historical

Aiden looked at his cute little servant, Galina a while longer, trying to calm the torment of emotions still storming inside his heart. Even though he knew, he understood with his mind that what the girls have advised was the correct, safer path, his heart just couldn't agree to it.

He wanted to be close by, and give it his all, in case of whatever problem would arise. This girl is doing something that is not just incredibly dangerous, and equally as risky, but unlike him, she had no proper guidance on how to approach such a subject.

She was basically winging it, going forward by feeling alone. This may have miraculously worked for her for the time being, but what if something unforeseen would happen? What if she runs out of mana to convert? What would happen then? Could she end the session normally, or would she suffer some kind of backlash?

Understanding his worries, Enya's voice came to his mind once again.

'[As I said before, you can relax Aiden. There is no need to worry. Even if this process is not something that should have happened, it is not a bad thing. What she is doing is actually beneficial to herself. By converting the mana in her body, she is naturally evolving herself. She would no longer rely on that source of low-quality energy but instead will use [Soul Power] in the future.

Not to mention she would be closer to the elements she has an affinity towards, and she would also be able to use much less of her new reserves for the same effect. Also, she would be able to sustain her illusion much longer, turning it from a ticking time bomb, into a reliable effect. At the same time, the effect would be much stronger, causing it that even those much more advanced in the terms of the mystic arts would have trouble seeing through her disguise.]' She explained, attempting to calm the boy down.

'But..' Aiden tried to argue, but before he could come up with an argument, he was cut short as Enya continued further.

'[If anything bad happens, we will be able to handle it. Just go on, and get back to the other ones, they are probably waiting for you. Also, you should find that brown-haired human boy as well. I couldn't feel him in the inn last night at all.]'

Her mention of Cole or the strange lack of his presence finally seemed to do the trick and got through Aiden's resistance.

'What? Are you sure?' The missing friend managed to catch Aiden's attention. 'Maybe he went to a different place since I was missing? But even if that's the case, why? I was only gone for a few days unless it was urgent, he would have probably waited for me..' He speculated.

Looking at the girl sitting cross-legged, fully embraced in her own meditation, Aiden sighed, finally accepting the words of the two girls.

'Okay.. you won. You are right, I would just hinder her and probably you two as well.' He spoke turning her attention to the sword girl paying attention from her soul space. 'Ryg, come out and protect her. I will be back tonight, I will search for the whereabouts of Cole, a human friend of mine.'

A moment later, the sword marking on her chest flared up as the red-haired girl appeared a moment later in a frilly, matching, rose-colored dress. She bowed, clasping her hand behind her body.

'As you command, Master. I will keep her safe and sound while you are away.' She spoke with an acquiescing, subservient tone.

In the next moment, she spun, turning around and facing the girl. She raised her hands above her head in the air, drawing an arc with her index fingers. As she did, the air resonated where her fingers draw a line, forming something akin to a dome made out of energy, covering the entirety of the bed in a protective cover.

The formation of the bubble was soundless, and formless, only a brief, barely perceptible fluctuation could be seen as it stretched around the area of its effect.

Although he was without the system, Aiden was fairly certain that whatever she did was a pretty high-level form of magic. Her actions were slick, she cast the magic effortlessly as if it was nothing.

With her spell cast, Ryg turned around again, looking at the boy with an inquiring look.

'Master, why are you still here? Shouldn't you be on your way? I am okay here. As you requested, once anything changes, I will contact you using the mental link we have.'

'[Come Aiden, you should leave now. With Ryg staying behind, I can keep monitoring the situation here through her.]' Enya added.

'Alright. Stay safe, little Galina, I hope you can fulfill your desires and grow as strong as you hope.' He muttered to himself, before turning around and walking to the door.

As he grabbed the handle, he looked behind him one last time, smiled warmly at the girl, before pushing it down, and leaving the room a moment later. While he couldn't help but worry about her, he had to find what happened to that kind-hearted but hopelessly unlucky team mate of his.

—

After scanning the rooms in the hall and finding that the royal brother and sister pair was no longer in their rooms, Aiden walked to the rails at the end, and leaned against him, looking through the much calmer and thinner crowd below.

Unlike how it was last night, the morning atmosphere wasn't anywhere like that. The enticing smell of roasted meat and sausages permeated the air, replacing the smell of alcohol, transforming the place from a run-down pub into a proper, hearty inn instead.

After a brief moment of looking around, he spotted the silvery back of Drake's head sitting at the corner, with his back against him. Opposite of him, the fiery red-haired princess, Scarlet was having a fierce battle against a rather large plate of several types of meat.

From the delighted look on her face, she was leaning towards victory in her arduous, morning clash whilst her brother was seemed to be only slurping something from a smaller wooden cup.

As their eyes met, Scarlet yelped in surprise, dropping the half-devoured sausage from her hand and pointing towards her with a shocked, astounded expression, catching her brother's attention in the process.

Following her sister's gaze, Drake turned around only to be shocked and astounded as well. However, after the moment passed, a wide smirk-like smile stretched the edges of his lips, he waved at the boy to come down and join them.

Aiden nodded at his request, turning towards the stairs and leaving the upper floor, descending to the inn's ground floor to join them in their morning breakfast, but not before heading to the counter and asking for a plate of what could be counted as his usual dish by now: A plate full of several types of meat with a few fried vegetables on the side.

After paying for it using one of the Draquilean Coins he had, he pointed towards the siblings at the corner close to the door, so his food could be delivered where he would be, he turned around and walked towards his companions.

As he arrived, before he could greet them, Drake already launched a series of questions at him.

"What the hell Aiden? What were you doing for so long? And when did you change back? Also.." Looking behind him and seeing that his masked and hooded companion is not with him, he asked with increased curiosity.

"..Where is your little follower? Is she still asleep?" A mischievous smirk appearing on his face, he added whilst showing an appreciative thumbs up with his right hand. "Did you perhaps tire her out too much during the night?"

Before Aiden could answer, a loud smack echoed around them. Scarlet, with cheeks as red as her hair, jumped up from her seat and hit her brother at the top of his head with her fist.

"Aargh! Hey sis, why-" He cried out, grabbing his aching top.

"Y-you! You pigs! W-what are you saying?! H-he would.. H-how would he.." She was mad and so incredibly embarrassed that she found it difficult to phrase what was troubling him.

"What are you saying? What would it bother you if Aiden would have a relationship with his servant? It's not like.." In the middle of his sentence, the realization hit Drake, he turned surprised, looking at her sister thoughtfully. "Oh.. I get it now!"

He looked at his friend, who looked like one who had absolutely no idea what was happening.

"Aiden.. Tell us, did you do something with the girl last night?"

Looking at how both siblings were looking at him with scrutinizing eyes, Aiden didn't know how to respond. What were they even talking about? What could they even do?

Luckily, before he would have had the chance to start explaining himself, the big motherly middle-aged woman, the chef, and wife of the innkeeper arrived behind them with a platter full of the delicious morning substance that Aiden craved for so much.