The night was quiet and peaceful as the town's residents had goo slumber. Only in the pubs and inhere noise as the adventurers and jolly people alike merrily ehe quiet time of the night.

  Ahing which stood out from the rest was a rge establishment which oozed out an aura of grandiosity and intimidation. It was a rge building which was also known as the rgest mertile establishment iown, the Goldstone pany!

  Gloom and deafening silened over the top floor of the pany's building as a man seriously furrowed his brows with a serious look on his face. Irked veins could be seen popping in his head as he tio forrow.

  k

  The shattering of a wine gss was the one which broke the deafening silehe furrowing man threw it into the wall as his anger reached his limit. He was ing his fist tightly as his blood tio boil.

  "What's taking them so long!?" ［Algerio］

  The owner of the voice was Goldstone pany's President, Algerio. He was a man in his forties with a rge stomach. He is known throughout the town for his endless greed and wicked personality.

  While he could be sidered capable as a mert, his personality as a person was amongst the worst there was. Many wao retaliate, but with Algerio's power and es, there was only so much they could do.

  Eveown lord who was the most iial and authoritative figure ierritory is having a hard time making him fess to his crimes. He was a cautious person who works ly and only trusts a couple of people.

  The reason for his rage was simple. It was because no matter how many days have passed, the meraries he had hired from a dark guild have still yet to plete their task. No, rather, they have yet to submit even a single report.

  Previously, he had sent out some of his men to abduct the lord's daughter, but they ultimately failed because of a pair of strangers. What's worse was that the lord had even hired those strangers as bodyguards for his daughter.

  Because of that, he turo the meraries known in the underworld, hoping they would get the job done. But there's still no news from them.

  He wao think that they had run away with the money he paid them, but after sidering their reputation, he highly doubted that it was the case. There was a detail he had missed.

  Knooock

  Just as Algerio was thinking hard about what could have happened with the meraries he hired, there was a sudden kno the door. The one knog was his butler whom he trusted the most.

  "How was it?" ［Algerio］

  Algerio asked his butler as he walked in. The tter walked ih a calm and posed expression on his face, trary to the irritated and hateful expression Algerio was wearing.

  He had asked to iigate the strangers who helped the lord's daughter for a few days. It arent that the iigation had cluded with his butler's entrance.

  "The strangers arrived at Moterno more than two weeks ago. From what I've learnt, the apparent reason for their visit is the opening of the Labyrinth of Death which they will be participating in. One of them was a female elven youth while the other was a male human youth, and.... They are both B-rankers." ［Butler］

  "B-rank?!" ［Algerio］

  A surprised voice echoed throughout the once silent room as Algerio heard the results of his butler's iigation. With that piece of information, he finally uood why there hasn't been any news yet.

  'No! No! No! At this rate, I will lose everything, including my wealth!' ［Algerio］

  Panisued in Algerio's mind. He didn't want to lose everything he had worked so hard on just because of a couple of brats. Especially when those brats just happeo be at the right pce at the right time.

  His fists were ched tighter than before to the point that his palms have started to hurt. It was then that aruck his head, and his panic have started to subside.

  'Right, wealth...' ［Algerio］

  The panicked expression he once wore was now being slowly repced with a sinister and dark smile which reached from ear to ear. His eyes were shimmering with light as he saw a golden opportunity before him.

  "Gabal, did you say they were here for the byrinth's opening?" ［Algerio］

  "Yes, I did." ［Gabal］

  "Haha... Hahaha.... Hahahahaha!" ［Algerio］

  A loud and sinister ugh echoed throughout the whole pany as Algerio bursted out in ughter like a madman. The fear he once had was now repced with joy of equal magnitude.

  He nning to use his wealth and abilities to manipute the two youths into his side. Them being young, they were more proo temptations. He saw a ce to acquire a pair of powerful pawns for himself.

  No matter how powerful people are, it is their nature to be greedy and fulfill their desires. Algerio only o move his hands a little a those hidden desires into awakening.

  "Gabal, you know what to do." ［Algerio］

  "Uood." ［Gabal］

  The butler immediately left to enact his master's order. He didn't ask any questions as he already uood what Algerio meant just by readiween the lines. It wasn't the first time it had happened.

  Meanwhile, Algerio who was left ihe room was now standing as he looked out the window of the room. He was fag the general dire of the Labyrinth whilst wearing a rge smile on his face.

  "Hahahaha! The Labyrinth's treasures are as good as mine!" ［Algerio］

  He reached out his hand as he ughed like a madman once again. He was now even more determihan before.

  ...

  ??Water Bde!?? ［Eliza］

  A thin bde of water flew towards a rge tree, leaving a slice mark oree's bark upon impact. It was as if a sword had struck it horizontally with a power surpassing that of an adult's.

  The three have already fihe quest they have taken within just an hour, and to make use of the remaining time, Grey and Yuna decided to train Eliza's skills once again and make her stronger.

  It's been more than a week since Eliza had started her training and as the days passed by, she got stronger and stronger. She could even take out a couple adult men with her strength.

  Unlike before, Eliza could now cast water spells and perform sword arts without failing. All of her tries were successful. Additionally, she has made quite the progress in learning mana redire and reabsorption.

  Of course, such rapid improvement in strength was only possible because the oeag her were Grey and Yuna. Grey's trainihod might be spartan style, but it was an effective one.

  "Alright, Liz, that's enough. With this, you have mastered the most basic magic of the water-attribute and swordsmanship. Let's move on to a higher level." ［Grey］

  "Eh? Am I going to learn new magics Elder Brrey?" ［Eliza］

  "Yeah. Yuna will be teag you 'Jet Stream' and I'm going to teach you 'Pierce'." ［Grey］

  "Let's try our hardest once again, Liz." ［Yuna］

  "U's do our best!" ［Eliza］

  Ahusiastic expression filled Eliza's face when she heard Grey and Yuna's words. Not only will she learn new magics, but she had also received Grey and Yuan's approval whom she so admired.

  Both "Jet Stream" and "Pierce" were basic-level magic just like "Heavy Ssh" and "Water Bde". Both also pack the same power as the tter, but it ehe user to have more ways to atta their arsenal.

  Both "Heavy Ssh" and "Water Bde" were attacks which sshes the enemy, while the new magic Grey and Yuna will be teag leans on the pierg side. The power they possess was trated rather than spread out.

  "??Jet Streaー wah!" ［Eliza］

  Eliza tried to jure the spell, but failed miserably, causing the water formed from mana to burst and spshed towards the surrounding. Eliza's face also became wet as she also got spshed on.

  Unlike "Water Bde" wherein one only o press water in a bde and shoot it, "Jet Stream" relies on the cepts of pressure and densation. cepts which she has a little bit of a hard time grasping.

  "Umm... Elder Sister Yuna, could I see it once again?" ［Eliza］

  "Un, sure! Watch closely... ??Jet Stream??!" ［Yuna］

  Eliza didn't waste the ce Yuna graced her with and observed how mana turned into water and how the spell had been released into the surroundings. She didn't blink even on the process.

  In sideration to Eliza who was closely, Yuna greatly toned down her casting speed so that Eliza could withe whole process. Otherwise, not even mid-rankers could catch a glimpse of it.

  The mana flowing out of Yuna's palm slowly turned into water. The water was densed into a dense sphere, and ohe limit had been reached, a small opening water opened up. With the help of mana pushing, the pressure in the sphere was greatly increased, bsting the water with high speeds.

  Seeing Yuna's performance, Eliza once again gathered mana in her palm to try once again. She tried to apply everything she had observed into her own spell.

  ??Jet Stream!?? ［Eliza］

  Uhe first attempt, on the sed one, Eliza mao create a stream of water, but unlike Yuna's spell, it greatly cked both pressure and amount of water. It just looked like a water hose rather than a spell.

  "Don't worry, Liz. Yetting there." ［Yuna］

  Yuna quickly patted Eliza's head the moment she saw her fail. She didn't want the little girl to feel downcast and disheartened from failing a sed time.

  With eyes full of determination, Eliza once again tried to perform the spell. She didn't get disced from failing, rather, her eyes burned with even more passion. She really wao master another spell.

  The attempt, she increased the amount of mana, thus creating more water and increasing the density of the sphere. She also increased the amount of mana to push the stream.

  ??Jet Stream!?? ［Eliza］

  A pressurized stream of water shot out from Eliza's palm and struck a tree once again. pared to the shing mark the "Water Bde" left before, the "Jet Stream" drilled a small hole iree.

  After three tries, Eliza finally mao perform the spell. It was still an outstanding record for someone who had just learned magic about a week ago.

  "I... I did it! Elder Sister Yuna, I did it!" ［Eliza］

  "Un, you did. Our Liz is such a smart girl, isn't she?" ［Yuna］

  Hearing Yuna's praise, a bright smile bloomed on Eliza's face. A smile which became brighter when Yuna patted her head. Of course, Eliza also responded holy in kind of Yuna's praise.

  "Hehehe, it's because Elder Sister Yuna is a good teacher!" ［Eliza］

  "Oh, you... you're just fttering your Elder Sister, aren't you?" ［Yuna］

  "No, I'm telling the truth! Elder Sister Yuna is smart, strong, and pretty. Aren't I right. Elder Brrey?!" ［Eliza］

  Eliza's response came as uedly as a response could. Rather than answering Yuna's question on her own, she alsed Grey into her and Yuna's teasing moment. Grey was taken quite aback by it.

  Anticipating Grey's answer, Yuna looked at Grey with eyes full of curiosity. It was a very rare occasion that Grey plimented her so she wao know his answer. She wao know what the man she loves thinks about her.

  Grey oher hand has bee filled with troubles. It was a difficult question to answer. He didn't know if he should be fully ho or just give his objective opinion. Just thinking about Yuna was enough to make his heart race.

  Especially when he saw Eliza's expet face. She was eagerly waiting frey's answer without an ounce of doubt in her face that Grey would have the same answer as her. It made it even more difficult frey.

  "Yep, Liz is right. Yuna is the most beautiful, smartest, and stro woman in the whole world." ［Grey］

  "See, I was right! Elder Sister Yuna is the best!" ［Eliza］

  Grey decided that it was best to answer Eliza's question in a pyful manner as she ying along with Eliza, making the tter very happy that Grey agreed with her assessment of Yuna.

  Oher hand, Yuna received a lot of damage from Grey's answer. Her fastantly turned beet red and feverish, and her heart raced as if she was running thousands upon thousands of kilometers a minute.

  Well, Yuna wasn't the only one who received damage from Grey's words. The man himself who said them has also self-destructed from his answer. His face was just as red as Yuna, embarrassed from his own answer.

  "Ahem! Right, Liz, why don't we start learning swordsmanship ? Let's do our best, alright?" ［Grey］

  "E-Eh?!" ［Eliza］

  But Eliza's happy face didn't st for a long time after she saw Grey's smiling face whose smile wasn't quite what it seemed to be. Eliza's body shivered as he saw that familiar smile on his face.

  To erase the embarrassment from his mind, Grey decided to turn his attention into training Eliza. He wao teach a little lesson to the little girl who was the cause of his embarrassment.

  "Don't worry too much, Liz. I'll make sure to thhly educate you." ［Grey］

  "P-Please be gentle..." ［Eliza］

  Terror ainted on Eliza's face as Grey grabbed a sword from his "Iory". She could still clearly remember how much of a demon Grey bees whes into his teacher mode.

  "Alright, let's start with thrusting the sword till your hands go numb. Follow my lead, alright, Liz?" ［Grey］

  "Uuu... U-Un!" ［Eliza］

  Eliza experiehe punishment she unknowingly brought down upon herself as she thrusted her sword tinuously for a couple of hours without rest. Each thrust bees faster and faster with experience.

  Even when Eliza's hands became numb, Grey just simply casted healing magi her and the her ti wasn't until the sky's color had started to ge that Eliza's training stopped.

  Of course, Grey still had some sside of him when he made the little girl thrust her sword in a seemingly endless loop. He promised to cook her more food if she could still thrust until they went home.

  Eliza's determination was fueled by Grey's promise and she worked even harder than before. She didn't mind the pain from thrusting her sword repeatedly and just focused on the reward at the end, making her pull through the demonic training.

  The amount of thrusts Eliza made was no joke. It was an amount not even cadets in the Royal Academy could endure. If it weren't frey's recovery spells, her hands would probably be bleeding from it.

  Just like their usual routine, after arriving back at Moterno, the first destination of the three were the Adventurers' Guild which has bee even more crowded with the Labyrinth's opening nearing.

  "Good evening, Mister Grey, Miss Yuna, and Lady Eliza. Are you here to process your quests as usual?" ［Anna］

  "Good evening." ［Yuna］

  "Yeah. It's a goblierminatio just like yesterday." ［Grey］

  "I see... Then just wait a moment, I'll process it quickly." ［Anna］

  Anna didn't waste any time and immediately inputted the data of the quest pletion to the main server. Just as she was doing so, she suddenly remembered something and made an "Ah!" sound.

  "I fot to mention, but there's a letter for you, Miss Yuna, Mister Grey." ［Anna］

  "A letter?" ［Grey］

  "Yes. It's a letter addressed to "Aster". It was delivered to the guild this m." ［Anna］

  Just as she eaking about it, Anna hahe letter trey and Yuna.

  It was a well-made letter, and when Grey peeked inside, he saeculiar crest embedded on it.

  Grey and Yuna were fused with the suddeer. They couldn't figure out who sent nor did they know anything they did which warrahe attention of someoh power.

  "Miss Anna, do you know who sent it?" ［Grey］

  "No, I don't. It was given to us by a messenger, other than that, we have no clue who sent it. And as members of the adventurer's guild, we have the right to open it and firm the sender." ［Anna］

  "I see..." ［Grey］

  "Oh, here are your cards. I've pleted the processing of the quest. Everything should be fine now." ［Anna］

  "Oh, thanks." ［Grey］

  "Thank you, Miss Anna." ［Yuna］

  With the pletion of the quest, Grey and pany headed outside the guild towards the mansion. Meanwhile, Anna tio tend to adventurers and also processed their quests.

  As they were on their way back to the mansion, Grey opened up the sealed letter, only to find out something he did not expect. The tents were obviously more than what it seems.

  "What does it say?" ［Yuna］

  "It's an invitation for tea, but I doubt that it's as simple as that." ［Grey］

  ------

  Dear Aster,

  I would love to iheir Excellencies, t Grey and tess Yuna into my humble abode to join me for an afternoon tea. If you would permit, my carriage will be waiting in the front of the Mert Guild's building until the clock strikes three. It would be my greatest joy and pleasure if Their Excellencies fulfill this humble one's wish.

  Yours truly,

  Argas

  ------

  CHAPTER 47 END