“Oi Eden!” Kyrion caught up to the green-haired girl who was still running away from the building. Well, more jogging, and to someone with his physique, it was as if they were moving in slow motion.

“I’m done. Nope, monsters are scary. That thing just broke the air. I can’t even fight with what I have.”

“You can’t fight as you are. There is a difference. Very few who gain a gift like this start off killing rabbits. That’s around three to four months in. Unless we were to follow Gamodren’s method, my teacher was not a patient person.” Kyrion yawned.

“But I’ll still have to fight monsters.” Eden crossed her arms.

“You’ll have to learn how to fight monsters. Learn enough to at least survive on your own and then find the path you want to take. You now have access to your mana, whatever you want to do after your training is your decision. Just like my goal of becoming a healer. In a time of war I’ll be a high priority target. Bringing powerful warriors back from the brink is my role and it’s a rare one. A pure magic affinity is rare worldwide, ever since the great elven genocide that led to the inhabitability of their home continent, followed by sporadic birthrates and interbreding with other races for survival.”

“So what are you saying….”

“I don’t remember.” Kyrion paused as he scratched his chin.

“You’re crazy.” Finally, Eden had come to a realization.

“No no, I was onto something but the knowledge wasn’t all there… Your vagabond of an uncle, do you remember his name?”

“Uncle Augustus, but he left a long time before I was even born. Before my parents met, I don’t even know what he looks like.”

“Is that so…Wait.” Kyrion’s right eye twitched though something didn’t feel quite right about the statement.

“So, what does all that mean?”

“Hair color says alot about heritage. I’ve seen quite a few people with green hair as of late. It could be a coincidence. Anyhow, you need to meet Cecil now, he’s in the lab building. I imagine it’s where you’re going to spend the majority of your time for the remainder of your stay here.”

“So where does your red come from?”

“A seafaring nation that had been sent to the bottom of the ocean. The survivors became mercenaries and traveling guards. Apparently my great grandmother is where this trait originated, and from there it was passed down. It used to be a color synonymous with war and as such now it’s quite rare.”

“And my green?”

“You’ll have to ask someone with more knowledge. I learned this from a lecture Thalia gave me. I was testing a mind enhancement potion she made and now I’m full of incomplete ideas.”

“Did the potion work?”

“Debatable. It worked on the other two test subjects as intended and I learned a bit. So… Oh look, we’re here.” Kyrion stopped outside a large stone building with various people going in and out.

The entry resembled that of a large warehouse. Only instead of cargo being prepped, it held various tools for oddities. Cecil called some cannons, which apparently could be used to tear big things down. Due to enchantments, this tool is incapable of killing anyone directly, using a similar enchantment to the mining equipment sold to the now-deceased captain.

“So what’s with all this metal.” Eden examined a device with a chain surrounding a metal oval. A series of metal blades covered the outside of the chain. A blue box with a handle holding everything together.

“These are tools made by Cecil. Apparently they are supposed to help him bridge a gap and get people used to magical technology.”

“And who is Cecil.” Kyrion pointed into the garage.

A young man in a long, thin white coat stood in front of a large blue circle. Inside the magic circle was a suite of golden armor currently unoccupied. Runes and magical lettering floated about and fused to the structure. Lines upon lines were stacked until the surface was fully colored.

“Enchant! Come alive oh armor of ancients and protect your wearer!” Cecil crossed his right hand over his left and struck an odd pose as he started yelling.

Kyrion eyed the armor suspiciously. “Helping my enemies huh?”

“Enemy?” Eden seemed confused.

“Don’t worry about it. He should be done.” Kyrion entered the lab and approached the magical circle with confidence.

The light show ended, and Kyrion examined the armor questioningly.

“So, what’s this?”

“I got a special work order. A rush job from the headmaster who payed double my fee. Apparently the owner needed something to protect against armor forming into a ball of dense metal because iron sand surrounded it. Along with enduring twenty tons of brute strength without breaking.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Ah.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know about that would you?”

“Aye.” Kyrion didn’t elaborate.

“Not even going to give me a hint? That’s fine.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Kyrion held his chest.

“Mr. Kyrion what are you going on about?” Eden asked.

“He knows the answer. People saw me do something and now they’re trying to prepare. Cecil, I got quite a bit stronger after my trip so know that I have ways of getting past armor very easily.”

“Figured as much. Sadly they didn’t pay for an anti-teleportation enchantment so they’re kinda stuck. Such things are expensive to make, niche and annoying to get right.”

“Great.” Kyrion squinted.

“Anyhow, I’ve already had the Suemoxide device removed from your prisoner. An infection using a magic tattoo set to move through nerves like a snake into the victim’s brain before consuming everything and vanishing to the Abyss. Quite insidious, had Exac look at her along with Thalia and Perana.”

Kyrion growled. Perena was Kyrion’s rival student in Exac’s classes. She was a focused healer with little to no combat experience. Perena wouldn’t last long on a battlefield, but she also wouldn’t be anywhere near one. She was also more effective at treating life-threatening ailments with surgeries. But, like Nicole, Kyrion felt that predatory aura around her, along with something darker. More malevolent and clearly murderous.

“Anyhow she’s in recovery and I’m busy. They paid for a masterpiece. I’ll give them a masterpiece.” Cecil stated.

“Huh. Can I try to break it?”

“Excuse me?” Eden looked at the tall, well-mannered blond man with glasses and then at the wild red-haired Kyrion.

Cecil ignored the kid, pulled a blue runic block from a stack, and placed it inside the armor. “Nope. You wouldn’t like it if I sold your weaknesses to your enemy and built them a weapon that drained your mana, poisoned you and shut off your regeneration. It would also appear in the form of a tangerine. For you to eat of your own volition as well.”

“Ah right Cecil, I know someone who would be a great candidate for your harem.” Kyrion changed the subject.

“Kyrion. If you say it’s that girl right there I’ll punch you with all the strength I have. Did you rob an orphanage or something?” Cecil said bluntly.

“That isn’t it, although she already said no. I even brought up the free house.”

“You’re the one spreading that rumor? So many girls have come to me expecting houses and to be pampered with my vast wealth. All my money goes into experiments and debt...Do you know what a harem is? Also I need to be dense. If I know their attention is on me then it isn’t right.” Cecil looked away.

“A harem is made up of people who really like each other. Isn’t it like a group of friends? Just made with one word.” Kyrion stated as though that was a fact.

“I guess that makes sense. Must mean two different things.” Eden paused and thought for a moment.

“Anyhow, she’s to learn under you. Think of it as returning an investment. I pay for your research and you’ll help me out every now and then. Right now I need you to take her as an apprentice.”

“Kyrion. If I take a student then it means that I lose my protagonist status.”

“Cecil, you’re the protagonist of your own story. I’m giving you someone who will look up to you and treat you as a mentor. She can be the candy character.”

“Cand… Kyrion? I’ll accept her as a student but you need to stop using words you heard me use to describe stuff.”

“What do you mean?” Kyrion smiled mischievously.

“You know what I mean. Anyhow show me what you got kid. Impress me.”

Eden looked towards the hills and then back at Cecil. “I can’t do anything impressive.”

“She was awakened about thirty minuets ago.”

“Can you read?”

“Eh….” Eden shook her hand a little.

“How about mathematics?”

“Sounds evil.” Eden replied.

“It is. Did you know that a pound of bricks weighs the same as a pound of feathers? And if you drop them from the same height and equalize wind resistance, they will both land at the same time?” A black cat with a tophat answered. They were currently lying on a desk with various notes and books scattered about.

“Ahhh! Hearsay!” Eden’s broom appeared from out of nowhere and found itself headed toward the talking cat.

From a resting position, the cat dodged the clumsy maneuver while flipping in mid-air and landing on another desk in a similar state of disorder.

“That cat just talked. Cats don’t talk.” Eden had begun to lose her grasp on reality. None of her parents or fellow villagers had magic, so seeing so much in one day was starting to get to her.

“Some do, Little Sammy here loves breaking people’s perception of the world.”

“Why does the cat have a hat?”

“He took to wearing it. It’s not real. That’s how it stays attached even when its evading brooms. Please don’t swing brooms at the resers tables. If you want to become a janitor then you’ll need to learn some disipline.”

“But I don’t want to become a janitor. I want to use magic.”

“Huh?” Cecil raised an eyebrow.

“What does sweeping have to do with magic?”

“I don’t know. A janitor is a third tier mage the equivalent to an expert in spirit mastery in some ways. Since where I’m from Janitors are responsible for protecting the world from extradimensional threats.”

“You lost her. Anyhow, teach her the basics. I sense someone rapidly approaching my position with killing intent.”

“What?” Eden asked as she watched Kyrion run through the wall and vanish, the wall fully intact.

“I wonder if he’d let me use that.” Cecil turned around, looking at the pupil forced onto him.

“Is he insane?” Eden asked.

“He’s a few screws short of a dresser. Though his heart is mostly in the right place.”

“Is my new armor done?” Asked a figure clad in golden armor standing near the doorway.

“No. I have a few more finishing touches. Come back in the afternoon, Amadeus. A watched pot never boils after all.”

“It does when I cook. Have it done by one.”

“Do you want it good? Or do you want it strong enough to survive Kyrion’s brute strength.”

“Fine, I’ll be back at night.”

“Hey, you’re that gold person from before!” Eden pointed at the armored figure that had entered the lab.

“Ah. So he has spies here now. What depths will that coward stoop to. Just for an edge over me.”

“Mr.Kyrion is not a coward.” Eden stomped her foot.

“Then why hasn’t he accepted any of my challenges?”

“Because in a peaceful world he’d have been a pacifist. But no, this world is warlike and it’s clear that the idea of fighting is hammered into the young while they’re still developing. Kids are pushed into a world where the weak are at the mercy of those with power. Even still Kyrion desires to be a healer above all else. Since fighting isn’t something he likes doing he avoids it when possible and when he has to. He doesn’t enjoy it like you and others who fight for rank. Fighting him won’t be fun, people like us choose to be efficient rather than honorable.” Cecil adjusted his glasses.

“So you’re defending him?” Amadeus growled.

“If you want to fight him, then you need to get him angry enough. To get him angry you’d have to hurt one of his friends or steal his lunch. Just saying, we aren’t weak so doing so will be a risky business.” Cecil got back to work, and Amadeus left.

“Did you give him a reason to attack me?” Eden asked with a scowl.

“They won’t attack you. The current number one wouldn’t resort to attacking little kids. They want a fight not a blood feud. Now let’s get your training started. It appears you’re stuck with that broom. You should at least learn how to sweep properly.”