Chapter 318

Chapter 318: Chapter 318

Bell spent another half hour learning the basic care required for a Zanpakutō before Hestia finally decided they had occupied enough of Rayleigh’s morning.

The moment they stepped outside, Rayleigh felt the soul thread connecting him to Alfia tighten.

She had seen him.

Bell walked beside Hestia with one hand resting almost constantly on Tachikaze’s hilt, clearly still getting used to the sensation of carrying something that now felt like part of himself.

He was excited enough that he nearly walked into a passing smith carrying a crate, apologized repeatedly even though the man had been the one cutting across his path, then hurried after Hestia when she called him back.

Rayleigh remained inside the doorway until they disappeared farther down the street.

Hephaestus glanced at him. "Something outside?"

"Nothing important. I’m taking the rest of the morning off."

She looked as though she wanted to ask why, but Rayleigh had already removed his apron.

...

He reached the rooftop several minutes later.

Kyokkō was still active.

Rayleigh released the spell, and Alfia slowly became visible beside the chimney where he had left her.

She was still looking in the direction Bell had gone.

Rayleigh did not immediately ask what she thought.

The soul thread already told him enough.

Alfia’s emotions were normally controlled so tightly that sensing anything strong from her required something serious.

Right now the connection carried relief, disbelief, grief, and a warmth Rayleigh had rarely felt from her before.

Eventually she spoke without turning around.

"He looks like Meteria."

Rayleigh leaned against the low stone wall beside her. "I figured you would notice things I couldn’t."

"His face is different enough, but the way he smiles..." Alfia paused, gathering herself before continuing.

"She smiled like that whenever she was trying to reassure someone while pretending she had no problems of her own."

Her eyes closed briefly.

Rayleigh stayed quiet.

After a moment Alfia looked toward him instead. "He is too thin."

"That can be fixed easily."

"He apologizes too much too."

"His goddess can work on that."

"And he almost walked into someone while staring at his sword."

Rayleigh’s mouth twitched. "That part may be my fault."

For the first time since Bell had appeared below, the corner of Alfia’s mouth moved slightly.

It was gone almost immediately.

She looked back toward the street.

"I thought seeing him would make the decision easier."

"Did it?"

"No."

There was no hesitation in the answer.

Alfia folded her arms beneath the cloak and let out a slow breath.

"I want to speak to him. I also know that appearing in front of him without understanding the consequences would be selfish. If my identity becomes public, Bell becomes connected to everything I did during the Great Feud before he even understands what any of it means."

Rayleigh nodded. "Then we wait until you’re ready."

Alfia looked at him.

"You’re going to train him."

It was not phrased as a question.

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow. "I just gave him a Zanpakutō. Obviously I’m going to make sure he knows how to use it."

"Properly."

"I know how to teach swordsmanship."

"I have seen some of your students before..."

Rayleigh turned toward her with an offended expression. "Ais is doing fine though?"

Rayleigh sighed.

"Fine. I’ll be careful with Bell."

That finally satisfied her.

They left the rooftop by the same concealed route they had used to arrive, and Rayleigh renewed Kyokkō before taking Alfia home.

By the time they reached the quieter residential streets, her mood had settled considerably.

She still had not decided when to meet Bell.

But when Rayleigh unlocked the door, Alfia stopped beside him and spoke before entering.

"Tell me when he returns for training."

Rayleigh looked at her.

Alfia adjusted her hood and stepped inside.

"I want to see what kind of adventurer my nephew intends to become."

...

Bell returned to the workshop the next morning with Tachikaze at his waist and enough excitement on his face that Rayleigh could tell he had barely slept.

Hestia came with him, although she stopped at the entrance after seeing the training yard Rayleigh had prepared behind the workshop.

Several wooden targets stood at different distances, the ground had been cleared of loose tools, and a rack of practice weapons had been moved against the wall.

Rayleigh pointed toward the center of the yard.

"Draw Tachikaze and show me what you normally do in the Dungeon. Don’t try to impress me. I need to see the habits you’ve already built before I start correcting them."

Bell nodded and drew the short blade.

His grip looked more comfortable than it had the previous day, which was expected.

A Zanpakutō naturally settled into its wielder’s hand far better than an ordinary weapon, and Bell had apparently spent enough time handling Tachikaze last night to become familiar with the balance.

Rayleigh picked up a wooden training sword and stepped opposite him.

"You can attack whenever you’re ready. I’ll match your speed closely enough that this remains useful."

Bell hesitated. "You’re Level Six."

"And you’re Level One. That’s why I said I’ll match your speed instead of launching you through the wall."

Hestia immediately raised her voice from the side. "Please don’t launch my only child through anything!"

Rayleigh gave her a brief wave before looking back at Bell. "Start."

Bell moved immediately.

He was fast for someone who had only recently received Falna, and the difference from the nervous rookie Rayleigh had seen holding a knife yesterday was already noticeable.

Bell closed the distance with three quick steps and thrust Tachikaze toward Rayleigh’s torso, only for the wooden blade to tap his wrist and push the attack harmlessly aside.

Bell recovered quickly and slashed from the opposite direction.

Rayleigh blocked again, shifted his foot behind Bell’s lead leg, and lightly pushed his shoulder.

Bell lost his balance and stumbled several steps before recovering.

"Your speed is fine. Your feet aren’t. Every time you attack, you commit your whole body as though the fight ends if the first strike lands. Against Goblins, that probably works often enough to feel correct. Against anything stronger, you’ll eventually miss and give it your entire back."

Bell adjusted his stance while absorbing the criticism.

"Eina told me something similar. I keep leaning too far into attacks."

"Then she was right. Keep your center underneath you and let Tachikaze do the cutting. You don’t need to throw your whole body behind every swing."

Rayleigh motioned for him to attack again.

Bell came in more carefully this time.

His first slash was shorter, and when Rayleigh redirected it, Bell kept enough balance to retreat before the wooden sword could touch his ribs.

Rayleigh immediately followed.

Bell’s eyes widened when the practice weapon came toward his shoulder, but he managed to twist aside and counter toward Rayleigh’s arm.

The wooden blade intercepted Tachikaze with a sharp crack.

"Better."

Bell’s expression brightened.

Rayleigh attacked before the boy could enjoy the praise.

Bell barely blocked.

The impact forced his arm downward, and Rayleigh followed with a second strike toward his side.

Bell jumped back, avoided it, then rushed forward the instant he saw an opening.

Rayleigh sidestepped.

Bell corrected halfway through instead of charging past him.

That made Rayleigh pay closer attention.

’He learns quickly.’

The difference went beyond ordinary enthusiasm.

Bell was watching every exchange, remembering exactly how Rayleigh punished him, and adjusting within only a few attempts.

His technique remained raw, yet mistakes that should have required days of repetition were already disappearing from his movement.

Liaris Freese was clearly doing more than increasing numbers on a status sheet.

Bell accelerated into another exchange, Tachikaze moving through several quick cuts while Rayleigh defended with minimal motion.

Steel and wood struck repeatedly across the training yard until Bell finally tried something different, dropping his body low and attacking Rayleigh’s leg rather than aiming for the torso again.

Rayleigh stepped over the blade and tapped him across the back.

Bell pitched forward, caught himself with one hand, and rolled before Rayleigh could follow.

He came back to his feet breathing hard, but his red eyes remained fixed on Rayleigh.

"Again."

Rayleigh smiled slightly.

"Good answer."