Chapter 24 : Friend?

His days went smoothly in the Forest of Miracles. All citizens here treat him well.

He has mastered how to control his wind affinity by using his aura properly now. It was hard work. Three days were not enough; they needed to extend the training for two more days for him to control the wind affinity efficiently. So, there are only two days left for them to practice fire affinity.

Now, Michaelis is facing Chief Tereni, who will be his guide and instructor for furthering his aura training.

"This will be easier for you because you already learned about the wind and fire, right?"

He just nodded.

"For three weeks you'll be with me; I'll teach you water affinity for three days only. Then, for the rest of your days with me, you need to undergo special training. Understand?"

"Yes, chief."

"Good. Before we start, I have a question."

Chief Tereni crossed her arms over her chest.

"What is it?"

"Why did you not want to learn fire affinity with Maya?"

Michaelis pursed his lips.

"I don't think I would use it."

"It's better if you have full control over it. Maya told me you refused to do any training for fire affinity, so I just let it slide at that time. So, I want to know directly from you if there is any problem."

He smiled with closed eyes.

"Nothing to worry about. I just don't feel like using it because it's hot. Like you said, it would be easier for me because I already know the mechanism for controlling my aura. I could manage my fire properly."

"It will be dangerous if you suddenly lose control of—"

"I know the harm that could endanger me and the people around me. But I promise to be careful. I don't think I would be using any mana anyway. We should start our training now, Chief. You have wasted our time."

"Hey! I just want you to be more careful!"

"Chief, I still remember what you did to me the first time I came here."

"You don't need to remind me of that, and I already said sorry! You are cruel, Michaelis. Let's start now! Humph!"

Michaelis smiled and followed whatever he was instructed to do. Yes, it was much easier when he already knew how to turn his aura into an affinity.

However creating a liquid is more difficult than creating a gas. He should consider these two different mediums. Water would need more concentration because of mass differences.

"Like that! Yes! Bigger!"

Water was flowing out of his hands more and more. It started as a small ball of water until it turned bigger and bigger.

"Haha, that's right! Wait, wait! This is too big! Retrieve, retrieve!"

He lost control.

"I can't stop!"

"Brat! Stop it right now!"

The ball of water continued to expand until it was bigger than the two of them. His hands are shaking when he holds the water ball above his head.

"Help me, you idiot!"

"Don't call me an idiot, you brat! I'm older than even your grandfather!"

It became much bigger until he couldn't stand straight anymore. The water ball could not maintain its shape and broke. The water drenched both of them.

"You, stupid brat!"

They coughed.

"Why is your water so cold?"

How would he know? Should he think of boiling water next?

"You should help me rather than just complain. Useless, old hag."

The last sentence was said in a whisper, but Tereni managed to hear it. She glared at Michaelis.

"You said what?!"

"Nothing!"

Just a day after he began his aura training with Tereni, chaos has already ensued.

×××××

"Maya, could you switch with Chief Tereni?"

"I don't think I can do that, Your Highness. I am not an expert yet to teach someone how to use an aura properly."

He slumped down on the grass beside Maya, who was reading a book while leaning on a tree. He is beat up. He can't keep up with Tereni. It has been a week of training with Tereni, but this is too much.

Sir Raihan was not lying when he said the training was five times harder than what Sir Raihan had taught him.

Can't he go back now to the palace?

"Is it that hard?"

"What do you think?"

"She said she had already lightened her training."

Lightened her training? That kind of training is already being lightened? Is she serious right now? He felt like he was being used as a toy for a dog to chase around.

He covered his eyes with his arm. Let's just not think about this for a moment.

"I'm sure this training will help you, Your Highness."

It sure will. He is not dumb enough to not notice his improvement now. But he still needs more training to be more controlled with his aura.

He has been practising his stamina and how to make his aura last for a long time after he managed to control his water affinity.

He is becoming tired each time he uses his aura to create water and wind. Creating something requires more than just surrounding an object with it. That's why Tereni asked him to concentrate on creating more aura than the regular amount he could control. That way, he could last a long time when fighting by using his aura as a weapon itself.

But she would not leave him to expend his aura by just sitting still. She wanted him to move while creating more aura. That's why she has been using the same giant dryad to chase after him while, at the same time, he needs to concentrate on expanding his aura.

It was like you were trying to eat and drink while running. You may choke in the process and die if you do not chew carefully. In this case, you need to do both successfully.

That is what he has been doing now. And he still failed to run and create an aura at the same time. Basically, he is just running.

They will be practising from morning to evening. A break for lunch. Now he is on break. He didn't have any appetite to eat. But Maya would always pester him to eat a little to get some energy.

"Did you eat already, Your Highness?"

He hummed.

"That's good. You are becoming more obedient."

"Are you saying that I am stubborn?"

"I am not trying to offend you or anything. I was just stating my honest opinion, Your Highness."

'She really reminded me of Riri. Nope, I'm not missing Riri at all; she left me here alone.'

"You have quite a crude tongue. Bold enough to speak to me like that."

"I'm sorry if you're offended. That's just the way I spoke with my friends."

He froze. He quickly looked at Maya.

"You think of me as a friend?"

Maya was quite perplexed by the question. She nodded shyly.

"I'm sorry if you're not thinking of me that way."

"I'm —"

"Michaelis! Let's continue!"

He looked back to see Tereni already waiting before he looked back at Maya. He pursed his lips and stood up.

"See you later."

"Yes, good luck, Your Highness."

He walked away. Leaving Maya behind with a disappointed look on her face and the thought that Michaelis actually did not feel a mutual relationship with her.

Michaelis swallowed his saliva, repeating in his head what Maya had said to him.

'Friend? She thinks of me as her friend. Why would she? We didn't even know that long?'

It takes him some time to think of Rezal as his friend. Yes, he admitted that now he and Rezal are friends. Rezal was there long enough for him to consider that title between them. Rezal is also always pestering him to be his friend. He was also not against the idea when they began spending time together. So, it is not that weird.

He and Maya just met two weeks ago. They also don't spend that much time together except for training. But that's what he always does with Rezal, too. They did talk sometimes; that is also what he always does with Rezal.

Friend, a concept he used to understand. From what he has been told, friendship is a relationship of give and take. At first, he and Rezal's relationship was something like that, which is why he would say he and Rezal are friends now. Rezal gives him the benefit of a rival, and he also gives Rezal the idea of a friend whenever he needs him.

That is what he understands. But he didn't know about him and Maya. Maya gives him something by training him, but he has never given her anything in return yet. So, why did she say that she considered him a friend?

Rezal is his first friend. Before, he never thought of having one at all because he never felt the need to—no, after the incident, he lost the connection and began to question whether his friends before were truly his friends. Or his selfishness has clouded his judgment.

After all, he was the one who left first.

He was fixed on his goal, so he needed to do everything by himself. If not, he won't get the acknowledgement he desired.

Up until this point, he actually didn't understand why Rezal wanted to befriend him. He did ask, but Rezal just gave his type of answer.

"Because I want to be your friend, of course! Do I need other reasons?"

That makes him more confused. Just like that. Rezal sure is a weird fellow.

Now, Maya is making him confused with the concept of a friend. Maybe the concept of a friend is more complicated than he thinks. He should read more.

"Michaelis, focus!"

Yes, he will need to read more to understand all these things that have happened to him. Many new things happened and changed him in this new world.