Chapter 173: The Weight of Steel

The clang of metal still echoed faintly across the training field. A few blades rolled to a stop while stunned silence hung heavy in the air.

Sophia stood rooted to the spot, her eyes wide and mortified. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Of all the things that could have happened on her first day training with Orion—toppling an entire rack of weapons hadn’t been on the list.

Orion coughed into his fist, shoulders shaking as he fought to hold back laughter. Garron, ever composed, was less successful, his mouth twitched, and a small, betrayed snort escaped before he straightened himself like nothing had happened.

Sophia groaned inwardly. Perfect. Just perfect.

Orion stepped forward, the faintest amusement glimmering in his eyes as he stopped in front of her.

"You all right?" he asked, voice soft but teasingly calm.

"I’m..." she cleared her throat, trying to salvage what was left of her dignity. "Fine. Absolutely fine."

"Good." His lips curved slightly. "Because that weapon rack clearly wasn’t."

She shot him a glare, which only made the corner of his mouth twitch more.

Garron, already crouched, began helping a few trainees pick up the fallen weapons.

Orion bent slightly to grab an axe, his voice still mild when he asked, "What were you doing here, Sophia? Planning to start a rebellion against the training grounds?"

"I wasn’t doing anything!" she protested quickly, cheeks flushing. "I was just... curious. I wanted to see the axes. That’s all."

He raised a brow, the steel head of the axe gleaming between them. "Curious, hmm? You do realize these are the heaviest weapons we have?"

"Yes," she muttered, lowering her gaze. "I know I can’t wield them. I just wanted to... look at them. See how they really looked and how anyone could swing them with how heavy they looked."

For a moment, he was silent. Then a low chuckle escaped him.

"I see," he said finally, resting the axe back onto the stand Garron had set upright. "Well, at least you’re honest about it. But let’s find you something that won’t make you collapse the entire armory next time."

She groaned softly. "You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?"

"Not a chance."

Orion motioned for her to follow. She obeyed, trailing him across the rows until they reached a smaller rack toward the far side. Unlike the others, this one wasn’t crowded; most trainees had ignored it entirely.

"These," he said, stopping in front of the stand, "are gladii."

"Gladii?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "Short swords. They’re balanced, fast, and efficient. Not as heavy as longswords, but not as limited as daggers either."

Sophia leaned closer, eyes catching the faint sheen of the twin blades. They were elegant, sleek curves, leather-wrapped handles, short enough to move quickly but sturdy enough to strike hard.

"Short swords..." she murmured. "They’re beautiful."

"Try them," Orion said, picking one up. He turned the hilt toward her, and as she reached for it, his fingers brushed hers.

It was an instant—barely a touch—but heat shot up her arm, sharp and sudden. Her breath caught before she could stop it.

Orion’s eyes flicked to hers, and though his expression remained unreadable, a flicker of knowing danced there, like he’d felt the same spark and had done it on purpose.

She gripped the sword firmly, pretending nothing happened. "It’s... not that heavy," she admitted, voice just a shade too quick. "But still a bit."

"That’s fine. You’ll build strength," he said easily, stepping closer to adjust her stance. "You can pair this with daggers later. It won’t drain your stamina too much, and it suits your frame. I’ll teach you how to blend both styles."

Her heart thudded. He was close enough that his scent wrapped around her again, grounding and dizzying all at once. There was a deep humming in her veins. He moved behind her slightly, demonstrating the grip, his hand briefly covering hers on the hilt.

"Relax your fingers," he murmured. "It’s not a weapon you strangle, it’s one you guide."

Sophia swallowed hard. "Right. Guide. Not strangle."

His lips twitched again. When she turned to glance at him, he was already watching her, with that same maddening calm, amusement gleaming faintly in his eyes.

Then, just as she dared to wonder if he’d lean closer, if maybe he’d say something that would completely unravel her...

He flicked her forehead with his finger.

She blinked, startled. "Ow!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter," he said smoothly, straightening to his full height. "I’ve got other students to attend to and you don’t want anyone to know we are together just from the beginning of our relationship right?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

He didn’t give her time to answer, he turned and walked away, hands clasped behind his back like nothing happened.

Sophia stared after him, rubbing her forehead and trying to calm her racing mind as she glared at his back. Orion turned to stick his tongue out at her before continuing his walk.

If Sophia wasn’t certain before, she was now—Orion knew exactly what he did and what he was doing. This training session might be even harder than when she had taken the test to unsheathe that monster weapon.

Orion moved through the ranks with quiet authority.

He stopped beside Cat, who was frowning at a longsword nearly as tall as she was.

"Put that down," he said. "Try an axe instead."

Cat’s eyes widened. "An axe? You’re joking."

"Try it."

She hesitated but obeyed. The moment she gripped the handle and swung, her eyes went wide in surprise—it moved easily, almost naturally, the weight shifting with her momentum.

Orion smiled faintly. "See? Not every weapon that looks heavy is ill-suited. Sometimes, the weapon chooses you."

Cat blinked, a grin spreading. "I think I like this."

"Good. Just make sure you don’t lose a finger or take off my head."

She laughed, shaking her head as he moved on.

Next was Dren, who was still wrestling with a longsword that looked ready to topple him. Orion folded his arms. "Swing it."

Dren did. The blade wobbled midair and nearly dragged him forward.

"Again," Orion ordered.

He obeyed, steadier this time. Then Orion handed him an axe. "Now this one."

Dren swung. It was better, but his movements were still uneven.

Orion nodded slowly, then handed him a spear. "Try this."

Dren adjusted his grip and thrust it forward. The motion was smooth, controlled, almost instinctive.

"There," Orion said, satisfied. "That’s your weapon. You’re a spearman."

Dren looked stunned. "But... I thought I’d be a swordsman!"

"You thought wrong," Orion replied simply. "Your balance and reach are built for the spear. Learn it well, and you’ll outrun half the sword users here."

Dren blinked, then nodded eagerly, excitement quickly replacing his confusion.

Sophia, watching from a distance, couldn’t help smiling. There was something magnetic about the way Orion commanded attention—not with force, but with quiet certainty. He saw through people, saw their strengths even when they didn’t.

Then her eyes caught a flicker of movement near the far side.

A woman stood there. She was one of the older trainees. Sophia had seen her in passing and she’d been there the day of the test.

Orion stopped when he saw her. His brows lifted, the faintest look of surprise and annoyance breaking his composure. But he said nothing.

"You want me to teach you?" Orion asked the woman.

"I’m a trainee, Orion, and I’ve asked you numerous times to teach me too," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

She tried to touch Orion, but he moved away, putting distance between them. Sophia noticed and frowned. The woman was too close to Orion, and she wanted to push her away.

As if Orion could read her mind, he stepped back and led the blonde woman toward the sword rack, telling her to pick one.

She nodded and moved to obey. Sophia watched her but didn’t say anything. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions. That’s what she told herself even if the feeling in her veins said otherwise.

When Orion finished assessing everyone, he clapped his hands once.

"Replace the weapons," he commanded. "Pick up the wooden counterparts."

The sound of steel meeting racks filled the air again. The energy among the trainees was different now. It was more focused and eager.

Orion waited until they’d all returned to their places before speaking.

"A reminder," he said, voice steady, carrying across the grounds, "some of you will change your weapons during training. Just because you like a weapon doesn’t mean it will suit you."

He let his gaze drift over them meaningfully.

"Brynhild loves the bow and arrow," he continued, "but she’s far better with swords. Sometimes, your instincts and your ego don’t agree and your opponent will exploit whichever one you listen to."

Several trainees exchanged uneasy looks.

"Also," he went on, "there are different types of swords. Longswords require reach, strength, and patience. Short swords rely on agility, timing, and precision. Learn the difference. There are also master swords but very few people can use them. The right weapon can save your life. The wrong one will only weigh you down."

He pointed toward the groups. "Form according to your weapons. Sword users to the left, archers to the right, spearmen behind me."

The field shifted as everyone moved into formation.

Now, the training was officially beginning...