I returned to the mansion still thinking about the conversation I had with Scarlet.
The agreement was made.
She would train me.
And, in the end, I would have to fulfill one of her wishes.
I had no idea what that meant, but at that moment, it hardly mattered. All that was going through my head was one single thing.
I defeated the Fifth General by a small margin.
By luck.
Because of the sword.
If I hadn't landed that strike, I would have died.
I opened the mansion door and found them all in the main hall. Elara was sitting near the window reading a book. Liriel was organizing some potion flasks on the table. Vespera was carefully cleaning her arrows. Lyannis was sprawled on the couch as usual, apparently doing nothing, but observing everything. Rai'kanna was standing, looking outside in silence.
As soon as I entered, they all looked at me.
"You left early today," Elara said.
"I went to the guild to take care of something," I replied, walking toward the table.
Rai'kanna slowly turned her face.
"Take care of what?"
I sat down in the chair and took a deep breath before speaking.
"I asked Scarlet to train me."
The silence that took over the room was immediate.
Vespera stopped cleaning the arrow mid-motion. Liriel slowly raised her eyes. Lyannis opened a subtle smile. Elara closed her book without saying anything.
Rai'kanna kept staring at me.
"Train?" she asked.
"Yes. I need to get stronger. I realized that after the fight against the Fifth General."
"You're already strong," Liriel said.
"Not strong enough," I replied.
Elara slightly tilted her head.
"Did Scarlet accept?"
"Not at first. She said she's not good at teaching. I insisted. I offered money. She refused. In the end, she accepted with one condition."
"What condition?" Vespera asked.
"I have to fulfill one of her wishes when the training is over."
Lyannis let out a low laugh.
"That's interesting."
Rai'kanna didn't laugh.
She just kept looking at me in a way I knew very well.
"What kind of wish?"
"I don't know," I answered honestly. "But I accepted anyway."
"Where will this training be?" Elara asked.
"In an S-Rank dungeon. Tomorrow morning."
The silence returned.
I was already used to this kind of reaction whenever something involved Scarlet.
Rai'kanna crossed her arms.
"So you're going to spend days in a dungeon alone with her."
"Training," I replied.
"I know what you said."
She looked away for a moment and then stared at me again.
"I know that woman."
Lyannis smiled.
"Everyone does."
"I don't trust her," Rai'kanna added.
"It's not about trust. It's training."
"For you it might not be. For her it might be."
I sighed.
"Rai'kanna, this isn't about that."
"I know exactly what this is about."
She turned and left the room without saying anything else.
I stared for a few seconds at the door she had walked through.
"She's going to pull something," Lyannis said, still smiling.
"She's jealous," Vespera said.
"Not just her," Liriel added in a low voice.
I looked at the three of them.
"I really need to do this."
Elara nodded slowly.
"We know."
I spent the rest of the day trying not to think about it. But as night fell, I had the clear feeling that this wasn't over yet.
I went to my room early. I needed to rest for the next day.
But as I lay down, I heard light footsteps in the hallway.
The door to Rai'kanna's room closing softly.
Silence.
A few minutes later, I heard footsteps again, much softer.
Almost imperceptible.
Someone leaving the mansion.
I smiled slightly.
"So that's it."
I didn't need to see to know.
Rai'kanna wouldn't let this happen without keeping watch.
And knowing her, she wouldn't go alone.
I closed my eyes.
Tomorrow my training would begin.
And apparently, so would a new headache.