Kaelum had thought he’d be learning powerful techniques and magic spells immediately, but after their conversation that night, Tiela had said she was going to be thinking of a plan and told Kaelum not to bother her. Then she disappeared into his soul space, deep in thought once again. Kaelum went to sleep after his dinner.

Waking up the next morning, Tiela still wasn’t responding. For the past few days, the only time they had talked was at night. Tiela would absentmindedly answer Kaelum’s questions while he would perform his breathing technique until he slipped into sleep.

Kaelum learned many things this way, things like the tiers of mages and a bit about what separates each of them. For example, anybody who trained their body, but hadn’t opened their mana veins was considered to be tier zero. Theoretically, a well-trained tier zero with a strong body could potentially defeat even third-tier knights.

The barrier between first-tier and tier zero is significant, to become a first-tier mage one needs to unblock their mana veins to let the mana flow through their body. First-tier mages are then able to absorb mana from their surroundings and fill their mana heart. Once their mana heart is full, the mage is considered to be a peak first tier.

Tiela hadn’t told him what the difference between a first-tier and second-tier was, she just responded that he shouldn’t think that far ahead, that he hadn’t even achieved the first tier yet. When he asked why a tier zero could defeat a third-tier but not a fourth tier, Tiela responded that fourth tier mages were a completely different story.

A fourth tier’s body could control externally projected mana. For example, a second-tier knight might be able to throw a fireball, but they wouldn’t be able to control it once it left contact with their body. Whereas a fourth tier knight would be able to freely manipulate it.

Kaelum thought of all the cool stuff he’d be able to do if he were a fourth tier mage while he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He took a drink of water and then stood up and stretched.

After stretching, he left for work. This pattern had continued for the past few days and Kaelum’s days had turned into a routine by this point. He would work all day with his weird breathing technique and then talk with Tiela while using his breathing technique until he fell asleep.

For work, he would wake up in the morning before heading to the west gate, where he would ride the wagon with Old Miller until they got to the camp. Kaelum would work all day while practicing his breathing technique, occasionally making conversation with the old man while he waited for Kaelum to finish loading the wagon.

Kaelum had found out that Old Miller’s father had owned a mill, hence his name, but Miller loved the forest too much to follow in his father’s footsteps. So he built a small cabin in the woods and forested outside the city of Arum. He didn’t make much money, but he enjoyed it. His sons helped him with felling the trees and they would leave the number to age for firewood or they would treat them for use in the city’s walls. Like that, they made a small business while doing what they loved.

Kaelum’s thoughts would often wander to what he wanted to do. He promised to help Tiela by becoming a knight, or rather, a mage. He wouldn’t be in service to the kingdom, so he’d just be a wandering mage, or maybe since he was the future princess’s disciple he would technically be a knight of Kassivir? He had no idea.

Kaelum wondered what that meant though, what happens after you become a knight? Is he just supposed to keep training, but for what purpose? Maybe he would want to start a farm after becoming a knight, or maybe he would become a city lord. All he knew for certain was that he wasn’t too confident in his abilities, but with Tiela as his master, he would probably make something of himself.

No, with Tiela and Karrow’s expectations, he would definitely make something of himself as a mage.

After he finished filling one last wagon, Kaelum’s fourth day of work came to an end. He rode the wagon back into the city Old Miller before collecting his pay. As he left, Miller told him to get home safe and keep an eye on his surroundings, it was something Miller did every night. He was a kind, old man.

Kaelum walked down the winding streets of the administrative district, ten small copper coins jingling in his pocket. On one side of each coins was the crown of Kassivir and some words that Kaelum never learned. On the other was a portrait of Lord Marcus of Arum, revealing which city the coin was minted in. Peake had taught him that.

Over the past few days of work, Kaelum had managed to amass a total of fifty copper coins, or one silver and ten coppers. Peake had made him memorize the conversion rates of all the coins when he was showing him how to pickpocket. Apparently, Peake didn’t want Kaelum to just try to steal the biggest coins, a lesson Kaelum learned after he had done just that.

If Kaelum recalled correctly, it went forty copper crowns to a silver crown, and one hundred silver crowns to a gold crown. Nobody walking around the streets of Arum carried anything larger than a gold crown, so Kaelum had no idea what was worth more than that. Below copper crowns were copper bits, but they didn’t have a set rate. They were usually cut up bits of older coins or foreign coins and they could be traded for anywhere between two to ten bits per copper crown.

Counting the few bits and coins he had hidden under his pillow, Kaelum was now worth around fifty-four copper coins. He really was coming up in the world!

During the past few days of work, Kaelum had managed to not spend a single coin. He had actually been able to get a bit of food just as a shopkeeper was tossing it, that lasted him for a couple days and Miller had given him some fruit from his own lunch on a couple occasions.

Just as Kaelum’s thoughts turned to food, his stomach rumbled. The food he had collected from the trash had run out yesterday and he didn’t have much time to get more while working until dark, by then the stray dogs or other hoodlums would’ve gotten all the good stuff. Rather than go hungry, Kaelum decided he was going to spend some of his newfound wealth.

His eyes were fixated on the pastry shop as his steps filled with purpose. As he stepped in the door, the scent of sweets filled his nostrils. Usually, he would never dream of stepping foot inside, the baker would always keep a close eye on him so he couldn’t snag anything. Now though, he had a pocket full of coins!

He saw many kinds of pastries that he had never tasted before, some had a sprinkling of sugar, while others were drenched in honey or chocolate. Finding one he wanted to try, he reached his hand to grab it, only to be interrupted by his favourite mental roommate.

‘Don’t get that one, get the one with caramel on top!’ Said Tiela. He thought she was going to reprimand him for buying sweets, but she seemed to be more excited than he was.

The baker looked like he was about to say something when Kaelum took the pastry into his hand, but Kaelum soon walked over to the counter and paid, surprising the tired-looking mustached man. It would seem Kaelum had a reputation. Honestly, Kaelum usually would’ve been thrown out just for entering, but the mustached Baker seemed oddly docile and even glad to have Kaelum’s patronage.

Kaelum and Tiela savoured the pastry while he walked back home, the setting sun casting long shadows beside him as he walked. For Kaelum, this was the first time he had ever bought something with his own money, and it tasted like the best thing he had ever eaten, much better than stolen food.

For Tiela, this was the first time in a long time that she had actually eaten a pastry. The soldiers usually just had some form of hardtack in the war camps and she took the same meals from the quartermaster as her soldiers. Then, after coming to the past she was on a strict diet of trash or roadkill from Kaelum.

As Kaelum walked back feeling blissful, he asked in his mind I Didn’t know you were gonna pop up earlier, usually, you’re pretending to be busy until we actually get home.

‘I wasn’t pretending to be busy’ Tiela resentfully said. ‘I have been planning and thinking about our situation.’

Planning? What kind of plan? Asked Kaelum in his mind.

‘Your training and how we can actually resolve this situation… Also…’ Answered Tiela, the last part was barely a whisper.

Also what? Kaelum asked with his thoughts, he was excited about his prospective training, but her tone and the feeling through their bond gave off the feeling that she was worried.

‘Ever since we’ve been stuck together, I could feel a slight pull towards the princess’s direction from my soul, and when we got to her room it felt stronger.’ Tiela said after taking a deep breath.

‘Once a person gets into the higher realms of mage hood, they start training their souls, that’s probably how I was even able to survive leaving my body and travelling through time.’ Tiela explained.

‘A mage can always feel a connection to their body or a pull in my case.’ Tiela said, which made sense to Kaelum.

What’s wrong with that? he asked, not knowing why she was worried.

‘Over the past few days, the pull has lessened and today I don’t feel it at all.’ She admitted.

What could that mean? He asked

‘I’m not sure, I’m hoping it’s just because of the distance between us, but it may be because the connection has been severed.’ Tiela said.

Severed… Like the princess died?! He asked worriedly.

‘Usually, that would be the case. That only happens when a mage’s body dies, but we know that the princess isn’t dead. So it might be because my soul has become acclimated to your body… I might be stuck here.’ Tiela said

So we should leave immediately to find her then! Kaelum said, getting up as if he was about to leave on a journey to find the princess.

‘No, if my soul has become acclimated, then it’s already too late. Besides, we have no idea which city she left for and I doubt we could make the trip in time and with no funds, not to mention no means to defend ourselves in the wilds.’ Reasoned Tiela

So then… What are we supposed to do? What can we do? Kaelum asked.

Tiela said ‘We need a new plan, rather than just making contact with the princess, we need to gain her trust. Just in case I can’t merge with her, we still need to convince her to help us change the future.’

How? thought Kaelum, how were they possibly supposed to gain THE princess’s trust?

‘That’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about. Do you remember why the princess is touring in the first place?’ Tiela asked

He thought for a moment before answering, isn’t it in preparation for the grand tournament on the princess’s birthday next year?

‘Exactly, it’s a tradition that the champion of that tournament gets to request something from the host as a reward.’ She explained.

‘In recent times, the knight that wins will use their win to prove their worthiness and ask the host to become the host’s personal knight. In my original past, Aquila used her win to become my first personal knight.’ Said TIela fondly, thinking of her friend.

Understanding what she was insinuating, Kaelum asked You can’t be thinking I should try to win this tournament?

‘That’s exactly what I’m thinking.’ She said. He could feel an image of her smiling while she said it.

That’s crazy, what level even are the participants? Asked Kaelum

Tiela explained ‘The tournament is age limited to 30 and under. Powerwise, I’ve never seen a participant over the third tier.’

You want me to train to be able to fight third-tier mages in a single year?! I may not know a lot about knights, but even I know you can’t just jump tiers so quickly! Kaelum shouted in his mind, her plan sounded absurd.

‘It won’t be easy, but with my knowledge of the future and as I’m a high tier mage, it should be possible. Especially with your body’s advantage of accepting my mana, it makes it that much easier to teach you.’ She said.

‘Honestly, that part is a bit overpowered. Regardless, reaching the third tier quickly isn’t out of the picture for you, the first three tiers are mostly just filling your heart with mana anyways!’ She said the first part with a bit of envy.

Kaelum felt a bit of pride swell in his heart, he could feel through their bond and her words that she really did believe he could become a powerful knight. He didn’t have grand revenge or some mission to defeat a demon king motivating him, but he felt that the expectations of Karrow and his new master would carry him on to the highest of heights!

Tiela continued ‘That brings about the next point, your training regiment. If we want to achieve our goals, you’re going to have to train hard every day. Not only do we have to make up for a lack of time, but you’re also going to have to train that much harder just to match the crazy talent of everyone who is participating’

Excited about the training that would let him become a knight, Kaelum perked up and waited for her next words.

‘Right now, your job for the city works adequately enough for physical tempering, though it could be more efficient, it’s a good way to also earn a little bit of money.’ Said Tiela

She continued ‘But we’ll also start training you an hour before sunrise, that gives us a little more than six hours of training until you have to leave for work.’

Although Kaelum wasn’t excited about getting up that early, training sounded fun so he kept quiet and waited for Tiela to continue explaining his new training regiment.

‘Right, we’ll be doing a variety of training including combat style training. I’ve been trained in most weapon types, so you’ll learn the basics of every type, but choose one to focus on.’ Said Tiela

Why should I learn every weapon? that seems like a waste of time, especially since we only have a year. Kaelum asked.

‘Because, if you don’t understand what your opponent is going to do, how can you defend against it?’ Tiela asked.

That made sense to him. In Kaelum’s mind, a knight should obviously be carrying a sword and shield. So he voiced that he wanted to focus on the sword.

‘Well my main weapon was the lance, but you can focus on whatever, we’ll need to find you a manual for higher-level techniques though. The techniques I will teach you will be the basic Kassivirian family techniques of every weapon type.’ She said, ignoring how illegal teaching someone the royal family’s techniques was.

Tiela continued ‘We’ll have to get you a sparring partner eventually, but you need to get the basics down first. Your job won’t last forever and you’ll eventually need more money than it can provide. Becoming a powerful mage is a large investment.’

‘We’ll probably have to start hunting beasts outside of the city to keep up with the costs of training.’ Tiela thought aloud. Seemingly doing calculations in her head.

What do we need to buy? Kaelum asked nervously, he had only just started earning money and now his small fortune looked like it was going to be spent.

Tiela explained ‘Many things. Potions, weapons, armour, techniques, etc. Becoming a mage is extremely expensive, doubly so if you want to be a powerful mage.’

As Kaelum entered his home, Tiela said decisively ‘Alright, I have wasted enough time over these past few days. It’s time to start training you seriously.’