“Hey Kris. I go see Zayaan?” I asked the guild receptionist after I walked into the adventurer’s guild.

  “Yes, he is here. But I’m sorry to tell you, but if you want to ge the departure date, it will e with a penalty.” She told me.

  “No, I have no problems with that. I just want to say goodbye to Zay. If he isn’t too busy.” I responded.

  “He shouldn’t have aings, so go ahead.” Kris answered.

  “Thanks.” I responded before heading to the guild master’s office.

  After knog on the door and hearing Zay give permission, I went into the GM’s office.

  “Brian. What do you need?” He asked as I walked in.

  “Nothing really. I just came by to say goodbye. We are leaving tomorrow after all.” I told him.

  “you could have just said it in the evening.” Zay said quietly.

  “What did you say?” I asked as I didn’t hear him.

  “It’s nothing.” He said. “But if that was everything, I do have some paperwork to do.”

  “Well, there is oher thing.” I said as I opened my colle.

  I o give some cards to Zay. I want to give at least a few cards to everyoh Card Summoner before I leave. After what happeo Rid Mesk, I won’t hoard every card for myself any longer.

  “I wao give you a few cards before I left.” I said as I id the first cards oable.

  The first one I wanted him to have is Masaki the Legendary Swordsman. I had three copies of it and I’ll only need oo summon Fme Swordsman. So I put a sleeve on it and pced it oable.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]Masaki might not be the stro monster, but that is also why I gave it to Zay. I think it might make freat instructor for the adventurers.

  The sed one was Dark Bde. A slightly stronger warrior monster.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]The only reason I’m not sure about it, is its dark attribute.

  The third y of Buster Bder. The only reason I gave him one as well, is because I get a new one every day. And it is a super strong warrior, so it should serve Zay well.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]And the st monster I wanted him to have is Wingweaver, a powerful fairy type monster.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]Wingweaver should be a great bae helper for Zay, in case he ever ends up in a difficult battle.

  I made sure all of the monsters had sleeves on them before handing them to Zay.

  “Are you sure I have them all? Just one of them would be more than enough.” Zay said.

  “Yes. This many is fine. Actually, I want to give you just a few more, but they won’t be monsters.” I told him as I searched out a few spells.

  One Rain of Merd two Red Medie. I had plenty of copies of both, so I hahem over to Zay. I didn’t py toploaders on them, as these are meant to be emergency use only.

  (Why not just give him ara copy of Dang Fairy if you want him to have something to heal people with?) Laura asked.

  … yeah. Why didn’t I? Well, at least I fix that easily.

  “Some of these spell cards, huh. I’ve seen both of these before and they are effective, so thank you.” Zay said as he looked at the two medies and the rain. I actually fot that he had used both.

  “There is actually still more.” I said to him as I got out a copy of Dang Fairy that I had sleeved. It wasn’t the one I usually used, but one I had never summoned before.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“Oh. I remember these fairies. Are you sure you don’t hem yourself?” Zay asked.

  “No. It’s not like that. I still have one for myself.” I said as I pulled my own sleeved copy out to show him. I actually had another 3 on top of that.

  “I see. Well if yiving them to me, I’ll gdly take them.” He said.

  “Be sure to use them sometimes as well. You use the warriors as instructors for the adventurers, like I have done.” I told him.

  “Yes. I will.” He responded.

  “Also, the spells are oime use, so only use them if you really have to.” I warned.

  “Yes. Thank you for all of this.” He said as he collected the cards into a siack.

  “There is actually just one more, but I’m not sure about it.” I said as I pulled out the st card I wao give him.

  A Hero Emerges. I tried it out with Alid Lua, but as we were in no danger we couldn’t get it to activate. The one I gave Zay wasn’t the toploader copy I had, but another one.

  “If you use this when something terrible is going on or you are i danger, it might do something, but I’m holy not sure.” I told him.

  “I see. I’ll make sure to hold onto it for su occasion.” He said as he took the card.

  “You really should have said, I hope a situation like that never es.” I told him.

  “Perhaps I should have. Now get going. I have to get back to work.” Zay said.

  “Brian. You are te.” Alice said when I got back to the manor.

  “Late? I didn’t know I had a curfew.” I responded.

  “Well you have one and you are te. How are you going to make it up to me?” She asked.

  “I’m not.” I said. “Where is your mother? I have her order with me.”

  “Hmph. I just wanted you to give me another card. You gave so many to Mother and I still only have Mana.” Alipined.

  “... you could have just asked.” I told her.

  I don’t mind giving her more, but she just goes about it in the wrong way.

  “Really? So if I ask, you will give me more?” Alice looked at me with her eyes shining. “Brian. Would you please give me another monster?”

  … that look. It’s not fair. Why do all females e with it? Is it something so basic that every cute girl knows how to use it?

  “I’ll just firm this first, but you did pack everything, right?” I asked.

  “Yes! I’m packed up and ready to go!” Alice responded. “So you give me a card.”

  “... fine. But only one.” I agreed.

  “Why do you give so many to Mother then?” She asked.

  “Well, I ’t exactly give her more after we leave.” I responded.

  But that was a lie. With that exge liween our terminals, I give her more whenever I feel like it. But I didn’t have that when I made her ‘deck’ so my point stands.

  “So you will give me more as we travel? Do you promise?” Alice asked.

  “Sure. I do that.” I told her.

  “How often? And how many?” She asked.

  … hmm. I’m not sure.

  “How about one card for each successful adventuring job we do?” I offered.

  “That’s not enough. Make it three.” She tried tue.

  “One card for every two jobs.” I said back.

  “Hey. You went down in numbers. You should have e up to two per job.” Alice said.

  “One for every three.” I kept going.

  “I’m fih one per job.” Alice agreed to my inal offer.

  “I guess we have ourselves a deal.” I agreed with her.

  “Well, since we made the deal, you give me the one you promised?” Alice asked.

  “... oh sure.” I said as I pulled open my colle.

  So, something for Alice. Probably a humanoid female. And dark attribute would probably be good as well.

  Hmm. Yeah. This should work. It is a rare from Invasion of Chaos, but I’m giving it to Alice, so if I for a fusion or something iure, I just ask for it back. And I don’t think it has any fusions anyway.

  Because I have plenty of sleeves in stock, I turned four of them into a toploader and pced both a toploader and sleeve on the monster. And even if Alice doesn’t want it, I use it myself.

  “Here. You have this.” I said as I hahe card over to Alice.

  “Thank you.” Alice said before taking a look at the card. “ I summon her now?”

  “Go for it. But I o go see your mother, so where is she?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. Somewhere inside.” Aliswered.

  “... great…” I mumbled.

  I walked inside as I heard Alice call out the name of the monster I gave her.

  Getsu Fuhma. A dark attribute warrior type monster with 1700 attad 1200 defe also has an effect that makes it more powerful when fighting demons and the undead.

  Spoilerspan>

  [colpse]

  I ran into (not literally) Sana as I got inside and asked her where Christina was.

  She led me to Alice’s room, where I saw a teary eyed Christina hugging some of Alice’s clothes.

  “Madam. Lord Brian is here.” Sana said.

  “Oh.” She looked up and quickly wiped away the tears she had in her eyes. “Wele back.”

  “Are you feeling alright?” I asked.

  “I’m fihis is normal for a parent. I had a simir rea when Daniel moved to the capital.” She said.

  Daniel? Is that her son? I’d guess so based on the circumstantial evidenbsp;

  “I see. Well, I brought the things you ordered.” I said as I pulled out the notebook and the sleeping bag. “They didn’t have one of the things you asked for. but they said they could get one from Sawyer city.”

  “Thank you for running the errand for me.” Christina said. “And I don’t actually hat item for myself, as I was going to give it to you.”

  “For me? What was it then?” I asked.

  “A magi. I thought we could use the notebook to exge letters via our terminals. But you probably don’t have a pen, so I ordered oh the notebook.” Christina expined.

  A magi? Wonder how that works. Now I really want one.

  “So if they don’t have one avaible here, could I ask you to buy one in Sawyer city?” Christina asked.

  “Sure, as long as they are not too expensive. I don’t have an unlimited amount of money.” I told her.

  I don’t know how expensive magic items get, but I would assume they cost a lot of money. Sure I still have over 50 gold s, but I will for other

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ll write you a purchase order, so I will be the one paying for it.” Christina said.

  “I pay for it myself as long as it is under 5 gold s.” I responded.

  “No. This much I should do for you. You are already going to take care of Alid I feel like I should financially support you in that endeavor.” Christina said.

  “Well, I’m not going to say no, but you don’t o. robably earn our keep even without it.” I told her. And I do have Upstart Goblin to fall ba. It’s actually iing that I’ve not gotten a sed copy of it, even though it is a on in Dark Beginning 1.

  (It is also on in Magic Ruler.) Laura added. (And you did get a copy of it before you ever reached the town. But you used it before you could make sleeves.)

  Oh yeah. I think I remember that.

  “Here. You should hold onto this notebook. I did buy it for you.” Christina said as she hahe dark cover notebook to me.

  “Thanks. Let’s try to keep in touch.” I told her.

  I headed back outside to hang out with Alice. It’s not like I had anything else to do, so this is now officially training time. Not that I want to do an exercise that will leave me tired for tomorrow. But some telekinesis training is always nibsp;

  When I got there, I saw Alice swinging the katana that Getsu Fuhma owns. Of course she was going something like this. I think her brain might be tainted by her father to always be in training mode.

  “Alice, don’t go at it too hard. I ’t have you being tired tomorrow.” I warned her.

  “Don’t worry, Master. I’ll make sure she won’t go toetsu Fuhma answered.

  “I see. Thanks.” I responded.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]I looked at the armor worn by Getsu Fuhma. It looked strao my eyes. She had a clearly Japanese shinobi armor based bottom half, with a western looking chestpte. Almost like a bination of both. Or perhaps I just don’t knoanese armors.

  I spent a bit of time watg as Alice swung the katana around, while pying with telekinesis myself, but after about 20 more minutes of training for Alice, I told her to stop so she wouldn’t have sore muscles tomorrow.

  “You could have just used healing magie.” Alice said.

  “Well, St. Joan did say natural healing is better frowth. I guess you do get the teique down, but I’m not sure how your muscle memory will go.” I said.

  “Muscle memory? What does that mean?” Alice asked.

  “... how do I expin that? It’s like when you learn to do something, you do it without really thinking. Like walking.” I told her. “If you practiething enough, it bees muscle memory, and you do it with minimal scious input.” I expined in a way that made seo me.

  “I see. So I just have to swing a sword around until I do it without thinking.” Alice said as she pulled out a notebook and wrote something down.

  “Just remember to not go too far. You shouldn’t hurt your body just for training.” I warned.

  Alisummoned Getsu Fuhma. ...Actually, how did she have the card in her hand while swinging a sword around?

  Well anyway, we were about to head inside when we heard someone calling us from the dire of the manate.

  “Brian, Miss Alice. Were you waiting for us?” We heard Lua calling out to us.

  I turo look at her and saw her walking towards us with Alex.

  Why did they e to the manor? Is there a problem? We were meant to meet up tomorrow m at the guild, so what gives?

  I guess asking is the only way forward.