AN: Yo! Your lazy author present you chapter 54. Enjoy :D!

PR by Bboybrian

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The last day of our stay at the Shane house passed without anything notable happening. I reviewed the work of the alchemists to make sure they got everything right, then spent a few hours with the girls in town. In the evening, after dinner, I played a bit of violin for the Shane family. I ended my performance by singing “Because you loved me” from Celine Dion, along with Muriem. It brough both parents and daughter to tears.

One day, while reminiscing about things from my previous life, this song came to my mind. It had won an award, and I had loved it very much. I decided I would sing this to my parents for new year. Since there was a holiday at the end of the year, we would be going back to Argot. I wanted to sing it with the girls for all those people who took care of us. Surprisingly, Kerrina, who prefered to be on the listening side, joined the practice. I guessed that after hearing the song she felt the need to sing for her parents.

That song had a great effect on Eliane, Denis and Marissa. In fact, I even got irritated at myself for forgetting to sing it to our own folks at Argot first. I really wanted to sing something for the Shanes, but with a boy in their house I didn't want to sing a love song for lovers. I thought one about family would be nice, and coincidentaly I had stated singing this one with the girls at home.

Well, the song had an effect on Kerrina and Muriem as well, as they both snuck in my room late at night. Not to do anything naughty though. They just wanted to be with their beloved one. Thinking about the song, I did teach them and advise them a lot, and they wouldn't be there without me. From the way they were holding onto me, I coul feel the weight of their feelings for me.

In the darkness, I shed a tear of happiness. I hadn't felt like that in my previous life. Being strongly loved by someone other than family, gave me an incredible feeling. I asserted once more how important those two girls were to me, how much I loved them. I held firmly onto these girls that had become a vital part of my life and drifted into a wonderful slumber.

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The next day we left quite early to avoid having to camp on the way. It took us 3 days before because we were with Eliane and her escort, but by oursleves we would move faster. We had already said our farewell the night before to the parents, and only Elinae was there to see us of along with the butler. After a short talk, we left.

We could have stayed longer, but I didn't want to. My schedule during school time was too packed. The holiday was a good opportunity to train in hand-to-hand combat, work on my research, and spend some quality time with my girls. I had already lost a third of my holiday time, I didn't want to waste more.

The first day of travel went without trouble. The night at the inn was a very active one since we had spent 8 days without doing anything. In the morning we had to pay a bonus to the innkeeper for all the noise we made during the night. I felt a little guilty for the poor guy who was just conducting his business, so I gave him a little extra, to give the other guests a free meal as an apology.

Then we went back on the road, expecting to reach the capital by nightfall. It was still morning, I was driving while the girls were relaxing at the back, though it wasn't really necessary. Komodo was smart enough to take us home without any instructions on our part. It was more for the sake of having a second person keep an eye on the road.

Aenthar: “Girls, get ready for trouble!”

As I said that, I made Komodo slow down, to give us some time for preparations.

Muriem: “What's going on?”

Aenthar: “I think there are people around the corner ahead.”

I didn't tell the girls about how powerful my perception of mana was. They still didn't know I could sense and even identify people on a very wide range. After several months of training that ability in the academy and the capital, it had almost become frightening. And here in the empty wilderness, it was even easier to detect presences. The turn on the road was still around 300m away from us when I noticed several presences on each side of the road, remaining completely motionless. A typical ambush.

Aenthar: “Muriem, deploy the shields. Kerrina, at the back with your bow ready.”

The shields were a modification I made after settling down in the capital. The cover of the cart was just common fabric, waterproof, but not arrow-proof or spear-proof. I wanted the inside to be protected from projectiles if necessary, thus the shields. Those shields just turned out to be the seats of the cart. Pull them on one side and they make a bed, pull them on the other side and they rise to make a cover.

At a distance of around 250m, I casted some spells. First, I casted the improved version of speed enhancement, 'haste', on all of us including Komodo. Then I added strenght enhancement. I was sure that they wouldn't be able to detect the use of magic at that range. Most mages can't detect the activation of magic beyond 200m. When we reached the 200m distance with the enemy, I warned the girls.

Aenthar: “There are 9 people. 5 on the left side, 4 on the right side. There are 3 mages, 2 on the left side and 1 on the right side. A good way to handle them is by using 'Divide and Conquert'. I will launch a preemptive attack with fire, and separate them with a fire wall on the road. When I do so, Kerrina, you will take Komodo and circle through the woods to take the group on the right. Muriem and I will take the left one.”

Muriem: “Are you sure you want us to be separated?”

Aenthar: “Kerrina is too skillful with the bow and arrow in the forest. Komodo is a fearsome close combat opponent, and the mages are average at best. They probably aren't a very skilled group. Kerrina and Komodo can take 4 of them. I will just overpower the other 5 and you will deal the final blow.”

As I said that, we reached the 150m distance, and I lost all reservation toward them. I started to slowly gather mana, then suddenly increased the intensity. Within a few seconds, I had gathered an amount of mana that made the 3 hidden mage move. I released 2 big fireball toward the places where the enemies were hidden. Then I erected a big firewall on the road as the previous fireballs exploded on their targets.

When I casted the spells, Muriem had released the harness on Komodo and the cart stopped. Kerrina jumped at the back and called Komodo as she dashed in the woods. The serran followed her obediantly. Muriem jumped from the front of the cart and dashed toward the left with her halberd as I followed her with staff in hand. I could tell that the mages had safely evaded my preemptive attack, but the others were probably not as successful. They were close to the point of impact, so I expected some wounded.

Most people would avoid using fire magic in a forest, but I wasn't one of them as I was confident of using either water or earth magic to deal with it. And I was sure the fire would unsettle the enemy, especially when they were probably not expecting it.

Moving swiftly, crossing 150m didn't take us more than 10 seconds. I harrassed the enemy with fire arrows. My earlier attack had made them retreat further into the woods, making them lose sight of us. But I could accurately guess their positions, forcing them to take cover. I quickly indicated to Muriem their position using hand signs, then casted a ward on them and sent her towards two of the most isolated targets.

Those two were the mages. As mages, they could detect my magic, and since my magic was a lot higher than theirs, they were probably greatly intimidated, if not on the verge of panicking. After all, I had attacked them from more than 100m away with powerfull magic, they have to be pretty shaken up. And they were more likely focusing on me, making them easy prey for Muriem.

On the other side of the road, they had a water mage. After the initial shock, he or she had started to put out the fires, while the other 3 were covering for her. I could sense Komodo closing on them from behind, with Kerrina trying to keep up with him. They had started to move toward our side when they stopped. They turned around, probably noticing the advance of Komodo.

I felt something, and suddenly I lost one of the opponent's mana. I surmissed he had died, killed by a shot from Kerrina. At around the same time, Muriem had gotten close to one of the mage and his mana disappeared from my perception. The mages were too busy trying to hit me in those woods to notice her approach.

As for myself, I dealt with the remaining 3 people on my side by using the same tactic I used the first time we had the monthly battle at the academy. Pithole and earth spikes. Though I went easy on the spikes. At least on one of them. I killed the other 2. Komodo had also reached the group on the road and was fighting 2 of the 3 men.

Aenthar: “GIRLS, LEAVE ONE ALIVE!!” 'Shit, I should have told them that earlier.'

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AN: See ya!