John allowed his body to sink in the bathtub to remove the filth sticking to his body. The dark grime required a lot of scrubbing to completely remove, after which it floated around in the bathwater. He felt like he’d need a second bath to get completely clean.

After advancing, he didn’t care about it at all due to how happy he felt. That happiness had been immediately snuffed out after discovering that Vasilis continued alive. Now, he didn’t know what to feel. Regret for not making sure that Vasilis was dead? Anger that the man responsible for his mother's death was still alive? Or maybe fear for what could happen if Vasilis discovered him living there? Probably all of the above.

After finally advancing, he had felt stronger than ever. As a Crusader, he was much closer in strength to those he’d be fighting at the Squire’s Tournament. If he also managed to become an Archmage then the whole competition would become a trivial affair to him.

Now, he couldn’t recall a time where he felt so weak. Weak because he was no longer thinking about doing well at the tournament in a few years or even about how to get into the Secret Realm further down the line. His goal was much more immediate: to kill Vasilis.

The back scrubber’s handle crackled in John’s hand, making him realize how strongly he was gripping it. He relaxed his grip before placing the piece of solid wood back on the stand along with the other bathing utensils.

He wondered how he’d be able to deal with Vasilis when someone knocked on the door to his bedroom.

John’s heart skipped a beat. Still naked, he got out of the bathtub and opened the bathroom door. “Yes?”

“John, it’s me,” Athalia’s voice sounded out from the hallway.

He breathed a sigh of relief before drying himself with a towel and putting on a bathrobe. He then walked across the room, bare feet stepping on the carpet, and opened the door. Athalia stood on the other side, a large smile on her face and, to John’s surprise, she wasn’t alone.

Neina stood next to Athalia with a closed food tray on her hands and an uncomfortable look on her face.

“By Alella, you really advanced.” Athalia moved in closer and hugged him tightly. “I went by the training grounds just now and didn’t see you there. When I asked Marleya about it, she then told me about you advancing but I didn’t believe it. Why didn’t you come to tell me about it?”

John faked a smile and invited the two in, making sure to close the door after them. “I was planning to do it after getting a bath.”

“Oh, of course, the impurities. It’s been so long since I advanced that I had already forgotten about it.” Athalia pulled up a chair and sat down by the table. “Sit down and tell me more about it.” She turned towards Neina who remained standing. “You too dear, leave the tray on the table and sit down.”

“There’s not much to talk about. For the past month, I’d been taking it easy as you asked. Today I decided to get back to training. Neina here was acting as my sparring partner when I felt something opening inside of me. After that, it wasn’t much different from what I read about advancing I guess.”

“Interesting how it happened while you were both sparring. Maybe we have Neina here to thank for that.”

Neina gave an obviously forced smile. “T-There’s no need for that my lady. I was just doing as dame Marleya asked me to.”

“Nonsense,” Athalia said while waving a dismissive hand. “This is obviously a sign. Long before I was even born, my great grandfather advanced to Paladin while sparring against a lady from another house. He took that as a good omen and decided to marry her. The two lived together for almost two centuries and had eleven children in total.”

Neina continued to look uncomfortable but now she also seemed a bit confused at Athalia’s words.

John recalled his talk with Athalia back in the city gardens. He cared very little about her matchmaking plans and so decided to change the subject. “While coming to my bedroom, I noticed some sort of commotion in the throne room. What was that about?”

“Oh, you saw that.” Now it was Athalia who looked uncomfortable. “We had some surprise guests today, so Hagen and I were welcoming them.”

John nodded and decided to try probing further. “I heard someone talking about earl Skanler and war. Are these guests the foreigners who are rebelling against the earl?”

Her eyes opened up wide in surprise. “How do you know about that?”

“People around the castle talk,” he answered with a shrug.

“Well, they shouldn’t, and neither should you be worrying about such things.” She paused to try and compose herself. “Instead, you should worry about your cultivation.” Athalia leaned forward to remove the lid from the tray, revealing all the pastries and cooked meats underneath. “You’ve just advanced so your body needs a lot of mana to get back in proper shape.”

John grabbed two pieces of white bread and ate it along with ham and cheese. He wanted to ask her more about it, but she made it very clear that she wouldn’t say anything. Maybe he should try asking Hagen later.

“That’s not the only reason for my visit today.” Athalia fished two coins from inside her dress and placed them on the table beside the food. “I also wanted to give you this.”

The coins were made of a transparent crystal and they both felt smooth in John’s hands. One was white while the other one was black, leading him to believe that they had something to do with his magical affinities. “What are these coins?”

“Mana,” she answered with a smile. “Crystalized mana to be more accurate. I asked your teachers to make them for you and they took a couple of years to complete. I planned on giving it to you later on but, seeing how quickly you advanced, I decided to do it earlier.”

“They look valuable.”

“Because they are, even more than platinum. Crystalized mana like that can be used to speed up your cultivation. It works best according to your affinities, which is why I asked both your teachers to make it.”

“I…” John failed to find the right words. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

Athalia smiled. She stood up from her chair and patted him on the head. “You don’t need to thank me. I’ve said before that you’re special, and this is my way of helping you reach your full potential. Just remember what I told you about pushing yourself too hard. Now, I know you must be tired, but first, there’s a last piece of news. Miss Neina, if you will.”

Neina stood straight. “L-Lady Athalia has assigned me as your personal guard from here on out.”

“I don’t need a personal guard,” John immediately answered. “Why would I need one given how secure the castle is?”

“The castle certainly, but a young man such as yourself shouldn’t be holed up indoors all day long. Miss Neina here will be your protector from here on out whenever you want to go outside. She’ll accompany you if you ever decide to visit the city gardens again, for instance.” Athalia gave him a knowing smile. “But that’s all I had to say. Don’t forget to rest and eat a lot. Miss Neina and I will be leaving now.”

Athalia led Neina out of the room, closing the door behind them and leaving John alone again.

John gave a long sigh. He’d need to do something about Athalia’s matchmaking plans one day. He was munching on a bacon strip when the coins grabbed his attention, making him recall Athalia’s words.

He was special.

That wasn’t just her opinion, but also Chrono’s. The god had chosen him to reincarnate for a reason, so there was obviously something special about John.

The thought brought a smile to John’s face. Maybe he was weak for now, but he had the potential to become stronger. Much stronger. Even if he doesn’t manage to find a quick way of dealing with Vasilis, he’d eventually grow strong enough to no longer fear the Paladin.

Vasilis was already dead, the bastard just didn’t know it yet.