So… what business do you have there kid?"
A grumpy old man handling the horse of the carriage asked the boy with a stotic expression.
"I heard that I could see the sword demon around here," the Albino boy of around 4 years in age replied back to the man.
"And what business does a kid seek for with the legend himself?"
"I wanted to ask him to be my mentor."
Hearing the boy made the old man raise an eyebrow on his favor.
Sword Demon, or to be precise, Albert Waldstein. The strongest swordsman who could exist in the current era is very famous for his swordsmanship.
Every person fear to stand in front of that man, and this kid, this little boy wants to ask that demon to be his mentor?
"Kid, you do know what you are seeking for?"
"Is it wrong to ask him to be my mentor?"
"Look kid, I am no one to speak of your favor, I am just saying you are going to ask that favor to the person whom mostly fear in terms of swordsmanship?"
"…"
The boy didn't say no more and also the old man didn't push. The carriage reached near the outskirts of the mountain where it was heard that the sword demon lives with his family.
At first the boy himself was surprised to learn that sword demon Albert had a family, unless he heard that from the god of thunder, Zeus.
"well kid, this is as far as I can take you, rest is up to you."
"Thankyou mister," He gave a soft bow as he took his small bag and descended from his carriage.
"Well I was paid to escort you anyways, later kid."
The old man wacked the horse and moved on while the boy waved a goodbye to him.
"Now, to ask where Mr. Albert lives," he takes a small map from side pocked of the bag and opens it, "according to the looks of it, seems like he is deeper in mountains."
The boy roamed around the village asking people about him. Some were unsured, some just told the stories of his greatness and some were simply scared to even talk about that legend as they feel of not having a right to speak about him.
After 2-3 hours, the boy gave up and rested himself on the bench. Giving up a possible source of finding him, surprisingly a young beautiful woman saw this little rabbit lookalike sighing heavily.
"Are you okay?" she asked, the boy looked up meeting with her eyes, she was pretty, even beautiful than any goddess of beauty, having a golden hair same as her eye color. The albino replied back to the polite woman.
"I… I am kind of in search of sword demon, I have asked everyone but nobody knows where he lives."
"Oh… why is it you want to meet the great sword champion?"
"Ah… well, I want to be his apprentice."
"Oh… but do you know he never takes anyone as his disciple?"
"Wait he does not?"
The woman nodded making him disappointed.
"But… I have heard from Zeus-sama that he would be willing to take me as an apprentice, I possess the qualities for it!"
The statement took back the lady, his eyes were determined and moreover, he addressed that Zeus said that he can be the champion's apprentice?
The woman took a second and wondered what to do with the situation, she finally makes her mind and decides to lead the boy to the sword champion.
"Okay… if you are that determined, I will take you to him."
"Really!?"
"Yes…"
She smiled as the boy was jumping around with joy.
"By the way what is your name?"
"I am Bell, Bell Cranel… that's what Zeus-sama said. I… don't have a family name."
"Oh… sorry to hear that, my name is Aria… nice to meet you Bell."
She holds his hand looking at him with a smile.
"Let's go to sword champion then."
"Hm!"
They were climbing up the mountains, as the altitude increased Bell had it slightly hard to breath. But he can't blame on himself, he wasn't ready to live in thin air.
As they reached near a wooden house, they could hear a person counting as well as swinging a weapon or some sort.
"Well, we are here."
"Aria-san… is this your home?"
"It's mine and Albert's home."
"W-Wait, you and the sword demon are…"
"Well, rest easy I will call him for you."
She made him sit on a chair and left the room, Bell just sat still and looked around the house.
It was not that fancy but none the less to say it was simple, like a house for a perfect family.
As he just explored with his eyes, he sensed that someone was watching him from the entrance of the room. Slightly getting nervous he looked at the direction where he was getting a gaze from.
There was a girl, around same age as him who just slightly peeped her head and eyes looking at the rabbit like boy.
"Oh.. H-hello!" Bell waved but the girl quickly left.
"Well that was awkward."
After some time, Aria returned to the room with a man who was already bathed with sweat and was just using the towel to clean himself up from the sweat.
"So… you found this kid who was searching me."
On the response to his voice, Bell stiffened his shoulder."
"A-A-Albert-san i-i-it's an honor to see you!"
"Whoa there kid, take it easy."
The two sat opposite to each other while Aria decided to make something to eat. Albert just awkwardly sat while Bell was soo nervous that he lost his cool and now is shivering in front of the champion whom he had heard stories of.
"so… why were you searching for me? And also, how did your parents let you out at this age."
The word parent suddenly saddened Bell, he frowned as Albert panicked inside his mind.
"I… I have no family, the only family have is Zeus-sama."
"Zeus?"
"Well he told me all of your stories and your achievements which I admire the most."
"Well I am happy to hear that you admire me."
"And that is why… I want you to be my mentor."
"…"
"So that someday I can also be like you! Be strong enough to protect other."
Aria and her daughter who still saw from the room entrance can see determination in his eyes, Albert too saw it but he had something else for the kid which might break his heart.
"Look kid, I like you admire be and want to be like me. But here is my advice, don't be like me," He stands up and makes his way towards the room's entrance, "As for your request to be my disciple, I am sorry to say, I won't accept anyone as my disciple."
"W-Why?"
"It is because of how it is… well you came this far, you are free to stay here for some time."
Albert leaves making Bell a bit in tears, Aria was sad to see this. Her daughter who saw this went to her father and had a quick talk about this.
"Papa, why won't you allow him to be your disciple?"
He just laughed and said one thing, "Listen Ais, its sometimes better to do nothing than doing something. I know you too have seen his determined eyes but I don't wish to ruin his childhood by making him use weapons."
"What if he still earns for it?"
"Well, if he proves his determination, I will let him be my disciple."
He leaves to take a bath while Aria calls her for lunch.
Aria, Ais and Bell sat to have the lunch, Aria tried to comfort him but Bell on other hand seemed not to give up.
As Albert entered to have his lunch, Bell puffed his cheeks and just said.
"Make me your Disciple."
To this Albert said…
"No."
Not only once, Bell still hadn't given up. The time when albert trains he pops up replacing the practice dummy and again asks, again the same reply.
While he took bath, Bell just peeped through the bathroom window and asked again, again denied.
When albert was sitting and having a fatherly conversation with Ais under a tree, Bell slipped upside down, the branch leaning making Bell's head reach Albert's level, again asking and again getting the same reply and after that he fell on head to which just Ais looked at him.
"You, okay?"
But yet again…
"Make me your disciple!"
"No..."
Again, when Albert decided to go in even higher altitude and practice there hoping the kid won't show up in this sheer cold, as he swung his sword the kid popped up beneath the gathered snow, shivering and asking again as he sneezes, again the same reply.
This time Albert just hid himself from the kid, but then again as he was hiding in the basement, Bell again popped his head up from the box behind scaring the life out from Albert, asking the same question again and again getting denied.
Albert was now tired of this and unknown to him he started to just get rid of the kid. Hiding himself on a certain spot again, he wipes his sweat but then again, Bell shows up.
"Make me your Disciple."
"AHHHHH!... JESUS CHRIST! WHAT GIVES KID! I ALREADY SAID NO!"
He took off in an instant, while the little rabbit chased behind the now scared champion.
Aria and Ais who just sat and watch every behind the scene just rooted for the rabbit, never in eternity could made sword demon scared of a little rabbit.
Aria had seen many people get attention and try to make Albert their mentor but his first decline others give up, but this child simply didn't give in. He is just pestering her husband to just get convinced to teach him.
She will lie if she says that she didn't laugh rolling around, that was the strangest and the hilarious scenario to even witness.
Ais was pretty impressed by Bell's determination, now this also made her to ask her father to teach her how to wield swords.
Not too soon the two kids ganged up on the champion and pestered him all day long.
'Make me your disciple!'
'Teach me too papa!'
Those two statements were the only thing that he had heard of for months now.
The man just woke up from his sleep, another day arrives while the sword champion seemed to be broken right now. It's been over a month Bell lived with them.
Bell and Ais were good enough to get close and be friends, as they were playing outside Aria decided to give her husband's breakfast in his room.
"Morning dear, here is your breakfast."
"no…"
The reply made her laugh, she carried on with a smile.
"You don't want your breakfast?"
"Oh no, I mean no wait I mean yes!"
Aria again laughed making Albert a bit embarrassed. She placed the plate on the table beside the bed and sat beside him holding his hand.
"So, are you not going accept his proposal?"
"What should I say… I am Lying to you if I said no."
This reply made her smile, even Albert smiled on his own statement.
"I never expected someone to go far and make me scared of them."
"So you were scared?"
"Yup, I have to tell you. The kid does have unbreakable determination."
"So, are you finally agreeing to make him your disciple?"
"I am going to make him my disciple, also I would teach Ais since even she got fired up by seeing Bell."
"Well that is reassuring…"
Aria and Albert paused for a moment.
"So… where are the kids now?"
"Playing outside."
"You think that Ais started to like Bell?"
"Who knows, it's only been a month and seems like the two are already close friend."
The two stood up from the bedroom and decided to give the good news to the kids. While there was a chat between the husband and wife, the kids were having their own chatter.
"Say Bell, do you like heroes?"
"I love them, they are strong and cool! Zeus-sama tells me stories about them."
"I know right! They are the best."
"Ya… even though they are not real, they make my heart warm."
"if you don't mind Bell, can I ask you something?"
"Hm… what is it?"
"You seem to like heroes much more than myself, why is it so?"
"Uhm… probably because I can see them as a family of mine."
"A family?"
"Yes, whenever I feel lonely, I take a story book about heroes and read it, it brings me joy whenever I am down, it is like I have someone to cheer me up."
"oh…" Ais just scratched her chin.
"You know, heroes are in different form, for me heroes are like family members who cheer me up during my bad times."
"…"
"What is a hero to you Ais?"
"For me? Uhm well… it's my papa. But…"
"But?"
"He said to me that he can't be my hero because he has mama."
"Oh… so does that mean for you a hero is someone who cares for you and would go out their way to save you?"
"You can put it like that too."
As the two were in their chatter, Albert took their attention along with Aria who smiled at the two.
"Please Albert-san! Make me your Disciple!"
"Papa, please teach me how to wield a sword just like you!"
"Okay okay you two, I will teach you both… now cool it off you two."
"YAY!"
The two cheered and jumped together holding hands. Aria and Albert smiled at the two.
"Well, they really did get close alright."
"From tomorrow they have to get through hell."