19.

"...."

The sudden disappearance of the two stunned Eldric who didn't know how to react. Everything happened so fast that he didn't even have time to think. One moment they all were celebrating his marriage and the very next moment, he was left alone. 

"Now what?" Thinking for a long time, he couldn't come to a decision. Until now he was a loner who was not bound by anything. But now, he suddenly had someone to take care of. 

Was it a bad thing? Eldric didn't think so. He might have made a decision to marry in the spur of the moment after getting his emotions riled up, but he didn't regret it. In this entire world, there was finally someone who he could call a family. It was a weird feeling... something he wasn't accustomed to. But he was sure that with time, things would turn out to be better.

As for the matter of Aria... He didn't know how to face her. 

Thinking about her, he raised his head to look in her direction but was stunned to find that she was long gone. 

"Huh!?" The first thought that came to his mind was that she disappeared like their parents, but after hearing a rustle coming from her room, he breathed a sigh of relief. 

With some nervousness, he walked towards her room and stood in front of the door before knocking it gently.

"....."

"..."

Even after knocking for a few moments, there was no response. Helplessly, Eldric could only walk back towards his room.

After changing into the old set of clothes, he sat silently on the bed. During these past few days, he had gone through a lot of things. He left the school, got a job, got married and now is living with his wife. 

On one hand, he was secretly happy after his marriage while on the other, the story of Cedric about the entire town being overrun by beasts was constantly echoing in his head. 

If it were before, then there would still be some hesitation in his mind. But at this moment... Looking at the wall, he let out a heavy sigh before making up his mind.

Opening the panel in front of him, he entered the trial once more.

.

.

.

.

Standing in front of the three-story tower, Eldric didn't enter it immediately but sat down cross-legged as if waiting for something.

It wasn't until almost two hours passed and Eldric felt his legs going numb that he finally heard the sound that he was waiting for the most.

"What are you sitting here for?"

Hearing the familiar voice, a smile ran across his face as Eldric looked behind him toward the floating figure of a young girl.

"I want to complete the trials." Eldric didn't twist his words or waste time but directly stated his purpose. After everything that he had gone through and thinking about it, he finally came to this decision. He couldn't run away for a lifetime. Sooner or later he would have to face it. So, the sooner he did, the better it was going to be for him.

"That's a good thing." The girl nodded in approval before tilting her head "What do you want from me?"

Stunned, Eldric looked at her like she was mocking him. She knew perfectly what he wanted but was still waiting for him to ask.

"I need your help." Gritting his teeth, Eldric spoke slowly. "I will do everything that you tell me. I just want to complete the trial."

"Hmm..." The girl rested her chin on her palm while her legs were going back and forth in the air. It was as if she was thinking about what Eldric just said.

"Okay." It wasn't until a few more minutes passed that she gave Eldric an answer.

"But..." With a brief pause, she spoke further. "I won't tolerate any arguments. You have to listen and follow my every command. If you can not even do this, then just tell me already."

"I will." Eldric's voice was filled with determination. Now that he had decided to do it, he was going to do it regardless of the price he needed to pay.

"Good." The girl just gave him a nod before arriving near him.

"Your first lesson is to get used to pain."

"As I said before, you are far too fragile and afraid of getting hurt even if it is just a little.

So, go inside and get used to the pain and death. Since you won't die inside, try to go through as much pain as possible.

And keep doing it till I think it is satisfactory. Then and only then, I will help you."

Her voice was cold and her words merciless. Yet, Eldric knew that she spoke the truth. Just like she said, he needed to let go of his fear of pain and death if he wanted to truly become someone extraordinary. Otherwise, he could just stay as a normal person.

He didn't say any other word but took a deep breath and walked inside the tower to finally face his fear.

.

.

.

Standing inside the forest once again, Eldric this time didn't rush towards the bush on his left side, but turned around and looked behind him. There were already a few red eyes along with blurry figures that he could see in the dark.

Without waiting for them to make a move, Eldric rushed towards them, activating his skill and throwing punches. Eldric wanted to take them by surprise, but they were already aware of his every move. So, before he could go near them, a familiar deathly crisis overtook him from behind, and soon, the precious scene of Eldric being torn apart was played once again.

.

.

"..." Opening his eyes in the empty white space, Eldric wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead while breathing heavily. Even though he knew it was an illusion and he needed to get used to the pain, it was still not an easy task.

"Giving up already?" The girl floated beside him while gloating at his condition.

"No." Shaking his head, Eldric gathered his thoughts and slowly made his way towards the trial. Compared to the last time when he was just filled with rage and wanted to complete the trial, he was rather calm this time around with a clear goal in his head. He didn't want to complete the trial, he wanted to get used to the pain first.

.

.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was evening in the outside world. Throughout the day, Eldric kept on challenging the trial. Needless to say, he was torn out every single time.

But he wasn't without any gains. After going through so much pain and suffering, he was finally getting used to it. Earlier he would always scream out in agony, but now, he was able to keep his calm and observe his surroundings.

He kept on thinking about it for a long time, and it wasn't until he heard the sound of someone rustling in the living room that he woke up from his stupor.

"Damn it... I almost forgot." Patting his head, he rushed out of his room only to see the figure of Aria grabbing a fruit with a blank expression on her face while slowly nipping on it.

Eldric was so lost in the trial that he even forgot that today was the biggest day of his life.

Now that her parents were gone, it was his duty to take care of her. And it means providing her with everything..... Even food.

Rushing inside the kitchen, he hurriedly turned on the stove and began to prepare some fried rice with the leftover rice from the previous night.

He wasn't proficient in it, so the end result was an average dish with almost no taste. After putting loads of ketchup in it, Eldric thanked the person who invented the ketchup in this world before taking a bowl full of fried rice to Aria.

Aria didn't speak, she just picked up the rice bowl before heading inside her room like a robot.

"Sigh..." Looking at her back, Eldric just shook his head. Today was his marriage and he didn't even get to see his bride clearly, much less spend time with her.

Till now, he hadn't seen Aria's appearance clearly. The first time he met her, she was sitting in the dark. Yesterday when they were talking about marriage, she was wearing a long hood with her face constantly down. During the marriage, she was wearing a red veil and just now, she was wearing the same hood as well as the red veil.

Eldric didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. He was perhaps one of those rare husbands who never got to see the face of their wife.

"Forget it... We will have plenty of time in the future." Right now, his focus was on getting stronger. So, after finishing the bowl of bland fried rice, he walked back inside his room and after a short rest once again headed back to the trials.

.

.

.

.

Waking up the next morning, Eldric was a bit tired. After preparing the breakfast as well as lunch in advance, he headed towards the shop.

It took him a while, but soon, he reached there. The old man sitting there didn't say anything to him but gave him a nod before teaching him more about the work.

There wasn't much to do. Eldric had to first clean the small shop, then arrange the items properly, and then greet the customers once they arrived. Although the number of customers was pitiful, Eldric constantly had a smile on his face.

When it was closing time, he would then properly maintain the transactions in a notebook. Only after that, he was allowed to go home.

"You should complete your trials as fast as possible."

Just when Eldric was about to head back home, the old man spoke with a serious face.

"You will have an easier time arranging the materials in the shop."

"Uh..." Eldric just gave him a nod before heading back home. He wasn't surprised that the old man knew he still hadn't completed the trials. After all, before getting this position as the shopkeeper, his parents must have talked about him.

It wasn't long before Eldric reached home. After seeing the empty dishes in the kitchen, he let out a smile. Even though the dishes he cooked weren't anything special, it still gave him immense satisfaction when someone else ate them.

After making a simple tasteless dinner, Eldric placed one bowl outside Aria's room and took one inside his.

"Now then..." Placing the empty bowl on the side, he looked at his panel before entering the trial once again.

.

.

.

.

Eldric repeated the last night's process. Every time he would go inside to face the wolves and every time he would come out dead. There were no changes, no progress. The only thing that changed was the emotions of Eldric.

From initial panic and fear to complete calmness.

After dying so many times, Eldric was used to the pain and death. Now even if the wolves were eating him alive, he would just stare at them calmly.

"Okay... You can stop now." It wasn't until almost three hours passed that the girl floated in front of Eldric, telling him to stop.

"Huh!?" This sudden action of her surprised Eldric who was preparing for another round of death.

"I have to say, you adapted pretty fast." With twinkling eyes, she gazed deeply at Eldric. "It would have taken a normal person months or perhaps they wouldn't have ever done it their entire life... But you... You did it."

"Like I promised... Since you were able to do it, I will help you complete this trial."