Chapter 178: Farewells Are a Pokemon Trainer's Mandatory Lesson

Chapter 178: Farewells Are a Pokemon Trainer's Mandatory Lesson

After Amil defeated Luk, Lady Roine didn't say much. She returned to her room, staring at her late husband's portrait in silence for a long time before leaving the house.

When she came back, Lady Roine brought a protective magical inner armor, a finely crafted sword, and an ancient purple sandalwood staff. The first two were for Amil, and the last one was for Luk.

"This is too valuable; I can't accept it."

Luk frowned and shook his head when the staff was offered to him.

Magic staves were always expensive, and the one Lady Roine gave was of exceptional quality, making it even more costly. Such a gift was too precious.

"If it weren't for you, Amil might have died on the battlefield long ago, driven by his youthful fervor. Because of you, I haven't had to worry about him all these years," Lady Roine said softly.

Time had taken its toll on Lady Roine. She now suffered from common elderly ailments, her skin had become loose, and wrinkles had formed on her forehead and around her eyes. Her once beautiful appearance was gone, but her gentle demeanor remained unchanged.

"Over the years, I've come to regard you as one of my own. There's no need to refuse a gift from an elder."

Luk hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted the gift, expressing his gratitude sincerely.

"Thank you, Lady."

Lady Roine smiled gracefully, just as she had twenty years ago, a dignified and beautiful woman. Her voice was light and airy.

"That's better. Compared to the years you've used magic to maintain my room and the companionship you've provided to me and Amil, a magic staff is nothing."

...

On the day Amil left, everyone in the mansion came to see him off.

He was dressed in neat armor, with the sword Lady Roine had given him at his waist. He looked valiant, his sharp eyes reflecting both the sorrow of parting and the anticipation of the future.

The servants who had cared for him and Luk since they were young took turns bidding him farewell. Even the usually stern butler softened his expression, giving Amil instructions for his journey.

Amil hugged each of them in turn.

After parting with Lady Roine, who was wiping away tears, Amil approached Leonie and Luk.

He placed his right hand over his heart and bowed deeply to Leonie. "Thank you for your years of guidance, Leonie. I'm sorry my magical aptitude wasn't outstanding enough to meet your expectations."

He still preferred the profession of a swordsman and knew only a few simple spells. Considering his future military career, he focused on healing magic and spells to collect and condense water from the air.

"Amil Campbell, while your initial performance was unsatisfactory, your learning attitude in the latter part of your training has been commendable."

Leonie solemnly took out a pendant from her pocket, intending to put it on Amil. However, she noticed the height difference and gestured for him to bend down.

Amil stifled a laugh and lowered his head, allowing his teacher to place the pendant around his neck.

"This is a C-Class Mage credential. It should have been issued by the Mage Association, but I heard that the Mage Association dissolved a few years ago due to the activities of the Demon Army. A new credentialing body has yet to be established. This is my old credential, and I am now giving it to you as recognition of your studies."

At the end of the farewells, Amil stood before his mentor and friend, grinning and hugging Luk, patting his back.

"Want me to bring you some souvenirs?"

"Surviving is souvenir enough."

"Can't you have a little faith in me?"

"Having high hopes for a fool like you is a waste."

Luk said this lightly.

In response, Amil gave him a heavy pat on the back.

Bang, bang, bang—

"Wait and see, I'll take down a Demon Army general for you one day!"

Luk raised an eyebrow, his hand glowing with magic, and returned the heavy pat.

Bang, bang, bang—

"Why the sudden change of heart? Not dreaming about slaying demons anymore?"

"Rome wasn't built in a day, as you always say."

Amil's face contorted in pain, and he planned to retaliate but was pushed away by Luk, leaving him to grumble and give up.

"Stop quoting me all the time," Luk sighed, looking at his wayward friend.

"Safe travels."

Amil smiled, waved, and mounted his horse, riding off in a cloud of dust, his figure gradually shrinking.

The crowd gradually dispersed, returning to their duties, but Lady Roine stood at the mansion's entrance for a long time, only being led back inside by Luk after the wind made her cough.

...

Deep into the night, the moon shone brightly.

Luk sat on the roof of the mansion, a weathered little table in front of him with a bottle of wine and two glasses. This was the secret base he and Amil had as children.

Small children always have grand hero dreams, thinking that having a secret base of their own is a significant achievement. Luk, annoyed by Amil's constant pestering, casually set up a table and declared the roof their secret base.

Amil was initially dissatisfied with this makeshift solution but was happy the next evening, pulling Luk up to the roof to tell him about the brave heroes who had vanquished the Demon Army. As they grew older, this place was slowly abandoned.

Lu Ke gazed quietly at the moon hanging high in the sky when he suddenly heard a clear, feminine voice from behind.

"Are you a bit sad that Amir is leaving?"

Lu Ke turned his head, and Lainis climbed up the ladder, sitting down beside him without any ceremony.

"Anything you raise for twenty years will inevitably have some feelings," Lu Ke glanced at Lainis, "If I ever leave, would you be sad?"

Lainis thought for a moment and answered seriously, "Probably not, because you've never called me mother."

"Whose fault do you think that is?"

"Alright, I admit most of the blame is mine," Lainis counted on her fingers, "I didn't teach you basic life skills, almost let you starve when you were born, and when you were sick, I was too lazy to call a priest and just used healing magic. I haven't really paid much attention to you over the years... But setting aside the facts, don't you have any responsibility?"

Lu Ke chuckled, "What responsibility do I have?"

"I've tried to learn how to take care of a child, but you were so mature from the start. As soon as you could talk, you asked Lady Roine to find you a nanny, and you never cried or caused trouble. By the time you were three or four, you were already living independently."

As she spoke, Lainis sighed. She had just finished a twenty-year course in childcare, only to find her child was already taller than her.

"You grew up so quickly, I barely got to experience being a mother. It's only been twenty years."

"For humans, twenty years is a long time," Lu Ke's voice was calm but tinged with a hint of melancholy. When he was sent over here in a truck, he was only in his mid-twenties.

"So, why are you here?"

Lainis picked up her wine glass and took a gentle sip, "Do you know why we lived in a cave at first?"

Lu Ke shook his head.

"Because elves don't fit well with other races," Lainis extended her hand, holding it up to the bright moonlight. Such delicate, smooth hands could only belong to a woman in her prime.

"Human lives are too short, like shooting stars in the sky. Building relationships with them is painful. Sometimes, it's just a small obstacle that trips you, or a brief pause in a place, and when you look back, they're already gone."

Lainis looked at Lu Ke, "Today, I want to teach you about parting."

"You should face all departures calmly, accepting that people will come and go in your life."

Lainis smiled, "Most elves don't need this lesson, but you seem to have more emotions than others."

"I don't think that's a bad thing. Besides, I'll probably become more like other elves over time," Lu Ke said nonchalantly, finishing his wine in one gulp and gazing at the moon, "Time will give the answer."

"Very true, time will give the answer," Lainis put down her glass and left the roof.

...

Life continued as usual. Lu Ke spent more of his daily time on magic, but his research on how magic could change matter had hit a snag.

He could already turn soil into water, but the process was too complicated, making it more of a toy. It was okay for dealing with weak enemies like Amir, but not enough for more advanced battles.

First, he had to imagine the soil as brown sugar, then brown sugar as brown sugar water, and finally, brown sugar water as clear water.

There were two research approaches: compressing the time for imagination or reducing the steps to a single transformation. The former required more mental and magical power, while the latter was harder, requiring a change in perception, which was difficult without early training.

When he asked Lainis for advice, she naturally said both methods could be achieved with time. Lu Ke could only rub his forehead and leave, feeling that asking her for help was foolish. He would have to find a better teacher.

The peaceful life was disrupted after more than a month.

One day, while practicing magic, Lu Ke was suddenly told to put on formal attire and go to Lady Roine. Without thinking much, he changed into his clothes and walked into the main hall, only to see a beautifully dressed noble lady with a delicate and beautiful face.

When she saw him enter, her face turned red, and she looked bashful.

"Hello, I'm Trela from the Gri family in the capital."

Lu Ke: "..."

He never thought he'd be faced with an arranged marriage in a different world.

"Miss Trela, please forgive my frankness," Lu Ke bowed slightly, "But we are not a good match."

Trela blinked, looking at Lu Ke's face and his handsome figure, and shook her head, "No, I think we're very suitable."

Lu Ke pointed to his ears, "Do you know who I am? I am an elf."

"I know," she replied, her gaze moving to his pointed ears, her face turning even redder.

He remembered reading in some stories that elves' ears were very sensitive, and just a light touch could...

"Elves don't age, and I can't be with you until old age. Even if you have white hair, I will still look like this. Can you understand that?"

Trela's eyes sparkled, "Isn't that better?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end