Afternoon at the Hunter's Boutique
Ronan stepped into the bustling Hunter's Boutique that afternoon, the familiar hum of voices filling the air. The store was always packed with adventurers and hunters, but he paid little attention to his surroundings. Without hesitation, he walked straight to the reception desk, where a familiar face greeted him.
"Good afternoon, Elira. How have you been?" Ronan asked, placing his well-worn Eclipse Edge on the counter.
Elira, the receptionist, offered a warm smile. "Young Master, good afternoon. I'm doing well, thank you. And you?"
"I'm fine. I need a new sword. Another Eclipse Edge, if possible."
Elira nodded. "Sure, why not?"
Ronan considered it for a moment before pulling out a storage ring. "Would these materials be enough for both?"
She inspected the materials inside before nodding. "Yes, that should be sufficient. Please take a seat. I'll return shortly."
Ronan took a seat, leaning back as he waited. Moments later, a young girl approached him.
"Good afternoon," she said, her voice uncertain.
Ronan glanced at her with a confused expression. "Good afternoon... Do I know you?"
Before she could reply, something clicked in his memory. His expression darkened. "Oh, I remember now. You were with them—the ones who warned me to stop hanging out with Elenor."
The girl shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. But I need to tell you something."
Ronan crossed his arms. "What now?"
She exhaled sharply. "The others told you that it was Lyra's order to stay away from Elenor. But that wasn't true. Lyra never gave that command—they acted on their own."
Ronan's eyes narrowed. "And your point?"
The girl's frustration was evident. "I assume you've told Samantha about that incident. I need you to clarify that Lyra had nothing to do with it."
Ronan took a deep breath, preparing to respond, but a familiar voice interrupted.
"Young Master."
Elira stood by the counter, holding a sheathed sword. "I have everything you requested."
Without another word to the girl, Ronan stood and walked back to the reception desk. Elira placed the weapon in front of him.
"Here are your new Eclipse Edge", she explained. "Also, here is the remaining money for the excess materials."
Ronan unsheathed the new sword slightly, inspecting its fine craftsmanship. A small smile played on his lips. "Thanks."
Elira shook her head as he offered her a tip. "I can't accept this."
"Take it," Ronan insisted.
After a moment of hesitation, she relented. "Alright. Thank you, Young Master. Take care."
"You too," he said before turning to leave.
Just as he reached the door, the girl from before grabbed his arm. Before she could speak, Ronan turned a cold, piercing gaze on her. The weight of his stare was suffocating—an unspoken warning. Her grip loosened, and she instinctively stepped back, trembling.
"Who I choose to associate with and what I say is my decision," he said icily. "Who are you to dictate that?"
Without another glance, he walked away, leaving the girl frozen in place, her hands shaking.
Two boys rushed over. "Is that boy troubling you?"
She shook her head quickly. "No... It's nothing."
A girl beside them frowned. "Are you okay?"
She let out a nervous chuckle, flexing her trembling fingers. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just focus. We have weapons and equipment to buy for our next mission."
Her gaze flickered toward the door where Ronan had disappeared. Even though he was gone, the lingering chill of his stare remained.
Evening at Iron Ember Forge
As the evening set in, Ronan arrived at Iron Ember Forge, a renowned weapon forge. The moment he stepped inside, a wave of heat from the smelting fires washed over him. The rhythmic clanging of hammers on metal echoed through the shop.
He approached the front desk. "I need some custom-made items. Who should I speak to?"
The receptionist nodded. "Please wait a moment."
While waiting, Ronan wandered the shop, examining the displayed weapons. Moments later, a middle-aged man with soot-streaked arms approached him.
"So, you want custom weapons?" the man asked gruffly.
Ronan nodded. "Yes. I heard your shop crafted a special illusion-enhancing cape for Illusion Masters. I want a similar cape but with different materials."
The man shook his head. "That's not possible. We need the same materials."
"I understand, but I want it made from a Five-Tailed Fox hide instead of a Four-Tailed Fox hide."
The man blinked, now intrigued. "Go on."
"Second, I want a bracelet for a girl, crafted from a Rank-Four Chameleon monster core—since those creatures are known for their invisibility traits."
The man rubbed his chin, clearly interested. "And the third?"
"Five flying daggers made from Five-Tailed Fox claws."
The man whistled low, clearly impressed. "Wait here. I need to discuss this with my superior."
He quickly disappeared into the back. A moment later, the heavy door creaked open, and an elderly man with a thick beard, clearly the forge master, stepped out.
"I am Ferrod, the chief craftsman. You're asking for some rare work, boy," he said, scrutinising Ronan. These materials are expensive. Can you afford them?"
Ronan smirked. "I already have the materials."
The old man's eyes widened in surprise. "Then you only need to pay for labour." He scribbled a quick estimate and passed it to Ronan. The price was steep—steeper than he expected.
Ronan frowned. "I don't have that much on hand, but I can exchange monster materials. Is it possible?"
The old man stroked his beard. "Yes, it is possible. Let me check the materials." After checking the materials, the old man said, "Come back the day after tomorrow morning."
After settling the payment, Ronan nodded in farewell. "I'll be back in the morning."
After an exhausting day, Ronan returned to his dormitory, collapsing onto his bed and falling into a deep, peaceful sleep. By the time morning arrived, he felt refreshed and energised. With renewed determination, he made his way to Ms. Amara's training grounds, eager for another intense session.
However, as he arrived, he was met with an unexpected sight—Samantha, Kael, and Sylphie standing there, waiting for him.
Ronan's face immediately lit up with a bright smile, dashing toward Samantha. But before he could reach her, she raised a hand, chuckling.
"I heard you've become so powerful that you don't need your sister's care anymore," she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Ronan's face paled. His gaze snapped toward Sylphie, suspicion written all over his face. "You? You told her?" He looked utterly betrayed. "I trusted you!"
Sylphie burst into laughter. "Then you shouldn't have said that Samantha is overprotective," she said with a playful grin.
Ronan barely had time to process the betrayal before Samantha lunged at him, throwing a punch. Instinctively, he dodged, but he could feel the wind from her strike graze his cheek.
I'm going to die today, Ronan thought in despair.
What followed was an intense yet hilarious hand-to-hand battle. Samantha, with her superior combat skills and experience, toyed with Ronan, never giving him a moment to breathe. Every time he tried to counter, she effortlessly sidestepped, flicked his forehead, or tripped him up, all while making lighthearted remarks.
"You call that a punch?" she laughed, effortlessly dodging his attack.
"Fight me seriously!" Ronan huffed, attempting a sweeping kick.
"I am fighting seriously. This is me holding back so you don't cry," Samantha grinned, catching his leg mid-air and flipping him onto his back.
Kael and Sylphie were doubled over in laughter, thoroughly enjoying Ronan's suffering. Every time he tried to gain the upper hand, Samantha countered with ease, knocking him down again and again.
After what felt like an eternity, Ronan lay flat on the ground, gasping for air, his limbs refusing to move. Samantha stood over him, completely unfazed, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeves.
"Kael, Sylphie, please take care of my little brother," she said sweetly.
Ronan tried to protest. "I'm not—" but only muffled sounds escaped his lips.
Samantha smirked. "Ronan, Kael, and Sylphie are your big brother and sister now. You have to listen to and respect them."
Sylphie, ever playful, crouched down beside him, tapping his forehead. "You're my little brother now."
Ronan let out a dramatic wail. "Noooo! I am not little!"
The three of them burst into laughter as Ronan remained sprawled on the ground, utterly defeated.
A few moments later, Roderick and Lyra arrived at the training grounds, exchanging morning greetings with the group. Roderick's eyes landed on Ronan, still lying flat on the ground.
"What happened to him?" Roderick asked, amused.
"He was beaten by Samantha," Sylphie said with a giggle.
Ronan groaned, managing to lift his head slightly. "I was hit by Samantha."
Samantha rolled her eyes. "Same thing."
Roderick shook his head in amusement before turning serious. "We don't have much time. The Luminal Covenant sent a new mission, and we need to leave as soon as possible."
Ronan immediately perked up and sat up. "Can I go with you, Roderick?"
"No," Samantha said before Roderick could respond.
Ronan pouted. "I wasn't asking you."
Roderick opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Samantha stood up and gave Ronan a gentle but firm head bump. "I said no."
Ronan swallowed his complaint, rubbing his forehead. "Okay…" he muttered begrudgingly.
Samantha turned to Kael. "Ronan will be in your care."
Before Lyra could say anything, Ronan quickly interjected, turning to Kael. "Kael, help me with something. I need your illusions. Let's leave these heartless humans behind." Then he shot a glare at Sylphie. "You, too. Heartless."
Kael and Sylphie exchanged amused glances before following Ronan to the other side of the training grounds.
That afternoon, the academy staff gathered Kael and another team for an urgent assignment. A staff member addressed them with a serious tone. "An unknown monster has been spotted near Eldergrove Forest. Some villagers have been injured. Since you two teams are available, you will take on this mission."
The staff continued, "The team leader will be Aria Viridion." A girl with sharp golden eyes and an air of authority stepped forward, arms crossed.
"You will also bring Orin and Ronan along," the staff added. "They are well known in the village, and their presence will make the investigation easier. Mr Alden and Mr Alaric will also join the mission later."
Aria frowned, her displeasure evident. "Ronan? He'll be a burden to the team."
Kael chuckled, about to retort, but the staff member cut him off. "Did we teach you to judge someone without giving them a chance? At the very least, you should see what he's capable of before making assumptions." Their tone was firm, brooking no argument. "Whether they are weak or not, Ronan and Orin are going with you. That's final."
Aria scowled but said nothing more.
The staff member concluded, "You will depart tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. I will provide a larger magical flying ship for transportation. Start preparing your supplies."
Kael smirked, already looking forward to the mission. Meanwhile, Ronan was still recovering from his earlier battle.