Holy Calendar Year 1009, March 4 (Rainy)
Another maid quit today. Apparently, she couldn't take any more of the relentless, petty bullying from that spoiled brat, Hollow-sama. She was practically hyperventilating as she handed me her resignation.
The complaints are always the same: the food is "vile," her face is "unpleasant," she "lacks intuition." The young master's ego is a parasite, growing more bloated by the hour. I genuinely don't understand why the Master refuses to lay a hand on that boy. It's maddening. If the Mistress were still with us, this house wouldn't be a circus.
Leila-sama was the sun of the Heisenberg family. Ever since the day she fell, the gears of this house have been grinding themselves to dust. I still hate myself for it. Why did I let her go to the Sky-Eater¹ subjugation alone? I should have defied her. I should have forced my way into her shadow. I'll be paying for that cowardice until the day I die.
Holy Calendar Year 1009, March 5 (Clear Skies)
That wicked little waste of space, Hollow-sama, actually asked me for a sword lesson today. I was floored. The boy is the living embodiment of laziness; seeing him take an interest in anything other than his own reflection is a miracle. He was actually... polite about it. When I asked what brought this on, he just shrugged and called it a "whim." I felt a flicker of hope for a second - (Maybe he's finally growing up?) - but I killed the thought. He's the same old Hollow.
We moved to the training grounds for a spar. I saw it as a chance to knock some sense into him. If I could show him the discipline and raw beauty of the blade, maybe I could fix what's broken in his head.
Instead, he beat me.
I was humiliated by a boy who hadn't even gripped a hilt until this morning. I've spent my entire life perfecting my craft because I didn't have a drop of magic to my name. My pride, my identity - he wiped it all out in a single exchange.
But just as I was ready to crawl into a hole and die, the unthinkable happened. That arrogant brat actually complimented my form. In that moment, I didn't see a bully; I saw a shadow of the Mistress. Those were her words - that same effortless grace.
Is it possible? Has he actually turned a corner? It's too early to call it, but we start real training tomorrow.
Holy Calendar Year 1009, March 6 (Sunny)
We began the drills today. I started with the basics: "Watch and Learn." I'd perform a kata², and he'd mimic it. I expected to be stuck on this for a month, but Hollow-sama didn't just learn the forms; he devoured them. He saw it once and replicated it with terrifying precision.
God, the boy is a genius. If you can ignore the fact that he's a total prick, he's a once-in-a-century prodigy.
After we finished the fundamentals, we headed to Mount Garan. This was the Mistress's old stomping grounds. I wanted him to try the Rock-Cutter's Trial³. A sword is a fickle thing; if you don't read the stone's grain and hit the perfect angle, your blade will snap like a twig. The Mistress was a Sword Saint, and even she took a month to crack it. I gave him a demonstration, wondering how long it would take the boy to get close.
Hollow-sama just nodded, said, "Got it," and cleaved the boulder in half. It didn't even look like he was trying. The stone fell away like soft butter, leaving a cross-section so smooth and crystalline it looked polished.
I lost my head a little. I took him to the Garan Pearl⁴, the biggest monolith on the mountain. I told him to stop holding back his mana - (which I usually forbid for beginners) - and give it everything he had.
The result was... cataclysmic. He didn't just split the Pearl; he carved a canyon into the mountain range behind it. With the Master's mana and the Mistress's raw power, Hollow-sama isn't just a student. He's a god in a teenager's body. My blood was humming. I have to see how far this kid goes.
Holy Calendar Year 1010, March 6 (Sunny)
It's been a year since I last wrote. We've spent every day on that mountain. Hollow-sama is unrecognizable. The lazy, arrogant brat is gone, replaced by a man who treats the blade with a quiet, terrifying sincerity. He's humble. He's focused.
I've been swinging my sword just to keep his pace, and for the first time in years, my life has color again. The sepia film has been stripped away. I actually found myself wishing this could last forever.
But I'm not a fool. I know what happens tomorrow. I'm going to lose. I can feel it in my marrow.
In one year, he's become a monster. No ordinary knight could even stand in his shadow. I've kept him from using magic reinforcement so he could master the art itself, but if he actually cuts loose? The thought makes my heart race.
I've already written my resignation. He's touching the ceiling of what it means to be the "Strongest." There's nothing left for an old man like me to teach him. I'd just be in his way. I've decided to move on.
I guess I was the idiot all along. Looking back, that "villainous" streak a year ago was probably just a messy rebellious phase. He was a nightmare, sure, but boys have a way of being stupid when they're hurting. Considering he grew up without a mother's love, it's a miracle he didn't burn the house down.
I'm just angry we weren't there for him. We didn't scold him when he needed it; we didn't look him in the eye. As Chief Butler, I'm a failure.
Hollow-sama is going to be a great Lord. He's strict with himself, and he's actually started being decent to the maids. His tongue is still sharp, but there's heart behind it now. I've been with the Heisenbergs for forty years, and this is my last entry. I'll keep this record of my petty hatred for him as a reminder of my own blindness. Or maybe, I'll keep it as a trophy of the year I got to see a legend born.
Truth is, this was the best year of my life. I felt like a kid again.
Thank you, Hollow-sama.
And... goodbye.
Holy Calendar Year 1010, March 7 (Clear Skies)
I'm writing this late, swallowing my pride.
I lost. Exactly like I thought I would. It wasn't even close, and I have zero excuses. But I didn't feel bad. I felt... light. My life's work has been passed on to someone who can actually do something with it.
I was on my way to the Master's study to hand in my papers when it happened.
"Hey. What time tomorrow?"
Hollow-sama asked me to train. He saw right through me. He knew I was planning to quit, and he didn't give me the chance. To save an old man's dignity, he didn't beg; he just asked about tomorrow.
What a class act. I'm convinced now. Hollow-sama is the king of the next generation. I'd be a fool to leave his side now. Until this body turns to dust, my soul belongs to him.
Chief Butler, Olvin Dankert
Summary:
Olvin Dankert, the Heisenberg chief butler, documents his transition from despising the arrogant Hollow to becoming his devoted follower. After a year of intense sword training, Hollow displays god-like talent, cleaving a mountain and surpassing his mentor. The chapter ends with Olvin abandoning his resignation after Hollow subtly asks to continue their practice.
Trivia:
- Olvin has no magical talent, relying purely on sword skill.
- Leila-sama was a Sword Saint who participated in a subjugation of the 'Sky-Eater'.
- Hollow mastered 'Rock-Cutting' in one day, whereas a Sword Saint took a month.
- Olvin intended to resign because he felt he had nothing left to teach.
- Hollow's invitation to train was a calculated move to keep Olvin from quitting
Character Insight:
Olvin struggles with survivor's guilt regarding Leila-sama. Hollow's growth suggests he is not just talented but strategically empathetic, as seen in how he handles Olvin's pride at the end.
Behind the Scenes:
The 'Rock-Cutter' is a staple trope in Japanese fantasy, often representing the transition from physical strength to 'spiritual' or 'conceptual' cutting.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Sky-Eater (天喰, Soragui): A legendary calamity or beast that Leila-sama fought.
2 ↩ Kata (型): Detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced in martial arts.
3 ↩ Rock-Cutter (岩斬り, Iwagiri): A traditional trial of skill where a swordsman must cut through solid rock.
4 ↩ Garan Pearl (ガラン珠玉, Garan Shugyoku): The largest monolith on Mount Garan.
Notes:
• Hollow - Ten‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg Duke house, 140 cm tall, red medium‑length hair tied in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean build, navy jacket and black trousers. Holds Void (Origin Class) magic and all‑elemental aptitude, remembers the original Ronsolkia story, and is next head of the family, son of Daphnes and Leila.
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Leila - The late, incapacitated Mistress of the Heisenberg house — Hollow’s mother — wears a silvered cloak, sharp eyes, and a scarred visage; known as the Sword Saint and the family’s Sun, she is famed as the kingdom’s top super‑genius swordswoman.
• Olvin Dankert - Captain/Knight serving the Heisenberg family. Loyal attendant to Daphnes. Chief Butler of the Heisenberg family. A veteran swordsman who lacks magical talent and has served the house for 40 years. Highly loyal to the memory of Lady Leila. The Chief Butler of the Heisenberg family. Sixty-three years old. 185cm tall with short white hair and a white beard. Thickly muscled build visible through his tailcoat. A grandmaster of swordsmanship.
• Olvin - Hallow's swordsmanship instructor. Possesses a渋い (shibui/refined/gravelly) voice. Highly respectful of Hallow's status.