Chapter 7 The Grave News

The knights longue is rowdy as ever. There, knights of Crimson Drake unwind from their tiresome duties or just drink away their frustration of this troubling time. drink, gambling, even sometimes punching another knight, is a common view in that noise place. Nevertheless, there is always one knight that does not participate in any of those "fun activities".

There, sit alone only accompanied by a pile of books and a plate filled by three electric eel pies. Lone silver sword badge on his shoulder marks him as a novice knight. This novice knight doesn't bother by the noisiness of other knights, and other knights seem content not to bother him. As he keeps reading his book, he also keeps munching the eel pie. A single of that pie is enough to make a person full for one whole day. This novice knight eats three of them.

A lady knight enters the lounge. From the badge of golden wing she wears, the knights belong to the Triarius unit, and a veteran knight. She approaches one of the knights, the one who has been reading undisturbed.

"You're such a bookworm," Margaret sits on the opposite side of Sora's table. "You sure not a chaplain from the abbey?"

"I need to know everything about this land," Sora seems not deterred by his mentor present, and continues reading. "I need to know what is in this "Blue Continent" since I was asked to save it. I need to know about the threat and how to face it."

"How diligent," Margaret complimented with sarcastic touch. "But, really. "The Grand Kingdom of the Past", "Age of Creation: The Myth and The Stories," "The Twin Kingdoms," you even read "Gods, Demons and Mortals". Most knights do not read these things. I doubt the royal family and the abbey members even read them."

"I just want to know everything that is important. This may look trivial, but it might be useful in the future event."

Margaret snatched one of Sora's pies. "True, this thing was written for that kind of purpose, but nowadays only historians consider the importance of these 'stories'."

Sora stares at his mentor and nods.

Margaret faces showing that she is both surprised and skeptical. "You? historian?"

"In my world, I studied history. I'm not finished with my education to be one, but I know enough to consider myself a proper historian."

The Triarius bites the eel pie and puts it back on the plate. "You are a fascinating person, Sora. I'm very interested in you."

Sora only scoffs.

Arm wrestling matches from across the lounge attract Margaret's intention from her pupil.

"By the way, since Amamiya has advanced magic lessons, you are free this afternoon, right?" says her. "How about you attend… marching… lesson."

When Margaret looks back at Sora, he is already gone. Only a single half eaten electric eel pie on the plate remains.

"You might run, little hero, but you won't hide from me for long," the Triarius walks out the lounge to search Sora with a heart full of evil intention.

Sora and Amamiya already stayed in the Knight Order of Crimson Drake for one month and three weeks. Their training time will end soon. However, neither of them knew what happened after that. Amamiya is not very concerned by that, instead she keeps honing her expertise on magic. She believes when the time is come, the knights will be told what to do next. This did not happen to Sora. He's not waiting to get any answers from the knight order, so he takes himself to the library and reads as many books as possible about Blue Continent and its past.

At this point, both Sora and Amamiya have much more free time. Other knights start to let them train in their own free will, instead of in a proper schedule. Of course, Sora still needs to train with Margaret since Captain Lydia put him under Triarius care.

However, there is one lesson that they need to attend as novice knights. Marching. Both Sora and Amamiya despise that lesson. On every chance, they will avoid it with all available means. But, because Sora is under Lady Margaret care, and Captain Lydia and Ser Horace are responsible for the two of them, the veteran knights are always hot on both novice knights' trails whenever they escape the marching lesson. So, they take additional lessons, to provide them with legitimate excuses to not attend the lesson. Amamiya forces her way to enter advanced magic class while Sora slips among the Jaegers to take archery practice. Soon, Sora befriended most of the knights in the Jaeger unit due his skill with the bow.

One day in the archery range, Sora and another Jaeger practice shooting a 20m target, the Knight Captain comes.

"Nice shot," Lydia complemented when Sora's arrow hit the center mark. "You will make a good Jaeger."

"That is true," a red headed Jaeger saluted the Knight Captain. "It's a pity he already belongs to the hoplomachus."

Sora's novice badge has been replaced with a badge of hoplomachus, round bronze shield with olive crown.

"Lucas," Sora shakes the Jaeger hand then salutes Lydia. "What brought you here Captain Lydia? If you come to take me to marching lessons, I will pelt you with all arrows in this archery range."

Lydia giggled. "No. It's already clear you don't want to attend that lesson at all. I'm here to take you to the training hall. There is a swordsmanship technique that I want to teach to you."

"Alright. Now?"

Lydia nods.

Sora gives his bow to Lucas and follows the knight captain to the training hall.

After wearing the practice gear, Sora gave two wooden swords instead of one. One of the wooden swords is only half the size of the other. Lydia told him to hold the shorter one on the left hand.

Lydia teaches the novice knights this new technique thoroughly. The stances, the footwork, and the strikes. The technique is very light and fast when practiced. Sora struggles to learn it. Since he used to have a rooted shield stance, flexible stance with quick footwork is very difficult for him to do. Nevertheless, Lydia patiently and diligently teaches the novice knight. When it comes to sparring with this new technique, the knight captain is gentler and more understanding compared to a certain Triarius. Lydia gives this lesson to Sora for a few days. Until a haggard looking courier enters the knight order castle.

The courier gives the guard a letter and tells him to give it to the Knight Captain, and then collapses on the spot. At that time, Captain Lydia was in the War Room with several knight officers, discussing the movement of the Battleguards and the situation of the Zandar-Elzen border. The guard burst into the room with a pale face. If not because of the letter he had, he had already been detained. Lydia takes the letter. The words that are inscribed on it makes Lydia's face turn grim. Other knight officers who read the letter also turn pale. An imminent threat is on the horizon.

"What do we do, Captain?" ask one of the officers. "We don't have enough able fighting knights to counter such an attack."

"But, we could lose the northern outpost if this attack does not repel," says the other officer.

Lydia looks at the map of Elzen on the table. On top of the map there are three colored knight shaped pieces. The red is for Elzen, blue for Zandar and black for Battleguards and other demonic horde forces. To the north where Elzen is located, there is a small town. Lydia moves two black pieces to that town, projecting that the town is surrounded. The town itself only has one garrison, represented by a single red piece.

"Captain, what was your decision?" An officer pressuring Lydia. "We cannot let the outpost fall. You are well aware of what post for."

"Yes, I'm perfectly aware what its guard!" the Knight Captain yells back. "I also will not send any greenhorn troops to face the Battleguards warband!

She sighs. She already had a decision, but she doesn't like it.

"Summon the heroes."

Meanwhile, in the archery range, Sora and Lucas have a little shooting competition.

"And that ten out of ten arrows on the target," says Lucas when his arrow hit the mark.

"Well, lucky you," Sora looked at his target, and only four of the ten arrows hit the mark.

"Come on, pay up."

The novice knight gives Lucas five zeny.

"Don't be discouraged. You'll win next time, after you get much more practice."

"I don't think this about lack of practice, Lucas," says Sora. "I think the target is simply out of range.

"Nonsense. It's only 20m meter far. The bow can shoot further than that."

"No. I don't talk about the bow's range. It's my range. I can only see targets as far as 13m to 15m only. Beyond that, I cannot even see the target."

"But, you hit the target. Four times."

"It's just luck."

"Well, train your luck, then."

Sora grunt in disagreement.

Just about the two of them start shooting again, a battlemage enters the range.

"Sora!" she called.

Sora looks at who's calling him. It's Amamiya, and she runs toward him.

"Captain Lydia summoned us to the War Room."

"War Room? Is something happening?" Sora asked for explanation from the battlemage.

Amamiya shakes her head. "I don't know. She just wants both of us to meet her. Immediately."

"Alright. Let's go."

The two knights run to the main hall where the War Room is located. There is slight worry in their heart that the time is coming. The time when they will march to war.

They enter the War Room. There, Lydia stood alone. When the knight captain explains the situation and tells what Sora and Amamiya have to do, their worries come true and become worse.

"You crazy!" Sora yells. "You want us, just us, to go to a settlement that surrounded by battleguards as reinforcement!?"

Amamiya also yells at the knight captain. "We have not yet finished our training as well, and you expected to fight a horde of creatures that most knights say as strong as ten well trained vanguard."

"Calm down, please," Lydia tries appeasing the two raging knights. "I never say you two do this task alone. You will be provided escorts and reinforcement will be sent as well after the situation has been assessed."

"But, still…"

"It's time to fulfill your destiny as heroes."

Sora grunts angrily. Amamiya only stood there, her hand trembling out of fear.

"Explain the situation to me one more time," Sora looks at the map.

"This is the outpost", the knight captain points on the map. "One battleguard warband approaches from the north and another from forest from the east."

"And there is already a battleguard camp on the river delta south of the outpost," Sora points at the black piece on the river.

"Correct."

"Will all of the three forces join for the attack."

"That possibility is high. Battleguard warband is usually a disorganized group, but they are known to attack the same target that is attacked by other warband."

"If all of them decide to attack, how many battleguards we expected to come?"

"A thousand, at least. Could be more"

"A thousand!" Sora looks full of despair. "How strong is the outpost's garrison?"

"There are only seventy-five knights in there," says Lydia. "But, the militia captain-,"

"You mean, the mercenary captain," the novice knight commented cynically.

Lydia ignores that comment. "He pulls every able fighting force in the area to defend the outpost. That makes us have one hundred and fifteen troops. Add the local militia it is…"

The knight captain stops speaking. Her head tuckered down.

"Not enough," Sora finished the sentence.

Lydia nods.

"And you still want us to go there and fight?" Sora talks calmly, but clearly, he is angry. "Is this why Lady Margaret hates you? Having a habit sending novice knights to suicide missions?"

"I will hear none of it!" Lydia glares at Sora. "This is the time to fulfill your destiny. Show that you are heroes."

The novice knights stare at his captain in contempt.

"I'll speak no more. You'll depart in two days," Lydia walks out of the room. Leaving Sora and Amamiya alone.

Sora punches the table with strength filled with rage, knocking down the knight pieces and startling Amamiya.

"I'm sorry," he said.

The young battlemage rushed to Sora and grabbed his hand.

"I'm scared," she says in a shaken voice.

"Me as well."

The novice knight might look calm, but his fist is pale. He's been clutching so hard to prevent himself from succumbing to fear and despair.

"To be honest, I know this moment will come, and I know when it's come I won't be able do anything to avoid it. So, I might ask you too much when I say you need to be brave."

The novice knight looks deep at Amamiya's teary face. He grabs her shoulders firmly. "Can you do that? Can you be brave when we face the enemies? Can you be brave when we fight the battle in the war we know not? Can you be brave…."

Sora's head tuckered down. He cannot dare see his companion's face and ask her to be brave when he himself is already deprived of any courage.

"Can you be brave for the both of us?"

Amamiya wipes the tears from her face. "I don't know. But, I suppose I can muster enough courage for you and me. And I promise you this, when the fight comes, I will and always stand by you."

She smiles. "Beside I'm the one who asks you to stay."

Sora hugs Amamiya. His heart was filled with such relief. "Thank you. I too, promise to stay and always stay by your side no matter what. I will protect you with all my might."

Amamiya isn't expected to be hugged by a man. Her face turns bright red, and she feels awkward. But, through this, she can feel and understand Sora affection to her, as well as the novice knight's fragility and fear. She doesn't push him away, instead she also embraces him.

They stay like this for quite some time, until both of them realize that the hug is last way too long, and push each other away.

Sora's face now is burning red, more so than Amamiya. However, his confidence has returned.

Amamiya sees something strange in blushing Sora. She knows her companion is much older than her, and she also knows despite his age, he still looks like a teenager. This makes the young battlemage see Sora like her younger brother, rather than her elder. Especially, after she realizes that the novice knight always puts on a brave face so nobody knows the fear he has, and his tendency to tease her just for attention.

"W-well, we better prepare ourselves for the trip," Sora is shaken. He cannot believe he just embraced a woman, and that woman lovingly accepted it.

Amamiya giggles. "We can do that later. What we need now is a little bit 'pick me up'."

She then drags Sora to the mage tower.

In the mage's spell training hall.

"Fire bolt!"

A magical fire arrow strikes the training dummy and explodes in smithereens.

"One more time. Stronger this time. Fire bolt!"

Multiple fire arrows appear and strike the dummies, reducing them to ash.

"So, this is your idea for a pick me up," Sora commented as Amamiya blasted another target with a pillar of fire.

"Yup. After that depressing and sobbing moment, I need to blow off some steam," the battlemage continues casting destructive fire magic by waving her staff.

"Well, you certainly blow everything up," says Sora in his head. Amamiya proficiency and lunacy when handling magic is awe inducing.

The young, slightly obsessed with pyro magic, battlemage's right. It's better to channel all that fear, despair and anger to other things, rather keep lingering to them.

"Where are you going? Amamiya noticed that Sora walks to the door.

"I also need to blow off some steam, but I don't know how to make the training dummy explode. I need to do something that I'm able to do."

The battlemage waves at him. "See you at dinner then."

Sora waves back and exits the training hall. From there, he goes to another training hall. The knight's training hall. As expected, Margaret is in there. Training just by herself.

"You come for extra training?" ask Margaret when she sees her pupil put up the training gear.

��I come to get beaten. I need to feel the pain," says Sora.

The Triarius grins, and gives a wooden sword to Sora. She is aware that the novice knight already told the order to march to the northern outpost, and notice the distress Sora's feels, despite the novice knight's effort to remain calm.

"Well then. Let's begin."

The two knights take their stance and charge to each other.

During the fight, Margaret constantly prayed in her heart to all the gods she knew. She wishes so that Sora will be able to fulfill his mission, and return alive. She knows the danger of this mission, and high chance that everyone who partakes it will meet their demise. She doesn't want to be the one who lit the pyre of the pupil who she already grew very fond of.

That evening, in the knight lounge, as usual Sora takes his dinner with a book on one hand and electric eel pie on the other. The number of pies on his plate, also as usual, exceeding a normal person can eat. His eyes may look at the book and his mouth may munch on the pie, but his mind still clouded, away from the present time. In his head, the novice knight was wondering about his first upcoming mission. All possible events, all conceivable solutions and all the outcome that might happen during the journey and the mission, swirling wildly inside his thoughts like a raging whirlpool.

As this happens, Amamiya walks into the lounge and sits in front of Sora. Her face shows that the battlemage also has deep, dark and swirling thoughts in her brain just like her companion.

Amamiya sits in silence, heads down and with a troubled face. The same is also done by Sora. The grim silence between the two knights is so thick, someone actually almost can cut it in half.

"After all that distraction, we still can forget the fact that we will go to war, aren't we?" says Sora, breaking the silence.

Amamiya nods. "It tends to be like that. Gloom thought came. Thought of failure. Thought about bad things that might happen."

She then comically smiles. "Almost like just before you take the National Exam, right?"

Sora smiles. He's amused by the anecdote. "Yeah. More or less something like that."

"But, there is something else in my mind," the young battlemage averts her gaze toward other knights in the lounge. "Before I come here, Captain Lydia talks to me. She offers us something?"

"What's that knight captain offer?" Sora closed his book, his interest peaked.

"She will promote us to full-fledged knights, if we choose to do so. She wants the answer by tomorrow."

The news of such an offer, strikes hard on Sora. Never even across his mind to join the military before being sent to Blue Continent and then train under a knight order. Now, with an offer from the knight captain, he might be a full-time member of military order. And the time is almost ironic, just before an impending war.

The extra burden makes the whirlpool in his mind dig deeper through his brain and then his gut. He lost the appetite, pushing the rest of the electric eel pies to the battlemage.

Next morning, both Sora and Amamiya called to the armory. In that place, they were welcomed by the blacksmiths, Arms Master Horace and Captain Lydia, and also two sets traveling armor. The armors have segmented design. At far, those traveling armor looks like made of hardened leather slates. However, the leather slates only cover the outer and inner part of the armors. Each segment of those armors are two layers of mail armor that sawn together between two high quality wolf leather.

"Can I try those?" says Sora when he sees the armor sets.

"Of course. They are yours," says Horace.

"Really?" Amamiya seems surprised.

"Yeah. Of course, they're your armors," Lydia was a little bit confused by Amamiya's surprised tone. "You are about to embark to your very first mission. So, you need proper equipment to do so. And this the least you two could get in your current rank."

"I thought every knight has to buy their own armor since I see many different styles of armor."

The young battlemage remarks make Captain Lydia give a bit condescending look to Horace who is helping Sora equipping his armor. The Armsmaster gives her the "you-know-what" look as a return.

"Normally, each knight is given one set of standard issue armor along with any equipment according to the unit they're in," she explained. "However, each knight also allows to purchase extra sets of armor or customize the standard armor. This mostly done by senior knights. The vanity of them."

"Yeah. You too, keep several custom-made armors," says Horace, laying open the truth.

The knight captain glares at him, telling the Armsmaster to shut up.

Sora fastened the shin guard straps, and now he is officially clad in armor, looks like a true knight, or looks somewhat like a knight.

"Here. This is from Gon," Lydia gives the young knight a left-hand gauntlet attached with a shield.

Sora is wowed by the gauntlet. It looks very different from the one he used to wear during practice. The practice gauntlet is made of leather and the shield is made of wood. The one given to him now is made entirely of steel. The size of the shield is larger, almost covering his torso, and it is also detachable from the gauntlet.

"This is actually very light," says Sora when he wears the gauntlet. "I expect it would be a lot heavier."

"Well, that belongs to Gon. Custom made per his request," says Horace. "He wears it while he is still in the Bladesguard unit. Many Bladesguards also wear the same type of gauntlet, only the shield would be smaller. The gauntlet is always very light to accommodate with the large zweihander which every Bladesguards carry. So, he has this crazy idea to give it to the hoplomachii. In his mind, since this type of gauntlet is already attached to a shield, it allows the hoplomachii to fight with both hands. Increasing their fighting prowess and mobility without sacrificing their defense capability. The idea never got through, thought."

"Basically, I'm a guinea pig for the possible future improvement of my own unit," Sora commented.

"Basically, yes."

"Speaking of that, have you two considered my offer?" ask the knight captain.

That question immediately brings an eerie silence to the armory.

Sora looks at Amamiya who just finished wearing her armor. They stare on each other, trading words in their silence. Finally, the young battlemage nods. Seem understand what to do, Sora faces the knight captain with full determination.

"We decided to decline the offer," says him.

Looking at the sharp and stern eyes of the novice knights, Lydia knows it's useless to try to change the answer that has been given to her.

"Very well. I will not force nothing more than that I already burdened to both of you," says the knight captain. "But, like I said before, you two need proper equipment."

Lydia signaling to one of the blacksmiths, who then gives each Sora and Amamiya a sword with unique design.

"These swords are for you. May they serve each of you well in the battle forward."

Both novice knights pull their swords. The blade of the sword is the same as the other swords, but its uniqueness is on the thin eight shaped guard and the pommel that is shaped like a flattened flower. Amamiya's sword has an additional part, a violet sphere that is embedded in the base of its blade.

As Sora and Amamiya examine their weapon, Horace approaches the captain with a troubled face.

"You can't do that!" says Horace, he clearly tries to hide the anger in his voice.

"I think it's still in my authority to give them a sword," Lydia acts like nothing happened.

"But, those swords. You heard them. They decline your offer. You cannot give them those swords. They are not-."

Lydia glares at the Arms Master. Her eyes look filled by flame.

"Those two are heroes who will help us. Since they are also in my care, I decide to give them anything that is necessary to fulfill their duty as heroes and members of this knight order. If you don't like my decision, you are welcome to get out of my sight or face my wrath."

The knight captain's tone is calm, but sharp. Horace's face turns bright red from anger. Without saying anymore words, he storms out from the armory.

Sora notices the Arms Master leaving the armory, and with an upset-looking face.

"Is something happening?" he asked.

"It's nothing. Just a simple disagreement," Lydia tries to hide the truth with the answer.

Unconvinced, Sora tries to ask the question again, but his companion fires her own question first. Enabling the knight captain to avoid any further of Sora's inquiry.

"What do we do now?" asks Amamiya.

"You two have 24 hours of free time before departing tomorrow. Spend it however you see fit," says Lydia. "But, I advise you to use the time to make proper preparation."

The knight captain sees herself out of the armory. Leaving both Sora and Amamiya alone. The two novice knights stare, a little bit confused of what they really have to do.

"I will go to buy some provision for the journey," says Sora. "What would you do?"

"I don't know, honestly. Get some potions, I guess," Amamiya is still uncertain what to do. 24 hours is a lot of time to spend, but it also can be too little of time for bracing yourself to face whatever you will face in tomorrow's journey.

"Fine. I'll leave that to you." Sora walks out of the armory.

"Wait!" Amamiya stops her companion.

"What is it?" The novice knight stops, stands right on the threshold.

"You want to wear that around the whole day?" Amamiya points at the armor that Sora wears.

"Of course. Why?"

"Isn't the armor heavy?"

"Well, because it's heavy, I have to keep wearing it. I need to grow accustomed to the armor that will protect me."

"Yeah, right," Amamiya does not buy the novice knight notion. "Most likely you just love to wear it, don't you?"

Sora chuckles, and steps out of the door.

Outside, on the courtyard. A woman waving at Sora. Beckons the novice knight to her.

Sora's turn bright on the sight of that woman, and smiling. He then eagerly approached the woman.

"Lady Cara," Sora bows to greet the woman.

The woman chuckles. "Just Cara, please. And not need to bow. I'm just a commoner."

"Yet, a knight has to show humility. Especially when meeting such a beautiful lady," says Sora. He smiles brightly in the present of Cara. If Amamiya is there to witness the event, she won't stop teasing the 25 years old virgin.

"Oh, you such a flirt. You should not tease your elder, you know."

Sora laughed faintly.

"I heard from Lady Margaret you will depart for the northern outpost tomorrow morning."

"Yes, that's right," Sora answered that question with his eyes averting down to the ground.

Cara can see the plight of the novice knight who stands in front of her now. She touches Sora's cheek, guiding the novice knight to look her in the eye.

"It is ugly business to go to war. However, you must not lose hope," she tries to encourage Sora. "Believe in yourself. Believe that you will succeed. Believe that you will return alive to your loved ones."

Cara's words touch deep in Sora's heart, which he thought had already hardened long ago. Such soft affection is something that he has not felt in a very long time.

Sora can feel a drop of tear about to come out. He holds it by closing his eyes. He touches Cara's hand. A single fleeting thought wishes him to hold the lady's hand so it can keep caressing his cheek. However, he cannot allow that. Very slowly, Sora moves Cara's hand away.

"You are right. I mustn't lose hope," says Sora. "Thank you for encouraging me."

"You're very welcome, young knight," Cara smiles.

Her smile is both warm and gentle, Sora can't help himself to blush.

"Come on, you need provision for the journey. Let me help you to prepare."

Both of them walk to the market row of the knight order district.

It's not the first time Cara helps Sora with anything. She meets the novice knight when she takes his measurement to the tailor workshop. In the early days of Sora's training, she's the one who keeps encouraging the novice knight. Indeed, it is because she needs to deliver bread to the knight hall, and she happens to pass along the training ground where Sora trains. She has no obligation to give the novice knight any attention, yet she greets him every day. She hasn't any obligation to talk to him, yet every recess, she converse with him, even just for a brief moment.

These little things inspire Sora during his training, since Gon's idea of inspiring the trainees is to beat the living hell of them with his heavy sword. He also grows very fond of her, but he cannot allow such feelings. Not just because he's been heartbroken a couple times too many, but also because by seeing the silver ring on her left ring finger, he knows Cara is married. Sora never asks Cara's about her marriage, nor Cara has ever told the novice knight anything about her family.

During their journey through the market row, Sora notices something's off. The people and the traders he met act very polite toward him. It is not an odd thing to happen, he is indeedl a member of knight order, albeit just a novice. However, today it seems the people take extra measures to act polite whenever he approaches them. Even the rough looking cheeky fellows stay clear from him, especially after seeing the sword hanging on Sora's belt.

Cara also acts a bit reserve. Normally, that woman will treat Sora like a child. But, today she looks at him like a normal person, like an adult treating her other adult friend. Nevertheless, Sora does not think of a world for any of those acts. His mind is full of all the things that he'll do and might happen tomorrow. He barely thinks that any of his surroundings are out of the ordinary. Even when he meets Lucas, and receives two unsuspected things.

While Sora is shopping for some provisions, Amamiya, who is tasked to prepare some potions, is rummaging through a bookshelf in frantic manner.

"Not this. No, not this," mumble her while yank out the books off the shelf and throw it away.

A mage notices Amamiya and thinks that young battlemage does.

"Something ails you, my dear Amamiya?" says the mage.

Amamiya recognizes the voice. She immediately turns around. In front of her, stand a handsome man with long flowing brown hair wearing a silver robe.

"Master Staghorn!" she gasps.

"Is there anything I could help you with?" asks Reese Staghorn with a soft voice.

"W-well, it's…."

"You depart tomorrow, right? How about I help you prepare some potions?"

"Thank you for the offer, Master, but I already prepare enough potions," Amamiya points at several flaks of potions that she puts on the reading table.

"If so, what's troubling you?"

"W-well, after I'm done preparing potion, I feel that I should bring something else. So, I decided to take some tomes or grimoire. But, I don't know which one."

Amamiya picks up the books that scattered around the floor.

"Should I bring this 'Scarlet Witch' tome of the 'Storm and Thunder' tome or this the grimoire about creating golem?" she frantically showed those books to the Battlemage Master, asking him to decide which book to bring.

"Relax, Amamiya. Don't be hasty," Reese tries to calm his pupil.

Amamiya picks up another book. This one has a purple cover with an eye symbol in the center.

"Maybe I should bring this," says her.

"I think you should not," Reese immediately takes the book Amamiya picks. "That is tome about summoning demons. We don't want another rift to open, do we?"

The uneasiness still donning Amamiya face, and the Battlemage Master is not fond seeing his pupil drown in the gloom.

"I might know which tome you should take to your quest," says him. "Follow me, if you will."

Reese takes Amamiya to another section of the library. In there, there is no bookshelf. The books stack high into towers of tomes and grimoires. While Master Staghorn strolling casually between the towering stacks of books, Amamiya walks in extreme caution. She didn't want to accidentally hit one of the stacks causing an avalanche of books and pain.

"Ah, here we are," says Reese, stopping in front of the stacks.

Amamiya confused. To her, that stack of books is the same as the other, but it seems her master can tell the differences between them.

Reese pushes the stack of books. It starts to tumble, but instead collapsing, the books simply float away, as if there is no gravity. The Battlemage Master waving, beckoning one of the books to him. The book flies to him, and Reese gives the book to Amamiya.

The tome has a sun symbol drawn on its brown hard leather cover. The edge of the cover is also reinforced with steel. It has two straps with buttons as the books seal.

"This is tomes of Holy Arts and Healing Spell," Reese explains. "May it serve you well."

"Thank you, Master," Amamiya thanks her master with a smile on her face.

"Ah, don't mention it," The Battlemage Master pats his pupil's head. "By the way, which staff do you plan to use?"

"I think the staff Ser Horace gave me will suffice."

"Can you show me the staff?"

"Sure. I left it in the study hall. Why?"

"I just want to make sure it's good to use."

As they walk away from the towers of books section of the library, a loud rumbling sound is coming out. Amamiya looks back, and she witnesses the book's avalanche occur.

"Relax, they will stack themselves in a moment," says Reese when Amamiya is about to tell what she just saw.

In the study hall, Amamiya shows the Battlemage Master her staff.

The staff consists of a straight black pole with purple orb on one end and butt spike the other. The butt spike addition is the modification of Amamiya's own request.

Reese examines the staff carefully. His face showed that he is not particularly pleased with the staff condition.

"You use it during training, right?" ask Reese.

"Yes, and I function perfectly, although can be a bit temperamental," answers Amamiya.

Once again Reese examines the staff, this time along with the owner.

"This staff will not be cut to being used in the battlefield," he concludes. "With the magic you currently possess, this staff will soon disintegrate when you conjure out your destruction magic."

"So, I need to buy a new staff," says Amamiya.

"Rather than buy, you can just ask me for a better staff."

"Thank you, Master, but you've already given me this tome. I couldn't ask you anything more."

"Don't bother. You are bound to go to war. You need the best equipment. Besides, I do not want my prodigy to end up dying in the ditch."

Reese enters one of the closets, and returns with a staff in hand.

"This staff is a little bit old, but it's stronger than you currently use and more suitable with your spells' intensity," says the Battlemage Master as he passes the staff to Amamiya.

Amamiya looks a bit confused when receiving the staff, because with the cross-shaped spear attached, the staff looks more like a juumonji yari than a mage staff. The thing that still makes it can be considered as a mage staff is the same purple orb that is located between the spear head and the pole.

"Once again, thank you, Master," this time Amamiya thanks her master with a formal bow.

"And once again, don't mention it, my dear Amamiya."

As the Battlemage Master walks away from Amamiya, the young battlemage opens the tome that was just given to her. As soon as she looked upon the tome content, she was amazed. Not because it has incredible spells, but because the spells she stares at are incomprehensible.

"Errr… Master Staghorn," Amamiya calls to the Battlemage Master.

"Yes?" Reese stops and turns around.

"Master, I'm sorry, but I cannot understand the spells in this tome."

"You cannot understand? Haven't you attended a Healing Arts class before?"

"Weeell, I… I… might..,"

"You ditch that class, didn't you?"

Amamiya nods in shame.

Reese sighs. "I can't be helped. I will teach you the basics today. So, please follow me and be prepared."

And for the rest of the day, the young battlemage learns the basics of Healing Arts. It's the harshest lesson she ever attended. Not because the teacher is the Master of Battlemages, but because Reese does not allow Amamiya to make any mistakes. Normally, when teaching spells, Reese only corrected major mistakes. But, today he did not even let the smallest detail pass. The reason behind this, before becoming Battlemage Master, Reese is a healer, and he is a very strict Healing Arts teacher.

It's already evening when Amamiya finishes with her extra Healing Arts lesson. She walks at a tired pace to her quarter. When she enters, Sora is already in there, packing the bag.

"Evening, and what with the tired face?" Sora greets.

"I was dragged into an extra-strict extra lesson," Amamiya replies. She noticed a pair of oval glasses decorated Sora's face. "And you, what with the glasses?"

"You know Lucas, my friend from Jaeger unit, right?"

"Yeah," Amamiya nods.

"Somehow, he figures out that I'm near-sighted. So, he commissions an alchemist to make these glasses."

"How thoughtful of him," the young battlemage fell face first onto her bed.

"I think so, too. Initially, I refused, but he insisted. He said that it isn't funny that someone who is associated with the Jaeger has eyesight worse than a librarian."

"Will they survive?" Amamiya's voice muzzled the pillow where she buried her face.

"What will survive?"

"The glasses. Won't they be destroyed when we fight in the battle?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Lucas said these glasses are indestructible."

Sora puts the last item to his bag.

"Speaking of battle. Do you get the potions I ask?'

Amamiya points at a satchel on the end table.

"Could you please pack my bag as well. My brain is too tired to even command my own fingers to move."

"Of course, My Lady."

"Stop calling me that! No more princess or My Lady, and especially no Your Highness! Please."

"As you wish… Your Excellency."

Amamiya can only grunt. She's too tired to deal with the teasing of her mischievous companion.

Sora packs Amamiya's bag with the same things he puts in his bag, except for the personal change of clothes. Then, Sora opens the potion satchel and divides the potions for him and Amamiya. The preparation is finished, the only thing left to do is to wait for tomorrow.

Sora sits on the edge of his bed, and sighs. In silence, he stares on something.

Amamiya, even though she's tired, she is unable to put herself to sleep. And now, she suddenly feels something watching her. She pulls out her face from the pillow, and there, she finds out the one who's been watching her. Sora watches her with the intensity of a hawk that watches its prey.

"Is something a matter?" ask Amamiya.

"Won't you change your uniform?" Sora asks back without averting his sight from the young battlemage.

"I think that none of your business. Besides, it isn't unusual to sleep with full uniform. You even sleep in full training gear once."

"True, but won't you change your uniform?" ask Sora again.

For the first time, Amamiya feels uncomfortable around Sora, but she remains calm, less she wishes to fall to one of the novice knight's pranks.

"Why? Why do you ask me if I want to change my uniform?"

"Hmm, just asking."

"And what do you want to do with the answer to such a question?" Amamiya begins to assume the worst to come. "Even if I say yes, it's not likely you can see me in full nude."

"If you say yes, I want to try out these glasses to see every nook and cranny of your body, if you do-…"

Before Sora is able to finish his sentence, he receives a pillow to the face. Courtesy of a blushing battlemage.