"Friends?" Khaos asked with a tender smile playing on his lips.
Before Nuel could give him a reply, Leesa's voice was heard from beyond the reeds, collecting the attention of both Nuel and Khaos at once.
"Brother!" She waved enthusiastically with a golden smile.
Khaos shook his head, very much aware of her intentions. He knew Leesa had only shown up for Nuel and he was merely an excuse for her to ride on.
"Let's head down for now." Khaos suggested, already taking his leave.
Nuel also followed and soon they were getting near Leesa. She was standing like an obedient pupil with her eyes full of life worth a thousand sparkles.
She had changed her clothes to a more casual combat suit which every other student of the academy owned. Her suit hugged her curves so tightly as she stood there.
She was playing with her toes in the ground as she suddenly grew nervous with Nuel fast approaching. Her arms recoiled to the back, pushing out her chest into the air while her hair had been held up in a messy ponytail style.
"You didn't come here to see me, did you?" Khaos teased as soon as he got to where Leesa was standing.
"I prepared some evening primrose tonic to help with failing strength during your training." Leesa replied, showing Khaos the vial.
"You made this because you couldn't get your mind off Nuel getting hurt, right?" Khaos teased again, intending to take the vial from her.
A sudden wave of heat pooled up within Leesa, her gaze falling out of grace on Nuel's face as her cheeks flushed with a blush that made her stutter.
"Wh…why would you say that, brother?"
Nuel couldn't resist her adorable charm that he looked away urgently so he could hide a smile.
Leesa bit her lower lip with her cheeks still stained with a tomato red blush and she had no idea how to make the situation turn around for herself.
Nuel reached out to her hand, taking the vial from her which stunned Leesa a bit as his fingers touched hers.
"I…" She tried to say, but the rest of the words couldn't escape her throat.
"Thank you." Nuel appreciated it.
"By the way, you look more beautiful with your hair let down." Nuel added before walking away from her.
Leesa's eyes shone at the compliment, her racing heart halting a bit to comprehend what had just happened.
Nuel had just admitted he liked her better with her hair let down or was this a wrong conclusion from an overthinker like herself?
Unable to hold it in, her face became fully flushed with blush and her tingles twinkled with the faint trail of Nuel's scent which was in the air.
"All men do is lie! I wouldn't trust him if I were you because you look ugly either way." Khaos said, giving Leesa a nasty smirk before following after Nuel.
Leesa on the other hand was oblivious to whatever her brother had said as she was yet to jerk back into reality while she trailed slowly after them.
"She's only seventeen, don't even imagine things with her." Khaos warned with a slight nudge.
***
While the wait for a party invite pressed on, Nuel decided to hone his skills while waiting.
The system was of great help to him as he could train in the abyssal horror realm when needed and all he did was fight more Kraelgos to level up even though the rewards he got from each battle were barely enough to due to the fact that it was a voluntary task.
The EXP he received from each kill was a third of what he received during the mandatory quest in the abyssal horror.
During the day, Nuel would train with the dolls and when Khaos was done with his duties in the academy, he taught him how to wield magic properly and how to weave his spells.
But this was not easy for Nuel to master at once. He was drawn to the conclusion that what triggered his summoning with Khaos in the field of reeds was the words he heard, but he wasn't going to give in to that assumption without trying.
"Khaos, I'm just not getting it. Every time I think I've got the pattern right, the mana falls apart." Nuel said with frustration as the little sparks that formed out of his palm dissipated.
"Summoning is as much about feeling the magic as it is about knowing the patterns. You're focusing too much on the technicality. Let go, and let the mana flow through you." Khaos encouraged.
"Easy for you to say, Khaos. You've been doing this for years. I'm just a novice."
Khaos moved closer towards him, easily summoning a bulb of red flames.
"Nuel, everyone learns at their own pace. When I started, I struggled too. My mentor taught me that magic responds to emotion and intent. You need to feel the magic, not just cast it."
Nuel shook his head in frustration, aiming to give it an attempt again while Khaos continued,
"Magic isn't just something you wield; it's a part of you. When you weave spells, you're not just casting words and gestures; you're communicating with the essence of the world. You need to feel the rhythm, the pulse of the magic.
"Feel the essence of mana overwhelm your being, let it guide you."
Nuel focuses, taking a deep breath as he attempts to weave the spells once more. His hands moved in intricate patterns, and the air around him begins to shimmer.
"You're getting closer, Nuel. Keep the flow steady."
The magic swirls, taking shape as Nuel's concentration deepens, and a faint glow emanates from his hands. Though it was not perfect, there was a noticeable improvement.
Khaos, noticing how concentrated Nuel was, immediately gave life to the training doll present with them by fueling it with mana.
The doll charged at Nuel from behind to attack him, but before it could reach him, Nuel had sensed the presence of mana from an otherworldly being and immediately, he unleashed a torrent of lightning at the doll.
The doll plummeted to the ground, releasing smoke of burns and sizzles from its body.
Nuel looked at Khaos who gave him a nod as approval then Leesa was back, bearing a letter in her hand.
"A party sent you an invite, Nuel." She announced.