Chapter 64
Lyana stood behind him.
He relaxed.
"Princess," he said, taking a formal posture.
Lyana furrowed her brows but didn't express her displeasure.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked again in a polite tone.
Azek sensed her intention for an informal conversation.
He relaxed his posture slightly and replied,
"I was thinking about how the monster army managed to attack the town in such a short time."
He spoke plainly, voicing what was on his mind.
Helen's steps halted. She stood some distance away from the temporary camp. Quietly, she moved behind a corner and listened.
Lyana looked into Azek's eyes.
His black pupils were devoid of emotion, yet there was an unfathomable depth in them that didn't align with his age.
Whenever she interacted with him, he gave off a strange feeling—like someone who had already seen too much of the world. He carried the same profound presence as middle-aged ministers.
She scrutinized him for a few seconds, then sighed.
"Straight to the point, I see. Well, what are your thoughts about it?"
"I haven't reached any plausible conclusion. But there is one thing still unclear—the mole hasn't shown up throughout the battle. They've become cautious."
Lyana shook her head.
"But it doesn't change the fact that the monster army still came to attack the town in such a short amount of time. And we don't know whether this is only the beginning of a tragedy."
Her words conveyed a harsh truth.
Azek fell into deep thought.
"Now, now, this is not something you need to worry about. Leave these complicated matters to the adults."
Helen stepped out from behind the corner and addressed them in a cheerful tone.
Azek looked confused about her identity, while Lyana turned toward her and greeted,
"Master Helen."
Helen returned the greeting respectfully.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of the Princess."
Lyana's eyes showed a hint of delight.
"Since Master is here, I'm sure things will turn out well."
"Hahaha, I'll be sure to meet expectations."
They exchanged a few words while Azek simply gave a light bow and observed.
After the initial exchange, Lyana introduced him.
"Master Helen, this is Azek Willowheart, a first-year at the academy—the one who completed the new mana command spell.
And Azek, this is Master Helen from the Magic Tower, a fire mage who controls large-scale destruction spells."
Helen examined him from head to toe with interest.
Azek felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze but maintained a respectful posture.
Helen was a name worthy of reverence in the Magic Tower.
"Mmm," she nodded. "I've already spoken with Serbian, and he has grasped the basics of mana excitation. But it's still incomplete. He still requires the power of holy amulets to combine and burn through black magic. However, he told me that Azek has completely mastered the command and can purify black magic with incredible precision."
She paused and fixed her gaze on Azek.
"So, I was thinking—why don't you teach me your mana command spell personally, young man?"
Azek met her eyes. Her tone remained cheerful, but unlike before, there was a clear thirst for knowledge in them—a desire to learn and overcome a challenge.
She was indeed worthy of the title "Master."
"I would be happy to oblige, Master Helen. However, whether I can successfully teach it is another matter entirely. Please forgive me if it falls short, as I am still a student and lack experience in teaching."
Azek maintained polite manners as he spoke.
She chuckled.
"If even that stoic Serbian can teach me, then you won't be worse than him, at least. So you don't need to worry. Besides, I'm a good student."
The wrinkles on her face revealed her age, but her manner of speaking suggested something entirely different. If one only heard her voice, they might mistake her for a young woman rather than a middle-aged master.
"I would like to sit in your class as well, if you don't mind," Lyana added.
Azek nodded.
Helen left, satisfied after discussing the situation and deciding on the right time to learn the mana command.
Lyana returned to her lodging as the mages began to disperse.
Azek looked at the distant sky, filled with stars and the moon.
It was a cold night.
He soon returned to his tent.
The town had been completely burned down.
Only rubble and collapsed buildings remained, riddled with holes.
The town gate and walls were gone.
People whose homes had been destroyed stood in despair.
A broken home, a damaged shop, a shattered cart....
Thungs were fine just yesterday.
But now everything had done down the drain.
A young man sat down in front of his home, which only had its door left, and started sobbing.
A little girl clutched her mother's hand, crying uncontrollably.
All around, people sobbed as they looked upon the ruins of their hometown.
Azek observed the scene and walked toward the little girl.
He took something out of his pocket and handed it to her.
It was a paper star.
He gently patted her head and said,
"Don't cry. We'll build you a new home."
"A new home?" the little girl asked through her tears.
"Mmm. Just watch."
He stood up and walked toward the center of town.
Helen and Doris were already there, discussing something while the mages gathered.
Once everyone had assembled, Doris spoke:
"We have only 24 hours to repair the town. Within 12 hours, the basic structures must be completed, and by tomorrow morning, everything should be finished. We can't let people stay in the camp for long—and most importantly, we don't know if another attack is coming."
A large map was displayed on a stone wall in the plaza.
"Areas have been assigned. Tasks are divided. Begin immediately."
After the short briefing, everyone got to work.
Azek was assigned to the earth mages. Their task was to grind and refine the rubble into usable material. Water mages would mix it, and fire mages would dry and shape it into bricks.
Though this method was extravagant in terms of magic usage, restoring the town was the priority.
Helen had also brought plenty of magic crystals to support the effort.
Crack.
Shrrr.
Tuck. Tuck.
Thud.
The sounds of construction filled the air as the earth was reshaped and the framework laid down.
The new layout was strategically designed to improve the town's safety and defenses.
By sunset, the basic infrastructure had been completed.
The town wall was already 70% finished, with a sturdier base and a larger gate than before.
The mages, exhausted from a full day's work, were having a hearty meal when suddenly—
A person came running toward the town.
A guard on watch noticed him and fired a signal flare.
Helen landed on the wall within seconds.
The figure came into view.
A northern villager.
A low-grade monster chased behind him.
Helen cast a spell—the monster died instantly, and the villager finally got a moment to breathe.
He collapsed right in front of the gate.