Ranav rushed toward the three girls, who flinched in fear as he approached. Extending his hand toward one of them, his palm emitted an ethereal green light. He exerted his healing capacity to its maximum, feeling his mana gushing out rapidly from his dantian. There was no time to worry about that now. The girl's body was almost enveloped by the healing spell. Her bleeding stopped, and the wounds closed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The crowd stood stupefied. Mahesh Gulati, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but think, "What kind of person is this? One moment, he's beating them like a savage beast, and the next, he's healing the injuries he caused! Does he have some kind of personality disorder?"
Ranav cast healing and checking spells in succession on all three girls. As the last girl's wounds vanished, Amita finally snapped out of her daze. Her face turned bright red from anger and embarrassment.
Pointing her trembling finger at Ranav, she hissed, "You... you just wait! I'll make you pay for this!" Without waiting for a reply, Amita stormed off with her cronies, the trio too humiliated to remain and risk being the crowd's laughingstock.
Ranav chuckled as he watched them flee. Turning, he saw Paramita standing behind him, her mouth slightly agape. Grabbing her hand, he quickly pulled her out of the crowd.
"Let's move quickly. That venomous bitch might come after me with a powerful backer," he said, urging her along.
Paramita, still shaken, frowned and scolded, "Do you always have to curse? Would it kill you to talk like a gentleman?" Then, glancing nervously at their surroundings, she added, "We need to get out of the school grounds. Fighting is prohibited on the school campus except for the fighting ring. If the teachers find out, you'll be punished, even if you're not a student."
"Then why are we walking? Let's run!" Ranav exclaimed, breaking into a sprint.
Paramita sighed but followed him. Once they reached the main gate, they spotted an empty carriage and climbed in.
"Let's go! We're in a hurry," Ranav urged the yawning coachman.
"Where to, Sir?" the coachman asked.
"Into the city. We'll give you a specific location shortly," Ranav replied. Then, turning to Paramita, he asked, "I'm starving. Where can we grab some snacks?"
"Coachman, take us to Park Street, please," Paramita instructed. She has returned to her lady-like demeanor.
As the carriage began moving, Ranav leaned back comfortably, occasionally sneaking glances at Paramita. Her face was slightly flushed, but she remained quiet.
Thinking about the earlier scene, Ranav suddenly burst into laughter. "Those three girls must be dying of anger right now!" he said, laughing heartily.
Paramita couldn't help but join in, but her laughter soon subsided, and her tone turned serious. "You went too far this time. If Amita's mother comes to my house to demand justice, we will be in serious trouble."
Ranav waved her concerns off. "Relax! Did you forget my age? I'm only five. Technically, I'm just a kid. What about them? They're around ten, right? How can they admit to being beaten by a mere child when they're fully trained mages? They'll never go crying to their parents. Instead, they'll try to retaliate against you or me. Besides, they'll likely pressure the spectators into keeping quiet."
Paramita sighed. "You don't act like a child at all! After spending just a few hours with you, I can't help but feel like you think I'm the child here." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you really just five years old?"
Grinning mischievously, Ranav replied, "Actually, I'm forty-three this year. Call me big brother. No… call me uncle!"
Paramita rolled her eyes but smiled. Ranav, however, silently reprimanded himself, "I need to be more careful. My behavior needs to match my age. If people get suspicious, it could ruin everything."
Seeing her smile, Ranav chuckled. "Don't worry. If they come after you, just tell them my age to tease them and also tell them to deal with me first. They don't even know my name. I'll be gone in a few days; they won't find me."
Paramita laughed. "You're too naughty. No wonder your master always worries about you."
"What? I'm so obedient around her! What bad things has she been saying behind my back?" Ranav asked, feigning outrage.
"She told my mom that you are a mischievous little brat. She says you act so innocent in front of her, but the moment you're out of sight, you disregard everything and do what comes to your mind. She's always afraid you'll get into some big trouble with your naughty behavior."
Ranav groaned. "When did I get caught? I've always been careful!"
"Well... she is your master, and you are just a…" Paramita paused dramatically before grinning, "little brat!"
Ranav muttered, "I need to have a word with my master about slandering me to outsiders. She's going to bury my reputation into gutters."
Paramita giggled. "You can't count my mom as an outsider. Your master and my mom were academy roommates. They're close friends. Speaking of which, I know a secret about your master. Want to hear it?"
Ranav's curiosity was piqued. "Of course! What is it?"
"You'll have to promise me one thing before I tell you. What could I ask you? Okay. Something I'll ask for in the future. And you can't share it with others"
"Fine, I promise. Now, spill!" Ranav said eagerly.
Before she could answer, the carriage stopped in front of a beautiful gate. Beyond the gate stretched a lush green park, with vibrant flowers blooming along the walkway. People strolled leisurely, and children played in the open fields.
"We're here. Let's go," Paramita said as she stepped out of the carriage.
Ranav followed, letting her pay the fare. The weather was perfect, a cloudy sky with a crisp, cool breeze brushing their faces.
Noticing a nearby beverage stall, Ranav ordered a hot coffee and asked Paramita what she'd like. She chose hot chocolate, and after receiving their cup, they entered the park together.
Paramita sat on a bench beside the walkway. She held her cup with both hands and took a small sip at times gracefully. She was watching the children playing in front of her. Ranav was standing beside her, sipping coffee occasionally. He suddenly remembered the secret of his master they were discussing. He turned to Paramita to ask about it. When he looked at her, she was swinging her legs while enjoying the moment, his vision went blank.
Paramita felt something and looked at him. Seeing him stare at her blankly, she blushed, her cheeks turned red.