Akio's POV
A week had passed since I last saw Kai, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Man, today Kai didn't come again. What's up with him anyway?" I muttered to myself, concern creeping in.
"Maybe he doesn't want to be a den anymore," my friend teased, chuckling at his own joke.
That couldn't be the reason. "No, I'm sure that's not it. I'm going to see what's going on," I declared, a determination settling in.
That couldn't be the reason. "No, I'm sure that's not it. I'm going to see what's going on," I declared, a determination settling in.
"Where are you going?" my friend called after me as I started running.
"To Kai's home. Stay here; I'll be back soon."
Kai's POV
As I was practicing casting spells, I heard my mom call from downstairs. "Kai, come down! Someone is here to see you!"
I turned to Alice. "Master, it seems someone has come to meet me. I'll be quick."
"Okay," she replied, a knowing smile on her face.
As I rushed down, I opened the door to find Akio standing there, his brow furrowed with concern. "Hey, Kai! Why haven't you been coming to play with us?"
I hesitated, remembering Alice's teachings. "Well… I've been busy with training."
"Training? For what?" he pressed, clearly not satisfied.
Before I could explain, Alice emerged from behind me. "Is he your friend?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Yes, Master," I replied, a little flustered.
Akio's eyes widened. "Master? What's going on here?"
I took a breath, trying to sound confident. "Alice came a week ago, and she's teaching me magic."
"Magic? Why?" Akio's tone shifted, a hint of disbelief creeping in.
"Because I want to enter the Royal Academy, so I need to learn magic," I said, my heart pounding as I shared my dream.
His eyes widened, and for a moment, he was silent. "Royal Academy?! Are you stupid or something? Why do you want to go there all of a sudden?"
"I—uh—sorry, I forgot to tell you. Just like you, I have a dream."
"What dream?" Akio asked, curiosity mixing with skepticism.
"To become the Commander-in-Chief," I stated, determination rising in my voice.
Akio's expression hardened. "What a joke! Stop daydreaming! It's never going to happen, especially with her as your master." He shot a glance at Alice, who narrowed her eyes, clearly offended.
"Hey! You better watch your mouth! You shouldn't speak like that to someone older than you," Alice scolded.
Akio huffed, his frustration evident. "Fine. You can leave the village if you want. I'll become the strongest in the village and protect it alone." With that, he turned on his heel and stormed off.
I stood frozen, the weight of his words pressing heavily on my chest. I hadn't wanted to hurt our friendship, but I also knew I had to chase my dreams. As I looked back at Alice, her presence felt reassuring, but I couldn't shake the feeling of loss that Akio's departure left in my heart.