AI: Artificial Isekai

While I am preparing a simple breakfast, consisting of yogurt equivalent with diced dungeon fruit—thanks to the convenience of a year-round yield—I get a message.

[<ELISA>: Sorry about last night. Must have dozed off.]

[<ELISA>: You even had to carry me to bed. How embarrassing. *blush*]

[<LUCIUS>: Nothing to apologize for.]

[<ELISA>: Thanks for what you did.]

[<ELISA>: And for everything, really.]

[<ELISA>: *heart*]

[<LUCIUS>: You are welcome, Elisa.]

[<ELISA>: What are you doing today?]

[<LUCIUS>: Khi and I are sparring with Erysis and Nexen.]

[<ELISA>: *two swordsmen crossing blades* A mighty clash awaits our intrepid adventurer!]

[<ELISA>: *laughing*]

[<ELISA>: Alright, that's what I wanted to say. Gotta get going to class.]

[<ELISA>: We'll finish up the episode tonight, right?]

[<ELISA>: Right? *stare*]

[<LUCIUS>: Yes...]

[<ELISA>: Don't pretend. I know you like it as much as I do.]

[<LUCIUS>: Maybe...]

[<ELISA>: Well, have fun.]

[<LUCIUS>: You, too.]

My breakfast is quickly gobbled up and I depart. While I am making my way through the dorm, any errant adventurer I encounter runs away from me in frigid fright. I shake my head internally. You can't bring me down. I finally found someone that shares my enjoyment of the cold.

Outside, the sky is clear, and the weak winter sun is shining, reflecting off of the glistening snow. A brief walk finds me in front of the beastfolk house, waiting patiently for Khi to come out, only a few minutes earlier than the agreed meeting time.

Almost immediately, the princess flings open the door and briskly trots to the gate, most likely having sensed my arrival. Kor'To and three other security are trailing behind her.

"Morning," she greets me happily. Kor'To hangs back, making a small nod my way. Is he perhaps embarrassed about the switch up they pulled?

"Good morning. Ready to go?" I ask.

She nods. "Let's go meet these friends of yours and see how well you've trained them." Let's see, indeed.

Knowing Erysis, she's going to act all awkward at first and then go full throttle when her competitive nature overpowers her more bashful side. Nexen will probably take it easy, reluctant to seriously fight someone he just met. Even if it's only a spar.

This time, all beastfolk group around me. With a surge of mana from one of the security, we appear in front of the entrance to the Guild's training fields. We enter, the shimmering barrier intangible to all of us. The beastfolk were given passes to the fields, both for situations like this, and for a place to train. After all, skills need to be maintained.

The security, including Kor'To, make themselves scarce, letting me and Khi approach one of the smaller arenas by ourselves. Nexen and Erysis notice us, stopping their warmup and redirecting their attention to us. Their clothing mirrors our own, were one to ignore the two thick coats resting on some snow just outside the boundary of the cleared space.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

When we get close, I greet them, "Morning." I motion to Khi. "This is Princess Khi'Na."

"Hello. Please, call me Khi," she says. "Thank you for being so accommodating to Lucius' whims."

Nexen greets her back in return. And Erysis adds with a confident smile, "You have no idea." Did I get transported to another universe again? "Has he been giving you trouble, Khi?"

The princess smiles at her. "Not at all. He's been a great host."

"If he ever does, I'll set him straight," Erysis says. Nexen mentally pats my shoulder a few times.

I chime in, "You finished?"

Erysis hums innocently in response. She then asks even more innocently, "Rules?"

I shake my head and proceed with an explanation, "Two on two. Soft contact. Three hits?" My question is directed at Khi.

The princess answers, "Sounds good."

"Alright," Erysis says.

We take opposite sides of the arena, only about twenty meters from one another. Khi slightly behind me, as Erysis is behind Nexen. A glowing orb materializes in front of the fire mage. It shoots up into the air. After a few seconds, it impacts the sand.

Before anyone can make any movements, Erysis and Nexen are enveloped by a soft light.

Khi reacts to the momentary glow, sending a couple of bolts of lightning at the two. The spell significantly underpowered, primed to cause nothing but a small shock.

As the bolts travel, the air around our two opponents bends from heat. The closer Khi's spell gets, the more cohesion it loses, melting away into mana a few meters from its intended mark.

With a violent jerk, Nexen appears next to me. Entirely unconcerned with the immense acceleration he just experienced, he strikes at my head.

I sway to the side, avoiding the attack, and attempting to slip into his guard for a throw.

As his fist moves for a target that is not there anymore, it stops short, striking at nothing with a muted thump. A shockwave of force starts propagating from the impact point with incredible speed, bending around Nexen's body and heading for me and Khi.

I barely manage to bring up my left arm to block, the spell crashing against me and hurtling me away.

Khi is taken by surprise and takes the full brunt of the attack. She staggers back. While trying to regain her balance, she shoots a bolt at somewhere to the side, entirely missing Nexen.

The bolt heads for a glowing wisp. The wisp imitates the melee fighter's swift approach, jerking unnaturally in its flight, almost like a square wave, avoiding the crackling bolt, and splashing against Khi's form in a puff of luminescence.

As the spar ends and we all relax, Nexen and I lock eyes, having another mental exchange. I make the expression equivalent of 'What the hell, man'. He returns the representation of 'Oh, you know'.

Ah. I see. One Mr. Pemik 'Pem Pem' Frin has folded.

I say cheerfully, "Nice one. Everyone's still fresh, right? Let's reset." I turn to the beastfolk. "Don't worry about hurting them so much. You can add a bit more power into your spells." She nods distractedly, her mind on something else.

Erysis says, trying to match my cheeriness, "Okay, Lucius. We'll go a little easier this time." Well, let's hope international incident number two resolves amicably as well.

While Nexen is walking back to their side of the arena, Khi whispers, "I don't think your friends like me very much."

I whisper back, "What? No. They just want to impress you." The nervous swishing of her tail leads me to the conclusion that she did not believe my carefully crafted and executed excuse. A wisp streaking up brings a close to our brief exchange.

Now you're gonna see, you rascals.

The moment Erysis' starting signal hits the ground, the space is filled with metal chaff. The reflective flakes start getting melted into mana by the destructive heat field Erysis begins generating, and a plume of fire pushes away even more.

Khi and I split, my spell letting her move through unobstructed.

Numerous bolts zip through my metal chips effortlessly. Half fizzle out when they near Erysis. The rest fail to strike an advancing Nexen, stopped by another display of force magic, giving him a sphere of visibility.

I dash for the melee fighter, emerging from the wall of metal in front of him. I dodge a punch, and weave around an attempt at a grapple. He spins, trying to catch me, and at the same time, strikes at the air again. Metal threads snake around his limbs. I use him as cover from the force wave and fling him into his own attack.

Khi unleashes another deluge of lightning bolts, solely targeting Erysis. The bolts endure her counter field and strike at a shimmering shield. Simultaneously, Khi rushes for the fire mage, approaching from her side. A metal ball covered with spikes shatters the barrier, letting Khi pass through the dispersing shards. The princess pounces, getting hit by a wisp in the process, but tackling Erysis successfully. The two start to go down. As Khi crashes on top of Erysis, the beastfolk loops her arm behind her head, protecting it from the impact with the sand-covered ground.

When my concealing spell breaks up into nothingness, Khi freezes. "Sorry."

Erysis grins at her. "No worries. Help me up?" Khi pushes herself off the ground with Erysis in tow, easily lifting her up. The beastfolk lets her go, her tail flicking side to side. Erysis brushes away a bit of fine sand covering her back. "Thanks. If you two are already this in tune, you probably don't see him as expendable anymore."

Khi stiffens again, her tail shooting upright. "I would never—" The coldness of winter is removed, the air in the arena bending from the immense heat. All beastfolk flinch, ready to intervene, but not yet acting. "I... I don't."

As Erysis smiles at her, the air cools down to its previous state. "Wanna go again?" she asks.

Khi hums softly. "Let's do it. I'm all warmed up now." The two laugh happily. Another incident narrowly avoided.