As Yvonne and Matagi walked toward Crassie, Yvonne had to use Maverick sometimes, as Matagi had not a high enough level to fend for her own.

"Wow! What is that!"

"My familiar, Maverick. Got him as a gift when I choose my class."

".. I advise against touching him." concluded Yvonne as Matagi neared the shuck, trying to pet him.

".. Don't you ever miss your father?"

Clutching her knees, she sat on the border of a precipice, looking at the sunset.

"I think I did, maybe. Surely, not for long. As I said, I still do feel emotions, just only the stronger ones."

Yvonne answered as she continued to stand.

"Love? Like, for your mother?"

"I'm not sure it is love."

Encircled by men and women of varying ages, the two teenagers continue to remain immobile, their eyes locked on each other's, breathing lightly, they gripped harder their (training) katanas.

While maintaining her center of gravity to the right, the black haired girl stepped forward to the left, lowering the upper part of her body. Slightly shifting to the right the descent of her body, she was able to suddenly sprint to the right, taking her back in front of the other girl. Her katana always stayed in front of her, pointing up and toward her enemy's head.

The white haired girl remained still, her legs sufficiently spread and her knees rightly bent. She kept her katana pointing to the ground, her hands both at the end of the hilt. She looked, watched, stared, glared and analyzed what unfold in front of her. After Abigail took her third step forward, Yvonne moved. As the right hand twisted upwards to bring up the katana, the fingers on her left hand left the hilt, and, relying on her palm, she brought those fingers from behind the hilt to in front of it. As Yvonne's left hand became a reversed hand-grip, Abigail was taking another step forward.

Yvonne stepped forward too, as her left hand quickly slid up to the guard. Abigail was already on her, swinging her katana. Yvonne's right hand left the hilt and went near her side as she closed it to form a fist. Using the momentum from the swing and her left hand, Yvonne used the guard to send Abigail's katana away over to the left of her head.

As the two swords collided, Yvonne threw a punch toward Abigail's abdomen. Abigail's katana flew behind her, her right hand was reaching for Yvonne's left shoulder while her left clutched Yvonne's right hand. She quickly scooped up Yvonne's left foot, as it was currently sustaining the majority of her weight. Yvonne fell on the ground and Trevor signaled her loss.

Smiling smugly, Abigail reached out to Yvonne.

".. So I think in the end I'm going to be teaching at the dojo while I'm not busy with university."

Matagi casually said as she decapitated a wolf.

"Before that, Trevor-sensei and the other instructor have to decide if you are fit to teach others."

Yvonne calmly answered, sitting on a slightly elevated rock, she watched Matagi and Maverick fight various groups of wolves one after another.

—Mistress, if I may, after having watched your companion fight so many times, even if I do not know the abilities of your mentors, I believe Miss Matagi is fit to teach others.

Maverick's voice resonated within the two girls' minds as he viciously bit into a wolf's neck.

"See! Even Mavy is on my side!"

—Don't shorten my name.

Matagi lazily watched from the side as Yvonne drove one of her daggers in the throat of a gnoll.

"Why are you dual-wielding knives when you could easily kill them with your katana?"

Yvonne circulated behind the now dead gnoll and kicked him toward the remaining three gnolls, making the one in the center fall.

"Daggers. They proved to be an useful alternative to the katana. It's not like I can always have a sword with me."

She replied mechanically as she reverse-gripped the dagger in her left hand and used it to parry the attack from the gnoll on her left. While doing that she threw the dagger in her right hand, hitting the other gnoll in the eye. He let his scimitar fall on the ground and brought both hands to his right eye.

"Mmh~"

Matagi added as she slipped back in her own thoughts.

'She does have a point but.. I really can't see myself using anything else other than a katana.'

".. And when it came closer, BOOM! Nathan teleported behind it and bashed its head with his staff, making it sunk well into the ground thanks to one of his skills from being a mage!"

Miranda was happily describing hers and Nathan's encounter with an half-minotaur half-giant, as Abigail and Lia ate some cake. The three were currently finishing lunch at a restaurant inside the mall. It was a nice sunday, Miranda had bought some new shoes, Abigail bought two dresses, one of which was packed since it was a gift, and Yvonne bought some new underwear.

"Well, even Lia was really cool when she single-handedly slew a dragon!"

Abigail retorted before wiping off the cream on her mouth. Miranda's eyes and mouth opened wide while Yvonne tilted her head to the side. Abigail puffed out her chest and made a proud face, similar to the one a parent of older sibling is bragging about their daughter/sister.

".. But I'm pretty sure you weren't there?"

When Lia said that, the proud Abigail's façade broke as she muttered "HUH?" and looked toward her asking

"You really did such a thing?!"

Miranda snapped and said to Abigail

"You were lying?!"

"I thought I was!"

Replied her, still stunned. Lia waited a second for the two to calm down. Last time, ignoring someone (Jennifer) who was trying to approach her backfired. So she thought it would be better to just quell their curiosity and tell them her story.

Elisabeth drank some coffee as she massaged her temples. She was sitting in front of the tv she usually used to speak with the other members of her guild, Æsir. She let out a sigh as she thought about the just concluded meeting. There hadn't been anything exciting recently and she was getting bored of hearing about this or that guild that was trying to undermine them.

'Well, there is one thing. I could try finding Yvonne. All I know is that she's in the southern part of the continent, but I'm pretty sure Abby will give me more information..'

"We're here. Now we just need to know where the Atelier is."

Said Lia as she looked around as she passed the northern gate of Crassie. Matagi panted as she slowly ran up her, having finally caught up.

'How much stamina does she have?!'

"Wa—... wait.. let's search.. an inn to rest.."

Lia thought about it for a second before nodding and casually beginning to walk once again, this time toward a nearby guard.

"Aisha.. wait for me~.. I'll die of loneliness like.. a cute, little, defenseless.. rabbit.. if you leave me.."

Being now well accustomed to Matagi's antics, she promptly ignored her.