By the Grace of the Gods (LN) - Volume 15 - Chapter SS1

Bonus Short Story: Elia’s Worries

Another school day had concluded in the capital’s academy, students filing out of the classroom to enjoy the rest of their day. One girl stayed at her desk, very sluggishly packing up her bag.

Four other girls approached her.

“Elia?”

“Hi, Riela. Girls. What’s wrong?”

“We were going to ask you the same thing.”

“Miyabi’s right. You’ve been off lately, Elia,” Kanan said.

“Specifically, you’ve been zoning out a lot. Not so much during class or while you’re working, but as soon as you don’t have a task... Is there something troubling you?” Riela asked.

Elia cast a quick glance around the room at a few other straggling students. “It’s nothing serious...”

“We’ve got time. Let’s go somewhere we can sit down and talk,” Miyabi suggested.

With no one objecting to the idea, the girls moved to a pergola beside an open area in the academy for students to practice magic in. Now, they were the only ones there.

“So, what’s on your mind?” Kanan asked again. “If it’s family stuff, or something you don’t want to talk about, we’d understand.”

“It’s not a secret—though I don’t want to go around telling all of my classmates. I’ve been thinking of Ryoma,” Elia answered.

“Your friend you told us about. He’s a year younger than us, but he already runs businesses and works as an adventurer, right?” Riela confirmed. “You’ve met him before, haven’t you, Miyabi?”

“Yeah, my dad knows him.”

“We only know him from the few times you’ve mentioned him. What happened?” Michelle urged.

“In his last letter, he wrote that he was going to visit the village he was from... It’s in the Sea of Trees of Syrus,” Elia said, drawing looks of surprise and concern from her friends.

“Of all the places...” Riela started.

“I only know that it’s a dangerous area. He really went there?” Michelle asked.

“He’s told me of his intentions to return there before, and father made sure he was ready before he left... He should be fine, but I’m still worried,” Elia said.

“Of course you are,” said Kanan. “Just to make sure, is Ryoma a good fighter?”

“My father and his employees always talked about how strong he is,” Elia said.

“Oh, I’ve seen a monster Ryoma hunted once,” Miyabi said, and went to retell the story from before she entered the academy, when Ryoma had brought back a smash boar. “I’d asked the people that cleaned the carcass, and they told me Ryoma must have taken it down with his bare hands. I didn’t know how strong he was, so I yelled at him because I told him not to put himself in danger.”

“That’s a normal reaction,” Kanan said.

“A C-rank monster’s meant to be hunted by a party of several adventurers,” Riela provided. “No one would expect someone our age to take it down alone. If he’s from the Sea of Trees, I suppose that explains it.”

“If he’s that capable, I’m sure he’ll make his way back just fine,” Michelle said, to the agreement of Elia’s other friends.

“He doesn’t look it, if I’m being honest, but I saw the proof,” Miyabi said.

“Give it some time. He’ll send you another letter like nothing’s happened,” Kanan said.

“To quote my mother, the duty of those who wait is to wait with trust, not with worry. I know that’s easier said than done, but try thinking of what to do when he returns safely,” Riela said, passing on the wisdom of her mother who’d married a knight who always put his life on the line.

“You’re right. There’s nothing I can accomplish by worrying about him. Drawing up a letter to send upon his return is far more constructive,” Elia said. “Will you help me with it? And help me choose what to send to celebrate his return?”

Her friends agreed without a second thought, happy to lift Elia’s spirits. Elia chose to leave her ungrounded worries aside, and trust that Ryoma would safely return.