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Unlike Aquarina, who had always been passionate about Alchemy, my brother and my friends who had just arrived showed little interest. They didn't ask Master Felicia to take them as apprentices, which came as a relief, I didn't want to watch them suffer under her nearly impossible demands again.
I was genuinely curious about the strength they had gained and wanted to spar with them, but asking felt too rude. From what I remembered, Mist and Lara didn't truly enjoy fighting and only did so when necessary.
I wished I could be more like them, but for some reason I loved combat and seeing how much others had grown. Still, I considered it wrong to force anyone into a spar, so I kept quiet.
That changed the next morning when my brother unexpectedly requested a duel!
It happened over breakfast. He spoke about the power he had acquired, then turned to me with a gentle smile and asked if I would allow him to spar.
