What can go wrong?

Two weeks had passed since the encounter with the troll. During this time, Amelia and Oliver had visited me daily. Amelia would drop by in the morning before her training sessions and again in the afternoon after her training to fill me in on her day's adventures. It seems that the training that she is having with Jax is really helping her, and I notice that she is eager to improve even more.

Surprisingly, my wounds had healed faster than expected. My mother mentioned that it usually takes around two months for fractures like mine to fully mend, but I was nearly back to normal in just two weeks. However, it's still not enough to make too much effort.

As we chatted over breakfast, my mother remarked, curious as she tilted her head, "I can't believe how quickly you've recovered on your own without the need for any major magical treatment,"

"I don't know, maybe it's because I'm young," I replied, unable to think of any other explanation. Looking back, I had always healed faster than others when injured and couldn't recall ever falling ill. I suppose I should be grateful for having a healthy body, only if not for those persistent nightmares.

Due to my injuries, I have been confined to the house, unable to venture out. Despite my reassurances to my mother that I am feeling better, she still worries about me being alone and has done everything possible to be at home. I sometimes feel guilty for taking up so much of her time.

"I don't think it's just your youth that's responsible for your abnormal rapid healing. Either way, I'm glad you're better, and your frustration seems to have subsided, too," My mother commented.

"Frustration!?" I replied in surprise.

"Am I wrong?" My mother responded with that smile that sometimes makes me think she knows more about me than I do myself.

I couldn't believe how easily my mother could read me. The truth was, I had been feeling a bit frustrated with myself for failing to handle the troll when someone like Kase, who also didn't hold a rank, managed to defeat it. I am grateful to Kase for saving us, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was my responsibility to protect my friends, and failing at that had left me somewhat disheartened. Also, it doesn't help much when Amelia tells me about Kase's excellent skills while training. It makes me think that Kase is some kind of genius or something like that.

Oh, well... I had thought I'd concealed my frustration well, but I was clearly no match for my mother's insight.

"Darx, you don't need to blame yourself for not being able to take down the troll. On the contrary, the fact that you stood your ground against it without being an adventurer and survived is commendable. Even a C-Rank adventurer would have a hard time dealing with a troll single-handedly," My mother reassured me.

"But how did Kase manage to do it?" I inquired.

"When you were still ****, Kase came twice to see how you were doing, and I had the chance to talk to him and express my gratitude for his help. When I asked him how he managed to scare away the troll, he explained that the troll had a severe injury above his ankle, which hindered its mobility. Due to its limited movement, Kase was able to target its eye. It appears that after that, the troll tried to hit Kase a few more times, but after he dodged those attacks, the troll retreated. A significant portion of the credit for Kase's victory goes to the damage you inflicted on the troll," My mother explained.

"I see," I responded, relieved to know that I had played a helpful role.

"Hello, Darx! How are you feeling?" Amelia greeted me as she entered the house. She usually did so before heading to her training sessions, and she seemed cheerful as always.

"Hi, Amelia. I'm much better now. In fact, I'm feeling good enough to get out of here."

"In that case, would you like to accompany me to our meeting spot, Darx? I want you to meet Kase," Amelia suggested.

It seems that Amelia has become quite close to Kase during this time. I'm a bit surprised. Amelia is friendly to everyone, but she seems to have really struck up a friendship with Kase. Maybe it seemed strange to me since I'm used to seeing her behave that way only with me or Oliver. That makes me even more curious to meet Kase. I wonder what kind of person he is.

I looked at my mother intuitively, almost as if asking for her permission, to which she just said with a smile, "Okay, but come back once Amelia and the others leave. It's still not a good idea for you to walk around the village."

"Thanks, Ilene! I'll make sure Darx doesn't overexert himself!" Amelia reply.

"Well, let's go. I still need to thank him properly for saving us the other day," I said while standing up.

Jax's group's meeting spot was located near the village's exit, so we headed that way. Amelia and I walked at a comfortable pace, exchanging friendly banter as we strolled along. As we neared the bridge, my eyes caught sight of an unfamiliar figure in the distance. A young, blond guy wearing what appeared to be luxurious armor caught my attention. I instantly realized he was Kase.

As soon as Amelia saw him too, she quickened her pace, approaching him, "Good morning, Kase! Did you have to wait long?" Amelia greeted him.

"Good morning, Amelia! No, I just arrived," Kase replied while maintaining a smile.

So, this was Kase. Despite being Mr. Enzo's son, he didn't resemble him much. Even as a man, I can tell he is an attractive person, a bit taller than me, with blonde hair, broad shoulders, green eyes, and an elegant manner of speaking.

Dragging his gaze, Kase turned to see me, "You must be Darx, right!? Amelia has told me a lot about you," Kase said, addressing me.

"Yes, that's me. It's nice to meet you, and I wanted to express my gratitude for your help," I replied.

"Don't worry! I'm just glad Amelia wasn't hurt." Kase reply.

"I wanted you two to meet, Amelia added, "I have a feeling you'll get along well. As I told you before, Darx. Kase lives in [Riledo], and he has told me many interesting things about the capital that I am sure will also interest you."

"I see...." I reply.

Kase then focused his attention on Amelia, "By the way, Amelia, I found the book I mentioned to you the other day at the library."

"The one that talks about mana? Could I take a look at it? Please!" Amelia spoke, sounding surprised.

"Of course! I looked for it, especially for you."

"Really!? Thank you! When do you think I can see it? Today?" Amelia said, looking enthusiastic.

"Today is fine!"

"Yey!!!"

A book about mana!? Amelia has told me several times that her lack of mana limits her too much. I heard that Mr.Enzo's library is full of rare books.

"Are you planning to join us for training, Darx?" Kase asked, sounding curious about my intentions.

"I think I'll pass for now," I replied, "My wounds are not fully healed."

Kase smiled slightly and continued, "In that case, we'll have to arrange another time to talk at length. I was waiting for Amelia so we could head to our meeting spot together, so I'll take her from here."

"See you later, Darx! I'll visit you once I get back, so make sure you don't overexert yourself until you're completely recovered," Amelia said as she started walking beside Kase.

"See ya! Please be careful out there, and don't do anything too dangerous," I cautioned her.

"Don't worry, Darx. If she is with me, Amelia will be safe. I'll make sure to keep her safe," Kase added, his arm around Amelia's waist.

The way Kase said it while holding Amelia's waist... somehow, I didn't like that. Did it sound like he was provoking me, or was it my imagination? Amelia also doesn't seem bothered by small physical contact with Kase.

"S-Sure...," I replied, feeling a slight unease as I watched them walk away. Maybe I was overthinking things.

Another week had passed since I first met Kase. During this time, Kase got his father to agree to let Amelia access the books in his library. For that reason, Amelia has been going to Mr. Enzo's mansion in the afternoons and has not been coming to see me in the afternoons as usual, which has been a bit lonely and even more so when I only have the opportunity to talk with her for a little while in the morning before she goes to train. Things are changing very fast. From being together all day to only seeing Amelia for a little while, a day feels weird.

Today, as usual, I was alone with my mother at dinner.

"Darx, would you be willing to help me tomorrow? I need to explore the vicinity of the mine," my mother asked.

"Is something wrong at the mine, Mom?" I inquired.

"We've had more troll sightings, and we suspect they might be using the mine as a hideout," she explained.

"Are you planning to confront them alone? Won't I be a hindrance if I come along?" I expressed my concern.

"Taking on a group of trolls solo is too risky, even for me. Mr. Enzo just wants me to confirm our suspicions, and if that is the case, he will request one of the city's guilds to dispatch a party to deal with the trolls," she clarified.

It had been a few weeks since I'd last done anything exciting, so venturing into the forest to investigate trolls sounded like an opportunity to get back into action.

"I'm in!" I agreed.

As planned, the next day before the sun emerged, we set off toward the path leading to the mine. It was my first time accompanying my mother on one of her assignments. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. Seeing her clad in armor with a serious expression gave her an entirely different aura than her usual self at home. We left the house and entered the forest. We advanced cautiously, following the mine path, keeping a close watch on our surroundings. We saw no signs of trolls, and to my surprise, we didn't even see the usual weak monsters that often crossed these areas. It seemed like the monsters could discern the difference in strength between them and my mother, deciding it was wiser to keep their distance.

I was starting to think we wouldn't find anything until my mother took out a peculiar magnifying glass I had never seen before.

"What's that?" I asked, intrigued.

"Oh, that's right, I've never shown it to you before," My mother said, stopping her step. She turned around and showed me the magnifying glass so I could see it better: "This is one of my most valuable possessions. It's a relic left by the [Zrephia] people that your father gave me. It's a magical magnifying glass that reveals faint traces left by monsters, invisible to the naked eye. These traces don't last long, but if a troll has recently passed through here, the magnifying glass will detect it."

"Amazing! I had no idea something like that existed," I exclaimed.

"This magnifying glass is quite rare. They're relics left behind by the people of [Zrephia]. No one knows how to create more of them, so they tend to be quite expensive," my mother continued.

"Zrephia! I've read about them before. Supposedly, they were the dominant human city way before the establishment of [Riledo] as a capital, but it was destroyed in the ancient war against the demons," I said.

"You're correct, Darx. There are many legends and stories about Zrephia being the mightiest kingdom, only to fall in a single day. However, the actual truth remains a mystery. When you visit [Riledo], I'm sure you'll find more information about it if you are interested in that story." My mother remarked.

This was another reason for me to look forward to visiting the capital. I would like to learn more about the ancient capital. I have always been fascinated by the legends that are told about [Zrephia] and the people who lived there. I read that they were even more powerful than demons.

"I wondered what other relics from [Zrephia] existed." I said, thinking out loud.

"Mm? Well, it is hard to say," My mother said when she heard me, "As far as I know, the relics that have been found, despite being few, are very varied, which makes them quite valuable."

"I see... And did the magnifying glass show any troll traces?" I asked.

"Yes, there are traces of trolls. Take a look for yourself," My mother said, handing me the magnifying glass.

I peered through it and saw faint, nearly imperceptible lines of smoke, likely left by weaker monsters, and a more distinct, thicker, green trail that probably belonged to the troll.

"Let's follow this trail, Darx. It seems to lead in the direction of the mine. Now we need to determine how many trolls are inside," My mother stated.

A few steps later, I caught a whiff of their foul odor. We continued cautiously until we reached the entrance of the mine, hiding in the bushes for cover. Along the way, we spotted two trolls and another one close to the entrance. Therefore, we could assume that even more trolls were inside the mine. Oddly enough, my mother didn't seem to detect the stench that overwhelmed my senses and made me feel queasy.

"I-It can't be... Where did all those ogres come from? This is bad!" I said as my voice sounded shaky.

Seeing all those trolls in a certain way makes me relive the incident with the other troll that almost cost me my life. Just thinking about what would have happened if we had come all the way to the mine that day and we got discovered by all of these trolls, not just that one... We would most likely be...

"W-What should we do?" I asked my mother, "If all those ogres attack the village, we-"

"Easy, Darx. Speak quietly," My mother said without taking her eyes off the trolls, "The mine is far, and it doesn't appear they are aware of the village. We should have enough time for Mr. Enzo to submit the request."

"Are you sure?"

"I am! Besides, I will be on the lookout for their movements." My mother said, showing me a slight smile that calmed me down a bit.

I turned my gaze back to the trolls and asked, "Why are there so many ogres all of a sudden? I had never encountered a troll before, and now they seemed to be appearing out of nowhere, not to mention the goblins from a few weeks ago. More and more dangerous monsters are getting closer to the village."

My mother thought momentarily before answering, "I'm not certain, but something is definitely amiss. Only demons have the ability to influence monster behavior, but that should be impossible. There must be another reason."

"Demons?" I ask, intrigued.

"I was thinking out loud. It is impossible for demons to be around places like this." My mother responded, looking uncomfortable just thinking about the possibility that it could be demons.

We waited patiently, hidden until my mother deemed it safe to withdraw. During that time, we watched two more trolls exit the mine. If all these trolls decided to attack the village, I couldn't even begin to imagine the outcome. Silently, we retreated, putting a significant distance between us and the trolls.

As we headed back home, I thought our troubles were over for the night, but at our doorstep, we were met by Jax.

"Jax, what are you doing here?" My mother inquired.

"Sorry to bother you, but I was waiting for you, Ilene. There is something I wanted to talk to you about. About Kase, to be more precise." Jax replied.

"Kase? What's going on with him?" My mother asked, just as surprised as I was by the unexpected topic.

"This may seem sudden, but Mr. Enzo and I had a conversation, and we were wondering if you would consider training Kase. Of course, you'd receive compensation for your efforts," Jax explained.

My mother's expression clearly showed her surprise at the unusual proposition. "Why do you want me to train him? Aren't you responsible for his training? Besides, I don't have the time to train someone."

"Kase's skill level is far beyond that of the rest of the group. The others are starting to depend on him a lot; on the other hand, what we do doesn't help Kase at all. Moreover, my class is focused on archery, while Kase specializes in sword and shield, much like you. I have no issue helping others with the basics, but Kase... he's on another level. That's why it's challenging for me to assist him," Jax clarified.

"I understand your reasoning, but I'm occupied at the moment," My mother replied, sounding hesitant.

"It would only be for the month and a half he has left before heading to the capital, and Mr. Enzo is willing to offer a generous sum. Additionally, it would only be a few days a week when I train the others in basic combat, and on the days we venture into the forest, I'd like Kase to continue joining us," Jax proposed.

It seemed that both Mr. Enzo and Jax had a keen interest in Kase's training. I couldn't help but wonder how powerful he truly was and if I might stand a chance against him. My abilities were on par with Fabe's, but if Kase surpassed even him by a wide margin, I might not even be a worthy rival. Still, I would like to try to fight him at least once anyway. It would be a good challenge for me.

"I have to go see Mr.Enzo right now. I'll think about it on the way and let him know my answer." My mother said.

"I understand! I would personally appreciate it very much if you could help him train. Kase's talent is unheard of, and if someone like you were to teach him, I can't imagine how far he could go," Jax said before departing, "Well, that's all I wanted to tell you."

"Ah, by the way, trolls are near the mine, so I'd advise avoiding that area, Jax," My mother warned.

"I understand, Ilene. Thank you for the heads up. Have a good night," Jax replied before leaving.

"What do you think, Darx? Would you mind if I train Kase?"

"Mmm, not really. I guess it would depend on how well Mr. Enzo pays you," I reply.

"Let's leave that for later. I have to report to Mr.Enzo about the trolls." My mother said as she began to walk towards the mansion, "Go home by yourself. We'll talk later."

"Sure!"

I don't think anything bad will happen if my mother and Kase train together, right?