Kael and Beth occupied their seats at the quaint table nestled in the kitchen, sharing breakfast together. Over the past few days, Kael had gradually mastered the art of cooking blindfolded, and he now managed to complete the task in the same amount of time as he did prior to adopting the peculiar accessory.

"You know," Beth initiated the conversation, waving the spoon in her hand acting as an extension of her thoughts. "Your culinary skills have indeed progressed these past few days. However, you still look utterly ridiculous."

Kael swallowed the bite he had been savoring before responding. "Isn't this the outcome you desired? The entire purpose of our training sessions was to address my inadequate mana sense. You can't dispute the results, even if it wasn't your intention."

Beth animatedly wielded her spoon as she retorted, "True, but you look positively ludicrous, like some kind of devout monk. You can practice without the blindfold, you know."

Their playful banter persisted as they continued to enjoy their meal. As Kael cleared the table and Beth savored the last drops of her coffee, he noticed a shift in her demeanor. Her face morphed into a worried expression, and her body tensed.

"What's the matter?" Kael inquired.

"It appears we have an uninvited guest." she replied, her voice cold as ice.

Kael felt puzzled, as he hadn't sensed anyone nearby. However, he was well aware that Beth's capabilities far surpassed his own. She casually sipped her coffee, offering no further explanation, so Kael assumed it wasn't cause for concern. If she required his assistance, she would inform him. He resumed his chores, leaving the matter behind.

As Kael practiced new shaping exercises, he spotted a group of seven men on horseback approaching the clinic. It was highly unusual to see such a large party on horseback within the village, as no one could afford so many horses. These men must have come from another place. Kael surmised that these strangers were the uninvited guests Beth had alluded to earlier.

Though Kael suspected he was being overly cautious, he grabbed his spear before joining Beth in the lobby. She was already there, poised to greet the unexpected arrivals. As the group reached the clinic, one man dismounted and strode towards the entrance, while the others remained with their steeds.

The door creaked open, and an imposing figure, enshrouded in a voluminous gray cloak, stepped through. The man's immense size nearly engulfed the doorway. He halted upon catching sight of Beth and slowly raised his hands to unveil his face. As his hood fell away, it revealed a weathered visage marred by a jagged scar that cut through his left eye, accompanied by a short, brown beard. His hair was a mix of brown and gray, the latter forming a prominent streak.

"So, you were here," his deep voice resonated throughout the room. "You cannot fathom the difficulties I've endured searching for you."

"Nobody requested your efforts!" Beth retorted angrily, brandishing her walking stick. "What in blazes do you think you're doing here, you lumbering buffoon?"

The man drew in a deep breath before replying, "Look, Isolde, I—"

"It's Beth," she interrupted tersely.

"Beth?" He echoed, a puzzled tone coloring his voice.

"Beth. My name," she clarified with an air of authority.

"Alright. Beth, you cannot comprehend the depth of my concern for you. Receiving your letter and discovering that you were safe filled me with relief. I was equally overjoyed to learn that you still cared. I scoured the kingdom in search of you and am grateful to have finally found you."

Kael's thoughts raced, trying to piece together the enigma that was this man. Was he Beth's former lover? He appeared considerably younger than her—perhaps by a decade or two. Yet, they cared for one another? And he had been searching for her all these years? The tension Kael had previously experienced dissipated, replaced by an overwhelming curiosity.

Beth's demeanor suggested she was on the verge of striking the man with her walking stick. "You know full well that I didn't want you to find me! I've severed all ties with that life. Now leave at once!"

However, the man merely sighed, a wistful expression on his face. "Let's at least converse for a while. It might be best if the child departed. Can he manage on his own? He appears to be blind."

Embarrassment flooded Kael as he registered the man's misunderstanding. He began to think that perhaps Beth was right, and he did indeed appear absurd with the blindfold. Reluctantly, he removed it.

Beth chuckled at her disciple's discomfort. "He's not blind. And my apprentice may hear anything you wish to say."

The mysterious man's jaw dropped in astonishment. "An—an apprentice? After all these years, you finally took on an apprentice? Why now?"

Beth chose not to respond. "Send your henchmen away; they'll only deter potential patients. We can converse in the kitchen over tea." She cast a meaningful glance at Kael, who understood her request and left to prepare tea for them. "The lobby isn't suitable for such discussions."

With a dismissive wave, Beth shooed the man away and retreated into the kitchen. He shook his head, following her lead after addressing his comrades. Once they were alone in the kitchen, Kael couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Who is he? A past lover of yours?" Kael whispered, ensuring no one else would overhear.

Beth brandished her walking stick, which Kael narrowly dodged on reflex. "Silence!" she hissed. "Mocking is the mentor's prerogative, not the disciple's. I'll introduce you soon. Though I must admit, the timing isn't ideal…" Her voice trailed off.

She seated herself at the table and began tapping her fingers impatiently. The man reentered the kitchen moments later, taking a seat opposite Beth. As Kael placed a cup before each of them, he deftly poured the tea he'd prepared, grateful that a touch of magic had hastened the brewing process.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

The scene before Kael was undeniably comical: a diminutive elderly woman seated opposite a veritable giant. The man appeared to barely fit in the chair, rendering the entire arrangement reminiscent of a grown man perched at a child's play kitchen set. His colossal hands made the delicate teacup seem even more tiny.

Beth took a hearty gulp of tea before addressing the pair. "Well, Kael, this is Zan. Zan, meet my apprentice, Kael. Care to explain your presence here?"

Kael was taken aback by what he'd just heard. The name Zan resonated with memories from his past life—Grand General Zan. He never met him himself, but the man was a legend among the soldiers with whom he'd fought, embodying the epitome of a formidable warrior. Renowned for his steely resolve and unwavering principles, he was deeply admired by all who had served under him. Could this man truly be the same Zan?

Responding to Beth's inquiry, Zan said, "After receiving your letter, I deemed it necessary to gather more information on the situation. Surely, you wouldn't have written without just cause. I must admit, though, I am surprised to discover you've taken on an apprentice. How old is he? Has he been with you long?"

Beth nonchalantly shrugged. "He's been with me for a few months. As for his age, I believe he's five? When do you turn six?" she directed the question at Kael.

"In a couple of weeks, I think. I should probably plan to visit my family then."

Beth nodded in agreement.

Zan remarked, "So young. Is he gifted?"

Beth chuckled, clearly amused. "You have no idea. Care for a sparring match with him? I assure you it will be quite the spectacle."

"What? Spar with a mage? Even if he is a prodigy, he's just a child, and mages are at a disadvantage in one-on-one situations."

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Kael interjected, "Excuse me. When you say Zan, do you mean Grand General Zan?"

“Did Iso- I mean Beth, already inform you then? Yes, I am the current Grand General."

Kael's confusion only deepened as his suspicions were confirmed. What business did the Grand General have here? As the highest-ranking member of the kingdom's army, the title required exceptional leadership, unparalleled strategic acumen, and immense prowess in battle. Yet, here he was, seated at Beth's table and even displaying deference towards her.

Who exactly was Beth? In fact, was that even her real name? It seemed unlikely. What had the Grand General called her earlier? Isolde? He'd have to interrogate her about that later. Kael shook his head, attempting to dispel the whirlwind of thoughts. For now, he resolved to concentrate on brewing tea. Wait—had she mentioned something about sparring with him?

"Kael, you fashioned some practice weapons a while back, didn't you? Fetch them so you two can have a proper bout."

Zan heaved a sigh and swiftly drained the remainder of his tea. "Very well, I'll indulge you in this little game. But afterward, I expect you to lend me your ear."

"Agreed, agreed. I'll tolerate your whining for a spell," she replied, rising from her seat. Kael dashed to his room to retrieve a wooden spear and sword before joining the duo in the backyard. Beth deftly returned the stone targets and pillars to the ground, erasing all evidence of the training session that had transpired days earlier.

Kael handed the wooden sword to Zan and positioned himself roughly two meters away. Beth maintained a considerable distance, and Kael could sense her conjuring a barrier around them. It appeared to have a radius of about ten meters, with them at the epicenter.

"This will shield my property from you unruly beasts, so feel free to unleash your full potential. The match continues until one of you concedes or is incapacitated. Kael, employ every trick up your sleeve. Since you're already familiar with Zan, you know there's no need to show him mercy. Ready? Commence!"

The moment the word escaped her lips, Kael diminished the force of gravity on himself, infused his legs with aura, and propelled himself toward his adversary. Once airborne, he returned his gravity to normal and thrust his aura-charged spear toward Zan's head.

With impressive speed, Zan tilted his head aside and sidestepped, pivoting to face Kael in the process. His expression morphed into one of astonishment. "Oh? What do we have here?"

As soon as he evaded the spear, a pair of mana arrows streaked toward Zan from behind. Detecting the projectiles, he continued his pivot and expertly deflected each arrow with a swift swing of his sword.

As Kael touched the ground with his feet, he spun and charged at Zan. By the time he closed in, Zan had completed his spin and confronted him once more. Kael swept his spear upward, which Zan narrowly dodged by stepping back. However, when the wooden spear's tip aligned with Zan's face, Kael unleashed a blade of aura from it.

Zan's reflexes were nothing short of extraordinary, as he snapped his head back, narrowly avoiding the blade of aura that had occupied the same space just an instant earlier. "Aura extension?" he inquired, his tone laced with bewilderment.

Kael planted his feet and unleashed a torrent of jabs at Zan, who deflected each strike with nimble, concise swings of his wooden sword. Kael readied a decisive thrust aimed at Zan's head once more. Simultaneously, an explosion erupted just behind Zan, propelling him slightly forward as Kael's spear hurtled toward him. Somehow, he managed to maintain his balance and twisted his body just in time to evade the spear.

However, the spear's ethereal extension, a pale blue, ghostly blade, managed to leave a shallow gash on Zan's cheek. In response, Zan swiftly raised his leg and brought it down with monumental force. The ground erupted on impact, sending debris and Kael hurtling away.

Twisting his body in mid-flight, Kael managed to land on his feet, skidding across the ground as he absorbed his momentum. Upon regaining his footing, he channeled his aura and swung his spear before him three times. With each arc, a crescent of ghostly light hurtled from the spear's tip toward Zan. Simultaneously, Kael launched an array of stone arrows from various angles around his adversary.

In a blur of movement, Zan evaded all the stone arrows while his sword clashed with the oncoming aura blades. His aura-infused wooden sword scattered the mana that formed the blades upon impact. Once Kael's barrage of attacks had been neutralized, the two combatants locked gazes for a brief moment.

"Aura manifestation, huh?" Zan mused. "You use it well, let's see how well you can defend against it."

With a series of lightning-fast swings, Zan unleashed several aura blades, each accompanied by a thunderous boom. To Kael, they appeared so closely spaced that they formed a radiant net of light. Thinking quickly, Kael twirled his wooden spear and fortified it with as much aura as he could muster, deflecting the aura blades in the same manner Zan had done earlier.

As Kael parried the final blade, he realized Zan had been holding back. With his modest aura reserves, Kael would normally have been no match for someone of Zan's caliber.

In an instant, Zan closed the distance between them, and before Kael’s body could react, delivered a powerful blow to his abdomen, launching him into the air. As he soared, Kael felt another crushing impact to his gut, and his trajectory abruptly shifted downward.

Kael's body slammed into the earth, the impact forcing the breath from his lungs. Though his aura had shielded him and Zan had been merciful, the inability to breathe rendered Kael incapable of continuing the fight.

As he sat up, gasping for air, Beth approached, allowing the protective barrier to dissipate. "So, what do you think?" she inquired, a smug expression gracing her features.

Zan regarded her with a serious expression and replied, "Just... Just what kind of monster are you creating?"