Summoner's Second Chance

Chapter 17

Trace threw himself onto his bed, and groaned. He could not remember the last time his muscles aches so. He stirred on his bed, and looked at his table. A large pile of papers looks a lot more menacing than he remembered it to be, and he let out a big sigh, before pushing himself from his bed. He got up and sat down at his table. Readying a quill and a bottle of ink, Trace sets out to make just a little bit more progress in his research. "Tomorrow is the last day of training... it was tiring, but it is very rewarding." Although his body is aching all over, Trace can feel his strength returning. He looked at his left palm, and curl it and open it repeatedly. He nodded to himself, and sinks his attention into his research.

A short while later, someone knocks on his door. "Come in." Trace said without looking at the door. The door swung open, and Melody came inside, carrying a tray in her hands. "Brother, how about a little break?" Trace looked at his sister, and nodded. "I suppose I should take a break." Melody smiled, and put the tray on a tea table. Trace sat down as Melody poured his some tea. He took the  cup and sipped on the warm tea. He can feel his mind clears out as the fragrant aroma hits his nose. He sighed contently, and put the cup down. "Brother, how is your research?" Trace smiled and glanced at his work table. "I'm in the middle of perfecting it. It should be done the day before the presentation." Melody nodded, a smile perched on her lips. "Is that so?"

Trace and Melody enjoyed the tea silently, and Trace was content enough just by spending time with his sister, but Melody thought different. Everytime she was about to talk to her brother about trivial things, Lizbeth's word rang inside her head, making it harder for her to speak. In the end, she couldn't say anything until the teapot is empty. "I suppose I should get back to my research. Thank you for the tea, Melody. It was delicious." Trace pats Melody's head, and went back to his research. Melody stared at the empty teapot, and sighed. She took the tray, and silently left the room.

"Melody!" Melody turned her head toward her brother's voice, and saw him outside his room. "I'm sorry for not being able to spend more time with you. This past few weeks was very tiring, but that isn't an excuse that I can use to not spend time with you." Melody looked at her brother, her mouth slightly open from confusion. "You seem rather down when we were drinking tea together, so I thought I should try to cheer you up. After training tomorrow, why don't we go somewhere together? I think there's going to be a two-days fair starting tomorrow at the market." Melody's heart flutters as she heard her brother's voice. Not because he asked her out to go to a fair, but because he noticed that she was feeling rather down. Warm feelings started to spread in her heart, and her mouth unconsciously turned into a smile. "Then let's go together, brother." Trace smiled, happy that his cheerful sister is back, and went back to his room. Melody watched as her brother  return to his room. "I suppose there is something to look forward to tomorrow."

Trace readied himself for the last day of his training. He put on the leather armor lent to him for training, and looked at himself in the mirror. He nodded, and went to the training grounds. After greeting the guards at the gate, Trace immediately went to Rinea's camp. "Excuse me, captain Rinea?" "Trace, is it? Come in." Trace came inside the room, and found three people inside. One was captain Rinea, the other was vice-captain Roan, and the last one was someone he was unfamiliar with. "Trace, this is the first time you've met him, is it not? He is one of the generals that led us in case of enemy attacks." The man was wearing silver gauntlet and a silver cuirass underneath his otherwise normal clothes. His blue eyes felt slightly off underneath his dark brown hair. Trace saluted at the man, and he returned it with a smile. "Trace Redfate. You are the first noble that has ever bothered to take the guard's training regime. Why, if I may ask?" Trace's conviction was already set in stone from the time he was given a second chance, so his answer was none other than his own conviction. "To protect those who are dear to me, and those who is dear to my dearest." "So, in short, everyone?" Trace nodded, his gesture filled with determination. The man smiled, and walked out of the tent.