The next day we headed back immediately, we were probably the last ones to return to school, we spent a day missing and a day just resting and having fun. A lot of the men were drunk but everyone in the village still came to send us off. The reward for defeating the monsters would come from the empire, the village didn't seem very rich at first but they're a large producer of food.

I was able to walk on my own and did so, I didn't want to be seen being carried by Kazuo again. During our trek back I fell back to talk to Claire, being a cleric, I assumed she'd know how to do an exorcism or at least someone who knew how to do it. Alas, it failed. She knew an exorcist but he was still new to the scene. She suggested that if I wanted to learn from an exorcist, getting into the church would help.

No thanks. I'm not suited for those kinds of things, especially since I've stopped following any religion long ago. I'm pretty confident that the church won't be able to help me with my problem anyways, a ninth tier seal is on this demon.

By the way, the only ones who were drunk were Kazuo and Avie, not enough that they couldn't walk but enough so that they'd wobble a bit. However, when we came across a group of questionably dressed people Kazuo would steady himself and walk like a person who knew how to carry themselves. Of course, this wasn't necessary, we went unmolested every time.

Blue hai-Ellar seemed to be much more comfortable around me now, not that she was before, it looks like our little interaction on Saturday really helped. She's also keeping up with our groups faster pace, I suppose they're eager to get back to the city.

Today should be Monday if I remember correctly. It's almost been a week since we left with Aethel and the others. Seeing the gigantic white pillar makes me want to rush there. I've really grown accustomed to the life in the city for the few weeks that I've been there for.

Avie points at the horizon, "There's the pillar!"

Kazuo uses his hand to shade his eyes.

"Oho. Truly we are getting closer, might we pick up the speed a little my friends?"

After saying that, the sound of his footsteps started to come faster. In no time at all we finally reach the city gates. The gates open and we make our way through. Somehow we made it here using up only one day, right now it's a little bit afternoon. I could head back to class but I'd rather go back to my bed and rest.

"Ellar, Rainen. Once we receive the reward we'll send you two your share." Aethel says.

We nod.

"We'll be going then." just before she turns around a voice calls our names.

"Rainen, Ellar!" I shift my eyes to look at the person, it's Jones, the mercenary.

"How have you been doing?" Ellar asks.

"Haha, pretty good, pretty good. I got paid a while back but I wanted to stay in town a little longer before I go back to the other guys."

"Jones?"

"Aethel?"

What? These two know each other?

"You became a merc?" she looks surprised to see him.

"Haha..." he gave an awkward laugh and scratched his head. "Well, you know. After my pops kicked me out I had to go find work. A nice man came and offered me a chance to join his mercenary group."

"O-oh." she has a sad expression on. "Uncle was always a little bit too tough."

"Hah! Tell me about it. He kicked me out without giving me a single glance, all because of a little dispute." he says while crossing his arms.

"It wasn't a little dispute Jones, you beat the living daylights out of him."

"Yeah but he agreed to it. I didn't randomly attack him out of nowhere."

"..." Aethel had nothing to say.

"How's my pops doing? Still trying to arrange my sister a marriage partner?"

"Yeah..." her gaze falls down.

"Heh, he's the same as always."

Aethel examines him.

"Jones," she says softly. "you should come back. It's been seven years, he'll forgive you if you ask."

"Forgive me?! He's the one who should be asking for my forgiveness that rotten old man." Jones turns away.

"Jones, come on." she pleads.

"No, nothing you say can make me go back asking for his 'forgiveness.' That guy needs a lesson in being a human."

He storms off, all of Aethel's calls are ignored.

"Why would his dad care so much about a fight they both agreed to?" I ask.

"Haaaah." Aethel let out a sigh. "He got into a fight with another noble and caused a little rift in the negotiation that his dad was working on."

So that's it. He's a noble! Still, I can't imagine that Jones wearing all that fancy clothing. This also brings up another question.

"S-so~ you're a noble too?" Ellar asks for me.

"Yeah." she sighs. "My father unlike his brother, Jones's father, is much more carefree. He didn't have a problem with my decision to become an adventurer, in fact, he supported me."

"I see, what's your house's name?" I ask.

"Bauldry."

"Wow, quite the prominent household."

"Heh, I guess it is." she looks back at her companions. "Well, I better get going or Avie will start to shout."

"See you later."

"Bye." Ellar says.

She waves as she strides back to her party.

I start making my way back to my dorm. Ellar follows me, no, our dorms are in the same direction.

---------

I open the door to my room and plop down on the bed. I strip myself and enter the bath, letting it envelop me, the warm water is much much nicer than the streams, it's also nice when there's no wind to freeze you.

After staying in for a while I get out, sad to have the warm feeling gone. I go to the closet to get some clothes, I reach for my casual wear but change my mind when I see the faint blue glow of the scroll. From here I can almost make it out.

Master is here.

Seeing just those words I also grab my black clothing and rush out the door.

----------

I push open the door and quickly look around the room trying to find him.

"Yo!" he comes out from behind the barrels. "No need to worry, the others aren't here."

Seeing his grin gets me a little worked up, I cross my arms.

"How come I didn't get one of those scrolls?"

"Hmmm? What are you talking about? I gave you one."

"Yes you did but you gave it to Carlyle. Why?"

"Because he needed a way to contact you that's why." he says.

"I can understand that but how come you didn't send me any messages."

"Because I left you in the care of Carlyle."

"Then why are you back?" I ask.

"..." he goes silent and takes a deep breath. "How are you feeling?"

I can already tell where this is going.

"I'm just fine, school's been going great by the way teach."

He walks up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't try to avoid the question."

"I answered you already, I'm fine." I say firmly with some harshness.

"You don't have to-"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" I yell. "I talked to one of the twelve and moved on, his death doesn't bother me anymore."

"..." no response, he just stands there looking at me, trying to figure out if I'm okay or not. "Let's have a short fight." he says.

It's been a while since we've had one, almost a year and a half.

"..."

"I'll take that as a yes. It's been about two years since your magic awakened so I want to see how much you've grown. Don't try too hard to kill me now." he says smiling.

"Heh, you know I'll need to try at least that much if I want to hurt you."

"Yeah, true." he flashes another smile. "Let's go, I hope you haven't been relying on your special ability too much. It'll only hinder you when you don't have it." he gets up from his slightly lowered position. "On second though, why don't we test how many times you can use it."

"You want me to die?" I ask.

"Obviously not, I'll be here to heal you."

"Please tell me that Carlyle's hiding behind those barrels or something, I mean, I know he's there."

I hear the sounds of footsteps.

My master looks at me with both eyebrows raised, "Good guess, glad to see that your perception has improved."

"Well, I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't have me test how many times I can use my ability without having someone who could actually heal it."

"What? You looking down on me?"

"No, I just know that your healing magic isn't the greatest, that's why you never taught me useful healing spells right?"

"Heheh, the boy's got you there Reinhard."

"Shut it Carlyle."

"No shame in being bad at something." Carlyle chuckles.

My master shakes his head.

"Rainen, go ahead, start using it."

"Okay. Here I go."

Soon enough I hit my previous limit, fifteen. I crack my knuckles trying to mentally prepare myself for the horrible feeling I know will be coming soon. JUMP! I disappear and reappear again. I don't feel like dying but I can certainly feel a slight dizziness trying to steer my head into the ground. Again I jump, the effects get much worse, but I can handle it. Again, and again I use my ability until I hit twenty.

On my twentieth "teleport" I collapse to my knees and start puking out blood. Luckily I removed my mask beforehand. The floor soon becomes stained with my blood, Carlyle rushes over to start healing me.

"That's a big improvement in such a short amount of time." my master says.

"How many could he do before?" Carlyle asks.

"Fifteen, if you mean without puking out blood then it's fourteen."

"Haah, haah, haah." my chest heaves heavily. "I, still, want, to, fight." I manage.

"Even like that? You must be determined to go tell your friends about it." his eyebrows raise. "Did you get a girlfriend yet?"

I get to my feet, my body feeling a lot better thanks to the spells, I let two knives drop into my hands.

"Let's go."

"Alright, alright, I'll tease you later." he stands up from the barrel he was sitting on. Markings are engraved onto one, the number of times I could jump, he was keeping count there.

"Are you going to go easy on him Reinhard?" Carlyle asks.

"Nope, not like you did. I can't let my students get full of themselves, I have to show them who's the master." he cracks his neck and he activates the body protection spell, it coats his body so thickly that it's visible.

"Well then," Carlyle takes a few steps back, he looks amused. "begin!"

-------

I'm left on the floor gasping for air.

"Haah, haah, haah. Dammit."

My master stands over me.

"Not bad, it's nice to know that you haven't been neglecting your training, you even managed to land a few good hits there." he plucks a strand of hair from my head and drops it on my face. "Have you learned about weaved magic yet?" he asks.

"Haaah, haaah, what are you talking about?"

"Carlyle?"

"Sure, I'll explain." he squats down next to me. "It's when you mix two elements together to make a powerful attack."

"And how does that work? Haah, like using a fire and earth spell?"

"Yep, that's one part, but no. The one it used to really refer to is when two people of different elements use their free mana manipulation of it to make a powerful spell. Think of it like a water and an earth affinity type who both, instead of using a spell, convert both their mana into their affinity and combining it."

"So like when I generate flames without using a spell?" I ask tired.

"Yeah, just like that. And, since you're an oddity, you can do it yourself."

It finally hit me.

"You've already done it when you fought against me. Your fist was charged with both elements, just do it like that in the future." Carlyle advises.

"It'll take a lot of mana for you to do it Rainen, it's best if you only used your punch for now." my master interjected. "Just start practicing it from now on."

"I got it."

---------

Thirty minutes later, after resting for a bit, Rainen left the warehouse to head back to his dorm. He said his goodbyes and wished his master a safe journey, he had informed Rainen that he was leaving again and that he wouldn't be back for a while.

"So, what do you think of him Carlyle."

"He's got potential, I can see him becoming stronger than us one day. I don't see why you're so worried, he's still growing."

Reinhard walked over to a barrel and landed with a plop.

"Does it look that way?" he asked.

"Yeah." Carlyle said. "Why do you worry so much?"

Reinhard looked up to the ceiling, trying to see the starts through the light of the sun.

"It's because of what happened last year. I know he still hasn't gotten over it." Reinhard turn his head to Carlyle. "You think he's growing right? And you think he'll keep growing?"

"Yes, I've already said that."

Reinhard looked down at the knife in his hands, "I've been with that boy for a while, a short while when compared to us but I've seen him grow. He's a good person, a little bit too good." he looked back at Carlyle. "Eventually he'll hit a point where he can't move any further."

Carlyle knitted his eyebrows. What was his oldest friend saying?

"We all hit walls sooner or later," he said. "it's part of life."

"And that's what's different. For him, he won't be hitting a wall, he'll just stop."

"I don't get it." Carlyle motioned for him to explain.

"It's not obvious yet but he's afraid of growing too much." Reinhard sighed. "Like I said, instead of hitting a wall he'll be forced to stop because of the things holding him back."

"Then how come he hasn't stopped yet? He should be able to get over something from one year ago."

"It's because those problems have been around for much longer than one year. He still moves forward because his chains are very, very long." Reinhard stood up.

"Are you going to leave now? Aren't you worried about him?"

"You know I am but..." he looked at his hands. "right now, I can't help him. I'll see you later Carlyle, take care of him until then."

"Yeah, will do."

"Bye."

"Bye." Carlyle waved as his oldest friend left the warehouse.