[24] Farewell

-Third point of view-

It had been nearly two weeks since our journey began, traversing several towns until we finally reached the port. There, Roxy stood on the dock, gazing at the busy ship as people loaded cargo. Her pointed wizard hat, cloak, and knee-length skirt fluttered in the sea breeze. Roxy's thoughts were in turmoil, torn between the desire to stay with Ash's group and the reality that they had to part ways.

Roxy reflected on her experiences with Ash. During the journey, she had learned so much about the mysterious and fascinating insights into magic. It had been a week since her attempt to inscribe a magic circle into her Mana Core succeeded, allowing her to perform magic without chanting. This made the spells she had previously learned seem trivial.

She tested her new ability with basic magic. "Water Ball," she murmured, and a magic circle appeared in front of her palm, conjuring a ball of water that was immediately shot into the sea. The sight was impressive yet bittersweet. Roxy was excited to delve further into this magical knowledge, but unfortunately, she had to part from the one who understood this type of magic better than anyone.

With a gloomy mood, the blue-haired woman lowered her head, staring at the ground. It had been a long time since she felt such a sense of helplessness. Nevertheless, her enthusiasm to continue learning and growing remained.

Ash approached Roxy gently, noticing the shift in her mood. "Roxy," he called softly.

Her body seemed jolted by an electric shock as she quickly turned to see Ash, now dressed more neatly. His plain black shirt, matching trousers, and brown boots made him look more charming. Roxy knew that all the outfits Ash wore were from alchemy, a field of magic she found very fascinating. She had studied it too, only needing to practice.

Seeing the handsome man before her made her heart race and her face flush. It was because of Ash's bright and gentle facial features. Despite his youth, there was something captivating in his eyes that made Roxy feel nervous and blush.

"I want to give you something," Ash continued, pulling out a thick book from his bag. "This is a book on Tier 4 and 5 magic. I'm sure you'll be able to advance your knowledge further with this."

Roxy received the book with trembling hands, her eyes shining with gratitude and enthusiasm. "Thank you, Ash. I'll make the best use of it."

Ash smiled softly and then pulled out a silver cross necklace from his bag. "This necklace is a token of appreciation and also a protection for you. I hope it helps you on your journey," he said, handing the necklace to Roxy.

Roxy frowned, looking puzzled. "I didn't know you were religious, Ash? But I forgot to ask, do you follow the Milis religion?" she asked with a surprised expression. In this world, the Milis religion is predominantly followed by humans. There are deviant teachings that view all non-human beings as heretical and to be exterminated, making its followers quite racist.

Ash shook his head gently. "I follow the Christian religion from the Bible. This religion was passed down from my teacher. You've heard that my teacher is a priest from a certain religion, and I am simply continuing that."

Roxy paused for a moment, processing the information before sighing deeply. "Well, this world is vast and full of unique people." She reached out to take the necklace.

"Ah, you can ask me to put it on for you," Ash said with a friendly smile.

Roxy smiled shyly, feeling a bit of warmth in her heart. "Alright, then."

Ash stepped closer and gently fastened the silver cross necklace around Roxy's neck. As Ash's hands touched her skin, Roxy felt a warm, soothing touch. The necklace hung beautifully around her neck, casting a soft silver glint in the setting sun.

Roxy touched the necklace, feeling the cold metal now warm against her skin. "Thank you, Ash. It really means a lot to me."

Ash smiled, looking at Roxy with sincere attention. "I'm glad to give it to you. Stay strong and keep learning. I'm sure you'll achieve great things."

Roxy nodded, feeling a bit better. She looked at Ash and her new friends one last time before turning towards the ship. With a determined step, she boarded the ship, ready for the new adventure that awaited her. Though the sense of helplessness remained, hope and enthusiasm for a brighter future burned within her.

Ash Constantine

I waved at the ship as it started to sail away. Beside me, Zephyr and Aurelia also waved, tears welling in their eyes.

After two weeks together, the three of us had certainly built a strong bond with Roxy. Although brief, the time together was invaluable. Roxy had always been kind to these two, and they appreciated her presence greatly.

I watched the ship grow smaller, feeling a sense of loss but also a new drive to keep moving forward. "Are you both alright?" I asked gently to Zephyr and Aurelia.

Zephyr wiped his tears, trying to smile. "I'll miss her, but I'm sure we'll meet again someday."

Aurelia nodded in agreement. "She taught us so much. I feel stronger and more knowledgeable thanks to her."

I smiled, feeling a strong sense of pride and camaraderie among us. "Yes, we all learned a lot from Roxy. And the journey is still long. We'll continue to learn and grow together."

Zephyr and Aurelia nodded, their spirits lifting. I knew this journey was just the beginning, and many things awaited us ahead.

...

..

.

It had been a week since we parted ways with Roxy. Now, our merchant name was well-known along the route we had travelled. By trading unique yet useful items, we had achieved significant profits. Of course, there were always some ill-intentioned people who disliked or envied our success, but we managed to handle them easily.

The criminals who attempted to attack us with violence became training fodder for Zephyr. He continued to show remarkable improvement in his swordsmanship. Meanwhile, Aurelia made excellent contributions in business aspects. She was very helpful in calculating profits, managing accounts, and planning trade strategies.

Furthermore, her skills in negotiation made us increasingly successful in obtaining profitable prices and expanding our trade network. Aurelia also had a natural talent for understanding market dynamics, allowing us to always adjust our merchandise according to the demand in each city we visited.

In the evenings, after a day of trading and training Zephyr, we gathered around the campfire, discussing magical theories and business strategies. Our conversations were always filled with a spirit of learning and sharing knowledge. Each night, I also took the time to create various items through alchemy, which always fascinated Aurelia and Zephyr.

Seeing them grow and develop every day made me feel proud and optimistic about our future. This journey was not just about seeking profits, but also about building friendships, expanding knowledge, and becoming stronger together.

After accumulating a substantial amount of capital from our successful trading, we finally decided to establish a temporary base in the Asura Kingdom. This kingdom was the largest on the main continent, with bustling cities and plenty of opportunities.

The Asura Kingdom was known for its cultural richness and advanced economy. The large cities in the kingdom became busy trade hubs, with markets full of goods from all over the world. We knew that setting up a base here would offer many strategic advantages and open up new business opportunities.