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He glanced at Freya before answering, “I confirm what I said before. Unless you plan to travel to another nation, this should be one of the best cities to settle in. In case of attack, or if you’re searching for a job related to the handling of ores and minerals, like a blacksmith or jeweler, Caldris would be better. For everything else, I believe this city is the right choice. The climate is also milder.”

“Isn’t it better to settle in Caldris then, if it’s safer?” I asked doubtfully. Finding the safest place possible should be the priority, given the state of the kingdom.

“In the eventuality of an attack, yes, but while I heard that Caldris is basically a fortress in the middle of the mountains, it’s not like this city is easy to attack. And considering that the Lord of Rivergate is part of the faction of the Lord of Caldris, and therefore under his protections, the probability of being attacked here is quite low anyway. I’d say it’s better to settle in this city, all things considered,” he explained.

“Fine,” I said.

Not like I had any argument against what he said.

The more I traveled, the more I felt my lack of knowledge. It didn’t feel good to always rely on what someone else said, and after we reach Caldris I’ll have to plan things by myself. I think that I’ll take up old man Markus on his offer if I can’t find anything better. Especially learning from his merchant friend.

If there were people who knew how to travel, those were merchants.

We then chatted some more before Zeph left to do his thing and I went up to our room with Freya.

When I entered, I opened the window, looking down. Our inn was on one of the side roads near the market and, while it wasn’t as crowded, there was still some noise coming in, though not enough to be annoying.

The temperature has considerably lowered now that we neared winter, but the sun still provided some warmth.

I turned towards Freya sitting on her bed and she looked at me calmly. She looked like she knew what I was going to say.

“I think it’s time to give me an answer, Freya. You’ve seen the city, you’ve heard Zeph’s opinion, and you’ve had time to think about it. You’ve also seen how not having a Class will cause problems, so keep that in mind.” It was an unexpectedly annoying discovery.

“If you choose to stay here, I think I’ll be able to find a good place for you and maybe a job too. There’s also a good chance that I’ll come back in a few months, so I’ll be able to check on how you’re doing,” I said while walking to my bed and sitting down in front of her. “So, what do you want to do?”

She didn’t answer right away, and I waited while we stared at each other.

“Can I ask something?” She asked a few seconds later.

“Sure,” I said with a nod.

She got a lot more comfortable with me these few months, but it was still rare for her to ask questions. We also didn’t have much time to just sit down and talk, since most of the time she was too tired and needed to sleep.

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It took a few more moments before she spoke. “Why do you want to teach me to fight?”

This question was somewhat unexpected.

“Why are you asking this?” I asked, since I was a bit confused by the question.

“If you teach me, can I become as strong as you?” she said, lowering her eyes to the floor, “You don’t have a Class, but everyone else has one. What if I can’t be like you? What if I stay weak? What if I find work here and something happens? I don’t want to be a slave again.”

She was wringing her hands, looking torn. I remember she already had her answer last time we talked, so maybe something changed her mind.

“I’m easily scared. I hate it,” she continued, and I could hear a slight trembling in her voice. “I hate feeling so weak. I’m also scared of fighting, but I don’t want to stay like this forever. I want to be strong, and I don’t want to feel so scared anymore.”

She looked back up at me.

“What should I do?” she asked me.

I thought for a while, trying to get the point of her ramblings, while she looked at me with an anxious expression.

“So you want my opinion to know if coming with me is the best thing you can do?” I asked to check if I had understood.

She nodded. “Yes.”

I could hear the tension in her voice.

I shrugged.

“Well, how would I know?” I said, stunning her.

It wasn’t the answer she expected, it seems.

I was the one who made the offer and I explained to her how I saw things, but that didn’t mean that what was good for me would apply to her too, and I wouldn’t force my way of life on her.

“I’m only giving you an opportunity, and it was something that I came up with in the spur of the moment, so it’s not like I had any grand plan when I asked you,” I explained. “Though I admit I’d be happy to have you around during my travels.”

And it will be entertaining to train her. I already had a lot of plans in my mind.

Maybe somewhere inside, I was also eager to have someone like me around — someone free from the church and the gods — that’s why I was considering this idea so seriously. It may have been one of the reasons at least.

“Of course, while it was an offer made on a whim, I’ll properly train you. And I will make you work hard, regardless of what you want to do. I’m also sure that, regardless of talent, my training will make you into a decent fighter.”

I then smirked. “It’s hard to reach my level, though; didn’t I already tell you how awesome I am? Even a tenth of my level is already amazing, you know.”

The real difference would be if she could evolve like me, but since I was the only case, I knew I couldn’t make any prediction.

And I had already thought about what to do in the worst-case scenario.

“Anyway, if you fail as a fighter, we’ll figure something out. In the worst case, if you don’t mind getting your head scrambled by the gods, you’ll take a Class in a few years and settle down somewhere. So long that you won’t use the skills I taught you, I won’t mind… not too much at least. You can then slowly pay back what I spent on you,” I said.

She may have a late start, but I don’t think that’s much of a problem in most cases. From what I gather, many people are satisfied in taking it slow, so if she puts in some effort she’ll be able to catch up in a short time.

“But… I’m really scared of fighting. Can I really do it?” she asked, unsure.

I snorted.

“Girl, I was terrified the first time I fought an opponent that wanted to kill me,” I told her. “Everyone is, the first time.”

I was also a few years younger than her when I had my first fight, but that’s not really relevant. I saw older people literally pissing themselves in fear.

“Trust me, after I’m done with, you’ll be the one scaring others. The only question you should ask yourself is: is it worth all the suffering?” I said. “Because, as I said, it’s not an easy path, and even if I decide you’re not made for this, it will still take years of suffering. And, as I said, I’ll be the one to decide when to stop.”

I don’t want to waste my time for nothing, so after I start I will see it to the end, be it failure or success.

“Now tell me then. Will you accept my training or not?” I asked her.

From her questions, I guessed she wanted to come, but it was time for a clear answer now. She had to make a decision.

Contrary to what I thought, she didn’t waste much time before answering.

“I accept.”

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