Chapter 41 - Moments
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"Let me ask you Lily. What does justice mean to you?" I asked.
"Eh...? Why did you ask a sudden question?" Lily said.
"You said it was to give justice to your father but aren't your vengeance and justice conflicted to each other?"
"That is..."
Lily didn't manage to answer. She looks down drooping eyelids thinking of possible answer, but it was to no avail. She realized that the word "Justice" was just a reason for her vengeance.
"It can't be helped; I don't mind helping you but there are certain conditions. I will make sure you walk a right path while trying to fulfil what you really wants"
"What do you mean by that?" Lily asked in bewilderment.
"You can say I accept your request. But you will have to follow my words as a condition"
"I see...." Lily had a look of a mixed expressions.
"What? you don't want to?"
"Ah— No, I accept!"
"Why the long face then?"
"It's just that.... I don't know if I should be doing something like this..."
I sighed in exasperation. Man... girls really are complicated, aren't they?
"Don't worry Lily. That problem is also included my condition, so you don't have to worry about it"
"Is that so. Then, I'll take you up to that condition of yours" Lily's eyes lit up.
"Yeah. You should get ready Lily, after a while and were leaving for academy"
"Yeah! Thank you, Sai. I love you!" Lily said enthusiastically and left my room.
"Wha—?!"
I widened my eyes and dropped my jaw in surprise to her sudden words. I can't help but smile awkwardly. Man, she sure gave me a surprise.
After reminiscing that for a while, I get ready and went with the three into the academy.
* * *
(After school - pond near the villa)
The academy ended without much of a problem. I didn't seem to find some suspicious someone for the whole hours so I can guess they're either still preparing or they're just being careful monitoring us from afar. Anyways, the four of us went into the pond near the villa and started our sparring session requested by Lily this morning. Not also that but also to prepare them to the upcoming "Mock Battle" tomorrow.
"Just in case everyone. I will increase the difficulty of our training. As you know, our lives were in quite in a pinch right now, so I'll have you learn how to fight against a 『Frontliner』 in case I wasn't with you three" I told.
I first have Lily take the first sparring session. Out of the three, she has the highest stats out of us, even me considered.
"Luna, you'll be the referee" I told.
"Y-yes!"
The two of us went and face each other with a few meters of radius. Each of us took our weapons ready and fixed our posture.
"You three, watch carefully on what I'm about to do. Lily, be warned. I'm not going to hold back"
"Mhm!" Lily nodded.
Luna went in front of us and raised her hand upward.
"Ready.... Start!"
"Guhh—!!"
""!!""
As soon as the fight started. Lily was already pinned down on the ground with the sword's edge placed on her neck.
"...Eh?"
Lily displayed a very surprised reaction, Including Seia and Luna whose eyes widened after they saw what happened.
"You didn't react fast Lily" I said.
"What do you mean I didn't react fast; I didn't even know what happened..." Lily said in bewilderment.
"Exactly, today I'll teach you three some techniques and something to improve your reflex. You can't rely on your strength alone. Having a skill is also essential part of becoming stronger"
"I wonder if we can do what you did just now..." Seia said anxiously.
"Don't worry Seia. I'll take care of that until you gain confidence to yourself" I said.
"I see...." Seia blushed and displayed a relieved expression.
"You too Luna. Make sure you listen properly"
"Yes Master!"
We continued our sparring after some discussion. To make them improve their reflex, I teach them what to anticipate and some possibilities they can do. By letting their muscle memory memorized every movement I hit them with, they will slightly get used to mobility fights. Mostly our practice went into their reflexes. Then lastly, I teach them how to acquire the ⟨⟨Bloodlust⟩⟩. By having them spread their mana throughout their body, they will emit some dense pressure which will unlock the ⟨⟨Bloodlust⟩⟩ skill. Lily and Luna managed to acquire it with the exception of Seia.
"I-I don't know how to do it..." Seia said.
tears are starting to show in her glistened eyes. Both her fox ears and tails we're dropped low indicating her anxiety.
We've been doing it for a while, but Seia seemed to be the only one who can't do it.
"D-don't worry Seia! we have a different ability to understand something. Don't cry...."
"T-that's right. Don't worry, Sai might have a solution for this..."
The two is starting to comfort Seia who is in the brink of tears in anxiety. I stroke my chin while pondering about the situation. I guess it's that huh.....
"It's probably because Seia has a low mana capacity which is probably the reason she can't do it" I told. "For now, let's go back to the villa and rest ourselves. It's already dark after all"
"Y-yeah..."
"Yes Master...."
Lily and Luna started to walk back towards the Villa with the exception of Seia who was standing still looking down. Her ears and tails are still in the same drooped down position. To my response, I patted her head which she twitched in surprise.
"Don't cry Seia. I have a plan so don't worry too much about it" I said to reassure Seia.
"Mhm..." Seia nodded while sobbing.
Okay, she looks so adorable right now that I can't help but pinch her cheeks in adoration.
"Mhm...! Aw...." Seia groaned in response.
"Hehe Sorry, you we're so cute that I can't help it"
"Fweh?!"
"Let's go. Lily and Luna were waiting for us" I said and pulled Seia towards the Villa.
By the time we get there, it was already dinner, and the foods were prepared as soon as we head back. After we eat our fill, I told Lily and Luna about my plan.
"Luna, Lily, I was planning on giving Seia the 『Essence』. What do you two think?" I asked.
"Oh! by the time you finally gave her that..." Lily said.
"Right, I was expecting you give her that long ago Master"
"Eh? Were you expecting something like that?" I replied with a puzzled look.
"Um... What are you three talking about since earlier...?" Seia asked in bewilderment.
"Haha, you'll be surprised later, more like tomorrow" I said and beamed a smile.
"Yeah, set you expectation high because you'll never believe it" Luna said after me.
"Right, I still can't forget about that day. I probably look silly back then..." Lily said.
"Ha....."
Seia tilts her head with a perplexed look. We probably set something that made her excited because her tail right now is wagging at random places.
* * *
(Night - Villa's Backyard)
"Wow...! It's so beautiful!"
Seia's mouth was wide opened as she looks around the backyard full of 『Mana Flowers』 glowing dim at this beautiful starry night.
"I'm glad you like it. It took me quite a while where to plant that flower in this backyard" I said. "Things aside, is no one gonna talk about the night sky?"
"Yeah, the starry night perfectly matched with this beautiful bouquet" Lily replied.
All of us stares at the sky in astonishment. I can't help but be amazed at the scenery since I've never seen a sky like this in my past life as I live on a tropical country.
"I thought coming here was unnecessary, but it doesn't seem to be the case. The thing is, I've been harvesting this every night since I've started planting them, so I thought coming here was unnecessary" I said.
"Eh? By the way... how many 『Mana Essence』 you currently have?" Lily asked.
"Err... About 『50 Mana Essence』, I guess?" I said wryly.
"Wow... I guess, as expected of you Master...." Luna said, smiling awkwardly.
"T-that's crazy....." Lily replied.
"Um... what do I need to do now?" Seia asked.
"Ah, here" I hand her the 『9 Mana Essence』. 『That item I handed to you is called 『Mana Essence』. When you consume it, it will permanently increase both your 『Mana』 by 20"
I explained everything to Seia about the 『Mana Essence』 and how it also increases the stats of the person when used. Seia's eyes are starting to spin like a spiral as I continued to talk about its uses.
"I-I can't believe it... So that's why you three were super strong"
"Hm, now if you please" I told.
"Y-yes..."
After I told her, Seia crushed the 『9 Mana Essence』 one by one until her mana reached at its maximum.
"Good. Now, you might be wondering why you didn't feel anything. It's normal since you'll probably see your new self tomorrow. I can confirm that your mana has reached its maximum so just wait till tomorrow" I said while ⟨⟨Appraising⟩⟩ Seia.
『Seia』
『HP: 140/140』
『MP: 200』
『DEF: 19』
『AGI: 30』
『DEX: 25』
『Endurance: 60』
"Well then, we should go back. You three go rest already. everyone's probably tired of non-stop sparring we did earlier" I said.
"""Yes"""
Before we head back, we also put Seia's face to the 『Mana Pool』 so that she'll acquire the ⟨⟨Appraisal⟩⟩ skill. After everything was settled the four of us went back into the Villa with Seia displaying a cheerful expression.
As expected, even I am exhausted. Without any ounce of plan, I head straightly into the bath and took a shower and went into bed to sleep. After that, I don't know what happened to the rest since I immediately lost consciousness seconds after I closed my eyes.
* * *
(Girl's Room)
After Sai went to sleep. Seia, Lily, and Luna were having a conversation before going to sleep. The thing is, after Seia started to stay in the Villa, Lily decided to have the three of them sleep on the same room. By doing so, Lily with the help of Luna moved Luna's double size bed into Lily's room which the three were currently at. As for the present:
"I wonder what part of Seia will change?" Lily said with an excitement tone.
"Eh? what do you mean change?" Seia asked.
"Ah, remember when Lily suddenly became like a difference person? It's actually because of that flower. According to Master, it was because our body is changing itself to be compatible to our high mana capacity"
"I see... Sai really is amazing..."
"Right... he does things cleverly and then gave us items more than we deserve casually" Lily replied in a soft tone.
"Mhm, Master was very kind and reliable. It was thanks to him that I'm having the best of my life"
"Yeah..."
"Mhm"
The three started to reminisce for a while. Thinking about the same person, the three started to blush to their own imagination. When they're done, they looked at each other with their cheeks colored in red.
(Ah, these girls...)
In terms of instincts, a woman's capability is closer to none. The three knew exactly what they were thinking just by looking at themselves. But they didn't mind.
(As long as its them, it's okay for me)
That's what the three exactly thinks. It might look like a coincidence but seeing their relationship to each other already pertained that it's not. That's right, it's okay for them. For they are a maiden in love to one person.
"I-it's pretty late right now. How about we take a rest right now?" Luna suggested.
"Y-yeah... we have school tomorrow after all...." Lily shyly replied.
"Mhm...."
"Then..." Luna gets out of the bed and flicked off the switch of the light and went back after.
"Goodnight..."
"Yeah, Goodnight..."
"..."
It was very awkward but the three tried their best to fall asleep. fortunately, the three managed to sleep well thanks to their fatigue lingering their body. It was good until late night things happened.
(Midnight)
"Guh...!! It hurts...."
Seia was moaning in agony as her body feels like it was being crushed. Out of most of them, Seia is the most unfortunate one since she woke up the time her body is starting a drastic change. Feeling hopeless Seia can't do anything but weep as the pain continued to crawl into her whole body.
"It hurts... It hurts...."
Tears ran down her cheeks enduring the pain, but it looks like she made quite a fuss that the two beside her started to hold her hands.
"Seia, endure it. We'll keep you company until the pain stopped" Luna said.
"Yeah, you can do it. All of us here knew the agony that pain gave us. But it seems like you're the most unfortunate..." Lily said worriedly.
The two kept being awake tightly holding the hands of the Seia who is crying in pain. It was a torture. Similar to them, the pain lasted until an hour and when the pain has finally concluded, Seia lost consciousness and went back to sleep.
Knowing this, Lily and Luna let out a sigh of relief and smiled to each other.
"Shall we sleep?" Luna asked.
"Mhm"
The three of them went back to sleep holding each other's hands like sisters.