After lunch , Marcus took his son out for some sword practice while Reshia stayed behind with Faith so they could talk about magic spells and all the latest developments. Though the man had injuries on his body , this was only light training he could manage.

Marcus and Raul stood in the backyard, holding wooden swords. Marcus moved through a few simple stances, showing Raul how to position his feet and hold the weapon.

“Keep your feet steady,” Marcus said, glancing at Raul. “Don’t let them slide around, or you’ll lose your balance.”

Raul nodded and copied him, his face scrunched up in focus. They practiced for a while, moving through basic strikes and blocks. Raul had a natural knack for it, but his movements weren’t as sharp as his magic.

Marcus stopped and rested his sword on his shoulder. “Take a break, son.”

Raul dropped his sword and flopped onto the grass with a loud sigh, wiping sweat from his face.

“Finally,” he groaned, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.

Even though he had the Console , his physical stats had remained the same. He would soon need to find a spell that could fix this but unfortunately he hadn’t seen any matching that description in the Spell Store.

The Spell Store only updated when Raul witnessed a new spell being cast. Once he saw a mage perform , then the Console would automatically make that spell available in the Spell Store and Raul could download it provided it was compatible with his Console level. There were a few exceptions though , since the Spell Store did have a few spells that Raul had never seen before.

If he could get Reshia to demonstrate a strengthening or healing spell , then that would be very helpful.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Marcus chuckled and sat down next to him, stretching his legs out. “So,” he said, leaning back on his hands, “what have you been up to while I’ve been gone?”

“Mostly reading,” Raul said, still lying flat on his back. “Mom gave me a bunch of books and wouldn’t let me skip any of them. She kept checking to make sure I actually read them, too.”

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. “That’s what you get for showing her you’ve got a gift for magic. Now she’s never going to leave you alone about it.”

Raul sat up, grinning. “She’s tough.”

“That’s her way of showing she cares,” Marcus said, giving his son a small smile. “And she’s right to push you.”

Raul looked down, brushing grass off his hands.

Marcus leaned back on his hands, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he looked at Raul, still sprawled out on the grass.

“So,” Marcus started, his tone light, “how’s it going with the ladies?”

Raul blinked, caught completely off guard. “What?”

“You heard me,” Marcus said with a chuckle. “When I was your age, I was already causing a ruckus back in my village. Girls couldn’t resist this face.” He pointed at himself with a wide grin.

Raul made a face. “That’s hard to imagine.”

“Hey!” Marcus said, pretending to be offended. “This face got your mother, didn’t it?”

Raul hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh… I don’t really know what to say. I’ve never really thought about it.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Never thought about it? Come on, you’re telling me there’s not one girl who’s caught your eye?”

Raul thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Well… Reshia’s kind of cute, I guess.”

Marcus burst out laughing. “Reshia? Now that’s aiming high! I like it.”

Raul quickly waved his hands. “No, no, no. It’s not like that! She’s way older than me. She probably just sees me as some kid.”

Marcus leaned forward, grinning. “Raul, aiming for a girl like Reshia is exactly the right way to think. Don’t waste your time with small dreams.”

Raul groaned, covering his face. “Why did I even say anything?” This was not the advice father’s were supposed to give.

Marcus smirked and nudged him with an elbow. “Alright, if Reshia’s out, what about Aisha? The neighbor’s daughter? She’s about your age, isn’t she?”

Raul shrugged again. “I don’t know. I hardly ever leave the house, so I don’t really see her.”

Marcus paused, then scratched the back of his head. “Huh. What am I even doing? I’m supposed to be teaching my son how to fight.”

“Alright, forget all that,” Marcus said, standing and brushing off his pants. “Get up , we will continue training.”

Raul groaned but pulled himself to his feet.