Free time

"ARGHH!" The other one screamed bringing down his large fist-

Apparently, trying to hit Flint from behind?

"If you want to sneak up-" Flint swiftly dodged to his left, "Better keep your mouth shut-" Followed up by a roundhouse kick to the boy's neck-

Foaming, he slammed against the solid floor…

Silence.

One lay against the wall, the other on the floor-

Both unconscious.

The silence broke with murmurs-

'Now I've done it… huh?'

"What is going on here!" Mr. Reynolds stomped toward them. "Maysheather…" He rattled.

Some students- some other teachers- poked their heads out-

'Set up or-' Flint shrugged. "They attacked me, I defended. I hope you'll believe me?"

A snort, "Like father, like son…" With a further scoff, he picked up the two students, and carried them out. "Prepare to hear back from the council."

'Strong guy…'

Flint had no idea which version of his father the guy was acquainted with or how, and frankly, he wasn't interested.

And the council?

He couldn't care less.

Which was why-

Wasting his rage on this guy-

Wasn't worth it.

He did make a mental note of informing Erveine just in case.

***

Erveine gave Flint a hell of a lecture. She did laugh noting that his father had done the same thing when he first enrolled.

Noble brats always liked picking on commoners and thinking they'd get away with it. unlucky for them, both Flint and his father weren't just typical commoners-

"Old man actually tried becoming a mage?"

"Not really. He was after your mother and…" A mild sigh. "Anyway, you'll definitely be punished but I'll try to make it as light as possible. Meanwhile, take the day off and rest as best as you can."

"Alright…"

"Where are you going?"

"The backyard."

"Why?

"Training?"

An exaggerated sigh… but she didn't say word.

***

So, with not much to do, Flint took the day off.

He didn't want to face Amanda and he didn't want to just sit around either.

So-

Instead of anything else-

He just trained-

Trained alone.

"HAH!"

Swinging his sword, the best way he knew.

And he kept at it for hours.

"HAHH!!" With every swing, sweat dripped, staining the ground dark…

"Do you have a screw loose or something?" The girl wondered.

Bright sun-

Mostly blocked by the large cedar tree-

"Maybe-" Flint didn't look back.

He knew she was here for a long while now.

But pretended not to.

"I don't get something about you meatheads-" She paused.

Just behind the magus academy.

Since everyone were busy with classes, not many were here.

"That is?"

"How the hell do you have dedication to keep on swinging even with those injuries?"

Flint stopped. Stared at the girl-

The girl who had her butt planted on the tree's base- staring.

Brown eyes dead set on Flint…

"Do you have any relatives? Mother, father- and stuff?"

"Mother, and two sisters."

Flint stared- but eventually. "Think they're dead; no, murdered before your very eyes. The only way to avenge them is to train and one day kill the bastard responsible. Will you not train?"

Eye brows raised… "I… see…" She didn't want to say anything.

No- rather, she didn't expect that.

She was perhaps expecting some idealistic crap. Or maybe an excuse.

But-

"Anyway-" Flint kept on swinging, sweat flying around. "Thanks for the help and thanks for everything."

"Stop it. You don't owe me anything. I only did what I did for credits," the girl, Mari said.

A chuckle. "Sure."

Hah!!!

***

After practice, Flint wiped his body, ate lunch and went out.

Not to the adventurer's guild but rather to Archivis's place.

He had to inform them of the current situation and that he was going to bring all the troll's tomorrow.

He wanted to do it the day before yesterday but due to situations, he never had any free time.

Or was it that he didn't know how to face them?

Once there- he told everything to the guard and the guard went in-

Albert came out.

"I see, I shall inform such to my lord. but are you sure? With those injuries-" He eyed Flint.

"I'm fine."

"Alright."

And now he had too much free time in his hand.

The sun was barely in the western hemisphere, netting him a good few hours before his curfew.

He couldn't go to the guild since he didn't want to meet Amanda and he couldn't go back to the Academy as Erveine would force him to study or rest.

He didn't want either.

So-

He walked.

Around-

Aimlessly.

There was a lot of things Flint had to consider.

One, money.

Two, the trolls.

Three. The training.

Four, the academy.

And five-

The revenge.

In order to reach the fifth stage, he had to master all the four above it.

He couldn't pull this off without even one of them.

And actually, even with the four, without proper precautions and connections he couldn't take down one of the most powerful people of the world.

Powerful people who he didn't even know who-

So-

There really was a lot of things on his mind-

'But what if somehow-'

A lot of-

Thud! "Ow-" Flint crashed into someone-

Someone he didn't expect.

A very large-

Burly man.

Lots of facial hair-

He stared back-

No, glared back rather.

"Oh, hey, we meet again-" said the elf behind the man- waving.