Three days had passed and the training had turned out more difficult than the boy expected. It was hard to keep a constant and specific stream of mana in his body as he either used no mana or all his mana in the past. Using only a portion of it for multiple hours was akin to standing on a tightrope while his body was pulled in separate directions.
Loren was also exhausted, he was using mana faster than he regenerated it, every day he would eventually run out of mana and collapse onto his bed. This physical exhaustion paired horribly with the mental tax he got while keeping himself focused constantly.
But the worst part of the training was...
"I'm so BORED!"
He had nothing to do. Rito told him to live normally, but Loren had spent the last two months either working out or practising his swordsmanship. Outside of eating or reading Loren had nothing to fill his time, so he spent his days sitting in his room, talking to Salrie.
"C'mon Salrie, you must have some good stories on heaven, you spent a century living there didn't you?"
Salrie looked away from the book she'd been reading and pinched between her brows.
"I already told you, Loren, I lived by a desk during my time there, I have no exciting stories to tell. Don't you have any ideas on something to do? While I usually wouldn't recommend this, I thought you enjoyed playing pranks on people."
"That was when I hadn't regained my memories, playing pranks on other kids seems like bullying now, and I don't think I can do it to adults without getting caught since I'm so tired all the time."
"So you would still do it to adults..."
Their conversation was paused by the sound of a door being opened, Riot had come home early. Loren went outside his room to greet his father.
"Dad, don't you have work? Why'd you come home."
"I forgot some of the tools I needed, and I should be asking you that question, why aren't you at school?"
Loren scratched his neck, he hadn't told his parents he was barred from going.
"Teach Rito had told me to er, stop going."
"What! What have you done now Loren? I spent good money sending you there."
Loren quickly shook his hands. "No, no, it's not like that. He gave me some special training that requires me not to attend class."
Riot lifted an eyebrow. "Are you telling the truth?"
"Yes, Dad. Actually, I have a way you could help me with the training."
Riot rifled through a set of draws while replying to his son. "Really? How so?"
"Can I help you out with your work? I'm meant to be doing everyday things."
Riot paused, rubbing his chin.
"I don't understand how that will assist with your training, but I won't refuse another pair of hands."
"Great! So what's your current job."
"Well, I'm currently helping Preist James build a new confessional at the church. He also wanted me to build him a watch tower, though I don't know why."
"Uhh..."
***
"Riot! Did you get your tools? Who's this?"
"This is my son, Loren, he wanted to lend us a hand today."
Loren and his father arrived at the church, meeting one of Riot's coworkers, a tall man with auburn hair.
"Really?"
The man walked up to Loren and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You want to work with the best and toughest carpentry company in Rito? Heh, you got balls kid."
"Isn't this the only company in Rito?"
"Even talking back to me? Ha, they must be massive aren't they."
'...What?'
Riot pushed away the man's arm.
"Don't talk about my son's private parts Richard. Sorry, Loren, that's his idea of a joke."
"Hahaha, sorry sorry, it's good to have you help kid."
Loren nodded stiffly, unsure of what to think about his 'joke'.
"Alright, before you help us with anything Loren, we should let Priest James know you're here."
The pair entered the church, stepping down its aisle and reaching James' door. Before Riot could knock, the door swung open. James looked down at Loren, stone-faced.
"What's HE doing here?"
"My son wanted to help build the confessional."
"He wants to help, does he? Or are you here to desecrate the Goddess again."
'Crap he knows.'
"I already told you, Priest James, I've repented. I would never damage the statue again."
"You think I'm an idiot child? Who else has the gall to spit on the revered statue of Saleria day after day, week after week, MONTH AFTER DAMN MONTH." James' face turned red as he accused Loren.
Loren whispered under his breath. "It's hasn't even been 2 months."
"I KNEW IT." The priest lunged at Loren.
"Stop Priest James, whatever you're talking about couldn't have been Loren. He's been too busy with school to do any pranks. I was surprised myself to see the boy become so mature recently."
Loren vigorously nodded his head.
After a bit of time, James backed off. "Fine, but by the Goddess, if I ever catch you doing anything to the statue, you'll rue the day."
'Just try and catch me, old man.'
"I really think you should just stop vandalizing the statue, Loren." Salrie was worried yet another threat to their life would appear due to Loren's attitude.
Loren finally got to begin working, helping his father in sawing logs of wood into planks. The work was monotonous, but it helped in completing Rito's orders. As the hours went by, Loren noticed the flow of mana in his body becoming smoother, the task of controlling it needing less concentration.
"You go to the knights' school in town don't you Loren?"
During the work, Richard called out to Loren.
"Yeah, I do, how come?"
"My daughter Trina goes there, you must know her."
"You're Trina's father? The two of us are friends, at least I think we are."
Loren was surprised, not expecting the serious girl's father to be so... weird.
"Hahaha, you don't think we're that alike do you, I get that a lot. She takes after her mother, I think my hair's the only thing she got from me."
'How many mind readers are there in Rito? First master now him.'
The two continued to work together while chatting, Loren held planks into position while Richard hammered in nails. Loren discovered that Trina's mother was a knight who lived in a nearby city for work, Trina aspired to become a knight as strong as her mother.
"The reason I brought your classes up is that I heard you have good grades in class despite your age. You see, Trina's grades haven't been the best but she's too prideful to ask for help, so I thought to do it in her place. Could you help her with her studies if you have the chance?"
Loren blinked his eyes, Richard seemed like a better father than expected.
'Maybe that joke was a one-time thing.'
"It might be difficult since I'm usually not in class for our first period, but I'll help her when I can."
"Great! Hahaha, If you do well I'm willing to wed her to you!"
'...Nevermind.'
***
The workday had finished, and all the carpenters went home for the day, but Loren had one thing to do before he left.
Loren sneaked through the church grounds, arriving before the Goddess' statue. Turning his head left and right to check if anyone could see him, Loren reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled biscuit.
"Stop Loren! Haven't you done this enough, it's been weeks. I'm scared that you'll get caught by Priest James eventually."
Salrie flew in front of Loren and spread her arms with a troubled expression. Loren hesitated as he withdrew the biscuit away from his open mouth.
'Guess she stopped caring about me disrespecting the Goddess if that's the reason she wants me to stop.'
"Fine, I'll stop."
Salrie became hopeful. "Really?!"
"But only on one condition."
"W-what condition?"
The corners of Loren's mouth rose into a cheeky grin. "Just yell "Stupid Goddess! Saleria you dumbass!" once, say that and I'll stop."
Salrie's eye twitched and she weighed her options. She could disrespect the Goddess once, or follow Loren around as he spat on the Goddess statute daily.
"...Just once?"
"Yes, and I'll never spit on the statue again."
'I'm sorry Goddess Saleria.'
Salrie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, tensing her hands.
"S-st-stupid Goddess! Saleria you dumbass! I'm stuck here because you're an idiot!"
"Good, but you added a little at the end there."
The angel's face turned stiff, realising she said more than she intended.
"See, didn't that make you feel better? Be honest."
Salrie looked away, avoiding eye contact.
"A... little."
"LOREN YOU LITTLE BRAT, GET AWAY FROM THE STATUE!"
'Crap!'
"I was just praying, I didn't do anything! Honestly!"
Loren ran away with all his might.
***
After a long chase, Loren escaped home, landing on top of his bed.
'That doesn't count as me training my body right?'
Loren closed his eyes, focusing on the flow of mana in his body, he'd almost run out.
'I'll keep working with Dad, I can feel my body getting used to the constant use of mana, I should be able to use roughly 60 per cent of my mana without wasting any now. I might be able to return to class by the end of next week.'
While Loren was thinking to himself, Salrie gave him a worried look.
"There's something strange about this 'compression' art Loren."
Loren tilted his head. "What is it?"
"Spreading out your mana so evenly is getting rid of your bias. It'll make it difficult to master the 2nd stage."
"Oh, that? I noticed, but it's increasing my control at the same rate, I can concentrate one-third of my mana in one place now. I think it's an even trade-off."
"Even so..."
Loren waved his hand. "It's fine. Remember, I wanted to have a 2nd path eventually anyway, so maybe having no bias is better for me."
Putting away Salrie's concerns, Loren went to bed, letting his fatigue take over his body and going into a deep sleep.