Chapter 692 Lia’s Regret
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Lia’s POV)
”Thanks, Lia,” Jan said, his shoulders heaving as he caught his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead with a rough swipe. Under the deepening blue sky, exhaustion clung to his face like a shadow. Lantz, Gazura, and Mash were no different—eyes still burning with determination, but their movements sluggish, their footprints in the dirt lacking their usual strength. Their magical power was nearly drained, and it showed.
”It’s not like I’m doing anything special,” I replied, settling onto a moss-covered rock nearby. The cool stone felt good against my heated skin. “The real training starts when the headmaster joins the camp. Let’s take a break.”
My friends collapsed onto the ground, exhaling heavily as if releasing all their fatigue. The wind stirred, rustling the leaves in the trees, a soft whisper in the air.
(No one’s managed to cast a spell yet…)
I leaned against a tree trunk, glancing at Jan as he tilted his water flask back. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and for a moment, his sharp gaze drifted to the sky. As the son of a former Rank A adventurer and guild master, he had a slight edge in magical power—a faint pulse stronger than the others. The talent was there.
”Hey,” I said, “you’re all friends with Rena, right? Never thought to ask her to teach you magic?”
Jan lowered his flask, wiping his mouth as he turned to me, his expression distant, like he was looking past the horizon. “Rena and Kazumi are swamped with adventurer work and advising the Zett Merchant Guild. They’re crazy busy.”
”Yeah,” Lantz cut in, his eyes sweeping over the group. They exchanged nods, like they were silently renewing some unspoken pact. “Plus, we’ve seen Hiroya’s sword skills. They’re unreal.”
”Totally,” Gazura added. “That’s the kind of fighter we want to be.”
Mash just nodded, his eyes glinting with something fierce.
(Hiroya again…)
I bit back a scoff as they sang Hiroya O’Brien’s praises. Sure, his swordsmanship was impressive, but he was just a kid like us. From what I’d heard, his magic was limited to basic ‘Physical Boost’. Meanwhile, my brother Leo, the best swordsman in our year, could wield fire, wind, and water magic with ease. No way was he weaker than Hiroya.
”I don’t know how great Hiroya is,” I said, my tone sharp, “but how does he stack up against Leo?”
Jan’s eyes narrowed instantly. “Hiroya, no question.”
”What?” I blinked, caught off guard by the certainty in his voice, ringing clear and strong.
”No comparison. You can’t think of him as just some kid like us.”
His gaze pierced me, so intense I swallowed hard.
”Leo’s strong, sure. For our age,” Jan went on, standing abruptly. Lantz, Gazura, and Mash kicked off the ground to join him, their silhouettes flickering like flames against the blue sky. “But Hiroya’s not just strong—he’s a great teacher. Learning swordsmanship from him, we can *feel* ourselves getting better. No offense to Leo, but we’re not planning to lose.”
Their confident faces and unshakable words sparked a flare of irritation in my chest.
* * *
Training stretched on until the sky burned orange. Incredibly, in just a few hours, Jan had managed a faint ‘Physical Boost’, showing clear progress in controlling his magical power. Meanwhile, quiet Mash tackled the earth-based ‘Stone Wall’ spell, managing to raise a small mound from the ground. Under the sunset’s glow, tiny cracks in the dirt marked his effort.
”Jan, you’re killing it,” Gazura said. “Mash, too. That was awesome.”
”Guess Lantz and I don’t have much knack for magic,” Lantz muttered, shoulders slumped but a faint, relieved smile on his face. They seemed more proud of their friends’ progress than upset about their own struggles.
”It’s just the start,” I found myself saying, surprising even myself with the encouragement. “Giving up already?”
Lantz and Gazura stared, wide-eyed. “Whoa, Lia,” Jan said, his mouth dropping open before splitting into a bright grin, the orange light catching the sweat and smile on his face. “You’ve been kinda distant since the whole Hiroya-Leo thing. Thought you were mad at us.”
I turned away, my voice clipped. “I can see you’re all trying hard. That’s enough.”
Truth was, they’d kept at it, shaping their magical power, picturing spells, failing over and over without losing their cool. No matter how many times they stumbled, their smiles never faded.
(It’s got to be their confidence as fighters…)
Their hearts were steadier than I’d realized. Like Leo and the seniors always said, their skill as fighters was the real deal.
”Alright, let’s head back!” Jan sprang up, light on his feet, and the others followed, the orange sky painting their backs with warmth.
”Wait!” I called out, heart racing. There was something important left to say.
”What’s up?” Jan turned, hand resting on his sword hilt, his eyes catching the sunset’s gleam.
”I’ve got a favor to ask,” I said, taking a deep breath.
* * *
Under the twilight’s orange glow, a cool breeze tugged at my hair, the grass rustling at my feet. Tension and excitement swirled in the air as I spoke up.
”We’re challenging the Third Floor boss.”
”No way!” Lantz’s eyes lit up. “That sounds insanely fun!”
Gazura clenched his fists, leaning forward, while Mash lifted his head, his sharp gaze locking onto me. The wind carried my words across the village outskirts.
”The team’s me, Leo, and two seniors,” I continued, my voice gaining momentum. “But Leo’s the only vanguard. I know you guys would be a huge help.”
Lantz grinned wide, Gazura nodded eagerly, their faces flushed with the evening’s red light, like a fire for battle had already sparked.
”The Third Floor boss changes based on the party’s strength,” I added. “That’s what the guild staff—my mom and grandma—told me. So—”
Jan, who’d been silent with his arms crossed, looked up, the sunset sharpening his serious expression. “No way. That’s too reckless.”
His voice cut through the breeze like a blade. Lantz and Gazura protested at once.
”Why not?” Lantz snapped. “It’s the perfect chance to test ourselves!”
”Sure thing!” Gazura said, his voice brimming with confidence. “A few goblins? No problem. With magicians in the mix and us as vanguard, we’ve got this!”
Their enthusiasm nearly swept me along, but Jan raised a hand, cutting through the moment. The wind stilled, and his words rang clear in the sudden quiet.
”Lia, you’ve got it wrong,” he said, his voice steady. “The Third Floor boss—Elia—scales to the strength of the party that’s cleared the whole floor. It measures *all* of us, then summons a monster to match.”
His words hit like a winter gust. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and my body trembled under the fading orange sky. “Is… is that true?”
”Yeah.” Jan’s voice was heavy, blending with the breeze that picked up again. “I read it in Liz’s ‘Famière’ report. No one’s gone from the Fourth Floor straight to Elia. Nobody knows what kind of monster we’d face.”
My knees buckled, and I sank to the ground. The soft grass gave way to cold earth beneath my palms. “We… we have to stop it…”
”Have Leo and the others already gone?” Jan grabbed my shoulders, shaking me gently. His eyes met mine, burning with a fierce resolve.
”Not yet,” I stammered. “They’re probably waiting for me at the Third Floor gate…”
”Good.” Jan’s voice sharpened. “We’ll stop them before they do something reckless. Gazura, head back to the village and tell the teachers—”
”No!” I clutched his arm, my voice trembling, nearly lost in the evening chill. “If the teachers find out, they’ll send us home from the camp.”
This camp was our chance to hone our magic, a rare shot at growth in the ‘Closed World’. To lose it over a stupid plan—I couldn’t bear it. Regret tightened around my heart. Jan’s hand closed gently over mine, his voice calm. “Alright, Lia. Leo’s not the type to charge Elia alone. They’ll wait.”
His warmth eased the cold knot in my chest, but he quickly turned to Gazura. “Still, we prepare for the worst. You said Kazumi and Rena are training in the forest, right? Can you find them?”
Gazura straightened, the sunset painting his hair red. A confident smirk lit his face. “Yeah, I think so. My ‘Thief’ training’s got ‘Detection’ down. I’ll track them.”
(Gazura… such skills… They’re all stronger than I thought…)
Jan pulled me to my feet, his grip steady. Lantz clapped my shoulder, Gazura shot me a playful wink, and even Mash offered a quiet smile. The twilight glow lit their faces, like sparks of hope catching fire.
”We’ll keep this from the teachers,” Jan said, his grin warm and sure. His friends’ smiles echoed his, a shared promise in the fading light.
Notes:
• Lia – Leo’s twin sister, who offers support and encouragement.
• Leo – A character reflecting on his surroundings and the conditions of their journey.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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