Apologies for the late chapter today. We took my sister ziplining this morning as a belated birthday celebration. Was a lot of fun, but didn't get back until the afternoon and am absolutely exhausted. As such, I didn't get to do a full edit this week, but I think I caught most of it in my initial scan.
Happy tenth chapter! Can't believe we're already this far. I knew this would be a longfic going in, but at this rate, we're gonna easily pass In RWBY's Shadow. Might even double it. Not sure yet, but things are gonna move forward a bit soon.
"Get up, Adam."
Adam wasted no time picking himself back up from the ground, dusting himself off before grabbing the small training sword Mazarin had given him. Mazarin had a matching blade, saying that it would be unfair to train him with her oversized weapon. It probably had just as much to do with the fact that the two swords came as a set.
"Spread your feet more," Mazarin instructed, tapping his shin with the flat of her blade. "And bend your knees a little. Unless you want to spend more time in the dirt."
Adam followed her orders immediately, adjusting his stance before looking to her for approval. Mazarin stepped back and readied her sword, signaling that she thought he was ready. Or ready enough. She swung from the side, purposefully telegraphing her attack and slowing down to the point he couldn't miss. His own sword moved quickly to intercept, steel ringing out as he halted Mazarin's already-muted attack. Even so, his hands ached as he held his attacker's blade in place.
"Stings, don't it?" Mazarin asked as Adam shook his hands out after she reset.
"Does it always hurt like that?" Adam questioned. If so, Adam couldn't imagine fights lasting very long.
Mazarin lowered her sword, holding it out to the side to show Adam her grip. "Only if you hold it too tight. Loosen up just a bit. You'll move a little smoother, too." Mazarin spun the sword lazily in her hand, then brought her guard straight up to match Adam's last movement. "Blocking like that means you have to take the full pressure and match it. If you can, try diverting the blow instead." Mazarin tilted the sword at an angle, moving the blade down as she caught an imaginary blow. "Takes a lot less force and can give you a great opening to counter."
Adam matched the movements carefully as Mazarin repeated the maneuver. For well over a year, every time Mazarin passed through Shizukana, they'd spent the evenings training before dinner. For the first few months, it had been rare, but she tended to swing through the village much more often now. She'd even stayed for a full week during the winter. They'd turned Father Bernard's office into a third bedroom at that point, promising Mazarin that she'd always have a place to stay if she needed it. Her horse had its own stall at this point, too, right next to Eve's.
"This time," Mazarin said as she adjusted his hands for him, "keep your grip looser and try blocking again. We'll practice parrying next, but I want you to feel the difference in grip." Adam nodded along, readying himself for the next attack. "You ready?"
"Bring it on," Adam challenged, eager as always. Mazarin matched her swing earlier, coming in faster since Adam was already in position. Adam felt the impact, but his hands didn't hurt nearly as much.
Only his ego was bruised this time as the sword flew from his loose grip.
"You said to hold it looser!" Adam complained as he scurried to retrieve his weapon, chased by Mazarin's laughter.
"You got the loose part," Mazarin chuckled, "but I think you missed the hold part! Keep working on your grip. Too tight, and you'll wear out faster. Too loose, and…well, that happens." Adam grumbled his complaints as he returned. "Complaining's a waste of energy. If you don't like being on the defensive, then show me what you've got!"
"You mean…"
"Attack me!" Mazarin demanded. "Dinner's almost ready. Let's finish with the shoe on the other foot, eh?"
Any fatigue Adam had felt washed away in an instant. Most of their training focused on defense, as Mazarin always said it was the more valuable skill, especially starting out. Until he built up the strength to overpower an opponent, or the skill to outwit them, wearing them out would be his best bet.
"And how about we make things interesting?" Mazarin's sly smile had Adam's full attention. "You land a single hit, and I'll embarrass your old man at dinner."
"You do that anyways," Adam pointed out.
Mazarin snorted at being called out. "Fair point. Fine. You set the rules then."
"If I win…" Adam took a moment to think of a worthy punishment. "If I win, you ask Dad out on a date. A real date."
Not exactly a punishment in Adam's mind. As far as he was concerned, Mazarin had made her interest pretty clear, even if his father seemed in denial. Anytime Adam tried to bring it up, Father Bernard insisted she was just being friendly. His reddened cheeks betrayed him, but he stubbornly refused to accept the obvious and instead fell for his own delusion.
Mazarin, on the other hand, never went beyond hinting. She once told Adam she didn't want to be too pushy and would wait until Father Bernard was ready, but if they both kept waiting for someone else to act, nothing would ever happen. Maybe a little push from Adam was all they needed.
"And what exactly does a real date look like?" Mazarin asked, clearly amused at his plan.
"First of all, you can't use me as a third wheel." As much as Adam loved spending time with Mazarin, they'd never get serious with him around. He could hear them talk after he went to bed each visit and knew that was when serious discussions happened. And they'd need to get away from the house too. Somewhere private where they could talk. "A picnic!"
"A picnic?" Mazarin echoed.
"Yeah! You and Dad can ride out to the falls for lunch!" Adam had only been back to his favorite spot once since that fateful afternoon, and only because Father Bernard went with him. As much as he loved the spot, he couldn't help but jump at every shadow. But he knew it would be the perfect setting for them.
Mazarin took a moment to consider the idea. Maybe Adam was being a little forceful, but he was getting tired of waiting. Mazarin practically lived with them already. Despite Father Bernard's protesting, she shared her income with them, saying it was only fair she chip in. She helped with chores whenever she stayed more than a night. As far as Adam was concerned, she was already part of the family.
Why not make it official?
Adam's impatience applied to more than just their relationship status. "I get a hit. You get a date. Simple as that." When that failed to get an answer from Mazarin, Adam turned up the pressure. "What? You scared I'll win?"
"Not on your life," Mazarin shot back. "Alright. Deal! Let's shake on it."
Adam reached out as Mazarin offered her hand. The moment he made contact, Mazarin swept a foot behind his legs and gave him a shove.
"Hey!" Adam complained as he hit the dirt.
"This ain't some tournament duel, Adam," Mazarin lectured, though she looked far too pleased at her demonstration. "A real fight can start at any moment and only ends when someone's completely defeated."
"But this isn't a real fight!" Their spar would end either when he got a hit or when Father Bernard called them in for dinner. Those were the rules.
"Fine, then consider this a bonus lesson," Mazarin shrugged as he jumped back up. "Always expect the unexpected."
"That makes no sense."
"Doesn't have to," Mazarin answered. "Now are you gonna talk, or are you gonna fight?"
Adam let his sword answer as he charged in.
"That's more like it!" Mazarin cheered, catching his attack easily against her blade. Adam used the momentum of the block to rotate around the other way, but Mazarin met the redirect, deflecting his attack into the dirt. Recalling her lesson from two weeks ago, Adam lowered his shoulder and charged.
Mazarin sidestepped him, kicking his butt just hard enough to send him to the ground again. "Hold still!" Adam spat, along with a mouthful of dirt.
"Never agreed to that," Mazarin laughed before adding to the pile of random lessons for the day. "Always be mobile. Only time you should stand still is if you're defending something behind you."
Adam took the words to heart, charging in with an overhead strike. Mazarin stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharpened edge. She ducked his return strike, shoving his shoulder to make him turn around fully. A quick poke with the pommel of her sword had him jumping forward, spinning to face her once more.
"You're still lacking control." Mazarin stepped back as Adam's sword bit into the dirt once more. "You need to be thinking ahead more. Where will this attack put you? What happens if you miss? What will your opponent do?" Mazarin leaned away from his horizontal swipe, smacking the passing blade with her own to overextend him again. "Strength can win, but you need brains to dominate."
Adam aimed for her shoulder as she spoke, but she was ready well before he struck. He threw caution to the wind, swinging wildly in the vain hope of catching her off-guard. Every attack either met air or steel as Mazarin easily stayed ahead of him. His frustrated grunts grew louder with each failure. He lunged forward, thrusting straight for Mazarin's stomach.
"Nice try," Mazarin said as she spun away, "but you're too predictable, especially when you get angry. You need to keep your opponent guessing."
So saying, Mazarin raised her sword…and tossed it away.
"You just gonna stand there?" Mazarin asked, adopting a boxing stance as she bounced lightly side to side. Adam watched uneasily, unsure of how to respond to the sudden shift in the one hand, she had no way to block his strikes now.
But she knew that, too.
"Giving up? Guess I'm off the hook tonight."
Adam knew it was a trap. Mazarin may as well have been waving a sign with how obvious it was. Still, he couldn't ignore the biggest advantage he could get. Besides, like Mazarin said, not attacking meant he'd already lost. He raised his sword and sprinted forward, intent on finally claiming victory over Mazarin. His battle cry echoed in the cool, evening air.
Mazarin's own voice clashed with his own as she suddenly charged, closing the distance far sooner than Adam planned for. He swung down hard, but too late.
"Oof!" he cried as Mazarin crashed into him, tackling him to the ground. The moment he landed, Mazarin wrapped his knuckles, snatching his sword the moment his grip weakened. By the time the dust settled, Mazarin stood above him, holding the tip of Adam's own sword against his chest.
"And that, Adam, was the unexpected," Mazarin chuckled, pulling the sword back and offering Adam a hand to help him up. "Range is important. A sword works well in mid-range, but is nearly useless at point blank. Keep your opponent in your optimal range and try to stay out of theirs."
Adam reluctantly nodded along, accepting his defeat as Father Bernard's voice rang out, summoning them inside. "I almost had you."
"You rushed it," Mazarin corrected. "Speed is great, unless your opponent is faster. Figure out your advantage and capitalize on it." Mazarin flipped Adam's sword in the air, catching the blade and holding it out to Adam. "You had the range. You should've kept me at arm's length and forced me to make the move."
"I'll get you next time," Adam promised.
"Maybe," Mazarin allowed, "But for now, I'm still undefeated. Put the gear away and make sure you clean up before dinner."
"Yes, Mom," Adam drawled out sarcastically, even if part of him wondered what it would be like to say it seriously. Ignoring his wishful thinking, Adam hastened to collect Mazarin's discarded sword, then rushed inside. He deposited the twin blades in the hall closet, securing them in their wall sheaths before getting ready for dinner.
"You two have fun out there?" Father Bernard asked as Adam sat down.
"I almost beat her!" Adam insisted.
Father Bernard turned to Mazarin, doubting his son's claim. "He's getting better," Mazarin admitted as she offered Adam the gravy boat. Adam held his plate out, letting Mazarin drench his venison and mashed potatoes. "Faster, too. All that practice is paying off."
Adam basked in her praise, but he knew she was right. He could just about keep up with the guards on longer runs now. His arms were nowhere near as muscular as Mazarin's, but his small muscles showed through clearly now. They'd increased the distance of his targets at the range, too.
"Needs to work on his balance, though," Mazarin added, souring the mood. "Kept having to pick him back up."
"You knocked me down on purpose!" Adam griped.
"Temperamental, too," Mazarin said smugly. "But he's off to a good start."
"A good enough start?" Father Bernard asked, giving voice to Adam's thoughts. As much fun as he was having, Adam still had a goal in mind. Getting entry to a Combat School was the next step. He still had a few years before he could apply, but most applicants started training younger than he did, so he was already playing catch up. No matter how hard he worked, he still had to outperform the other applicants if he wanted in.
Adam straightened up as Mazarin eyed him for a moment. "Hard to say," Mazarin admitted. As much as she liked to kid around, she'd promised to be bluntly honest when it came to his goals. Empty praise would do nothing for him. He needed blunt honesty if he hoped to succeed, no matter how brutal it might be. "I think he's off to a good start. Physically, at least. He's got the basics, but strength and speed aren't enough. How's his studies going?"
"Better," Father Bernard summarized. Adam did his best to study hard, mostly thanks to Father Bernard's constant reminders about his promise. His reading and writing were well above average. History was his strongest subject. Science could be hit or miss, as he excelled at any matters he could get hands-on experience with, but struggled with the rest. Math…
Well, at least he tried.
"Tomorrow, we'll take a break from swordwork and focus on strategy," Mazarin instructed. Given his training in the afternoon with the guards, he'd appreciate a rest. "Might do a little footwork exercise before I head out, too."
With the arrival of spring, Mazarin's schedule had started filling up rapidly. Most of her contracts were for short trips - a week or two at most - she also had a couple of larger contracts scheduled for the summer. Having her gone for over a month was always hard, but they'd manage. Besides, it always balanced out when the weather turned cold and she got more time off.
Talk soon turned away from Adam's training to more mundane topics. Father Bernard spoke of visiting an older woman in the village and bringing her groceries and medicine, since she couldn't get around as easily anymore. His next trip to Katai was still a week away, though Adam wouldn't be going this time. Other than that, he didn't seem to have much planned for the next few days.
He rarely had much planned during Mazarin's visits.
"Pretty slow day in the ministry, eh?" Mazarin asked. Father Bernard shook his head, used to Mazarin's lighthearted jokes. "So no widows and shut-ins to call on tomorrow?"
"None that I know of," Father Bernard answered. "Might see if I can catch Brother Wilde after work and check in on the family." Mrs. Wilde still avoided Father Bernard as much as she could. Rather than push the issue, Father Bernard made a point to only visit if he knew Brother Wilde was present.
"Then…maybe you and I could go to the falls in the afternoon," Mazarin offered. Father Bernard nearly choked on his food, even as Adam froze in shock. "Adam was telling me all about it. I figured we could grab some food and ride out there while Adam's training with the guards."
Adam couldn't believe his ears. Did Mazarin just ask Dad out? He'd lost their bet, yet here she was, going through with it anyways.
'Well, I…that is, if you think…" Father Bernard didn't just stumble over his words. He practically beat his face in with them.
"C'mon, Bernard. It'll be fun," Mazarin insisted. "Besides, I need to get out more."
"You travel for a living," Father Bernard reminded her.
"You know what I mean," Mazarin replied. "I love this house, but I rarely leave when I'm here. I want to see all that Shizukana has to offer. Plus, Adam made it sound really nice."
Adam's eyes widened as Father Bernard's gaze turned to him. "Did he now?" Adam steadfastly avoided eye contact, staring a hole through the wall as he raised his glass to his mouth, desperate to avoid getting pulled in. "If you just wanted to get out a bit, then I'd be happy to show you around."
Yet again, he misses the obvious. Somehow, Father Bernard had turned what was pretty obviously a date into a tour. Adam's shoulders fell as he watched another opportunity slip by.
"Yeah, I wanna see the town and all," Mazarin admitted before reaching out for Father Bernard's hand. "But I want to see it with you."
Adam unceremoniously sprayed his mouthful of water at Mazarin's declaration. Thankfully, his attempts to avoid eye contact meant that he missed soaking his father and ruining the moment. He was also grateful that Father Bernard's shock meant no telling off for bad manners. Then again, he wouldn't have cared too much at this point.
Adam couldn't be certain, but he felt that Father Bernard's nervous laughter was a good sign. Even better, he didn't pull away from the contact from Mazarin, though that might've been just as much the shock as anything else.
"I-I…well…we…"
"Always the eloquent speaker," Mazarin laughed as she sat back. "I'll make it easy, Bernard. We're going to the falls tomorrow. We'll eat, chat a bit, and just enjoy the afternoon. That's it."
Father Bernard cleared his throat as he finally snapped back to reality. "That sounds…nice."
"See? Now was that so hard?" Mazarin shook her head in amusement, aiming her next comment at Adam. "Your dad really knows how to sweet talk a woman, don't he?"
Adam chose to ignore Father Bernard's glare as he giggled along. Mazarin always knew how to lighten the mood, especially when it came to his dad. Dinner wrapped up quickly, with barely a word from Father Bernard. Mazarin seemed somewhat subdued as well, at least compared to her usual behavior. Adam decided to follow their lead, keeping quiet as he scarfed down the rest of his food and cleared his place.
"I'll…go get ready for bed," Adam offered for the first time in his life. The last thing he wanted to do was distract from what had just happened. After a quick shower, Adam returned to his room, pulling out a well-worn book that Father Bernard had picked up for him a few months ago. It was filled with stories of some of the most famous Huntsmen throughout history and their struggles against the Grimm. Some were merely fairytales, their stories passed down from long ago. Others, like the Grimm Reaper, came with first-hand accounts and even photos. But they all had one thing in common.
They were heroes.
"Mind if I come in?" Adam's book slapped shut as he sat up at the sudden arrival. Mazarin smiled innocently from the doorway. "I'll take that as a yes." She quietly came and sat down on the edge of Adam's bed, sparing a glance at the book Adam had been reading. "Huntsman stories, eh? Studying the competition?"
Adam rolled his eyes. "They're stories of some of the strongest Huntsmen in history. People that did extraordinary things to protect others."
"Maybe someday they'll add you to that list," Mazarin offered. "The greatest Huntsman Remnant has ever known."
"Don't laugh," Adam complained.
"I'm serious!" Mazarin assured him. "I know you. You'll go on to do great things in this world. People everywhere will know the name Adam Taurus. Just you wait."
"You really think so?"
"I know it," Mazarin answered confidently. "Anyways, I just wanted to pop in and say thanks."
"For what?"
"For the swift kick in the keister," Mazarin chuckled. "I kept waiting for your dad to make the first move, but we both know I would've been waiting a long time."
"He likes you, you know." Even Adam could tell. Father Bernard always seemed more energetic when she was around. He smiled a lot more, too. And he always seemed to know exactly when she would return from each trip. Father Bernard seemed more excited to see her than even Adam did.
"I kinda picked up on that," Mazarin admitted. "He's a good man. A good man in a bad world. Those are hard to come by nowadays."
"You excited for tomorrow?" Adam asked.
"Excited. Thrilled. Scared."
"Scared?" Of all the things Adam expected, Mazarin being scared wasn't anywhere on the list. "You? But you're…you!" Nothing should scare her. She took on a pack of Beowolves and an Alpha the day they met. A picnic with Father Bernard didn't even come close.
Adam could imagine them now. Sitting on the cliff edge. Listening to the crash of the water below. Sharing a simple meal. Holding hands. Then, they'd turn to each other and…
Adam shivered, fighting to keep his dinner down as he frantically tried to scrub the image from his mind.
"Of course I'm scared!" Mazarin said. "Who wouldn't be?"
"You!" Adam countered. "You fight Grimm and bandits for fun! This is just a date."
"First of all, fighting them is my job." Mazarin looked around theatrically, leaning in to add, "It just happens to be fun, too. But facing Grimm is way easier."
"Easier than talking to Dad?"
"Of course it is!" Mazarin insisted, as if the answer was the most obvious thing on Remnant. "Because we're not just talking. We're…dating, maybe? I guess I'll find out tomorrow." Adam stared at her in confusion. "Grimm are easier because it's a physical fight. One of us wins. The other loses. Worst case, you get hurt or die. But a wounded heart hurts a lot more. And a lot longer."
"Dad would never hurt you, though." Adam was certain of it. Father Bernard cared too much for Mazarin to ever do something like that.
"Maybe not on purpose, but what if things don't work out? What if I put myself out there and he says no? Or vice versa? Aura can protect your body, but I'm just as vulnerable as anyone else on the inside."
"It'll be fine," Adam said. He never thought he'd be consoling Mazarin of all people. "You like him. He likes you. Isn't that all that matters?"
"No…but it's as good a start as any," Mazarin shrugged. "Thanks, kid."
Adam arched an eyebrow at the sudden turnaround. "That's it? That's all you needed?"
"Heck no!" Mazarin laughed. "I'm still scared, but sometimes, you just need to talk it out, ya know? Anyways, thanks for listening."
"Anytime." And Adam meant it. Mazarin had already done so much for him. He'd do anything to repay her.
"Goodnight, Adam."
"Night!" Adam cheerfully replied as she slipped out. The muffled conversation of the two adults of the house soon filtered into his room, but Adam ignored it as he picked his book back up and lost himself once more in the world of Huntsmen.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
The next months crawled by slowly. Mazarin spent more time away on travel, but her time at the house was always special. She still helped train Adam when she could, but she and Father Bernard spent more and more time together. Apparently, their first date had gone well.
As had their second. And their third.
Honestly, Adam had lost count of their little romantic outings. Not that the number really mattered in the grand scheme of things. Mazarin was happy. Father Bernard was happy.
And Adam was happy for them both.
Every day, Adam woke up before dawn to take care of the chores around the house. He and Father Bernard had made an agreement that he'd do more in the morning and Father Bernard would cover the afternoon work so he could go train more. While it meant Adam took more of the workload now, he didn't mind letting Father Bernard sleep in. He could practically run the house himself anymore, though Mazarin always offered to help when she was around.
Adam started with the garden. He gathered a few tomatoes that were nearly ready to fall off the vine, tossing one away that had begun to rot early. Father Bernard would handle most of the other vegetables in the afternoon, but Adam liked to take care of the most obvious ones when he could.
His rose bushes dominated the edge of the garden, having flourished under Adam's care. Father Bernard often reminded him of how little roses really needed to survive, but Adam wanted more for them. He'd sometimes clip a few whenever Mazarin was due to return, leaving them in a small vase in the guest room for when she got home. With how large the bushes were already growing, swiping a few blooms here and there rarely left a dent.
Adam swapped his tomatoes for an apple in the kitchen, then made his way to the stable. "I'm coming. I'm coming." Eve stamped impatiently as she waited for him to open her stall. Adam reached for the small sheath on his belt, pulling out his dagger - the same one that Father Bernard had once attacked the Alpha with. A quick flick split the apple in half. "Here you go, girl," Adam offered as he held out the treat for Eve.
A soft whiny from his left summoned him.
"Calm down, you old fart," Adam laughed as he headed for Able's stall, opening the latch for the larger animal. Adam handed over the other half of the apple to Father Bernard's horse. "I didn't forget about you." Able snorted in thanks before heading for the pasture, followed soon after by Eve. He'd have to take her out for a ride in the evening.
Cleaning out the stalls had become nearly automatic, allowing Adam to plan his day out while he mindlessly worked. Even though he had training with the captain later, he still planned to take a morning run before the day got underway. He loved doing a lap of the village's outer edges before most of the occupants stirred. He always kept a healthy distance between him and the treeline, though. He didn't fancy testing his speed against a Grimm.
Lessons would dominate most of his morning, followed by training after lunch. The captain had arranged a small shooting competition today, and while he knew he wouldn't win, he was excited to participate with the older guards. He was still a kid, but with how often he came by, the guards mostly saw him as one of their own.
Mazarin had shown him a few sword techniques he could practice alone, so he'd probably run through those again tonight before dinner. Most days looked about the same lately, but the repetition was paying off. Plus, his recent growth spurt didn't hurt.
Adam still had a ways to go before he'd be catching up with someone like Father Bernard, but he stood just a little taller than the other boys his age. He'd even edged out Samson by an inch or two. Dorain largely avoided him now, as his extra height and growing muscles made him a far less tempting target to the bully. He wasn't huge, but he was solid now. And none of the other children could hope to match his speed.
Probably because none of them started their day running.
Adam hurried about the kitchen, cooking up a pair of omelets as sunlight snuck in. Like clockwork, the door down the hall opened just as he switched the omelet pan for a kettle.
"How's the garden looking?" Father Bernard yawned as he plopped into his chair at the table, stretching his arms above his head until a soft pop sounded.
"Rescued a few tomatoes," Adam advised, pointing to the small pile on the counter. "Must've missed them last night."
"Last night?" Father Bernard blinked sleepily as he tried to recall something. "Did I check the garden last night?"
Adam knew Father Bernard had. The fresh vegetables in the fridge said as much, though now that Adam thought about it, he hadn't seen any tomatoes. Maybe Father Bernard had missed them after all.
Adam poured some tea for Father Bernard, choosing to forego it himself until after his run. He hurriedly downed his breakfast and hastened for the door.
"Don't forget your jacket!" Father Bernard called before he could escape.
"Don't need it!" Adam replied, darting away before Father Bernard could complain. Even if he wasn't out for a run, the weather was nice enough to not need the jacket. Except for Father Bernard. He practically always wore his long blazer everywhere, complaining that it was cold.
Adam felt it was more because of the meaning of the blazer than the temperature. Mazarin had brought it back for him from one of her trips. It hugged his body smartly at the top before tapering to a looser fit below his hips. Even Adam could admit it looked good on his dad. A little more stylish than Father Bernard would typically go for, but nowadays, he rarely took it off.
Pretty much ever since Mazarin had told him he looked good in it.
Ignoring his father's love life for now, Adam set off on a light jog. Eve followed along the edge of the pasture until the end of the fence. "I'll be back!" he promised, turning toward the fields and picking up his pace a little.
Running was cathartic. No lessons. No bullies. No worries. Just the steady drumming of his feet and the soft breeze on his face. He could practically follow the route blindfolded with how often he ran. In some areas, the ground had worn down from the repeated trips, establishing a sort of path for him to follow. His mind ran ahead of him, wandering down the roads of time to where his life might take him.
Combat school was an obvious choice. They'd found one only a few days' journey from Shizukana. It wasn't as big as the ones near the capital, but it was still respected and had a decent Huntsman Academy acceptance rate. Locals said the school mostly excelled in Grimm studies thanks to the location. Their biggest drawback was the lack of class sizes, meaning their students got less variety in spars than the larger schools. But it would have to be enough.
After that, he'd be on his way to Haven Academy. He'd been taking time to study every scrap of information he could find on the school. They tended to do well in the Tournaments, even bringing home the trophy recently. Father Bernard had gotten ahold of some footage from the final match for him to watch, promising they'd go to Katai next Tournament to watch it live. Adam couldn't wait to hoist that trophy himself someday.
He'd graduate top of his class and lead his team through Mistral, clearing out every Grimm they encountered all the way to the sea. His hope was that they could stay around the Shizukana area afterwards and focus on local jobs. Maybe the merchants would pay to have a Huntsman team in the area, since they would cut down security costs tremendously. Heck, with a full team calling Shizukana home, more people might move there for the promised protection. He could single handedly turn his little village into a proper town someday. If they cleared out more of the woods, they'd have way more space than Katai.
Either way, he'd settle in the area and make sure Father Bernard and Mazarin were always taken care of. After all they'd done for him, it was only fair he repay the kindness. Then, Mazarin could retire and not have to travel all the time! Father Bernard would definitely like that.
His feet finally caught up to his wandering brain as the trail turned to home once more. Life in Shizukana had always been rather slow, but Adam had never noticed it that much until Mazarin. She always kept things interesting, but when she was gone, not much happened. The house was so quiet without her around.
"Just three more weeks," Adam reminded himself, but the number proved more discouraging than intended. Mazarin was on one of her longer trips, escorting a caravan all the way to the capitol. She only made the trip when specifically requested, which meant their merchant friends from that fateful Katai trip. "I'm home!"
A muffled response answered as Adam got changed. He slipped into Father Bernard's room, where his father was busy studying in a small chair in the corner. He rarely used his office, instead bringing some of his materials to the house and camping out in his room. Adam employed a similar tactic.
"Math today?" Father Bernard asked as Adam fetched the hated tome from the small shelf nearby.
"Unfortunately," Adam replied. As if the day isn't boring enough already. Still, it had to be done. Better to get ahead now while Mazarin was away so he'd have less to suffer through when she came home.
Father Bernard set his notes aside for a moment. "Are you still struggling with your times tables? I can get Brother Wilde to help if you want."
"Dad, I'm already past times tables." They'd stumped him for a while, but he'd eventually stumbled through it and moved on. Considering what he had to work on now, he missed the old enemy. "It's those stupid fractions now."
"Already?" Father Bernard pondered. "Guess I need to pay attention more."
Or Adam needed to talk more. Discussing mathematics wasn't exactly high on his list, though. Math was only allowed to ruin lesson time.
Adam settled in on the living room couch, enduring the brutal onslaught of numbers as best he could. The moment his time was finished, Adam slammed the book and rushed to make lunch, eager to distance himself from all those numbers. He went to Father Bernard's room to drop off a sandwich, but his dad was sound asleep, taking an early nap before he'd be off in the evening to attend the town meeting. Adam left the food on his chair, then tiptoed out for training.
Despite his best efforts, Adam came in fourth in the shooting competition. Still, that meant he'd actually beaten someone! He'd nearly caught up to third, but a slightly wide shot in the second to last round pretty much sealed his fate. Still, it was better than he'd expected.
Training. Home. Chores. Dinner. Bed. The day sort of flowed together as Adam went through the motions. He halfway considered writing another letter to Sona and her team, but he'd just sent one two days ago. Other than the competition, there wasn't much new to tell her, anyways. Instead, the day ended uneventfully as always, with Adam marking another day off his calendar while trying to ignore the vast, empty space between today and Mazarin's return.
But life marched on. The next morning started the same as always. He breezed through his usual chores, then came inside for breakfast. He prepared their meals and heated up Father Bernard's morning tea before tearing through his eggs and toast alone, leaving Father Bernard's food on the table for him. He knocked briefly at his dad's door before leaving for his run, hoping the food would still be warm by the time Father Bernard clambered out of bed.
Adam waved to Brother Wilde as his route passed the man's home. Brother Wilde nodded back before setting off in the opposite direction. Other than that, the only person he saw the entire morning was one of the guards in a tower. The same one who'd lost to him yesterday. Adam hoped there wouldn't be any hard feelings there, given how the others teased him for losing to a kid.
The house was still quiet when Adam returned. A cold shower helped him get ready for the day, followed by fresh clothes. The simple ritual served more as a marker than anything, signifying the end of his morning rituals and preparing him for the slower studies to come. At least today would mostly focus on history. No foul fractions awaited him this time.
Adam paused as he noticed the cold breakfast still on the table. He shook his head as he realized Father Bernard had overslept again. For that, the man would have to endure a cold breakfast, but Adam figured he could at least make some fresh tea. He dumped the tepid brew from Father Bernard's mug and quickly replaced it with a steaming dose of caffeine before pouring himself some as well. He carefully carried Father Bernard's mug down the hall, leaving his own in the kitchen for when he returned with his textbook.
"Time to wake up, sleepyhead," Adam implored as he nudged the door open and turned on the light. Father Bernard still lay in bed, facing away from him and the morning sun. Adam deposited his gift on the nightstand before reaching over to nudge the lazy mass. "C'mon, Dad. The early bird gets the worm."
At this point, the worm had long since gone.
Rolling his eyes, Adam adopted his best Father Bernard voice and ordered, "Get up, Dad." With how many times he'd endured the simple instruction, it felt nice for the shoe to be on the other foot for once. When he received no response, Adam pulled the covers away, employing the most ruthless tactics he could in his war against sleep. "You can't sleep all day." And I'm not doing your chores for you. Adam shoved Father Bernard's shoulder to jolt him awake.
He must've pushed too hard, as Father Bernard rolled out of bed and face planted on the floor.
"Dad!" Adam shouted, knowing full well he'd be hearing about this one for weeks. He rushed to help his father up, grabbing the man's hand to pull.
The chill of Father Bernard's hand traveled down his spine, rooting Adam in place. "Dad?" Adam tugged, but Father Bernard made no effort to help himself up. "D-dad?"
Adam let go of his father's hand, letting the loose limb fall helplessly to the ground. It didn't move. Didn't so much as twitch a finger. Adam hesitantly reached out, rolling his father over, desperately hoping to be met by a stern gaze and a telling off for being too rough.
A pale, blank face was all that greeted him.
"Dad! Dad, w-wake up!" Adam knelt beside his still father as panic set in. His limited medical training kicked in, highlighting all the things he wanted to deny. Cold, pale skin. No chest movements. No movement at all. "Dad!"
Father Bernard didn't answer.
"Somebody! Help!" Adam cried, but no one came. Adam grabbed his father's shoulders, shaking him desperately. "Wake up, Dad! Wake up!" Father Bernard's body slipped from his grasp, bouncing lifelessly on the unforgiving floor. Adam's hands hovered above, shaking violently as the simple truth crashed down, crushing him under its weight.
Father Bernard was dead.
Poor Father Bernard. I doubt many people are surprised to see him go, but he far outlived the original plan. Got all the way to the end of the tenth chapter. Sadly, this isn't a feel-good coming of age story. Time to get the trauma ball rolling at last.
Was halfway tempted to copy the lines from The Lion King here (original, not the weird live-action remake), but this works too. For anyone curious, I settled on hypothyroidism a long time ago for Father Bernard and have been slipping tiny hints in along the way. Subtle symptoms that, by themselves, seem harmless. Left untreated, though, it can prove fatal, as it did here. Not an overly important detail, since dead is dead, but figured some might be interested.
Obviously, this won't flip the switch and turn Adam into the monster we see in canon, but every journey starts with that first step. There are things in motion already, from tiny details that'll pop up later to major life-altering moments. Some major changes are coming soon that'll forever change Adam's life, so buckle up and bid farewell to the happy-go-lucky childhood arc, which was meant to be a short prologue originally and ballooned significantly. Eventually, that balloon had to pop.
Next chapter: Father Bernard's funeral and Adam figures out what's next for him in life.