Before Training I

POV Julian Kingscrown

I quickly approached the room to see what was going on, I was still a bit paranoid about Elijah's disappearance so my mood was a bit tense.

I immediately opened the door and saw a dozen vines falling on Kathyln, I was about to use the sonic step.

But I felt mana fluctuations around her and immediately afterwards she cast a spell that froze the vines before making contact.

Kathyln had become skilled, but she had fatal flaws in hand-to-hand combat because she was a conjurer, it is one of the great evils I found in the mages of Dicathen.

Because of that she did not see the fast movement of Tessia behind her back, when she realized it was too late to take evasive actions and received the full punch sent by Tessia to her stomach.

Although she had not assimilated her will one hundred percent, her body is much more robust than that of an A-class adventurer, so that blow had to hurt.

"Tessia did not hold back at all" I tried to move to stop them, but I felt another reverberation of mana coming from Kathyln and then I saw a pillar of ice coming out from under Tessia taking the air out of her lungs.

Shit this does not look like a friendly training by where you look at it, "Stop", I shouted as I approached running with my body increasing and wind magic around me.

"Julian" Claire spoke, she looked relieved to see me and approached behind me.

"What do you think you are doing", I asked with an interrogative and clearly annoyed voice.

The princesses when they realized my presence became stiff, but they did not answer immediately and meditated a little the answer.

"We were just training", Kathyln replied in a dry tone while nodding looking at Tessia.

The Elf princess replied immediately saying, "yes we were just training measuring our limits".

"It did not seem like it; the strength and power of your magic, plus where you were throwing your attacks, were clearly in a painful and dangerous level" I replied frowning.

I was clearly annoyed by this, I think they did not even know each other, then why did it end up like this?; I looked at Claire for answers, but strangely she avoided my gaze.

"Haaaah", I sighed and spoke; "do you know what could happen right now with the union of the three races if there had been an accident caused by the two of you", I asked.

After saying that I could see the clear regret in their eyes, "We are sorry", they both replied in unison.

"Be more careful, you are very important people, not only for your kingdoms but for your whole family and like them, I would not want to see you hurt". I saw them both nod with an apologetic face.

"I'm sorry", Tessia apologized first and extended her hand.

"No, I'm sorry, it was my fault", Kathyln said approaching while giving her a friendly squeeze.

"Thank you, you saved my life", Claire said putting her arm on my shoulder.

"It's nothing, but why didn't you stop them; no sorry, it's a stupid question considering their position" I replied.

"Did you come to train with us?, you were out for more than two months", Claire asked while trying to lighten the mood.

"I was researching some things in the clearings, nothing important", I replied, avoiding that she entered my mind the experimentation with Gideon and Cynthia.

"You can tell me about that", Claire said with bright eyes.

Because of that request, the next two hours we were sitting talking about some adventures in the clearings, during the time I was active I was selective about what I told because the mutated beasts and the Alacryans could not be named.

After that we parted, since Tessia and Kathyln had things to do, besides they will not stay in the academy for today.

Instead, I was also leaving through the back door to go, to the clearings, to collect all the mana beasts, but I heard Claire's voice talking to me.

"Hey, can you take me with you sometime?", she asked.

I was facing away, so she couldn't see my face, it was a bit gloomy because I knew it was not something I could do now or in the future.

Still, a white lie won't do any harm at this time, right?, so I turned around with a smile on my face.

"Sure, I'll see how some D-rank beast kicks your ass, I said winking in a teasing way.

Her face filled with annoyance and said, "I would never lose to a D-rank beast" she replied.

"I know, but you need to be stronger if you want to go with me" I said, giving her a hand gesture in farewell.

(Julian, it seems that Kai is going to start observing Claire for her rapid growth in the last few months), I received a message from Frei who was watching Kai.

(Leave him, just watch that he doesn't hurt her) I replied.

The bastard will want to know how she is growing so fast in her central stage, but he won't find anything because I'm leaving and her progress will return to normal.

So his suspicions will end in nothing, I repeated in my mind walking to the teleportation door connected to the clearings.

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"They have grown a lot, all of you", I said looking at the beasts around me, they were a good number and all were above class A with some in level S.

The order of the strongest to the weakest by their class would be like this:

Class S

Rex, Ingram, Vanangard, Galia, Storm, Cleia and Hilde.

In this category were the beasts that I adopted first several years ago in Elenoir, also the Half-dragons; they had had a remarkable growth surpassing the other beasts and, since I planned to give them to key people, they took a large part of the resources that the other beasts brought.

Class AA

Sesha the Hades snake, Hazel the only possible Hamadryad queen that can remain on the continent, Jewel, according to our research is a winged creature that served as guardian of the queen, probably also the last of its kind, Jacques the nightmare fox, Nile the boreas tiger and finally Ozul the shadow panther.

Class A:

Zerx a cave wolf that I found about to be massacred by mutated beasts, Beira the frost hawk, Narval the snake found in a water-type dungeon in one of my unsuccessful encounters to find Leviathans, Landus a Sonic Hawk oriented to fire due to my intervention in the evolution, Gormosth a powerful beast similar to the behemoth of my past life and finally Glacia she was a bit peculiar in terms of abilities, since she is not a beast associated with combat, but her ability consists more in her capabilities to create barriers.

"Well, guys we have come a long way to get here, we have raided dungeons, together we have delved where many people have not reached and I think it is time to start finding a bond for you" I spoke.

Through the connection we shared I felt that they were all nervous, but full of expectations to live among humans, they also wanted to be close to the people I recommended and whom they had been observing during the time they were with me.

"You will all go first to Eden, from there I will start taking you out as I meet with your bonds", I said as they all nodded.

----------------------------------------------------------POV Arthur Leywin

"That's it, you're doing very well Eli" I said as I watched my little sister do her meditation practice.

She would be about two years away from awakening, but she seemed very persistent in doing it faster as if something was pushing her to improve.

She hadn't told me much, but I had a rough idea, it was for Julian and me.

She grew up watching us do magic, especially the way Julian showed her how to create beasts from any element was very special and fun for her.

But I didn't want it to be like that, I wanted her to have a more relaxed childhood and I know she's having it, that's why I constantly tell her not to rush; fortunately she usually listens to me.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a very familiar way of knocking on the mansion door.

Behind me I saw the twin horns and my parents who had stopped chatting to pay attention to the person who arrived, although I already knew who it was.

Today only Tabitha was with us, since Vincent was at the auction house and Lilia at the academy.

Following everyone's gaze I heard noises of several steps and flapping, which was unusual, since I knew the person who had arrived and his beasts, so as far as I knew they didn't make that kind of sounds.

With a raised eyebrow I saw Julian enter accompanied by several mana beasts that I had never seen with him not even in Elenoir.

Right away Eli ran towards him while giving him a hug, that made me frown, but quickly controlling my expression I changed my look.

And I saw him; he looked uncomfortable looking at Eli and then he looked over here, I gave him a killer smile in case he touched a hair of my sister.

He seemed to understand the message and giving her a quick hug he pushed her away, Eli looked dissatisfied, but he didn't pay attention to her and spoke "it's good to see you all together, so I won't have to move too much" he said greeting them.

Everyone nodded and greeted him somewhat confused as they didn't know exactly what he meant, so I stepped forward and asked "what are you doing here you've been away for a long time and the last time you left me quite worried about you".

"Tch you treat like that the only friend you have" he replied with a tired voice.

"I don't remember having such an ugly friend" I replied sarcastically.

"Have you seen your face in a mirror", he retorted triumphantly.

"How annoying just leave the gifts and go", I said in a sign of annoyance.

"You should be more honest and greet your best friend" he said approaching.

"Aaagghhh, I warn you that I don't bat for that side", I said giving him a disgusted expression.

"This idiot", he tried to approach me to hit me.

But before he could do it, I got one from my mother, "Mom, why was that?", I said grabbing the small lump on my head.

"Excuse him Julian sometimes he has a bad language" she said giving him a smile.

"We know each other too well for that to bother me, I'm glad to see you in good health, Mrs. Alice" he replied.

Why do I feel so betrayed at this moment, when I tried to complain I saw a reptilian creature with black wings and some yellow areas, with golden eyes looking at me with great interest.

My eyes were drawn to the intelligence they showed and unconsciously I lifted him, he didn't refuse or show hostility, just curiosity.

"Do you like it?" Julian asked.

I stopped looking at the beast and turned my gaze to him, "why are you going to give it to me?", I asked.

"Yes, do you remember that I told you that I had something to give you, but it would take some time to arrive" he replied.

"Oh, yes, you mentioned it to me at the restaurant, was this it?", I said lifting the mana beast.

"Yes, and not only him, since I saw the twin horns that day there was another one who was interested in one of their members" he said looking at a small feline beast.

The little greenish tiger approached Jasmine and sat next to her as if that was his place from the beginning, she, on the other hand, looked somewhat surprised and then turned her gaze to Julian.

"That guy over there is Nile and he has been very interested in you since he saw you months ago" he said as he sat down on one of the furniture in the living room.

"What is this one called?" I asked about the reptilian beast in my arms.

"Storm, during the time you have left as an adventurer, go to the clearings and you will see something interesting" he told me with sound magic so that only I could hear.

"Are you giving this to me?" Jasmine asked pointing at the greenish tiger named Nile.

"Yes, I don't really want anything in return, I just want you to take good care of him, I can assure you he will be very useful to you", his voice was full of persuasion and his eyes indicated that he really wanted Jasmine to have him.

She looked him in the eyes for a few seconds, bowed and said, "thank you very much, I promise to take care of him as much as you would have done".

"Where is mine?" Eli said as she pulled Julian's sleeves.

I knew they were close from what my mother had told me, but was it that much? I wondered in my mind as I frowned again.

"I'm sorry Eli, this time I don't have anything for you, since I've been a little busy, but for your birthday I'll bring you a big gift" he said patting her on the head.

Wait Eli don't blush, I thought as I saw her expression change to a sweet and infinitely happy one.

"Enough, separate" I said approaching and giving Julian a murderous look.

He looked nervous, "I'm in a hurry, since there are some things I have to finish, I'll see you later" he said leaving the mansion.

"Stupid brother" Eli said as she went to her room in a bad mood.

"What?" I said looking at everyone in the room.

"Your sister is going to have a hard time with you around" Tabitha said as everyone started laughing.