"He still hasn’t come back, right?" Lucan asked.
"Yes. I hope he’s okay. It’s been two days now. He didn’t come to the inn last night. We waited... but he didn’t," Linda said.
"Is that so? Let’s just hope he comes back today," Lucan replied.
"Yes, I hope so. Let’s continue our training. I want to get stronger, so when he comes back, if he says he wants to go to the dungeon, I’ll be ready to go with him," Linda said.
"Yes, I also want to be someone he can count on," Celia added.
"Nice. Now, take your positions. Watch closely," Lucan instructed.
Celia moved back, her grip steady on her sword. Linda readied her bow, her eyes sharp. Both were improving, but their magical abilities were still raw—they had yet to master full control.
"Now, come at me. Show me what you’ve got," Lucan said.
Celia charged, leaping into the air with her sword raised. She swung with precision, aiming at him, but he met her attack with his arrow, deflecting the strike and pushing her back.
"Don’t just think about hitting hard. Watch your opponent and aim for the openings. See it, feel it," Lucan instructed.
Celia nodded and ran at him again, deciding to strike at his midsection. He tossed the blade upward and kicked her, sending her sprawling to the ground.
"I held back, but you could’ve dodged that kick. Go wait. Let’s switch—Linda, it’s your turn," Lucan said.
Linda stepped forward, already showing rapid improvement with her bow.
"You’ve started well. Yesterday, you practiced using your arrows, and now you’re already getting good. Very impressive for an elf," Lucan said, his eyes watching her movements carefully.
Linda fired, keeping her distance. He dodged smoothly, avoiding each shot.
"Have you forgotten what I said?" Lucan raised his hand, halting her attack. "Shoot. You’re already good at aiming, using your arrow and wind magic. Now, add your magic to the arrow to increase its speed—it can become twenty times stronger. Watch it, see it."
"Yes, sir," Linda said, focused and determined.
"So, in the same way, even if you are not very good at using your wind magic, you have to keep trying to make sure you improve. Because mastering it will help you a lot in close combat," Lucan said.
"Understood. I’ll try my very best now," Linda said, then blitted and blitted out. She shot the arrow at him, adding wind magic to it. The arrow moved faster than before, and before he could react, he used his look to catch it.
"Now that—that was great! That’s what I’m talking about. Move back. Celia, come in," Lucan said. "Celia, you have to be ready. The best thing you have is being a demi-human. You have stamina and physical ability—it’s on another level. Your ability to adapt in battle is something extremely important. Use that. Make sure there’s power in every strike, in everything you try to cut or anyone you’re trying to slay."
"Okay, now I’m ready," Celia said.
She ran as fast as she could. Lucan brought out the sword he had with him and tried to strike her from above. She bent low, ducking under it, and even tried to counter from the leg. He pulled back.
"That was impressive. You caught me off guard. But one wrong move, and that sword might have touched you, but Ella is capable. She’s capable of healing," Lucan said.
"I don’t care, even if you slay me with a sword or whatever. I want to make sure I’m strong enough to be by Nolan’s side," Celia said.
That’s the spirit. You guys have really improved. Only yesterday you joined, and today you’ve gotten even stronger. If you keep this up, you’ll be able to follow your master anywhere," Lucan said.
"Understood," Linda replied, her voice steady but tinged with doubt. "But... do you think we’re strong enough to be with him? His strength... it’s too much. I don’t see myself ever becoming as strong as him."
"It doesn’t matter if you’re as strong as him or not," Lucan said gently. "What matters is that you’re strong enough to protect yourself. You don’t need to protect him—he can protect himself. You only need to protect yourself."
"No," Linda said, shaking her head, voice cracking. "I don’t want that. I want to be strong to protect him. If I join him, if I follow him in the dungeon, I don’t want to hold him back. He’s... he’s so kind. No one has ever been this kind to me in my life—not even my own parents. I’ve chosen to stay with him. I want to be able to follow him everywhere, to protect him, to be someone he can rely on."
Her voice wavered, tears starting to form. Celia moved closer, placing a reassuring hand on Linda’s back.
"Linda... don’t push yourself too hard. I understand what you’re saying—it’s the same for me," Celia said softly. "He hasn’t been back yet. That’s why your feelings are so intense right now."
Linda blinked away her tears, determined. "I won’t cry," she said firmly. "Let’s keep going. I’m going to make sure I never hold him back."
They are getting really stronger. It must have been good. They feel safe with him. That’s a relief. And they trust him. So now, I have to train them to be strong. Look at it.
Then he ran toward Linda with his fist. She shot an arrow at him, adding wind to it. He jumped back, and she kept shooting, each arrow moving faster than before. But if he looked closely, they wouldn’t hit him. Look and see it. It’s in itself.
He dodged about three arrows, and then, as fast as he could, he ran toward her with his fist to punch her. She immediately jumped away just as his fist smashed into the wooden wall.
As she jumped away, she drew another arrow and shot it at him. He smiled. This arrow isn’t fast.
He cut the arrow with his hand—but that was when he realized it was a feint. She had already nocked and released another arrow. Before he could react, it struck him at his waist. That was when he fully understood—it was a feint