Raiden woke up before the first rays of dawn, energized and ready. Today would mark the beginning of a new chapter in his training. He had Healer Hilda's guidance secured, but there was still the matter of Kent's watchful eyes. If he wants to keep an eye on me so badly, I'll make sure he never misses a thing, Raiden thought with a mischievous smile.
Instead of heading straight to Hilda's lab, he crept through the halls to Kent's room. Pushing the door open gently, he stepped inside and shook Kent awake.
"Raiden…?" Kent mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He blinked groggily, his hair sticking out in every direction. "What time is it?"
"Time to train, of course!" Raiden chirped, his enthusiasm practically radiating from him. "Come on, big brother. You said you wanted to keep an eye on me."
Kent groaned and buried his face in his pillow. "It's not even dawn yet. Go away."
Raiden shook him harder. "But Kent, this is perfect! If you're going to watch me, you should start early. No point in missing anything important."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then Kent rolled over, glaring at his younger brother with a murderous expression. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"Who, me?" Raiden asked innocently, his eyes wide. "I'm just being helpful."
Kent felt an overwhelming urge to strangle his little brother. Why did I care so much about his disappearances? He regretted it now more than ever. But since he was already awake and Raiden wasn't going to let him rest, he grudgingly got out of bed, throwing on a tunic and boots.
Raiden led the way, practically skipping. "Let's go to Healer Hilda's lab. We can get a head start."
Kent grumbled under his breath but followed. As they walked, Raiden listed off his intended training routine with a level of enthusiasm that made Kent's exhaustion even worse. He would have given anything to go back to sleep, but Raiden seemed intent on making sure that was impossible.
"So," Raiden said as they reached the main corridor, "remember our bet?".
Kent's eyes widened. The bet. He had almost forgotten. "You're talking about the mana heart bet? You really managed to do it?"
Raiden nodded, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Which means you owe me, dear brother. But don't worry—I can wait until I'm eighteen.".
Kent scowled, but there was no denying it. "Fine. You won. But the terms stand. Whatever your request is, it has to be reasonable."
"Of course." Raiden flashed a grin. "I'll give you plenty of time to worry about it."
Kent's irritation gave way to a reluctant smile. He's going to be insufferable about this, isn't he? But before he could dwell on it, Raiden leaned closer with a gleam of mischief in his eyes.
"Let's race," Raiden said suddenly. "First one to reach Healer Hilda's lab gets a healing potion."
"What?" Kent balked, shaking his head. "She's not even aware of this bet. It doesn't count."
"Oh, don't worry," Raiden replied, his voice light. "I'll make sure she goes along with it."
There was a challenge in Raiden's eyes that Kent couldn't ignore. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine. You want a race? You've got one."
The two brothers moved to the starting point at the end of the hall. "Ready… set… go!" Raiden shouted, taking off like a flash. Kent followed immediately, his longer strides giving him an advantage, but Raiden was quick and nimble, weaving through the corridors with practiced ease.
They sprinted through the winding paths of the estate, their footsteps echoing in the stillness of the early morning. Raiden ducked under a low beam, narrowly avoiding it, while Kent leapt over a stack of crates with ease. As they neared the lab, their breaths came in quick gasps, each determined to win.
In the final stretch, Kent pulled ahead by a mere arm's length, reaching the lab's door first. "I win," he declared, though his chest heaved from the effort.
Raiden caught up moments later, doubling over with a laugh. "Barely."
~~~~~
The door to the lab opened, and Healer Hilda stood there, her eyebrows raised. She was already awake, busy mixing ingredients in a large glass container. "Why are you two racing through the estate like wild animals?" she asked, sounding more amused than annoyed.
Raiden stepped forward, still catching his breath. "We made a bet, Healer Hilda. The winner gets a healing potion."
"A bet?" Hilda's eyes flicked to Kent, then back to Raiden. "And why, exactly, am I involved in this?"
Raiden moved closer, motioning for her to lean in. He whispered something in her ear, too low for Kent to hear. Whatever he said made Hilda's eyes widen, and then she burst out laughing. "Very well," she said, turning to Kent with a smile. "A bet is a bet."
Before Kent could protest, she handed him a small vial filled with a shimmering blue liquid. "Here you go, Kent. Congratulations."
Kent took the vial, his face a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. "Uh… thank you."
"And one more thing," Hilda said, leaning in and planting a quick kiss on his forehead. "For the victor."
Raiden's laughter filled the room as Kent's face turned red. "You… you planned this!" Kent sputtered, pointing an accusing finger at his brother.
"Maybe," Raiden said with a shrug, his grin never fading. "Or maybe I'm just lucky."
Kent glared at him, but there was no real heat behind it. "You're impossible."
"That's why you love me," Raiden said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now, can we get to training? I have a lot to learn."
Hilda chuckled, shaking her head. "You two are going to be the death of me. Come on, Raiden. Let's see what you can do."
~~~~~
As the training session began, Raiden focused on mastering his healing skills under Hilda's watchful eye. He started with [Healing Touch], practicing on minor cuts and bruises she conjured for him using harmless spells. The green glow of his hands became more stable with each use, and Hilda guided him patiently, correcting his form and helping him channel his mana more efficiently.
Occasionally, Kent watched from the corner of the room, his eyes still filled with suspicion but tempered by a begrudging respect. Raiden worked hard, sweat dripping down his face as he pushed himself to learn every nuance of the skill. He repeated the process over and over, determined to master it.
When Hilda finally called for a break, Raiden collapsed onto a nearby stool, his energy spent but his spirit high. "How did I do?" he asked, looking up at her.
"You have potential, Raiden," Hilda said with a smile. "But remember, healing is about more than just skill. It requires empathy and focus."
"I understand," Raiden said, nodding. "I'll keep working at it."
"Good." She glanced at Kent, who was still lingering. "And you—are you staying, or do you have something better to do?"
Kent rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips. "I'll stay. Someone has to keep him out of trouble.
_____________________
_____________________
A/N: Guys!! We're finally done with exams. No more exams!!
And we know what that means... No more inconsistent updates!!
I can fully resume both books and I hope you guys stick around to enjoy both!!
Once again, thank you all for sticking around this far. I love you all!!