"Finally!" Kalia exclaimed, jumping down from the cart.
These carts are killing my back... shoulda put a car in my Armory...
"Wow, it's huge!!" Lucy shouted, staring at the city's front gate.
"Look, Milena! Have you ever seen so many people?!" Lucy asked.
"Not since we got dragged to that auction house in Shella..." Milena whispered, awestruck.
"Eron! Look! Look! This shop has all kinds of sweets!"
Sarah's voice was muffled as she pressed her face to the glass.
"Come on, Sarah. We aren't here for that. Master Lia and Astra have errands to run..." Eron replied, her eyes glued to the display case.
"You guys want some?" Kalia asked, coming up behind them.
"N-no, we're fine..." Eron stammered, startled by Kalia's sudden appearance.
"Oh, can we?!" Sarah beamed.
"Sure. This was the first place we were going to stop by anyway."
"Lucy! Milena! Over here!" Astra called to the other girls, who were caught up in the hustle of the city around them.
"Ahh, if it isn't Lady Kalia and Astra! Always glad to see you two in here...?! I see you brought some new customers, and they are such cuties!" the owner of the bakery exclaimed, fawning over the children.
"Hello, Tora!" Kalia waved.
"This is Sarah, Milena, Lucy, and Eron!" Astra answered, pointing to each of them.
"Welcome! These cookies just came out of the oven, and I could really use some experts. Think you girls can taste-test them and tell me if they're fit to sell?"
"Really? You mean we can have one?!" Sarah replied, her eyes glowing.
"Of course!"
The owner held out the tray of cookies.
"Take whichever one you like!"
"Mmmm! These are so yummy!" Milena exclaimed, the others nodding in agreement.
"What about me..." Astra asked sheepishly.
"I didn't forget you, Astra." Tora laughed, holding the tray out.
"Yay! Thanks, Tora!"
"How about it, Kalia? You want one too, right?"
"You know me so well..." Kalia smiled, grabbing one.
"Of course I do! Is there anything in particular you needed today?"
"Yeah. I'm looking to have a cake made."
"What kind? Something inexpensive?"
"No, I need the biggest one you can make and as fancy as possible!"
"Oh, celebrating something, are we?" Tora's eyes lit up.
"Yup. I don't care about the cost either."
Kalia shot a quick glance at the girls.
"I see. Did you have something in mind as far as flavors?"
"No. I'll trust your judgment on this one. You have yet to let me down. The only thing is, could you possibly have it ready by the end of the day?"
"Sure. I don't have any other orders today. I'll start on it right away."
"Thanks, Tora. You're awesome. I'll swing by before we leave to get it. Can you make sure the box is sealed up? It's a surprise for them."
Kalia whispered the last part, motioning toward the girls.
"No problem, Kalia. Is there anything else you needed today?"
"Not for me. The girls are picking stuff out, though."
"For those four, it's on the house today!"
"You don't have to do that. Really."
"You and Astra alone paid for the new oven in my shop. It's the least I could do. Please think nothing of it."
"I guess we do come here a lot... Thanks, Tora."
"You girls decide on something?" Tora asked as the others approached the counter.
"Yep!" they responded, each holding out their prize.
"I hope you enjoy them! Next time you come by, I'll be sure to have some new cookies for you to try."
"Yay! Thanks, Miss Tora! You're the best!" Sarah answered excitedly.
"Thank you!" the other three chimed.
"You're welcome!"
"They are so adorable, Kalia. So polite too."
"They are, aren't they?"
Kalia beamed as if she were a proud parent.
"Thanks again, Tora. I'll be by later."
Kalia waved as she headed out the door.
"Anytime! Bye now!"
"Bye, Miss Tora!"
"Looks like you've got yourself quite the family, Kalia."
"Thank you, Master Lia!" Milena exclaimed between mouthfuls of her candied apple.
"You're welcome, girls."
"You don't have to buy us all this stuff, Master Lia..." Eron whispered to herself.
"Eron, it's okay to ask me for things. I want to do things for you. I can't erase the past, but I can try to make your future a happier one."
"..."
Eron was left speechless.
How does she hear me every single time?!
"You better get used to it too. Otherwise, this whole day is going to bother you!" Kalia laughed.
"O-okay, Master Lia."
Eron took another bite of her cupcake.
"Astra, will you take the girls to the barber and then meet me at the tailor after you're done? I have another errand to run on the far side of town."
"Can do, Master Lia! This way, everyone!"
Astra answered, leading the others in a march down the street.
"Are they ready?" Kalia asked the jeweler.
"Yes. They're just as you ordered. I have to know, though. What is that rune you had me put on them? I've never seen it anywhere."
The man opened a wooden case, revealing a set of silver brooches with a crystal inlay in each.
"It's called an ouroboros. It's a symbol from my homeland. The serpent eating its own tail represents the infinite cycle of life and death," Kalia answered.
"Mmm, I see. I like it. Simple, with a deep meaning. Could I possibly use this image?"
"Yeah, sure. All I ask is that you don't make any more pins like these."
"No problem."
"I appreciate it. So, what do I owe you?"
"We'll call it a thousand gold for the set."
"That's half what you quoted me!"
"A discount for allowing me to use the rune."
"Thanks! I'll send some business your way, then."
"You're quite welcome. Please come back anytime!"
"Most definitely. I'll be off now. Thanks again."
"See you!"
"Jeez, Astra, where have you been..."
Kalia impatiently tapped her foot.
"It's been two hours!"
"We, uhm, kind of got lost..."
"Kind of?!" Eron blurted out. "We somehow managed to end up outside the city walls... twice..."
"Twice?! Haha, priceless!"
Kalia doubled over laughing.
"Ohhh, Eron... you sold me out!"
"Well, no matter. Look at you four and your new haircuts! Do you like them?"
"We love them, Master Lia!" the four answered together.
"Look! Look! Mister Hato even gave us these!" Milena exclaimed, pointing at their new hair bows.
"Those look good on you!" Kalia replied excitedly.
"Welcome! Ahh, Kalia, Astra, how have you been?"
"No complaints, Kurika. You?"
"Same. Business has been kind of slow lately, but it's not a real problem. It happens, you know. So, what brings you here today?"
"Well, we need some clothes for the four here, and I have measurements for another," Kalia replied.
"You need new outfits for five people?!" Kurika exclaimed.
"Yes. I actually need more than just one outfit too. These girls need a wardrobe."
"A f-full wardrobe... Kalia..."
Kurika's eyes widened.
"They need stuff to wear around the house, traveling clothes, and some nice things to wear should we go out."
"I-I'll get right to it. If you girls could come with me, I'll get you all set up."
"Okay!" they replied.
"Master Lia, why are you getting all of this?" Eron asked, staring at the long blue dress she had been told to try on.
"We can't have you running around in those old rags, can we? Besides, look how cute you are in that dress!"
"That's not what I meant. We aren't going to be living with you that long."
"Wouldn't you still need this stuff after leaving?"
"I guess, but..."
"But nothing, then. I already told you I was doing this because I wanted to. Just accept it, Eron. Can't you let me dote on you just a little?"
"Fine... maybe just a little," Eron answered, still glued to the mirror.
She wouldn't admit it, but she did love her new clothes and haircut.
No one had ever cared about her before.
Maybe we can stay with her.
"Master Lia! Look!"
Milena jumped out from behind the curtain wearing a green dress in the same style as Eron's.
"That suits you so well, Milena."
"Really? You think so?" Milena beamed.
"Of course!"
"What about me, Master Lia?"
Sarah announced herself, showing off her new traveling pants and coat.
"You too, Sarah!"
"Uhh, Master Lia, I don't think this looks good on me..."
Lucy whispered, hiding behind the curtain.
"How can I tell if you're gonna hide it? Come on out and let's see."
"O-okay... well?"
Lucy nervously stepped out from the changing room wearing a short skirt and loose-fitting blouse with knee-high boots.
"Wow! Lucy, you're so pretty!" Sarah cried, running over to her. "Imagine if we'd had boots like those when we were cleaning out stables!"
"You think so? It feels weird."
"Yep, yep! Doesn't she look nice, Master Lia?"
"Yeah, she does, Sarah. Why don't you think they look good, Lucy?"
"I guess it feels weird having all this on. I've only ever had the one outfit. These clothes are so nice, I'm afraid I'll mess them up."
"Ahh, I see."
So that's what was bothering her.
"I'm so clumsy. What if I tear them up?"
"Then we'll get them fixed. And if they can't be fixed, we'll replace them. Clothes are meant to be worn."
"B-but I wouldn't want to be such a burden..."
"Do you really think I would do all of this if I thought you were causing me trouble? I kind of hoped you guys would've gotten over that by now..."
Kalia sighed.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you..."
"No, no, I'm not frustrated with you. You're all still so young, and it hurts to see that you never got to be kids. You deserve to have fun and have nice things."
"Kalia? Can you come back here really quick?" Kurika called from the back of the shop.
"Yeah. Do you need something?"
"I have something special for you since you brought me all this business."
"I should refuse, but you won't let me, will you?"
"Not even a little."
Kurika laughed, pulling a box down from a high shelf.
"What is it?"
Kalia opened the box, puzzled as she stared at what looked like any other ordinary piece of fabric.
"It's a very special bolt of cloth that's been enchanted with magic. I'd been saving it for a special occasion, but none of my normal customers could afford it. With all the stuff you got today, I decided to throw this in too."
"Special magic? What kind? It looks like plain white cloth to me," Kalia inquired.
"That's just it! Look what happens when you hold it up to the candlelight!"
Kurika pulled the bolt out and held it closer to the chandelier, causing it to shimmer through the colors of the rainbow with a soft glow.
"Whoa... That is amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" Kalia gasped.
"I told you it was really special! After seeing those girls, I knew I had found someone who would appreciate it."
"Is it really okay for me to have this? I feel like royalty deserves something this fine."
"You practically bought my entire stock today, Kalia. That makes you royalty in my book."
Kurika laughed.
"Is there something you had in mind? I can make just about anything."
"I do have one idea..."
Kalia drew out a design for Kurika.
"Hmm, I've never seen clothes like this before. The design is quite impressive, but wouldn't something like this be difficult to wear? I don't see any buttons or tassels."
Kurika studied the paper.
"It's called a yukata. They're traditional clothes worn for special events back in my home country. They're usually held in place by a sash instead of fasteners."
"I see. Well, the cut seems simple enough, and a sash is no trouble at all. Wouldn't these look better with some kind of print on them, though?"
"They usually did have patterns on them, but I'm not very good with that kind of stuff. I'm not sure what the girls would even like."
"Leave it to me, then, Kalia. These are for the girls, aren't they? I know exactly what they would like!"
"As always, you know exactly what to make."
"No problem. It might take me a few weeks to get them done, though."
"That's fine. I'm in no rush for them. The fact that you're willing to do all this is more than I could've asked for anyway."
"I'll have them sent to you when they're ready. Do you need anything else?"
"No. I think we have everything we need for now. Thank you for all your hard work, Kurika."
"I should be thanking you. I made enough money today that I've earned a few days off!"
"I'm glad I could help! Enjoy that vacation, Kurika!"
Kalia laughed, waving goodbye.
"Is everyone ready to head home? You guys must be exhausted after all that walking today. I know I am."
"Me too, Master Lia..."
Astra pointed to Sarah, who was swaying on her feet.
"...and it looks like this one is about to fall over."
"I still don't understand. How is avenging Kito and Kita not a good enough reason to fight? Even Kalia gave in to rage and did those things to the slavers."
"She shouldn't be lecturing me on anything!" Fioria shouted to her empty room.
"Hello?! Is anyone here?" a voice called from the doorway.
"It's me, Torrin. Master Kalia asked me to come by and check on someone."
"Coming!"
Fioria shook the thought out of her head as she opened the door.
"Hello, Torrin. I'm Fioria."
"Nice to meet you, Fioria. Is everything okay? Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm fine. Thank you."
"Sure, no trouble."
"Actually, I do have a question."
"What is it?"
"Why did you become a guard?"
"Hmm. Well, when I was little, my two older brothers were killed by bandits, and I thought that by joining the city guard, I could track the bandits down and bring them to justice."
"So, you wanted to avenge their deaths?"
"Yes. I wanted revenge on the people who took them from me. We did eventually catch them, and they were executed for their crimes. I didn't really feel any relief, though."
Torrin paused.
"My captain gave me a bit of advice when I told him how I felt. He said our job wasn't just catching and punishing those who had already committed crimes. It was to protect others so it wouldn't happen again. He made me realize that keeping everyone safe was far more rewarding than simply getting revenge."
"Oh..."
Fioria trailed off, struck by how simple the answer to Kalia's question was.
"Sorry to bore you with that story. Haha."
"No, no. You answered my question better than I'd hoped. Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I'll be heading off now. Tell Kalia and Astra I said hello for me, will you?"
"Sure. Thanks for coming to check on me."
"Anytime. Bye, Fioria!"
Torrin waved.
"Be safe, Torrin!"
To protect... is that what Kalia wanted from me? It can't be that easy.
...Maybe it is... but I still want revenge...
Fioria stood in the doorway for a few minutes, weighing her options.
If that isn't the right answer... then I'll find someone else to teach me.
"Fioria, we're back!" Kalia called from the doorway.
"Welcome home, Kalia."
"It's good to see you up, Fioria. Do you have an answer for me?"
"I don't know if it's good enough, but yes."
"Well?"
"At first, I only wanted justice, but I guess I realized that wasn't the right way to look at things. I thought maybe I could get them back somehow. I know it sounds silly, but I really did believe it."
"It's not silly, Fioria. Hope is a powerful emotion, and it comes from the good in your heart."
"I decided that I want to become strong so I can stop it from happening to anyone else. I don't want anyone to have to suffer like I have."
"Excellent answer. I'm really glad you figured that out! Welcome to the first day of training, Fioria!"
"You mean it?!"
"Yep. It takes real strength to choose protecting people over chasing revenge. Revenge and hatred go hand in hand. If you aren't careful, they can consume you."
"Oh, thank you, Kalia. Or should I call you Master Lia from now on?"
"Only during training. You can call me Kalia in private if you like. If you want to come downstairs, the others are getting settled in, and I have presents!"
"I think I can do that. You can call me Fio, by the way. Everyone in my village called me that."
"Okay. There's a change of clothes in the bathroom, and I'll go draw the water so you can wash up. Just come down when you're ready."
"Thanks, Kalia."
"Of course, Fio. It really is good to see you in better spirits."
"Is Fioria feeling better, Master Lia?"
"I think so, Astra. She should be down soon."
"Yay!"
"In fact, there she is now."
"Oh, Fioria! I'm so glad you're feeling better!"
Astra shouted, nearly tackling Fioria to the ground with a hug.
"Yes, Astra. I am, thanks to you and Master Lia."
"No problem, Fioria!"
"Are you the girl that lost her heart?" Sarah asked, having come to investigate the new voice.
"Huh? Lost my heart?" Fio asked, confused.
"My name's Sarah! What's yours?"
"I'm Fioria Oswald, but you can call me Fio. Nice to meet you, Sarah."
"So, you are the girl that needs help. Don't worry! I'm really good at finding things, so if you need my help, just ask!"
"Thanks, Sarah. I'll remember that."
Fio replied with a smile she didn't think would ever return.
"Oh, here come the others. That's Milena, Lucy, and Eron."
Sarah named each as the three girls came into the kitchen.
"Hello, everyone. Please call me Fio."
"Hi, Fio!" the three replied.
"Now that introductions are done... everyone out! I have a surprise, and I better not see anyone peeking!"
Kalia announced suddenly, shooing them into the other room.
"Right! Master Lia and I have something to do. Now go wait for us," Astra interjected.
"You too, Astra. Nice try, though."
"Oh, darn. I thought that would work too."
Astra hung her head in defeat.
"It won't take long, and I promise it'll be worth it. Now go, you guys."
"Okay, Master Lia."
"Everyone, you can come into the dining room now! Everything is ready!" Kalia called.
"Wow! Look at all this food!"
Milena eagerly plopped into her chair.
"It smells so good!" Sarah said, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth.
"Master Lia? Is this...?"
Fio inquired, her eyes settling on one particular dish.
"I told you I would make you my curry, didn't I? I thought this might be a good opportunity."
"It looks fantastic."
"Thanks, but save your praise until after you try it. I only hope it compares to yours. It really was delicious."
"I'm sure it's good. I can tell just by the smell..."
"Then let's eat!"
Kalia clapped her hands together.
"Oh, Master Lia! I've never had anything like this before! What did you call it?"
"In my home country, it's called curry, but around here it's known as Kauge. Do you like it, Eron?"
"Yeah! It's the best thing I've ever tasted!" Eron replied, misty-eyed.
"I'm glad you like it!"
Kalia beamed.
Another satisfied customer.
"What about you, Fio? Is it good?"
"It's... it's really good, Master Lia..."
Fio wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Are you okay, Fio?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, Astra. It just reminded me of home."
"Sorry, Fio. I didn't mean to..." Kalia replied sullenly.
"N-no, really. It's fine. It reminds me of all the love our family had for each other."
"I, uh... am glad I could help?"
Kalia finally broke the silence.
"Say, Master Lia... was you making dinner..."
Astra cut a sideways glance at Kalia.
"...the big surprise you couldn't tell me?"
"Well, no. This is just part of it."
Kalia waved.
"I planned an entire party to celebrate our growing family!" she announced proudly.
Fio leaned back in her chair.
Family...
"So, first on the list tonight is presents."
Kalia pulled out a wooden case and opened it.
"What are those? They're so pretty, Master Lia!"
Lucy stared wide-eyed at the pins in front of her.
"These pins are for everyone. They're very special, so keep them with you at all times. If you ever need help, just talk into the pin, and it'll send the message to the rest of us immediately. Like this."
Kalia handed a pin to Lucy and left the room.
"Lucy, can you hear me?"
Kalia's voice came through the pin.
"Wow! That's amazing!" Lucy shouted. "It's like you're standing right next to me!"
"Can I try?! Can I try?!"
Sarah grabbed a pin and ran down the hallway.
"Hey, Milena! Can you hear me?"
"Yep! It's like you never left the room!"
"Master Lia, how does it work?" Astra inquired, holding a pin up to her eye. "I don't sense any enchantments, no magical circuits, nothing..."
"It's one of the items from the Armory. It's called Thought Bridge, and you can see just how useful it can be. People can talk to each other through it like they're standing right next to each other."
"So, it's like telepathy magic? I've read about it before, but I've never met anyone who could pull it off. There aren't many people out there willing to let others connect with their minds. Too dangerous."
"You could call it telepathy, but it doesn't actually connect your minds. Think of it like a summoning spell. Instead of reaching the Spirit Realm, it reaches the person you're calling."
"The best part is..."
Kalia smiled, looking around the table.
"No matter how far apart we are, you'll always be able to reach each other."
Fio traced her finger around the engraving.
Not alone...
"Hmm, makes sense. As usual, Master Lia, your inventions are incredible."
Astra nodded in acceptance.
"I have one for each of you, so keep them with you. Whenever you need Astra, myself, or anyone else, all you have to do is call."
Kalia continued passing the pins out to each of the girls.
Then she disappeared into the kitchen.
"With that done, on to surprise number two!"
"Is that a cake?!" Astra screamed as Kalia set a massive cake on the table.
"Mm-hm! The biggest one Tora could make!"
"Waaa... It's beautiful..." Lucy stammered.
"Can we really?" Eron worried. "It's almost too nice to eat..."
"Well, of course, Eron. Why else would I have bought it?"
Kalia laughed as she watched the girls nearly devour the entire thing in a matter of minutes.
"Everyone had enough?" Kalia asked, seeing the others barely capable of moving after stuffing themselves.
"I don't think I could force anything else down even if I tried..." Milena sighed, rubbing her stomach.
"Same," the rest answered in unison.
A moment of silence passed.
Then—
"Master Lia...? Can we... stay here... with you?" Eron piped up.
"Hmmm? You want to live here?"
"I-I'm sorry for asking that. I didn't mean it. I just got overexcited, is all. Please forget about it."
"We can cook, clean, and take care of the house for you. We can be useful..." Sarah added, trying to sweeten the deal as much as possible.
"Please! We'll be good and help out..." Lucy begged.
"What do you think, Astra?"
Kalia shot Astra a smirk.
"Should we let them stay?"
"Don't tease them, Master Lia... just say yes..."
"Oh, you're no fun, Astra. You could've played along just a bit."
Kalia turned back to the girls.
"I would love it if all five of you stayed here with us."
"You mean it?! We can live here with you?!"
All of the girls exclaimed, nearly jumping out of their seats.
"It took you long enough to ask. I was planning on it from the beginning, and I figured the trip to Tuugo, the clothes, and the gifts would give you a hint."
Kalia smiled.
"However, just to be clear: you aren't servants or maids or anything else. You don't have to earn the right to stay here. We're a family now, and I will always be here for you."
"Welcome home, girls!"
Kalia opened her arms as all of them dogpiled her for a hug.
"All right, all right."
Kalia laughed.
"I do have just one more thing I wanted to discuss with everyone."
"Please... no more food..." Milena groaned.
"No, no. I was thinking we should register at the guildhall in town. Form an official adventurer party."
"You mean like taking quests and fighting monsters?" Eron inquired.
"Exactly."
Kalia turned to the group.
"Well, what do you all think?"
"Sounds like fun, Master Lia! I've never been in a party before. So many opportunities for research!"
"Uhm, I don't want to fight, though, Master Lia..." Sarah added in a low voice. "...I'm scared of monsters..."
"I see..."
Kalia pondered for a moment.
"How about we make you our official secretary? You would handle all the behind-the-scenes work instead of fighting."
"I-I can do that..."
Sarah sighed in relief.
"What about the rest of you?"
"I want to be an adventurer and get strong like you are," Milena and Eron replied immediately.
"Can I help Astra? She knows all sorts of spells," Lucy chimed in. "I wanna be a great mage like her!"
"You wanna learn from me?" Astra replied, shocked.
"Yes. I heard about you from one of my masters, and ever since then, I've wanted to learn magic."
"S-sure."
Astra kicked at the ground with her foot in embarrassment.
"I-I'll do my best."
Lucy pumped her fist into the air.
"Yay! I'll work super hard, Astra!"
"Fio, I guess I already know your answer."
"Yes. I'm going to become an adventurer too."
"Excellent."
Kalia stretched, looking at the clock.
"It's getting late, and I want everyone well rested for my surprise!"
"There's more?!" Sarah jumped.
"Yep. You guys will need more than those pins if you plan on being adventurers. We're going to have to get you all some weapons if you want to fight. Astra and I won't always be around to protect you."
"Why do I need one, though, Master Lia? I didn't want to fight..."
"Hopefully you won't, Sarah. But if something happens, it may be unavoidable. I want you to be able to protect yourself should anything ever happen."
"I guess so..."
"All right, then. Off to bed, everyone. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
"Oh, and Astra, could you meet me in my room later? I need your help with something."
"Okie, Master Lia. I'll get the girls in bed and come by after."
"Thanks, Astra. Goodnight, everyone."
"Goodnight, Master Lia!"
"Fio? Wanna come sleep in our room tonight? We haven't had much time to talk, and we want to know more about you," Sarah asked sheepishly.
"Of course. I would love to."
"Goody!"
Sarah exclaimed, grabbing Fio's sleeve and practically dragging her down the hall.
"She's a good girl, Master Lia," Astra whispered.
"You said it, Astra. I think this is exactly what Fio needs right now. We may not be able to replace the family she lost, but I have a feeling she's going to become their new big sister after tonight."
"Master Lia, it's me," Astra announced, pushing the door open.
"Come on, sit."
Kalia patted the bed next to her.
Astra lingered in the doorway, wringing her hands.
"B-but..."
"Astra, can we skip to the part where you finally sit next to me...?"
Kalia interrupted with an amused sigh.
They'd been through this little routine far too many times.
"Oh, fine..." Astra replied nervously. "S-so, what did you want to talk about?"
"I'm going to be giving each of the girls an item from my Armory, and I thought the genius researcher could help me decide what would suit them best."
"You don't need my help... I mean, you picked the staff for me, and at this point, it feels like it was made just for me. I'm probably the only person in the world who could use it to its fullest potential."
"True, but I'm at somewhat of a loss with the girls. Should I stick with simple stuff and let them learn, or dive right into more powerful items and hope they can control them?"
"Hmm, I see what you mean."
Astra rested a finger on her chin.
"They're still young, so it's too early to know their full potential. I'd have to run a few tests, but I can give you a general idea."
"Milena has an affinity for fire magic, but I fear she won't have much control over its flow for casting. I think enhancement magic would suit her best."
"I see. Eron?"
"Her affinity is air and water. Her mana is rather fluid, and with the amount I can see coming from her, she'll excel in healing and defensive magic."
"Rather fitting that Eron would be the defender... and Sarah?"
"Believe it or not, that cute little girl has an affinity for dark magic. Her mana is almost as fluid as mine, and her reserves are incredible. But right now, she can only use a tiny fraction of that power. Given the right training, she could easily become one of the most powerful dark mages in Rela."
"Is it really that impressive?"
"Seriously... if she ever turned evil, it would be a disaster. Some of the spells she could cast are true nightmares..."
"So maybe we never make her mad, then?" Kalia laughed.
"How about Fio?"
"Fio's affinity is earth. Unfortunately, both her reserves and flow are terrible. I doubt she'll ever be able to cast much more than simple spells."
Astra thought for a moment.
"Honestly, I think she may be more suited to summoning magic than anything else. With her caring personality, she could easily make contracts. Plus, summoning magic costs very little to use."
"So that just leaves Lucy. What about her?"
"Lucy is special. I can think of only one other person who's like her, and it's me."
"Huh?! Really?"
"Yeah. She can use every type of magic, and like myself, her range and reserves border on infinite. However, I don't think her level of control is going to be on par with mine."
Astra's expression turned serious.
"I'm worried that whenever she casts a spell, it'll go wild almost immediately."
"How so?"
"Each element has its own 'thread,' or path, through which it flows through our bodies. Normally, a person has only one or two affinities, so those threads never become tangled."
Astra continued.
"However, in cases like mine or Lucy's, all six threads exist at once. They can get tangled together, leading to mana feedback. Low-level magic won't do more than knock her out if it backfires, but if she were to try casting more powerful spells, they could not only kill her, but potentially everyone else around her."
She paused.
"It took me nearly fifty years to master all six elements."
"I didn't know you were so impressive, Astra..."
"M-Master L-Lia, I'm not amazing at all..." Astra replied nervously, rubbing her hands together.
Not amazing. Says the girl who just said she can cast infinitely.
"Anyway..."
Astra took a deep breath to regain her composure.
"I think what Lucy needs more than anything is knowledge. Luckily, she picked the only teacher in the world who can help her learn how to use her power."
"Thanks, Astra. That was extremely helpful."
Kalia hesitated.
"By the way... what do you see when you look at me?"
"You..."
Astra frowned.
"You're hard to explain. I can see your mana, but... like Geeto said... it's almost as if it doesn't exist. It's both there... and not there."
She studied Kalia.
"Your power is completely outside my realm of knowledge. Even the way Manifest interacts with your mana is different from how our world works."
"So, I'm Schrödinger's Mage..."
"Who's that?"
I'm not explaining theoretical physics to you, Astra...
"It's a joke from my old world. It's a play on a scientist's name when referring to two opposing possibilities existing at the same time."
"I'm not sure I follow..."
"And I'm not sure I can properly explain it. It'll take all night anyway."
"I wanna know now, Master Lia... You can't just tease me with more information like that..."
Astra pouted.
"You're gonna make me explain, aren't you?"
"Hehe, yep!"
Astra flashed her smile, having figured out Kalia's weakness.
That's not fair...
"One second, Master Lia. Before you start, let me go change out of these clothes."
"Ohhh..."
Kalia's sentence cut off as Astra walked back into the room wearing a loose-fitting nightgown.
The moonlight caught in her silver hair with an almost ethereal glow.
"M-Master Lia, what are you staring at?"
Astra's face turned bright red.
"You," Kalia replied matter-of-factly.
"Why? Does this look strange on me or something?"
Astra nervously fiddled with the hem of her gown.
"Not in the slightest..." Kalia answered quietly.
"Really? You think so?"
Astra cracked a slight smile.
"Absolutely. I'll say it again. You really are pretty, Astra."
"I-uhh..."
Astra failed to find the words.
"So, are you going to stand there all night? I thought you wanted an explanation."
Astra shuffled back to take her spot.
"O-okay."
"I guess I'll start with Schrödinger..."
Kalia spent the next two hours explaining the thought experiment, the strange ideas behind quantum mechanics, and how Schrödinger's cat eventually became a joke back in her world.
"That's about it. Astra, did you understand all that?"
"Astra...?"
"She's asleep... after all that, she passes out on me..."
Kalia sighed.
"I guess I should get her into her bed."
Kalia began to move, but Astra grabbed her waist, holding her down.
It would be rude to wake her, wouldn't it?
Maybe it's okay for her to sleep here tonight.
"Goodnight, Astra."
Kalia whispered, patting the girl on the head and receiving an even tighter hug in response.
"Master Lia..." Astra mumbled in her sleep.