?She sat up, stretching languidly in her bedroll, a yawn escaping before she could stifle it. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she saw Zaek sitting across the small campfire, looking far too energetic for the early hour as he tended to breakfast.
?“Oh... good morning,” she mumbled.
?“Good morning to you too,” Zaek replied, mirroring her yawn with a mock-exhausted grin as he took in her bedraggled morning look.
?They were camped in a small clearing within a forest of tall, slender trees that filtered the dawn light into long, golden needles. Their two modest tents—pitched on the only flat ground they could find—looked small beneath the canopy. Above, the sky was a canvas of fading stars and a departing moon, surrendering to the rising sun.
?She vaguely remembered Zaek’s haggling efforts back in the last town when he’d acquired the gear.
?“Seven Dalma for both!” Zaek had barked.
?“Old man, are you mad?” the merchant had shrieked. “I paid seven myself! How can I sell them for the same price?”
?“Like hell I know how, you old hag! Seven!”
?Zaek had insisted the tents were necessary for "acclimatizing to the wild," though Aelira suspected he just wanted to save money on inn fees. Her focus shifted back to the sizzling fish speared on a branch over the flames.
?“You caught those?”
?“That’s right. Went down to the river while you were still dreaming of being a Princess,” he teased.
?I slept alone. In a tent. In the middle of a forest. The thought should have been terrifying, yet strangely, the fear was muted. Zaek seemed to read her thoughts.
?"It's safe enough around here. Marked as clear on the map by a decent adventurer. The river wasn't far, anyway."
?“I see...”
?“It shouldn't take us long to reach Oryndel now if we stick to this path,” Zaek continued, consulting the worn map. “This scrap of parchment actually worked better than I expected.” He gestured for her to come closer, pulling a cooked fish from the fire. “Here. Eat up. We have a lot of work to do.”
?She took the branch hesitantly. After a tentative first bite, her eyes widened. “...It’s actually edible.”
?“Of course it is!” Zaek puffed up his chest. “Honestly, kids these days have no faith...” He grinned, then his expression shifted to his 'Instructor' mask. "So, is it active?"
?Aelira, startled out of her breakfast, quickly focused inward. She activated a thin, constant layer of mana across her skin. The familiar, faint hum enveloped her like a second, invisible set of clothes.
?“Is this really necessary even while eating?” Aelira asked.
?“Yes. I already explained it, didn’t I?”
?“I know, but... it’s tiring.”
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?“Boring? Tiring? You’d rather be back in a silk bed?” Zaek finished for her, his tone playful but firm.
?She lowered her head, feeling a flush of guilt.
?“Look, I know it’s hard,” Zaek’s voice softened. “Just hang in there. The problem is your mindset. You’re treating All-time Coverage and Max Coverage like they’re the same switch. They’re not. Max Coverage is your trump card—the armor you slam down when the blade is at your throat. All-time Coverage is different. It’s a state of being. It’s like breathing.”
?It’s easy to summon strength when the enemy is in front of me, Aelira thought. But carrying that readiness constantly, even while eating fish... it feels heavy.
?“And listen,” Zaek’s gaze sharpened, “you must control that reflex when we spar. Stop defaulting to Max Coverage the second I move my hand. You’re wasting mana on shadows.”
?“Okay...” She dropped her head, her frustration visible.
?Zaek sighed. He knelt in front of her. He pinched his index finger and thumb together, then—Snap!—he flicked his finger against her forehead.
?She flinched back, clutching the spot. “Sensei!”
?“Why are you giving up on your own thoughts so easily?” Zaek asked. “Get yourself together. It’s too early to be sulking.”
?He started to grin, confident he’d made his point, but Aelira cut him off.
?“It hurts,” she stated simply, looking up at him. Her eyes were unexpectedly clear.
?His confident grin vanished. All the color drained from his face as he leaned closer, his own hands suddenly unsteady. "Wait, did it really hurt that much? I didn't mean to—let me see."
?As he leaned in, peering worriedly at her forehead, Aelira mirrored his earlier action. Her finger flicked out with surprising, mana-enhanced speed.
?THWACK.
?Zaek recoiled, stunned into a profound silence. “...”
?Aelira allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. “Revenge.”
?He stared at her for a beat, rubbing the spot on his forehead. A low, genuine chuckle escaped him. Ouch... Damn kid, that actually stung.
?A moment later, the brief truce was over.
?They stood facing each other across the clearing, makeshift practice swords in hand. The air crackled with tension. Dry leaves scattered as Aelira exploded forward. Their wooden swords met mid-air with a sharp clack, sparks of friction dancing in the morning light.
?Zaek parried her initial flurry with practiced ease, but his eyes were focused. He executed a swift upward block, deflecting her blade. Anticipating the counter, Aelira pivoted left, swinging her sword in a low arc. Zaek met the attack smoothly, and Aelira used the recoil to push herself back, creating distance.
?She landed lightly, instantly dropping into a defensive stance. She took a breath, consciously re-establishing the delicate hum of All-time Coverage even as her heart pounded.
?Zaek lowered his sword slightly. “Hmm. Better when you’re initiating. But you’re still losing the thread the moment you react to me. Fix it. Again.”
?Later, Aelira lay sprawled on the grass, chest heaving, utterly spent.
?“Not bad,” Zaek commented, wiping his blade clean. “Real progress. At this rate, you might actually master the basics before we even reach the gates.”
?Her body and mind are starting to sync, he thought privately. Who was the youngest to manage this? Laius? She’s right on his heels. Impressive. “Alright, rest now. But don’t drop the Coverage completely. Keep it active as long as you can manage.”
?“O-okay...” she panted.
?A few days had passed since the 'flick incident,' and the training had shifted. Aelira lay gazing up at the canopy, her mind drifting back to a conversation from a few days prior.
?“I can barely imagine doing it for more than five hours straight...” she had groaned.
“You said the same thing about managing it for one hour, remember?”
?Zaek was right. She had improved. She could manage half a day now. Still, maintaining it while actually fighting was another story entirely. It felt like trying to solve a puzzle while sprinting through a thunderstorm.
?She sat up slowly, brushing blades of grass from her tunic. She looked over at Zaek, who was once again studying his map with an unusual amount of focus.
?Now that I think about it... Sensei seems strangely enthusiastic about this.
?Before she could speak, he looked up. “Oh? Recovered already? Good. Let’s get moving.”
?“Moving? Now?”
?“Yes,” he said, folding the map with a sharp snap. “We were heading to Oryndel, remember?”
?His big smile confirmed it—they were close. As they shouldered their packs, a figure with light brown hair and green eyes flickered in Aelira's memory. A face she hadn't seen in six years. A face she was terrified she might have forgotten.
?Her heart pounded, not from the training, but from the anticipation of what—or who—awaited her in Oryndel.
they passed away. Me? I don't think so (I'm barely alive). ?? But hey, what's important is that they are gone for now! ??