Life didn't get easier, even in another world.

Captain Neal blinked a few times.

"Help out? Does that mean... like... you want me to teach magic to your new mage or something?"

The deputy team leader nodded her head and continued to talk.

"Yes. You know about our new recruits as well, right? You had also sent a request for all three of them to join Monster Hunting Division after the final exam."

Captain Neal blushed slightly and lowered her head as if she was ashamed.

"Yes."

Deputy team leader Bray smiled proudly.

"So you must also know how talented our new mage is!"

"...."

Captan Neal looked away and nodded her head.

"So there is no need for you to spend a lot of your time, giving some tips and pointing out the magic's flaws is more than helpful."

"...."

"So what do you say?"

Captain Neal didn't give an answer immediately. Deputy team leader Bray continued to talk seeing her hesitant face.

"I know you're too busy. You don't really need to do a lot. Just teach some methods and such stuff in your free time? You are a great mage so only a few words from you will help other mages improve a lot." 

Captain Neal still didn't give an answer. She lowered her gaze and thought for a few minutes.

After a moment of silence, she nodded her head slightly.

"That cadet was indeed talented. It would be nice to help out talented and skilled people. I don't have much time but I'll try to help her in my free time."

The deputy team leader smiled happily after hearing her words.

"Thank you so much, Ronnie. I won't forget this favor."

Kairen was standing a few steps away from the two of them and the captain couldn't see him because her back was towards him. He had been standing there stiffly and listening to their conversation.

Looking at this scene, Kairen was bewildered.

'She accepted it so easily? What's this? What's going on?'

Was she the same woman that he had talked to in the gym? 

She seemed too different that Kairen couldn't believe his eyes. 

"Then, I'll come to unit 6's office after I finish my job to talk to her."

Captain Neal said that and took one step back as if she wanted to leave. She was about to walk towards one of the rooms in the hall when the deputy team leader stopped her.

"Oh, there is no need to do that. He is already here, you can talk now."

The captain stopped walking and turned to the deputy team leader again.

"She is?"

"Yes, here in the hall."

Captain Neal then raised her head and looked around. She looked around, then turned back and searched the other side of the hall. Her gaze wandered in the hall till she finally looked at Kairen, but then she continued to look around as if she didn't even see him.

"...."

"But I can't see her..."

The deputy team leader that was about to talk again paused for a moment and stared at captain Neal, blinking her eyes. Kairen also blinked and looked at the woman in front of him.

'Her?'

Deputy team leader Bray said exactly what was in Kairen's mind.

"Her?"

Seeing the deputy team leader looking at her blankly, captain Neal stopped looking around and scratched her cheek with a confused face.

"Um, yes? Where exactly is she?"

'She...'

"She...?"

"...."

Captan Neal shut her mouth and looked at the deputy team leader with a stiff, puzzled face. 

Deputy team leader Bray's lips were twitching. She covered her mouth with her mouth and pointed at Kairen with her other hand.

"Ahem! 'He' is over there..."

"...He?"

Captain Neal turned to look at where the deputy team leader was pointing and saw a boy with a blank look on his face staring at him. 

Deputy team leader Bray bit her lips and tried to control her shaking voice.

"Our new mage, Kairen."

"...."

Captain Neal's eyes widened for a moment and her lips gaped. She was visibly surprised. She looked at the blank face of the said mage, then looked at her friend who had lowered her head while covering her mouth. Her face started to heat up and turn red gradually.

"...."

"...."

"...."

The three people silently stared at each other.

Kairen's face was also turning red as he was starting to understand the situation.

'She thought that the deputy team leader was talking about Serria...'

"...."

"...."

No one said anything. 

Deputy team leader Bray was too busy controlling her laughter that she couldn't utter any words. She was biting her lips and taking deep breathes, her eyes getting teary gradually.

Captain Neal was too shocked and embarrassed to say anything after realizing her mistake, and Kairen didn't really know what he was supposed to say.

"H-he is there... I-I see..."

Finally, captain Neal broke the silence, stuttering those words with much difficulty, her face still red and stiff. She shut her mouth after saying that and continued to stare at the deputy team leader.

"A-Ahem!"

Deputy team leader Bray coughed and raised her head.

"Right... I brought him- pfft-Ahem... I brought him here with me to make it easier for you guys..."

She hurriedly lowered her head after saying those words.

"Yes... This w-would make things much easier..."

Captain Neal tried her best to seem calm, but she was visibly about to die from embarrassment. Her face was red and she was sweating intensely.

She turned her stiff neck towards Kairen and opened her mouth again.

"H-Hello..."

"...Hello."

Kairen was the same as the captain.

'She accepted the offer so easily because she thought the 'Mage' that deputy team leader Bray talked about was Serria!'

Kairen was embarrassed.

'She didn't even know I existed!'

Captain Neal hadn't noticed that he was there until deputy team leader Bray pointed at him directly.

'No... I can't bear this much embarrassment...'

Kairen wanted to die.

He really, sincerely, from the depth of his heart, wanted to die at that moment.

'Please God strike me with a thunderbolt and end this life.'

However, God didn't grant his sincere wish no matter how much he repeated that in his mind.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The three people silently stared at each other again. 

Captan Neal looked between Kairen and deputy team leader Bray. She stared at the deputy team leader for a long time, before glancing at Kairen for a moment. 

She didn't want to accept this offer now that her student wasn't Serria but she couldn't change her words so easily. She wished that the deputy team leader would understand the meaning behind her gaze and help her out, but she didn't seem to care. Deputy team leader Bray didn't even look at her.

She then looked at Kairen.

Unlike deputy team leader Bray, Kairen could understand the meaning behind her gaze easily.

'I wanted to be that girl's teacher, not you! I don't even know who you are!'

That was what her gaze meant. 

Kairen also stared back at her.

'It isn't my fault, why are you looking at me like that?'

"...."

"...."

Captain Neal and Kairen both frowned and turned to the deputy team leader.

'Do something!'

'Help!'

Deputy team leader Bray raised her head after sensing the two of their gazes. She couldn't understand what was in their minds through their gazes only, and she didn't want to understand.

She only wanted captain Neal's approval, like hell she would let her go now that she had accepted to help out.

"Then, how about you meet each other at SMF's gym today? Ronnie, do you have time this evening?"

Captain Neal looked at her friend with disappointment and unwillingness visible in her eyes.

"Yes..."

Deputy team leader Bray smiled brightly.

"Then, you two can talk more this evening in the gym, right?"

"...."

"...."

Kairen and captain Neal looked at each other. They both had the look of a child who was being forced to eat broccoli by their mother.

"Yes."

"That's right."

"Nice!"

The deputy team leader clapped, still a bright smile on her lips.

"I shall go now, there are still lots of things to take care of."

She took one step back and waved at captain Neal.

"Thank you again, Ronnie, I'm indebted to you."

"No, not at all..."

Captain Neal said those words with her face still stiff. She still hoped for things to change, but the deputy team leader turned her back towards her and grabbed Kairen's arm.

"Let's go back. I have to take care of some issues and you have to help me out."

"Ah?"

She dragged Kairen away without even waiting for his answer. Kairen was dragged towards the elevator while still staring at captain Neal who didn't move an inch and was looking at them.

They exchanged one last look.

'Can we both forget about this meeting?'

'Can you please not come this evening?'

Kairen was inside the elevator now. He heard the deputy team leader's loud voice coming from behind.

"Don't forget about the evening okay? I'm excited to see how much you will improve, Kairen."

"...."

"...."

Ding

The elevator's doors closed.