Chapter 965: New Phase
Arty and Sylmira sat cross-legged on the arena floor while quietly enjoying their breakfast. The charred cracks and scorched tiles surrounding them bore silent testimony to the earlier chaos Arty’s elemental power had unleashed.
A half-melted practice dummy leaned awkwardly nearby and several overhead Magical projectors flickered and were damaged by a rogue blast.
But none of it seemed to bother them.
The destruction felt oddly peaceful in its stillness like smoke after a campfire, harmless once the flame had passed.
Arty munched enthusiastically, devouring her food at a rapid pace. The warmth of the bread, the perfectly seasoned eggs, and the lightly spiced meat was all too good to resist.
She finished half her plate before Sylmira had even touched her second bite.
"Hey, slow down," Sylmira said with a chuckle, sipping her tea. "You’ll choke at this rate."
Arty paused, cheeks puffed with food, then grinned.
"Wouldn’t that be funny? I’m here, training to become this super powerful Magic user, and I end up dying from choking on sausage?"
She burst out laughing. It was a bright and unrestrained sound that echoed lightly across the scorched arena.
Sylmira blinked, then laughed too, genuine and free.
She hadn’t laughed like that in years. As Archmage of this kingdom, her life had been all solemn duty, grim prophecies, and rigid control. But here while sitting beside this girl surrounded by smoking training wreckage, she felt something unfamiliar.