Chapter 3: Strange Child

Edwin POV

Edwin was enjoying his morning tea while reading an interesting report about the recent developments in the Kingdom of Corvus. Corvus was one of the Luminous Empire’s largest trade partners. Situated on the empire’s western border, Corvus was having issues with its northern neighbor. According to the report, the Alliance of Morning Sun had elected a new leader. The country’s previous Prime was more interested in cultivating beneficial trade agreements with other countries. However, this new Prime, Halom Anderaz, had a different plan.

Anderaz completely voided many of its prior contracts and planned to renegotiate its terms with Corvus. This obviously angered many in Corvus, who, in retribution, decided to restrict shipments intended for other countries. These tensions between the two countries and the various mercantile guilds and businesses have drastically raised prices and caused civil unrest in both regions.

Luckily for House Hyperius, it’s situated in the eastern region of the Luminous Empire, very far away from the potential conflict, Edwin noted.

Edwin’s attention was brought to the door that had just opened. Walking through was young Julius, still wearing a black cloth over his face. Edwin was well aware of the young child’s strange hobbies. Everyone in the estate, even those who never met him, had heard of his peculiarities. But typically, Julius took his lessons seriously. Which meant that he usually took off the get-up before the lesson started.

He is by far one of the strangest children I have met. Remarkably intelligent in many areas of study, but he can be completely lacking when it comes to others, Edwin remarked to himself. The young scion of House Hyperius has been the subject of much gossip around the estate these past years. People took notice that the young child spent most of his days roaming and playing around the estate, doing weird things by himself.

At first, when Julius decided to wear a blindfold, people thought it was cute. They thought he was just pretending to be a character out of a story. However, as years went by and he started to jam pieces of clay up his nose, people began to question the sanity of the young Hyperius.

Edwin could not understand why Julius was so insistent, playing around like this. Edwin had discussed it in passing many times, but to no avail.

Even now, Edwin was watching Julius as he retrieved his lesson materials. He was still blindfolded, taking his sweet time. Edwin knew Julius was doing it on purpose, in retribution for the times Edwin had done it himself.

Exasperated, Edwin reached over to try to remove the stupid things. But surprisingly, Julius neatly swayed out of the way. Edwin had always had a suspicion that there was something more to the blindfold than at first glance. Julius was able to navigate his way around the estate quite well for someone unable to see, but Edwin had always thought that the blindfold was sheer enough that Julius could still see through it. Not to mention that Edwin actually tried to be quick about it. For an untiered to be able to dodge him when he was somewhat trying was embarrassing. He was a Tier 4 who largely focused on speed. Besides, Julius wasn’t even looking at him.

Hmm…I wonder.

Deciding to do a little test, he used a bit of mana and wrapped it around a little sugar cube from the table and launched it at the back of Julius’s head.

***

Julius POV

Julius was purposefully taking his time unloading his bag and setting up his stuff for the lesson. He learned this from Edwin himself. It was a tactic Edwin used to annoy him, and he found it quite effective when used on others. Whenever Julius had a question about skills or anything to do with what tiers were, Edwin would pretend to ignore him while slowly sipping his tea. Therefore, he made it his mission to be as petty as he could get away with. Nothing too drastic, the old man was still very intimidating, and Julius suspected Edwin was at least Tier 3 or 4.

Julius still had his blindfold on, and he could feel Edwin shifting in annoyance behind him.

Hah! Doesn’t feel so good when someone else ignores you huh, old man?

Edwin didn’t actually look old; he had the appearance of a fit thirty-year-old man with medium-length black hair that curled at the tips. He had dark eyes and sharp facial features that made him look quite strict. But he also had a poise about him that exuded confidence.

Suddenly, he felt Edwin tense and quickly reach out to Julius’s head. Julius, who had learned to react very quickly to sudden perceptions thanks to his training, instinctually shifted his head to the side.

Playing the ignorant, Julius pretended like he didn’t even notice Edwin’s actions. However, he soon felt something rise behind him. It was small, barely the size of a pebble, but it was oddly square, like a cube.

How is it floating? I don’t feel Edwin moving at all, but is he using mana to float it? I also feel something else, like there’s swirling air around the object. Is this mana manipu–

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Without warning, the cube-like object was shot toward him with alarming force. Julius only managed to tilt his head a few degrees, and it still nicked him across the back of the head. A stinging pain erupted from where he was hit, and dropping his act took off his blindfold to confront the crazy old man.

“Oww, what was that for?” Shouted at Edwin.

“It’s rude to ignore others, Julius,” Edwin calmly responded.

“I would argue that throwing things at others is more rude,” Julius argued.

Edwin just stared at Julius. It wasn’t long, but it was enough to feel uncomfortable. Finally, Edwin chose to ask a question.

“How did you know?”

“Know what?” Julius played dumb.