A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Verdant also looked interested in Lasha's question, but disappointing them all, Oliver merely shrugged. "Not a clue," he said, as he took another sip of tea. "You're the one that asked if I can teach you. That's what I'm trying to figure out. I've never taught anyone. I don't even know if it's worth being taught by me.

What do I even know compared to the masters?"

"You knew enough to see through the Blackthorn sword technique," Verdant said. Lasha felt her eyebrow twitch. The priest had known of it as well.

"Is it famous?" Oliver asked, as oblivious as always. He didn't seem to care about anything that was not related to his own affairs. He knew so little of what everyone else deemed as common knowledge. Another aspect of his character that Lasha had quickly found infuriating.

"To a degree," Verdant said, smiling. "It's famed for its… aggressive nature. Blackthorn cavalry is what you'd send if you needed a particularly aggressive attack. Their ancestry traces back a considerable amount of burly warriors. Heavily armoured infantry, heavy cavalry, and generations of strong leaders have built them a rather fierce reputation."

"Brutes? But Lady Blackthorn turned out fine, didn't she? If nothing else, she's at least got a fair bit of femininity to her," Oliver said, draining the last of his drink.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It should have been a compliment… and yet it was delivered with such carelessness that it was impossible to take it as one. Lasha's grip on her sword tightened, whilst Amelia boiled, readying herself for another tirade. Even Pauline seemed shocked.

"I would expect she has her mother to thank for that," Verdant said, taking Oliver's empty cup from him.

"So, what's a girl from a House like that acting so serious about the sword for? Don't you have brothers to do the fighting for you? Sounds to me like it's a House that admires physicality. You're never going to be a brawny warhammer wielder, if that's what you're looking for. Neither am I.

I don't have the build for it," Oliver said, nonchalantly, jabbing at her vitals as carelessly as if he were shovelling dirt. He seemed to have no regard for her feelings. He was entirely lacking in any sort of subtly.

"Maybe I don't wish to be saddled with a woman's duties," Blackthorn said tersely. She found herself quite tense, as she fought to hold back to the torrent of emotion within her.

Oblivious to her internal plight, Oliver took that statement – that should have been something of a taboo if said to anyone else – and marched right past it, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Of course, female swordsmen were not unheard of… But nor were they expressly praised.

A woman could achieve far more for her House in politics and in governance than she could on the battlefield.

"Ah, I've heard that before," Oliver said with a laugh, remembering Nila. Nila had her extraordinary talent with the bow, but what did Lasha have? Her sword technique was… it was good, at least. It was hard to look down on it. But it wasn't exactly something that could change her life. He studied her, unaware of how uncomfortable it was making her.

"You… have?" Blackthorn asked, surprising herself with the question.

"It's not that uncommon, is it?" Oliver asked, looking to Verdant for reassurance. "I mean, I wouldn't exactly want to be stuck doing a woman's work either. Seems plain boring to me. It isn't surprising that you would want to do something else. Is it that big a deal?"

"I think it's more the… direct nature of your discussion of such a thing," Verdant said carefully. "It goes against the ideals of our noble society. Lady Blackthorn has an image to uphold. It would tarnish her reputation if others were to hear how seriously she pursued the sword."

"I thought you were just commenting on how admirable people found it. Or at least, Peter was," Oliver pointed out.

"Yes, within the confines of the Academy, for a woman to seek out the blade, and dance with it, that would not be so odd. But to have ambitions of using the blade beyond graduation, as I imagine Lady Blackthorn is hinting – that would have considerable consequences, if it were to get out," Verdant said.

"So why's she telling me?" Oliver asked. "Why risk bothering to ask me to teach you, when you knew the consequences?"

"Ah, Young Wolf…" Verdant said. "I would not ask that you change, but I imagine other men would be considerably… gentler with their words in front of the woman herself."

"Verdant did mention that you were rather… direct, with your words," Peter noted, sparing Lasha a sympathetic glance.

At this point, the Blackthorn retainers seemed to be something approaching thunderstruck. Even they were not aware of the full degree to which Lasha pursued the sword. She herself was not even entirely sure she'd admitted it to herself, until she was forced to speak it out loud.

"Why? I think it's a good thing," Oliver said, surprising everyone. When he could see the questioning looks they shot him, he pulled a face, as though he was surprised by their surprise.

"Dare we ask you to explain, Young Wolf?" Verdant asked.

Oliver sighed. "When I decided to keep going with lectures today, I did not expect for it to lead into such an eventful day… Trying to talk like this without even an hour of sleep to lend its support is proving difficult, but I suppose I should at least try... Let's see. Mm. My mas—father, broke through to the Sixth Boundary."

Again, he dropped that bombshell – that bombshell that should have been common knowledge, if it were not for the counter-rumours refuting it – as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Lasha felt her heart beat faster. This was the Patrick world. A world separated society. Away from wars, and away from Generals.

The pursuit of the blade for the sake of solitary swordsmanship… She found that admirable, but she would never dare to admit that.