Chapter 15: Siegfried
"Are you backing out now after coming this far?"
"Etgar, we don't have to go that far. I know we've lived a boring life being ousted from other territories but bullying a kid is not the fun we are looking for."
"Sir Den, I think you should watch your mouth. Bullying? We are merely training with the young master."
"How funny, you say you are training but I see no sword in the young lord's hand." An unfamiliar voice entered the conversation.
Immediately the knights began to alert their gazes shamefully. Seeing how they are not kowtowing and begging for their lives it's not the Duke. I turned to see who it was.
"Young Lord, the Duke has just arrived and urgently seeks your presence. Besides, it's late, you've been on the training ground for over six hours now." Alfred said, slightly bowing as I turned to see him.
'That long?'It was until he mentioned it that I notice the sky was beginning to darken. I picked up the sword and sheathed it. His eyes widened at the sight of me sheathing, I guess it is true that one can't unsheath a sheathed vassal weapon unless they have a core.
I glanced over to the Knight and smirked, I won't leave this place without breaking two or three limbs I vowed to myself as I saw the pretentious state. Alfred escorted me to the Duke's study.
***
He had just come from an outing and seemed very tired by how he had not even completely changed his clothes, he leaned into his chair with his eyes closed. Alfred left stealthily after opening the door for me.
I sat on the chair in front of him for a few minutes and he didn't notice I had arrived. I've never seen a strong man so vulnerable, perhaps my assumptions about him from the beginning were all wrong.
<Poor boy, he has had to shoulder a lot since a very young age. It must be very tiring>
"Will you shut up, who asked you to talk."
<I'm sorry ma'am>
'Siegfried, are you familiar with the Duke?'
<Of course, it was right before my eyes that he was birthed as his father held me tightly within his grasp, I could feel his father's joy. His growth into a teenager, I was there to see all of it but a lot happened and he started to rule the duchy at the age of sixteen>
'That young?'
<Yes, he was his father's only son. Even though his passion has not always been ruling. Clifton has always been an adventurous boy, Deith didn't want to tie him down by asking him to rule. But unfortunately, he died before he could make any more babies. Since then Clifton has shouldered everything>
'What about his mother?'
<She had a frail body that was prone to disease hence she was treated with intensive care but after Deith died in battle, her grievous state drove her closer to death...>
'Misfortune upon misfortune'
"I have a question Siegfried," Ana said, with a stern look, for some reason she has been hard on Siegfried even before now.
<Yes ma'am, you can ask>
"How did his father die?"
There was a sudden silence, I looked at the sword in my hand and looked at Ana. 'Why did you have to ask him that?'
"Goshujin sama stay out of this"
<It's fine sir... Deith, he died in battle...>
Siegfried's voice trembled, it must have been hard for him to recall the memories judging from his trembling voice.
"So you failed to be a weapon...?"
'Ana...'
<I didn't fail to be a weapon, our opponent was very strong and Deith was stubborn, he was out of ether and still wanted to maintain the fusion state... when he knew we couldn't win against such opponent. Maintaining the fusion state would begin to consume my ether after his was depleted. It could lead to my death!>
'What's fusion?'
<It's a state where our souls fuse with that of our wielders changing their appearance and power overall. It is also in that state that they can use our most powerful skill>
"So you forced out of the fusion state in face of a mighty opponent and led your master to his death?"
'Ana that's harsh!'
"Stay out of this." She floated closer to the sword, "I will never leave Goshujin sama's safety to you, so don't ever think you will get used by him. You think you can hide your smell of excitement when you saw him fight the knights?"
Sounds like someone was declaring territories and drawing lines.
'That's okay, I don't plan to use any weapon so you should stop.'
She flew away from the sword that was by my side and sat on my shoulders.
"You are here..." The Duke said as he opened his eyes. "I must have zoned out, that journey was so tiring," He said as he sat up.
"How's training been? Alfred told me you've been at the training ground since I left."
"I've made a pact with the sword."
His eyes immediately widened. "What did you say?"
"Yes, Goshujin what did you just say?"
I suddenly felt like wanting to impress and make him proud.
"You made a pact with the dragon slayer? If so tell me his name."
<Will you look at this little boy. He probably hasn't forgotten my name since his father told him and is trying to test if you have made a pact because how a pact is made is the vassal weapon upon telling the wielder its name engraves its essence into the wielder's soul hence the two become connected>
"And who said we needed to know?"
<I apologize ma'am>
'Thank you for telling me, Siegfried'
"Goshujin!!"
'But since I know your name does it mean we've made a pact?'
"That is impossible, it'd be a stain on my pride." She said making an irritated face.
<Haaha, I do not have the strength to engrave my name on your soul. Your soul is even too big the presence of my essence will probably not be noticed>
'I see... I don't however understand what you mean by my soul is too big.'
"Obviously we are connected, you are me I am you. Having a connection to these insignificant existences is like picking dirt."
'Ana, harsh words.'
"Whatever..."
I looked at the Duke who was gazing with eyes full of expectations.
"Siegfried, his name is Siegfried."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone