"Eh?"Freya stared at the pair of professor in front of her with confusion.
"As we said,lady Freya there is no way we can pet you stay in the Academy.I know it is very rude to say this but the Academy is first and foremost a part of our kingdom's military which is also confidential to foreigners."Felicia explained calmly at the elven lady who seems to not understand the dire state of their nation at all.If any important information from the Academy was leaked to their enemy forces or outside the kingdom in general.There is a high chance of a catastrophy in their kingdom security during this war time.
"hmm…Okay I understand."Felicia sighs inward in relieve as she thought Freya was fully convinced,out of formality she couldn't just reject the elven lady's request outright as she is a exchanged specialist which is incredibly valuable to the kingdom.
"So how about you delayed his entry to the Academy for a week?I need to help him prepare so the poor child won't die worthlessly in your power struggles."Freya stretch out the word child for the professors to hear ,earning her a glare from Felicia which she paid no mind to.
Of course,Felicia understand what the current system was doing is no different from creating child war slave for their own gains.She tried to talk senses in the high official and even threaten them multiple time but she was powerless to their authority.So at the end,she could only grit her teeth and teach her student to become as capable as possible to survive against the hell that is coming their way.
"That is not within yours or my authority to dec-."
Cough!cough!
Felicia retorts was cut short by a few awkward cough from Eric.She look him in confusion and was about ask why when he finalized their decision which made her widen her eyes.
"Lady Freya,the purpose of our trip here is to see if there are any potential trainee that may have the qualification to enter a confidential training program that will benefit him greatly and increase her chance of survival in the battlefield.In regards to your request,we should be able to arrange for a delay entry as long as it is within 5 days after he awake ,hopefully we can come to a agreement with that condition."Eric spell out his condition for allowing the delayed entry calmly which made Felicia wondered if the elf have cast some form of mind affecting spell on him.
But that idea was of course scratch right away from her mind.There is no way a mage with a peak stage 6 mana core can fell prey to something so trivial.
"Ha!I like it,someone with some senses was here all along.Fine let's compromise on that,I will send him straight to the Academy on day 5."Freya nodded in satisfaction and walked away from the duo in good spirit.
"Professor Eric,why?"As soon as the elf is out of sight and enter liam's house,Felicia spoke in irritation.She do not understand why he would risk a punishment from their superior just so the boy could get some unknown form of trying from the unknown elven lady.
For her,their program would be much more secure and beneficial for any other unknown training format Freya could put together for the boy.
"It's fine lady Felicia."Eric smirk as he thought of the ancient and primordial aura emitted from the elf."He will definitely gain something very valuable from her teaching,I can see that much."
As Felicia nag and question a bothered Eric,they walked and started their journey back to the Academy.While the boy in question slowly awake from his slumber to face a world of challenges and tragedy.
_________
In a small small decorated with some basic furniture,a young boy flutter his eyes as he slowly awake from a 3 day long slumber.
The first thing he saw when he open his eyes fully were the familiar partly rooten wooden ceilling in his room,as he turn his sight to his left.Winey could be seen sleeping on a chair while laying on her arms on top of his bed.
He smiles as he gently brushed her hair,he couldn't remember what happened very well but the results seems satisfactory as his sister was without harm.
Startled,winey sleepily open her eyes and stared at the smiling liam infront of her.It took a half a minute for her to register the current situation and as soon as she does,she fling her arm around Liam's waist and bury her face in his embrace.
"…Sorry…"She muttered and sighed with great exhaustion.It was 3 days worth of near restless night for her,as she couldn't bring herself to sleep properly without checking on liam's condition repeatedly.
"It's not your fault and now go to sleep,look at those bag under your eyes."As much he wanted to tease her for looking like a dryad Liam comforted her as usual and shoo her to go back to her room for sleep.He can tell from her complexation that she didn't get a wink of sleep in a few days now and that worried him.
"Fine…just don't do something stupid again okay?"She bump her fist on his head as a warning and walk back to the entrance of the room.she paused as if she wanted to say something but soon discard the thought and leave to get some much-needed sleep in her room.
After brewing a pot of herbal tea for winey to relaxed better during sleep and delivered it to her room ,Liam was forced to sat down by his uncle and told to stay out of the kitchen for the time being.
He was waiting for his breakfast to eat with his family when he suddenly realized something.
"Wait,ain't I late for the entry now??"Liam paled as he remember today was already one day later from the trainee entry ceremony.He immediately went to ask Jerome for the whereabouts of his bag used for his stay in the Academy,but was picked up by his neck like a newborn kitten by a soft but strong hand.
"Don't worry about your Academy stuff soldier.They wont get you in trouble for that."A familiar voice rang behind him and he relaxed as he looked at the source of the voice.
Freya,the ash blonde elven beauty was there with a smirk on her face as if she saw through everything he thought at the moment."Anyway,your training starts after 2 hours ,used that time to stretch your body and get used to your mana core's current and wavelength."
Liam was confused at first when he saw Freya in his room,but that soon turn to gratitude and understanding when she explained everything that happened during and after the fight with the knight's,including the news about him awakening his blessing in the middle of it and her plans to train him.
"Sister freya,I will make sure to learnt as much as I can from your training and pay you back for all the help you gave me."Liam bowed his head in gratitude and shows his unbound respect towards her.
"Great…That'd be good.Now let's start our crash course,we don't have much time!"Freya smirk in excitement and drags Liam out of the house for the start of his new training formate!
________
"Sister,I don't think I can hold it in anymore…!"Liam's groan can be heard as he strained his muscle against the urge to give in.
"Aww how cute is that.But you need to show me more than that to satisfy my expectations.So keep going like a real man!"Freya encouragement does seems to have some effect as Liam used up the last bit in his tank for one final push.
Boom!!!
A Boulder the size of two Liam dropped and dent the ground in the clearing.Liam swiftly slump to the ground and stop fueling his mana for a strength enchantment spell.He felt like if he was a second late in doing that,he might have been dried out of mana again like last time.
"Good job!That is what I call training.I can't believe Jerome train a prodigy like you that way.In our homeland,all of my students had to do this basic training daily."Freya boast as if this was one of her greatest achievement.
"Daily…basic …"Liam stared blankly at the ground as he slowly realized his past vigorous training had been a fart for this elven lady infront of him.
"Hey no need to beat yourself up too much."Freya quickly encourages the poor boy on the ground who seem like his soul was fleeting away at the face of reality.
"Elven race is almost always blessed with great magic affinity anyway,that is why we can afford do these type of exercise and my students are generally at least 30 years old!"And most of them are also at least developed to silver rank anyway.She didn't added that as to not encourage Liam to much to the point of boasting him.It is good for him to face a strong wall once in a while in order to make him improve by himself.
"I see…I will work harder from now on.Let's keep going!"Liam spoke up with new found determination and vigo.For him,this maybe a once in a life time opportunity to train under a Supremely powerful mage like her and he was grateful for the opportunity to grow in strength regardless of the hardship.
"HA!We are not done yet little bo-"Freya paused when she realized what Liam just said and his eyes filled with tenacity.
after the initial surprise she smirked as she thought."Well this is something new,as expected of a child of artemis.His will is already this developed at such a age.With this we will have a new monster in this generation of young fighter."
But whether this child of the hunt can preserve his sanity and innocence after facing the world as it is will be as crucial as developing him.She hope for his sake and the world sake,Liam will not lose himself in the dark pit of despair and rage like many with his innocent personality does when they are confronted with a merciless reality .