The second day of Ser's training began with him learning to read and write. He could speak perfectly well, but writing was still foreign to him. After an hour of practice, Liana assigned him another five hundred push-ups.
This time was worse. His arms still trembled from yesterday's training, but he pushed through, barely finishing the last rep. His hands went numb from the strain.
A few meters away, Liana was doing her own set of push-ups. When Ser finally collapsed onto the ground, panting, he heard her steps approaching.
"Now… Rii training?" he asked, looking up at her.
Liana shook her head with a small smile. "Not so fast. Today we're skipping Rii training."
"But why?"
"Because doing it daily will put unnecessary pressure on your body. We'll do it tomorrow. Once your physical condition improves, you can train more often."
Ser nodded.
"Today is a little different." She reached to her waist and pulled out a glowing, silver, circular orb. Ser stared at it, captivated.
Liana stepped closer and placed the orb against the left side of his chest.
"This is going to hurt a little. Try to stay still."
Ser frowned but nodded.
Liana pushed the orb forward. The cold surface twitched against his chest, then slowly sank inward, sharp pain blooming under his ribs. Ser clenched his jaw and stayed quiet. After a few moments, the orb slipped completely through him and vanished. The pain faded.
Ser sat up, eyes wide. "What… was that?"
"You'll know eventually," Liana said with a cheeky smile. "Now, let's run."
Ser exhaled, still frowning. "Where?"
"All the way to Valka. We have some work there."
***
After a long run through the forest, they reached Valka's entrance. Two guards stood there as before. One recognized them and gestured for them to enter.
The familiar bustle of voices filled their ears as they stepped into the crowded town. It was far busier than their last visit. People of all shapes and sizes filled the streets—some small, some enormous, others wrapped in heavy armor and carrying weapons.
A few sneered at Ser, but the moment they noticed Liana beside him, they looked away.
They walked deeper into town, past armed adventurers, armored wanderers, and half-dressed brawlers. Liana's eyes landed on a large building ahead, and she motioned for Ser to follow.
Inside, dozens of people turned to look at them—first at Liana, then at the small boy beside her. Whispers rose immediately.
"Hey… isn't that—?"
"Yeah, I think so…"
"No way. Seriously?"
Ignoring them, Liana led Ser toward the back, where several well-dressed clerks stood behind a long table.
A young woman—no older than twenty, with neat black hair to her shoulders—bowed slightly.
"Welcome, Lady Liana. How may I help you?"
"I'm here for a wanderer's registration."
"Right away."
She reached under the table and pulled out a thin stack of papers bound with a metal clasp. Setting them down, she dipped her quill in ink.
"For a new wanderer, we require basic information. What is your name?"
"Servus."
"Servus? Unusual name."
Her quill scratched the page. "How old are you?"
Ser hesitated. "Eight."
The woman raised a brow. "Eight?"
He nodded.
She wrote it down without further comment. "Is he a wielder?"
Liana nodded.
A wave of gasps rippled across the hall.
"A wielder?!"
"That tiny kid?!"
"No chance!"
The clerk swallowed her surprise and continued. "First nature and affinity?"
"Transmitting and infusing," Liana said.
"A Generalist?!" the woman blurted, loud enough for the entire hall to hear.
The whispers exploded now, more stares landing on them.
"And affinity?" the woman asked, regaining her composure.
"Lightning."
The clerk bowed slightly. "I will be back shortly. Please wait."
She disappeared through a door behind her.
As they waited, a massive man lumbered toward them with a wide, unsettling grin. His bald head, patchy beard, and missing teeth made him look even more imposing.
"Yo, Lady Empress. Still not joining my party?" he said.
The crowd murmured.
"Isn't that guy called the Boar?"
"Yeah… they say he has superhuman strength."
"Then he must be a wielder."
"And rumor is he keeps trying to recruit the Empress of Death."
The Boar glared at the whispering crowd, and the room fell silent.
Liana ignored him, though a faint tiredness showed in her eyes.
His attention shifted to Ser.
"Huh. Hey, kid! This isn't a place for pipsqueaks! Get the hell out!"
Ser flinched and moved closer to Liana.
"Oh? So he's with the Empress now?" the man said, grinning wider.
Liana kept her silence.
The Boar stepped closer, blood-red eyes fixed on her.
"Hey! I'm talking to you," he barked. "How long are you gonna ignore me?!"
"Tch." A flicker of annoyance crossed Liana's face.
For the briefest moment, she focused—and a crushing wave of pressure burst outward, washing over the crowd and slamming into the Boar.
The air itself seemed to bend.
A roaring pressure—heavy, invisible, merciless—exploded from Liana and crashed through the hall like a shockwave. Tables rattled. Papers lifted off desks. Armor plates clanged. People staggered back instinctively.
The Boar was hit the hardest.
His grin vanished as his knees buckled. His arms shook violently, veins bulging against the weight pushing down on him. He tried to stand straight, but his body trembled like it was being pinned by a mountain.
"H-Hngh—! You—"
His voice cracked under the strain.
"Y… you damn—"
Liana didn't even look at him.
Her expression was calm, almost bored, as if she were swatting away a fly.
"Your voice is too loud," she said softly.
The pressure intensified for a split second.
The Boar's forehead slammed to the floor.
The ground splintered beneath him.
Gasps erupted around the hall.
"G-Gods…"
"She didn't even touch him…"
"That's the Empress for you…"
"She could kill him with a thought."
Ser stood frozen beside her, watching the giant man flattened to the ground. He felt the pressure too—just a whisper of it—and even that made it hard to breathe.
Liana finally lifted her finger, releasing the pressure entirely.
The Boar collapsed onto his side, choking in air, soaked in sweat. He didn't dare look at her.
"If you approach me again without permission," Liana said quietly, "I will break every bone in your arms."
Her tone wasn't threatening. It was factual.
The man nodded rapidly, fear wide in his red eyes.
People immediately backed away from Liana and Ser, clearing a path around them as if death itself stood there.
Ser peeked up at her.
"…Miss Lia?"
She glanced down at him, her face softening instantly.
"Don't worry. I won't let anyone touch you."
That single sentence made Ser's chest tighten—not with fear, but something warm and unfamiliar.
Before he could speak, the door behind the counter opened again.
The young clerk rushed out, carrying a small metal plate engraved with patterns and a neatly folded cloth.
"S–Sorry for the wait," she said, still shaken from what she must have felt moments earlier. "Here is his registration."
She placed the metal plate before Ser with trembling hands.
"This is your Wanderer's Tag. It holds your name, nature, and affinity… and your rank will update automatically as you grow."
Ser stared at it, then at Liana.
Liana nodded. "Take it."
He picked it up carefully.
The metal was warm—strangely warm, almost alive.
"Congratulations, Servus," the clerk said. "You're now an official wanderer."
Ser swallowed.
Wanderer.
Lightning affinity.
Generalist.
Term 10
It didn't feel real yet.
Liana placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."
They turned to leave, the crowd parting silently before them.