The sky brightened at early dawn.
Eric stopped watching the half-naked, mud-streaked girls and jumped from the tree.
After landing, he started walking toward Lyria and Livy while clapping his hands—or rather applauding—to get their attention. Otherwise, they might get spooked if he silently walked toward them without making any noise. If so, it would be even more awkward for him to begin a conversation.
As soon as Lyria and Livy heard the clapping noise, they both sprang up and quickly took on their defensive postures.
Lyria and Livy were indeed spooked, as there was another 'human' within the forest—which shouldn't have happened—and could only be their enemy.
As Lyria and Livy's gazes turned directly east, they saw a silhouette walking in front of the peaking sunlight from the gaps of the remaining standing trees.
The figure was tall—as tall as them.
Both Lyria and Livy narrowed their eyes, trying their best to capture the person's figure or face, but all they could barely perceive was that the 'man' was wearing a tight black leather-like outfit with some golden designs at its sides, which shimmered with a bright gold hue due to the rising sun behind him. It almost made him look as if he were encased within a shining golden halo.
"Well, well. I am completely impressed. I just heard a pig...ahem, a human male's long squeal and wondered what was going on. Who would've expected that both Ly and Liv had become so badass that they were bullying a poor Warrior to death? Both of you can totally blame me for not helping. What can I say? I was totally mesmerized by both of your figures—ahem, I mean combat skills!"
When Lyria and Livy heard the man's familiar voice, they stood dazed and stupefied, as if lightning had struck them both on the head.
This was the voice, the tone, and the person they had longed to hear and see for so long!
That 'ahem' in between was almost like a signature way of speaking for that person. And calling them by their nicknames...
There was only one person in this world who called them by such nicknames—other than themselves!
Both Lyria and Livy's eyes rapidly turned red. They suddenly felt all their strength and energy draining from their bodies.
Lyria's bloody dagger slipped from her hand.
Lyria and Livy stayed frozen while gazing at Eric with an unexplainable longing, hoping they weren't dreaming or hallucinating. If so, they wished to remain in it longer.
Eric guessed that Lyria and Livy had probably gone through a lot in the forest and were simply too tired. If they had been in the orphanage, both girls would've already rushed toward him with great enthusiasm.
Since they hadn't, he kept walking toward them.
Eric had already stopped clapping, as it had served its purpose. Otherwise, it would've been awkward.
He smiled as he approached Lyria and Livy.
Eric was having mixed feelings, as he had never expected—or seen—either Lyria or Livy in such condition, getup, or this brutal, tactical, savage side of them. It was far different from how they were during training or duels.
Looking at Lyria and Livy's figures, he also somewhat started to miss their old fun days together—where they laughed, joked, trained, ate, and slept together... ahem—they never did the last one!
Eric arrived before Lyria and Livy.
Seeing them still staring at him with wide, bloodthirsty eyes, even Eric felt terrified.
"Ahem, what's wrong? You girls don't want to see me? Should I go back?"
Lyria and Livy immediately pounced to capture the wild beast before he could escape again.
They tightly hugged Eric and started wailing loudly.
Eric smiled. He gently tapped their backs, urging them to release him—assuring them he wasn't running away. But instead of letting go, they tightened their grip.
Good thing he had already become a Mana Wielder—otherwise, his fate would've been to become a pancake. Lyria and Livy's strength was no joke.
Eric soon noticed their long, beautiful hair was muddied—despite their inherent talent for never getting dirty.
He slowly caressed their hair, and as if the strands had finally received permission to show their beauty and brightness to the world, all the mud and dirt fell away smoothly, with none sticking.
After Eric spent the next fifteen minutes appeasing Lyria and Livy, they finally released him—reducing their wailing to soft whimpering.
After letting Eric go, both Lyria and Livy finally noticed that they were covered in mud and dirt, which had smoothly transferred to Eric, but strangely most of it refused to completely stick to his outfit and fell to the ground. Nonetheless, their barely covered naked bodies were also exposed.
Both Livy and Lyria blushed.
Though their faces were dirty and scratched, Eric could still see their cute, blushing expressions.
He laughed and pulled out two large white towels from his Ring.
While handing them over, he stated, "Wrap these around yourselves for now. There's a pond nearby. After you girls take a clean bath, you can change your clothes. Hm... by the way, where are your clothes?"
Lyria and Livy opened their mouths to speak, as they had many things to say, ask, and confess. But they also wanted to bathe before talking with Eric.
Both Lyria and Livy were still young maidens. As fighters, they didn't mind others looking at them during life-and-death battles, but they definitely didn't want to appear so dirty and uncivilized in front of Eric.
They then recalled what had happened to their clothes.
Lyria's clothes had been stabbed through. As for Livy's, she had kept them somewhere, but neither remembered where that place was anymore—including where they had left their bags.
Eric could guess by their troubled expressions. So, he suggested, "Let's bathe first, then we'll think about clothes."
He wondered if his new clothes would fit Lyria and Livy, as their busts were... big!
Eric turned and walked toward the pond he had seen upon arriving.
He needed to return to this location later, as he was curious about something, but that could wait. All three of them needed a cold bath to freshen up before eating breakfast.
Lyria and Livy quietly followed.
Lyria hesitated, but Livy jumped forward and embraced Eric's arm, hugging it tightly while staring at his face with deep love and longing.
After a moment, she frowned uncertainly. "Umm... Brother Eric, did you... become more handsome? Or am I hallucinating from missing you so much?"
Eric's smile froze.
'What does she mean by hallucinating? Can't I naturally become more handsome? I'm still growing!'
He felt Livy squeezing his arm bit too tightly—so much that his hand pressed into some soft flesh, which he tried hard to ignore.
With a smile, he answered, "I became a Mana Wielder, so I got 'polished' into being more handsome."
He said it jokingly, expecting Lyria and Livy to be shocked and congratulate him. Instead, both girls stopped walking. Livy even released his arm.
Eric suddenly felt a little lonely from losing the soft sensation. He wondered what had happened.
He tilted his head toward Lyria and Livy in confusion. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Out of nowhere, Livy started crying once again; Lyria's eyes also turned red, and she looked shocked.
Eric was speechless.
'Was this a new way of congratulating someone? But why do they look so devastated and heartbroken?'
Lyria took a deep breath and glanced at the new, handsome Eric with mixed emotion.
With a sniff, she spoke, "B-brother Eric, w-we are indeed happy for you, w-we are indeed. B-but n-now will... w-will you be leaving us all alone again?"
Silent tears streamed down Lyria's cheeks, but she didn't wail like Livy.
Both Lyria and Livy had harbored this fear for a long time, especially since they were aware that someone had done something to their Mana Veins, and they couldn't become Mana Wielders without some expert's help, at least.
So, they were always worried that Eric would one day leave them behind and go on his adventures and travels. Although he had never articulated it directly to them, they knew by their feelings, as their entire focus was always on Eric—on what he spoke or what he did—many things would surface in their hearts without a word.
Both of them had always suppressed this fear deep inside their hearts.
They did want Eric to become a Mana Wielder, but they also wanted to become one and not get separated from him. This was their wish even before they realized their own feelings for Eric—and now more than ever.
But no matter how much they tried, they just couldn't become Mana Wielders.
And so, they always had this subconscious fear of Eric leaving them behind someday.
A week or so ago, when they heard that Eric had left them to go somewhere, they realized their worst fear had come alive—and at the same time, they truly realized, with no longer any doubt, how much Eric truly meant to them.
And so, they were completely heartbroken the moment they learned that Eric had left them without saying anything.
Both Lyria and Livy felt they were so useless that Eric didn't even feel like informing them of his departure. They knew Eric wouldn't do something so heartless, but they also couldn't suppress their fear, loneliness, and depression.
Now that Eric had become a Mana Wielder, he would truly leave them behind, as they would only be his worry and dead weight if he took them with him.
Eric scratched his cheeks and wondered if he had evolved into such a heartless bastard to make both his childhood friends shed tears for him.
No-no, it was Lyria and Livy who had become heartless enough to feel pain over his success!
Eric nodded, feeling proud of his achievements in corrupting two little girls.
Jokes aside, he didn't want to see either Lyria or Livy cry with such heartbroken expressions ever again. They could cry—but not with such grief and fear.
Eric thought for a brief moment and suggested, "Let's just take a bath first, okay? For now, I'm not leaving anywhere."
Lyria and Livy calmed down upon hearing Eric's response.
Indeed, he was not leaving right at this moment, and they could at least spend a few more minutes together...
They once again grew depressed.
Eric was speechless. He chose the smart way: Dodge and take a cold shower first!
Cold baths were always the best method to not only cleanse the outside skin but also internal thoughts, emotions, and so on—it woke one up on all levels!
So, Eric quickly turned around and started guiding Lyria and Livy toward the pond nearby that he had spotted earlier while gliding between the trees.
Soon, they arrived at a nice-looking pond.
Eric could barely perceive with his vision that there were two big alligators using this pond as their home.
So, he released his presence to inform them that bandits were here, and if they didn't want to lose their wives, they should quickly evacuate.
Soon, two oversized alligators jumped out of the water and ran away somewhere; a few large snakes also slithered away from the area.
Lyria and Livy were speechless and also amazed. Being a Mana Wielder was really cool! They wouldn't have to worry about these animals ambushing them anymore.
They then turned toward Eric shyly, wondering if they would be taking a bath together.
They only now recalled that they were only covering themselves with towels. It was a comical sight of two girls in bath towels walking around within the forest, as if it were an everyday sight.
Eric chuckled coldly over his success in terrorizing these large alligators. He had some grudges against them from his past life.
"I'll be done in a jiffy," he said before jumping straight into the pond.
'Ladies first? Meh, men first!'
Eric also washed his clothes while swimming and bathing.
His clothes were special, as they could magically dry up almost instantly.
According to Riya, his outfit was possibly Tier 1, and the reason for all his clothes being so 'magical' was because of their enchantments.
Both Lyria and Livy waited with awkward expressions. They were hoping to take a bath together...
Soon, Eric was done, and he jumped out of the pond.
"Ly, Liv, go ahead—no need to hurry. Enjoy your baths. After that, we'll have a nice meal that I've already prepared."
Eric noticed both Lyria and Livy's expressions quickly grew panicked for some reason.
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Did they perhaps want him to peek at them while they bathed?
"They certainly do!" Riya agreed for her sisters.
Eric coughed, "I'm right behind that tree. Don't worry—I won't run. Haha."
Both Lyria and Livy calmed down but then started worrying about what they would wear. Their undergarments were also not in any good shape. Would they continue their journey with only a wet bath towel covering them?
Eric smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, those towels are special—they'll dry up quickly after they're taken out of the water. You can use those towels to dry yourselves up."
Eric then pulled out two sets of men's clothes from his ring and placed them over a clean stone slab beside the pond.
"These clothes... I don't know if they'll fit you girls or not... Sorry—I only have these right now."
"Alright, go enjoy your bath."
Eric then walked away while cursing his last 21 generations of hormones.