Chapter 7: Chapter 7: A Gem in the Rough

Captain Takeda watched as they escorted the new potential students with him to the Imperial academy. It had already been three days since Lieutenant Kim took the new ranger division recruits to where the 2nd army was gathering while he brought the students to the capital. Scanning each of the children he tried his best to assess if any of them would end up being his golden ticket to a promotion. It was common knowledge that if you were the one to find a talent for the academy it was highly likely that one would magically find themselves on the fast track for promotion. The higher ups in the academy had a lot of pull in the Imperial army due to providing so many competent and strong warriors for Sato.

 

Unfortunately, so far he hadn’t seen any of them that stuck out as an unusual talent, though he had to admit that the overall quality was better than previous villages and towns he had been tasked to visit prior. These kids were tempered by living in a harsh isolated environment without all the little luxuries one would enjoy near the major cities. If they didn’t make it into the academy many of them would make fine soldiers if nothing else, but none thus far had shown an aptitude for magic and it was slightly depressing.

 

In order to learn any type of magic one had to be blessed by a god even though this could happen at any point in life it was most common upon birth up until ten years of age. Both major and minor deities would bestow blessings hoping the person they blessed would go on to be extremely famous there by making more followers for them.

 

Captain Takeda was never blessed by any god, but he never let that get him down; it just drove him to train in the martial ways and path of the warrior even more which was not to be underestimated when compared to cultivating the blessing of an immortal. Besides Captain Takeda was considered a young highly skilled swordsman among his peers, but that didn’t mean much to Captain Takeda in his heart he served because he desired authority. If he puts in his time and doesn’t royally mess up he should have a comfortable life owning a small territory in the empire, perhaps even gaining a hereditary title.

 

Yet, despite all the trouble he went through to find that secluded village he couldn’t find any youths with great potential. At least with this lot the military would have good set of recruits. “Awwachh” he let out a defeated sigh.

 

It was just his luck to not find any talent despite months of searching. Honestly he was certain the village would bear ripe fruit perhaps having some minor deity watching over it at the very least which was not unheard of in isolated parts of the empire far from the worship of the major deities in the central and southern parts of Sato. At that moment the corner of  his vision saw a young girl with ice blue eyes and hair the color of midnight pulled back into a neat ponytail. His heart jumped as he looked at the girl who wore a simple green hide tunic and leather shoes that were obviously homemade. While the eyes were often considered cursed Captain Takeda didn’t care much he could feel an aura coming from her that screamed potential.

 

Takeda didn’t like the cursed eyed folk anymore than the average person, but it was common knowledge that these people often had aptitudes for getting blessed with strong affinities to magic. He had found his proverbial dark horse and he wasn’t going to let this one out of his sight this journey. “Girl!” he nearly shouted. The young girl looked towards Takeda “come here.”

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Nervously the girl approached him. “Y-y-yes Lord Takeda?” she stuttered. 

 

Lord? Well I guess I seem like one to a secluded youth like this. He thought to himself. “What's your name young one?”

 

“Minako Rize, Lord.” she said her large blue eyes pierced towards him causing Takeda to shift with mild discomfort.

 

“I want you to ride on the front wagon of the caravan with my footmen. Do you understand?” Takeda said with a slightly less military style bark than he normally would give someone.

 

Without responding the girl nodded and bowed heading towards the wagon.

 

Captain Takeda watched as the young girl walked away. It was truly a shame that the girl was blue eyed. If she had dark eyes like normal people she would have been considered an unparalleled beauty when she grew up and most certainly if she got into the academy would have married into a powerful clan or even higher. Shaking his head, Takeda ordered the caravan to begin its long journey to the Imperial capital.

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