Don't Fight Anymore

Just as Rudy and Allen locked eyes and the tension steadily mounted.

A sob suddenly rang out through the air. A small hand reached out from the side and tightly gripped Allen's sword hilt. With tears streaming down her face, Sylphy looked at Allen. She tried hard not to avoid his gaze as she usually did, then stammered with utmost seriousness.

"Al-Allen, we're f-friends. We can't fight, don't—"

Under Allen's increasingly blank stare, Sylphy suddenly burst into tears.

Watching this, Allen hurriedly sheathed his sword. Yet having only ever frightened children in both his past and present lives, with no experience comforting them, he was left scratching his head in distress.

Rudy, meanwhile, snapped out of his daze and gave the flustered Allen a rather speechless look.

Allen was a kid with a young man's pride too. He actually drew his sword on a companion just to determine who was stronger. But it was a reverse-bladed sword, so he must have kept his cool. In other words, did he seriously want to let Sylphy understand the power of magic by sparring with me?

But that was really terrifying, Lord Allen! Children really shouldn't be carrying blades!

So, am I really going to spar with him? This isn't the time to think about that. I should comfort Sylphy first.

With that thought, Rudy sighed, wearing the expression of an adult who had no idea how to handle children. He walked over to the dumbfounded Allen and grabbed his hand.

Then, under Allen's horrified gaze, he pushed Sylphy into Allen's arms.

He even thoughtfully wrapped Allen's arm around Sylphy's back.

Allen watched Rudy carry out that entire sequence, his pupils trembling as he fell into shock on every possible level.

Then Rudy leaned close to his ear and whispered.

"Hurry up and comfort her. You can do it!"

Afterward, Rudy stood up with his hands behind his back and retreated several steps. He sat on the grass, propped his chin on his hand, and began watching the show.

Like an old father watching his children play house.

Allen looked at Sylphy, who was sobbing in his arms, then at Rudy, who was cheering him on with pumped fists from the side. His eye twitched so hard it was practically about to wrinkle.

He really couldn't handle this.

"Stop crying. We're only sparring! We're not really fighting."

Sylphy covered her face and peeked through her fingers at Allen's stiff expression, then gave a quiet nod.

Wh-why did I suddenly cry? Allen doesn't like it when people cry. I definitely can't cry again in the future.

She had known the two of them for less than a day. On top of that, she had met them earlier than in the original novel's storyline, and she was even younger. Naturally timid, she still needed time to grow familiar with them before becoming the gentle and considerate White Mom of the future—the childhood version seen in the novel after spending some time with Rudy.

But he isn't scowling this time.

Allen blinked. Seeing that Sylphy had calmed down, he let out a long breath.

"Just stand beneath the tree and watch, all right? Rudy and I will spar a little, and you can use the chance to see the power of magic. Once you've seen it, you'll naturally understand magic's appeal."

Sylphy instinctively began avoiding Allen's gaze again. Looking down at her shoes, she gave a barely audible nod.

Allen then pulled the still-reluctant Rudy several dozen meters down the slope.

"All right, this distance should do."

Allen held up his gleaming sword to gauge the distance, while Rudy shrank back at the sight of it.

"Are we really going to spar?"

Allen rested his chin on his hand and considered it for a while.

In the original novel, Rudy only began increasing the power of various low-level spells two years after Lokkishi left. At this point, if he can't open up the distance, I should be able to cut off his head instantly. But today, letting Sylphy see magic's power is more important. As for sparring, we can take it slowly. It would be better to first guide Rudy into increasing the power of his magic, as well as developing Mixed Magic suited for the battlefield.

"Then let's stop short today. Mainly, you'll cast magic, and I'll defend. How does that sound?"

Rudy's eyes lit up.

"Sure!"

Then Allen added the second half of his sentence.

"But two months from now, I'll challenge you seriously. So you have two months to study how to improve your magic. Then we'll have a proper spar."

Rudy's face stiffened.

"Do we have to spar?"

Allen's expression turned stern.

"No. Have you ever considered your future?"

Rudy froze.

My future? Maybe I'll marry a pretty girl with low self-esteem and live a peaceful life. It would be nice if I could see Lokkishi often. But that probably won't happen. Who knows when I'll see her again?

"When we parted, Lokkishi told me that her goal was to become a Water God-level Magician. What about you?"

Rudy looked up in astonishment.

"A Water God-level..."

"Do you long to reunite with Lokkishi?"

Rudy said nothing. His gaze merely grew more serious as he stared directly at Allen.

Allen smiled.

"Looks like you have your answer."

Allen raised two fingers.

"She has a lifespan of two hundred years, and she's only in her thirties now. If, ten or so years from now, you become an adult and enter the prime of life—the second quarter of your lifespan—she'll still only be in the first quarter of hers, the same as you. So when that time comes, what kind of person do you intend to face her again as? A married country magician? A successful adventurer? Or an outstanding student at Magic University? Have you considered it? These possibilities will lead to completely different futures. Have you prepared yourself for that?"

Rudy did not answer. He simply raised one arm, placed his other hand on his elbow, and revealed a steady expression.

"I accept your challenge two months from now. But shouldn't we first show Sylphy the power of magic?"

Seeing Rudy's expression, Allen's lips curved almost imperceptibly.

"That's a fine look."

Allen raised a hand to his sword, lowered his stance, and planted his feet firmly in the grass. His expression turned cold.

"Then let's begin. You attack, and I'll defend."

Rudy took a deep breath.

"All right. Then, here I go."

Magic—Water Cannon. Size: 10! Speed: 10! Lord Allen, I'm angry now. Please receive this strike filled with my fury!

The moment the thought ended, Rudy's Silent Casting Magic activated instantly. Clear, sparkling streams of water were drawn from thin air, gathering before his hand like a whirlpool. In the blink of an eye, the water surged before his palm like an enraged wave waiting to be unleashed.

The next instant.

Water kicked up clouds of mist around him as it transformed into a massive column that nearly obscured his entire body and shot forth from before him! The immense recoil sent Rudy's hair flying, forcing him to stumble back a step as alarm suddenly filled his heart.

Oh no, I put too much force into it! Allen!

He hurriedly looked up, only for his pupils to constrict sharply.

The scene at that moment was etched into his mind, and even years later, he would still recall it from time to time:

The water column, a full meter in diameter, surged forward like furious lightning. In his vision, it completely swallowed Allen's figure. At that instant, even the sunlight seemed to pause, flashing across Rudy's pupils in a sudden arc of light.

Panic had only just appeared on Rudy's face.

When the water column split apart.

Before Allen, it parted vertically with effortless ease, like a balloon filled entirely with air.

Smoothly, without the slightest ripple.

Then the seemingly weightless water column abruptly poured down to either side of Allen, carving two deep trenches into the ground!

The turf thick with grass was completely torn away by the water column, exposing the ugly muddy tracks beneath.

A breeze blew past.

The grass beneath Allen's feet remained completely untouched, still brushing playfully against his calves. His hand rested on his sword, and he remained in the exact same stance as before, without the slightest shift in posture.

The lingering ripples from the water column scattered around Allen, diffusing the sunlight into a hazy halo that enveloped him.

Allen smiled.

"Not bad. Again."

Rudy merely stared at him blankly, his expression dazed.

At that moment, he felt that the smile in Allen's eyes was even clearer than the sunlight reflected by the water.