This was how life continued to Ken. He would refine pills during the days with Emerald, unless he was at the Newblade estate, and create arrays or cultivate, depending on where he was, during the evenings and night. He slept normally during each week day, along with Chandi, so the side effects of his pills wouldn’t set.
He stretched his shoulders and yawned, looking out towards Nana and Yue, who were each still cultivating. They were growing stronger and stronger, and with the pills that they were taking, they would soon reach even higher heights.
He wheeled himself out of the building he was staying in, and looked out towards the stars.
“Is there something the matter?” Guard Han asked, appearing nearby, but far enough away that Chandi didn’t have to step forward to block him off.
There was a fine balance between such a thing, one which Guard Han understood, and he didn’t make things difficult for the crippled Arrayist.
“I’m just a little stir crazy from staying inside so much. Some fresh air should do me well.” Ken chuckled as he relaxed in his wheelchair, but not too much, as he still needed to spend effort in pretending that he was a cripple.
“Understood,” Guard Han said, pulling away back into the shadows so that Ken could enjoy his time.
“Arrayist Ken,” called a sweet voice.
Ken looked to see Tia, who smiled at him. She was wearing a long dress, her hair done up into a bun, with a ruby encrusted gold hair comb which kept it all together. She had a female guard beside her, who wore plain clothing and carried two blades on her back.
“Young Miss Firewind,” Ken said, greeting her by bowing his head lightly.
“Are you here to see the stars as well?”
“I am.”
“Shall we walk… move together?” Her face flushed as she stumbled over her words.
“Let’s,” Ken replied back, chuckling.
The two moved together, with Ken wheeling himself forward. Chandi thought about stepping forward to assist, but her first duty was to guard her master. Ken didn’t seem to mind wheeling himself, though thought about formulating an array which would assist him in moving.
“I have to thank you for your medicine,” Tia said. “I can’t wait to surprise my father.”
“Where is your father?” Ken asked diplomatically. He hadn’t dared to ask previously, in case the man had been dead.
“He’s currently on some business, but he should return in a few months.”
“Business which requires a few months? Sounds… important.” He wanted to use the word dangerous, but thought about how Tia seemed to be quite an innocent young woman.
“He went to-“
The female guard beside her cleared her throat. “The Patriarch has gone to complete some family business.”
Tia scratched her cheek awkwardly. “Ah, yes…”
“I understand. I hope he returns soon so that you can show off my work.” Ken chuckled. He reached up, revealing a small pot. “Here is a new product I have created. Once you’re done with the current medicine, apply this on your face daily, preferable after you’ve washed your face.”
The female guard stepped forward to take it. “Thank you, Arrayist Ken,” the guard said. She spoke with a neutral tone, neither patronising him, or revering him.
[Oh, she’s pretty good. I don’t know if she wants to gut me, or to blow me.]
Ken understood the intentions of the woman. There were rules which needed to be followed, and even if he did help her, they would need to check the medicine to see if it was poisonous.
“What does it do?” Tia asked.
“It will make you glow brightly,” Ken said. “You will definitely be the most beautiful Young Miss if you use it.”
“Wh-wha?” Tia held her face, blushing hard at his words.
“Arrayist Ken, such words are inappropriate,” the guard said.
“You seem to misunderstand me,” Ken said. “I merely mean that the effects of the medicine will make your skin as clear as a diamond, and will give you a certain glow to your face. It’s an item which I won’t be putting on the market for some time, so I hope the Young Miss will advertise it for me.” He smiled.
“Advertise?” Tia asked.
“If you don’t believe me, apply a pea sized amount onto a maid’s face and massage it over her face. In a week’s time, you’ll see the effects of the item.” Ken puffed up his chest, smiling innocently.
The guard remained silent, wondering what he was playing at.
“I made some cream for the Young Miss to help her before, something which others could not do. If you don’t believe me, just test it on the maid.” Ken’s eyes were daring the guard to continue faulting him.
“Then I’ll do just that,” Tia said, smiling down at him.
A bit of dust kicked up nearby and Ken tensed up. Chandi quickly dashed beside him in between the new figure and her master.
Ken’s eyes went from Tia to this new figure, who stood tall and lean. It was a man, with a bald head and a thin beard, which pointed down like an arrow tip. He was dressed in all black, like a shadow.
“Young Miss, the Town Lord has asked for your attendance at the family meeting,” he said.
“Ah? Then I’ll excuse myself, Arrayist Ken.” Tia smiled and then left, her guard and the man following after her.
“Relax, Chandi,” Ken said. Ken looked at the man as he walked away, following his Young Miss.
He hadn’t even felt the man appear nearby, and realised that he could have died at any point without even realising. None of his arrays would have helped him against such an overwhelming force.
“Master?” Chandi asked.
“Nothing. Let’s return to the others.”
When he was next at the Newblade estate, he paid more attention to his surroundings, to see if there were any people as strong at that man. He found none, but realised that he may not be able to spy such a powerful figure. Instead, he went to checking out the various placed all around them, before he was brought to his building.
Something nagged him about the Newblade estate, something which burned at the back of his head. He narrowed his eyes in thought, and spent time pondering the thought instead of cultivating. After an hour, he decided to cultivate instead.
Then, when he was returning back to the Town Lord’s estate, he stopped.
“Is something the matter, Arrayist Ken?” Patriarch Newblade asked.
“Would you mind escorting me around the estate?” Ken asked. “I’d like to tour around it.”
“I can certainly escort you, Arrayist Ken,” the Patriarch said.
He showed Ken the various manors within the estate, as well as their pavilions. Ken didn’t ask to be brought inside, understanding that it would be an awkward request. Instead he looked at the buildings from the outside, admiring their architecture. However, as he was being brought to the centre building, he stopped.
“The houses were built originally in the shape of a sword, weren’t they?” Ken asked.
“They were.” Patriarch Newblade nodded.
“Not a straight sword, but a curved sword,” Ken said, looking around.
“How did you know that?” Patriarch Newblade asked. “It’s true that the sword was once curved, but we remade the buildings after an enemy attack many generations ago.”
“I assume, like every family, you have a secret array that you use in case of a dire emergency.”
The Patriarch remained silent. Ken looked around at the various buildings. “You should move the buildings to the side slightly. It will increase the effectiveness of your array by at least half.”
Patriarch Newblade’s brows raised in surprise. “By at least half?”
“Yes, at least half. You’ve moved the buildings, so not only the array, but the air around has been effected. Do you have any chalk?”
“Chalk?” The Patriarch looked to one of the people nearby and nodded. The man rushed off and then reappeared with some chalk.
Ken took it and then was about to draw before he realised he was wheelchair bound. Then he used a stick to mark the area instead. “Here, and here,” he said, showing where each building should end. “You don’t need to move them, expanding them works as well, though the air won’t clear up as well.”
Ken then drew the general outline of the estate for the Patriarch. “This is how your estate is currently, but it was originally like this,” he said, drawing the way it originally was with frightening detail. “Do you see how there is a curve to the gap here? That’s because it allows the wind to move freely between the buildings, but it also guides it to here.” He lined up a spot.
“That area… that’s where we kept the jade boulder originally, before we moved it to keep it safe.” The Patriarch stared at the paper, furrowing his brows intently.
“If you place the boulder here once you change the buildings, never mind an increase of half, it might even increase to double.”
The Patriarch looked down to Ken and then placed his hands together respectfully. “I will have the building rearranged.”
“It’s only a theory, but I am certain of it.” Ken tapped his chin. “Well, I’ll see you next weekend.” Ken waved his hand as he left.
[If what you say is true…]
Patriarch Newblade wondered what kind of future his family would have if Ken’s theory came true.
This was how life continued to Ken. He would refine pills during the days with Emerald, unless he was at the Newblade estate, and create arrays or cultivate, depending on where he was, during the evenings and night. He slept normally during each week day, along with Chandi, so the side effects of his pills wouldn’t set.
He stretched his shoulders and yawned, looking out towards Nana and Yue, who were each still cultivating. They were growing stronger and stronger, and with the pills that they were taking, they would soon reach even higher heights.
He wheeled himself out of the building he was staying in, and looked out towards the stars.
“Is there something the matter?” Guard Han asked, appearing nearby, but far enough away that Chandi didn’t have to step forward to block him off.
There was a fine balance between such a thing, one which Guard Han understood, and he didn’t make things difficult for the crippled Arrayist.
“I’m just a little stir crazy from staying inside so much. Some fresh air should do me well.” Ken chuckled as he relaxed in his wheelchair, but not too much, as he still needed to spend effort in pretending that he was a cripple.
“Understood,” Guard Han said, pulling away back into the shadows so that Ken could enjoy his time.
“Arrayist Ken,” called a sweet voice.
Ken looked to see Tia, who smiled at him. She was wearing a long dress, her hair done up into a bun, with a ruby encrusted gold hair comb which kept it all together. She had a female guard beside her, who wore plain clothing and carried two blades on her back.
“Young Miss Firewind,” Ken said, greeting her by bowing his head lightly.
“Are you here to see the stars as well?”
“I am.”
“Shall we walk… move together?” Her face flushed as she stumbled over her words.
“Let’s,” Ken replied back, chuckling.
The two moved together, with Ken wheeling himself forward. Chandi thought about stepping forward to assist, but her first duty was to guard her master. Ken didn’t seem to mind wheeling himself, though thought about formulating an array which would assist him in moving.
“I have to thank you for your medicine,” Tia said. “I can’t wait to surprise my father.”
“Where is your father?” Ken asked diplomatically. He hadn’t dared to ask previously, in case the man had been dead.
“He’s currently on some business, but he should return in a few months.”
“Business which requires a few months? Sounds… important.” He wanted to use the word dangerous, but thought about how Tia seemed to be quite an innocent young woman.
“He went to-“
The female guard beside her cleared her throat. “The Patriarch has gone to complete some family business.”
Tia scratched her cheek awkwardly. “Ah, yes…”
“I understand. I hope he returns soon so that you can show off my work.” Ken chuckled. He reached up, revealing a small pot. “Here is a new product I have created. Once you’re done with the current medicine, apply this on your face daily, preferable after you’ve washed your face.”
The female guard stepped forward to take it. “Thank you, Arrayist Ken,” the guard said. She spoke with a neutral tone, neither patronising him, or revering him.
[Oh, she’s pretty good. I don’t know if she wants to gut me, or to blow me.]
Ken understood the intentions of the woman. There were rules which needed to be followed, and even if he did help her, they would need to check the medicine to see if it was poisonous.
“What does it do?” Tia asked.
“It will make you glow brightly,” Ken said. “You will definitely be the most beautiful Young Miss if you use it.”
“Wh-wha?” Tia held her face, blushing hard at his words.
“Arrayist Ken, such words are inappropriate,” the guard said.
“You seem to misunderstand me,” Ken said. “I merely mean that the effects of the medicine will make your skin as clear as a diamond, and will give you a certain glow to your face. It’s an item which I won’t be putting on the market for some time, so I hope the Young Miss will advertise it for me.” He smiled.
“Advertise?” Tia asked.
“If you don’t believe me, apply a pea sized amount onto a maid’s face and massage it over her face. In a week’s time, you’ll see the effects of the item.” Ken puffed up his chest, smiling innocently.
The guard remained silent, wondering what he was playing at.
“I made some cream for the Young Miss to help her before, something which others could not do. If you don’t believe me, just test it on the maid.” Ken’s eyes were daring the guard to continue faulting him.
“Then I’ll do just that,” Tia said, smiling down at him.
A bit of dust kicked up nearby and Ken tensed up. Chandi quickly dashed beside him in between the new figure and her master.
Ken’s eyes went from Tia to this new figure, who stood tall and lean. It was a man, with a bald head and a thin beard, which pointed down like an arrow tip. He was dressed in all black, like a shadow.
“Young Miss, the Town Lord has asked for your attendance at the family meeting,” he said.
“Ah? Then I’ll excuse myself, Arrayist Ken.” Tia smiled and then left, her guard and the man following after her.
“Relax, Chandi,” Ken said. Ken looked at the man as he walked away, following his Young Miss.
He hadn’t even felt the man appear nearby, and realised that he could have died at any point without even realising. None of his arrays would have helped him against such an overwhelming force.
“Master?” Chandi asked.
“Nothing. Let’s return to the others.”
When he was next at the Newblade estate, he paid more attention to his surroundings, to see if there were any people as strong at that man. He found none, but realised that he may not be able to spy such a powerful figure. Instead, he went to checking out the various placed all around them, before he was brought to his building.
Something nagged him about the Newblade estate, something which burned at the back of his head. He narrowed his eyes in thought, and spent time pondering the thought instead of cultivating. After an hour, he decided to cultivate instead.
Then, when he was returning back to the Town Lord’s estate, he stopped.
“Is something the matter, Arrayist Ken?” Patriarch Newblade asked.
“Would you mind escorting me around the estate?” Ken asked. “I’d like to tour around it.”
“I can certainly escort you, Arrayist Ken,” the Patriarch said.
He showed Ken the various manors within the estate, as well as their pavilions. Ken didn’t ask to be brought inside, understanding that it would be an awkward request. Instead he looked at the buildings from the outside, admiring their architecture. However, as he was being brought to the centre building, he stopped.
“The houses were built originally in the shape of a sword, weren’t they?” Ken asked.
“They were.” Patriarch Newblade nodded.
“Not a straight sword, but a curved sword,” Ken said, looking around.
“How did you know that?” Patriarch Newblade asked. “It’s true that the sword was once curved, but we remade the buildings after an enemy attack many generations ago.”
“I assume, like every family, you have a secret array that you use in case of a dire emergency.”
The Patriarch remained silent. Ken looked around at the various buildings. “You should move the buildings to the side slightly. It will increase the effectiveness of your array by at least half.”
Patriarch Newblade’s brows raised in surprise. “By at least half?”
“Yes, at least half. You’ve moved the buildings, so not only the array, but the air around has been effected. Do you have any chalk?”
“Chalk?” The Patriarch looked to one of the people nearby and nodded. The man rushed off and then reappeared with some chalk.
Ken took it and then was about to draw before he realised he was wheelchair bound. Then he used a stick to mark the area instead. “Here, and here,” he said, showing where each building should end. “You don’t need to move them, expanding them works as well, though the air won’t clear up as well.”
Ken then drew the general outline of the estate for the Patriarch. “This is how your estate is currently, but it was originally like this,” he said, drawing the way it originally was with frightening detail. “Do you see how there is a curve to the gap here? That’s because it allows the wind to move freely between the buildings, but it also guides it to here.” He lined up a spot.
“That area… that’s where we kept the jade boulder originally, before we moved it to keep it safe.” The Patriarch stared at the paper, furrowing his brows intently.
“If you place the boulder here once you change the buildings, never mind an increase of half, it might even increase to double.”
The Patriarch looked down to Ken and then placed his hands together respectfully. “I will have the building rearranged.”
“It’s only a theory, but I am certain of it.” Ken tapped his chin. “Well, I’ll see you next weekend.” Ken waved his hand as he left.
[If what you say is true…]
Patriarch Newblade wondered what kind of future his family would have if Ken’s theory came true.
