(Rein's Perspective)
What I was seeing couldn't be an illusion.
Elvira had cut down three trees at once.
How could Master Obrone's calculations be wrong? He was never wrong—not once.
"Too shocked that I cut down through three trees?" Elvira smirked, chest heaving.
"Yes… I mean, you only started a week ago…"
She opened her mouth to reply—but her body swayed. In the next instant, she collapsed.
"Aloe Vera!" I lunged forward, barely catching her before she hit the ground.
Heavy footsteps pounded behind me. Master Obrone burst into the training ground, his face unusually tense.
"W-what happened here?" His tone was sharp, laced with concern.
"You felt that surge of mana, right? She cut through three trees at once… then fainted."
"What—" His words broke off. Even his expression betrayed the same disbelief twisting in my gut: How?
We carried her inside and laid her on my bed. Master said she will use the room only for today. Great—guess I'll be the one without a bed tonight.
He restored some of her mana, then ordered, "Watch over her until she wakes."
Ugh. Babysitting duty. If not for this damn leg injury from the last mission, I'd be training instead of sitting here like a nurse.
It had only been an hour. According to Master, she'd wake in two. Though lately… I wasn't sure if his predictions about her could be trusted anymore.
Normally,sword training with mana control takes at least a month to master. It took me two weeks. But her? She's different. Too different.
As she slept, her brows furrowed. Her hand clutched at her left arm like something pained her in a dream.
Why the left arm?
When her sleeve shifted, I noticed faint cuts running across her skin. Real cuts, not training bruises.
Strange. In grade two, students weren't even given real swords yet. Wooden practice weapons only. So where did these scars come from? Was her family forcing advanced training on her?
Tch. Whatever. Not my problem.
Also—I still hadn't had lunch.
---
(Master Obrone's Perspective)
Impossible.
How could my calculations be wrong?
I reviewed every scrap of data in the Mana Information Storage device, cross-checking her training curves, predictions, probability models. None of it matched.
She shouldn't have achieved this in less than two weeks—especially if she followed the regimen I gave her.
She shouldn't have been capable of this at all… not with her mana core sealed.
And yet… she was.
If she can do this much now, then what happens if that seal breaks?
Two possibilities flashed before my eyes:
One—she awakens like those ancient Veletez Clan, wielding mana in terrifying abundance.
Two—her body collapses under the surge, and.... she dies.....
I clenched my fists. That cannot happen. The entire purpose of this training was to ensure her survival, not gamble with her life.
She must become strong enough to face that man.
But a strange certainty coiled in my chest. If anyone could endure this, it would be her.
After all… she is Arvid's daughter.
---
(Elvira's Perspective)
The same nightmare again.
A room drenched in blood. Familiar faces—family, villagers—staring at me with disgust, whispering words I couldn't hear but could feel. Chains of vines coiled around my body, cold and suffocating.
And in front of me… a pair of dragon's eyes.
Not human. Not even of this world. A siren-shaped, feline silhouette, its gaze burning violet.
Eyes that looked almost like mine.
Maybe… another version of me. One born of nothing but hatred.
I jolted awake, breath ragged. The first thing I saw was a mess of red hair in front of me.
Tindra. She was clinging to me, shaking, her tears soaking into my clothes.
"Elvira!!!" she sobbed. "Do you know how worried I was?! You fainted! I told you not to train yourself to death!"
"Yeah," Noomi's voice came from beside her, firm but steady. "You can't exhaust your mana like that."
"…Sorry," I whispered, guilty. "Didn't mean to make you worry."
I pushed myself up slowly, Tindra sliding aside.
While I was unconscious, the stone had been faintly vibrating. I couldn't notice.
Master Obrone once mentioned that Tindra's healing would become vital to my training. I guess… this is what he meant.
But what exactly is he planning? And what kind of training still waits for me?
---