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MT - 84 Relieved
🕑 Added 2025-01-20 16:00:04 +0000 UTCAfter finishing the magic lesson, Roy turned his attention back to Rudeus and Eris, clearing his throat softly before announcing, "Next, it's time for reading and writing."
The moment those words left his lips, the smile on Eris's face vanished. Without a second thought, she bolted for the door.
Roy took a few steps forward, intercepting her path with an expressionless face. "And where do you think you're running off to?" he asked flatly.
Caught in his towering shadow, Eris avoided his gaze, fumbling for an excuse. "I, um… forgot something. I need to go grab it."
Roy let out a cold chuckle. Did she really think such a childish lie would fool him? He pointed to Rudeus. "Rudeus, go to my room and grab the book I left on the table."
Rudeus's eyes lit up with excitement. This was the first time he'd ever been entrusted with entering Roy's room alone.
A strange sense of exhilaration bubbled up in him, though as he walked away, a thought struck him. Why am I getting excited about a guy's room?
Straightening his expression into one of determination, Rudeus pounded his chest confidently, silently vowing to fulfill the task without fail.
Roy, unaware of the faintly mischievous look flickering across Rudeus's face, waved him off without much thought. If he had seen it, perhaps he would have reconsidered letting Rudeus into his sanctuary so lightly.
And so, while Roy focused his attention on Eris, Rudeus set off toward Roy's room, curiosity humming in his mind.
Roy's room, as it turned out, wasn't particularly special. It mirrored Rudeus's own in terms of decoration, though it did exude an air of precision and organization. His gaze wandered until it landed on the item Roy had described—a book resting neatly on the table.
But just as he was about to leave, something else caught his eye: a meticulously crafted figurine of Roxy perched on a shelf.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, perfectly modeled to scale. However, in Rudeus's mind, it couldn't quite compare to his future Sylphy.
Roxy-sensei is adorable, but isn't she a bit too… small? Whether in height or… other areas.
Casting a critical eye over the figurine, Rudeus couldn't resist evaluating it before quickly grabbing the book, rolling it up, and heading back. Staying any longer felt like courting danger.
A short while later, Rudeus returned, his expression tinged with something odd, as he handed the book to Roy.
Without sparing Rudeus another glance, Roy began teaching Eris.
Starting with the simplest concepts, he introduced her to numbers, explaining their meaning and guiding her through basic arithmetic.
The material itself wasn't difficult, but the process proved anything but smooth. Teaching a child had never been an easy task.
Roy sighed as he watched Eris's increasingly confused expression, tapping his chin in thought.
Then, his eyes shifted to Rudeus, who was lounging idly nearby. "You're helping too," Roy said casually.
And so, with the two of them alternating attempts to explain, Eris's patience eventually reached its breaking point.
Slamming her hands on the table, she shot up from her chair, glaring daggers at Rudeus. Grabbing him by the collar, her knuckles cracked ominously as she clenched her fists. Her expression turned ferocious as she growled, "You! I've had enough—I don't want to study anymore!"
Swallowing nervously, Rudeus forced a shaky smile that looked more like a grimace. "Um, Eris, it's not me teaching you… It's Roy!"
Eris ignored his plea, raising her voice even louder. "I said, I don't want to study anymore!"
Rudeus understood immediately. This wasn't really about him. She was using him as a proxy to express her frustration toward Roy.
But why me? Can't you express your feelings without scaring me to death?
Roy, observing the exchange, noticed Eris sneaking glances in his direction, clearly gauging his reaction.
Of course, he was aware of what she was doing. But still, he couldn't help feeling a bit unsettled.
Wasn't Eris supposed to be the type who acts without thinking? When did she start scheming like this?
Why is she playing mind games now?
Roy's lips twitched, a sigh slipping from him as he muttered, "Alright, Eris, let Rudeus go."
Eris hesitated, her fist still hovering dangerously close to Rudeus's face. She clearly wanted Roy's absolute affirmation, but under the oppressive aura of the "Demon King," she grudgingly unclenched her hand.
Rudeus exhaled deeply, relief washing over him. Once again, he had managed to survive another day.
Meanwhile, Eris sat with her head cradled in her hands, a defeated expression plastered on her face. It was almost comical to see someone so spirited looking utterly despondent.
For Eris, the current situation was bleak. She couldn't overpower Roy, nor could she escape him. It was the epitome of being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Eventually, Roy relented and let Eris go.
Watching her bolt out of the room like an arrow loosed from a bow, Roy found himself lost in thought.
At this rate, there's no point trying to drag her back for more lessons today.
That afternoon, Ghislaine appeared with a wooden sword in hand, ready to oversee their combat training.
As usual, most of her time was spent guiding Eris and Rudeus through their sparring sessions.
On the training ground, Ghislaine observed their movements closely, pointing out flaws in their stances and techniques.
Both were beginners, riddled with openings from head to toe. Ironically, their abundance of weaknesses made teaching them all the more challenging.
Ghislaine meticulously corrected everything from their footwork to their sword strikes. Eris, brimming with energy and raw potential, visibly benefited from the feedback.
Rudeus, however, struggled. Despite any progress he might have made, it was completely overshadowed by Eris's aggressive, overwhelming style. She dominated him with sheer presence alone.
With nothing better to do, Roy decided to practice controlling his mana.
He began channeling his mana into the ground, spreading it outward like a web.
The dark threads of mana seeped into the soil and expanded further and further, resembling tendrils of shadow spreading beneath the surface.
The process bore some resemblance to creating a magical field, though it lacked the overwhelming density and pressure of a true domain.
As his mana continued to spread, Roy began to sense something peculiar. The experience was akin to thermal imaging.
Through the feedback from his mana, he could discern the magical energy within living creatures in the surrounding area. Stronger beings radiated abundant mana, appearing as large black dots in his mental map.
Weaker creatures were reduced to faint white specks, while ordinary humans without notable magic potential didn't register at all—like empty blips in the void.
No magic to detect. Just blanks.
Of course, beings sensitive to mana could easily notice this intrusion. Destroying the probing mana threads in the ground would instantly nullify the effect.
Undeterred, Roy continued experimenting, testing the limits of how far his senses could extend.
Although the process wasn't particularly draining in the short term, expanding the range came with an exponential increase in mana consumption. Both the maintenance cost and the initial release of mana required were staggering.
Still, it served as an effective way for Roy to deplete his immense reserves.
Ghislaine, naturally perceptive, noticed Roy's subtle experimentation. She furrowed her brow in his direction, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly, but chose to remain silent. Her focus remained on guiding Eris and Rudeus with their swordsmanship.
By the time Ghislaine finished the training session, two hours had passed.
During that time, Roy's mana field had expanded to encompass the entirety of the Fittoa Territory.
Of course, out of everyone in the territory, only Ghislaine's formidable presence stood out on his map as anything noteworthy.
