Chapter 48 Balance and Suspicion part 2 – Cassis

  The next morning Cassis asked Arianna about her Blessings and Curses. “I didn’t get to it yesterday, but you have been using your Growth Blessing during physical training, haven’t you?” He wanted to be sure she hadn’t forgotten again.

  Arianna rolled her eyes, but she really couldn’t fault him for asking. She had already forgotten quite a few things. “Yes, I’m casting the Blessing every morning. It spills over to the trainees near me since I’m a blessed avatar.”

  Cassis nodded, that was good. Now he had a request for her. “Great. Then for today and the remainder of the week, can you give me a Gravity Curse? It will make my physical training more effective. And if it also spills over to the trainees that will be even better.”

  Arianna looked at him like he was crazy but promised to do it.

  After a short breakfast, Cassis and Arianna met the trainees at the outer sports ground. The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp earth and sweat as soldiers gathered for training. An obstacle course stretched before them—a series of climbing walls, rope swings, and endurance stations designed to push physical limits.

  Cassis found the course perfect for stamina training. His own Stamina Capacity feature had already reached Expert rank, and with his Learning Boost, he expected most soldiers—and possibly even Arianna—to reach Intermediate by the end of the week. He was particularly eager to push his own limits, aiming for Master rank.

  For a warrior like him, Stamina Capacity was critical. Just as Mana Saturation determined how much mana his body could store, Stamina Capacity dictated how well he could integrate mana into his muscles and movements. It was a subconscious process—one that needed to be. In battle, there was no time to consciously regulate mana flow through every part of his body. Balance was crucial, and he was grateful the system provided a feature that handled it automatically. But like everything the system granted, it only improved through pushing past limitations.

  With that in mind, he set the trainees, Arianna and himself on the course. Just a bit later he felt the Gravity curse take hold. The trainees must have felt a subtle pressure, too, but couldn’t be sure where it was coming from or if it was just their imagination.

  Predictably, the loudest complaints didn’t come from the youngest, oldest or the lowest-ranking soldiers. Instead, the highest military ranks groaned the most. Cassis wasn’t surprised. Lower-ranking soldiers still went through basic training regularly, while officers spent more time in strategic roles. They were clearly out of practice.

  By the end of the exercise, Arianna remained at Beginner level. Cassis took note but wasn’t concerned—it just meant she’d be running the course again over the next few days. The warrior and ranger trainees managed to push their Stamina Capacity to Beginner, while the mages and clerics reached Basic. If they kept up the pace, they’d all hit Intermediate soon enough with some probably pushing to Advanced.

  After the obstacle course, he had everyone drill fundamental combat skills: Slash, Stab, Bludgeon, Parry, and Deflect. The trainees already knew them, but they also needed to have a more relaxed time where they could sometimes change angels or use different strength levels to find the perfect fit of the techniques for them. Dodge could only be properly trained during sparring, so that would come later.

  When the time for sparring arrived, Arianna was excused. She needed to focus on healing the trainees, and she looked more relieved than disappointed. Still, Cassis made a mental note—maybe he could convince her to spar in the evening instead. She might not like it, but she also knew and hopefully appreciated that sparring with him would help her in the long run.

  The sparring matches were intense, with Arianna casting frequent healing spells to keep the trainees in fighting shape. He was somehow surprised but at the same time not just how far away she could already cast her Heal spell. Lately it was like every time Arianna did something with mana unexpected things happened. It was getting normal for her to just do something that shouldn’t be possible at F-rank.

  The morning passed in a blur of strikes, dodges, and bruises, until finally, lunchtime arrived. Cassis dismissed everyone, sending them off to shower and eat before the afternoon session.

  Back in his room while waiting for Arianna to finish showering, he checked his system messages.

  [Profession: Instructor Level Up! Profession: Instructor Level Up!]

  He grinned. He was already level three.

  During lunch in the cafeteria, Cassis and Arianna met up with Faith—who, somewhat unexpectedly, was pulling Brice along with her. Cassis raised an eyebrow at the sight. There was an ease between them, a familiarity that suggested they might know each other outside of their professional roles. Was Brice an old family friend? Maybe even an uncle figure to Faith? It wasn’t impossible. She seemed far too comfortable with him for their relationship to be purely professional. Or was this something they were supposed to think and it was all just an act?

  Brice, in his mid-fifties, walked with his usual composed demeanour, his expression unreadable. Faith, in contrast, beamed when she spotted them and jumped right into the conversation, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Cassis barely got a word in, and Arianna was the one who mostly kept up with Faith’s energy. He let them talk, observing quietly.

  Brice, same as him, remained mostly silent. The older man had a quiet, almost brooding presence—so different from the future despot who had stood before the world, declaring Freedom through Strength while enforcing his rule with mass-produced slave collars. Cassis shuddered just thinking about it. The memory of those dark days threatened to claw its way to the surface, but he forced it back down.

  Not now. Not yet.

  He couldn’t kill Brice here, not in this moment. But one day, he would. He swore it to himself.

  Pushing the thought aside, he turned to Brice who had been watching Arianna and Faith, possibly still puzzled by Arianna’s change in personality. Cassis asked, “Arianna and I need to give an interview to a few reporters in the next few days. Would it be possible for them to come here in the evening?”

  Brice didn’t so much as blink. His voice remained even. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. This is a military zone, and journalists can’t just enter at will.”

  Cassis had expected that answer, but before he could respond, Brice continued, “However, we could drive you outside Fort Vale, to the nearby village. You could meet them there in the evening.”

  Cassis blinked. That was… unexpectedly considerate. A compromise that allowed Brice to maintain security while still accommodating their request.

  And then the realization settled in, followed swiftly by disgust.

  That’s the mark of a master manipulator.

  Brice wasn’t just cold efficiency wrapped in a military uniform—he was dangerously good at playing the long game, at offering just enough to keep people from resisting too soon. Another piece of evidence that something sinister lurked beneath his calm expression.

  Cassis forced a smile. “Yes, thank you. That will work. I’ll text my friend and ask when the journalists are available.”

  Brice gave a small nod, nothing more, and returned to his meal. Cassis did the same, keeping his gaze trained on his plate while sending a message to Elena.

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  Meanwhile, Faith and Arianna continued chatting at full speed, jumping from topic to topic without hesitation. One second, they were discussing movies, the next, they were on to combat training, and then suddenly circling back to something they’d mentioned ten minutes ago. Cassis didn’t even try to keep up. He would never understand how they did that.

  He shook his head slightly, stabbing a piece of food with his fork. If Faith was acting, she was exceptional and if she was genuine, then it seemed like Arianna had found a new friend.

  After lunch, they had some free time. Arianna remained engaged in conversation with Faith, their voices a steady hum of chatter in the background. Cassis, meanwhile, checked his phone and saw a new message from Elena.

  The journalists can meet you tomorrow evening at the village. There’s a café called The Oak & Brew. I’ll send you the address.

  Cassis took note of the location and decided to tell Faith as she was Brice’s assistant. She was immediately intrigued, her eyes lighting up with interest at the mention of interviews and media exposure.

  “You’re really doing interviews?” she asked, leaning in slightly. “I’d love to see how that goes.”

  Arianna, ever spontaneous, invited her along without hesitation. “You should come watch. It’ll be our first time doing an interview too, so we might need moral support.”

  Faith grinned. “Sounds like fun. I can drive you there if Commander Brice is okay with it.”

  “Great,” Arianna said, glancing at Cassis. “It’s his idea anyway, so I doubt he’ll have a problem with it.”

  Faith nodded. “Still, I’ll ask him just to be sure. You should confirm the date with the journalists, though.”

  Cassis agreed and sent a quick reply to Elena while Arianna and Faith continued their conversation. He wasn’t sure how they managed to keep their energy levels so high—Faith’s excitement never seemed to wane, and Arianna matched her effortlessly. He shook his head slightly.

  Soon, it was time for Arianna’s lesson.

  By now, all the trainees could perceive their mana colour, though some just barely. Arianna moved among them, giving instructions and assigning exercises, her tone firm but patient. Cassis found himself caught in the same routine as the others, practicing his mana control, though he would have much rather gone another round on the obstacle course.

  Arianna turned to him; arms crossed. “Keep working on your mana pattern. I’ll help you in a few minutes.”

  Cassis sighed, already dreading the inevitable headache. Mana training felt like flexing a muscle he had never even moved before—exhausting in the moment, worse afterward. He had never suffered from migraines, but he imagined this was what they felt like.

  Meanwhile, Arianna barely seemed affected. A slight headache at most, never the kind of debilitating pain that had him and the others wincing. Was it because of her necklace, as she believed? Or was it something else—her origin as a deity, or sheer talent?

  Cassis still didn’t fully understand how she was a deity. Looking at her now, chatting easily with Faith and guiding the trainees through their exercises, she was just a woman. A human from a world much like his own.

  But that necklace... There was something about it. They had no real answers yet, only speculation. How much did it help her? How much of her talent was innate, and how much was divine intervention?

  Before he could spiral further into thought, Arianna’s voice snapped him back to the present. She was watching him with a knowing expression, one brow slightly raised.

  His turn.

  Suppressing a groan, he mustered a crooked smile.

  Arianna stepped closer, placing her hand on his chest. He felt the familiar sensation of her mana seeping into him—warm, controlled, guiding. With her assistance, shaping his mana pattern became effortless. The energy flowed as it should, aligning in a never-ending inferno.

  Then she pulled away.

  Immediately, the balance wavered. It became harder, then harder still, until he was gritting his teeth, struggling to maintain the same control she had effortlessly imposed.

  He exhaled sharply.

  It was going to be a long afternoon.

  Cassis got up, holding his aching head just like the other trainees. Arianna really was relentless. He knew that he had improved, just like the others. His energy perception had finally ranked up to expert. He could now understand the mana flow much better after practicing extensively with Arianna and observing her help her other students. He felt like he was close to grasping how she guided the flames in his pattern, but he still couldn't replicate it with the same ease.

  Was she still running her own pattern? Had she managed to push it throughout her whole body? He would have to ask her.

  The trainees left with pained groans, a few managing a tired "good night." Arianna still looked at them as if they were exaggerating. She just didn’t understand.

  He walked up to her and asked, "Do you want to spar or maybe go through the obstacle course again?" He needed her to become strong. Strong enough to survive on her own if she insisted on becoming more independent.

  Arianna sighed dramatically as if she were suffering immensely, but she surprised him by actually agreeing to it.

  "I don’t want to spar right now, and I feel like Faith is watching us closely," she said, having noticed Faith entering the gym.

  "Hi, guys. I asked the commander, and he said it’s okay for me to drive you to your interview tomorrow after training. What are you doing now?" Faith asked.

  "That’s great. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. We actually want to do the obstacle course again," Arianna replied.

  "Oh," Faith said, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

  At Faith’s dejected look, Arianna grinned. "Want to join us?"

  That brightened Faith’s expression instantly, and Cassis caught himself thinking of her like some kind of puppy. The comparison was a little rude, but it fit surprisingly well. She had abundant energy, yapped all the time, and was easily distracted from negative situations or experiences—or at least that’s what he had seen of her so far.

  Together, they ran the course once. Faith performed surprisingly well, and she proudly told them that she was already level 9, soon to reach level 10.

  Arianna congratulated her and asked if she wanted to sit in on the lessons so she could rank up her abilities and get a good advanced class. Faith was excited about the idea but said she would need to clear it with Commander Brice first.

  They prepared to start the course again, but Cassis' phone rang. His mother was calling. He excused himself, leaving Arianna and Faith to run the course by themselves.

  "Hi, Mom," Cassis greeted as he answered the call.

  "Hi, honey. How are you? You didn’t call yesterday."

  Oh. He had forgotten. "Sorry, Mom. I got caught up in things. There was a lot to do. Everything’s fine."

  "That’s good. Everything’s fine here too—well, not quite." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Did you know Liam has a boyfriend? He’s been hiding him from all of us for a year now. And he’s quite a bit older than Liam, but I have to say, he’s a very good-looking young man."

  Cassis suppressed a sigh. Why did the women in his life insist on commenting on Camden’s looks? Even Arianna had mentioned it.

  "I see," he said carefully. "Yeah, I met him the other day. I was pretty surprised." That was an understatement.

  "And you didn’t tell us?"

  "Well, Mom, it’s Liam’s boyfriend. He wanted to tell you himself. How did you meet him?"

  "Ah, well," she said, her voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "Liam brought him to dinner yesterday. And do you know why? He’s moving in with him. Liam says there isn’t enough space in the house anymore, what with Matteo and Felicia staying permanently and Helen’s long-term visit—though that will be ending soon."

  Cassis opened his mouth to ask about Helen, but his mother pressed on.

  "Okay, we’ll get to that in a second. Camden is actually in the process of buying a house on our street. You remember the neighbours who lived two doors down? The whole family passed away during, you know—it’s just so tragic. Their relatives are selling the house since they already have one of their own. Camden says the price is quite low, and apparently, that’s true for houses all over. It seems a lot of people are selling."

  That was useful information. Cassis’s mind flickered to memories of the other timeline. Hadn’t something similar happened then? He recalled selling his parents’ house, unable to bear living there after they had died. He hadn’t gotten much for it—too many properties had flooded the market at once.

  Cassis was already forming a plan in his mind when he spotted Arianna and Faith approaching. He waved to Arianna, signalling for her to come over. Faith, seemingly aware that he wanted privacy, gave them a quick goodnight and walked off.

  His mother continued, oblivious to his thoughts and Arianna’s presence though Cassis put her on speaker so Arianna could listen in. "After hearing that, Helen started looking at houses online. Our direct neighbours, the Jacksons, are moving too—they want to be closer to family. And do you remember the family across the street? Their nineteen-year-old son survived, but his parents didn’t. He’s selling the house and moving in with his grandparents. Such a poor boy."

  Finally, a break in his mother story. "Arianna just got here, Mom. You’re on speaker, okay?"

  His mother’s voice brightened instantly. "Hi, Arianna! How are you? I hope everything’s going well. And is my son behaving?"

  Before Arianna could do more than laugh and greet her, Danielle carried on excitedly.

  "I was just telling Cassis that a lot of people are selling their homes at low prices. Some of our neighbours too! Helen is buying a house, and so is Camden. Oh, and Liam is moving in with him."

  Arianna let out a delighted squeal, matching his mother’s excitement. Cassis winced. He had spent enough time teaching teenagers to recognize that particular pitch—one very few people could produce.

  Still, despite their enthusiasm, he couldn’t shake a strange feeling about Liam moving in with Camden. He kept his thoughts to himself. He wasn’t stupid. He had already made a mess of things three days ago when he lost his temper in front of Liam and Camden. Best to wait and watch. If Camden ever hurt his little brother... then, well, he would have reason to step in.

  A slow smile curled his lips at the thought, but it must have looked a little too sinister because Arianna gave him a suspicious glance.

  "That’s great," she said pointedly. "Liam loves him very much, and Camden is such a dear. He’s good-looking and really looks out for Liam."

  She met his gaze directly, her stare meaningful. Cassis held it for a moment before giving a small nod.

  He wouldn’t do anything to Camden. Not yet, anyway. And only if he hurt Liam.