After waking up, the three had coffee that the dwarf himself had brought the previous night. Sitting around the table, none of them said anything, just stared at each other's faces.
While Brighid's thoughts went back to last night's conversation, Colin thought about his fight with Wiben, especially the sensations he felt after it.
Sometimes, flashes from yesterday would pass through his mind as if it were a short film. The touch of the woman he slept with, the lust, the violence, everything had deeply impacted him, and he wanted it to happen again, but, at the same time, he knew he should restrain himself.
"What are we going to do today?" Sapphire asked.
"Can you recreate that simulated plan?" Colin asked, his eyes on the beautiful Brighid.
She nodded and finished swallowing the honey bread.
"Yes..."
"Alright, that time with Bakurak, I managed to recreate a lightning dagger with mana, but I can't create it anymore, why?"
Brighid thought for a moment.
"It's likely that you need to increase your visual library and the way you can materialize mana." She pointed to her head. "Magical materialization starts here, with the idea of what you want to create, what you want to do." She pointed to her stomach. "Then, it happens here, where the energy will be released to the rest of your body."
Colin nodded.
"Let's finish breakfast and then we'll go to a weapon shop and then to the library."
And so it happened.
Colin, Brighid, and Sapphire finally arrived at Ultan's legendary sword shop, known for its magical and unique creations.
The shop's facade was adorned with ancient symbols and elaborate carvings, exuding an aura of Migth.
As they pushed open the heavy oak doors, the sound of tinkling bells echoed, announcing their entrance.
The interior of the shop was breathtaking.
Walls covered in dark velvet were decorated with swords of all types and sizes. In the center of the room, a display case exhibited glowing magical artifacts, each emitting a soft glow that danced through the environment.
It was hard not to be amazed.
The three began to explore the shop, carefully examining each sword. There were blades enchanted with ancient runes, gleaming with magical power. Others had hilts carved with intricate details and inlaid precious stones that seemed to pulse with energy.
Brighid took a small notebook from her pocket and, with a mana-infused quill, began to draw those artifacts in various positions.
It would be easier for all of them to memorize them that way.
In a corner of the shop, Sapphire found a short sword with an intricate guard that resembled phoenix wings.
When she touched the blade, a comforting warmth spread through her body, and she knew that this sword was destined to be hers.
"Can we keep this one?" she asked excitedly.
Colin looked at the price and his eyes widened.
It cost twice what he had in the safe.
"Forget it, better to focus on memorizing it."
Brighid was enchanted by a pair of twin daggers with silver hilts and shimmering blue gems. Without wasting time, she drew them.
Colin was fascinated by a long sword with an ebony hilt and runes engraved on the blade. When he wielded it, he felt an electric energy coursing through his body, but it was a sword as expensive as the one Sapphire desired.
The shop was crowded, and the attendants ignored them to focus on customers who actually seemed to have money.
They left the same way they entered, without buying anything at all.
They walked through the busy city streets towards the library, attracting curious glances wherever they went.
Brighid, with her almost angelic beauty, seemed to have stepped out of a fairy tale, with flowing greenish hair and emerald eyes that captured the sunlight.
Sometimes, people could barely tear their gaze away from her captivating aura.
Sapphire, on the other hand, attracted attention due to her elegant horns that gracefully emerged from her forehead, and Colin was the center of recent rumors in the city, thanks to a small incident that occurred when an annoying nobleman got involved with him and ended up getting hurt.
The rumor of a Dark Elf who did not fear the wrath of nobles spread quickly through the city's alleys and taverns.
Upon arriving at the library, their eyes widened in admiration.
The majestic facade of the library rose above them, with detailed sculptures adorning the columns and large solid oak doors opening to reveal a stunning sight.
The interior was a wonder for knowledge lovers.
Large dark wooden shelves stretched as far as the eye could see, filled with dusty books and ancient scrolls.
Sunlight streamed through the high windows, creating golden rays that illuminated the main hall.
Brighid, Sapphire, and Colin walked further inside, absorbing the atmosphere of wisdom that hung in the air.
They passed by several interesting titles, and Brighid began to pick up all the ones she would take home, including romances she considered reading, while the other two would dedicate hours and hours to their training.
After their visit, they returned to the inn with a bag full of books.
Brighid handed the notebook with the swords to Colin and Sapphire to look at while she began to prepare her magic circle for the simulated plan.
As soon as she finished, she asked them to change, and they did.
Colin wore only shorts, while the other two wore tank tops and short shorts. Brighid felt his predatory gaze on her now and then, but she ignored it.
From what she knew of men, she judged that it must be common for them, even if Colin conveyed no attraction beyond his gaze.
After an enchantment, they were transported to an open field, where there was a leafy Heaving in the background, short grass, and a not-so-hot sun.
The weather was perfect.
"Alright, pay attention," Brighid said. "What I want you to do is materialize the objects that are in my notebook. Remember, first you need to have a clear idea, only then try to materialize what you want, understood?"
They nodded.
"Great. If you need me, I'll be reading the books I bought under that Sea."
Brighid moved away, then Colin and Sapphire faced each other.
"Who starts?" Colin asked.
"Okay... it can be me..." She bent her knees and stretched out her right arm. "First we need the idea, and then let the mana flow, right?"
Narrowing her eyes, she concentrated.
After a few seconds, her reddish mana, hot like fire, began to flow through her body, until something began to materialize in her right hand.
It started flickering like a flame in the wind, until it took the form of a sword, then quickly dissolved, with Sapphire falling to her knees.
It lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to leave her covered in sweat.
"Damn! I almost got it!" she exclaimed, panting.
"The sword, with the phoenix wings, you tried to create it, right?"
Sapphire nodded. "The image of it remains clear in my head, but it's difficult to transform the idea into matter. Your turn, Mr. Colin!"
"Okay..."
Colin concentrated. He stretched out his right hand as the ebony sword he saw in the weapon shop began to materialize in his hand.
He was taking longer than Sapphire, but his materialization was aesthetically more beautiful.
However, just like Sapphire, exhaustion reached his body.
"This is harder than it looks..." He offered his hand to Sapphire. "Let's continue, it was just the first attempt."
"Okay!"
Sitting with her back against the tree, Brighid kept her eyes on her students while the open book covered her nose and mouth.
"Their ability is reflected even in this... Sapphire has a larger mana reserve, so she doesn't need to prioritize quality as much, since if she uses too much mana, the process will self-refine. Colin, on the other hand, has little mana and focuses on quality. If he wastes too much mana on this, he will become incapacitated, and that could be disastrous in combat."
Those two kept trying and failing, and although it was an exhausting task, they seemed to be having fun. Colin laughed at seeing Sapphire fail, but continued to encourage her, while Sapphire encouraged him without laughing.
They had a good relationship, they seemed like father and daughter, or even siblings.
Without realizing it, Brighid was smiling. Moments like that were good; they pushed away bad memories, making room for good ones. Her connection with those two even scared her.
Part of her wanted to protect Sapphire from anything that could harm her, but regarding Colin, that changed. Instead of wanting to protect him, she wanted to be protected by him.
It was an extremely new feeling, and pleasant to a certain extent. She still couldn't understand how being alone with him made her so vulnerable and stirred things in her that even frightened her.
Fairies usually didn't have this kind of attraction to just anyone; it was extremely rare.
Her heart told her to keep getting closer, while her head told her that wasn't a good idea. Colin was as intriguing as he was mysterious, and that made her curious.
Damn! This could hinder my decisions, calm down, Brighid, you need to keep an eye on him, the dark side of his mana requires constant vigilance, but... it's Colin, right? He protected me in that alley... he freed me from that chest without wanting anything in return... there's no way he can be bad...
She shook her head, pushing those thoughts away. She went back to reading her romance, until she lowered the book again, keeping an eye on them.
She focused on her companion's smile, on his sweaty body that was becoming more toned. She imagined last night's conversation, where, in a hypothetical situation, she had acted on what would happen.
Damn, damn, damn! Why him? Colin slept with that woman from the village, right? And yesterday he not only fought with the nobleman, but he came back smelling of those brothels, she saddened. Can a man like that love me? Damn! I keep thinking about this, it must be this big body. Control yourself, Brighid! If this continues, it will only make you seem desperate, and remember what mom said, right? Men don't like desperate women... but... that would only be valid if I wanted him to like me, and do I want that?
She shook her head desperately.
No, no, no, definitely not... but what if it happened?" She stared at Colin, concentrating on his training. He has his problems, but who doesn't? Damn, damn, damn! Do human women feel this way during reproduction periods? This is torture!
"I got it!" Sapphire shouted, swinging her flaming mana blade from side to side! "Yes! Yes!"
Colin scratched the back of his neck, assuming he lost in mastering the technique first, but that wasn't a problem. With Sapphire's absurd reserve, it was more than expected that she would learn first.
That only made him more excited.