Princess

"Aside from this amplification array, I can also make a hardening and defensive array as well. If we make them to a certain standard the hardening and defensive arrays each will be able to block an attack from a peak 1st layer of the foundation stage fighter. And the results will be even better if they're stacked."

Dyon had returned to the array alchemy faction. By now, this place was practically his second home. In fact, he probably spent more time here than his own room. The only reason he went back to his dorm nowadays was to pass out and sleep.

Now that he didn't have to worry about his teachers harassing him any longer, he dove headfirst into self study.

With the funds Dyon had now, he no longer needed to worry about much. He had stopped eating foods from his Mortal World and began to ingest the cuisine of the Martial World. The result was his body growing steadily more powerful day after day. He found that he was continuously breaking his limits and his soul benefited greatly, improving his array alchemy vastly.

Of course, the array alchemy faction benefited greatly as well. If it wasn't for Uncle Ail's insistence, they would have likely already moved away from this shabby location.

"Eli, I can try and teach you what I know about speed arraying. If you understand, it'll help you once you awaken your own Aurora."

Until now, Eli still hadn't been able to afford the procedure for awakening his Aurora. Though Dyon had offered to pay for the start, Eli flatly refused.

Eli smiled in gratitude but still shook his head no.

"Thank you Dyon, but the theories behind your speed arraying are much too abstract for me. Before I could even get there, I'd need to understand the original array to the point where I could do the same as you and draw a 2x amplification. I don't think you know how hard it is for us regular people to do that. But, I'll work hard. I want to contribute too."

By the end of his words, Eli was smiling bitterly. Even he forgot how much of a monster Dyon was after interacting with him day after day. He only now remembered after saying so much.

Dyon smiled. He had a lot of respect for Eli's mentality. Understanding one's limits was an important characteristic for a man. Though… This was another one of his father's many teachings that Dyon always ignored.

"Don't give me that look Eli, you're a little monster in your own right. The complexities of a plant pale in comparison to the complexities of raising them. Especially when you have to raise plants of vastly different characteristics together."

Eli started before blushing profusely. It seemed he didn't take being praised very well.

Eli was the gardener for their small faction, but this task wasn't as debasing as it sounded. Anyone who had ever tried to raise a plant before knew of how much of a headache they could be, and those were Mortal World plants. The herbs and vegetation of this Martial World were a different monster all to their own.

Yet, from what Dyon could tell, Eli was so good at this that Uncle Ail didn't need to oversee him at all.

Dyon had yet to delve into the alchemy path of array alchemy, but he had observed Uncle Ail before and read up a lot on it. In fact, Dyon knew that if he wanted to strengthen his body further without a cultivation technique, he would need alchemy.

With the knowledge Dyon had accumulated, he knew that the herbs one used to concoct were almost as important as the concoction process itself. It could be said that with Eli's understanding of the Immortal Herbs of this world, Dyon wasn't exaggerating in his praise in the slightest.

"Don't worry little Dyon, I may not be much of an array specialist, but the reason they keep me around this academy is because of my alchemy. Although the purity of my pills can't be said to be top notch because of the barriers set by a forcibly awakened aurora, I can still forge 4th common level pills with 50% effectiveness.

"If you can't rely on your Uncle Ail for anything else, you can at least do so for this."

Uncle Ail chuckled, his frayed hair suddenly making much more sense. What else could cause such a thing if not pill concocting?

The gratitude Dyon felt was clear. Although he didn't say anything, the kindness that was shown to him was etched in his heart. If it wasn't for Uncle Ail using funds he had earned through his pill concocting to help him, how could Dyon have even afford all the array plates he sold during the first year exam?

It could be said that without Uncle Ail, Dyon would still be scratching and clawing for a place here.

Dyon smiled, "I think I've done enough array theory for now. I can help you de-seed those plants, Eli. I need to get a better feel for herbs."

Eli clapped, his eyes suddenly lighting up. Dyon felt that his excitement was almost a little too great, but it was already too late for him to take his words back.

"Finally! Some help. There's so many."

"By the way, where's your garden?" Dyon thought he would ask.

Since he decided to learn a bit more about alchemy, he might as well dive head first and experience this garden along with Eli as well.

"Oh, it's actually at Patia-Neva peak. Later, we can go. If we're lucky, we might see the prin—."

Eli's face flushed red as he cut off his last words. He had actually almost let his inner thoughts slip through. Unfortunately for him, Dyon had guessed what he wanted to say.

"The princess?" Dyon blinked before he grinned slyly.

Having been caught, Eli blushed even deeper.

'What am I afraid of? Isn't this what men talk about when they're alone?!'

Eli tried to hype himself up in his mind. He was just talking about a crush of his, what was the big deal?

Eli hadn't really ever had any male friends. He was the youngest of two and his elder sibling was his big sister. So, all his life, he had been surrounded by his sister and her friends.

You would think that this would give him some immunity to women, but he was just as bumbling and nervous around them as well. Well… Around one in particular, anyway.

Puffing out his chest to gain some confidence, Eli began to explain as his hands moved from plant to plant.

"You might not have known, but Academy Head Patia-Neva has only one daughter. She lives on Patia-Neva peak. Usually, direct descendants of the pillar families live at their own peaks too. But the Patia-Neve family is only the pair of father and daughter. So, she was nice enough to allow us to use a portion of her territory to garden some common plants. Actually, she gave us quite a large clearance in her forest. She's much nicer than the other pillar family descendants."

By the end of his words, Eli was practically sprinting through them, trying to hide his embarrassment when he spoke of the young girl Dyon knew all so well.

Dyon grinned. 'Oh? You like her, huh?'

Who else could it be if not Delia?