After telling them not to disobey the master, we all dispersed.
Some, including the angry old man, went out to look for a way to escape. Futile, in my opinion.
The rest went into the rooms in the lodging.
Given what they just experienced and the confusion, it was understandable for them to be tired.
I noticed the gray sky outside had grown slightly darker.
I looked over to the tall pendulum clock in the lodging's reception room and found the time to be around 7.30.
Considering the dimming sky and the time on the clock, I assumed we had entered nighttime phase.
I stepped out of the lodging and made my way to the training ground.
Master seemed to be giving us time to rest for now. But I was certain we would be sent for battle later.
Except for me, not one person in this place knew how to fight or had any formal training experience.
I had to rely on myself during the trial ahead until these people get stronger, which in the unforeseeable future at the moment.
Hence, I needed to prepare myself. I had to brush up my abilities for battle.
Fire magic was my main combat prowess.
It had now become crucial for me to improve my fire spells, considering I stopped training for them years ago.
I arrived at the newly-made training ground and inspected the area.
A small open field which neighbored the lodging and the equipment facilities.
I shook my head and sighed upon this sight.
The training ground was definitely not suitable for me to practice magic.
The moment I casted even just a First Circle magic, it would burn up the entire field as well as the surrounding buildings.
I could actually try to lower the power even more, but even then I would still need the whole field for safe measures.
It was not feasible since I needed to share the training ground with the others.
I wished master would provide me with a proper place to train.
"Serafina? What are you doing out here?"
Jonah called out as he approached me.
"I'm just inspecting the training ground. I wanted to know if it's suitable for me to practice magic."
"Is it suitable then?"
"No, it's not. But it's definitely adequate for weapon training."
"I see."
I looked up to Jonah's gentle face and offered him the same question.
"How about you? What are you doing out here?"
In reply to my inquiry, Jonah stepped into the training ground and grabbed a wooden spear.
It did not have a sharp metal edge, but a dull wooden one meant for practicing.
"If master is going to send us to more battles, I want to learn how to protect myself."
"Oh? You believed what I said?"
"Well it's hard not to after actually experiencing it, twice."
Indeed.
Perhaps the reason why the others could not believe me was because they had not seen the trials for themselves yet.
Only after master send them to actual battle that they would understand the situation they were in.
However, once that happened it might already be too late for them.
Jonah began to swing the spear to a scarecrow. Slashing and thrusting the dull edge fiercely as if the straw figure was an actual monster needed to be annihilated.
I, of course, noticed his change of weapon.
"You're not practicing with a sword? I saw you with one during the trial."
"That rusty sword appeared out of nowhere as soon as I entered the…trials, were they? I had no choice but to use it since that was the only weapon given to me."
I thought it was weird how he suddenly got a sword back then.
Perhaps master was the one who gave it to him or something along the way.
"Then why change to a spear in particular?"
I asked.
"I often used a makeshift spear to protect my flock from wolves."
That would explain how Jonah was able to keep his focus during the trials.
He was used to emergency situations where he had to fight enemies.
It was no wonder he did not cower upon the sight of goblins.
"Well then, best of luck with your training."
I told him as I left the training ground.
"Where're you going?"
"I'm going to rest."
There was not much that I could do at the moment.
I could only hope master would build a facility for a mage like me. Or I had to scorch the entire training ground and everyone around just so I could train.
I returned to the lodging and went to an empty bedroom there.
Since I was planning to take a rest, I stared at my huge layered dress.
"If only I could have a more comfortable clothes to wear to sleep."
Right at the end of my sentence, a simple nightgown appeared on my bed.
Incredible. Just at the mere thought of it, things appeared.
I doubted it was the master's doing since the sky was still dark and did not have the rainbow hue, indicating they were not present.
The appearance of this clothing must be part of the laws of this land.
"(There are so many interesting things about this place. I wish I could write all of them down.)"
I thought to myself.
And indeed, a book, a pen, and a vial of ink appeared inside the drawer of the desk in the room.
Seeing it happened again, I tried imagining potion, enchantment stone, and even weapons. But they did not manifest.
I suppose it only worked on basic necessities.
That being said, since I could not contain my excitement any longer as a researcher, I quickly sat down and wrote everything odd I had experienced prior to until after arriving in this forged land.
After writing for a few hours, I decided to finally take my rest.
I changed into the nightgown and went to sleep right away.
The moment I opened my eyes again, I found the gray sky had slowly brightened once more. Morning must had arrived.
I changed back to my magic dress and went to the dining hall.
There I found the cook, Pauline, preparing food for all of us in the lodging, which were twelve people.
"Ah, good morning!"
Pauline greeted after seeing me walked in.
Last night she seemed uncertain whether to believe me or not. She still looked confused. But at least she obeyed master's order to be the cook for us.
"Would you like some breakfast, my lady?"
She asked politely, noticing my grand appearance.
"If it's not a bother. And please, call me Serafina. I doubt my status as nobility really matters here."
"Very well!"
I sat down at the table and Pauline served me a plate of creamy potato dish.
"Forgive me. Though there were condiments, there're only potatoes in the kitchen."
"It's fine. It actually looks delicious."
"Haha, I'm glad you like it. The shepherd thought the same too."
I raised my eyebrows upon the mention of Jonah.
"Did he have breakfast already?"
"Oh yes! He woke up quite early and went to train in the training ground."
As expected of Jonah. He was quick to grasp things.
Instead of wasting time trying to find a way out of here like the others, he used every chance he got to prepare for the trial.
Just when I finished breakfast, the light gray sky shifted into the rainbow hue once more.
Master had arrived.
I decided to go to the training ground to check on Jonah and tell him about master's arrival.
When I found him there, Jonah was drenched in sweat. Bare-chested.
He was rigorously thrusting and swinging his practice spear.
For some reason, I did not find myself hurrying to stop him and let my steps slowed while my gaze was fixed on his glistening body. Very odd indeed.
I also noticed that his movement with the spear had become better overnight.
A bit too better perhaps. Another oddity.
But I probably was just not paying much attention last night.
"You're training hard."
I greeted Jonah.
Part of me somehow regretted interrupting his training session.
"Haha, to be honest I could not get much sleep. I was too anxious about these trials you told about. Still am actually."
"Well, speaking of trials, you might want to get ready. Because master is watching us."
"Hm? How did you kn—Oh, is it because the sky changed?"
"Just remember that when the sky has turned into this rainbow color, it means they're here."
"Very well."
The others soon began walking out of the lodging as well.
Thanks to the old man, most of them were still looking around the land, trying to find an exit.
While the rest just stayed in some corner, looking anxious and confused.
Jonah looked at them with a pitiful gaze.
"They should train while they still can. We never know when master will be sending us to battle."
"It's no use if they don't believe us. People like them need to see things with their own eyes for them to believe."
And just like that, I caught a glimpse of purple light coming from the square.
It was the fairy's radiance that appeared whenever she was making her appearance.
[Serafina, Jonah, Orvis, Roan, and Lumi! Come to the square! Master is calling for you.]
The fairy shouted.
Jonah and I stared each other with serious gaze.
For the master to call us like this…it must mean these people will soon gain their faith in our words.