VOL 3 Chapter 128: How about we start from scratch?
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lordanl
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"Ebonique."
Seeing the familiar dragon materialize from black fire, Erik couldn't help but murmur as he let go of Sigrún. Ebonique could only lower her head and murmur back, unsure of what to say.
"Erik…"
"…"
Not quite knowing what to say, the young man and the dragon fell into an awkward silence, at which point Ignis and Sigrún stepped back a little, wanting to give them space. After a few seconds, Erik let out a sigh and spoke with a serious voice.
"Thank you, Ebonique. I'm only alive because of you. And also, I'm sorry. I doubted you and didn't handle things the right way."
"No… It was my fault… I hid things from you and tried to send your companions to their deaths… I'm the one to blame…" Ebonique shook her head and spoke in a guilty tone. Erik let out a small sigh and asked.
"…Though I'd like to know who you really are, I can see it's not a good idea to ask. But there's something I definitely want to know, no matter what. Ebonique, what's your goal in staying by my side?"
Hearing the question, Ebonique fell into a thoughtful silence, even glancing at Ignis, who looked at her with concern from the side. After a few moments, Ebonique raised her head to look at Erik and spoke in a sincere tone.
"…To recover my emotions and be happy… I don't want to keep being an empty, apathetic shell… I want to feel alive again by your side…"
"What do you mean?"
Erik asked, a little surprised, since his image of Ebonique was far from that of an empty shell. Even the first time he saw her, she seemed quite "alive" to him. Ebonique paused briefly to organize her thoughts and soon began to explain, while the duo of beautiful masters and the perfect maid listened with serious attention.
"…Though there are things better left unknown for your safety, your speculation about my strength is correct. I'm far stronger than anyone in this galaxy, even in this stellar zone. The only one who can match me is Ignis, and the only reason your civilization doesn't tremble in fear at the sound of my name is because you're too weak to even know it.
"I've been alive for so long that I don't even remember much about myself anymore. Time is terrifying; even immortal beings are vulnerable to it. Though we have infinite lives, our thoughts and emotions wear down. Over the eons, nothing surprises us anymore, nothing excites us, nothing thrills us, and little by little, we become empty shells, living dead with no reason to exist.
"That state is known as the death of the ego, the inevitable end for any 'Eternal.' Obviously, something like that is quite frightening for us, so many try to live new experiences every so often, good or bad; it doesn't matter. Others, like me, choose to sleep, dreams that grow longer and longer. But that's only delaying the inevitable. Eventually, the experiences to live run out, and the sleep becomes eternal.
"But your mana has a unique property, something that would tempt any spirit. It reverses the death of the ego. Perhaps it's because of its similarities to primordial Mana, but no matter how much a spirit tastes it, they never grow tired of it. It's always delicious, full of nuances and changing complexities that resonate with the core of our existence. In short, after a while, we can slowly recover our emotions and strengthen our ego.
"That's why I made so many mistakes… It had been so long since I felt anything more than faint traces of emotion that I completely forgot how to manage my feelings… I easily panic, get scared, get depressed, or get happy and filled with excitement… But… all I want is to live by your side, laugh with you, get excited with you, cry with you… I just want to be your companion and live my emotions by your side… I'll never treat humans the way I did again… I'm so sorry…"
In the end, Ebonique's voice couldn't help but break as Eleonora, Sigrún, and Seraphina looked at the pair of spirits with solemnity. Especially Sigrún, since although she had long suspected that Ignis' strength surpassed that of a legendary level, she thought at most she matched that ruthless redhead. Now she realized how wrong she was; her contracted spirit was truly a terrifying being.
"…I see… Now that I understand everything…"
"…"
Meanwhile, Erik whispered in a deep, thoughtful voice, then fell into a long silence, which made Ebonique feel uncomfortable and insecure. But after a while, Erik seemed to reach a conclusion, so he stood up and approached the dragoness. When he reached Ebonique, Erik knelt down to look her directly in the eyes, then spoke in a serious tone.
"…Ebonique, how about we start from scratch?"
"From scratch?" Ebonique looked at Erik and asked in a tearful voice. Erik nodded and spoke with a calm smile.
"Yes, as if we've just met."
"…From scratch, no issues… No lies… No mistakes…?" Ebonique said, her voice growing more tearful. Erik nodded and spoke in a soft voice.
"None of that."
"…Alright…" Ebonique said through tears. Erik turned around, giving his back to Ebonique, then turned to face her again and spoke with a smile.
"Hello, Ebonique. I'm Erik. Would you like to form a contract with me?"
"…Hello, disciple Erik. I'm Ebonique, and it would be my pleasure to form a contract with you…" Ebonique replied between sobs. Erik quickly responded with excitement.
"That's great! I just need to give you a drop of my blood, right?"
"…Yes… That's right, disciple Erik…"
Through tears, Ebonique nodded, so Erik quickly bit his finger and let a drop of his blood fall on the dragon's head. Immediately, a black light enveloped them both. When the light faded, Erik asked in a soft voice.
"Is the contract done?"
"…Yes." Ebonique replied amidst small sobs. Erik nodded, satisfied, and spoke calmly.
"Then, would you like some of my mana? Ignis says she likes it a lot. Oh, and call me Erik. It feels better."
Unable to control her feelings, Ebonique lunged at Erik, knocking him down with force as small tears fell from her eyes. Meanwhile, Erik began to gently stroke Ebonique's body and channeled his mana into her with a nostalgic smile on his face.
At the same time, Eleonora started wiping the tears that had gathered in her eyes with a handkerchief, while Sigrún placed her hand on Ignis and gently stroked her wings, speaking in a calm voice.
"You hid quite a lot from me, Ignis. You're more impressive than I expected."
"I'm sorry. I didn't feel it was necessary to say, since I can't use my power carelessly. After all, if some 'bored' entity took an interest in what I'm doing, it would be dangerous."
"…Thank you for all your help all this time, and even more for helping my Erik. I really appreciate it, Ignis."
"Why so formal all of a sudden?"
Ignis turned to look at Sigrún and asked calmly. The beautiful blonde turned to gaze at the sky at a 45-degree angle, looking melancholic and ethereal, then replied in a calm, reflective voice.
"I'm a married woman now, and I feel like I've matured a lot. I can see that things can't be taken for granted. Your help has been very meaningful to me, and I feel I should express it properly."
"So, you just wanted to show off…" Ignis replied, rolling her eyes. Sigrún laughed playfully and responded in a teasing tone.
"Hehe, no need to feel bitter. You'll find your own happiness. I hear 'old maids' are quite in demand."
Ignis rolled her eyes again and pushed Sigrún's hand away in annoyance, then flew toward Erik and landed in his arms to complain. Seeing Erik looking at her with a strange expression, Sigrún couldn't help but stick out her tongue playfully before turning to her sworn sisters and speaking in a more serious tone.
"Looks like we have visitors. Should we let them in?"
"I don't see why not. It's been a while since Erik saw his assistants." Eleonora replied with a calm smile, to which Sigrún nodded, and Seraphina remained silent professionally.
…
…
…
"Boss! It's such a relief to see you again! We missed you so much! Sage Sánchez sends her best wishes!"
In the main hall, Sofía spoke with visible excitement, dressed in a business suit with a pencil skirt that hugged her body, making her look professional and mature. Clara, wearing her assistant uniform, spoke with a cheerful smile while studying her boss surrounded by the two impressive spirits.
"It's really a relief to see you in good health, boss. The moment Arcane Fenixara informed us you had awakened, we rushed over."
"Thanks for your concern. I can see you've been doing well all this time. You look like completely different people from when you first arrived. You've really exceeded my expectations. Just looking at you, I can tell how much you've improved."
Erik replied with a slightly proud smile as he looked at the pair of young women, who now exuded confidence and maturity. The twins couldn't help but blush and look down with joyful, proud smiles, at which point Clara spoke with a hint of shyness.
"We didn't want to disappoint you, so we gave it our all, boss… Next month, I'll be taking the assistant exam, and I can start working directly under your command."
"I learned everything I could under Sage Sánchez's guidance. I don't know if I'm qualified, but I'll do my best to be of help to you."
"Hehe, you really are different people now. And since you mention it, I actually have some work for you. How about starting now?"
Erik said in visibly good spirits while petting the pair of spoiled spirits. The twins looked at Erik with shining eyes, full of excitement and determination, and announced in unison.
""Leave it to us, boss!""
"I like that attitude." Erik nodded, satisfied, then turned to Clara and instructed in a calm voice.
"Clara, since you're taking the exam, as we discussed, you'll be the leader of my alchemy assistant team. So, I want you to check with the regulation office and see how the recruitment process I scheduled before going to the ruin is going. After that, I need you to prepare my workshop."
"I'll take care of it right away." Clara replied seriously. Erik nodded and turned to look at Sofía, then spoke.
"As for you, Sofía, first, I want you to check on the company I registered, the progress of the few cooperation contracts I signed, and the company offices—they should be ready by now. Also, open a call for hiring administrative staff. For now, I just need help managing my patents, but we also need to start preparing for cooperation with Laura, so keep that in mind."
"Count on me, boss! I'll inform Sage Sánchez, wrap up my current tasks, and handle that."
Sofía replied enthusiastically, clenching her fists with determination. Ever since she realized she had no talent for alchemy or artificery, she had been nervous about whether she could be useful to her boss. So, she was determined to do everything she could to support her boss in his business ambitions, and no one could compete with her for that role.
"Perfect." Erik nodded, satisfied, then asked.
"Oh, by the way, when does Martin's camp end?"
"Next week, boss. Would you like to go see him? On the final day, there'll be a small tournament with a prize to show the progress the participants have made." Sofía quickly asked, full of excitement. Erik nodded and replied with a smile.
"Put it on my schedule."
Sofía nodded happily and prepared to take out a crystal card to start noting it down, but before she could, a professional feminine voice echoed from behind Erik.
"Understood, young master."
Hearing the voice, Erik looked up at the beautiful, perfect maid and asked, somewhat helpless.
"Do you still want to be a maid, Seraphina?"
"I am your personal maid forever and always, young master. That will never change."
Seraphina replied with a meaningful smile as she took out a black-covered notebook and began writing the appointment by hand. Erik let out a small sigh and shook his head, then commented as the pair of spirits chuckled subtly.
"Then you'll have to coordinate with Seraphina."
"Of course, boss." Sofía nodded seriously, then stood up from her seat and bowed respectfully to Seraphina, speaking with seriousness.
"It's an honor to work under your guidance, Lady Ravenspell."
"Later, we'll have a small meeting to coordinate our work for the future."
Seraphina said professionally as she looked at Sofía and Clara, who bowed respectfully to the beautiful maid. Seraphina nodded, satisfied. At that moment, Erik looked at the pair of lovely twins and spoke with a calm expression as the wolves ran in from the garden to jump on him.
"Well, with everything set, you can return to your previous residences, or if you prefer, find another place to live not too far away, since from now on, we're back to work."
Sofía and Clara exchanged a glance and nodded, at which point Sofía looked at Erik and spoke in a serious tone.
"We'll take our old residence, boss."
"Perfect. Then I'll ask someone to help you get your things. I'll get in touch with Laura and Valeria to explain everything." Erik nodded calmly, at which point Clara spoke in a somewhat shy voice.
"Boss, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. A few months ago, Arcane Fenixara offered to take me as her disciple, but I told her I needed your permission first."
Erik couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly as he looked at Clara, a bit surprised, not only because Clara had asked him, but because he could recognize Valeria's style of testing people. Knowing that loudmouth, she likely said it half-seriously and half-jokingly, but her ultimate goal was to test Clara's "loyalty."
Most likely, thanks to that response, Valeria took her education more seriously, and now Clara was ready to take the exam after just a year, something that even surprised him a little. Though, of course, Clara's talent couldn't be overlooked either, something he was fully aware of. The girl had considerable talent, to the point he was sure it was only a matter of time before she became a certified alchemist.
"… Of course, you're free to take her as your master. If the offer still stands, take it. Valeria is a very renowned alchemist and also a university professor, so aside from the typical benefits of having a master, with her, you have a guaranteed spot to study at the university. You just need to pass the exam."
Erik said with a small smile, causing Clara and Sofía to widen their eyes in complete surprise. Amused, Erik explained as he looked at the pair of twins.
"I guess she didn't explain it to you, but university professors have certain benefits, including a quota of spots for their disciples and family members to study at the university exempt from paying tuition. Although, unlike us direct disciples, they still have to take the exam and get a minimum score, it's pretty good."
"Arcane Fenixara didn't mention anything about that…" Clara said, visibly shocked, staring at the floor. Sofía, full of excitement, hugged her sister and congratulated her on the verge of tears.
"Congratulations, Clara! You did it!"
"Are you interested in studying at the university, Sofía?" Erik asked, seeing Sofía's excitement. She turned to look at him, a bit embarrassed, and replied.
"Of course, boss. This year, while working for Sage Sánchez, I could see how incredibly beneficial it is to be a student… They have exclusive rights, connections, learn from the best… Students here are practically first-class citizens, and the rest of us barely qualify as second-class…"
"Oh, it's true that students get preference for housing, discounts, and some other things, but I didn't think it was that extreme…" Erik said, a bit surprised, to which Sofía responded with a somewhat bitter voice.
"Though it might not seem like much, in reality, it's a fundamental difference… Non-students can only aspire to the worst jobs unless we have connections. Plus, paying for things here with mana crystals is at least two or three times more expensive than using credits… Even getting housing is pretty complicated…
"All the non-student workers I met here had no choice but to live in the places their employers provided, which honestly weren't very good, and the list goes on. Though that doesn't mean working here is bad—it's a blessing. You get paid several times more than in other places, so most work a few decades and save up. Once they have enough to pay the tuition, they take the exam."
"I see… If I'm not mistaken, the next exam should be soon, so if you're willing to make the effort to work and study at the same time, I'll lend you the money for the tuition." Erik said with a small smile, causing the twins' eyes to water as they spoke in unison.
""Thank you so much, boss!""
"Don't worry about it. Think of it as an investment on my part."
Erik replied with a calm smile, deeply touching the twins' hearts, who looked at the starry-haired young man as if he were a hero. Meanwhile, Seraphina couldn't help but nod in satisfaction at her young master's actions, but at that moment, she glanced into the void, and a dark portal appeared before her. From it, she took a sealed letter, which she quickly handed to Erik and whispered in his ear.
"Young master, you've just received an official letter from the university administration."
Curious, Erik opened the letter and read it, at which point he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise and soon commented with a somewhat curious expression.
"Looks like I'm going to get a medal…"
"I'll have your formal suit ready, young master." Seraphina quickly said with a professional smile that let slip a hint of pride, while Sofía and Clara looked at Erik with even brighter eyes.
***
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Seeing the familiar dragon materialize from black fire, Erik couldn't help but murmur as he let go of Sigrún. Ebonique could only lower her head and murmur back, unsure of what to say.
"Erik…"
"…"
Not quite knowing what to say, the young man and the dragon fell into an awkward silence, at which point Ignis and Sigrún stepped back a little, wanting to give them space. After a few seconds, Erik let out a sigh and spoke with a serious voice.
"Thank you, Ebonique. I'm only alive because of you. And also, I'm sorry. I doubted you and didn't handle things the right way."
"No… It was my fault… I hid things from you and tried to send your companions to their deaths… I'm the one to blame…" Ebonique shook her head and spoke in a guilty tone. Erik let out a small sigh and asked.
"…Though I'd like to know who you really are, I can see it's not a good idea to ask. But there's something I definitely want to know, no matter what. Ebonique, what's your goal in staying by my side?"
Hearing the question, Ebonique fell into a thoughtful silence, even glancing at Ignis, who looked at her with concern from the side. After a few moments, Ebonique raised her head to look at Erik and spoke in a sincere tone.
"…To recover my emotions and be happy… I don't want to keep being an empty, apathetic shell… I want to feel alive again by your side…"
"What do you mean?"
Erik asked, a little surprised, since his image of Ebonique was far from that of an empty shell. Even the first time he saw her, she seemed quite "alive" to him. Ebonique paused briefly to organize her thoughts and soon began to explain, while the duo of beautiful masters and the perfect maid listened with serious attention.
"…Though there are things better left unknown for your safety, your speculation about my strength is correct. I'm far stronger than anyone in this galaxy, even in this stellar zone. The only one who can match me is Ignis, and the only reason your civilization doesn't tremble in fear at the sound of my name is because you're too weak to even know it.
"I've been alive for so long that I don't even remember much about myself anymore. Time is terrifying; even immortal beings are vulnerable to it. Though we have infinite lives, our thoughts and emotions wear down. Over the eons, nothing surprises us anymore, nothing excites us, nothing thrills us, and little by little, we become empty shells, living dead with no reason to exist.
"That state is known as the death of the ego, the inevitable end for any 'Eternal.' Obviously, something like that is quite frightening for us, so many try to live new experiences every so often, good or bad; it doesn't matter. Others, like me, choose to sleep, dreams that grow longer and longer. But that's only delaying the inevitable. Eventually, the experiences to live run out, and the sleep becomes eternal.
"But your mana has a unique property, something that would tempt any spirit. It reverses the death of the ego. Perhaps it's because of its similarities to primordial Mana, but no matter how much a spirit tastes it, they never grow tired of it. It's always delicious, full of nuances and changing complexities that resonate with the core of our existence. In short, after a while, we can slowly recover our emotions and strengthen our ego.
"That's why I made so many mistakes… It had been so long since I felt anything more than faint traces of emotion that I completely forgot how to manage my feelings… I easily panic, get scared, get depressed, or get happy and filled with excitement… But… all I want is to live by your side, laugh with you, get excited with you, cry with you… I just want to be your companion and live my emotions by your side… I'll never treat humans the way I did again… I'm so sorry…"
In the end, Ebonique's voice couldn't help but break as Eleonora, Sigrún, and Seraphina looked at the pair of spirits with solemnity. Especially Sigrún, since although she had long suspected that Ignis' strength surpassed that of a legendary level, she thought at most she matched that ruthless redhead. Now she realized how wrong she was; her contracted spirit was truly a terrifying being.
"…I see… Now that I understand everything…"
"…"
Meanwhile, Erik whispered in a deep, thoughtful voice, then fell into a long silence, which made Ebonique feel uncomfortable and insecure. But after a while, Erik seemed to reach a conclusion, so he stood up and approached the dragoness. When he reached Ebonique, Erik knelt down to look her directly in the eyes, then spoke in a serious tone.
"…Ebonique, how about we start from scratch?"
"From scratch?" Ebonique looked at Erik and asked in a tearful voice. Erik nodded and spoke with a calm smile.
"Yes, as if we've just met."
"…From scratch, no issues… No lies… No mistakes…?" Ebonique said, her voice growing more tearful. Erik nodded and spoke in a soft voice.
"None of that."
"…Alright…" Ebonique said through tears. Erik turned around, giving his back to Ebonique, then turned to face her again and spoke with a smile.
"Hello, Ebonique. I'm Erik. Would you like to form a contract with me?"
"…Hello, disciple Erik. I'm Ebonique, and it would be my pleasure to form a contract with you…" Ebonique replied between sobs. Erik quickly responded with excitement.
"That's great! I just need to give you a drop of my blood, right?"
"…Yes… That's right, disciple Erik…"
Through tears, Ebonique nodded, so Erik quickly bit his finger and let a drop of his blood fall on the dragon's head. Immediately, a black light enveloped them both. When the light faded, Erik asked in a soft voice.
"Is the contract done?"
"…Yes." Ebonique replied amidst small sobs. Erik nodded, satisfied, and spoke calmly.
"Then, would you like some of my mana? Ignis says she likes it a lot. Oh, and call me Erik. It feels better."
Unable to control her feelings, Ebonique lunged at Erik, knocking him down with force as small tears fell from her eyes. Meanwhile, Erik began to gently stroke Ebonique's body and channeled his mana into her with a nostalgic smile on his face.
At the same time, Eleonora started wiping the tears that had gathered in her eyes with a handkerchief, while Sigrún placed her hand on Ignis and gently stroked her wings, speaking in a calm voice.
"You hid quite a lot from me, Ignis. You're more impressive than I expected."
"I'm sorry. I didn't feel it was necessary to say, since I can't use my power carelessly. After all, if some 'bored' entity took an interest in what I'm doing, it would be dangerous."
"…Thank you for all your help all this time, and even more for helping my Erik. I really appreciate it, Ignis."
"Why so formal all of a sudden?"
Ignis turned to look at Sigrún and asked calmly. The beautiful blonde turned to gaze at the sky at a 45-degree angle, looking melancholic and ethereal, then replied in a calm, reflective voice.
"I'm a married woman now, and I feel like I've matured a lot. I can see that things can't be taken for granted. Your help has been very meaningful to me, and I feel I should express it properly."
"So, you just wanted to show off…" Ignis replied, rolling her eyes. Sigrún laughed playfully and responded in a teasing tone.
"Hehe, no need to feel bitter. You'll find your own happiness. I hear 'old maids' are quite in demand."
Ignis rolled her eyes again and pushed Sigrún's hand away in annoyance, then flew toward Erik and landed in his arms to complain. Seeing Erik looking at her with a strange expression, Sigrún couldn't help but stick out her tongue playfully before turning to her sworn sisters and speaking in a more serious tone.
"Looks like we have visitors. Should we let them in?"
"I don't see why not. It's been a while since Erik saw his assistants." Eleonora replied with a calm smile, to which Sigrún nodded, and Seraphina remained silent professionally.
…
…
…
"Boss! It's such a relief to see you again! We missed you so much! Sage Sánchez sends her best wishes!"
In the main hall, Sofía spoke with visible excitement, dressed in a business suit with a pencil skirt that hugged her body, making her look professional and mature. Clara, wearing her assistant uniform, spoke with a cheerful smile while studying her boss surrounded by the two impressive spirits.
"It's really a relief to see you in good health, boss. The moment Arcane Fenixara informed us you had awakened, we rushed over."
"Thanks for your concern. I can see you've been doing well all this time. You look like completely different people from when you first arrived. You've really exceeded my expectations. Just looking at you, I can tell how much you've improved."
Erik replied with a slightly proud smile as he looked at the pair of young women, who now exuded confidence and maturity. The twins couldn't help but blush and look down with joyful, proud smiles, at which point Clara spoke with a hint of shyness.
"We didn't want to disappoint you, so we gave it our all, boss… Next month, I'll be taking the assistant exam, and I can start working directly under your command."
"I learned everything I could under Sage Sánchez's guidance. I don't know if I'm qualified, but I'll do my best to be of help to you."
"Hehe, you really are different people now. And since you mention it, I actually have some work for you. How about starting now?"
Erik said in visibly good spirits while petting the pair of spoiled spirits. The twins looked at Erik with shining eyes, full of excitement and determination, and announced in unison.
""Leave it to us, boss!""
"I like that attitude." Erik nodded, satisfied, then turned to Clara and instructed in a calm voice.
"Clara, since you're taking the exam, as we discussed, you'll be the leader of my alchemy assistant team. So, I want you to check with the regulation office and see how the recruitment process I scheduled before going to the ruin is going. After that, I need you to prepare my workshop."
"I'll take care of it right away." Clara replied seriously. Erik nodded and turned to look at Sofía, then spoke.
"As for you, Sofía, first, I want you to check on the company I registered, the progress of the few cooperation contracts I signed, and the company offices—they should be ready by now. Also, open a call for hiring administrative staff. For now, I just need help managing my patents, but we also need to start preparing for cooperation with Laura, so keep that in mind."
"Count on me, boss! I'll inform Sage Sánchez, wrap up my current tasks, and handle that."
Sofía replied enthusiastically, clenching her fists with determination. Ever since she realized she had no talent for alchemy or artificery, she had been nervous about whether she could be useful to her boss. So, she was determined to do everything she could to support her boss in his business ambitions, and no one could compete with her for that role.
"Perfect." Erik nodded, satisfied, then asked.
"Oh, by the way, when does Martin's camp end?"
"Next week, boss. Would you like to go see him? On the final day, there'll be a small tournament with a prize to show the progress the participants have made." Sofía quickly asked, full of excitement. Erik nodded and replied with a smile.
"Put it on my schedule."
Sofía nodded happily and prepared to take out a crystal card to start noting it down, but before she could, a professional feminine voice echoed from behind Erik.
"Understood, young master."
Hearing the voice, Erik looked up at the beautiful, perfect maid and asked, somewhat helpless.
"Do you still want to be a maid, Seraphina?"
"I am your personal maid forever and always, young master. That will never change."
Seraphina replied with a meaningful smile as she took out a black-covered notebook and began writing the appointment by hand. Erik let out a small sigh and shook his head, then commented as the pair of spirits chuckled subtly.
"Then you'll have to coordinate with Seraphina."
"Of course, boss." Sofía nodded seriously, then stood up from her seat and bowed respectfully to Seraphina, speaking with seriousness.
"It's an honor to work under your guidance, Lady Ravenspell."
"Later, we'll have a small meeting to coordinate our work for the future."
Seraphina said professionally as she looked at Sofía and Clara, who bowed respectfully to the beautiful maid. Seraphina nodded, satisfied. At that moment, Erik looked at the pair of lovely twins and spoke with a calm expression as the wolves ran in from the garden to jump on him.
"Well, with everything set, you can return to your previous residences, or if you prefer, find another place to live not too far away, since from now on, we're back to work."
Sofía and Clara exchanged a glance and nodded, at which point Sofía looked at Erik and spoke in a serious tone.
"We'll take our old residence, boss."
"Perfect. Then I'll ask someone to help you get your things. I'll get in touch with Laura and Valeria to explain everything." Erik nodded calmly, at which point Clara spoke in a somewhat shy voice.
"Boss, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. A few months ago, Arcane Fenixara offered to take me as her disciple, but I told her I needed your permission first."
Erik couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly as he looked at Clara, a bit surprised, not only because Clara had asked him, but because he could recognize Valeria's style of testing people. Knowing that loudmouth, she likely said it half-seriously and half-jokingly, but her ultimate goal was to test Clara's "loyalty."
Most likely, thanks to that response, Valeria took her education more seriously, and now Clara was ready to take the exam after just a year, something that even surprised him a little. Though, of course, Clara's talent couldn't be overlooked either, something he was fully aware of. The girl had considerable talent, to the point he was sure it was only a matter of time before she became a certified alchemist.
"… Of course, you're free to take her as your master. If the offer still stands, take it. Valeria is a very renowned alchemist and also a university professor, so aside from the typical benefits of having a master, with her, you have a guaranteed spot to study at the university. You just need to pass the exam."
Erik said with a small smile, causing Clara and Sofía to widen their eyes in complete surprise. Amused, Erik explained as he looked at the pair of twins.
"I guess she didn't explain it to you, but university professors have certain benefits, including a quota of spots for their disciples and family members to study at the university exempt from paying tuition. Although, unlike us direct disciples, they still have to take the exam and get a minimum score, it's pretty good."
"Arcane Fenixara didn't mention anything about that…" Clara said, visibly shocked, staring at the floor. Sofía, full of excitement, hugged her sister and congratulated her on the verge of tears.
"Congratulations, Clara! You did it!"
"Are you interested in studying at the university, Sofía?" Erik asked, seeing Sofía's excitement. She turned to look at him, a bit embarrassed, and replied.
"Of course, boss. This year, while working for Sage Sánchez, I could see how incredibly beneficial it is to be a student… They have exclusive rights, connections, learn from the best… Students here are practically first-class citizens, and the rest of us barely qualify as second-class…"
"Oh, it's true that students get preference for housing, discounts, and some other things, but I didn't think it was that extreme…" Erik said, a bit surprised, to which Sofía responded with a somewhat bitter voice.
"Though it might not seem like much, in reality, it's a fundamental difference… Non-students can only aspire to the worst jobs unless we have connections. Plus, paying for things here with mana crystals is at least two or three times more expensive than using credits… Even getting housing is pretty complicated…
"All the non-student workers I met here had no choice but to live in the places their employers provided, which honestly weren't very good, and the list goes on. Though that doesn't mean working here is bad—it's a blessing. You get paid several times more than in other places, so most work a few decades and save up. Once they have enough to pay the tuition, they take the exam."
"I see… If I'm not mistaken, the next exam should be soon, so if you're willing to make the effort to work and study at the same time, I'll lend you the money for the tuition." Erik said with a small smile, causing the twins' eyes to water as they spoke in unison.
""Thank you so much, boss!""
"Don't worry about it. Think of it as an investment on my part."
Erik replied with a calm smile, deeply touching the twins' hearts, who looked at the starry-haired young man as if he were a hero. Meanwhile, Seraphina couldn't help but nod in satisfaction at her young master's actions, but at that moment, she glanced into the void, and a dark portal appeared before her. From it, she took a sealed letter, which she quickly handed to Erik and whispered in his ear.
"Young master, you've just received an official letter from the university administration."
Curious, Erik opened the letter and read it, at which point he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise and soon commented with a somewhat curious expression.
"Looks like I'm going to get a medal…"
"I'll have your formal suit ready, young master." Seraphina quickly said with a professional smile that let slip a hint of pride, while Sofía and Clara looked at Erik with even brighter eyes.
***
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