After some time, Ellis and Silas made their way to where Galen was standing.
Ellis, now on his feet again, barely, stood quietly in front of him, waiting for the next phase… and for Galen's evaluation, if he were to give one.
"Your Highness, how about you rest for today, and we start anew tomorrow?"
Galen had stared at him for a moment before saying that, but as soon as the words reached his ears, Ellis's eyes widened, and he replied in a loud, clear voice:
"Absolutely not."
A long silence followed, with a staring contest between him and Galen, who was unable to hold out, and suddenly laughed, while admitting defeat.
"Then, how about we test your combat skills this time?" he asked, still grinning.
Ellis naturally agreed. He didn't fully understand what Galen intended to test, especially now, when he was this exhausted. But he didn't mind.
And so, they made their way to the training ground… or rather, an empty square of land that used to be a shabby, abandoned garden. Ellis had asked Silas to help him clean and clear it, turning it into a space where he could train.
It wasn't much, but it would do for now.
Gripping an iron sword, far too long, and much too heavy for his tired, small frame, Ellis began to spar with Galen.
It wasn't much of a spar, really. More like him clumsily swinging the sword a few times, as fatigue weighed down every movement. The weapon felt like a log in his hands, and his legs were barely holding him up.
Galen watched for a short while, then declared unilaterally, this time with no room for negotiation, that the real training would start tomorrow, and that Ellis must rest.
Was Ellis waiting for that exact moment?
Maybe.
Because the instant Galen's back disappeared from his sight after he walked away, Ellis didn't hold back anymore, and he finally let himself fall down.
His legs had given out long ago, and he really didn't have any strength left, after all.
He was tired.
And so, ungraceful as it was, he didn't care, and just lay there, covered in sweat and dust.
"Are you okay, Master?"
Hearing Silas's worried voice and seeing the concern in her expression, Ellis didn't say anything in return. Instead, he smiled faintly… and opened his arms toward her.
It was a familiar gesture.
One that Silas immediately understood the meaning of
So, with warmth and deep affection in her eyes, she bent down and wrapped her arms around him.
Then gently carried him inside.
She didn't care about the sweat. Or the dust.
She was just happy… to be of service.
…
Entering the bath straight, as he was too dirty after his training, Ellis, now in a tub filled with warm water, couldn't help but exhale a slow breath of air.
Relaxing in the warm water, while Silas gently massaged his head.
This is life, he thought with satisfaction.
If only they were bathing together, it would have been perfect… unfortunately, they weren't. He was bathing alone.
Seeing Silas in her different attire, her focused expression as she worked to ease his sore muscles, Ellis couldn't help but wonder when he would finally see her naked.
She had already seen every inch of his body, after all… so it wasn't fair.
… But he was not in a hurry. He was still a child, and could aford some waiting.
Moreover, he still fondled her breasts every now and then, and Silas, who understood by now that he was no longer a naive baby, but a boy, even if still a child, who knew exactly what he was doing, didn't seem to mind.
She was just… happy.
As time passed and he finally came out of the bath, Silas took care to dry his body and help him into clean clothes.
And Ellis, instead of resting like he was asked to, decided to continue his routine as usual and head to the library.
He would skip mana bullet training today, and that would be his limit.
On the way, as he passed by mirror, Ellis couldn't help but pause and take a look at his reflection.
Compared to his appearance in his previous life, it actually wasn't that different.
His facial features had just gotten a little softer, probably due to his beautiful mother in this life.
And his hair, which used to be an ordinary brown, had gotten… lighter? Now, he could probably call it a light ash brown.
The biggest change wasn't any of that, though.
It was his eyes.
His gray eyes, that seemed just like stars illuminating the universe with their brightness, which used to be plain brown.
They were beautiful.
A piece of art, if he were to say so himself.
Ellis had already been handsome in his previous life… but now? With his current self?
He felt like he could probably live on his appearance alone, were he to return to his old world.
Shaking his head, and the smile that had unconsciously appeared on his face, Ellis decided to continue on his way.
He arrived at the library, picked up the book he still hadn't finished, and started reading.
Was that everything he was doing?
Naturally not.
The faint light-blue barrier barely visible around him said as much.
Ellis, who wanted to make the most of every moment, was training his skills while reading.
He was already activating more than five skills, from Mana Breathing, Mana Sense, and many other mana-related skills, to Detection and Mana Barrier.
It was naturally a little taxing on him… but with his strong soul, and a mana pool that kept getting bigger, nothing was impossible!