Epic Of The Demonic Sage

"You're praising me too much, Viscountess," Lucius said. "But yes, the Blackshield is an incredible gift, isn't it?"

Lucius made sure that he used the word 'Blackshield' to gauge the Viscountess' reaction. She did a wonderful cold and neutral expression, but there was the fact that microexpressions weren't easily controlled like other things.

It may have only been less than a few seconds to even a split one, but since Lucius watched for it, he would have caught any sudden and minute changes.

"It is what helped my family rise through the rank, so we are most fortunate because of it." Viscountess Blackshield acknowledged with a polite smile. "We've chosen our name solely because of how our life changed thanks to this particular gift."

'There was no shift or anything.' Lucius noticed.

"Indeed, Viscountess. But I think it is not merely the gift but how one utilizes it that makes all the difference as well," Lucius said. "It must have taken a lot of trial and error to learn how to change from one shield to another and to do it while in the heat of the combat."

"Yes, that is where experience lends its help to me." Viscountess Blackshield smiled. "I was able to refine my Gift through countless years on the battlefield. Perhaps I would have… been better if I started right away, but I am happy where I am now."

"I would also be pleased with myself if I had your gift and talent with it, Viscountess." Lucius said.

'If I were to ask her if she had always the ability to change the shield, I do not think that she will be that willing to answer, or would brush it off and give a vague answer. I wonder if she ever got her gift tested and merely kept silent about it?' Lucius thought. 'The name Bulwark means a defensive wall instead of a shield. Would that mean that she truly can protect herself at all times? If that is the case, I can reckon that's why she's able to go crazy on the battlefield and not think about defense and just pour her energy into fighting with all focus.'

The idea that a shield would upgrade to a wall was an incredible thing and Lucius was actually interested in truly testing his theory, but at the moment, he had enough.

Count Gabriel and Countess Lita approached the two.

There was a smile on the Count's face and the Countess had anxiety written on hers, though she tried to hide it well.

"You've done an excellent job, Asher. Your skills were incredible," Count Gabriel praised his son.

During the war on Gisir, Count Gabriel was not exactly able to fight on the same battlefield as his son in the past, and even then, he had lost his memories, so he wasn't taught in the same way as before.

However, the fact that Asher had to relearn almost everything and still managed to hold himself out against someone as skilled as the Viscountess was a feat worth praising his son.

'The blood of the Inanis family runs deep through his veins. He has a great instinct for battle even against enemies who are quite a grade above him in experience and power.' Count Gabriel thought.

"Indeed. I have never seen you fight like that before." Countess Lita nodded. There was a smile on her face, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "…I wanted to ask you to be more careful, but I know such things may be bothersome. You already are aware of what you need to do after all, Asher."

"Yes, mother." Lucius said with a smile.

Lucius didn't exactly feel the need to interfere with Countess Lita's current mood, knowing and chalking it up to a mother's protectiveness, meanwhile Viscountess Blackshield also noticed it as well and had a different reaction.

'I… I may no longer be with my son, but it must have been painful to watch your child fight someone much older and experienced than them.' Viscountess Blackshield realized. 'I've set aside my emotions during the battle and also ended up having fun on my own, but I can imagine… no, understand, what the Countess may be going through right now.'

Meanwhile, Count Gabriel didn't seem to notice, or Countess Lita was great at keeping her husband from noticing. Perhaps he was also too caught up in the spar to have noticed.

Viscountess Blackshield sighed a little inwardly and also glanced at Asher, who simply had a smile on his face.

'I thought of him as a mature young man, but perhaps even someone such as him won't be able to understand the full length that his mother is going through. I suppose I have to rectify this a little.'

"Countess Lita, your son did extremely well. I had found myself both enjoying the spar and also being on guard. His last attacks using the artifact sword were incredible and I forgot that he had an artifact because he refrained from using it."

Countess Lita smiled a little at Viscountess Blackshield's words, knowing that the woman may have sensed her unease.

"Truly, Viscountess?"

"I did not hold back or anything," Viscountess Blackshield said, noticing Countess Lita wincing slightly, "And yet your son, Young Lord Asher performed beyond my expectations. Even without a gift, he was able to hold himself out against me."

Count Gabriel and Countess Lita's faces didn't even shift at the mention of 'no gift' and merely smiled.

Lucius knew that they were nobility and learned how to feign their emotions, but was struck with how remarkable they hid it when they were stunned during the revelation of 'Asher's' gift from the Goddess Etara herself.

"Yes, based on my experience, Asher has done his best and taken the most logical possible actions in the spar. If I was in the same position and did not have a gift, I do not think that I would perform any better than our son as well." Count Gabriel said and glanced at Countess Lita meaningfully. "We will always worry, but also, we need to have faith in our son's ability."

As the Count said those words, a couple of people also approached respectfully.