The Next Prince, Chapter 2 pg1
The Next Prince, Chapter 2 pg1
Chapter 02: So Long, Don't Want to See You.
By: CEO ft. Ennice.
“Actually, I think... of the Fencing Association members, you still need a lot of practice.”
‘Need to practice more?’
The unfamiliar person's sentence still echoed in Khanin's ears, even though it was already days ago, while his eyes stared at the face of the person who was his father, with the cyber sword in his hand ready to strike.
Khanin stood on, his face serious and ready for training, opposite his confused inner self, while the unfamiliar person refused to back down.
Movement signals from Tattanai caused the scattered body to come back and try to focus on the upcoming situation.
The young boy dodged the shadow of the sword that came from the left before dodging again to avoid the sharp end that came from the right.
Khanin took advantage of the moment to raise his arm, hoping to hit the garden and score, but perhaps because he didn't have enough focus as everything was planned in his mind, it didn't go as he hoped.
Missed... missed it so easily.
“Nin.” The score counting signal sounded loudly, followed by the sound of pulling out, a heavy-hearted and anxious expression emerged from Khanin's lips. He knew immediately what would happen next in the sequence.
…
“...”
“Do you realize that you have no focus?”
Tattanai spoke in a firm voice, turning to pull out the wire from the armor suit. He then took off the metal mask and stood embracing the young man with a scrutinizing gaze.
“I know that I have no focus.” Khanin thought he should not make any excuse. The young man breathed out, and he was angry with himself for inadvertently allowing someone to influence his thoughts.
Why does that madman suggest that there are flaws in him? Who gave him the right to say that one member of the association should be better than the others? Especially when no one has ever dared to speak to him like that before.
“What causes you to lack focus?”
“Something pointless.”
“Khanin, if that nonsense messes with your mind, it will lead to violence. Do you know what it means?” His father’s use of his real name indicated an increase in the severity of the situation. The young man did not answer, but he knew exactly what Tattanai wanted to convey.
Hesitation and inaccuracy... are the paths that will never lead to victory.
Only defeat awaits us if we wait around.
“You should be alone to reflect.”
“Father, you said, if I tries to adjust my posture and not move my left shoulder before drawing the sword, can I defeat you?”
“Hm?” The owner of the small and cramped house blurted out without much thought, as he turned to look at his son with a suspicious gaze.
“It's...forget it.” Khanin closed his eyes and rubbed his hand until he regained consciousness, realizing that he had let slip some unfinished thoughts. The young man had intended to end the conversation here, but it seemed that Tattanai's reaction was different from before.
“Say it again...the sentence you just said.”
“It's...well, I said that if I tried to adjust my posture and didn't move my left shoulder before drawing my sword, what would happen...Father, what do you think?” The young man repeated the previous sentence in his mind, remaining silent and waiting for an answer from his father. Each passing moment seemed to be more suspenseful than the previous one as he anxiously waited for Tattanai's response.
“I think so.” The once calm and cool gaze, now filled with contentment and satisfaction.
“...”
“Nin, I'm glad you understand your own flaws now.”
Snap!
It was as if an invisible lightning bolt struck the center of Khanin's palace. The young man was unaware of his own facial expression, his eyes widening and his mouth gaping in amazement. He concluded with a smirk that matched his thoughts.
“Dad, when you speak like that, you mean that...”
“My words mean that in the past, I knew the pattern you would attack with when I draw my sword. How? Because my left shoulder moved.”
“Yes.”
“This is what you told me to improve, but you didn't say where to fix it, right?”
“Yes.”
“So, does it mean that if I adjust my movements, I will defeat you?”
“Correct.” Khanin had been soaking in hot water before, but now he stopped and listened intently to Tattanai's words. He was sure that what the doctor said was true.
“No, it's not true...” The young man frowned and looked away, resisting the words as much as he could. However, someone as smart as Tattanai could see through his behavior.
“Did someone tell you that?”
The older man asked curiously. In truth, Tattanai was not sure, but because Khanin never hid the truth from him, he could see that the boy was confused.
“No one did.” The stubborn boy replied, turning his gaze away and reaching for a bottle of water nearby to drink and calm down. He tried to avoid their gaze by pretending to look elsewhere, but he knew that everything he tried to hide was becoming more apparent.
Khanin had never lied to Tattanai before.
“Then how did you know?”
“It was I...”
“Think carefully before answering me.” the statement was no different from a hammer that had just hit Khanin's outer shell mask. The young boy took a deep breath, his small mouth pouted with his habitual posture that he unintentionally did at times when he was unaware.
“It's possible.” Khanin muttered softly, looking at the older person for a moment before quickly hiding his feelings in his heart as usual. “But just talking doesn't make anyone great. It seems like he has been complaining more than anything else.”
“Complaining? Then what did he complain about? Tell me, father.” This time, Tattanai was the one who did not show any interest. The older man turned to pick up a water bottle, drank it without paying attention, and casually asked with a flat and reasonable tone because he knew the personality of this son better than anyone else.
If he showed signs of excitement, the stubborn-headed boy would feel more reluctant to resist. Therefore, sometimes... Tattanai had to apply his swordsmanship techniques in child rearing. He would stop to read the game, stay quiet and wait for the outburst.
“He said that I moved my left shoulder before drawing the sword, which made my opponent aware in advance. He also said that I need to be more careful, and that someone in the association might be better than him... Hmph, ridiculous.”
The end of the sentence was like a whisper, but it was a whisper filled with disgust and emotion. Khanin's head was down, and he thought about how much that silent, stone-carved face might be hiding.
The posture that had been sullen a moment ago, with a tense face and murmurs of self-blame, was now almost entirely in Tattanai's line of sight.
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