After trying for so long, Star was still unable to improve much further in his control over his Soul Energy. However, he was now able to somewhat influence the bursts of essence that flowed through his limbs at certain intervals so they weren't as random.
But he was still lacking in every other regard. His martial skills were below par, and his swordsmanship was even worse. Even with the control he had over his Soul Energy, he was still unable to utilize his body properly due to these limitations. He would need actual training, which would not happen for as long as he remained trapped in Paradise.
After performing a few basic punches and kicks, he looked around to see Elysia sitting by one of the trees, watching him. He could not discern her facial expression due to the low visibility and the distance between them, but he suddenly had the feeling that she wore an incredulous look.
Star could already feel his body heating up from embarrassment. But there wasn't anything he could do about it; it wasn't his fault that he was such a greenhorn, after all.
Heaving a sigh, he walked to a tree two trees away from her. Although they had sat barely a meter apart to enjoy a meal over a fire only a few hours ago, he still made sure to keep his distance. Leaning against the tree, he looked up at the pale silver moon hanging above.
"I thought all children received compulsory martial training as early as sixteen."
Just as he was about to close his eyes, he heard Elysia's voice from the side. It sounded much closer than he had expected. Turning his head, he saw that Elysia had moved one tree closer, leaving only a single tree between them.
Placing a hand on the side of his neck, he said,
"That only happens in Stonehold. And it's not all children, just those with registered births on the continent."
Elysia muttered,
"Oh..."
She lowered the tip of her finger and slowly dragged it along the grass. Star watched her for a short while, trying to think of something to say.
Truth be told, there were at least a dozen things he wanted to ask Elysia, but he had never gotten the proper chance to bring any of them up. As much as he wanted to, he knew it would be best to start slowly.
That's right, we haven't even introduced ourselves yet.
Neither of them knew the other's name, and he could easily count all the words they had exchanged since the day they met on his fingers.
A tentative smile appeared on his face as he said,
"Ah, come to think of it, you never told me your name."
Elysia paused and turned to face him, pondering what to say. A few seconds later, she smiled and answered,
"You can call me Astor. What's yours?"
'Isn't that her sister's name?'
Star furrowed his brows at the answer she gave but chose not to think too much about it.
"Oh, it's Kent."
Upon hearing his reply, Elysia shifted away from the tree she had been leaning against and lay down on the grass, turning her back to him.
"Your sword technique is horrible, Kent."
Well, I guess I can't argue with that, hehe.
Of course, he kept those thoughts to himself and sprawled out on the grass as well. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.
It was still sunrise by the time he woke up, and Elysia was still sleeping one tree away with her back to him. With nothing else to do, Star picked up the Soul Shard lying beside him and headed toward the castle.
When he got bored, he climbed the trees and plucked golden fruits for himself and Elysia. By the time he was done, he was holding one fruit to his mouth, with four more lying beside him.
Elysia walked up to him while he was eating. She only looked at him once before her solemn gaze fell upon the fruits beside him. Star could think of only one thing that was going through her mind, but even then he was reluctant to offer her the fruits without her asking.
If he put himself in Elysia's shoes, it wouldn't be hard to realize how strange his actions were. They had barely spent two days together in Paradise, and all Elysia had done for him was reluctantly offer him a single fruit when they first met.
He had quickly repaid that debt, and he couldn't really count the fire as her helping him since it benefited both of them—it was he who roasted the meat, after all. He had also hunted the creature himself and even planned on giving her its Soul Shard.
Although those actions had cost him very little, if their roles were reversed, he would find himself feeling quite uneasy.
Should I ask her for something? Or maybe offer her a trade?
While he was lost in thought, Elysia pointed at the fruits and asked,
"Are you going to eat all of them?"
Star snapped out of his daze and pushed the fruits closer to her.
"You can have as many as you want."
Elysia smiled as she picked up one of the golden fruits, her voice full of gratitude.
"Thank you."
Star said nothing more to her and left after finishing his meal. Once again, he left the vicinity of the castle and headed south, toward the large river he had seen earlier. The body of water was easily the size of a sea, but it lacked the characteristics of one.
He had the Dormant Soul Shard with him and glanced at it from time to time, wondering what kind of deal he was going to make with Elysia. There wasn't much she could really offer him while trapped here, so he had to make sure it was a good deal.
His white tunic fluttered in the wind as he reached the field of crimson crystalline flowers. Their origins were all but unknown to him, yet the reason behind their existence remained a mystery. He could also hear the almost inaudible chant of his given name as he walked past, but he chose to ignore it completely.
Knowing which way to go, it wasn't long before he caught sight of the small forest ahead, its trees as tall as duplex buildings. Walking through the forest, he found some of the marks he had left the last time he came.
From there, it was only a matter of minutes before he reached the white sandy beach and the great river that lay beyond it. Star hid behind a tree, watching the flock of bird-like creatures moving about the beach.
There weren't many creatures in this part of the forest, so there wasn't anything for him to hunt besides a few snakes. Since he wasn't particularly fond of snakes, he would have to try his luck with the birds or head into the river and try catching fish instead.
The river was too far away, so he fixed his eyes on the birds instead, the smallest of them being about the size of an adult turkey. He couldn't even consider the larger ones since he didn't have any suitable weapons.
The birds all kept a comfortable distance from the tree line, with only one or two occasionally wandering closer. There wasn't any danger, so they were relaxed, but they remained vigilant regardless. Their slight complacency granted him only a slim chance.
Taking out his rapier, he waited patiently as one of the birds strolled closer. It had a long neck and white plumage, closely resembling a swan. Just as it came within range, Star lashed out from his position, thrusting his rapier forward.
He aimed as best he could at the bird's wings, but before his sword could even reach it, the creature spread its wings and leaped high into the air, his rapier leaving nothing more than a slight scratch on its leg.
It cried out in pain, immediately alerting the other birds, and before Star could even blink, they all scattered, clearing the beach entirely. His face fell, and his sword nearly slipped from his hand.
He didn't need anyone to tell him that bird meat was officially off his dinner menu for the day.
But all hope was not lost—there were still the fish left for him to try. Besides, hunting fish would be far easier than hunting birds.
Star swallowed hard and cast a grim look at the river. Despite knowing that fish were easier to catch, he also knew that every one of them was at least a Dormant Soul Beast.
While it would be easier, it was also going to be quite tough.