Over the following days, Rei continued to teach Kaiser and Luster, focusing on advanced sword techniques. Though they struggled at times, their determination never wavered. Rei watched them with pride, knowing that their persistence mirrored his own.
While Rei trained, Thomas and Lily quietly made preparations, their discussions growing more frequent and urgent. They knew that Rei's path was destined to take him far beyond the confines of the school and that they needed to ensure he had every opportunity to reach his full potential.
The days passed, filled with hard work and growth, as Rei, Kaiser, and Luster honed their skills together. Little did Rei know that the next chapter of his journey was fast approaching.
After a week of waiting, Lily approached her husband, Thomas, once more. "What happened? You said you had an idea. Why haven't you done anything yet? It's been a week."
Thomas, calm as ever, responded, "Patience. Just wait a little."
Before Lily could press further, there was a knock at the door. Thomas stood up with a small smile. "Looks like she's here."
Puzzled, Lily followed her husband to the door. When he opened it, she was met with the sight of a young girl, about 14 years old, holding a small wand with a small crystal embedded in its tip.
Thomas welcomed the girl inside and led her to the living room, where Lily joined them. The girl introduced herself with a confident smile, "I am Emilia, the mage prodigy."
Thomas gestured toward her. "She's the most talented mage in the country right now everyone expects great things from her in the future."
Hanna, who had been nearby and overheard the conversation, immediately became curious. She stepped forward, her interest piqued. "Wait, the most talented mage? What are your magical attributes, and what have you accomplished?"
The young mage responded proudly, "I specialize in all attributes but my speciality is water and earth magic. I've already mastered the basics of both attributes."
Hanna frowned, her skepticism plain. "And that makes you a prodigy?"
Emilia the mage bristled, crossing her arms. "Hey! Learning the basics of two attributes is a big deal. Most people struggle with just one! It's no small feat." Emilia thought "this backwater girl does not know how difficult it is to learn basics of magic when she would go outside then she would know my real worth"
Hanna made a face of disbelief but didn't press further. Sensing the tension, Lily the mother quickly interjected, "So, what exactly can she teach Rei? He doesn't know magic."
Thomas responded with a sly smile. "She doesn't need to teach him outright. Rei is smart enough to learn on his own. She just needs to show him the different types of magic. Plus…" He trailed off, glancing at his wife.
"Plus what?" Lily asked, her tone sharp with suspicion.
"Well…" Thomas began, clearly hesitant. "Since Rei doesn't seem to like girls much, she might be able to help him open up a little."
Hanna immediately perked up, grabbing the young mage's hands. "Emilia, you can do it! I know you can make him like girls!"
The young mage pulled her hands back, looking both embarrassed and indignant. "Hey, I'm here to teach magic, not play matchmaker! and what do you mean he can't use magic how would he learn if he can't use magic at all" Emilia thought "what? are these people insane that's why I hate back water places"
Thomas waved her concerns away with a chuckle. "Don't worry. You'll certainly teach him. The method might just look a little different. But first, you'll need to befriend him—and let me warn you, that's not going to be easy."
Deciding to take a look around the house, the young mage wandered the halls, muttering to herself. "What does this family think their son is? A genius? If this wasn't a promotional task from the adventurer's tower, I'd have turned it down immediately."
She recalled the crowd she had seen at the guild, the enticing notice about an F-rank task promising a direct promotion to E-rank. The reward had seemed too good to pass up. Sighing, she looked out of a window and spotted Rei walking back toward the house. He looked cheerful, but she found herself unimpressed. "So that's him, huh? Doesn't look like anything special."
Determined to make a good first impression, she headed to the door to greet Rei. But before she could finish her introduction, "Hello, my name is Emil—" she was suddenly blasted backward by a gust of wind.
"Are you a thief?" Rei demanded, his tone cold and suspicious.
The commotion drew Thomas and Emilia, who quickly intervened. They pulled Rei into the living room, where the atmosphere grew tense.
Lily, his mother, glared at him disapprovingly. "Rei, apologize to Emilia right now! That was no way to greet a guest, especially one as esteemed as she is."
Rei crossed his arms, glaring at the young mage. "I don't know what she's doing here. Why would I need a mage to teach me anything?"
Emilia, to her credit, maintains a calm demeanor despite Rei's hostile reception. She leans back in her chair, studying him with an appraising gaze. "I'm not here to teach you magic, Rei. I'm here to help you... expand your horizons."
She pauses, choosing her next words carefully. "Your parents tell me you have a unique perspective on certain things. I think I can help you see a different point of view, if you give me a chance."
Thomas nods encouragingly. "Rei, listen to what Emilia has to say. She's not here to force anything on you. Think of her as... a new friend, if you will."
Rei bluntly replied again in a harsh tone, "No. I don't need her help. Women are bad." With that, he turned and walked straight to his room, leaving everyone in the living room visibly shaken.
Thomas glanced apologetically at Emilia, who still stood near the doorway, trying to process the cold reception. "I'm sorry, Emilia. We didn't know he would react like this."
Lily nodded in agreement, her expression one of concern. "Yes, he just... hates girls. It's something we've been trying to work through."
Hanna, however, leaned forward with a smirk, unable to resist a jab. "Good luck handling him, Emilia. He's more of a genius than you, after all."
"Hanna, stop that," Lily interjected, frowning at her daughter's lack of tact.
Emilia, however, wasn't shaken by Rei's apparent hatred. It wasn't his words or attitude that bothered her; it was the memory of what she had just witnessed. That wind blast wasn't ordinary—it was something far beyond what she had expected from a mere boy. Spirit arts were typically used to cut through magic with weapons, not to create elemental forces like Rei had just demonstrated.