Chapter 206: Training

"The moon’s beautiful tonight, too."

Rowan muttered to himself as he lay on the coachman’s seat, gazing up at the lone moon in the sky.

He was ordered by Larkson to escort Regis’s party, along with Eldrin, to Harmonia.

Once he was done with his mission, he would then set off back for Bakurad Fortress according to the commander’s orders.

Tap— Tap— Tap—

Hearing the muffled sound of someone walking on the grass, Rowan came back to his senses.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

An elderly voice sounded near him, prompting him to turn his head.

"E-Elder! Of course, please take a seat."

Rowan scurried as he fixed his clothes and sat up straight.

He even made sure to dust the coachman’s seat with his hands before he spoke in a respectful manner.

"Please help yourself, Elder."

Eldrin chuckled as he sat beside him, "You don’t have to be so nervous. I’m just an old man."

"P-Please don’t say that. You’re the most esteemed person besides the fortress commander."

"So you’re saying that he’s above me?"

"N-No—"

"Haha, I’m just kidding. Let’s chat for a moment and let the children catch up with each other."

Rowan saw the old mage’s eyes emitting loneliness as he stared at the night sky.

"It will be my pleasure, Elder."

"How old are you this year?"

"I’ll be 27 on the 15th of the 11th month this year, Elder."

"Is that so..."

Eldrin heaved a sigh and continued,

"My son would have been your age if he had not died during that incident..."

The old mage then began speaking as the soldier listened by his side.

***

Crackle~ Crackle~ Crackle~

Under the moonlit night, four people sat around a bonfire.

"How are you two feeling, Pandora, Killian?"

Regis was the first to speak as a worried light flickering in his blood-red eyes.

Killian scratched his neck and said, "I know this might sound crazy, but I had a crazy dream."

"A crazy dream?" Aurelia repeated, her brow raised in curiosity.

"Yes! I was in this black space and then I saw you, Boss!! We talked about something and—"

"Something?" Regis interrupted Killian’s words.

"Didn’t you mean that you even hugged me and cried?"

"Yes, yes. That’s righ— Wait..."

Killian, who was too immersed in his storytelling, suddenly realized that something was amiss.

"Does it mean that it’s real?"

Regis only smirked, "Why? Wanna hug me again?"

"Oh, fuck off!" Killian slapped his face, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

In fact, it was not only him.

Imaginary smoke could be seen going out of Pandora’s head as she looked at the bonfire, using all her strength to maintain her calm facade.

However, her mind was already going crazy, ’Does it mean that... he heard me... c-confe...’

She did not dare finish what she was thinking, afraid that it would be too much.

In her mind, she was hoping that the orangeish hue from the bonfire hid the blush on her cheeks.

At this moment, Killian changed the topic, "By the way, did the priests arrive at the fortress in time? And where are we right now?"

’Good one, Killian!’ Pandora cheered inwardly.

Regis then tilted his head, "Hm, don’t you remember the contract you two signed? It’s similar to what I have with Aurelia."

"Contract?"

Killian and Pandora glanced at each other for a moment.

However, the two of them had the same look of confusion on their faces.

"I think it will be better to just show you. Killian, lift your sleeves and slash your arm with a dagger."

Regis’s order surprised Killian and Pandora, while Aurelia only had a normal expression.

"Well, you’re the boss."

Killian did as he was ordered, lifting his sleeves before unsheathing the dagger on his thigh and slashing himself with it.

Swish—!!

"Eh?"

Killian and Pandora’s eyes widened as they saw no wound on his arm.

"You idiot... You didn’t have to slash that deep."

Hearing Regis’s voice, the two of them looked towards him.

The shock in their eyes only deepened as they saw a laceration dripping with blood on Regis’s arm.

Fortunately, the wound closed up in the next second as Regis activated his Instant Regeneration.

"Brother..."

Remembering the state her body was in a few days later, Pandora could not help but tear up.

’So that’s why all the pain left so suddenly that time...’

This was the thought in their minds at this moment.

Regis noticed their uncomfortable expressions and chuckled, "Killian, do it again."

"But, you already showed us..."

"Do it."

Killian gritted his teeth as he obeyed his order.

Pandora did not know Regis’s purpose, but thought that he might have a valid reason for it.

Clang—!

To their surprise, the sound that they heard was not that of a dagger slashing through skin...

...but the dagger hitting something hard instead.

Regis raised his unharmed arm, "As you can see, the same attacks don’t work on me twice."

"So you don’t have to feel guilty about it, okay? In fact, you’ll only be helping me get stronger."

As he expected, the thought of him bearing harm for them was indeed too much for Killian and Pandora.

Thus, Regis thought of the best way he could lessen their guilt.

"Thank you, Boss. You saved me twice already."

"I also want to thank you, Brother."

Faced with his friend’s serious gratitude, Regis did not know how to reply.

"D-Don’t mind it. It’s normal to do that since you’re my friends..."

"Aw, are you flustered?" Killian did not miss the opportunity to tease him.

"Tsk."

Seeing Regis click his tongue, Aurelia and Pandora giggled.

The four of them chatted and laughed together as the warm glow of the bonfire lit up their faces.

Under the night sky, they looked like any group of close friends enjoying each other’s company, with Pandora and Killian eating as they joined in the conversation.

The moon and stars above sparkled brightly, as if sharing in their joy.

Regis and Aurelia also told the other two about what had happened over the past week and where they were headed next.

This lasted for about an hour before they got up and walked further into the forest.

Rowan noticed this, but seeing Eldrin stay still with his eyes fixed on the moon while speaking, he chose not to interfere.

’They’re stronger than me, after all. I know they will be fine.’

After Regis and the others found a clearing in the forest, they stopped.

"I think this’ll do."

"What are we going to do here, Boss?"

It was not only Killian, both Aurelia and Pandora had curious expressions on their faces as well.

Regis looked at them and smirked, "We’ll be planning ways to get stronger now. Every night, after the old man teaches us three magic, we’ll be training by ourselves."

"Oh, straight to getting stronger, huh? I like it." Killian smiled.

"You should work hard, since Aurelia is currently stronger than you."

"What!?"

Seeing Killian’s disbelief, Regis glanced over to Aurelia, "Show them."

With a sigh, Aurelia activated her mana.

Wooong—

Instantly, two Mana Stars manifested over her chest, with one being six-pointed and the other having four points.

At this moment, another wave of shock was felt by both Killian and Pandora.

The former exclaimed, "W-What happened!?"

While the latter remained silent, ’I can’t let her surpass me...’

"Now you know what I mean? You two have some catching up to do."

Regis smiled and continued, "Since you’re still not finished with the old man’s assignment, you’ll be training by yourself first, Aurelia."

"Understood." She replied as she walked to the side, sat down, and began meditating.

Killian and Pandora glanced at each other again, feeling something strange in the way Aurelia answered Regis.

’Was it her tone...?’

The two of them were not sure.

Before they could think further, Regis looked over to Pandora, "As for my sister, I have a special thing prepared for you."

"W-What?" Pandora stuttered in surprise.

"You’re researching for a way to use aura arts so you can maximize your gift’s potential, right?"

"Y-Yes..."

Pandora was indeed researching a way around it.

The books she read had listed some ways, such as becoming part elf, drinking the blood of a dragon, and whatnot.

She did not know if they were possible, but even if they were, she had no way of testing them.

In short, her research had come to a dead end.

Regis could not help but smile as well, "Come, I’ll guide you through it the way I do, to help you learn it more easily."

"Uh..." Seeing the two walk towards the area a few meters away from Aurelia, Killian could not help but call out to Regis, "Um, Boss?"

"Yes?"

"Don’t you have something for me too?"

"Nothing in the meantime, train by yourself first."

"B-But..." Killian felt wronged.

After all, while Eldrin was present to teach them magic, he had no one to teach him swordsmanship.

Even Rowan, the soldier who served as their escort, was a warrior.

"Ugh, you’ve got to be kidding me!"

Killian shouted in indignation.