"If you are mediocre, Friya, then what about everyone else? Half the people who graduate from the academies every year can't hold a candle to you. Solus and I pooled up our talents to replicate your Dimensional Ruler spell, but we failed because we lack your dimensional awareness."
"Lith is right." Phloria said. "I graduated from the White Griffon with only one specialization, so I can tell how amazing is someone like you who managed to achieve three of them at the same time.
"I wouldn't have ever become a Forgemaster without Dad's tutoring nor learned tier four healing magic without Quylla."
"Don't get me started about how pissed off I am at myself!" Quylla said. "Not only have I mastered only two specializations, but my combat prowess is nigh zero whereas you are all gods of war."
"I have no idea what a specialization is but I agree with Friya." Nalrond said. "You are failing to grasp her point. It's not a matter of how much she learned so much as of how little satisfaction she got from what you consider achievements.
"I know I'm a great Healer and that many would kill to learn Light Mastery, but I would give up all my magic if it meant to have my tribe back." His sadness was tempered by the tender meat with a side of roasted potatoes and by the excellent beer.
The Ernas sisters looked at him with a puzzled expression, uncertain how to reply. Lith briefly explained to them how his tribe had been tasked with sealing Dawn forever and had been exterminated by the Horseman after she fused with Acala.
The three were shocked hearing how the traitorous Ranger had betrayed more than just his country. In his search for power, Acala had not hesitated to kill the very people who had saved him from committing suicide and even his own wife.
"Thanks, Nalrond. Your words mean a lot to me." Friya said. Comparing her situation with that of the Rezar made her feel like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum.
"No need to thank me. I can relate to you because my life got turned upside down as well and I know how hard it is to find a place where you belong after being uprooted. I spent decades preparing to take my mother's place among the keepers of the Horseman just to become a babysitter.
"I realize it could have gone much worse, but I can't say I'm satisfied with the outcome. I had a sacred duty to uphold and a betrothed to marry, yet now I have no purpose in life nor a family to take care of but Protector's.
"I know how you feel and I can only respect your determination in finding a solution to your problem." Nalrond said, killing the conversation.
At that point, the only thing that arguing with Friya could achieve was to hurt his feelings. They all knew and respected grief enough to postpone the discussion to another day, away from the Rezar.
"Changing the subject, I'm quite surprised by how easily you and Quylla accepted Solus's existence." Lith said to Friya. "I feared you might resent me for keeping her a secret for so long."
'Thanks for breaking the ice on my behalf. I'm still too embarrassed to speak with them freely.' Solus said through their mind link.
'Less thinking and more talking, partner.' Lith replied.
"I'll be honest with you." Friya moved her gaze from Lith to Solus, having a hard time accepting how two beings so different could fit so well together. One was short, kind, and shy, while the other was Lith.
"Had you stopped Phloria from breaking up with you, by now you two would probably be married and I'd be scared shitless of you, Lith. I would have no way to know if Solus was your mistress or if you had been playing with Phloria's feelings all along just to get your hands on the Ernas's riches and magical legacy.
"No offense, but everyone here knows how ruthless you are." Everyone nodded at her words, even Solus and Nalrond.
"Yet even after she broke up with you, you didn't hold any grudge. Sure, you childishly avoided her, but that was understandable since you cared so much for her.
Instead of giving me or Quylla the cold shoulder when we were of no use to you anymore, you kept being a great friend.
"You didn't hit on us, you never asked anything from my family, even when the two of us were Assistant Professors. Only then did I manage to get over your switch personality and understood how much you cared for us.
"The events in Zantia and Kulah only proved me right. I'm a bit pissed off at you, not at Solus, for keeping her a secret, but I understand why you did it." Friya said.
"Thanks, Friya. I really hope we can become friends." Solus said with a smile so happy that made Friya feel even more stupid.
Phloria had told her sisters about Solus's struggle to get a life of her own and even Nalrond called himself lucky compared to her.
"Same here." Quylla said. "I was honestly afraid that our relationship would wither. After Yurial's death and Phloria dumping you, you had no reason to stick with us, but you did.
"I'm not afraid to admit that without you and Friya, I wouldn't have ever graduated from the White Griffon. Back in Kulah, you didn't hesitate to expose your secret to save Phloria and I.
"After accepting your nature as a hybrid, after listening to how Solus fought by your side for us at every step and seeing her in action in your tower back in the camp, I'm angry only because you should have told me sooner."
"What is done is done." Lith sighed.
"You have every right to be mad at me, but even if I could turn back time, I wouldn't change anything. My secrets would have only made your life even more difficult and, as you just said, it's because of the hardships that we went through together that we came to trust each other so much."
"I'm really curious, Solus. How was the academy for you?" There was no point in beating a dead horse and make the mood gloomier than it already was, so Friya changed the topic.
"Great and terrible at the same time. On the one hand, I had never seen so many magic books or people our age. My condition as a stone ring, on the other hand, almost drove me crazy." Solus said.
"I was so thrilled when you and Yurial approached us, but Lith trusted no one. After Phloria joined the group, I dreamed countless times of being able to speak with you all like this. This is one of the happiest days of my life."
The fact that after all she had gone through, Solus could keep smiling like that just because of sharing a meal with other people, made everyone else feel like a cry-baby.
"How many floors is the tower supposed to have?" Quylla asked.
"Beats me." Solus shrugged. "In my memories, it's something enormous that extends both upward to the sky and downward through the ground. Yet so far it has only five floors and I've already achieved a cyan core.
"Unless the next levels unlock several floors at once, there should be four floors left."
(AN: If you're not reading this on WN, you're reading stolen content. Please, support the official release)
