Another year passed.
Rudeus and Luo Ge finally celebrated their fifth birthday.
In this world, birthdays weren't celebrated every year, but once every five years: at five, ten, fifteen, and so on...
On their birthday, the family held a small celebration at home.
Paul, Zenith, and even the usually quiet maid Lilia offered their heartfelt wishes.
Of course, besides the well wishes, there were presents too, making the occasion feel as festive as could be.
Paul's gifts were two iron swords... very heavy ones.
When Rudeus took his sword, he nearly failed to hold it and fell to the ground. His constitution was far too weak.
If Luo Ge hadn't reacted quickly and helped steady him, he would have fallen headfirst onto the floor.
As for Luo Ge...
He lifted the iron sword with ease and even swung it a few times, performing several beautiful flourishes that drew repeated cheers from everyone.
"Rudeus, Luo Ge..."
"Happy birthday!"
Paul looked at his two sons and told Rudeus, "Keep working hard. Even if you're very talented at magic, you mustn't forget to practice your swordsmanship."
"As for you, Luo Ge... I'm proud to be your father. You'll definitely become an outstanding swordsman someday."
"But talent isn't everything. You need to work hard too."
"Hm? Ah!"
Zenith couldn't help pushing Paul aside.
She gave Rudeus and Luo Ge the loving smile only a mother could have and stroked both children's heads.
Zenith's birthday presents were two books.
Next came Roxy's turn.
She gave Rudeus and Luo Ge a wand each, both handmade by her.
The wands were also set with magic stones, which reduced mana consumption when used by a mage. They were excellent value.
According to Roxy, every teacher gave one to students who had just learned magic.
Besides those, Roxy had prepared a very special mystery gift just for Luo Ge.
A pufferfish.
Yes, that was right.
Roxy had personally grilled a pufferfish, specially treating it with detoxification magic.
This birthday present...
Well... Luo Ge absolutely loved it.
If there hadn't been other people there, Luo Ge would have picked Roxy up on the spot, lifted her high, and spun her around. Teacher Roxy understood him.
In short, the birthday party was a thoroughly happy and lively affair.
Five years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Luo Ge hadn't expected to spend five whole years in this other world without even realizing it.
Time really flew.
They were five now.
Paul also officially began teaching Rudeus swordsmanship.
Unlike his talent for magic, Rudeus's aptitude for swordsmanship... well, it couldn't be called good. It could only be described as a complete disaster.
For some reason... this guy...
He actually couldn't cloak himself in Touki. That practically meant Rudeus had no future as a swordsman and could never achieve anything great in it.
Touki!
It was a technique that enveloped and permeated the body with the mana inside it. It shared its origins with magic, but its application was completely different.
Simply put, one released mana outward, while the other wrapped it inward.
Touki could improve not only speed and defense, but also strengthen the body...
For a swordsman, the most important thing was cloaking oneself in Touki. Without that, one could never truly break through to the level of Advanced Swordsman.
Compared with Luo Ge, a genius swordsman who had learned to cloak himself in Touki overnight after first picking up a sword...
Rudeus's talent showed itself more in magic.
Over these two years, he had mastered most advanced magic. According to Roxy's assessment, the current Rudeus could successfully cast even Water Saint Rank magic.
A Water Saint Rank mage at just five years old-probably no one would believe it if they heard.
As for Luo Ge, his magic remained at the advanced level.
It wasn't that Luo Ge didn't want to push higher, but rather that he was considering mana allocation. Saint Rank magic consumed far too much mana, several or even more than a dozen times as much as intermediate magic.
Unlike advanced magic, which could be used in combat anytime and anywhere, Saint Rank magic was generally used on a strategic level and had little practical value in combat.
Rather than spend a huge amount of mana casting some flashy spell that took forever, Luo Ge would rather land a 999-damage slash! A quick kill felt much better.
Thus, Luo Ge had always considered magic a supplement to his swordsmanship and hadn't taken it very seriously.
Before they knew it, two months had passed.
It had also been two years since Roxy had come to their home as a tutor.
And he and Rudeus... finally reached the day of their graduation.
On graduation day...
Roxy was going to take them to a fairly distant open area to cast the Water Saint Rank spell Cumulonimbus as their exam.
Rudeus was the one actually taking the graduation exam. Luo Ge was just there to make up the numbers.
Luo Ge had no objection to going out. He ran around the village every day to exercise, but Rudeus still couldn't overcome that mental hurdle.
Seeing him trembling and cowering inside the house, Luo Ge couldn't contain his irritation. "What's wrong with you? Aren't you being way too cowardly?"
Luo Ge had no idea what he had experienced to make him so afraid of the outside world.
"Luo Ge... let me handle this!"
At the crucial moment, Roxy stepped in.
With Roxy's encouragement, Rudeus, though afraid, finally stepped bravely out of the house.
Just like that, Rudeus finally took his first step.
Luo Ge was happy for him too.
And so, the three set off on horseback.
Rudeus sat in front, Roxy in the middle, and Luo Ge at the back, holding Roxy with a look of utter enjoyment.
Mm, just what I'd expect from Teacher Roxy. She got Rudeus under control right away... She easily accomplished something even I couldn't do. Luo Ge couldn't help giving Roxy a mental thumbs-up.
Then the three rode to the outskirts of the village.
An endless expanse of lush green grassland.
Roxy demonstrated on the spot, chanting an incantation... and casting the Water Saint Rank spell Cumulonimbus-a massive storm followed, with lightning and rain, affecting even the weather nearby.
Power that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth!
Hmm...
It looked pretty intimidating, but was actually of little practical use.
Even if chantless casting could save most of the time, the spell still needed time to be released...
It would be pretty good for warfare, but in a fight, who knew how many times you'd have died by the time you finished casting it?
"Rudeus... did you get all that?"
After casting it, Roxy looked at Rudeus.
"I think it should be fine..."
Rudeus took a deep breath.
Then he began casting Saint Rank magic using the method Roxy had taught him.
Although it was his first time using it, Rudeus cast it effortlessly thanks to his astonishing mana reserves.
Its power was even greater than Roxy's own.
The student had surpassed the teacher.
Half an hour later, the rain finally stopped.
Luo Ge and Roxy slowly emerged from an earthen fortress nearby. Luo Ge smiled. "Rudeus... nicely done."
Roxy also looked deeply pleased. "Congratulations, Rudeus... From today onward, you're a Water Saint Rank mage too."
"Thank you both!"
At their praise, Rudeus broke into a very happy smile.
The exam was over.
The three began riding back to the village along the same route. Luo Ge and Rudeus exchanged a glance, both suddenly seeming to think of something.
Neither needed to say it.
The end of the exam also meant Teacher Roxy would be leaving.
Every gathering had to end. Even siblings parted ways once they reached a certain age, let alone people connected only by a tutor's employment.
Roxy would leave this place sooner or later. It was only a matter of when.
For Luo Ge, his teacher Roxy was ultimately just a passing presence in his life.
Perhaps... after this farewell, they wouldn't meet again for years, or even decades.
That night...
Roxy began packing her luggage in her room. She planned to say goodbye to everyone first, then leave the next morning.
Just then, a furtive figure suddenly slipped into her room and quietly approached.
"Rudeus?"
Roxy didn't turn around, thinking Rudeus had come.
But the visitor stood behind her and covered her eyes with his hands. "Teacher, it's me."
"Huh?"
"L-Luo Ge..."