After Maiol's mock battle, a few more skirmishes took pce.

  The members of "The Oak Branch" were all strong, demonstrating steady and reliable combat skills.

  Julia, the only female member, was a healer and fought with grace. She wielded a hefty mace and effortlessly repelled the attacks from the members of "New Green Prayer."

  By the way, it was Julia who had punched a teammate who was getting a little too interested in Annia.

  There was one other person who caught Maiol's attention.

  That person was Metera, a copper-ranked adventurer from "New Green Prayer." Her skill in [Shielding] was exceptional, and her movements were so precise it seemed as if she was watching the battle from a bird’s-eye view. Maiol found her fighting style intriguing.

  Seneca was watching the mock battles with intense focus.

  When Naeus was about to take the field, Seneca was particurly engrossed, not allowing a single moment to pass by without observation.

  Maiol found Seneca’s behaviour to be unusual.

  ...

  After the joint mock battles ended, the group dispersed for a while, with pns to have dinner together ter. The women would freshen up first before joining.

  Seneca and Maiol decided to head back to the dorm and take a bath.

  As they walked through the streets, a girl called out to them.

  “Seneca?”

  “Kito!”

  It was Kito.

  Maiol had heard much about Kito from Seneca, but this was the first time they’d met in person.

  After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Kito approached Maiol and introduced herself.

  “I’m Kito, Seneca’s childhood friend. I’ve heard a lot about you from Seneca.”

  “Ah, how kind of you. I’m Maiol. I’ve heard much about you too. I look forward to our future interactions.”

  Maiol looked at Kito.

  She appeared to have soft, slightly droopy eyes, with an aura of calmness about her. There was an elegance to her features that suggested she didn’t hail from a common vilge background.

  She also seemed extremely intelligent. The contrast between Kito and Seneca, who could be a bit scattered at times, was stark.

  Seneca watched as Maiol and Kito spoke.

  Seeing Seneca’s odd expression, Kito asked with concern.

  “Seneca, is something wrong? Did something happen?”

  Without warning, Seneca threw herself into Kito’s arms.

  “I lost.”

  She muttered only those words, rubbing her head against Kito’s chest.

  “Seneca, you're so competitive.”

  Kito didn’t say anything further and simply patted Seneca’s head.

  Kito was surprised to see Seneca show such vulnerability in front of Maiol. Seneca only ever revealed this side of herself to people she was close to. It was a sign of the bond between the two, and Kito couldn’t help but give Seneca a warm embrace once again.

  Kito and Maiol exchanged gnces.

  Maiol spoke over Seneca’s shoulder to Kito.

  “We had a mock battle with a party we're going to take on a request with, and we ended up losing to the strongest copper-ranked adventurer in Baetica.”

  Seneca began rubbing her head against Kito again.

  “I didn’t think I’d win, but it’s still frustrating.”

  “I see.”

  Kito hugged her tightly again.

  Maiol was taken aback. Seneca didn’t seem to be affected at all, and her usually carefree nature led Maiol to believe she wouldn’t be feeling down. So, she never expected Seneca to be so bothered by the loss.

  “But, I’ve calmed down now.”

  Seneca said, though she didn’t move away from Kito.

  “What do you think, Maiol? How did I do?”

  Maiol thought for a moment before responding.

  “You were amazing. I already knew you were skilled with your sword, but I didn’t realise just how well you could use it. You even made a copper-ranked adventurer use a sub-skill. When you nded that hit, I thought you’d scored a direct hit, and I nearly jumped for joy!”

  “See, Seneca? Maiol says so too!”

  “Hm... But I was still useless…”

  “It wasn’t like that at all! Even Naeus said you were strong!”

  Seneca groaned in protest.

  Kito, looking somewhat amused, remarked,

  “I understand. Next time, you’ll do better.”

  After saying that, Seneca rubbed her head against Kito’s chest once more before pulling away.

  “Seneca, tell me all about it ter, okay?”

  “Yeah. Thanks, Kito.”

  Seneca gave a small, softer smile.

  “I’m going to head off now, but Maiol, feel free to stick close to me, alright?”

  With that, Seneca gnced swiftly at Maiol, eyes wide, as if she’d just had a brilliant idea.

  She turned back to Kito with a smile and then jumped into Maiol’s arms.

  The “stubborn bug” had tched on, and despite the flustered state she was in, Maiol wrapped her arms around Seneca tightly.

  “Next time, I’ll definitely do better.”

  Seneca’s words made Kito smile brightly. She then exchanged a gnce with Maiol, who was also smiling, before quietly walking away.

  ...

  After the “stubborn bug” had calmed down, the two returned to the dorm.

  Seneca seemed to have fully recovered and was once again ughing happily.

  Maiol thought to herself that Seneca was both delicate and resilient.

  There was a certain rhythm to Seneca’s life and combat, an ebb and flow that felt comforting, making her all the more captivating. Maiol recognised this quality once more.

  Afterward, the two went to the bath, then met up with everyone from "New Green Prayer," engaging in a bit of rexed camaraderie. They were also treated to a visit to a café before heading off to dinner.

  During the meal, everyone was eager to chat with Seneca and Maiol, creating a lively atmosphere. For some reason, Naeus stepped in to protect them, ensuring the two didn’t feel overwhelmed.

  Julia from “The Oak Branch” sensed a slight undercurrent of tension but realised that Naeus was simply rooting for the two, so she decided to join in the support.

  Ultimately, the biggest success of the day was that the mock battle had earned both Seneca and Maiol eight new fans.

  With their first expedition request on the horizon, the two gained substantial backing.

  A few days ter, at the orphanage, Seneca made up a story called “The Stubborn Bug,” which quickly became a favourite among the children, further solidifying their standing.

  ...

  While preparing for the expedition, Maiol received training from Metera, the shield specialist.

  Metera was friendly and patient, willing to teach her almost anything. She knew that Maiol didn’t use shields much, but still took the time to teach her, understanding the importance of defending oneself.

  Metera’s shield was a rge, sturdy heater shield, which she used to build her combat strategy around defence.

  When Metera’s [Shielding] skill reached level 2, most people gained the sub-skill [Magic Shield]. She expined that this was particurly useful when protecting others.

  According to Metera, several things were vital for a shield user, but one of the most important was maintaining visibility.

  Even if you could defend against attacks, if your blind spots grew too rge, the enemy would strike again. If you were fnked, it could spell disaster. As a result, shield users naturally developed sharp instincts and became adept at observing the battle from a strategic vantage point.

  Though Maiol couldn’t directly apply this knowledge to her own skills, she was grateful for the lessons, as they would be useful in future situations where she might work with shield users.

  Meanwhile, Seneca sparred with others. Unlike her match with Naeus, the bouts were light-hearted exchanges, with no winner or loser. However, everyone could feel Seneca’s strength, which increased Naeus’s reputation among the group.

  Although Seneca didn’t take a shot, everyone could tell that she had reached level 2, especially when they saw her using [Magic Needle] in a defensive capacity.

  ...

  There was a man named Menon in "The Oak Branch."

  Menon was an excellent scout. He also possessed the [Detection] skill.

  He’d heard about Maiol, a girl with [Detection], and had been eager to teach her. However, he was unaware that she already knew he shared the same skill.

  It was an awkward misunderstanding.

  Despite waiting patiently, Menon found that the energetic girl never came to him for lessons. In fact, she was busy learning [Shielding] instead.

  Menon considered speaking up but hesitated, not wanting to scare her by approaching too suddenly.

  That night, while having dinner at “The Oak Branch,” Naeus spoke up.

  “I’ve decided to support Seneca.”

  He said it with the most serious expression he’d worn in a while.

  “What about you, Menon?”

  Menon responded with an equally serious face.

  “I’ll be supporting Maiol.”

  They both smiled at one another before shaking hands.

  “Let’s do our best!”

  From across the table, a voice suddenly chimed in. It was Akalus, the magician.

  “I’ll always be an Annia fan!”

  As the usual pyful banter began between the men, Julia sighed deeply.

  She understood that these men weren’t harbouring any romantic feelings—they simply wanted to support the two girls. Nevertheless, it still felt awkward, and Julia wondered if there was a way to resolve it.

  “So, what about you, Julia?”

  Naeus asked with an excited gleam in his eyes.

  Julia felt a sudden urge to punch him for his over-enthusiasm.

  “I don’t have a preference.”

  “Come on, surely you must have someone in mind. If you were to choose a little sister, who would it be?”

  Menon’s directness made Julia uncomfortable, and she hastily answered to end the conversation.

  “…Maiol, I suppose.”

  “See! I knew it!”

  Menon thrust out his hand, and Julia found herself shaking it firmly.

  Naeus and Akalus cpped joyously.

  Julia felt a sudden sense of self-disgust.