“Now, throw all the spirits into my direction, Lilli!”


    Headmaster Evastor’s voice echoed through the office as Lilli commanded her spirits toward him.


    They materialized, their forms shifting as they shot light.


    Without effort, Evastor dodged it with no effort.


    “Good Control,” he remarked. “Now like we practiced use the spirits around you to manipulate the objects nearby. “He sidestepped another strike, his expression remaining calm.


    “Even without a sigil, the power of your spirits is still largely unknown to this world. Therefore, this gives you an advantage.”


    I stood in the office with Alex, watching Lilli as she trained.


    We watched through a glass window.


    It had been a week since the Royal Ball. Nothing much had happened since then—except for training Lilli and Elnora.


    At the end of the ball each party member was given permission to take on item from the kingdom’s treasury.


    I had chosen a grimoire.


    Alex picked a pair of enchanted earrings.


    Lilli took the only journal in the kingdom about spirits.


    Elnora selected a gold ring with an emerald at its center.


    Both Alex’s earring and Elnora’s ring’s displayed stat boosts.


    Something I could measure using the interface allowed me to inspect them.


    With a simple swipe up and right, I could summon it at my will.


    Navigating the interface, well that was another matter entirely.


    The interface displayed several icons I could select from: A backpack, journal, notebook, and map. Four tabs appeared before me just like technology straight from my past life.


    Dismissing the interface was easy; as swipe left, and it vanished


    Over the past week, Elnora has been refining her magic and swordsmanship, her progress has been rapid.


    Lilli has also rapidly improved—though sacrificing sleep she is now able to control her spirits and her swordplay has become more aggressive.


    Surprisingly, since the ball Alaric nor the Royal family has bothered us.


    They seemed to be watching from a distance for now.


    I had chosen to lay low, dedicating myself to the grimoire while keeping my eye on Lilli and Elnora’s training. As of Alex… well, he has been busy.


    Snooping around the kingdom, gathering information on the Polemos, and listening to every whisper about my family’s name.


    This time, I wouldn’t be caught off guard.


    This time, I could control the outcome.


    Headmaster Evastor stood inside the training area connected to his office—a rooftop garden designed for combat practice.


    Surrounded by dense trees and thick bushes, it resembled a miniature park perched atop the academy. Despite its serene appearance, this space was meant for battle.


    "Now, just as the book suggests, Lilli—channel the spirits around your sword and launch them at me!" Evastor commanded.


    Lilli nodded, gripping her sword tightly. The yellow spirits swirled around the blade, their glow intensifying as they pulsed with energy.


    With a swift motion, she directed them forward. The spirits bounced off trees and bushes before converging toward Evastor.


    This time, he didn’t dodge. Instead, his dragonoid tail swung forward, intercepting the attack with a sharp clang. The impact rippled through the air, but he remained unmoved.


    Then, he let out a hearty laugh.


    "At last! After a week, you''ve finally managed to land a hit on me!" He grinned. "Come, Lilli. Time for a break!"


    Lilli had grown immensely over the past week. When she first started, her endurance had been lacking—she could barely maintain her spirits for extended periods. Her swordsmanship had always been above average compared to other students, but Evastor had refined her movements, honing them to complement her rapid, consecutive strikes.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Now, she was faster.


    More precise.


    More dangerous.


    Breathing heavily, Lilli wiped the sweat from her forehead before stepping inside. She dropped onto the bench beside us, grabbing a glass of water and downing it in one go.


    She didn’t speak—her mind was elsewhere, lost in deep thought.


    "Come on, Elnora!" Evastor’s voice boomed across the training ground.


    It was her turn.


    Elnora, though she had struggled at the beginning, had grown at an astonishing rate. Compared to Lilli, who faced the challenge of mastering a new and largely unstudied form of magic, Elnora wielded her emerald-green mana with precision and confidence.


    Every movement, every strike of her sword, was controlled and deliberate, following Headmaster Evastor’s instructions with unwavering focus.


    "Now, Elnora—strike!" Evastor commanded.


    Swoop!


    Her blade cut through the air, aiming straight for the Headmaster. He raised his tail once more to block, absorbing the blow with ease. But Elnora didn’t stop there.


    Twisting mid-air, she summoned the wind to propel herself downward, increasing the force behind her next strike.


    Her sword crashed against his tail again, leaving a faint bruise.


    As she leaped back, she whispered a single word—Apergia.


    Her mana flared, spiraling outward like an emerald tempest. Without hesitation, she lunged forward again, striking at Evastor.


    He dodged—but before he could reposition, she was already there, meeting him with another attack from below.


    A blur of motion, she reappeared behind him, her blade cutting once more, landing another blow.


    It was as if her body moved on instinct, reacting faster with each engagement, adapting to her own magic as she fought.


    Perhaps it was her elven heritage that granted her such heightened sensitivity to mana.


    But if that were the case, why didn’t the other elven students—who were undoubtedly skilled—display such rapid growth?


    She struck again.


    This time, Evastor blocked her sword with a single finger.


    Elnora gritted her teeth, stepping back, her emerald eyes locked onto him with fierce determination.


    The Headmaster chuckled. "Not bad. Now, let’s try a few other spells."


    Elnora’s expression shifted—her lips curling into an eager smile.


    "Okay!" she replied, readying her blade.


    Each time Elnora practiced with her magic and sword, it was like she grew strong, like a muscle being conditioned through constant use.


    The spells she casted were ancient in the elven tongue each flowing from her lips with effortless memorization. It was so interesting watching her train.


    After some time, Elnora stepped away from the training grounds, her breathing steady despite the physical training.


    Headmaster Evastor followed closely behind her, his eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "Agh! I love it when she gives me that determined look—it so fiesty!" he squealed, giddy with admiration.


    Elnora simply smiled, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.


    The Headmaster was completely harmless, but his deep sense of admiration—no, belonging—toward her was undeniable.


    It never crossed into unsettling territory, and Elnora didn’t seem to mind.


    "Did you see that, Ryn?" she called out as she strode toward me, reaching for my hand and locking her fingers with mine. Her grip was warm and firm.


    “Now! I’m going to be more useful to you in battle!” she said, beaming with pride.


    I couldn’t help but smile back.


    “You’ve always been useful—both of you have.” I said glancing at Elnora and Lilli.


    Lilly, however, was completely out. She sat with her head resting against Alex’s shoulders, fast asleep from exhaustion.


    “Shhh,” Alex whispered, raising his finger to his lips.


    Elnora giggled softly before turning back to me.


    Meanwhile, Headmaster Evastor had settled nearby, flipping through Lilli’s journal preparing for the next lesson.


    Elnora tugged my hand. “Come with me,” she said, leading me toward the Headmasters training ground.


    There, a bench overlooked the entire academy, offering a serene view of the horizon. She sat down first, then patted the spot beside of her, flashing me a playful smile.


    I joined her.


    "Do you mind if I ask you something, Ryn?" Elnora’s voice was soft, thoughtful.


    I turned to her. "Yeah? What is it?"


    She hesitated for a moment, then met my gaze. "I keep seeing memories of your other life… I know they haunt you and I know you want to move on.”


    “W-we can talk about it if you’d like.” She said her face seemed worried.


    I exhaled, trying to gather my thoughts. The memories were like shards of glass—painful to touch, difficult to piece together.


    "When I was younger," I began, then paused.


    "...My parents didn’t mean to have me. And instead of treating me like their son, I was... neglected. No, worse—I was abused.


    Constantly.


    Verbally.


    Physically.


    It never stopped." I swallowed hard.


    "So, I became bitter. Angry. And I enlisted in the military."


    Elnora remained silent, listening intently as I forced the words out.


    "I climbed the ranks, became my country’s top strategist. I thought if I was the best, if I proved my worth, maybe… maybe I could silence the past. But the bitterness never left."


    She didn’t speak right away. Instead, she shifted closer, wrapping her arms around me in a gentle embrace.


    "Thank you," I murmured, resting a hand on her back, grounding myself in her warmth.


    "When I came into this world," I continued, my voice quieter, "all that trauma—from my childhood, from my previous party—it just followed me. And you guys didn’t deserve that." I sighed, emotion tightening my throat.


    Elnora pulled back slightly, just enough to look me in the eyes. "But you’re trying, Ryn. Even though no one else knows about your past life, we see how much you’ve changed.


    Since the first time we met you… you’re not the same person." She placed her hand over mine, her touch steady and reassuring.


    "I-I’m sorry, Elnora," I admitted, my voice unsteady. "I’m just… not good at explaining how I feel. These feelings of mine, they’re—" I hesitated. "They’re new to me. And I don’t even know what they are."


    The words felt heavier as I spoke them aloud.


    "I just… I just want to be who I am now. Not who I was."


    Elnora’s eyes softened. A few stray tears slipped down my cheeks, and she reached up, wiping them away with her thumb.


    "My turn," she whispered, smiling.


    A small, shaky chuckle escaped me through the emotion.


    "What you’re going through are emotions," she said gently.


    "I know they’re difficult, but you just need time. Be patient with yourself." She squeezed my hand.


    "Take all the time you need."


    Elnora tilted her head slightly, the sunlight catching in her hair as she looked at me.


    "It’s okay, Ryn," she murmured.


    I let myself rest my head on her shoulder as she brushed her fingers through my hair.


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and violet, I finally acknowledged something I had avoided for so long—my own emotions.