8 Goodnight

We had decided to just sit on the mound of dirt until the school day would end as per my request, given my tired state. Alyx ended up meditating and practiced drawing mana while the rest of us were talking about our experience in casting spells and our insights in them.

After some time Harlow called out to us saying he had a final announcement. We slid down the mound and the people of our class gathered before him. Harlow cleared his throat.

"This will be the end of our school day, do not feel discouraged if you were unable to cast a spell, so long as you were able to draw in mana and start the spellcasting process, that is already an impressive feat... However, some of you have already had success in casting spells, in that case, good job. For those that were unable to, if you wish to catch up to them, even if it may be hard, you need to start by learning how to cast a spell. Class dismissed."

Some people in the crowd frowned and looked at our group.

We parted ways with Reyna and our group went to the entrance of the school. Mildred was waiting for us there and waved at us when we came by.

"Hello again, how was your first day?"

Erin spoke first.

"Super cool!"

Ned smiled.

"I had a pretty good time, also I can prepare meals for us now when we go to school."

Mildred looked surprised.

"Wow, you already learned how to use fire magic?"

Ned grinned even wider.

"Fire AND ice magic, I can now preserve it long enough for us to eat."

Mildred laughed.

"Well, it seems you had quite the experience."

Ned nodded.

"I did have quite the experience, though really it is because of her being able to cast earth magic to send us all up five meters."

Erin stood there proudly, while Mildred seemed to need a second to confirm that we weren't joking.

"Wow, and what about you two?"

Alyx smiled bitterly.

"It was mostly a frustrating experience..."

My lips made a smile and laughed.

"I would say the same but we probably have different reasons."

Mildred seemed curious.

"Oh? And why is that?"

With a sigh, the palm of my hand rubbed against my temple.

"Alyx had a special mana type and her basic spell is really hard to cast, while I had to become a Constitution Mage."

Ned looked at Alyx intrigued. Mildred patted me on the shoulder.

"Are you kidding me? Being a Constitution Mage isn't even that bad, I was one before you know?"

It was my turn to be surprised.

"What? You were a Constitution Mage?"

Mildred nodded with a smirk. Casting spells hurt so bad that my legs still wouldn't work properly. It made me curious how to cast more spells.

"How did you cast spells without destroying your body? Is there some way to get a stronger body?"

Mildred laughed.

"Without destroying my body? That is the only thing that I did. I cast spells, having it wreck my body and did exercise on top of that."

I couldn't help but blink a few times.

"That sounds very painful."

Mildred smiled at me.

"It is."

Although there was a desire to become stronger, there was no denying the process made me tremble in fear. My finger wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Say how do Collector Mages become stronger?"

Mildred looked at me.

"A Collector Mage becomes stronger through meditation, by letting mana pass through them their affinities naturally grow stronger, this doesn't apply to affinities one does not have, however."

I nodded while Ned seemed to be pondering. If he really is able to absorb that much mana, he would probably get stronger really quick, like he had a cheat or something.

Or was the main character of a story.

Mildred walked us back to the palace. Ned was able to convince Mildred to let him cook for us. After eating, Alyx whispered something to Erin and then they went upstairs to their room. Ned said he wanted to continue practicing his magic and train his affinity, so he went to the courtyard to do that.

Thinking back to what Mildred said my body naturally did push-ups right in the dining room, though after every couple of push-ups my breaths would be ragged. My back laid on the ground trying to catch my breath. Mildred's voice spoke out from behind me.

"You can't just exercise aimlessly, if you exercise too much or in the wrong form you will end up weakening it instead."

Mildred ended up showing me various ways my body could exercise, be it my abs or fingers. She would describe it to me and use her hands to correct my positioning. After a few hours, my back was on the ground and every part of me was numb.

"Say... didn't... you... say... to not... exercise too much?"

As my lungs heaved air in and out, Mildred started laughing at me.

"I suppose more specifically, it's not best to overwork the same muscle over and over."

The room was quiet other than my heavy breaths. Mildred didn't leave and was still standing next to me. My head turned to her with trembling lips.

"Did you have an affinity for wind?"

Mildred nodded.

"Rare."

"Then why did you become a Constitution Mage?"

Mildred smiled sadly.

"I was originally going to become a Collector Mage, but I soon found out the Constitution Mage had advantages that mattered more."

Mildred sat down next to me and looked off into a window up high.

"When my parents found out I had high wind talent the first thing they tried to do was to sell me to some royalty. I ended up running away from home and lived among the beasts in the forest."

My mouth did not move. Mildred continued.

"I found that trying to cast things with Collector Magic was simply too slow, by the time I finished casting, it wouldn't have mattered. The first few days ended up being very rough and I almost went back to the village. However, I stayed. With a large amount of luck and willpower, I ended up stable. I found out that if I cast spells like a Constitution Mage, it wouldn't be too hard to hold onto them, just not finishing the final step. I also found I could cast spells I shouldn't have been able to as a collector mage, albeit at a painful sacrifice. Doing that saved my life countless times by just a hair. Later when I was no longer worried about living, it let me take down more dangerous beasts. With proof of my accomplishments, I was able to get a position that only royalty should've had and was able to make a living for myself."

My breaths were still heavy.

"Wow..."

We stayed still for a while longer. My eyes landed on her.

"You sound like... a hero. I... don't think I could do anything like that. I just end up running from the things that make me scared instead of confronting them."

Mildred gave a silly smile.

"What are you talking about? I don't really get how you see me as a hero. Did you not hear me say I was running away from home?"

A soft sigh escaped my lips.

"Haha... well I guess that is running in a more literal term... I guess what I am trying to say is I wouldn't have had the courage to run away like you. To fight so that my life wasn't so miserable or filled with regrets. I probably would've let the rivers of time carry me to wherever it decided to."

Mildred laughed awkwardly.

"Maybe I put it the wrong way but... I really don't think that I'm that different from you."

Mildred stopped smiling.

"After all, I've given up already..."

My mouth opened, then closed a few times.

"Why?"

Mildred tucked her legs and wrapped her arms around them.

"I lost the will to fight after I lost my ability to use magic. I suppose there was not much I could really do anyway but... I lost something. Lady Enberoes has treated me very well and my time in serving her was pleasant but... I was pretty much a dead corpse walking. I'm wasting away my life, completely aimless, powerless against whatever fate has in store for me. I suppose I've already let the rivers of time carry me to where it wishes to."

Memories of how Mildred was before came to me. She always had a smile on her face and seemed to be so happy. The memory of when she first cheered me up was clear in my mind.

"...I guess we are pretty similar... I never thought that was even possible."

Mildred smiled sadly and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Many things are not as they seem..."

Were Ned, Alyx, or Erin were like that too?

...Maybe everyone was like that.

For just a moment, there were no worries in my mind.

"I suppose you ended up helping me again... Thank you."

Mildred smiled at me.

"I suppose you could say that."

My lips smacked.

"Say, Mildred..."

Mildred tilted her head.

"Yes?"

My lungs hacked out a cough.

"Could you..."

Mildred looked at me strangely.

"Could I...?"

Ah, whatever I will just

"...Carry me to my room? I can't really move."

Mildred rolled her eyes at me.

"Alright, I'll even tuck you into bed."

"Thanks."

Mildred was able to easily pick me up. She held me at my knees and also my back. My whole body relaxed, other than my neck which needed to hold up my head.

At a moderate pace, she walked back to my room. She opened the door and the room was dark, only the moonlight let me see. Mildred laid me in bed and put the blanket over me. She walked over to the curtains to shut them.

As darkness covered the room there was nothing my mind could hide behind anymore. My thoughts started to swarm me. Yet... they started to calm down. The door squeaked and started to close.

"Hey, Mildred?"

Mildred reopened the door.

"Yes?"

My eyes were closed.

"Thanks."

Mildred chuckled.

"You already said that."

My voice became soft.

"I just... wanted to say it again."

Somehow, something inside me could tell Mildred was smiling.

"Well alright, goodnight."

"Goodnight."