Ophelia proudly entered the room under Eiji's stifled laughter. She quickly scanned it, from the bed to the furniture.
"This inn isn't so bad! Although I miss my room at the palace a little, I suppose I can't be too picky. I should rather thank the gods for still being alive."
Eiji approached her slowly, slipping his hand around the young woman's back.
"Stop tormenting yourself with that. You can pray to your gods when the time comes, but for now, we should eat. Tahrren might be waiting for us."
She followed his lead, heading towards the door.
"Alright, alright. As you wish."
The two of them descended the stairs to the ground floor. There, people were even louder than when they arrived. Joyful cries, laughter, and the clashing of pints from a few rough men echoed throughout the wooden building.
Eiji looked around the tables but did not find his mentor. A few seconds later, a calm voice interrupted his search.
"You've already arrived? Good, let's look for a table."
He walked past them and headed towards the receptionist.
"Madame, would you happen to have a table with three seats in a quiet area? My companions and I have some matters to discuss."
She gestured towards her three clients and invited them with a brief wave of her hand.
"Please follow me. We have some tables a little further away. The noise will be less deafening there."
They all headed towards a second room at the back of the inn. There were a few wooden tables, just as good as those in the main room. Of the six tables present, two were already occupied.
"Things are much quieter here. Would you like a meal? For drinks, we can serve you water, wine, or local beer."
The three clients consulted each other, and after a few seconds, Ophelia placed the order.
"We'll have three daily specials, two beers for these gentlemen, and wine for me."
The receptionist wrote everything down on paper before leaving.
"Very well, thank you. I'll bring you the drinks as soon as possible, and the meals should arrive within five minutes."
Ophelia and Eiji sat next to each other, while Tahrren sat opposite Eiji. Although they were in a different room, they could still hear the constant noise of the clients in the main room very clearly. However, the noise was much lower than if they had dined in the main hall.
"Well, let's discuss what we'll do tomorrow," said Tahrren.
Eiji jumped right in.
"We need to find Father Andrea as soon as possible. That should be our priority. Who knows what might have happened to him?"
Tahrren sighed slightly. He knew Eiji would say that.
"Let's not rush into things. We also need to gather information in town. But the situation is indeed urgent. Ophelia, you can use search magic, right?"
She nodded in response. "Yes, but I won't be able to use it often if I don't have a catalyst."
Tahrren took out a slightly bluish stone from his bag, rubbed it lightly, and handed it to his comrade. "This is a celestite. Will it be enough?"
She took the stone in her hands and quickly analyzed it. She affirmed it would be enough. However, Tahrren scratched his head, filled with doubt.
"You have nowhere to attach it, though."
A confident smile appeared on Ophelia's face.
"Well, let's discuss what we'll do tomorrow," said Tahrren.
Eiji jumped right in.
"We need to find Father Andrea as soon as possible. That should be our priority. Who knows what might have happened to him?"
Tahrren sighed slightly. He knew Eiji would say that.
"Let's not rush into things. We also need to gather information in town. But the situation is indeed urgent. Ophelia, you can use search magic, right?"
She nodded in response. "Yes, but I won't be able to use it often if I don't have a catalyst."
Tahrren took out a slightly bluish stone from his bag, rubbed it lightly, and handed it to his comrade. "This is a celestite. Will it be enough?"
She took the stone in her hands and quickly analyzed it. She affirmed it would be enough. However, Tahrren scratched his head, filled with doubt.
"You have nowhere to attach it, though."
A confident smile appeared on Ophelia's face.
"No problem. Watch this." She said.
She placed the stone on the back of her right hand and covered it with her left hand. Out of reflex, Eiji focused on the surrounding mana flows. He noticed an abnormal concentration of energy around Ophelia's left hand. The process only lasted a few seconds, after which she removed her hand to reveal a polished stone.
She murmured a few words, then quickly passed her left hand over the stone again. When she finished, the celestite was embedded in the back of her right hand. The result was both beautiful and frightening. Tahrren couldn't hide his astonishment.
"You implanted it in your body? I didn't even know that was possible! Aren't most stones poisonous to the body?"
Ophélie was also surprised.
"You don't know this technique? It used to be quite common to implant crystals in the body. It was not uncommon to see some shamans with their bodies covered in catalyzers."
"I've never heard of it. I think this has been forgotten with time, but I can't say why."
While Ophelia and Tahrren were discussing mineralogy, Eiji couldn't help but scratch his hand.
"Isn't it painful? What are the advantages of mutilating one's body like that?"
Ophelia looked at Eiji before bursting into laughter. She had never seen such an expression on his face, both disgusted, surprised, and worried, resulting in a hilarious grimace.
"Don't worry, silly! It's not like it's irreversible. I'll remove it and treat the wound with a healing spell!"
Eiji continued to be surprised by the versatility of magic. It could be used for everyday needs, but also possessed great destructive power as Tahrren demonstrated against Ophelia in her dryad form. He clenched his fist. He knew he was too weak.
He could still gain experience in combat, but his human body was reaching its limits in sword fighting. Even among the Higashito, few were on his level, and even fewer surpassed him despite his young age.
He swore once again to gain more power, to master magic. After all, as Tahrren said, magic was not supernatural. It was a power offered to everyone by nature, and without it, he would not be able to overcome the challenges ahead.
"But you're right. It's not advisable to embed crystals in your body. It certainly enhances the effect of the catalyst because it's closer to our source, but it also affects its circulation, making it more difficult to control. I personally only use it as a last resort."
Ophelia stroked the stone embedded in her hand. The drinks finally arrived, followed shortly by the meals. The plate, filled with a potato gratin, sautéed vegetables, and an imposing rabbit leg, was copious.
"I propose the following: tomorrow, I will go to the city to gather information while you two will search for Father Andrea in the surrounding areas."
Ophelia and Eiji nodded in agreement before continuing to enjoy their meal. When they finished eating, each went back to their room. Eiji trained for a few more minutes before going to bed while Ophelia watched him from her bed and fell asleep before he finished.
The next day, the three of them quickly prepared themselves before meeting in front of the inn.
"Well, remember. No fighting. Stay as far away from danger as possible. And if you miraculously find him, don't attempt anything, even if it seems safe. It could be a trap."
"Even if his life is in danger, and he needs immediate help?" asked Eiji.
Tahrren fixed him with a stare, making sure his apprentice had understood all of his instructions.
"Yes. Your life is more valuable than his at the moment. You must not put yourself in danger."
Eiji swallowed and nodded.
Thus, they parted ways, each going in a different direction. Eiji and Ophelia left the city, while Tahrren went to the city's merchants and political authorities to gather as much information as possible.