Chapter 25: Not So Shocking Confession!

[You... antagonized me?] - Rose

[Well yeah, you didn't think I was this bad all the time did you? I mean sure I'm tough on my pupil's but I pride myself on recognizing their accomplishments as well.] - Manic Blade

[.....why?] - Rose

Obviously expecting my question but surprised by how calm I was when I asked it the old immortal paused for a few seconds before answering.

[Well... Because I was trying to get you to attack me with all of your power.] - Manic Blade

[That is not an answer! NOW, WHY DID YOU ANTAGONIZE ME?!?] - Rose

Shaking with barely controlled rage at his manipulation the last two days and his seeming hesitation to answer a basic question as to why it took everything I had to not try for an escape and fuck the consequences. I kept my cool as much as possible however as not only did I not think I could get away no matter what I did but his training methods over the last two days HAD been effective although way too harsh. Apparently my words had gotten through to him luckily as he flinched before explaining himself with a sigh.

[Hah... Damn me you're too much like my little girl. Reminds me of the time I came home drunk and she chewed me out until she fell asleep. You know you might be.... Uh... Nevermind...] - Manic Blade

[Jeez you're scary, that look could kill... Ahem! Where were we?] - Manic Blade

[You were explaining why you wanted me to attack you...!] - Rose

Flinching again as I gave him a look that would have set him on fire if it could, he trailed off before trying to pretend that he'd lost his train of thought. I wasn't having any of that however and mercilessly shot down his attempt.

[O-Oh right, so before I tell you this I wanna say that I've had very little contact with children in the last 2000 years so forgive me for how I went about your training for the last 2 days. Honestly I hadn't trained my princess at all before... before she... Ahem! Anyway I know I was a little harsh on you and I want to apologize.] - Manic Blade

[Hah... Fine whatever, as long as it was for a good reason I'll forgive you.] - Rose

Sighing at his awkward attempt to apologize and the slight wetness in his eyes as he tried to talk about his daughter and failed was quickly diffusing my anger but I made sure to reserve my judgment for AFTER I heard him out. He had manipulated me too many times in the last two days for me to completely trust him, but he had also had rare moments of genuine care and if he really saw me as similar to his daughter I doubted he was doing anything maliciously.

[I appreciate that. Ahem! Anyways the reason I was pushing you so hard and antagonizing you was because of your frenzied form. My training over the next five months wasn't only going to be focused on increasing your mana control and physical abilities. In fact those things are secondary to what I really wanted to train you in.] - Manic Blade

[Huh? What do you mean?] - Rose

[I mean that before I let you return to that bitch's academy I'm going to teach you to control your entire power. Including that frenzy that you demonstrated last session.] - Manic Blade

[Okay so let me get this straight, you think my frenzy is called Demon Lord's Wrath? Or in this case Demon God's Wrath I guess.] - Rose

[Yes, when I first heard of your little... adventure, at the party several months ago I believed that it might be related. When I forced you into that form myself I knew it was.] - Manic Blade

[Okay but how?] - Rose

[See when the hero and I fought against the Demon Lord of Chaos he used that form when we cornered him and it drastically increased his power, speed and defense to the point that he was nearly unstoppable. T-That was how... Ahem! That was how we lost our first party member.] - Manic Blade

[I-I see...] - Rose

After talking with the old man for a few minutes I'd finally decided to move him from possible enemy to tentative nice guy, if a bit awkward around children. This change of perception also made me more willing to take him up on his training being offered without complaining... much. After I'd agreed to let him continue training me he'd explained a bit more about the frenzy I had now experienced twice so far although my memory of it was fairly fuzzy.

It was during this explanation that he touched on how exactly he knew anything about it and with that discussion brought a wave of bad memories for him. At this point I had completely discarded the idea that he was using these interactions to manipulate me as the look in his eyes when he talked about his late friends seemed impossible to fake, at least in my eyes.

[A-Anyways I knew that leaving you unable to control that form could at some point injure either yourself or the people you care about. So I came up with the idea to force you into that form by pushing you until you snapped.] - Manic Blade

[And you couldn't think of a better way to do that then putting me down all while physically abusing me?] - Rose

[No...? I mean I guess I could have put you in a lethal situation but that seemed to be a bit much.] - Manic Blade

Staring at the man awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck while giving him a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" I facepalmed immediately after.

[Just how awkward around kids are you?] - Rose

[Well my daughter used to tell me that I was hopeless when it came to teaching children. Hell she once asked her mother to teach her how to cut firewood because she was afraid I wouldn't have any common sense.] - Manic Blade

[Hahaha! I think she was right, you're kind of terrible as far as common sense is concerned.] - Rose

[Hey! I'm not that bad!] - Manic Blade

[Sure you aren't you giant dork!] - Rose

[Dork am I? I'll show you who's a dork Elizabeth! I...! Oh... Right....] - Manic Blade

[Elizabeth? Is she your...?] - Rose

[I-I need a moment... sorry.] - Manic Blade

In an instant the friendliness we had built up over the last few minutes vanished as without another word he vanished into the, still pouring, rain. I tried reaching out to stop him but the look on his face halted my hand and the next instant he was gone. It was the look of someone that was dealing with a huge loss that he thought he had gotten over with and failing. I moved closer to the fire as the cave entrance felt so much colder now that I was alone.

It was several hours before I heard the telltale sounds of someone approaching the cave through the underbrush and I tensed and rose from my stop near the fire as I readied myself for a possible enemy. My fears were unwarranted luckily as the familiar face of the Manic Blade appeared out of the darkness of the trees, dragging something quite large behind him.

Smiling nervously at the man that had left earlier I looked at his face for a clue as to his current mood and was rewarded with a halfhearted smile from him as he dragged a large, dead, boar into the cave opening. He didn't look like he was in the mood to talk however despite his attempt to show that he was fine so I remained silent as he moved to prepare the boar for our next meal. Actually now that I thought about it I was getting hungry again.

[.....I-I feel I have to apologize to you again. I... Haah... I've been projecting my daughter onto you and it's not fair to do that. As... As much as I wish you were her I have to... I have to separate you two in my mind. Do you forgive me?] - Manic Blade

[There is nothing to forgive... I am flattered that I remind you so much of you daughter, and I wish I could fill that void... but I can't. I'm sorry.] - Rose

Looking now at the broken man before me it was hard to see the sadistic trainer of the last two days. I knew I couldn't understand what he had been through, I doubt anyone could, but even if I wanted to replace his daughter I knew that it wasn't healthy and would cause more harm than good in the long run.

[I... appreciate that. I really am sorry that I kidnapped you by the way. I didn't know how dangerous training you could be and I felt it was the only option.] - Manic Blade

[I.... haah... I forgive you. Just one question.] - Rose

[What is it?] - Manic Blade

[What your name? Your real name.] - Rose