"What is the point of being a mage if you don't cast spells? Should you wait for everyone to gang up on you? Or were you foolish enough to think they would let you go after winning?"

Seemingly without worth, Saleh was looking at the ground. Fidgeting with his left foot.

"Best case scenario would be to release small-scale magic to attack your opponent. When negotiations broke down, you wouldn't be given time to cast. While mana management is important, so too is efficiently using it. Since you lack the talent, firing a shot that would miss the intended target would be fine. None the wiser."

Jessica seemed to be a little lost. She understood most of what he said. However, the meaning of the words in a sentence became shrouded.

"Teacher, if I did that, they too would be able to dodge. What use is it if my opponents could dodge it. That would just waste my mana."

Realization started to dawn on her.

"Those watching would have been hit the first time. Possibly the second. In a one on one, never stop observing your surroundings. There is no such thing as a fair duel. At any time or any place, something or someone can join at any time."

Seeing some hesitation, he looked over at Jessica before smiling. The smile was not a pleasant thing to see.

"Did you think if you held back, it would prolong the duel? That way, she wouldn't be affected by your actions? Naive. I can tell you this, you two might work well together, but if push came to shove, would you abandon your own life for her?"

Hearing this, Jessica seemed a bit offended. Although, at the same time, his words were very valid.

"Never depend on anyone else. The only person who will ever be trustworthy is yourself. Maybe down the line, you can trust each other. At the moment, it is far too soon."

Jessica found what he said to be problematic. Thinking it over, she couldn't help but ask, "You say to never trust. Then, say it's too soon to trust?"

Without answering, Everblood looked at his student. Not needing any signals, "Teacher always says, look for answers yourself. Never take anything anyone says as your truth. As one man's treasure can be another's trash. So, too, can one man's truth be another's lie."

Seeing the strange expression, he couldn't help but speak once more, "Don't look at it as if it has deep meaning. Teacher's lessons are generally straightforward. The best example I can come up with is parents."

As he paused to deliberate on his words, he failed to notice the strange look he was given by both his teacher and Jessica. Weirder still was the emotions in the eavesdropping Leo.

"For you and other people, parents can be seen as trustworthy. Most will try to be filial. However strange, it might be. Other people have no respect for their parents. Other's like me don't have much of an opinion as they have very limited knowledge of them."

"There are world laws. And there are life laws. World laws are like gravity and mana. They exist outside each individual person and coexist alongside us. They don't shift or break regardless of who you are."

Probably not knowing himself, there was a tiny iota of a complex emotion on his face, "Life laws differ. They are laws found by each individual. These laws hold true while being able to be broken or bent. Laws that are found to be true to that individual alone. Another way of saying, these are the laws that person lives by. This determines the way they think or act."

Seeing the blank looks he was given... Pausing, he looked at his teacher.

Sighing, Everblood spoke in a bit of a quiet voice, "My parents died when I was ten."

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he turned to look at Jessica. She had a deadpan expression by this point, "I am an orphan.” Looking down at her hand, “Leo has been an orphan for two life times."

Seeing the two turn around and leave. He felt a bit helpless. It's not like he wanted to bring up these things. Letting out a soundless sigh.

Everblood once again disappeared. However, they both knew why. As they closed in on Mercury City, the number of vagrants and bandits increased. Many that fled were angry. It wasn’t easy to survive in Mercury City. There was not a small number, in fact, the number was father large. Countless people had been forced to leave.

Bandits themselves were annoyed. If they traveled south, prey was very easy. So too was coming across soldiers. Here, they played on a tightrope. Pick the wrong target and be reminded why you were what you were.

Vagrants sometimes fled to find a way of life they could accept. Others couldn't control their anger. These rogue individuals were like the vagabonds they just met.

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

Some caused trouble as they headed south. Others became vagabonds that had given up finding a place to call home. Either way, what the two needed to overcome was constantly getting worse.

"What is the point of being a mage if you don't cast spells? Should you wait for everyone to gang up on you? Or were you foolish enough to think they would let you go after winning?"

Seemingly without worth, Saleh was looking at the ground. Fidgeting with his left foot.

"Best case scenario would be to release small-scale magic to attack your opponent. When negotiations broke down, you wouldn't be given time to cast. While mana management is important, so too is efficiently using it. Since you lack the talent, firing a shot that would miss the intended target would be fine. None the wiser."

Jessica seemed to be a little lost. She understood most of what he said. However, the meaning of the words in a sentence became shrouded.

"Teacher, if I did that, they too would be able to dodge. What use is it if my opponents could dodge it. That would just waste my mana."

Realization started to dawn on her.

"Those watching would have been hit the first time. Possibly the second. In a one on one, never stop observing your surroundings. There is no such thing as a fair duel. At any time or any place, something or someone can join at any time."

Seeing some hesitation, he looked over at Jessica before smiling. The smile was not a pleasant thing to see.

"Did you think if you held back, it would prolong the duel? That way, she wouldn't be affected by your actions? Naive. I can tell you this, you two might work well together, but if push came to shove, would you abandon your own life for her?"

Hearing this, Jessica seemed a bit offended. Although, at the same time, his words were very valid.

"Never depend on anyone else. The only person who will ever be trustworthy is yourself. Maybe down the line, you can trust each other. At the moment, it is far too soon."

Jessica found what he said to be problematic. Thinking it over, she couldn't help but ask, "You say to never trust. Then, say it's too soon to trust?"

Without answering, Everblood looked at his student. Not needing any signals, "Teacher always says, look for answers yourself. Never take anything anyone says as your truth. As one man's treasure can be another's trash. So, too, can one man's truth be another's lie."

Seeing the strange expression, he couldn't help but speak once more, "Don't look at it as if it has deep meaning. Teacher's lessons are generally straightforward. The best example I can come up with is parents."

As he paused to deliberate on his words, he failed to notice the strange look he was given by both his teacher and Jessica. Weirder still was the emotions in the eavesdropping Leo.

"For you and other people, parents can be seen as trustworthy. Most will try to be filial. However strange, it might be. Other people have no respect for their parents. Other's like me don't have much of an opinion as they have very limited knowledge of them."

"There are world laws. And there are life laws. World laws are like gravity and mana. They exist outside each individual person and coexist alongside us. They don't shift or break regardless of who you are."

Probably not knowing himself, there was a tiny iota of a complex emotion on his face, "Life laws differ. They are laws found by each individual. These laws hold true while being able to be broken or bent. Laws that are found to be true to that individual alone. Another way of saying, these are the laws that person lives by. This determines the way they think or act."

Seeing the blank looks he was given... Pausing, he looked at his teacher.

Sighing, Everblood spoke in a bit of a quiet voice, "My parents died when I was ten."

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he turned to look at Jessica. She had a deadpan expression by this point, "I am an orphan.” Looking down at her hand, “Leo has been an orphan for two life times."

Seeing the two turn around and leave. He felt a bit helpless. It's not like he wanted to bring up these things. Letting out a soundless sigh.

Everblood once again disappeared. However, they both knew why. As they closed in on Mercury City, the number of vagrants and bandits increased. Many that fled were angry. It wasn’t easy to survive in Mercury City. There was not a small number, in fact, the number was father large. Countless people had been forced to leave.

Bandits themselves were annoyed. If they traveled south, prey was very easy. So too was coming across soldiers. Here, they played on a tightrope. Pick the wrong target and be reminded why you were what you were.

Vagrants sometimes fled to find a way of life they could accept. Others couldn't control their anger. These rogue individuals were like the vagabonds they just met.

Some caused trouble as they headed south. Others became vagabonds that had given up finding a place to call home. Either way, what the two needed to overcome was constantly getting worse.

Food was no longer abundant. Hunting was more likely to kill you than you kill it. To preserve their energy, maybe to even help motivate them. Everblood would return to the city and gather enough supplies to last the moment.

Neither of the two could explain. Jessica felt she could understand the principle behind it. Unfortunately, having never gotten any explanation. She was simply too weak to comprehend what she was feeling. Having discussed a few times with Leo, it appeared this had something to do with that vote.

Leo seemed to understand more, however, there was much that would need to be explored. When they received the last name Everwood, so too was a power given to them. No matter how she tried, this power was too heavy to bother with her.

While being her own. This power didn’t originate from her. It was clearly given. Therefore, if Leo was right, it had something to do with the Will of the World.

Food was no longer abundant. Hunting was more likely to kill you than you kill it. To preserve their energy, maybe to even help motivate them. Everblood would return to the city and gather enough supplies to last the moment.

Neither of the two could explain. Jessica felt she could understand the principle behind it. Unfortunately, having never gotten any explanation. She was simply too weak to comprehend what she was feeling. Having discussed a few times with Leo, it appeared this had something to do with that vote.

Leo seemed to understand more, however, there was much that would need to be explored. When they received the last name Everwood, so too was a power given to them. No matter how she tried, this power was too heavy to bother with her.

While being her own. This power didn’t originate from her. It was clearly given. Therefore, if Leo was right, it had something to do with the Will of the World.