Chapter 204 - Going Back

BAANGG

After a ray of light flashed in the huge building, the sound of something exploding was heard.

"That was close!"

Someone yelled as she watched her shield crumble after getting hit by an attack. This time, a red jolt of lightning brightened the place once again, but it was instead sent towards the opposite direction of the first attack.

Crackle Crackle

Banggg

The red jolt of lighting was blocked by some crack-like stuff that was whirling in the air. The person standing behind the cracks that had acted as a shield moved his hand down as he glanced at his master.

FWOSH

"Ah!"

She had to take one step back after sensing a guest of wind brush off her hair. A hand moved towards her face at the same moment that she took one step back and something shiny exploded right where her head was a few seconds ago.

BANGG

"Gah!"

Even though she dodged the explosion and had some protective layers around her, she was still pushed back by the impact. As soon as she managed to stand firm in her place, she glared at the person charging at him and opened her mouth.

"You fool! I told you not to get close to your opponent!"

Kairen stopped moving as soon as he heard captain Neal's angry voice.

"But it doesn't work well in long-ranged attacks. I've got to get closer in order to have better damage!"

Captain Neal canceled all of her spells and folded her arms.

"A mage should stay back and never get close to the opponent! I've told you countless times already! A knight can cut you in half in the blink of an eye if you do such a move in a real battle!"

Kairen also canceled his spells realizing that the spar was over and it was nagging time now. He lowered his head and said anything that came to his mind in his defense.

"I used the fastest wind spells I know to move that distance and had protective barriers all around me that wouldn't break that easily. I also have my power to protect myself in case something happens. And of course, I wouldn't rush at a swordsman or aura user like this! I did it because you are a mage, who should always stay back and can't do much in close-range battles!"

"Hah!"

Captain Neal sneered at him.

"Now that you've got a little bit control over that power of yours, you are insulting your master!"

"I- I didn't mean that!"

"Hmph!"

Captain Neal dusted her clothes and walked towards where she had put her jacket.

"I didn't mean that! I'm sorry!"

Kairen followed her from behind.

"It's okay! I was joking!"

"Ah!"

"But you weren't completely wrong, I'll give you that. The thing you said is true in some situations. That strategy will be quite effective when you are up against mages or less offensive unique skill users."

Kairen picked up a bottle of water as he listened to the captain's words.

"Still, this fighting method is too risky, especially for you who doesn't even have a good built. So don't do this in real battles."

Kairen nodded his head.

"Yes. I know. I won't do such a thing until I have proper control over my power."

Captain Neal picked up her jacket and wore it.

"Then, I'm leaving. That's enough for today."

"Yes. Thank you."

Kairen stood at his spot and watched captain Neal leave. Once she left, he was all alone in the training ground.

'Should I train a little bit more or should I head home?'

There was still a lot of time left until night and he would normally be training at this hour every day, but today was a little bit different.

Why?

Because finally, after being politely kicked out by his team leader for around five weeks, he was called and told to come back to work.

'Hmm, they still paid my salary so this wasn't really bad.'

He spent most of his time training his mana and struggling with his power. Not going to work and being paid was actually fun, although it was a little bit boring sometimes.

Even after five weeks, he wasn't able to use much of his power but he could control a tiny amount of that power properly. 

If captain Neal decided not to use any high-level spells, Kairen could beat her by using his power. 

He now knew how to mix it with his spells and how to use the pure power without any spells as a link. He had to be close to his opponent if he wanted to use pure power as the power would weaken the more the distance was. Thus, he had to learn a few wind and gravity-related spells in order to move around easily. 

Using gravity and wind spells was pretty fun. He liked how he could move around in the blink of an eye so he deliberately put extra effort into them and learned the best ones he found.

Of course, he couldn't use the power for a long time as it would make him too tired. He often fell asleep the moment he arrived home after training and would get nagged by Kain the next day about how he was skipping his meals.

'Maybe I should just go home today...'

He could rest for the last day, right?

The prince of Bordkly would visit their country in a week. The meeting was really important. They were sure that Philomns would try to do something in the meantime so they had to be extra careful. 

They had to prepare everything until then and thus they needed everyone's help. Kairen had heard that unit 5 and a half of unit 6 would be responsible for escorting and protecting the prince so they had a lot to take care of and prepare. 

Actually, they only needed three days or even less for the agents to prepare and know about the plans, and Kairen was also told that he had to come back after four days. But there was another variable in here.

-Oh and Glenn is on the verge of going nuts for real. He had been nagging me nonstop and my life is being threatened by him so it would be nice if you could come back sooner and helped him out a little bit.

That was what team leader Dains said when he called him. 

'I'm sure by now he is buried under the papers and documents.'

Ah, poor Glenn. 

Kairen could imagine his face without a need to see him for himself.

Let's help him now that I'm free.

Kairen was sure what he would do when he returned to work.

. . . . . . 

Clack

"MAMA MAMA!!"

Ariyan ran to Alessia as soon as she entered the room.

"MAMA MAMA LOOOKKK!!!"

The kid held up a paper as he ran towards her.

"Ah!"

She crouched down and grabbed the paper in the kid's hands. It was a drawing.

"Did you draw it?"

"Yeah!"

She looked at the drawing in her hands. There were four people in the painting. 

A little kid was being held by a boy, and there were a woman and a man on their side. There were also some smaller details in the drawing. She didn't need to ask who they were, but she did nonetheless.

"Are these people our family?"

Nod Nod

The kid nodded his head.

"Yes! This is Ariyan, uncle, mama, and papa! And this is our house! And my teddy bear!"

"It is beautiful!"

She ruffled the kid's hairs.

"Did you draw it in the kindergarten?"

Nod Nod

"Everyone was drawing their family so I drew it as well!"

Alessia gave the drawing back to the kid.

"Do you enjoy your time in there?"

"Yes!"

"Have you found any friends?"

Nod Nod

The kid moved up his hands and showed all of his fingers.

"I've found thiiiiisssss many friends!"

Alessia's lips curled up into a beautiful smile. 

'As if you weren't the one who didn't want to go there at all and didn't need any friends!'

Since he returned from kindergarten the first day, he was so eager to go to the classes each day as if he wasn't the same kid who didn't let go of Kain's pants on the first day.

And of course, a part of it was due to the great sacrifice of Kairen, who was forced to sit on the bench in the yard of the kindergarten for the first few days by Ariyan until he caught a cold after three days and was in a fever for two whole days. 

"Have you shown it to papa and uncle as well?"

The kid excitedly nodded his head.

"Where are those two?"

"They said they would prepare dinner..."

"...."

Alessia's brows twitched.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes!"

Alessia ruffled his hair once again.

"Then, go draw something until I prepare our dinner."

"Yeeesss!"

The kid hugged his painting and ran to his room. 

"Really... they want to burn the house!"

While nagging under her lips, Alseeia rushed to save their house.