The next day, Leon woke up before sunrise.
When he opened his eyes, the two orbs were already floating above his bed the Dark Knight's black-tinged aura flickering faintly and the Sorcerer's golden glow pulsing softly like a lantern.
"Up, boy," the Dark Knight said firmly. "Discipline waits for no one."
Leon groaned, rubbing his eyes. "You don't even sleep, do you?"
"Sleep is for the unprepared," the orb replied coldly.
The Sorcerer chuckled. "He's saying he's jealous of mortals. Now get up, child your lessons begin."
And so his new routine began.
Mornings were dedicated to the Dark Knight's training rigid, physical, and exhausting. Leon was drilled on form, posture, and control. Every swing of his practice sword had to be perfect, every stance unbroken. The Dark Knight's booming voice echoed in his mind each time he faltered.
By the time the sun reached its peak, his arms felt like they were made of lead.
Afternoons, however, belonged to the Sorcerer.
Under the warm sunlight, Leon sat cross-legged in the yard, his eyes closed, breathing steadily as the old orb floated before him.
"Focus," the Sorcerer said softly. "Mana is like a river. Do not force it—guide it."
He learned how to feel the energy around him, how to draw it in without burning himself out. It wasn't as tiring as physical training, but it demanded more patience. Sometimes the Sorcerer would make him read old spells written in strange symbols that appeared only when the orb glowed brighter.
By the third day, Leon had fallen into the rhythm of it. It was strange, but comforting as if he had finally found a purpose.
That was, until his sister walked in on him.
He was in the yard, eyes closed, talking to the orbs about focusing his mana, when a voice behind him said,
"Leon… who are you talking to?"
He froze.
The orbs instantly went invisible, as if on cue.
He turned slowly to see his sister standing by the doorway, holding a basket of laundry, her brows raised in confusion.
"I-I'm just, uh, practicing… vocal concentration," he stammered.
She blinked. "So… you're talking to the air?"
"Y-Yeah, helps me focus."
She sighed, shaking her head. "I thought you were already alright, but now you're getting weird again."
Her words made Leon blush in embarrassment. "I'm fine, really!"
"Just… don't start shouting at trees next, okay?" she said before walking off.
From behind him, a faint snicker echoed in his mind.
The Sorcerer chuckled. "She seems fond of you."
"Fond?" Leon muttered, face red. "She thinks I'm losing my mind!"
The Dark Knight's deep voice rumbled with amusement. "Perhaps train outside from now on."
"Yeah, no kidding," Leon sighed.
So from then on, Leon trained away from home in the quiet fields or near the woods, where no one would see him talking to invisible mentors.
A few days later, the Sorcerer suggested something new.
"You've been neglecting your mind, boy. Let us visit the village library."
Leon frowned. "Library? Sounds boring."
The Sorcerer floated closer, his voice pleading. "Please? There's ancient knowledge there! Perhaps even books about magic from my era!"
He even made a teary, wobbly voice.
Leon sighed. "Fine, fine. Stop sounding like a sad old man."
When they arrived in the village, the Sorcerer guided Leon to the small, quiet library near the center. Shelves of old books lined the walls, and the air smelled faintly of dust and parchment.
As Leon browsed, a voice called softly behind him.
"Looking for something specific?"
He turned and saw a girl about his age, maybe a little older with chestnut hair tied neatly behind her ear and eyes that sparkled with curiosity. She wore a simple dress but carried herself with quiet confidence.
"Oh, uh, not really," Leon said, scratching his cheek. "Just… reading."
She smiled. "You're picking some pretty strange books for a beginner." She glanced at the thick tome in his hand, one that the Sorcerer had insisted on. "Old world theories on mana flow? That's not something most villagers read."
"Y-Yeah, I'm… curious about that stuff," Leon replied awkwardly.
The Sorcerer whispered in his mind, "Compliment her intellect. Works every time."
Leon nearly choked. "What!?"
The girl tilted her head. "Are you okay?"
"Ah, yeah! I was just… saying, you must know a lot about books." He forced a smile.
She laughed lightly. "I guess I do. My father's the librarian. I help him organize things."
From above, the Sorcerer's faint chuckle echoed, "Ah, young love… it begins."
"Quiet!" Leon hissed under his breath.
"What?" the girl asked.
"Nothing! Just talking to… myself."
Her brow arched slightly, but she giggled. "You really are strange."
Despite the awkward start, they got along surprisingly well. She showed him around the library, recommending books, and he secretly guided by the Sorcerer picked volumes that impressed her with their complexity. By the end of the afternoon, she was smiling at him warmly.
"Come by again sometime," she said. "Not many boys like reading."
"Yeah… I might," Leon said, smiling back as he left.
Outside, the two orbs appeared again, floating behind him like mischievous spirits.
"She likes you," the Sorcerer teased.
The Dark Knight rumbled, "Focus on training, not romance."
"Oh, come on," the Sorcerer laughed. "Let the boy enjoy life a little."
Leon groaned. "Can you two not start this now?"
By the time he reached home, the sun had set, and the smell of dinner filled the air. His sister was already at the table, waiting.
As they ate, Leon found himself telling stories not about the orbs or training, but about the people he met in the village, the odd books he'd read, and the funny things that happened. His sister laughed, relieved to see her brother cheerful again.
That night, as he lay in bed, the two orbs hovered faintly in the corner of his room.
For the first time, Leon felt that his strange new life with all its weirdness and wonders was finally starting to feel… right.