She released me, albeit reluctantly, but the suspicion did not leave her face. I leaned back and held her gaze. "You remember I told you I was from another world, right?" She curtly nodded, saying nothing but quite eagerly awaiting my explanation. "That wasn't all there was to it. When I died, I was allowed to have one wish. I wished to become the strongest."
Her brow furrowed as the weight of my words settled upon her. I pressed on before she could interrupt. "To fulfill that wish, I was granted the ability to absorb the powers, skills, and experience of anyone I kill. That's how I've been growing stronger." There was silence on Silvia's part for a while.
Finally, she exhaled through her mouth and shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping. "So you're a living killing machine," she mumbled. Her eyes narrowed as she zeroed in again on me. "Did you take his powers? Malker, I mean?" "Pretty much," I groaned with a shrug, attempting to convince her it wasn't just as grim.
Her eyes darkened a bit, but before she could comment further, I switched to a more cheerful subject. "In any case, I have some good news for you." She blinked, taken aback by the abrupt change. "Good news?" she queried with wariness as I stood up and stretched. "When we hit the Adventurer's Guild, you might just have a little surprise waiting for you."
"A surprise?" she asked, now once again sullen and suspicious. "You'll see," I replied, leaving her something to wonder at and ponder upon. A few minutes passed when Silvia and I moved out to grab something to eat before making our way to the Adventurer's Guild. The streets were filled with people going this way and that, yet Silvia walked at a slow pace beside me as if her mind was slowly catching up.
As we approached the guild hall, we swung the door open, and people cheering inside could be heard. Each rank and size of the guild cheered and clapped enthusiastically. The loud noise frightened Silvia, and she stopped in her tracks. "What is this for?" she asked.
I smiled and said, "Killing the Bandit Captain was a major undertaking. He had threatened adventurers for more than ten years, killed thousands of men, women, and children, and destroyed lives and livelihoods. The people have been waiting for somebody to end his reign."
She opened her mouth when I said, "Oh, and by the way, we've been promoted. Each one of us went up a rank." Silvia blinked in shock, but instead of happiness, a shadow fell on her face as she lowered her head and shook it slowly. "I don't deserve that rank," she murmured bitter-sweet. "I lost that fight." I turned to face her, planting a hand on her shoulder to steady her.
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"Listen, losing a fight doesn't mean you're weak or unworthy. That doesn't mean you are the strongest by a long shot. What it shows is you can grow. And growth, that is what makes anybody truly strong." She looked up at me, her eyes searching for something, maybe reassurance or understanding.
"You have already worked hard to come this far, Silvia. This rank is not about being perfect; it's about recognizing your effort and potential. So don't dwell on the loss. Show everyone here that you are the hardworking woman who earned this." She fell silent for a moment. Then, the faintest smile flickered across her lips. "Thanks," she whispered almost inaudibly above the lively din of the guildhall.
I smiled slightly. She didn't seem to be accustomed to losing or to someone who might encourage her. Maybe I really did manage to change her outlook a little. "Sorry for snapping at you earlier," she said, silently crying her tears on the floor. She lowered her head to the ground. I comforted her by pulling her to my chest while she silently wept.
Day 40
We extended our stay in the capital by a few days simply because Silvia had gained this new sense of determination to train her swordsmanship before we moved on to the next destination. My words apparently had reached her, and now she was channeling every bit of her energy into perfecting herself. Each day was a routine of going to the training grounds, taking wooden swords, and sparring until her body dropped from exhaustion.
Her concentration never wavered, her movements getting sharper day by day. Meanwhile, I just stood there, nearly untouched by the exertion. My stamina was limitless; after hours of sparring, I felt like I could still run laps around the city walls and still not break a sweat. It was both a blessing and a curse. I wonder if my boundless energy made her even more frustrated.
Silvia always wore her mask well; a composed and calm face would pass before mine during our battles. Her strikes, however... revealed her anger and irritation. Power surged from them as if from an unfathomable rage, and for every strike that hurtled toward me, it felt as if I took that anger right out of her system. I didn't care. If this was how it kept her focused, I was okay with it.
She was improving well, really. Her steps were now accurate, while her strikes became quicker and heavier. With each successful hit at me, I sensed for a brief moment the hidden satisfaction she had not come out in the open and expressed. She had talent, no doubt about it. But it wasn't just talent driving her—it was her will to push past her limits, to transform her failures into strength.
I respect that, even if I ended up as her punching bag in the process. But today was the day we left behind all the noise of the busy capital and moved towards our new destination, the Yelarien Kingdom, the birthplace of magic. My excitement never let me go. I really wanted to learn magic; otherwise, I was not crossing my limit.
Silvia and I loaded my few belongings into my reliable magic pouch, a small, handy object that made the whole chore of traveling far less painful. Silvia seemed as collected and centered as ever but seemed interested when I spoke of the art of learning magic. She said little, but there was an impression that she was really excited about going to the land where magic was not just a tool but a lifestyle.
The spires of Erisnow slowly receded beyond our backs as we stepped out from between the city gates, yielding the open road and promise of something new. Another chapter of this adventure was about to begin, the journey to Yelarien.
END OF VOLUME 1