CHAPTER 93: CHAPTER 93: TRAINING WITH OWEN

The forge room was still glowing with warmth when Axelius stepped out, his new katana sheathed across his back. The hallway was quiet, the whole mansion still asleep. Even the birds outside hadn’t started singing. The sky was dim, touched only by the soft colors of dawn.

He walked through the side path of the estate, boots quiet on the stone tiles, then stepped out into the wide training ground behind the mansion.

It was empty.

No knights. No maids. No sound.

Just the cool morning air, dew on the grass, and a large open space made for fighting. Axelius smirked and dropped his black cloak near a bench, stretching his shoulders.

Then a soft squish echoed beside him.

"Alright," Owen said, bouncing beside him with excitement.

He moved toward the training gear rack and stared at one of the tall wooden puppets — practice dummies shaped like human outlines. With a wiggle, Owen jumped onto it and suddenly... ate it whole.

Chomp.

Pop.

Now he stood like a slime stick-man, the same height as Axelius, shaped like a thin puppet with a bouncing, grinning slime-head and he picked up a sword and twirled it once.

"I’ve been waiting for this moment," Owen said with a sly grin. "Finally... we can fight again."

Axelius unsheathed his katana slowly, the sound clean and smooth, then began swirling it in his hand, loose and casual — yet perfect.

He looked at Owen and tilted his head. "You really never learn, huh? You will never beat me. Not even in this life."

Owen chuckled. "Keep talking."

Clang!

Their blades met.

No one moved.

Katana and sword pressed together. Tension filled the air. The early morning wind stopped. Their feet were still, bodies relaxed, but their eyes locked — both smirking like longtime rivals.

Then they moved.

Fast.

Owen stepped back, sword slicing upward, and Axelius tilted his katana to block, spinning and swiping to the side. Owen ducked, bounced, came in from the right. Axelius slid back, blade flashing like water. The clash echoed in the empty yard, metal scraping and sparking.

CLANG! SWISH! CLINK!

Axelius swung low — Owen jumped. Owen countered with a high strike — Axelius bent backward to dodge, twisting mid-spin to recover and launch another hit.

Their blades met again, sending a gust of wind around them.

Each hit was faster. Stronger.

Owen’s fake arms moved like a pro swordsman, despite being slime-powered. Axelius didn’t give him any space — his steps were clean, quick, precise.

Then The two rushed toward each other at the same time. Their swords clashed—katana against slime blade—and neither moved. The sound was sharp, but their eyes were calm. Both were smirking.

Suddenly, Owen’s slime body split at the waist, and the upper half jumped over Axelius. Axelius ducked and spun around, swinging his katana low, but Owen’s leg stretched like rubber, lifting him back in the air.

"You’re too slow, Axel!" Owen laughed, twisting midair.

Axelius didn’t answer. He stepped forward, kicked off the ground, and flipped backward instead of dodging sideways, his hair flying in the wind. While in the air, he threw his scabbard like a dart, and it smacked Owen on the head.

"Ow! That’s cheating!"

"You talk too much," Axelius said as he landed and dragged his katana gently on the ground, sparks flying.

Owen recovered fast. His arms turned into long whips and shot forward, trying to grab Axelius But Axelius calmly raised his katana straight up. Then, instead of blocking or cutting, he stepped forward into the slime—letting it wrap around him.

"You’re done now!" Owen shouted.

But suddenly, Axelius dropped his katana and used both his hands to grab Owen’s slime arms, twisting his body like a dancer. He spun around fast, wrapping the slime arms around his waist like a rope, and pulled Owen’s body forward, flipping him over his shoulder.

"Too open," Axelius muttered.

Owen hit the ground and bounced like a jelly ball, reshaping himself as he landed.

"You tricked me again!" Owen shouted.

Axelius picked up his katana slowly, brushing dust off it with his thumb."It’s not a trick. It’s called skill."

Owen stood up, wiping imaginary sweat. "You were supposed to train, not bully your best friend."

Axelius finally smiled. "This is training,"

Behind one of the stone pillars near the training ground, someone was watching quietly. Cedric stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against the pillar, his sharp eyes focused on the scene in front of him—Axelius swinging his katana with power and speed, clashing against a floating sword that seemed to move on its own.

He narrowed his eyes. "...He doesn’t talk to himself," Cedric mumbled, watching more closely. "He talks to something."

"Hehee~ That’s Brother Owen," a soft voice beside him spoke.

Cedric looked down and saw Ellory rubbing her sleepy eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around the small sleeping Elaris.

"Owen?" Cedric asked, confused.

Ellory pouted and put one hand on her waist. "Brother Axel is not crazy! He doesn’t talk to himself. He talks with Brother Owen! Brother Owen is a slime that you guys can’t see or hear. Hmph."

Cedric glanced back at Axelius again, watching as he parried a fast strike and spun the katana with ease, laughing lightly. The sword clashed again, and Cedric’s expression darkened slightly in thought.

"A slime..." he repeated, voice low. "Since when?"

Ellory tilted her head. "Uhm... I first met Brother Owen four years ago. The day after Brother Axel and Cyruz fought."

Cedric froze for a second. ’Four years ago... That’s the same year when he lost his memories,’ he thought silently.

Ellory yawned again and rested her chin on Elaris’s head. "I’m sleepy... I’ll go back to bed..."

Without saying anything more, Cedric bent down and carefully picked up Ellory in his arms, letting her keep hugging her beast companion as she nuzzled against his chest. "Let me."

"Thank you, Cedric..." she murmured sleepily, her eyes already closed.

He didn’t reply. As he turned to leave, Cedric glanced one last time at Axelius—still fighting the sword ’My suspicion is right’

’You’re not Axelius,’ he thought,

’but... as long as you don’t bring harm to my family—’ He stepped into the hallway, his voice trailing off.

"...I’ll let you be."