"Oi maid, where are the heroes staying?"
It was early morning on the dawn of a new day, where a maid turned around to someone talking to her. But no one was there.
"Hm?", she thought she imagined it and turned around again.
"You dare ignore me!?", the voice was louder now and the maid was sure that someone was here. She turned around and noticed the hair of someone below her so she turned her neck to see who it was.
"Lord Riverwood!? My deepest apologies!", the maid bowed her head, hitting it directly against Regal's.
The maid was so shocked by her actions against a noble that she began to tear up. It wasn't any better when she saw the dumbfounded look on Regal's face.
Meanwhile, Regal was surprised about something else entirely.
The maid clothing was somewhat revealing in a certain area, it took Regal by surprise as he was at the perfect height for quite a sight when the maid bowed.
"Uh... the heroes... William Roun- I mean Relish and the others, where are they?", Regal said with no anger at all in his voice, which surprised the maid.
"Oh the heroes? They are currently being appraised at the reception room, would you like me to direct you there?", the maid wanted to make her for her mistake.
"Huh? Oh no I can find my way there, thank you", Regal responded as he walked rather slowly along the corridor.
'T-thank you!? Lord Riverwood must be in a good mood today'
***
"It's just like Lord Riverwood said in the audience chamber yesterday, you are loved by mana! An incredible talent in the realm of magic!", A man spoke to Anne, he was the same person who stood next to the king yesterday, he was his aide.
He himself was a mage, so seeing such a talent made him quite excited.
"Congrats!", a young lady who was wearing noticeably less formal-like clothing than the others spoke. She was the appraiser sent from the guild.
Rosel, who was also present wanted to congratulate them also. "It seems that everyone is very special, congratulations.
William Relish, you possess high levels of residual aura, you are someone suitable for a combat class.
Eric Rettman, you possess a similarly high amount of residual aura, with your large build I'm sure there is also a suitable class for you in combat.
Kaneko Hikari... you have a lot of holy power as we discovered yesterday, you will be a powerful healer in the future.
And Anne Fischer, with the help of Regal Riverwood, you will no doubt become a great mage."
The info she announced on Hikari was slightly different, it can't be known that she is the Saintess openly.
The lot of them seemed quite pleased, Anne had sparking eyes as she witnessed a magical orb glow when she touched it, it seemed to prove she had mana. There was a similar orb that showed that Eric and William had aura, it was red while the mana orb was blue.
The king's aide nodded with satisfaction, "Now then, we've made preparations for some individuals who may be suitable as teachers for the heroes. Shall we introduce them?"
The heroes nodded with determined faces.
The aide then glanced toward a servant by the door, causing the servant to leave for a moment.
"They will be here shortl-"
*BAM*
"There you lot are..."
Regal slammed open the door without much care and looked around the room, but was suddenly unsure that he was in the right place.
"Are you the same heroes from yesterday?", Regal noticed that the heroes were in different attire. They looked closer to nobles than yesterday, though their previous clothes were still quite high quality.
Rosel and the aide face-palmed. Someone, regardless of being a noble, barged into the royal reception room. What if the king was here instead and had been interrupted?
"Whatever, I've already planned for a lesson so let's be on our way to my residence already.", Regal waved them along but was obviously stopped by Rosel.
"The heroes need suitable teachers! We were just about to introduce them to some before you decided to barge it, I'm afraid you will need to wait. Unless of course, you will teach all of them yourself?", Rosel wasn't going to let him get his way this time.
"You guys love formalities don't you? I feel bad for the 'teachers' you called who were probably waiting since yesterday for this forceful introduction. If you just got on with it then I wouldn't 'need' to wait.
And I still don't, one of the heroes already has a teacher so I'll be taking them.", Regal argued and pointed at Anne, which made her a little concerned.
"W-wait you can't just separate one of the heroes from the rest, even if only temporarily! They've hardly been in this world for any time at all, they only have each oth-"
"Don't care", Regal walked passed the panicking aide all the up to Anne.
The aide was concerned, but he knew more about Regal's magic than the average person. He isn't specialised in spatial magic like his servant so he can't simply make an escape.
"Want to learn some magic?", Regal eased into a smile, perhaps it's because he is able to look down slightly when facing Anne, or perhaps he is happy to teach a disciple.
Anne's eyes widened, she was happy to get a say in this, she didn't want to waste a single second to learn what she witnessed yesterday either. She was excited, she was motivated, and her body shivered at the thought of the new possibilities.
"Yes!", she said loudly and clearly, probably for the first time.
Regal widened his smile, "Let's go then!".
Both the aide and Rosel weren't sure what to do if even Anne herself gave permission.
"You guys worry too much, they need to come to my residence once they receive teachers anyway so they'll meet again pretty soon", Regal said as he walked passed them to the doorway, Anne following along.
However, before being able to leave, there is yet another obstacle in his path.
"Move it will you? I've got things to be-", Regal looked up at the one who was in the way and noticed a familiar face.
"Right... of course they would get someone like you to be a sword teacher for some hero", Regal narrowed his face, matched with the person at the doorway.
They continued to stare at each other for a few seconds, everyone thought that there seemed to be tension and was worried.
"Long time no see... Kendrick!", Regal suddenly activated 3 magic circles below his feet while a smile returned to his face.
"Five right?", Regal asked while readying a stance.
The man opposite known as Kendrick grinned. "You betcha! 3 circles won't be enough this time!".
Suddenly Kendrick threw a punch toward Regal, which Regal dodged with almost perfect timing. It didn't end here though, another punch immediately followed toward Regal's feet. Naturally Regal jumped up considering the small space in the room, but that was a mistake. While mid air, a kick went flying directly into his face... or so it seemed. One of the magic circles at his feet moved to his face and forced it back with wind, Kendrick's foot was millimetres away from touching.
"Hey! We agreed on 3rd circle magic only!", Kendrick shouted while launching another punch while Regal was falling to the floor from his spell. However thanks to the time it took Kendrick to bring is leg back down, Regal was close enough to the floor to push away from his trajectory.
"Hah! It's still technically 3rd circle magic, muscle head!", Regal responded while regaining his balance.
'Just one more', he thought to himself.
Kendrick readied his stance for one final attack, it seemed that he was finally going to move from his original position.
"Whoa whoa! I thought we agreed that you had to stay in one place!", Regal complained with worry.
"Well if you won't come any closer... then it's up to me to do it!", Kendrick kicked forward at an amazing speed as he sent a punch at Regal.
In response, Regal moved all 3 magic circles on his body to his right side.
Kendrick laughed, "Hahaha! I won't fall for that one again"
"That so?", Regal responded.
Kendrick changed his punch to move where Regal was going to propel his body, it looked as if Regal's spell was going to activate, and it did. However, he only activated one of the spells, causing Kendrick to misjudge the distance and fly right passed him.
"WHOA!?", Kendrick exclaimed as he fell over the table in the middle of the room.
Regal deactivated his circles and wore a smug look on his face. "I win! Next time it's 5 spells from me, cool?", he turned his head to Kendrick but noticed that his clothes had been nicked slightly.
"..."
"Heh, got you with my left hand at the last second!", Kendrick said as he got back up.
"I'm pretty sure that's a 6th hit though?", Regal testified.
"What if my initial punch was just a feint?", Kendrick claimed.
"..."
"..."
They both looked at each other for a few seconds again before their lips once again rose into a smile.
"It's good you see you again Kendrick", Regal raised his arm with his hand open.
"Likewise Regal!", Kendrick responded by slapping his own hand into Regal's, causing a satisfying sound to reverberate throughout the room.
"Uh... you two know each other?", Rosel responded.
No one seemed to have any attacks prepared despite the fight, that was because Regal, who looked like he was being attacked, wouldn't have lost.
"Indeed, I've met him a few times while traveling", Regal said.
"Ah... I suppose you two are alike in that sense, you seem to get along with the adventurer type than nobles, I wonder why?", Rosel questioned.
"That's because they're more fun. Nobles, you included, always seem to have a stick up their ass. The lot of you should really stop worrying about everything.", Rosel asked and in turn, Regal enlightened her, just not in the most polite fashion.
"Hahaha! You're right about that Regal!", Kendrick chuckled while putting his arm around Regal.
The heroes were seated around the table that Kendrick fell over, so they are now just watching the situation without knowing what really happened. In reality, the short fight between the two of them was hard to follow, it was all very fast other than the final attack.
"What is someone like you doing here anyway? You want to become a teacher for the heroes or something? I thought you were still adventuring?", Regal inquired.
"Haha... you aren't wrong, it's not like me at all huh? Unfortunately, I'm getting on in years as you can see, so I was thinking maybe it's time.", Kendrick replied with a slightly disappointed expression.
Regal seemed a little confused for some reason. "Getting on in years? You don't look a day older than the day I met you 15 years ago".
"Pffft! Of course you would say that, ahahaha!", Kendrick was not at all offended by that remark.
Regal suddenly noticed Anne backed up against the wall next to the doorway. She had no choice but to quickly get out of the way after Regal and Kendrick started fighting.
"Ah! I have a disciple now too! Look!", Regal excitedly pointed at Anne as he walked over to her.
"Oh!! Our disciples should be rivals!", was Kendrick's response, matching the same energy.
"My thoughts exactly! That being said, I've got some training for my disciple right now, you are already a step behind!", Regal pointed out his plans, which got Kendrick fired up.
Regal looked out the doorway and noticed multiple others, a few of them also being swordsman.
"You better get chosen as a teacher then, looks like you got competition, you sure you can do it?", Regal taunted.
"Watch me!"
Satisfied with everything that's occurred, Regal begins to walk off while dragging his disciple who still seems in shock. "I'll be seeing you at my residence soon then!".
Regal made his way through the door and left, suddenly it became a lot quieter.
Kendrick was still smiling before he realised what Regal had just said, "Wait, what does he mean by that?", he looked toward the King's aide.
"Hm? Ah, the ones chosen as the heroes' teacher will be staying at the Riverwood residence during that period", this response had quite a negative effect however, some of the other potential teachers outside the doorway began to leave, quite quickly at that.
"Huh... that'll be interesting. Does he know that Ruk is here as a shieldbearer?", Kendrick began wondering.
"Hm? Is he also friends with Ruk?", Rosel questioned with surprise, Ruk was quite the serious type.
"Friends? Hahaha! No no, they hate each other!", Kendrick cackled.