It isn't snowing like yesterday. Well, the snow wasn't heavy either, so the sun melted all of them in the morning.

"Noah, wake up, you're gonna be late!"

The sound of an annoying mother could be heard through the wooden door.

Noah couldn't bring himself to resist the urge. The urge to continue sleeping.

But eventually he had to get his body to leave the bed. One way or another. Either willingly or unwillingly.

*Yawn*

Noah opened his eyes and managed to sit straight up on his bed. The sun shining from the outside directly shot at his face.

(Warm...)

Its the winter sun. It's best not to open the window, the chilling breeze would cause anyone unprepared to regret everything.

(Not this year…)

Noah seems to know the consequences of doing so. So he refuses to open the window before making the necessary arrangements.

"I'm……up."

Just before his mom was about to tell at him again, Noah walked out from his room. Still sleepy.

"Ah, you look lovely today."

Noah couldn't tell. But he is holding a scabbard on his belt, so that might boost his charm as a knight or a warrior, maybe.

The bread on the plate is still warm, but definitely not freshly out from the oven.

Just warm.

7:30 a.m.

The time is still behind. The event starts at 8.

Noah finished his bread and decided to take off early. Who knows what you might stumble upon on?

Before he opens the door, he turned his head around. He stopped, like time stood still. The hand reaching for the doorknob and just out of reach.

(There's no hurt in that does it?)

He turned around, walking straight into his room. In the public eye, it seems that he had forgotten something.

Noah opens his closet. The metal box, the lock that should be on it was no where to be seen.

There was no sign of anyone opening it.

Yet, it seems……

……What is inside?

(What a tempting box…)

Given up to the temptation, Noah opened the box. What is under the lid was——

——A figure, possibly made out of crystals as the it is some what transparent. Just a bit.

The figure is a black knight, riding a white horse. The knight holds a black flag with the words : "Mortem." engraved to it.

The figure may be made out from crystal, but I doesn't seem to have much durability.

Noah seems to notice this fact too. Without a second of delay, he crushed the figure. It was about as hard as an egg. No, it felt like crushing an egg.

Focusing enough strength on one point would destroy it completely.

The remains of the figure falls on the ground an disappears.

Nothing physically changed. Nor mentally. Noah didn't feel regret or disappointed. Just…… happened.

Somewhat feels like killing an ant. You don't feel empathy towards it. Nor had the will to remember it.

7:40a.m.

"Good Heavens look at the time, it's time to go Noah!"

"……Sure"

Noah got out from his room, wooden sword in hand. He then insert in into his scabbard.

The streets in the city today is… quiet. It's understandable, the weather's cold and it's easy to oversleep during cold seasons.

Noah's family is an exceptional case. Both his parents are paladins. His mother decided to leave when he was born.

Paladins are basically soldiers of the country, so discipline is strict. Waking up early is part of it. It had become somewhat of a habit.

His father is a Paladin Captain. Not the Captain of the Paladin Order, just a branch captain, he still have higher ups.

Noah never met the Captain of the Paladin Order before, but it was said that she was a women that placed justice over anything.

Crack*

Noah breaks an icicle from the roof of one of the houses. He is short, he is just 7 after all. So he just breaks the one that he could reach.

Probably because it is beautiful and you don't get to see this kind of stuff all the time.

7:55 a.m.

Five minutes before the event starts. Well, it doesn't concern the people that are already there.

15 kids and two adults around the snow field. The place they stand by is outside of the city. Just outside of the city.

It seems that he is the last.

"Noah, you're here."

An energetic boy waves towards the city gate, welcoming the person that just arrived. His smile is just as bright as ever.

The brown untidy hair of his seems to flow well with the chilling breeze of the wind. He wears a black fur coat, it looks pretty obvious because of the white background image.

The boy's name is Gluck Yunle. Surprisingly, a friend of Noah Baraja. And the self proclaimed "Rival" of Noah.

"Yeah……"

Noah's voice did not reach him, but he did wave back with a smile, not visible but still there.

A crow flew past the sky, it did not made any sound of voice, as it doesn't want to disturb to chirps of the sparrows.

Such peace and quiet is a blessing for those who could hear.

"Let the sparring competition begin shall we?!"

The one yelling was a former mercenary. He used to be a war tool, but age came to stop him from risking his life, so he had to leave.

And immediately, he got hit in the head by another man, buffer than him.

"Don't yell in the morning when everyone is still asleep!"

He was an adventurer, "Was". He also had age haunting him, so he stopped.

These two are now being coaches that teaches the neighboring kids swordsmanship from time to time. Some of their students became adventures in other countries or paladins.

The kids only replied with a bitter smile, Noah just watched that happen without a change in his face.

The contest started.

Everyone pulled out their wooden swords that they prepared. Some prefer great swords, which is large an heavy. Some, small and light.

Well, most chose the standard sized, including Noah and Gluck.

The match, well the rules, there are none. Just two restrictions, do not hit someone who has surrendered and use only swords.

The winner proceeds to the next round against the other winners.

16 people including Noah, began to choose their sparring partner.

Gluck didn't get to face Noah immediately, he did feel disappointed, but he will eventually face him.

Gluck also has talent with the sword. Just not as much as Noah. So, he set Noah as his target, to one day surpass him.

The first round, Noah faced off with the kid that just entered. He is the landlord's son. The landlord is a very nice person, he doesn't care about politics and cares alot about his land.

His son, however, is an aggnorant fuck. Certainly he has talent, but he had took the pride too far.

When Noah first saw him, he didn't think that it would be a big deal. But after the landlord's son decided to taunt him, he understood what had to be done.

One swing, the wooden sword broke. It was made from oak wood. Which is quite hard in standard.

Not only did the sword broke, it broke through the fear barrier. The landlord's son gave up. As he knew that he had lost.

There wasn't anything interesting happened during the other matches, well, Gluck and Noah kept winning non stop.

Not until the finals, though.

Well, eventually at the finals, though.

"Fancy meeting you at the finals here. Not a surprise, to be honest."

"……"*smiles*"What are you laughin……"

As if any opponent would speak chivalry nonsense during a fight.

Noah did took advantage of this. Rushed.

Gluck seems to have the reaction speed to react to the speed. Somewhat blocked the attack.

"Start……"Gluck heard the words, crystal clear. Prepare his stance and dashed towards his enemy.

Heavy body falling on the snow*

"It's a draw, you two kids are something else…"

The two "swordsman" fought for 10 minutes, and then fell victim into physical fatigue.

Noah's hand is bleeding slightly, probably scratched by the gripping the handle.

"You two are monsters, in the future, that is. Haha!"

The mercenary uncle stood there and laughed at them.

Gluck, his face is somewhat damaged, his legs could no longer function for a brief period of time.

Noah got up, stood up perfectly, his hand is still bleeding. It's fine, there's no woman that want to marry a man that cries because of a single scratch anyway.

He looked down, the place where his leaking blood should be is no more, but instead replaced with an icicle.

Well, an strangely shaped icicle. Noah took a look at his hand, so he went and rest with Gluck.

"You…are one…tough guy…aren't…ya?"

Gluck couldn't talk a lot due to his current status, but enough for Noah to understand. The event ended as the two ended in a draw.

Well, the only result the ends with a good ending is a draw. A result that no one would be sad.

Noah pulled out the icicle hidden in his scabbard. And took a closer look at it.

(Today is a bizarre day, isn't it.)

"Yeah, funny…"

The slim voice was heard by a girl, she stared at Noah until she was reminded by her friends.