The Moonlight Swordsman

Daisy's eyes fluttered open softly as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and felt the gentle warmth of the morning sun on her face.

She stretched her arms wide, took a deep breath, and yawned slightly.

The comforter slipped off her body as she moved on the bed, and she felt a strange sensation on her skin.

She gasped in shock when she realized that her dress was torn and her bare breasts were exposed to the bright sunlight streaming in through the window.

Daisy's mind was racing as she tried to understand what had happened the night before. She felt shame and confusion overtake her as the memories came back in a blur.

Daisy sat there, her thoughts still confused from the previous night, when she heard Aizel's voice in her head. His words came back to her and filled her with a warm and comforting feeling.

Spending every night with her under the moon, those words made her blush.

"Did he really mean it? No, I think it was because of the drinks.

"I should first head back to my room and change clothes before the kids arrive in the hall." She thought.

Daisy approached the door with caution, her heart pounding with nervousness. She peered through the crack in the door and quickly scanned the surroundings with her mana sense.

She felt relieved to find everyone was asleep at this hour.

Without wasting another moment, Daisy slipped into her room, still in her tattered clothes. She quickly put on a comfortable dress and let out a sigh of relief. The soft fabric of the dress felt like a warm embrace, soothing her frayed nerves and relaxing her troubled mind.

Daisy felt a warm presence beside her and turned her head to discover Lilly fast asleep with her arms wrapped around her.

She smiled and gently stroked her hair, for she felt a wave of affection for the little girl. She moved closer to Lilly, felt her body heat on hers, and put an arm around her to hold her tight.

*****

"I can do this.

"10,000 pushups more to go,"

A lone person continued to do push-ups on the snow-covered ground in the middle of a mountain range, where the air was chilly enough to make even the bravest shiver.

The person's breaths misted out in puffs of vapor as he grumbled with effort while wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

The wind blew his hair, but he remained concentrated on his workout, determined to push himself to his limits.

A loud rumble echoed through the mountains as a boulder came crashing down from the sky and slammed into the man's back with a nasty bang.

The impact took his breath away, and he lay there for a while gasping for air.

But his determination was unwavering. He straightened up and resumed his push-ups with a groan, the weight of the boulder now pressing on his back.

His muscles strained, and his breaths came in ragged gasps, but he refused to give up.

As Aizel's biceps ached with each push-up, he heard boulders sliding down the mountainside.

Large boulders slammed one after another against his back before he could react. Despite his discomfort, he refused to give up and kept pushing.

He couldn't handle the weight any longer, and his eyes sprang open to discover the boys, Oliver, Justin, and Seth, sitting on his back and giggling.

"At least let me train while I am dreaming, guys," Aizel said, a yawn escaping from his mouth.

"Woah, you can even train in dreams?"

"How?"

"Can we do it too?"

The trio bombarded Aizel with questions, their curious minds eager for answers.

"Naaa... Only I can do it, hehe…" He replied with a smug smile.

Aizel rose and made his way to the kitchen, his stomach growling in anticipation for breakfast. As he got closer, he spotted Daisy tending to the stove, flipping eggs, and preparing a salad.

"Goo…Good Morning, Daisy."

Her head turned when she heard her name, and her hair flowed. Aizel's attention was immediately captured by her stunning appearance—her beautiful blue eyes, golden hair, and gentle face.

Memories of their last night together flooded his mind, where he had literally confessed his feelings to her.

"Good morning, Aizel."

"About last night, I am sorry; I don't know what happened to me. If you want, I can rent another room here if it makes you uncomfortable," he said.

"No!" She spoke quickly.

"I mean, kids won't be happy with that, right?

"And don't worry about last night. It was Vespara who should be held responsible; you don't have to worry about it." She replied.

"That hag thinks she bullies me every time, hehe, but now I have finally found her weakness," he thought, a creepy smile appearing on his face as he began to formulate a plan,

He then made his way to the dining table, where the kids were already seated.

He sat down and waited for Daisy to bring the food. She soon arrived with a platter of eggs and salad. They all began to eat quietly, enjoying the great breakfast.

Now that I think about it, Daisy didn't answer me after that confession.

Did I get rejected? Of course, I mean, Daisy had no feelings for me.

Wait, why the fuck am I thinking about this?" Aizel thought as he munched on his breakfast.

Right now, I should focus on getting stronger and learning how to use and master different weapons with the help of Sekki."

Learn different types of spells and their properties from the Grimorium and with the help of imagination, try to make them simple and easy to use," he thought.

Aizel finished his breakfast and said goodbyes to Daisy and the kids. He knew he had a mission to accomplish and it required him to venture alone and clear the Fangspire Mountain.

However, before that, he needed to train harder and improve his strength. Besides, he was broke and couldn't afford to go on killing and looting sprees forever. He had to find a legitimate way to make some money.