Time Flies

--- ? ---

"Oi Gideon, are you listening? If you hit with your hammer here and here, I guarantee you'll have a more durable sword"

My hammer came to a halt as a finger pointed to two precise locations on the blade, interrupting my concentration.

As always, that certain brat's voice managed to break through my focus, causing a vein on my forehead to start pulsating.

"You little punk. You're not even a blacksmith. Just because you know a thing or two from all those shitty books you've read, it doesn't mean I'll take your advice, even if it does end up being correct."

Blacksmiths have a certain pride, myself in particular.

Even if what this brat says is most likely true, I refuse to acknowledge that.

You might be a duke's son,

You might be the talk of the entire Capital,

But to me, you're just a kid.

"Oh, come on. Why so grumpy? Are you sure you're a 40-year-old man?"

I sighed.

"Why are you here, brat? It's not like you to come barging in. You must have a reason."

His cheerful demeanor changed as a serious expression adorned his face.

"In a few weeks, there's going to be a major battle in the Capital. While I'll do my best to take down any threats before they reach the city, I can't guarantee absolute safety. That's why I'm here to warn you. You could temporarily evacuate—"

I shook my head.

"This is the place she cherished more than anything else. I will live my life protecting it until the day I will not be able to anymore"

My late wife.

If there was one thing she adored, it was the garden we both poured our hearts into. Every evening, when I returned from work, there she'd be, tending to it with such dedication.

One day, she noticed me watching, and her face lit up with the biggest smile I'd ever seen as she excitedly shared that the seeds she'd planted had finally sprouted.

In that moment, I thought she looked more beautiful than ever.

Until one day, she wasn't there to welcome me anymore.

All that remains of her memory are the flowers she planted. I won't allow anyone to trample on them.

Returning to the present, I stared at him.

"You know that too, yet you still came here hoping to change my mind? You're a stubborn brat," I remarked, though inwardly appreciating his concern.

But I wasn't about to admit that to him.

With a gentle pat on his shoulder, I noticed he was silent, unable to respond.

This kid...

"Why don't you care more about your own wife? I think she'll be the one you should be more worried about"

With a sigh of exasperation, he clarified, "She's not my wife yet. Besides, she's proven herself strong enough for me not to worry too much about her."

His demeanor softened slightly as he spoke of her, reminding me of myself in the past.

He must have remembered her smiling face.

"Since you are also a stubborn old coot, there seems to be nothing else I can do."

Acknowledging my own stubbornness, I decided to overlook the lack of respect.

As I prepared to return to my work, he unexpectedly tossed something my way.

Reacting on instinct, I caught it and realized it was a bracelet.

"This artifact is one I personally created, anticipating that I wouldn't be able to convince you. It can summon a powerful barrier and automatically detect any enemies, attacking them the moment they get close enough. You wouldn't refuse a gift as thanks for all you've done for me, right?"

Well, when you put it like that...

"Fine, I'll accept this. Now go, I have an order to finish."

"Don't die, Gideon. That's the only way you can keep protecting your wife's garden, because I will not protect it for you."

I ushered him out, shaking my head.

Who asked you to do that?

For a kid that young to shoulder such heavy burdens...

Truly, this world is a mess.

--- Akira ---

3 years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Time flies.

It's something I've always sensed in my life, but as days melted into weeks, and weeks into months, there were only a few occasions when I paused to reflect, realizing just how much time had elapsed and how many changes had occurred.

I met new people, grew stronger, and learned so much about myself I didn't know.

At times, I was left bewildered, questioning whether I was truly the same person who first entered this world.

Now, let's rewind to the starting point where the winds of change began to gently blow.

Shortly after acquiring [Regeneration+] and commencing my training, a new routine took shape.

I would do my best to learn how to walk, run, fight without using [Body Zen] for as long as I could.

Afterwards, I made it a point to visit Alexia, who was still recovering in the hospital.

Concerned about the potential harm my Magical Power could cause her, I refrained from using my Healing Magic on her. Consequently, she had to wait for her recovery without my assistance.

After that, I continued gathering information from various sources while dropping subtle hints to Alpha whenever possible.

I even enlisted Cid's help, implying that much of my knowledge came from him and was meant for her benefit.

Thanks to this, Alpha successfully averted some of the potential dangers looming over the Academy.

The Cult didn't even manage to kidnap anyone as the Seven Shadows intervened and wiped everyone out.

This turn of events shifted public opinion in favor of Shadow Garden.

Many began to perceive the other organization as the instigators of dangerous acts, highlighting the country's failure to recognize and address such threats to public safety.

Well, isn't that amusing?

Although Cid Kagenou had unbelievable levels of plot armor, which made it possible for all the plans of the Cult going down the drain, it didn't mean that would work if he wasn't there...

---

Author's Note:

The Time Skip is here! Don't worry if you feel overly confused about who Gideon is, what's happening in the moment we're in, etc. 

I will be do my best to answer all questions in those chapters as we slowly explain everything that happened in those 3 years!

There will be more than one omake chapter for Patrons only.

You can guess many things will be skipped, or simply conveyed with a short explanation at most. The aim is to end this Trial and go on the next world. 

Of course, if you have any suggestion on things which you would like to know more on, feel free to let me know after I'm done with the explanations, so that I can write content people are more curious about :)