Chapter 23: Night of the Stars and Moon
Compared to his emotionally distant kinsmen, Kraft, in his many years of adventuring, had witnessed a far greater range of emotions than he ever had in the Great Elven Forest. This had given him a much deeper understanding of feelings than the other elves.
In truth, for elves, their emotional distance was a form of protection. Their lifespans were so long that if they didn't learn to ignore and intentionally forget certain things, their own memories would become a form of torture. Over time, elves had learned, from birth, how to temper their own emotions.
Rhodes just smiled and didn't respond. He knew why Serie cared so much for him, but he wouldn't tell anyone. He understood the principle of 'a man is not guilty, but his possession of a treasure makes him so'. Even if Kraft wasn't the type to gossip, the fewer people who knew about his [Creation] talent, the better. Only when he was so powerful that even the gods had to be wary of him would he reveal his secret.
The night grew deeper. The campfire had burned down to embers, and only the starlight now illuminated the land. Somme had long since used his battle-axe as a pillow and was fast asleep, his soft snores occasionally breaking the silence. Kraft was leaning against a tree, his eyes closed as if he were asleep, though Rhodes couldn't be sure.
Serie was sleeping alone in her tent. Ever since the other two had joined them, he hadn't shared the tent with her, and he found himself missing the feeling of holding the little Grand Master. To be on the safe side, Serie had extended the range of her alarm spell to two hundred meters. Even if something were to happen, they would have plenty of time to react. Though, given the past few days, she was probably being overly cautious.
Rhodes couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned on the hard ground. He had always had trouble with insomnia, but it was particularly bad tonight. Perhaps I can invent a sleep-inducing spell, he thought to himself.
Just then, the flap of the tent opened, and a small head poked out. Her eyes met his.
"What's wrong?" Rhodes asked first. "Need to 'pick some flowers'? Want me to come with you?" He was joking, of course. He had said the same thing to Serie before, but at the time, she hadn't understood what he meant. She had simply replied, "Why would I pick flowers in the middle of the night?" It was only after a long explanation from Rhodes that she had finally understood and blurted out, "Elves do not need to do such things." Whether that was true or not, Rhodes had no idea. They might be adventuring together, but they weren't with each other every single moment of the day.
"No. Do you want to learn plant magic?" Serie shook her head and asked, her question taking him by surprise.
"Why are you asking now? In the middle of the night?" he asked, confused. Why couldn't she teach him during the day? Why choose such a strange time?
"Tonight is a special night. The Night of the Stars and Moon makes the plant element more active. It's the perfect time to practice plant magic."
Rhodes looked up at the sky. It was true; the moon and stars were particularly bright tonight.
"Alright. But we should go somewhere further away." He didn't want to wake the other two. Serie understood. "Follow me," she gestured.
The two of them quietly left the campsite. Behind them, Kraft opened his eyes. In the wilderness, to fall into a deep sleep was to invite death. Even with others in the party, he always maintained his guard. But he had no intention of interfering. Whatever Serie's motives were, they were none of his concern. He was just an elven adventurer.
They came to a clearing. After confirming there were no magical beasts nearby, Serie began. "I was originally going to wait until you had completely mastered light magic before teaching you plant magic, but your talent is greater than I imagined."
Rhodes's aptitude for magic was exceptional. He might not have realized it himself, but in Serie's eyes, his talent was already on par with her own. And she was renowned throughout the Great Elven Forest for her remarkable magical talent and her unconventional way of thinking. The former was the most important. Without it, she would just be an eccentric elf.
In Serie's original plan, she might have spent ten, twenty, or even thirty years teaching Rhodes. But now, it seemed it wouldn't take that long.
"Should I say thank you?" Rhodes was surprised to be praised by Serie. After all, she was the strongest mage in the world of the future. The 'humanity' of that future was not the same clearly defined race it was now, but a term that encompassed all humanoid creatures. Or perhaps the demons were just too lazy to differentiate. But even so, Serie was still known as the strongest mage on the continent. Her power was unimaginable. To be praised by her... it seemed his magical talent was indeed remarkable.
"Looks like I should set a small goal for myself," he joked. "Starting with becoming the strongest mage on the continent."
But Serie's expression was strange.
"A fleeting life..."
"Hm? Did you say something?" Her voice was so soft that he hadn't quite heard her.
"It's nothing." Serie didn't believe Rhodes could ever achieve that. If he were an elf, she might have thought it possible. But he was just a human. A short life could not accumulate a vast amount of mana, and so, one could not become the strongest mage. Unless his talent was even greater than her own. But how could that be possible? Serie dismissed the thought. How could she, the proud Miss Serie, ever be surpassed by Rhodes? She would never admit such a thing could happen.
"Let's begin." Serie decided not to dwell on it and instead focused on teaching Rhodes plant magic.
For elves, plant magic was not as practical as light magic, or rather, it lacked its terrifying destructive power. In most battles, plant magic served a supportive or restraining role, like the wall of thorns she had used to block the pursuing magical beasts. Other uses included controlling plants to entangle or attack. The race that truly excelled at plant magic were the druids of the forest. It was said they could summon vines as thick as ancient trees to attack, and even command treants in battle. The plant magic of the elves was merely a pale imitation.