"I can't handle spicy food at all," Thomas remarked, looking at the platter of bright red food places on the table.
Jack chuckled as he slurped on the hot noodles, the steam still rising from it, "Man up and try it a bit."
"Nope," Thomas rejected him, "you can't change my mind on spicy food, besides I have my own to complete."
"That sweet chicken, the tangy flavor is good, but it works better when it is spicy."
"Tangy flavor works best with sweetness, that's why this dish exists."
"Why don't you try some of this beef?" Jack picked up a thin slice of beef from a bowl of soup with his chopstick and brought it near Thomas's face.
"Get that thing away from me, my nose is already running from just the fiery scent," Thomas complained, as he leaned back, but Jack brought it closer to his face.
Jack smiled as he took it closer, "Here just take a bite, it's the least I can do after you're paying the bill."
"Yeah, I'm paying the bill, you don't want me dead before that do you?"
"Just a bite, try it."
After much rejection, Thomas finally takes a bite, "Ouch, what is that, an entire mountain of chillies!?"
Jack pours a glass of rice wine into the white soju cup and slides it in front of Thomas, "Here, cool your system."
Thomas picks it up without hesitation and downs the whole thing in one go, while fanning his mouth, "Whew, that's more like it, I'm never touching your plate."
"Your spice tolerance isn't that bad, considering that was the spiciest in my orders, congratulations."
"You bastard," Thomas chuckled, "it's still burning my mouth."
"Bastard? Now that's a bit too harsh," Jack feigned being hurt, "isn't it?"
"I would have felt bad had you not been acting. You're quite the actor, Raosa."
"What's with Raosa?"
"It sounds good, and it suits you. Who picked it?"
"Miss Shia made it, herself or so she claims," he let out a chuckle.
"Pour me some more of the wine," Thomas slid the cup forward.
Jack picks up the bottle and pours it down.just enough to reach the top, filling it to the brim.
"Hey, why'd you pour it like that?" Thomas asked, annoyed.
"Now bend a little and sip it up from the edge, because it is a nice way of enjoying wine," Jack explained.
"That's not fair, just give me the bottle," Thomas said.
Jack passes the bottle and looks at Thomas, his eyes lingering for a moment longer, "This is how you do it," his face got closer to it, his lips covered by the red moustache barely touching the edge, and with a small intake the brimming cup was quarter empty.
"Woah!" Thomas exclaimed, his gaze meeting Jack's, "how did you do that?"
"Little tricks I picked up when I was a knight, I learned a lot of stuff."
"How long were you deployed?"
"Nine years."
"Which knight order?"
"The Roshfield knights," Jack spoke, his voice tinted with joy, "we were the best."
"Roshfield? You were part of the crazy squad?"
"Crazy? Is that how we're known?" Jack asked.
"Yes, and it is crazy, you guys protect everyone, although no one knows. It's kind of sad."
"Really? Our motto was No recognition."
"No recognition? That's a new one."
"Yep, we sure are quirky."
"So who among you was the Crimson Twilight?"
"Oh, where did you hear that name?"
"Just tell me who it is?"
"Me."
"You?"
"Me."
"Well, Mister Raosa, you have quite the reputation, the lone bear who stopped the beast tide alongside the two legends," Thomas finished as took a shot of his wine.
"Lone bear?" Jack raised his brows at the sudden mention of an unknown name. "That's a first. I've never heard of that one before."
"Imagine my surprise when I heard you were the one," Thomas stared at Jack intently.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Jack stared at him back.
"Well, you look a lot different from the rumors."
"Why does everyone assume I look like some animal from a few rumors, I always had my trusty stache and a well shaven face," Jack sharpened his moustache.
"Your rumors of Jonathan Thorne are even worse, I'd say the rumors about the Crimson Twilight are better than that."
"My god. What's wrong with these rumors?" Jack said, his fist striking the table. "They keep twisting up my good looks. Maybe it's because I wasn't combing my hair well before."
"Before?"
"Yeah, before I used to let the wind do it, but now Finn told me how to fashion it."
"Do you miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"Your life as a lumberjack? Do you miss it, the peace after a day of normalcy, a beer at night in a tavern?"
"Actually I do, the food at the academy isn't that great. Why do you think I accepted your invitation."
"I thought it was because I invited you, glad to know you came for the food rather than my company," Thomas placed a hand on his chest, faking a pain.
Jack chuckled, "I didn't know my drama was a spreading disease."
"Oh my god, I'm turning into you," Thomas placed a hand on his forehead, nodding in defeat.
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"This is awesome, I can literally see what everyone is thinking, with this I feel like a... to be honest I feel like a pervert," Daniela's voice dropped.
"But with this I can find out what my dad is thinking and help him, I feel incredible," Daniela spoke out, "I can do anything."
"They sure give personal quarters to each student no matter the background, this sure feels good."
"Should I try some of the breathing techniques, maybe I'll be able to find out what my secret talent is."
She sat down, her legs folded and hands closing up in a meditative position, as she took deep breaths.
Feel the mana, the invisible energy waiting to enter you, it's always there.
She took in deeper breaths, an intangible energy wrapping around her. Her breath stabilized the mana flowing around her without much fluctuation.
"Can I form a star now?" she laid back after the exercise, "or do I need more enlightenment and stuff?"
"Maybe I should ask someone, but it's strange I can't see those two missions that I had when I came here."
She rolled around on the floor and lost in thought, Maybe I'll check out Finn tomorrow with scan, I want to know what happened to him.
"He even had a duel with some extra character I've never seen, but still that is so unlike the character I've read off."
"I hope it's not what I think it is, it would be better if he was the same as in the story."
Let me try breathing once more, and the hidden talent, what is that? she got back up into her previous position.
Focus, and try to look into me, my inner self.
Daniela felt the world around her warp, something else taking over.
Is this my mind's realm? she thought, her mind blown away by the sight. She stood on top of a lake, a lone star in the sky, the darkness wide spread.
"This... this is beautiful. I've read that the mind realm is a reflection of a cultivator's mind, the night sky, is it mine or her's?"
But despite the darkness, she could see everything around her with a clarity she couldn't understand.
She looked at the lone and star and noticed a smaller dot near it, it's light faint and unnoticeable unless one looks at it.
"Is that my first star, so that big light must be my core, and the first star forming is almost complete, I think I'll be able to breakthrough if I keep it up," Daniela said, while staring into the night sky.
"If I can breakthrough I'll be in the same power range as the other students, finally I'll be with them."
_________________________
"The gun, I should be careful of how I use this," Finn rubbed on the fine hard grip of the pistol, as he laid in his bed.
Unlike a sword, this thing is an art work of mechanics, and any form of rough use will hinder its performance, a round blue string wrapped around the pistol.
"I can only make five strings as of now, but these are plenty, I should be able to breeze through with these," Finn placed his hand on his chest, "especially with my three core."
"And how did I know what to do with a gun? I barely know how to hold it, yet when I pull it out, I feel like I've been using it for years."
The familiar weight Finn felt whenever he held the new weapon in his hands drowned him in a sense of unease around him, unsure of the set of mysterious events around him.
"It's been the weirdest week ever, I can remember my last life, yet I don't have any access to the memory, what a dilemma," he thought as he tumbled over to the side.
TAP
He placed the gun on his nightstand besides the lamp, the black gun nulling the lamps light.
"An old man out of his time, with a weapon out of its time, how strange, maybe we're meant to be together," his eyes softened as he pulled the string on the lamp, the light going out.
At least I made a few friends, I won't get bullied by anyone anymore, but I should focus on academics, I didn't even do well in the test, I'm sure I'll be the last in class.
_________________________
"That was amazing, father," Gabriel laughed, the emperor cradling him in arms.
"Aren't you quite alive today," he chuckled as he tickled the little boy.
Gabriel wasn't that small, yet in the arms of his father, he had turned into a child.
"Haha," he giggled out loud, "haha, stop it father, you know I'm ticklish."
"Well..." the Emperor's face strained at the question, "I didn't, I just did it on a whim."
CLICK CLACK
The distant echoes of the footsteps grew closer, the Emperor and Gabriel looked at where the sound was coming from.
It was General Thomas, his shirt let loose at top and slightly untucked, hinting at his own signs of the day's wear.
"You look like you've been handling boars," the Emperor commented.
"Ah," Thomas bowed in respect, "I didn't notice you there, and yes I've had quite the day."
"Want to share it over a glass of wine?" the Emperor asked, his voice warm and inviting.
The soothing voice wrapped around Thomas like a warm blanket. Thomas smiled, embracing the changing man before him. My lord would never ask for something like this, yet now he is... should I accept? If it were him, he certainly would accept.
After a moment of thought, he answered, "Yes, your majesty, that would be wonderful."
"I want some too, father," Gabriel looked at him with puppy eyes, trying to get his father to give him some wine.
"I'll give you a bit," the Emperor looked down with a smile, "just a little bit."
"You will be blessed by the heavens father."
"I can't believe I'm spoiling my son."
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