We Didn’t Lose Progress!

“Ahh- we must have left it outside of Letin.” Prix cringed,

“Wahh!” Miki said as Luna bent down and hoisted Miki up by her feet; Miki’s metal cuffs dug into the ground. Once Miki was upside down, Luna took the chance to take the shoes right off her feet. “Those are MY boots!” Miki protested as Luna dropped Miki’s feet, causing her to crumple into an uncomfortable position; the cast iron handcuffs made it difficult to even raise her hands,

“These are MY boots,” Luna said, putting them on before anyone could even say a word,

“While we’re stopped, let's get those cuffs off,” Sato said, walking over to Miki,

“Luna, give Miki her boots back,” Prix demanded,

‘Try. Me.’ Luna pointed at her mouth, as she silently mouthed the two words.

After fiddling around with the cuffs for some time, they popped them open. Miki rubbed her wrists. “Now I will win back my m’lady’s boots from you, Luna.” Sato declared, sword not drawn

“Let’s go back,” Prix said as quickly as possible, getting between Sato and Luna, who had hesitated to draw her claws.

“Let’s go, captain.” Idalec agreed as Prix quickly ran to take the lead.

Funerals were happening around Letin; people who had fallen during the casting of the White Grate, those who suffered seizures and heart attacks, were starting to be buried. Idalec felt a sense of guilt pile onto his soul. He stood watching the services while Sato and Prix found their tent before they headed out again,

“Maybe you rest in peace and bliss.” Idalec prayed for the innocent of Letin before following Prix and resting.

“I can’t believe that we’re going to have to camp out in the forest again,” Prix grumbled,

The sun moved much faster at crossing the sky; then they were at crossing this forest road. The six of them stumbled upon a small shack with a couple of logs at the side of the road, a waypoint for travelers like themselves.

“Let's camp here,” Sato said, pointing down at the ground,

“That’s a great idea, master~” Sunya applauded, which embarrassed Sato,

Luna jumped and took off her boots, putting them into the shack before jumping up onto the roof, which moaned under the weight. Luna watched aloof as Sunya helped Sato assemble his tent, Miki as she just sat on the ground nearby fiddling with some grass barefoot, with Prix and Idalec assembling their own tents.

“Can someone start a fire?” Sato asked,

“You have to pay me if you want it.” Luna laughed,

“I can teach you how,” Idalec said, his tent neatly assembled, with his suitcase and food stacked inside. “With magic,” Idalec added quickly, “I don’t actually know how to rub two sticks together, like some barbarian.”

“Wait-” Sato said thoughtfully. “Why hasn’t anyone taught me magic yet? I’m the chosen one. The heavenly hero, liberator of Letin, Sato Sato!” Sato exaggerated,

“Did you stumble over your own name?” Miki quipped,

“No!” Sato spun around. “My name is Sato Sato,” which elicited a laugh from Miki and Luna, whose tail was smacking the shack gently.

“It’s ok Master Sato; we all make mistakes,” Sunya said sincerely,

“Not you too!” Sato cried as Prix also laughed along, finishing her tent.

“Don’t worry about them, Darksama-sama,” Idalec said with a smile,

“That’s right, Idalec! Ayanokoji wouldn’t let some women hold him back.” Sato’s face relaxed,

“Right.” Idalec agreed, ‘Who is Ayanokoji? I don’t think I’ve heard the name before.’

“So how do I cast that spell, White Grate?” Sato was the first thing out of his mouth after Idalec sat Sato down to teach,

“I won’t teach you that.” Idalec snapped,

“But whyyy nottt?” Sato whined,

“We made an agreement that if you could figure out the spell by experiencing it, you have a right to learn it.” Idalec said coldly, ‘How long has it been since Mill created that spell- thirty years ago in that world, sixteen years here?’

“Senpai, I already figured it out; it’s an illusion!” Sato said excitedly,

“Ok.”

“So are you going to teach it to me?”

“No.”

“It was worth a try.” Sato huffed. Luna had jumped down from the shack to listen in on what Idalec was about to impart to Sato.

“I will teach you-” Idalec said, already at the edge of his patience. “How to make a fire with magic. There are a few ways to cast fire.” Idalec said, raising his hand, and a fireball the diameter of the road instantly appeared; you could smell the heat,

“WOW!” Sato clapped,

“That’s impressive.” Prix mouthed as she, along with all the slaves, marveled at it.

“That’s one way.” Idalec then lowered his hand, with the fireball remaining. “You can make a fireball by chanting…” Idalec paused for a moment to remember the words as he extended his palm. “Fire, fire, molten ball, pleeeeeeeze.” A small fireball appeared in front of Idalec, and it dropped to the ground like a drop of molten lead. “You have to-” Idalec tried to continue as Sato fell over in tears, laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“There’s no way you have to say pleeeeze to- HAHAHA- cast a fireball!”

“Sato, do you realize how stupid the thing you say sounds?” Miki said,

“No- HAHA- I talk like a normal person,” Sato said, sitting up, crying a river,

“You talk like a lunatic!” Prix said, “Why would you use ‘mug’ to describe something?”

“Um, actually, it’s mog.” Sato raised a finger,

“You're just making up words and expecting us to follow, but when someone is trying to teach you magic, you laugh at them.” Prix said hotly, “Idalec’s studying at Roux Academy, ROUX!”

“I’m sorry, Senpai,” Sato said, bowing, putting his head to the floor.

“It’s fine,” Idalec said, the massive fireball above him instantly disappeared along with the fire drop on the ground. “When you cast the spell, make sure that you're putting in mana.” Idalec looked at Sato, who sat up.

“Idalec.” Luna said, creeping around the perimeter, “I don’t cast magic like that.”

“Yes, you do.” Idalec denied Luna as she pointed a claw and muttered something before a fireball appeared. It wasn’t as impressive as Idalec's first one, but it more than made up for it with style, fiercely swirling, eating itself with rage,

“It’s still a fire.” Idalec shrugged,

“But it’s not the same as yours.” Luna dispersed her fireball

“No, it’s all the same. Just like all gold is gold, all zeroes are zero, and all spell products are the same no matter the process.” Idalec remarked,

“But not all gold is the same. Like there’s yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, gold chains-” Sato started listing off,

“No.” Idalec interrupted, closing his eyes with frustration. There was a pause as Idalec faced the night sky. “All gold is fundamentally gold. You can have mixtures, or you could change the gold’s form, just like you can cast magic in different ways. I can cast a fireball in three different ways; Luna casts them a fourth way, but fundamentally, when doing the same thing and getting a fireball. Quod erat demonstrandum.” Idalec opened his eyes and walked into his tent, calling it a night.

Idalec had laid down, getting ready to go to sleep, when he heard Luna scream, “Where are my boots!”