Journey Beginnings

"Then let's head off," Lilith declared, ready to embark on their journey.

"Eh? Eh? I don't think I'm prepared," Sivel nervously muttered, her anxiety about leaving her homeland for the first time becoming apparent.

"It's not that much different from here," Lilith reassured her, taking Sivel by the wrist. "Come on, let's go." With a gentle tug, Lilith led the way, encouraging Sivel to take a step forward.

"Ah..." Sivel tensed up, expecting something dramatic as they left the elven lands. But to her surprise, the transition was seamless, and she soon found herself outside, with nothing feeling different except for one detail. "T-this is... exactly the same..." she observed, a bit confused. "Except the mana density..."

"There's a lot for you to see," Lilith encouraged, hinting at the wider world waiting for them.

"Ah, that's right...! How are you planning to train me?" Sivel asked, her nervousness turning into slight excitement at the prospect of learning.

Lilith felt a wave of unease at the question, realizing she hadn't actually planned anything specific for training Sivel. 'Veda...?' she thought, seeking assistance from Veda in a moment of uncertainty.

<<If you really do need help, I will but think it would be better for to teach her,>> Veda suggested, offering support while also nudging Lilith to take on the mentorship role herself.

'Well, I suppose,' Lilith considered, then a lightbulb went off in her head. Her past life experience as a soldier in a modern army suddenly seemed incredibly relevant. With that background, she realized that she was actually quite well-equipped to train Sivel. This realization brought a new sense of confidence to Lilith; she had the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective teacher

"Just follow my orders, and I promise you're going to get stronger," Lilith assured Sivel confidently, placing a hand on her shoulder to emphasize her commitment.

"I understand!" Sivel responded, her voice filled with newfound enthusiasm.

"Well, first, let's start walking," Lilith suggested, setting the pace as they began their journey toward the human kingdom, with Azriel following close behind.

"So, is the bow your main weapon?" Lilith inquired, noticing the bow strapped to Sivel's back.

"Yes!" Sivel replied, keeping pace with Lilith. "But I also use a dagger."

"And what about magic? How far did you get with that?" Lilith continued, curious about the extent of Sivel's skills.

"I'm able to cast pretty strong wind magic," Sivel shared. "But it seems I can also use fire magic."

'Right, Veda mentioned everyone's mana signature is different. But she should be able to use strengthening-based spells since they're not elemental-based,' Lilith pondered, considering the possibilities for Sivel's training.

With a plan in mind, Lilith decided to assess Sivel's physical and magical capabilities through a series of tests. They started with a 200-meter sprint to gauge her speed, followed by a long jump to measure her agility and strength. Next, they tackled a ten-mile run to test Sivel's stamina, and finally, they measured the force of her punch to understand her physical power.

Azriel, ever the diligent butler, helped by keeping track of Sivel's performance.

After reviewing the results, Lilith outlined her training plan for Sivel. "Alright, first we're going to focus on strength training," she decided. "And we'll pair that with body-strengthening magic."

"Eh...?" Sivel wasn't quite expecting this kind of training.

"What's with the 'eh'?" Lilith asked. "We're starting with your upper body. I want you off your feet, walking on your hands."

"Eh? How do I do t-that...?" Sivel was bewildered.

"I mean a handstand walk," Lilith clarified.

"Like this?" Sivel responded with action, her agile body flipping into a handstand. "This is pretty easy," she boasted, balancing on her hands.

"Oh yeah?" Lilith approached Sivel and lightly tapped her ankle.

"Ah?" Suddenly, Sivel felt her entire body become heavier, her muscles tensing under the unexpected strain. "I just applied 5 gs of force on your body," Lilith informed her. "Now, try moving."

"T-this is too cruel..." Sivel's eyes welled up with tears, the reality of her extensive training setting in. As the tears ran down her forehead, she lamented, "I don't want to look like a brawny woman."

"Right, what would Eldric think of you?" Lilith teased, shrugging her shoulders dismissively.

"Hey!" Sivel protested, her voice pouting, but noticed that Lilith and Azriel had started to walk away. Determined to keep up and stay balanced, she quickly followed after them, doing her best to adjust to the intense training regime Lilith had set for her.

...

At the peak of a tall mountain, where the deities of the mountains dwelled, an unexpected visitor arrived, catching everyone by surprise.

"Lady Suzuki...!" A maid hurried inside to alert Suzuki.

Intrigued by the news of an unexpected guest, Suzuki quickly made her way outside, pausing briefly to adjust her appearance. "What brings you here all the way?" she inquired, facing the visitor. "The queen of the Elves."

"Ah... good day," greeted Galena, the Elven queen, with a friendly wave. "Quite cold up here."

"Why are you here?" Suzuki pressed for a more specific reason.

"Ah... that's because traditionally, only the royal family of the elves knows the path here..." Galena began, her gaze wandering around. Though it wasn't immediately apparent, she noted signs of a past disturbance in the area. "Not anymore, it seems..."

"I mean, why have you come here," Suzuki reiterated, seeking the true purpose behind Galena's visit. "For the queen to come here personally."

"That's because my little sister is out with her grace," Galena revealed, getting to the heart of her visit.

"Her grace?" Suzuki echoed, puzzled. The term 'her grace' piqued her curiosity. Who was this individual that warranted such reverence from the Elven queen herself?

"I'm sure you're familiar with the name Lilith?" Galena ventured.

"Lilith? Yes, I know of her. I was the one who crafted her weapons," Suzuki replied, a smile gracing her face at the mention of Lilith. "If she was planning to leave, she should have at least said goodbye."

"Her grace mentioned that she would be returning," Galena reassured her.

"And has she been taking good care of her weapons?" Suzuki inquired further.

"Yes, quite the opposite, actually. She takes them everywhere she goes, even if she's wearing a dress," Galena shared.

This news made Suzuki slightly blush, pleased to hear that Lilith valued the weapons and by extension, the promise she had made with Suzuki so deeply.

"But where is Kato?" Galena shifted the topic, but the question seemed to unsettle her slightly.

"That is... he went to search for someone," Suzuki answered vaguely.

"Oh, that's unusual. Where could he have gone?" Galena probed, sensing there was more to the story.

However, noticing Suzuki's reluctance to divulge more, Galena decided not to press further. "I see, then I'll head back."