- Advice and Training -

"You're back Bam."

Khun greeted Bam with a smile while Charlotte hugged her brother rather tightly. She didn't say a word and refused to let him go.

Khun, even though he was smiling at outside, inside he wasn't really happy. Bam and Charlotte figured it out after listening to his next words.

"How sad....trying to get more powerful by yourself."

"No, that's--"

"When I look at you, sometimes, it worries me that you would just wander off and leave us someday" Khun interrupted Bam, still smiling as if there was nothing wrong when there was indeed something wrong. "So at least tell us when you go somewhere."

"Khun...."

"So that I can chase anytime" Khun finished his words.

Charlotte broke the hug and held Bam's hands.

"Brother...I know that you are sad about what happened, but you have to remember to care about your health as well" said Charlotte. She lifted his hands and added again, "Khun is right. If one day you leave without telling me where you are heading, how am I supposed to follow you? You clearly know that I'm bad with directions. If you don't tell me your destination, do you want to see me lost in a path that I don't know?"

Bam's expression turned sad when he heard that.

"Charlotte.....I--"

"HEY!! Bam!" Endorsi showed herself in front of the room with an irritated tone. "Where did you wonder off without saying a word?!"

She walked towards Bam and said to him, "You haven't even eaten! I was worried of you!"

"Endorsi...."

"Plus, do you have any idea what I'm going through right now?!"

She was referring to an unique metal ball thing with red accessory similar with Yuri's and red eyes just like Yuri that has been following her all the time.

"That lady from the Ha Family keeps watching me with some weird toy!" said Endorsi.

The metal ball thing that floated and flew around the Shinsu turned out to be the observer that Yuri has specially designed. Just like the others, she was happy that Bam was back.

"Bam, you are back--!"

She then noticed something and asked the younger princess, "...why are you clinging to Bam, Endorsi? I warned you to stay away from him."

Endorsi looked surprised. She turned around and looked at the observer while yelling, "How did you find me again?!"

"Come to my room right now" said Yuri. "Or I'll come and get you."

"Shut up!! Do you think I'll ever listen to you?! I'll never go!"

"Then I'll come to get you!"

"Just don't come!"

The two of princesses then walked away, leaving the three of them.

"Bam" Khun called and gained his attention. "Ehwa, the alligator....and that swordsman kid are probably all alive and safe. So don't worry too much, right, Charlotte?"

Charlotte nodded her head and hummed. She was wrapping her arms around Bam's right arm.

"They're safe and sound" said Charlotte. "I could promise you that."

"What we have to do now is not to worry about the guys. We must survive until they come back" said Khun to Bam. "They're not the ones who die easily, are they? Especially that alligator punk."

".....yeah" Bam agreed after he pondered about it.

"Bam!!"

There was a bright pink light of Bong Bong and Endorsi again showing up in the room. She ran away from Yuri and then returned to the room again with the help of Bong Bong, finishing what she wanted to say.

"She never leaves" said Khun who watched Endorsi returned again.

"Don't separate a loving couple" said Charlotte, tapping his shoulder while talking.

"Hey you! I'm just going to say one more thing before I leave because I'm so frustrated! Stop acting like it's the end of world just because a few of your companions are gone for a minute!" Endorsi advised to him. "Some of them may have left your side for a moment, but there are also people like me who have returned to your side, you know, right?!

You're also someone whom some people want to protect! So please be safe for God's sake!

Well, I'm not going to say I'm...the one who wants to protect you....just take care of yourself! This is an order! That works for you too!"

She was referring to Charlotte who was surprised.

"Me?" She could have swore that she hasn't done any mischief this time.....yet.

There weren't lots of things that you can do on the train and after what she had been through, it wasn't the right time to think about creating problems.

When Yuri's observer showed itself again, Endorsi immediately used Bong Bong.

"Now, get some rest!"

"Where do you keep running off to?!"

"Ahhh, why do you keep following me?!" Endorsi asked Yuri, frustrated.

While Bam looked like he was pondering something, Khun turned around and asked Charlotte.

"Do you regret letting her come here?" He asked.

"Not at all" Charlotte answered and crossed her arms behind her head. "After all, this is the path that we should take."

After observing the woman for a moment, Khun said to her, "....I think you aren't doing this simply because this is our paths. But because you are looking forward for some troubles right? Life is already hard enough, why do you have to add more problems?"

"Ey, we must have some troubles to make life livelier" Charlotte playfully responded. "If you want to find a peaceful and calm place, do you want to head to the temple?"

He snorted as a respond.

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A Day Later

The Train: Entrance Testing Ground

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They managed to press the buzzer and passed the test.

With less people around, the test appeared to be a little troublesome. Most of them left the train for they were unable to enter the train thanks to Karaka who started a fight with Yuri. Endorsi and Altaira refused to fight as they just sat down and watched them finishing their problems while Raisin and Estrella had to help the others since they needed more members to help. At this point, Khun was actually considering sending Endorsi and his half- brother back to Shibisu.

"Your flower is indeed beautiful." Charlotte took some violet chrysanthemum petals with both of her hands and then showed it to Noah. "It's rare to see flowers in the train, you know."

"If you want it, I could always give some to you" said Noah with a smile.

But before Charlotte could reply that, Altaira who has been watching the two of them came up with a good idea to retaliate and called Charlotte.

Being called by her older brother and gestured to come, Charlotte listened to Altaira and walked towards him, ignoring Noah whose face darkened when he watched Altaira's playful smirk.

Noah knew damn well why Altaira did that. It was because he kept trying to separate Altaira with his younger sister that Altaira was irritated and retaliated by taking Charlotte away. Celeste was aware of that and shook her head.

'And there they said that Charlotte is the most childish.'

"Is there something you need?" Charlotte asked.

Altaira handed her a water bottle.

"Nothing actually. I just thought that you might be thirsty after the test, so I want to give you this."

Charlotte took the water bottle and looked at it before she looked at Altaira. She asked with a playful smile, "You don't put poison in this drink right?"

"Don't you think it's stupid to ask me whether I put the poison or not when I want to poison you to death?" Altaira asked back.

Charlotte just smiled and drank the water.

After taking the test, Bam and Charlotte didn't even rest for a second and immediately prepared themselves to meet the God of Guardian. Even though the others advised them to rest for a bit before going, the two of them disagreed and chose to leave first.

Some went to say their good- bye since they probably won't be meeting each other any time soon.

"Well, see you again" said Bam to his friends who came to watch him off with his younger sister.

He did feel a bit sad to have to leave his friends for some time, but it was all for the greater good. If they were going to the Floor of Death that was said to be extremely dangerous, they should improve and strengthen themselves. Bam promised that after this, he was going to get stronger so that he could go to the Floor of Death and return from the train without losing a single friend.

And besides, now that he thought of it, since Charlotte was also going to leave with him, none of the men there, including Altaira who kept getting on his nerves, will be able to approach her.

"Bam....do you absolutely have to go back to that Rice Pot? If it's training that you want, I could help you" said Yuri who still thought that this Rice Pot sounded like a place where you could fatten up.

"...yeah, since I've made a promise.....I'll need your help next time" Bam replied.

"Well, then see you after the training" said Charlotte who waved her hand with a friendly smile. "We'll leave first."

"Let's go, Charlotte" said Bam who held Charlotte's hand. Endorsi who noticed that slightly frowned but she said nothing of it.

"Good luck!" said Khun to the two of them. "Make sure you come back before we reach the Floor of Death!"

"See you later" said Endorsi.

"Okay! We'll see you at the train's exit on that day!" Bam replied.

Charlotte looked her friends before completely leaving them.

Though they were just going to leave for a month, but she was afraid that one month would be too long. She thought that the longer she stared to them, she might not bear to leave them. Therefore, she slowly lowered her head, avoiding Khun's gaze before turned her head and walked forward confidently just like how she was.

Khun watched the twins walking away, blue eyes locked at the young girl who turned her head away from him and walked away. Their silhouettes slowly disappeared from his sight but he was still looking at the direction where they were heading.

"Alright" Altaira tapped his shoulder. "There is no point looking anymore. You also have something to do right?"

Khun glanced at Evan, the Silver Dwarf who noticed his gaze.

".....well, I guess we should be going to" said Khun.

"Hmph....fine, alright" said the Silver Dwarf. "Follow me, I'll teach you how to handle lighthouse."

"We should also be going" said Nathan who put his hand on Noah's head, only to be slapped away by him with a bored expression. "There is no point looking at the lass anymore, right?"

Khun heard Nathan's words and looked at the master and disciple.

"....who is looking at her? Let's go."

"....."

"Do you want to go with us, Celeste?" Nathan asked the silver haired woman who nodded her head and hummed.

"Then I'll also be going first" said Celeste. "See you again on the next month."

Altaira smiled to her friendly, "Okay. While you are training with your master, I'll take Estrella with me for some training. Is that fine for you?"

"You want to train me? How very nice of you" Estrella who heard that said. "Will I get some food?"

"Don't be a glutton."

Celeste pondered about it before she nodded her head and hummed.

"Tch, what could a D- rank regular teach about?" Noah mumbled and crossed his hands.

Endorsi who yawned and stretched her arms said her good bye and wished them for luck. She was planning to go to sleep when Yuri held her collar and said that Endorsi was coming with her. It seemed like the princess wouldn't be able to escape from this one.

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

The God of Guardian didn't seem to have ever left the Rice Pot since whenever either Bam or Charlotte came to look for him, well, Charlotte has only seen him once back then in one month training before her fight with White, but still, Charlotte wondered whether he really spent all his time in the Rice Pot or has he ever leave his place and wonder around this Hell Train?

"....so, you've come?" He asked Bam before he noticed the tiny girl who was next to him. "And there you are."

Charlotte scratched the back of her head and smiled nervously, "Haha....things got messy lately....sorry not coming to see you earlier, God of Guardian."

The God of Guardian snorted before he jumped from his seat and then landed on the floor, decreasing his size so that it would be comfortable for them to talk. Right now, he changed from his gigantic size became few heads taller than them.

"So.....have you sorted out the chaos that was in your mind? Your mind was consumed with hatred...." he said to Bam.

"....I'm still not sure. It still bothers me to think that my companions got hurt because I'm weak. But....I think I know that for sure now too. Increasing my own power won't necessarily make the people around me happier. Enormous power beyond my control may actually pull me apart from everyone....."

"....." Charlotte didn't realize that.

Now that Bam said those words, she realized something. Her desire, aside from following Bam until the end, was also to be someone strong. To get stronger until no one dares to look down upon them, to mess with her, so that everyone will know her power and fear of her...she didn't think far enough that enormous power might scare her close friends or hurt them.

"Still, I don't want to stop to get stronger" said Bam again. "It would make me sad if I were to hurt anyone else, but still, I....I want to become....like a God for someone. If that brings the wrong result, I will take responsibility for it. I'm going to get stronger and fight more. To protect people who I love, and stay by their side."

This made God of Guardian ponder about something.

'He seems similar....but he's different. And yet this boy is different from Zahard. Zahard wanted the power in order to stand above the others and change them. But this boy simply thinks that he needs the power in order to stay with them. It's slight difference that I overlooked-- but it's worth taking chance on.'

"Very well. You won't be able to acquire anymore power until you find the real you. But you seem qualified to get strong enough. Alright now-- let the training begin!!"