8 Welcome to hard mode
I can´t stop looking at it for some reason.
There was a tree at bottom of the garden, alone, totally gross and creepy, the trunk was pure white and the leaves black. It looked completely unsightly in a garden so vivid and colorful, but when I asked Molly and Lea about why they haven´t cut it down, both looked at me like if they didn´t know what I was talking about, they even asked me: "What tree?"
It was impossible that something so out of place wasn´t seen, even if it was on a far apart place surrounded by bushes.
Just I can see it?
It was hair-raising, didn´t stop from giving me the chills, and for some reason, I wanted to dig a hole under that tree, an indescribable force demanded me to dig away the dirt where the tree was planted, it was like if it was calling for me, shouting me to free it from its prison of dirt.
I can´t stay calm... I´ll come back later with a shovel.
I kept my composure in front of the girls and kept doing my tasks.
We finished everything we had to do in the garden and went downstairs to other rooms of the castle, we made the inventory in a warehouse, bending and ironing military and maid uniforms, wash dishes, sweep floors. The castle was so huge that never stopped to surprise me of how much work there was to do inside it.
Lots of machines from the earth were adapted to this world, just that here they seemed more "magical" so to speak, the machines worked based on mana crystals that contained the elemental energy for the task they performed, an example: A stove would have as a base a mana crystal with fire mana to light up the flames, or a vacuum cleaner would have a mana crystal with wind mana to activate the function of suck air.
Truth to be told, the process of how they worked was quite complex, so I didn´t look into details, and simply used them as if I were on earth.
Magic sure is convenient.
As we walked to the next room, we found ourselves approaching another group of maids.
-Good afternoon, head maid, sir Roberto. Said the maids.
-Good afternoon, Sara, Orna.
-Hey.
Molly and I greeted them back, I thought for a moment that they would greet Lea too, but when they were done with us they kept walking their way immediately.
... I think I can get something out of this.
I discreetly looked at Lea for some seconds, she kept her gaze down, avoiding eye contact with other maids, she appeared oddly nervous.
When I looked to the front, I noticed that Molly was looking at Lea too with concern. I was tempted to ask what was that, but if any of them never mentioned this before, is because they don´t want to talk about it, so I stayed quiet for the moment.
On our way, war screams and the sound of wooden objects hitting themselves were heard through the windows, I took a little look and found the group of heroes training with general Fardan, including prince Michael, who was fighting against 5 knights alone.
He's a burden, but that doesn´t give away his strength.
Michael seemed to be getting bored with the facility of his combat. The speed of his sword, the strength behind it, the movements that despite looking crude had a certain discipline, showed the quiality of warrior that the prince of humans had.
I knew that sooner or later we would collide, either for the differences of our methods and believes, or simply because of our personalities, it was inevitable.
I need to start taking action.
I could feel my stomach twirl and my face making an unpleasant grin of nervousness before my inevitable future.
-Alexandra, even if you're strong, your attacks are too obvious, you could defeat an amateur easily, but when you face someone who knows how to take advantage of that, you will be done! Brendan, you´re skilled with the sword but that confidence makes you an easy target for provocations, learn to control yourself! You´re both the vanguard, if you can´t take care of yourselves don´t expect to help your partners.
"Yes!" Replied both heroes trying to regain their breath.
In the central part of what I supposed was the training field, which had the size of a soccer field. Brendan and Alexandra were sparring against Fardan, or should I say that Fardan was beating the shit out of them with pieces of advice along the way.
As expected of the boy with the "Hero" class, he´s using a sword. Alexandra however, is using a spear..... How can she move something so long and heavy that fast?
Brendan, either impulsed by a non-written tradition or by his own will, was using a long sword of wood. If his enthusiasm was the same when he tried to learn the sword, then it won´t take him long to dominate it.
On the other hand, Alexandra was using a spear almost 2 meters long, due to her natural high she didn´t seem to have problems controlling it, but even that affirmation could cut short since the speed and strength that she used to move that thing didn´t look of an amateur.
-Fire arrow
Boom*
-Well done. Said a mage of bright brown hair to the young lady who shot a great fire arrow out of her hands to a dummy made of straw with horns.
The speed and precision the arrow had were such that hit the head of the dummy, next, the arrow exploded, covering the dummy in flames and turning it into ashes, shortly after, a shinning circle appeared where the ashes were and another dummy replaced the old one.
-You have a great talent for magic, miss hero, that is one of the most basic attack spells, but the power is comparable to a medium level spell, as expected of a being from another world!! Said the mage poring excitement from his face.
-Oh! Umm, thank you very much! Said Jandiara while shily playing with her hair.
On the left side, Jandiara was practicing attack magic with a man of intellectual appearance, both the scientific robe and circular glasses didn´t let me think of another way to describe him. His skin was clear, he was wearing brown trousers with gray shoes and a blue shirt. A flashy characteristic of his was his bright brown hair. It didn´t just reflect the sun, it was literally glowing like magic.
On the opposite side of Jandiara, a green light was coming out of the hands of a priestess.
-Healing magic is one of the most essential and useful on the battlefield, as a priest, our duty is to heal the wounds of our teammates, purify undead, dispel poisons and support with spells when necessary. Due to all of that, we can´t be on the front lines, but we will be the first ones the enemy attacks, so we must keep an eye on the distance of our group.
-S-Sure, I understand.
-The most important thing about healing magic is control, if we don´t have precise control, the magic will dispel and the wounds won´t close.
As the priestess continued with explaining healing magic to Akram, her voluptuous breast perturbed the concentration of the young one.
The priestess, even though she was wearing clothes that made it impossible to see her skin, it didn´t avoid her sweet curves, breathtaking face with blue eyes, and wavy long blonde hair.
Her calm expression and her air of matureness was not a friendly environment for a shy young man like Akram.
Oh Brahma, please help me. Prayed the young one while he was trying to control the light pouring on his hands.
It seemed like he was fighting with something else apart from the mana control.
-Looks like you´re working hard. I said tiredly.
-They are the heroes, in the end, they must learn the basics to go out and obtain combat experience to defeat the demon lord.
-As expected of beings from another world, they are very good! Said Lea with stars in her eyes.
At some point, the maids joined me to observe the training of the heroes.
-Oh! Guys, it´s Roberto! Heeeeyyy!
Somehow, Brendan noticed our presence and didn´t doubt to greet us. The other heroes turned in our direction and waved their hands.
I lifted my hand returned the greeting.
-I see you chose to fight those demons eh.
-Yes! We discuss it yesterday night, we went to pick you up in your room, but you didn´t open the door, Where were you?
Did you want to include me? Why?
-I went out to the library for a while, didn´t measured the time so I missed out, but, What do you want me for? I can´t help you in your fight.
And I wouldn´t do it if I could.
In response to my question, the heroes looked at each other for a moment, then, they all smiled and pointed at me with their hands.
-Because you are one of us! They said in unison.
-One of you? What are you talking about?
I couldn´t understand what they were saying, I couldn´t be part of their group cause I didn´t have a class useful to fight, not even the title of hero, however, they have said something of tremendous comradeship, but I couldn´t understand their reason to do it.
-You were also invoked here with us, maybe we can´t all be together out there, but you´re still a comrade from the earth
Who answered my question was Alexandra, her lateral ponytail moved with the wind as she lifted her thump to me with her strong personality and a wide smile that looked more like a threat.
Comrade? We only met for an afternoon, And you already consider me as a comrade? The fuck are these kids talking about?
I was a bit confused, but I decided to give them the go-ahead.
-I-I see, I´m happy that you think of me like that, but don´t push yourselves too hard, it will be bad for your bodies.
-Sure, yo neither! Said Alexandra.
-Well, I´ll see you later.
-See you later Roberto. Said Brendan.
Just when I was about to get away from the window, the voice of someone very annoying called me.
-Hey! Failure!
Of course, it was Michael.
