The Chair’s Farewell

The lamps attached to the wall illuminated the path back as Keya and I guided the party to the entrance. With the lamps on, the walk felt much more welcoming and lived-in, contrasting its natural eeriness. Unlike the thirty-minute hike down, it only took five to reach the entrance. Sunlight filtered through, washing away any leftover sleepiness after a decent night’s rest.

As the party continued forward, I stopped them to give a quick farewell. “You should have everything you need to make it back to town safely. I’ll notify the guild of your exam results. Remember, from here on out, it’s up to you.” Each of them gave a quick nod, some a bit more quirky than others, but the meaning was the same.

Aster touched the ground, verifying it was safe to walk on. Once she confirmed the acid had been absorbed, the party headed outside the cave without looking back. I had no doubt they would make it back to town safely. The waves of beasts would die down as the ecosystem returned to normal. The worst they should encounter is a C-rank beast that, at their current strength, they could take down in a few seconds. Of course, I didn’t think they would be strong enough to reach S-rank, but that was fine. They would survive, and that’s all that mattered.

Keya and I waved until they disappeared beyond the treeline.

Once they were out of sight, Keya and I walked back inside, each carrying two crates. I could’ve used magic to carry them, but I wanted to work on some physical enhancement spells since I rarely had a need for them. The boxes only weighed a ton, so it wouldn’t put too much strain on my body.

After putting them down, Keya immediately went and grabbed another snack. She didn’t forget about her training right? I grabbed her head before she could remember to escape.

“I hope you’re ready to get started on your new training regimen.” The look of realization on her face was priceless.

“Y-yeah, but I’m not feeling that well. C-can we start tomorrow or–”

“You look well enough, so there’s no problem.”

“Ugh. Mom and Dad never told me your training would be so harsh!”

“They also never tried to run away, so get used to it.”

Her cries echoed throughout the entire day.

Even though she complained, I was glad to see she was getting stronger. It wouldn’t be long before she surpassed me, in strength and skill.

I just hoped there was enough time.