes in response. Raijin then as delicately as one could hope to manage, smiled and then informed Gianna,

"As the descendant of the clan head, Gianna, you will have some weighty responsibilities as well"

Gianna’s smile immediately fell, she had weighty responsibilities! Mr.Daisuke continued to talk about the school and explain some other matters as they ate their 5-course dinner. Firstly the school was called R.E.G.A.L. Academy which stood for Royal Educational Guidance Association of Lionheart Academy, founded by King Richard I of Britannia.

There are many R.E.G.A.L. Academies around the world, training the future leaders. The monarchs of each of these schools and their students will then be part of a tournament that should test their abilities to the limit. Obviously Xavier, as smart and talented as he was, was not ready for the demanding educational regiment that the R.E.G.A.L. Academy provided. Xavier would be trained by Benedict and Octavia, from combat to proper etiquette, history and more. He was to start the very next day. While Gianna would have other instructors for herself. After the dinner, Xavier went upstairs to his room, washed up and went to sleep.

The next day, Xavier was to first be instructed by Octavia in the morning outside. Xavier went on to stretch on the grass and a few minutes later Octavia silently appeared beside him. Octavia in a peachy voice said,

“I will be your combat instructor yaaaay! I will also teach you how to use various weapons and martial arts; Benedict will be the one to teach you more of theory, essentially the most boring crap, except the kenjutsu that he will be teaching you. For today we will do some hand-to-hand combat sparring. But first we will start with a few warm-ups and also the days that you don’t have me, please do these exercises.”

Octavia handed Xavier a slip of paper and as he took it from her hand, Octavia’s leg came racing towards Xavier’s face. He swiftly dodged it and threw a few attacks but he soon found himself having a full on make out session with the ground. Xavier activated his Gakushanome but even that was futile. After what must have felt like an eternity, Xavier laid on the ground caressing his bruised and battered body, Octavia with her same peachy tone vocalised her foundings,

“Master Xavier your reflexes are quite decent and it is okay when you utilise your ocular power, but I could tell you knew what I was going to do but your reaction time is absolutely too slow.”

Xavier smiled, at least all he had to was get quicker and stronger and just beat her as he already knew what she was going to do but as if reading his mind Octavia continued,

“By the way I was only using a very closed set of martial arts, I know over 80 different styles of martial arts, I think that even you will have your hands full with that. Besides I was majorly holding back I could hit harder and move faster than I did. I could also have utilised Ki but I did not, so, please do not think of yourself too highly.”

Xavier felt like he had just been emotionally kicked in the nuts. That was the day that Xavier found out, there are few things that could bring as much pain as a girl, with a nice smile, voice and a peachy tone, telling you how much you suck. Xavier had no time to lick his emotional wounds as he limped towards the mansion. Xavier entered one of the various study rooms around the mansion and there he found Benedict by a desk reading a book. Xavier let out a suppressed wince and a pained breath which alerted Benedict that his pupil had arrived.

Benedict turned with a warm, smiling face but he winced and then nervously laughed and said,

“I hope that you feel better than you look...how are you still walking?”

Xavier waved his hand so as to say, ‘please just begin the lesson.’ Benedict resolutely said,

“I was desiring to start with some history, and your other studies but those could wait. I will teach about Ki and how to utilise it, it will be the thing that gives an extra edge in your spars.”

So what is Ki? Well reader your trusty and underpaid (I really am not paid whatsoever but whatever, not like I have a patreon thingy) narrator will explain it to you. Ki is the after-product of the refinement of kinetic energy around oneself. Ki and its use is typically taught in various forms of martial arts. Ki has almost endless uses as it can defy the laws of the universe, with enough mastery, of course. Although all possess Ki, certain individuals would have a higher talent in manipulating it and have a larger Ki capacity.

Kinetic energy is converted by the Nèi-lú, which means Inner-furnace. The Nèi-lú is a system within the body. This system consists of Nèi-lú nodes, which are like a door that opens at certain times, and they are connected via the Ki-pathways that run throughout the body. At the center of the body resides the Ki-basin which is responsible for refining kinetic energy and storing Ki. After Xavier was given an explanation as to what Ki was and how the Nèi-lú works, he was given a visual representation of how it looked. Xavier then asked Benedict to utilise some Ki, which Benedict immediately did. As Benedict channelled his Ki, Xavier activated his Gakushanome and tried to see if he could possibly see the flow of Ki.

He was unsuccessful and Benedict explained why,

“You see Master Xavier, my Ki pathways are quite advanced, while yours have not been used really except the pathway that connects to your eye possessing your ocular ability. Using techniques that are extremely complicated right now could damage your Ki pathways, which could be what is hindering you, it is like an emergency protocol saving you from causing yourself lasting harm.”

Xavier thought for a moment and then inquired,

“So what am I supposed to do?”

“Well Master Xavier, normally you would be required to practice for years to open all of your Nèi-lú nodes and to strengthen your pathways. My sensei, though, devised a way to use one person’s Ki to strengthen another one’s pathway. To do so I will have to send my Ki throughout your body for a few days and to work on your Ki control, you will redistribute my Ki back to me. It may feel strange but rest assured it is not painful in any way. There is only one downside but that is not important right now.”

Xavier was instructed to clasp his hands together, then Benedict put his two hands over Xavier’s. Seconds later, Xavier felt a comforting warmth travel to every corner of his body, then it reached his fingertips and he simply imagined streams of water entering another body of water. Xavier successfully redistributed the Ki which was signalled by the approving nod of Benedict. Just as Xavier and Benedict were going to repeat the exercise, Akiko and Gianna rushed into the room.

They stopped in their tracks and simply stared, with full blushes on their faces. The two males looked at one another perplexed and then looked at their clasped hands. They both immediately pulled away. Gianna searched for words and after ten seconds she found them,

“I didn’t know you swung that way little brother, but I wish you the best.”

Xavier immediately retorted,

“I don't swing that way! Benedict and I were doing an exercise for my Ki pathways and nodes...Akiko are you seriously drooling right now?!”

Akiko wiped the literal drool of her face and responded,

“I never thought I would see something like this...It is wrong, I know, a minor and an adult but it’s just so hot. A master and his butler...Oh my gosh I think I could die happily now.”

Xavier for the next hour repeatedly explained that he and Benedict do not and would never have such a relationship. When Akiko and Gianna finally left, Xavier in a flat voice, devoid of life said,

“I am guessing this is the downside you mentioned Benedict?”

“Affirmative Master Xavier.”

“Next time Benedict, I don’t care how small, insignificant or trivial of a downside you think something is, I want you to tell me. Today I had lost a sizable portion of my confidence after sparring with Octavia. Now, though, I have lost my will to live. Goodbye, I wanna die...so I’m going to my room.”

Benedict cleared his throat,

“Yes sir, you may go to your room...but please, don’t die.”