The weeks flew by, and my training with Wes became a steady routine. Each session brought new challenges and new insights, and I felt my skills growing at a pace I could never have imagined. My swordsmanship in the Night Style was improving rapidly, blending seamlessly with my existing knowledge of the Human Style. And though Wes struggled with magic, he showed a surprising determination that I couldn't help but admire.

  But all of this—my secret training, the deal I’d struck with Wes—was something I kept hidden from my parents.

  They had been clear: no tutors, no additional burdens on the family. Yet I had gone behind their backs, driven by the memories of my past life and the desperate need to protect those I cared about. What would they think if they found out? The thought lingered at the edges of my mind, a small pang of guilt that I couldn’t quite shake.

  "Sorry, Da. Sorry, Ma," I muttered to myself one morning as I prepared for another day. "In both lives, I’ve kept secrets from you."

  It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them—it was that I didn’t want them to worry. I couldn’t afford to lose the time or the opportunity to prepare for the dangers I knew were coming.

  That day, however, I had other plans. When I arrived at Wes’s shack near the edge of the village, he was already leaning against the doorframe, lazily tossing an apple in one hand.

  “Morning, kid,” he called out with a grin. “Ready for another round?”

  I shook my head. “Not today.”

  He raised an eyebrow, looking more curious than annoyed. “Oh? What’s the big occasion?”

  “I’m spending the day with Miquella,” I explained, adjusting the scarf around my neck. “We haven’t had much time together lately, and I promised her we’d do something fun.”

  Wes let out a low whistle, smirking as he crossed his arms. “Well, well, look at you. Little Ronan’s got himself a girlfriend.”

  I stared at him, unimpressed. “That’s not funny.”

  “It’s a little funny,” he said, clearly trying not to laugh.

  “It’s not,” I insisted, but the way his grin widened only made him chuckle harder.

  “All right, all right,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Go on, then, Orpheus. Don’t let me keep you from your big date.”

  “It’s not a date,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

  He laughed even harder at that, and I turned away before he could say anything else. Wes could be infuriating sometimes, but his teasing was harmless.

  The morning sun bathed the village in soft golden light as I hurried toward the meeting spot. Miquella stood at the edge of the woods, her golden hair shimmering like sunlight through honey. She waved eagerly, a bright smile lighting up her face.

  “Ronan! You’re late!” she called, her hands on her hips as I approached.

  “I’m not late,” I said with a grin, catching my breath. “You’re just early.”

  She stuck her tongue out at me. “Excuses, excuses. Let’s go! The forest isn’t going to explore itself.”

  Miquella grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into the woods, her energy infectious. The moment we entered the forest, she let out a delighted gasp, her eyes darting around like she’d stumbled into a hidden wonderland.

  “First one to the big oak tree wins!” she challenged, taking off before I could respond.

  I laughed, sprinting after her as our footsteps rustled through the undergrowth. She was fast, darting around bushes and leaping over fallen logs with a nimbleness I could barely keep up with. I pushed myself harder, catching up just as she slapped her hand against the massive trunk of the oak tree.

  “Ha! I win!” she declared triumphantly, her cheeks flushed from the run.

  “You had a head start,” I protested, leaning against the tree to catch my breath.

  “A win is a win, Ronan,” she said with a smug smile, crossing her arms. I rolled my eyes, but her laughter was so contagious that I couldn’t help but chuckle along with her.

  We continued deeper into the forest, stopping whenever something caught Miquella’s eye. At one point, she found a patch of wildflowers—vivid blues and yellows that seemed to dance in the breeze.

  She knelt to pick a few, carefully weaving them into a crown.

  “Here,” she said, placing the flower crown on her own head with a giggle. She straightened her back and looked at me with mock regality. “Now I am the Queen of the Forest.”

  I raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips. “And what about me? Shouldn’t the Queen have a choice in who her subjects are?”

  “Nope,” she said with a grin, reaching out to tap my shoulder as if knighting me. “This is my kingdom, and I make the rules. You’re my loyal knight, Ronan. It’s a very important job.”

  We stumbled upon a small stream later in the morning, its crystal-clear water sparkling in the sunlight. Miquella squealed in delight and immediately crouched by the edge, her fingers dipping into the cool water.

  “Look at this!” she exclaimed, holding up a smooth, round pebble. It was almost perfectly white, and she turned it over in her hands like it was a priceless treasure.

  “It’s just a rock,” I said, though her excitement made me smile.

  “It’s not just a rock,” she said, her tone exaggeratedly serious. “It’s a magical stone of power. Whoever holds it can control the stream!”

  “Is that so?” I said, playing along. I grabbed a similar rock from the stream and held it up. “Well, now I’ve got the stone. What are you going to do about it?”

  She gasped in mock outrage, splashing water at me. I splashed her back, and before I knew it, we were both laughing and soaked to the bone. Miquella managed to catch a tiny fish in her hands at one point, holding it up proudly.

  “Look! Isn’t it cute?” she said, her eyes wide with wonder.

  “It’s slimy,” I replied, wrinkling my nose.

  “You’re no fun,” she said with a dramatic sigh, releasing the fish back into the water.

  As the day wore on, we found a sunny clearing and flopped down on the soft grass to rest. Miquella pointed out shapes in the clouds—there was a dragon, a ship, and even a flower that looked suspiciously like the ones in her crown.

  “You’re just making things up now,” I teased.

  She turned to me, grinning. “That’s the whole point, Ronan. You need to use your imagination more.”

  We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring, pretending the forest was a magical kingdom full of hidden treasures and dangers. Miquella declared herself queen and me her loyal knight, and together we “defended” the forest from invisible monsters, using sticks as swords and fallen leaves as shields.

  When the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting everything in warm hues of orange and pink, we started making our way back to the village. Miquella skipped ahead of me, her energy seemingly endless despite the long day.

  “You know, Ronan,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “You’re always so serious. You should smile more.”

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  “I smile,” I said, though I felt a little defensive.

  “Not enough,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at me.

  I shook my head, but her playful tone and bright smile made it impossible to stay annoyed. She had a way of making everything feel lighter, like the world wasn’t as heavy as it seemed sometimes.

  When we reached her house, she turned to me with a radiant grin. “Thanks for today, Ronan. It was the best day ever.”

  “Yeah,” I said softly, looking at her. “It really was.”

  “Promise we’ll do it again soon?” she asked, her eyes full of hope.

  “I promise,” I said, and for once, I didn’t feel the weight of that promise. It felt right. As she disappeared inside her house, I started walking home, my heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.

  That night, as I lay in bed staring at the wooden beams of my ceiling, something tugged at the edge of my consciousness—a faint noise outside my window. I sat up, frowning, and peered through the small pane. There, illuminated by the pale light of the moon, was Miquella. She waved eagerly, her expression lit with mischief.

  I hesitated, opening the window. “Miquella, what are you doing here?” I whispered harshly.

  “Shh! Don’t wake your parents!” she whispered back, beckoning me. “Come on, Ronan. Let’s go!”

  “Go where?” I asked, though I had a sinking suspicion.

  “To the forest! At night!” she declared, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  I groaned quietly. “Miquella, do you know how dangerous that is? My father says—”

  “Oh, stop being such a scaredy-cat!” she interrupted with a smirk. “What’s wrong? Are you afraid of a few monsters? A knight like you should be fearless.”

  Her teasing struck a nerve, and she knew it. With a sigh, I relented. “Fine. Give me a minute.”

  I quickly dressed, careful not to make any noise, and slipped out of the house. The night air was cool against my skin as I joined her, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and dread.

  “You’re lucky I didn’t wake the whole house,” I muttered as we walked toward the woods. She only grinned in response, holding up a small lantern that cast a soft, flickering glow.

  The forest at night was a different world entirely. The trees loomed tall and shadowy, their branches stretching like clawed hands. The air was heavy with the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves. My every instinct screamed to turn back, but Miquella strode ahead without hesitation.

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked nervously, glancing around at the shifting shadows.

  “What’s the worst that could happen?” she replied cheerfully, then paused to glance back at me. “Unless… you’re scared?”

  “I’m not scared,” I said quickly, though the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. “But I didn’t bring my training sword, and we’re practically asking for trouble wandering out here like this.”

  Miquella raised an eyebrow. “Ronan, if you’re as strong as you claim, you don’t need a sword, right?”

  I groaned inwardly but stayed quiet, not wanting to reveal just how vulnerable I felt without my weapon. We wandered deeper into the forest, the lantern’s glow barely piercing the darkness. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs set me on edge, my senses straining for any sign of danger. Then, without warning, a low growl rumbled through the trees, freezing us in our tracks.

  “What was that?” Miquella whispered, her bravado faltering.

  The growl came again, louder this time, followed by heavy footsteps that made the ground tremble. From the shadows emerged a massive creature—a Beartling. Its fur was matted and dark, its eyes glowing faintly with the eerie blue of excess mana. Jagged patches of stone-like scales covered its body, and its claws looked sharp enough to rend steel.

  “Get behind me!” I shouted, my voice firm despite the fear tightening in my chest.

  The Beartling roared and charged. I quickly raised my hands, channeling mana into the Novice-Tier Earth Spell, [Spiky Assault]. Jagged stone spikes erupted from the ground in front of the beast, scratching its thick hide and forcing it to slow. But the Beartling snarled and barreled through, shattering the spikes like twigs. It lunged to the side, trying to flank us.

  “Stay down!” I called to Miquella as I cast [Solid Wall], erecting a barrier between us and the beast. The Beartling slammed into it with bone-jarring force, cracking the stone, but I was already preparing my next move.

  As the wall crumbled, I launched [Fire Barrage], hurling a volley of flaming projectiles at the creature. The flames scorched its fur, and it let out a pained roar, but it didn’t stop. Instead, it charged directly at me, its jaws snapping inches from my face.

  I dove to the side, barely avoiding the attack. Rolling to my feet, I cast [Stone Shackles], summoning thick roots of stone to wrap around the Beartling’s legs. It struggled violently, the ground shaking beneath its strength, but the spell held long enough for me to reposition.

  The Beartling roared again and slammed its bulk against the bindings, breaking free. It swiped at me with a massive claw, and I barely had time to react. Summoning [Fire Step], I propelled myself backward, landing a few feet away as the claw struck empty air.

  “You’re annoying,” I muttered, frustration bubbling in my chest. I needed to end this quickly.

  The beast lunged again, but this time I was ready. As it closed the distance, I cast [Fire Wave], sending a rolling wall of flame surging toward it.

  The Beartling roared in agony, momentarily stunned by the searing heat. This was my chance. I dashed toward it, my mana flaring as I combined spells.

  With a burst of power, I cast [Earth Pillar], aiming to knock the creature off its feet. But as the pillar erupted beneath it, I added a second spell—[Fire Lance]—infusing the stone with blazing heat. The combined force of the [Hot Pillar] shot upward like a molten spear, piercing the Beartling’s chest. The creature let out one final, guttural roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive body twitching before falling still.

  I stood there, panting, my hands trembling as the adrenaline began to fade. Miquella peeked out from behind a tree, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. “Ronan… that was incredible.”

  I exhaled shakily, wiping sweat from my brow. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, stepping closer. “You… you just fought a Monster by yourself! How did you do that?”

  “It’s… complicated,” I said, avoiding her gaze. “We need to get out of here before something else shows up.”

  She didn’t argue, and together we made our way back to the village, the weight of what had just happened settling over us like a thick fog.

  As we walked back toward the village, the adrenaline coursing through my veins began to fade, replaced by a whirlwind of thoughts. I replayed the fight in my head over and over, marveling at what I’d just accomplished. I didn’t have any real combat experience, yet somehow, I’d managed to take down a Beartling—a monster powerful enough to kill five Novices armed with swords—using only my magic.

  I was only four years old, for heaven's sake. Better not mention this to anyone, I thought wryly. No one would believe it anyway.

  Still, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. I surprised even myself. Sure, I trained with Wes, and his speed and reflexes were leagues ahead of that lumbering Beartling. But this was different. In the heat of the moment, everything just… clicked. The spells came to me in perfect order, like instinct guiding my hands and focus. And when I fused the two elements together for the first time in a real battle? That was something else entirely.

  I’d killed a monster using only magic. I’d done it in the thick of a fight, under pressure. The [Earth Pillar] and [Fire Lance] combined perfectly, creating the devastating [Hot Pillar] that pierced straight through the Beartling's mana-infused scales.

  Those scales, I mused. They should have been resistant to Fire magic. Yet, in the moment, I’d instinctively adjusted the temperature of my flames to counter their protective properties. That level of precision was something I’d struggled to achieve in sword training—something Wes had constantly drilled me on. And now, in the heat of battle, it had come to me effortlessly. Adrenaline, I guessed. But it was still something to be proud of.

  As we neared the edge of the village, I finally noticed something that made my breath catch. Miquella was hugging my arm as we walked. Her grip was gentle but firm, as if she were afraid I might disappear. Her golden hair swayed slightly with each step, catching the moonlight like strands of sunlight. She was so cute—her usual confidence replaced by a quiet vulnerability that tugged at my heart.

  I looked down at her, and she glanced up at me, her wide green eyes sparkling. “Are you okay?” I asked softly, though I already knew the answer.

  “I’m fine,” she said, her voice quieter than usual. “But… you’re amazing, Ronan. I didn’t know you could do all that.”

  Her words sent a warmth through my chest, but they also made me feel a deeper sense of responsibility. She trusted me. She looked to me for protection, even when she didn’t say it outright. And tonight, I’d proven to myself that I could protect her.

  I clenched my free hand into a fist, determination filling me. Whatever it took, I would keep her safe. Miquella had this way of bringing light and joy into every moment, and the thought of anything hurting her was unbearable.

  We reached her house, and she finally let go of my arm. She turned to me, her usual radiant smile back on her face. “Thanks for tonight, Ronan. I know it was dangerous, but it was also… kind of fun.”

  “Fun?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow. “We were almost eaten by a Beartling.”

  She shrugged, her grin widening. “But we weren’t. Because you’re amazing.”

  I sighed, shaking my head, but I couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto my face. “Just… don’t drag me into any more nighttime adventures for a while, okay?”

  She laughed softly. “No promises.”

  As she disappeared inside, I stood there for a moment, staring at her door. Then, with a deep breath, I turned and headed home, my mind already racing with thoughts of how to prepare for whatever challenges might come next.