'W-who??' Royse could feel his sweat drop upon seeing the person. And an Ikemen again?!
It was rare to see another person having the same trait as him, except this time it was the hair.
The unknown person rubbed his eyes and blinked at Royse and stared at him with dazed eyes.
'Shoot, I was distracted! I forgot to escape!' He thought as he took a step back.
"Are you also here to sleep?" The stranger spoke as he turned his head around surveying the scenery before nodding.
"Yes, it's so peaceful here. You will love it here."
Royse was now confused. This person was so laid-back. Doesn't he know this was the forest where monsters freely roamed around? But now that he thinks about it, this dude might be strong like him, so napping in this kind of place wouldn't be such a big deal.
He then noticed the book on his lap and recognized it.
'That's the same book that I read when I started to hone my skills.'
Seeing the object just proved that this person indeed was strong. Maybe he should escape now...
It seems this person noticed him gazing at his book and grabbed it to show him.
"This is a book to help me. Do you want to read it as well?" He asks. Royse waved his hands.
"N-no need. Thank you for the offer."
The person sighed.
"Yes, it's so difficult to understand this book. I understand why you wouldn't want to read this." The person states dejectedly as he opened it and read the content with a frown on his face.
Royse became amused at the expression and chuckled. The man looks back at him and tilted his head in confusion.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Nope, it's just weird to see someone napping here of all place."
'He doesn't seem to mind me. This dude's pretty chill.' Royse walks closer towards the man and sat beside him.
"Is it? I prefer this place than being stuck in my place."
"Oh? And what kind of place would that be to make you choose this monster-filled forest over it?" Royse joked and chuckled.
The person whipped his head towards him.
"A very frightening place. A place where they won't stop bugging me to learn and train." The person states in a straight face. His words didn't really match his expression.
Royse felt his sweat drop once again and awkwardly chuckled and patted the person's shoulder in assurance.
"Must be tough. I can somehow understand where your coming from." Royse states as he retracted his hand and leaned at the tree, looking at the sky.
"Are you also forced to train?" He asks.
Royse chuckled.
"More like it was me who decided to train." Royse states and looks back at the person who now sported a confused expression.
"You want to be always tired?"
"Pfft! AHAHAHA!" Royse laughed and wiped a few of his tears that escaped. "No, what I mean is that I myself wanted to be strong. That's why I train."
"I also want to be strong, but it's difficult." The person dejectedly states.
"There's a saying that goes 'No pain, no gain'. For us to be strong, of course it comes with a price."
The person pouted as he stared at the book. For someone who's older than him, he sure acted like he was younger instead. Royse peaked at the book and noticed the page about mana control.
"Are you having difficulty with that?"
The person nods.
"Yes, I keep practising but it's difficult. My-" The person halts and contemplated his next words. "-Tutor doesn't want to teach me and told me to learn it by myself..."
Royse huffed at the words. He understands that this would be difficult for some but it should be easy for experienced people. So why won't they help a dude out then? It was only easy for him because he got a good grasp from often playing with his abilities.
"Ok, gimme your hands."
The person tilts his head but nonetheless listened to the order. Royse grabbed his hands and started doing his work.
The person blinked in surprise as he felt the familiar sensation.
This was what his tutor did to him once, but a hand was on his back instead. No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't understand how to maintain it at a steady level.
"Focus."
He was cut off from his thoughts and looks at the blond boy, surprised at his stern gaze. He could only nod.
"Currently, my mana is the one maintaining yours, I want you to feel and slowly control the flow."
The person closed his eyes and focused. He could feel his sweat trickling down his temple.
He could feel the blonds mana overlapping with his. He starts to take control, trying to get a grasp on how to maintain it.
It was a weird feeling. When he felt his mana weakening, this boy would support him and sustain it using his own, making him take his time to get used at the flow and level.
Slowly but surely, he could feel himself get the grasp.
Finally, their mana was now on the same level as one another. This felt new. It was as if their mana was dancing with each other, every movement synchronized.
As if it was in harmony.
He opens his eyes and sees the blond smiling at him proudly.
"Do you feel it?"
He could only nod.
"Now, I will let go. I want you to maintain it yourself."
The boy did so and let go of his hold. Now he felt the other's mana disappear from him. He could feel himself smoothly steadying the flow by himself. He looks at his hands and felt the flow now in his control.
He looks at the boy.
"I did it..."
"That you did." The boy states, evident with his eyes that he was happy for him.
"I really did it..." The black-head whispered in disbelief.
Royse felt his cheeks heat as the person smiled gratefully at him.
"Thank you."
Royse became a stuttering mess.
"I-it was nothing. J-just helping a guy out you know." Royse bashfully looks down and chuckled.
"It was always difficult, but because of you, it suddenly became easy. You are strong." The person praised. Royse scratched his head and looks up towards the stranger, meeting his eyes.
"I'm glad you can do it now."
The person nods happily, and Royse could see flowers appearing beside the person's face. He chuckled at the sight.
"Now you can go and impress that tutor of yours." He beams as he pats his shoulder.
"Yes, he will be proud. Thank you again uhm..." The person looks at him expectantly.
"Just call me Ro." Just then, he felt a presence.
"Nice to meet you Ro, I am-"
"YOUNG MASTER!" Shouted a voice belonging to a girl.
The person looks towards the direction and sees someone running towards them. The girl huffed as she stopped in front of them, regaining her breath.
"I knew you were here! I can no longer buy time as you are currently being searched by the Lord!" The girl exclaimed.
"Ah... I plan to return by now. I must first thank this fellow for-" He turns behind him and was surprised to see no one sitting beside him.
The girl looks at the person and felt awkward from seeing his confused expression.
"Young Master, who do you speak of?" The girl asks.
"..." He could only become speechless. He looks back at the girl and smiles.
"No one, I think I have yet to fully waken up..." He stands up and brushes his pants.
"Let's return."
He looks back to where the figure sat and remembered what the boy had done.
'Will we see each other again?'
-----------------------------------
He sighed as he ruffled his hair.
That was too close. He was seen cause of his carelessness, he doesn't want another person to see him even if his hair and eye colour were different.
But because of that, Royse knew that the fellow from a while ago was of high status after hearing someone shout 'Young master'.
It did pique his interest and wonders which family the person was from. He had black hair, so surely the news of someone else having the same trait as him should have reached his ears. Not to mention from a noble family.
There are currently 3 people who possess the same traits that are in high society. He, and a twin from a Baron family. So who could that guy be?
"That's odd." He murmurs. He'll need to search for intel when he returns but for now, he needs to find Satoru.
"Haaaaa, I'm sure he'll scold me for being gone so long..." He states as he starts to find Satoru with his skills.
He has to admit, he didn't expect that person to quickly grasp it.
In truth, what he did was harder than usual.
That technique was only used to give the user an idea on how to control it but the person was able to resonate his mana with his own.
It takes real control to have your mana perfectly synchronized with another user. Of course, Royse played a huge part, but it should be harder for the other guy.
"Well, anyone with the trait would be gifted anyway." He concluded.
Royse continued to search for Satoru while eliminating any monsters that targeted him. He cursed his friend after not sensing him with his skills for the past minutes.
"Where could that dude be?" He hissed as he stomps on the ground.
When he sensed his friend, he immediately ran towards the direction. He wasn't surprised to see Satoru battling a group of goblins.
Royse stood by the sidelines and watched his friend do all the work.
'Uwah, Satoru really doesn't go easy on them...'
Satoru skillfully dodged and taunted the monsters which made them more aggro and dashed for an attack.
In a flash, the goblins tumbled, not realizing they were struck down by the human and lost consciousness.
Satoru huffed and beamed and turned towards him while sporting a huge grin.
"Did pretty good huh~"
"Yea, you brutally defeated all these goblins. Well, it's to be expected anyway since they're the lesser monsters." Royse surveyed the field and felt his sweatdrop by the sheer amount of goblins on the ground.
"No mercy all right..."
Satoru let out a boisterous laugh from his words.
"I wasn't even fighting with my full strength."
"Ah yes, of course. So, I take that you didn't waste your time fighting other monsters while I was away?" He asks, smirking as Satoru blinked and looked away while whistling.
"Well, even if we don't find the boy, we can proceed to plan 2 anyway." Satoru shrugged.
"And care to explain what plan 2 is?"
Satoru grinned.
"Defeating all monsters in the forest."
Royse felt a headache coming. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"Trust you to think of something like that."
"Gee, thanks!"
"That wasn't a compliment. Anyway, I didn't plan to use my clones again but if this goes on I might be forced to."
"Is not like you'll faint this time. You already have more than enough mana to make hundreds. I wonder if you'll be able to make thousands in the future." Satoru crossed his arms behind his head.
"I prefer to be careful but you do have a point. Maybe in the future, I'll be able to-"
A rustle took them off guard and there appeared a boy with blue hair emerging from a bush.
All 3 had a staring contest.
The unknown boy was the first to look away and notice the surrounding.
He lets out a shout and pointed at them.
"Did you guys do this!?!" He asks, more like exclaims.
"Not me, but this guy did." Royse states as he pointed his thumb over Satoru who gaped in surprise and stared at him. Royse smirked.
"You've been teasing me a lot lately. As your punishment, you're handling this guy." Royse states in Japanese and went towards the person and patted his shoulders.
Royse now wore his admiring expression and pointed again towards Satoru.
"This person is amazing!! You should have seen it!" Royse exclaims.
The blue-haired boy looks at Satoru with a determined gaze. Suddenly, he brings out a wooden sword and pointed it towards him.
"Battle me! I need to see it for myself!"
Satoru hissed and sent a glare towards Royse, who in return brought out his middle finger with a smirk.
Satoru laughed as he now sported a fiery look and crossed his arms.
"Hahaha, for real. I swear I'll kill you once I deal with this kid." He states and walks towards the boy.
"So, you wanna fight me?"
The boy nods. Satoru showed a toothy grin making the boy flinch but didn't back down.
"Don't come crying once I defeat you." Satoru states.
The boy shouts as he runs towards Satoru with his sword. The blue-head swings his sword, attacking Satoru.
Of course, he dodged it easily and appeared behind the boy, tackling him as he pinned him on the ground. The boy groaned and wiggled out of the hold.
"Kid, you don't stand a chance. Someday in the future, once you're strong enough, battle me." Satoru lets go and stood straight as he brushes off the dust on his clothes.
The boy sat and glared at Satoru, he points his sword at him.
"I will defeat you! Just you wait!" He shouts. Satoru smirks as if belittling him.
"Oh how I look forward to that." He taunts making the boy grit his teeth in irritation.
Royse claps his hands.
"Ok that is enough. Satoru you don't need to irritate him. Also you-" Royse turns his head towards the older kid.
"You won't stand against the goblins the way you are right now. If you want to become stronger then train at a different place, not here."
The blue-head stands up as he frowned at Royse.
"Who are you to order me! You're younger than me, show some respect." He snarls as he crossed his arms.
'This brat.' Boy was Royse trying to keep himself from attacking.
"Ignore my advice or you'll be dinner to them." Royse threatened as he points at the dead mobs. The blue-head flinched and stayed silent.
He shook his head and remained firm.
"If you guys know so much, then how about you train me!"
Royse felt a headache coming.
------------------------
"Why me?!"
"Cause I already have Andrew. It's your turn to take in a student." Royse replies as he read the documents. "Mark-san, please hand this over to Mr Smith, tell him to finalize the proposal." Mark bowed as he takes the paper from his hand.
Satoru slams his hands over the desk.
"But you know how much I hate interacting with the main cast! You know why!"
"Uh-huh. Well, as for Milivoj, I don't think he'll be falling in love with his rival or teacher. He's too focused on training." Royse takes a document from the pile of papers and wrote something. "Also this. The total amount of budgeting is wrong, please change it and report to me later." Royse gives the document to Mark.
Satoru scoffed as he crosses his arms.
"I don't believe you. Andrew has a master complex."
"He does but it's being kept to a minimum since he's popular with the girls. All you need to do is keep Milivoj distracted with his training and advice him to flaunt his skills to the girls." He reads through a different document. "This one is finished. You can send this over to the main branch."
Mark takes the paper and became amused at how Royse was dealing with Amy a.k.a Satoru despite being fussy. It was a sight to behold and it somehow made him see how they will be in the future.
Satoru sat down and ruffled his hair in irritation.
"He's a pain in the ass alright. How do you even deal with this?"
"You get used to it. Mark-san can you ask the Marquess if they know anything about this family?" Royse asked as he shows a file consisting of a picture.
"I can, but what would this be for young master?" Mark asks.
"Satoru mentioned he saw a black-haired person that had a maid accompanying him. I decided to look into it." Royse explains before finally turning towards his friend.
"As I was saying, you need not worry. Milivoj is just your typical reckless boy hungry for power. Guide him to the good path will you."
Satoru sighed.
They suddenly hear a knock. Mark strode towards the door, opening it and revealing a maid who had an envelope in her hands. She gives it to Mark who in turn gave a brief thanks before closing the door.
He gives it to Royse. Opening it, the red-head read its contents and frowned.
"Why?" Satoru asked, recognising the look his friend wore.
"It seems another invitation. A duke from another kingdom is visiting and the King requested for me to attend."
"Really? Huh, talk about a hotshot." Royse looks at his friend incredulously from his choice of words.
"It's still a week from now so I have time to prepare." Royse places the paper on the desk. "Now you, I want you to get out and leave. I still have a lot to handle and as far as I remember, your student should be arriving at this time."
Satoru stood out of his seat in realization.
"Shoot! I forgot!" He exclaims as he opens the window. Wearing his invisibility cloak, he jumps out and disappears as the magic equipment does its trick.
"I wonder when will the time come when Satoru-sama never becomes late for his appointments." Mark states as he closes the window.
"Pretty sure very far from now."
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The 3rd capture target's design.
Author - Dono