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Just Who?

Morning, at Count Stein’s office

"So, Riley had a go with the sword?"

"Yes"

Ian reported to Stein what had happened yesterday

Yesterday, Riley had gone to the training grounds after watching his mother collapse

Ian added that the lazy atmosphere that usually surrounded Riley had vanished for a ood news that the lazy child displayed potential to some extent, there was an additional piece of information that would counteract the former, with room to spare

"He lost interest immediately"

"Immediately?"

"I assu"

That meant that his swordsmanship was beyond pathetic

"Hht You ive -"

"I’ a headache with the rat that infiltrated the manor I had already surmised that Riley would only amount to that There is no reason to teach the swordsmanship of the Iphelleta house to someone who lacks any form of motivation I’ his words, Stein flicked his hand to shoo Ian away

Ian turned to leave with his head lowered ruefully

---

Riley le to lie down on his preferred apple tree

This was the sort of angle he found only once a fortnight

If he were to move now, it would be lost for the rest of the day

Therefore, Riley would not move from where he was

"I wonder if that will fall anyti at the apple which had been dangling on the tree

For a while now, he had been waiting for it to fall on its own

Perhaps by the wind,

Perhaps due to a wor in anticipation for the single apple directly above his head to fall to him

Were he to stand and take it himself, he would be forced to relinquish his perfect position

"Ha Young Master"

Riley, who had been counting the number of leaves around the apple, turned his attention away

The words that cahs of dismay

Naturally, the man who spoke those words was a dejected Ian

"What’s up? You seelance at Ian

""

"Ah! I see! Is it raining today? Your back and knees lare

""

"Right?"

Riley scratched his head and looked up at the sky

The sky was blue, with not a cloud in sight

"Was I wrong?"

"Young Master!"

Ian suddenly shouted at Riley

"Geez, you surprised me"

Riley almost flinched out of his perfect position

"Will you really give up after that?"

"What about it?"

Riley replied as if asking what the proble with his hands curled into fists

"I will give you praise for finding those seeds for Lady Iris; she has recovered considerably thanks to them!"

Of course

They were no ordinary seeds

Riley had placed special enchant! That’s That’s!"

Ian’s words began to falter

As the first man to have had seen Riley’s potential, he was also the one to be most the devastated by his lack of motivation

He wondered if his lifespan had shorted froiven him cancer

"Well, if I can’t ith a sword, I’ll just beco better anyway"

At least cancer could be cured, with some luck

Ian screae is"

Is that easy?!

Just when he was about to ask, Riley turned his gaze elsewhere

It was directed above him, between the leaves of the apple tree

"What are you looking at?"

"An apple"

"Why?"