Calm days

POV Julian Kingscrown

After having loaded a cut of lightning that Varay endured with great ease, I ran out of options, I don't want to show more than this

The magic of lightning, fire and wind was within what I wanted people outside of me to know, showing more will attract Agrona's attention if someone lets this information slip

That's why it's annoying that they discover me so young, damn guard who doesn't do his job well, I recited in my mind

"It seems that something is holding you back at this moment, does this have anything to do with the beast will?", Varay asked me

"No, I'm just evaluating how to move to hit a blow" I replied

She simply gave me a nod and said nothing more, meanwhile she started throwing ice swords at me one after another

I started to move to dodge the spells, demons I lose to her in physical ability, her magical attacks are heavier than mine and her core is far above what I have too

The only thing I manage to surpass her in is technique, but her experience is nullifying the only advantage I have

I don't have many options, let's go with a frontal approach, I charge my sword with blue fire and expand its reach with the wind

I started to move with the wind accelerating my movements, while using Laplace to read the trajectories of the spells and began to pierce them

In less than ten seconds I was in front of Varay and when I thought of clashing swords a loud explosion sounded and a lot of ice came out towards me, so I was forced to use the sonic step to escape

Is Varay aware that she is fighting a nine and a half year old boy? That attack would have hurt a person who was not me and who also did not have the regenerative abilities of a phoenix

Now that I notice the sonic step with the will active, it is not causing pressure on my body

Can I use it in succession? To test my theory I approach Varay with two sonic steps and I did not feel any pain, but the mana of my core decreased faster

It seems that the body does suffer damage, but the will is healing it taking my mana, I guess you can not eliminate the cost of using the sonic step yet, but this is an acceptable price

When I surprised Varay I unloaded a cut of lightning to her right arm, but I froze a few inches from connecting the blow; several spikes were around me preventing any movement unless I wanted to hurt myself

"Huuffff" I let out a loud sigh "I give up, I didn't see that coming, that attack was too fast to feel and react in time" I said to Varay

"Even so, it is surprising that you can keep up with me" she said as she faded the spell

And I didn't even get her to show the ice dragon or her body reinforced with that technique that Arthur described as ninja

Definitely, I need to reach the silver stage soon, if not I'm going to fall behind

"It was a magnificent fight" said Queen Priscilla as she approached us

So I made a respectful bow and said "I appreciate your praise very much, your majesty, but Miss Varay was holding back a lot"

"Even so, having that kind of skill at your age is something worthy of praise too" she said

"I thank you very much for your words" I replied

"Do you remember my daughter?" She asked me as she pointed to Kathyln

"Yes, although we have not had the pleasure of introducing ourselves, I apologize in advance because I noticed that my mana beasts were causing you trouble" I said as I saw a small blue wolf tail trembling near the waterfall

"No, it was me who followed him" this time it was the princess who spoke while denying with her arms

"Even so, I thank you for feeding them from time to time, my name is Julian Kingscrown" I said giving her a soft smile

She didn't show many facial reactions, but I could notice a slight blush. Why is that? When I tried to think of the reason, her mother urged her to introduce herself with a touch on her back.

"My name is Kathyln Glayder" she said with an elegant, but cold bow, worthy of a lady in a land of frost.

"I haven't introduced myself either, my name is Priscilla Glayder, I am the queen of Sapin and she is my daughter" the queen introduced herself in a warm way that completely betrayed her cold expression, very different from her daughter.

After that she talked a little with me about whether I wanted to be friends with Kathyln, I really didn't care about that so I agreed, then she focused more on the mana beasts that were with me, especially Ingram had caught her attention unfortunately for her if she wanted him as a bond it wouldn't work because of her element compatibility.

She also mentioned if I wanted to be sponsored by the royal family, to which I refused, that position would bring too many problems, besides the fact of working as an adventurer is to earn money and use it in the technology that Gideon provides without raising too much interest from third parties.

Finally, we said goodbye to them with Kathyln's promise to come and play with me, unfortunately for her I will only be one or two more months finishing adapting to the will and then I would start my career as an adventurer, so we wouldn't see each other too often.

When night came Cynthia gave me some space to talk with Virion "how is your stay in Sapin?"

"It's fun, since it's different from Zestier, but the calmness of the capital of Elenoir is hard to find" I said as we walked through Xyrus.

I had decided not to bring any of the mana beasts with me and just have a good time with Elder Virion.

"How has Tessia been?" I asked with a tone full of curiosity to know what the adorable Elf princess had done since we left.

"She misses you, especially you, but she still stays strong and trains diligently" he said as we looked at some possible restaurants to eat.

"That's a surprise, I thought she would miss Arthur more, otherwise it seems that she is trying hard which means that she listened to my words" I replied with a soft voice thinking of Tessia's innocent smile.

"You know I've always felt that you've kept a certain distance from my granddaughter, especially when you met" Elder Virion took a few seconds to think and continued, "this decreased after your return more than half a year ago, yet you've kept a slight distance from her, I don't know if you do it intentionally or not; but she has noticed it, she just doesn't express it" he said giving me an interrogative look.

I don't know what Elder Virion expects to hear from me, but it hasn't been easy for me to establish a friendship relationship with Tess, especially I wouldn't want Cecilia's vessel to change to another person and it would be complicated for me to carry out the plan to save her, besides giving Agrona a slap for messing with my childhood friend.

But that sounds hypocritical, shouldn't I prevent her from being the vessel by killing Elijah? Thinking about the drastic changes that could bring scares me, but do I really want to save Tess or was I just thinking of using her?

Until now I hadn't considered that possibility, if the original legacy disappeared completely and replaced it, wouldn't it endanger everyone?

What a pathetic excuse, I didn't say I was going to do everything possible to save them and here I am thinking of putting them in danger.

I'm really trash, from the beginning I should have considered that another legacy may not be possible in the same time.

But that Nico wants to bring Cecilia back complicates things, I thought I had a plan in my head where I was going to use her, but at the time of truth can I risk Tess?

I begin to understand why the protagonists of the novels I used to read, obtained weaknesses as they met more people and became important to them.

Sometimes the relationships you have formed end up affecting your decisions and that can make you pay very high prices.

"I don't know exactly what feelings my granddaughter has for you or Arthur, nor what yours are, but I want you to treat her better, she considers you her first true friend. You were the first person she met and didn't seek to get anything out of her position" Virion spoke to me giving me a solemn look.

"Why are you telling me this now and never mentioned it to me before in Elenoir" I asked questioning his words.

"Because at first I thought it was just Tessia, but as you got closer to people, I noticed a feeling of alienation, I came to believe that it was because you lived surrounded by elves, so I thought that by meeting humans you would overcome it, but it was not entirely so, sometimes I think you see people through a mirror, as precious figures that should not be touched and not as people" after a few seconds he spoke again "The only people I have seen you open up to for real were Rinia, Cynthia, Me and maybe Alea".

"Doesn't that mean I overcame it then?" I said heading towards a restaurant that caught my attention during the time I've been here in Xyrus.

"Halfway I would say, I don't pretend to change your way of thinking because I know you value your own very much, but don't look at them only through a mirror, they are not objects" he spoke to me in a tone of reprimand.

"I understand, I will work on that wall that I am placing with the others" I said giving him a firm look.

"If you make my granddaughter cry, I will make you suffer, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha" he said in a cheerful tone.

I couldn't help laughing with him imagining seeing him really using his second phase just to hit me.

I guess he's right, I should stop seeing them as characters and look at them as people of this world, I pretended to protect them without them learning to defend themselves by themselves, I was about to make the same mistakes that Arthur made by believing that he could do everything alone.

After that we had a delicious meal talking about how he has been in Elenoir, what kind of things I could see when I became an adventurer and some useful knowledge when using the beast will.

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POV Kathyln Glayder

After a week I decided to meet Julian again, my mom didn't mention anything to my dad, which relieved me a bit because I didn't want anyone else to know that I was playing with him.

When I arrived at the training area I saw him meditating, he opened his eyes when he felt my arrival.

"Princess Kathyln, it's a pleasure to see you again" he said giving me a warm greeting and a smile.

Fortunately, I had gotten used to it and didn't show any embarrassing expressions, although it bothered me that he called me princess.

"It's also a pleasure to see you again Sir Julian" I replied as I approached the place where he was sitting.

He seemed uncomfortable when I said his name "could you just call me Julian?, after all I'm not a noble and I feel a bit uncomfortable, in exchange I could call you just Kathyln if you allow me" he replied.

I understand why he made such a strange face, "that's fine Julian" I replied trying to make a smile.

But he made a confused face "Kathyln was that a smile?", he said with a raised eyebrow.

My heart felt at ease when he said my name, but I was worried about what he said "was it uncomfortable?", I said somewhat uneasy.

"Mmm it looked a bit forced, do you want to try it again?" He asked me.

I tried it again "pfffffff" Julian seemed to want to laugh, but quickly covered his mouth with his hands.

I felt indignant and quickly gave him the coldest look I could and tried to get out of the room quickly.

"Kathyln wait" the boy seeing that I was leaving quickly got up and took my hand.

"I'm sorry, I admit I laughed at your expression, but it wasn't with bad intention" he said while giving me a sweet smile.

That moved me a bit, but I didn't want to show myself easy, so I didn't give in right away.

"I'll do anything to make up for it" he said nervously.

After thinking about it, I asked him to sneak out of the academy, I wanted to explore the city.

I could never go out alone and really see what life was like outside the palace, this seemed like a great opportunity, he was a bit hesitant at first but he gave in.

Before leaving, he gave me a very nice black jacket with blue edges, it looked like it was his, not only that he created some illusions to go unnoticed in the streets, he was amazing.

For the first time I could see from very close the people walking on the streets while talking and buying things.

Julian invited me to eat some snacks in a cafe and bought me a hair accessory shaped like a row of blue butterflies joined by a thin silver thread.

I wanted to buy him something too, but I didn't bring any money with me, he told me he didn't mind and there would surely be more opportunities.

It was a very happy and fun afternoon for me, I didn't want it to end so fast, but when I realized it was already getting dark.

"Julian, thank you very much for this afternoon" I said while giving him an unconscious smile.

He seemed distracted for a second, but came to himself "that was a beautiful smile Kathyln"

We decided to go back to the academy where the carriage was already waiting to return with some guards, that's how the first afternoon I shared as Julian's friend went as fast as it started.

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POV Julian Kingscrown

When I said goodbye to Princess Kathyln and got into the carriage, I felt Varay appear behind me, "don't you think it was a bit dangerous to take her out of the academy" she said in a dry tone.

You don't seem especially annoyed and if you ask me I doubt they would have let the princess come without guards" I replied.

I couldn't feel any guards since Kathyln arrived at the training room, from there I knew it was either Bairon or Varay who were watching her.

She just gave me a disinterested look and said "be more careful next time, we're not always watching her and I hope to see your growth" she moved her hand in a sign of farewell as she left.