Arcane Crest

One Step Further

A/N: this is quite literally part two for the last chapter.

Sophia 

"Now then, boy, what do you have to say?" Kiyoshi blinked at the man not getting the question. Ness patted Fernande on the head making her head bob. "Sophia, had you fight with this one to evaluate her right? So on a scale of one through ten how did she do?"

"Ahhh"

The boy let out that sound finally understanding. He didn't answer right away, instead, he rubbed his chin in thought.

'Good look back at the fight and think.'

Sophia didn't say it but would have given Fernande a six for her performance. Despite what the everyone said earlier, she couldn't help but agree with Anna. If the boy was more serious, he could have won quicker.

'now that I think about it, how the hell did Ness hear me from earlier.' She looked at the old man, who returned a smile. 'Damn it. There are too many oddities in this mansion."

She raised her eyebrow at Ness acting like he didn't read her mind. Kiyoshi all of a sudden clapped his hands stealing everyone's attention.

"Right, a six possibly a seven. She easily saw through me when I left myself open and didn't rush in, Used the fact that I was letting her move first to think of a plan, and is just a competent fighter. But she loses points when it came to follow-ups." He turned his head towards Fernande. "it seemed like you always made a plan to end the fight quickly. There's was always a paused when I countered the final attack. That paused is dangerous and can lead to your death. Fights hardly ever go as plan, so you should always have one or two back up schemes to keep the pressure on your opponent... that being said people will rarely give you a chance to think like I did, so it's better to rely on your instincts and make quick second decisions."

Fernande's eye never left Kiyoshi as he told his evaluation. Nodding here and there as if taking mental notes. Sophia was taking actual notes, well more like writing everything down while adding her own personal notes. Bo and Charity would love to hear the results of the fight.

'Not bad, Kiyoshi you get a seven. There were other things she needs to improve on.'

The elf hid a smile behind the small leather notebook. Ness stroked his beard in thought. He looked down and Fernande and ruffled her already disheveled hair.

"Well then looks like you passed. Sophia, you can skip their physical training and move onto there magic practice. I'll be taking over that from now on. Oh and get those other three to fight the boy."

He ordered then walked off back to the garden. Sophia nodded her head knowing he wouldn't see it. After a moment Kiyoshi, still looking at ness' back, asked a question as if he was awestruck.

"Who was that?"

"Ness? He is the Abha's gardener, also the personal combat trainer for all the servants and guards."

Sophia explained putting her notebook in a belt pouch. Kiyoshi nods still looking at the man who was now tending some strawberry plants.

"What was he before?"

He sounded lost in some world, but his question made Sophia's heart jump. "What." her cold tone cracked and she stopped. "What do you mean?"

"He has this... thing about him. Like he's experienced a lot from his past. It the same feeling I get when From the people back in Hoshia."

Fernande tilted her head left confused.

"What kind of people live in Hoshia?"

"To put it simply, the only people under 40 is my dad and mom. Every one of them, besides mom, are retired veterans of some kind. Like my grandpa is a retired war doctor, Mrs. Core was once the commander of some group called the black scale, and so on."