Lyon's POV
Looking back on it now… I probably should've seen this coming.
After meeting the trio, the first thing I did was help them get their guild marks. From there, I gave them a proper tour of the guild hall—where to take quests, where not to go, what not to touch, and, most importantly, what being a guild wizard actually meant. I explained jobs, teamwork, responsibility… the usual stuff.
Naturally, the moment I finished talking, they got excited.
Really excited.
They immediately wanted to take a quest.
I didn't have much of a choice but to supervise, so before anything else, I made sure to let Yukino know where I was going. After that, we picked what was supposed to be a simple monster elimination job. It was supposed to be straightforward.
At least, that's what I thought.
I didn't think they would be strong considering they're just started out… but this is just sad.
That thought ran through my head as I stared at the scene in front of me.
A single Vulcan.
One.
And somehow, within just a few minutes, the trio had already managed to completely lose control of the situation.
Sherry was currently being held upside down in the Vulcan's grip, flailing helplessly. Big, comical tears streamed down her face as she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME! I DON'T WANNA DIEEEE!"
Toby wasn't doing any better.
He had somehow gotten his head stuck inside a tree trunk. His arms flailed uselessly as he struggled to pull himself free.
"LET ME GO, TREE! I DID NOTHING TO YOU!"
And then there was Yuka.
The only one who seemed remotely capable of fighting.
He was laid flat on the ground, completely motionless, with several exaggerated, cartoony bumps swelling on his head. A small wisp of steam even rose from them for emphasis.
I stared.
Silence passed.
…Damn, I thought. Y'all sorry.
Letting out a long sigh, I stepped forward. If I didn't intervene now, this was going to get worse—and fast.
The Vulcan noticed me approaching and grinned stupidly.
"This my woman," it said in broken speech, tightening its grip on Sherry. "Man no allowed."
I ignored it.
As soon as I got close enough, the Vulcan swung its arm at me, trying to swat me aside like a fly.
I caught the motion easily and punched it away.
The Vulcan went flying awaying in a dramatic fashion, crashing through the forest in a comedic fashion.
Without much effort, I caught Sherry as she slipped from its grasp.
She looked up at me, eyes watery.
"Th-Thank you!"
"No problem," I replied casually, setting her back on her feet.
Once she was safe, I turned my attention to the rest of the team.
Yuka was still sprawled on the ground unconscious.
Toby was still stuck in the tree, but he was now calling out to us.
"…Hello?" he said. "Guys…did we win?"
I looked at all three of them.
Then I sighed again, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
Yeah, I thought. I definitely have my work cut out for me.
—
Third Person POV
A short while later, the scene had shifted.
The four of them now sat inside a small restaurant, the earlier disaster of a mission still fresh in everyone's mind.
Lyon sat calmly, sipping from a milkshake with a completely deadpan expression.
Across from him, Yuka, Toby, and Sherry sat slumped in their seats, their spirits visibly crushed.
For a moment, silence lingered between them.
Lyon lowered his drink slightly, his eyes half-lidded.
"Why did you think it was a good idea to take a quest… when you barely understand your own magic?"
The question hit immediately.
All three of them flinched.
Sherry and Toby quickly looked away, trying to act casual as they awkwardly whistled.
Yuka, on the other hand, kept his eyes closed, maintaining a composed posture—but the slight twitch in his eyebrow betrayed him.
After a brief pause, he answered.
"We thought… it would be an easy, high-paying job."
Lyon didn't even hesitate.
"It was."
The response was instant—and brutal.
The trio froze.
Literally.
Their bodies stiffened as if they had just been turned to stone.
Lyon took another sip of his milkshake, unfazed.
"If you want money, that's fine. But the bare minimum is being able to handle what you sign up for."
His tone wasn't harsh—but it was blunt.
Too blunt.
The mood at the table shifted.
The trio lowered their heads, their earlier embarrassment turning into quiet frustration.
A few seconds passed.
Then Yuka spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
"…Not everyone has things handed to them like you."
Silence followed immediately.
Lyon raised an eyebrow.
"Is that really what you think?"
None of them answered.
They avoided his gaze.
Lyon sighed.
"I hate to break it to you, but even I had to work to get where I am now."
That made them look up.
Surprise flickered across their faces.
Lyon took another slow sip before setting the glass down.
"I get it. Starting out sucks. You don't know what you're doing, everything feels overwhelming, and you want results fast."
He leaned back slightly.
"But that's exactly why I'm here, to help you and guide you through the whole process."
After a moment of silence.
Sherry's expression brightened first.
Then Toby's.
Yuka remained still for a moment longer… before exhaling and giving a small nod.
"… I apologize then, for speaking out of line."
Lyon shrugged.
"It's whatever."
Reaching into his pocket, Lyon pulled out a small notepad and pen, placing them on the table.
"Actually, thanks to that quest we took earlier, I already have a good idea for what y'all need to work on."
He began writing.
Quick, neat strokes filled the page as he jotted down notes—each one tailored.
Sherry leaned forward slightly, curious.
Toby peeked over with interest.
Even Yuka watched quietly.
After a minute, Lyon stopped.
He tore nothing out—just closed the notepad and slipped it back into his pocket.
Then he stood up.
His expression shifted—calm, but confident.
"So."
He looked at the three of them.
"You ready to actually start your training?"
The trio glanced at each other.
Then, one by one, they nodded.
Lyon gave a small approving nod.
"Good."
He turned and began walking toward the exit.
After paying for his drink, the three of them quickly followed behind him—no longer dragging their feet.
As just like that, the trio's real training was about to begin.
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So I decided to start off my return with a light chapter, mostly because I haven't written this story in a while and I need help with remembering the feeling I had for it. Before you ask, no I didn't drop the series, it's just that I had gotten too caught up with school and work that I barely found myself having time to write this story, but since I had the opportunity now, I said why not and decide to make/post this chapter. Anyway I'mma head back to bed now, see ya.