The Bradley household had grown accustomed to the sound of angry shouts echoing through the halls early in the morning.

"Get up, you brat!!"

"I'm already up, you old geezer!!"

While it might seem odd for such violent exchanges to resound daily from a marquis’ household, I didn’t have the luxury of worrying about appearances.

Dodging a falling fist, I retaliated by aiming a punch at the old man. Morning training was nothing short of a battlefield. Every day I faced this merciless assault from the geezer, counterattacking to the best of my ability, only to be overpowered again. This routine had become so constant that even a proper night's sleep was a luxury.

"Dammit, what’s with your reaction speed...?"

I thought I had finally managed to land a solid punch on that infuriating face of his today. Yet, as always, I fell just short, ending up with another fist to my head.

"You’re still too soft! Work harder, Clay!!"

"I get it already!!"

Ignoring the sharp pain throbbing in the back of my skull, I started my practice swings for the day. It was the sixth morning since I began this early training, and waking at the same time as the household staff no longer felt like a chore.

"Good morning, Master Clay!"

"Morning!!"

"You're energetic as always!"

"And you’re as helpful as ever—thank you!"

"Master Clay, I’ve placed a clean towel here for you."

"Thanks as always, Kanna!"

Exchanging greetings with the busy servants coming and going through the back entrance, I continued my swings with full concentration, maintaining my Blood Manipulation in the process.

This technique, which I practiced consistently during training, had now become something I used lightly throughout the day, thanks to the old man’s orders. Compared to my first life, I was able to sustain Blood Manipulation for much longer, albeit still in a simplified manner.

Incidentally, my overall mana capacity had increased as well.

Mana capacity is the measure of how much magic energy a person can store, and expanding it requires enlarging the "container" within the body. Much like muscles, this container strengthens and grows through repeated strain and recovery.

While this had undeniably made me stronger, I still hadn't landed a single solid blow on that old geezer after a week of training. It was clear I needed more time before I could even think about beating him senseless.

"Looking pretty comfortable there, Clay. Add 300 more swings!"

As I cheerfully greeted the passing servants, the old geezer casually increased my practice swings. I reflexively protested.

"Are you kidding me, old man?!"

"The only acceptable responses are 'yes' or 'understood'!!"

"Urgh!!"

Of course, any backtalk earned me a fist to the face and an increase in practice swings. It was a lose-lose situation, one I was unfortunately starting to grow accustomed to.

No, I don’t want to get used to this...

Somehow, I survived another grueling morning practice.

Lately, my brother has changed.

It all started after his first training session with Uncle Feid, where he collapsed from exhaustion. Initially, I was worried when I heard he had passed out, but knowing how cold he’d been toward me in the past, I hesitated to visit him. Instead, I spent days quietly worrying about him from a distance.

Then, a few days later, he suddenly emerged from his room.

How did I know?

It’s simple: I had been keeping an eye on his room, concerned about his condition but too afraid to approach him. As luck would have it, I happened to see him step out.

"Aah..."

The sight of my brother after several days was… different. It wasn’t his appearance that had changed but rather the aura he carried. Gone was the sharp, intimidating presence that had always surrounded him. In its place was a calmness, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

"Bro—"

I wanted to call out to him, to ask how he was feeling, but memories of past rejections froze me in place. Swallowing my anxiety, I trailed behind him instead. He stopped in front of Father’s study.

At first, I assumed he was there to demand something unreasonable, as usual, but even then, something about him felt different.

Maybe it’ll be fine this time.

"What are you doing, Brother...?"

"?!"

When I finally mustered the courage to speak, his startled reaction was almost adorable. He flinched as if scolded, his body trembling slightly.

I stifled a laugh out of habit. Smiling in front of him always led to punishment before. Though I’d impulsively called out to him, I had no plan for what to say next. I braced myself for the usual scolding.

"I'm going to see Uncle Feid."

But his response surprised me. Instead of brushing me off, he answered my question directly. What’s more, he invited me to come along. The brother who once refused to walk beside me now welcomed me.

"R-Really?!"

I was so shocked—and happy—that I couldn’t believe it at first. Not only did he invite me, but he also held my hand as we entered Father’s study together. It felt like a dream. I questioned it over and over, but no matter how many times I checked, it was real.

Inside, I learned my brother wanted to start training.

The brother who had always hated training…

I could hardly believe it. At first, I suspected it was some prank on Uncle Feid, but my brother was sincere. Both Father and Uncle Feid were shocked, though they still doubted him. Uncle Feid even tested him harshly to gauge his determination.

Despite the challenges, my brother remained unfazed, confidently holding his ground. In the end, Uncle Feid proposed a trial: a mock battle. If my brother could satisfy him, he would agree to train him.

"That’s amazing..."

What followed was incredible. Watching the mock battle with Father, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Though my brother ultimately lost due to running out of mana, his movements were far sharper than before. Uncle Feid was impressed enough to agree to train him.

"Get up, you brat!!"

"I’m already up, you old geezer!!"

Since that day, the shouts of my brother and Uncle Feid had become a regular part of our mornings.

During training, my brother’s language reverted to its rough and intimidating tone, but when speaking to me, he remained kind. Curious about this sudden change, I decided to ask him directly during my afternoon break today.

I had a feeling the new him would give me a proper answer.

That feeling proved to be right.