It was a very large stone chamber.
Or more precisely, instead of calling it a chamber, it resembled the scenery inside a vast cavern.
On the surrounding stone walls, countless human-shaped statues were embedded.
These statues had no lower bodies.
More accurately, their lower halves seemed to sink deep into the stone wall behind them, leaving only their upper halves exposed.
The expressions on their faces were filled with terror and agony, making the entire scene grotesque.
In that "chamber," a group of people cloaked in black robes was conversing.
One among them wore a robe marked with a symbol on the chest, signifying a status distinct from the rest.
If Tris were here, he would immediately recognize that symbol: the image of a vertical eye with four red pupils inside.
"How is the matter progressing?"
"Still not very well. Perhaps we need to improve the quality of the goods further."
At that moment, the one wearing the marked robe interjected and asked:
"Any news from him yet?"
"We've lost contact with him for some time."
"The last report I heard from him was that he was targeting a young mage who had just registered with the adventurers' guild."
"A young mage, huh? Then that must be exactly what we need."
The robed figure with the symbol pointed to two others and commanded:
"You two, find a way to capture that boy, and at the same time investigate where he is now."
"Yes sir," the two replied respectfully, bowing their heads.
The group continued their discussion for a while before dispersing, leaving only the marked figure standing.
He walked deeper into the cavern.
There, he encountered a massive stone table large enough to hold a grown man.
Dried blood still stained its surface.
And more strikingly, behind the table stood a colossal statue, nearly 10 meters tall.
It resembled a human form, but from its back sprouted four enormous insect-like legs.
Each leg ended in sharp, curved tips, radiating menace.
The statue was cloaked, its body covered, revealing only its face beneath the hood.
But the face bore no ordinary features—no nose, no mouth.
Instead, a single vertical eye with four red pupils stared down, exuding majesty.
The black-robed figure approached, knelt reverently beneath the statue, and bowed his head...
Nearly a week had passed since Rin began training her body under Tris's guidance.
Thanks to her diligence in training and proper nutrition from meals, Rin's physique and health had improved remarkably.
Those who once knew her in the slums would hardly recognize her now, even face-to-face.
Beyond physical strength, Rin's knowledge grew daily.
Tris taught her not only arithmetic but also many other things.
From knowledge about religion, Magical Beasts, general understanding of magic, to knowledge of nature, geography, and essential information for traveling, etc.
Despite having to learn many different subjects at once, Rin absorbed everything at an astonishing pace.
Perhaps her survival in the slums had sharpened her mind, or perhaps her determination to prove herself worthy of serving the master who saved her life drove her forward.
Meanwhile, Tris's search for clues about the mysterious pursuer remained fruitless.
Still, he waited patiently, using the time to train Rin.
Tris: "Tomorrow, we'll have new exercises related to adventurers' work."
Rin: "Adventurers' work?"
Lying on the bed before sleep, Tris explained the plan.
Tris: "Yes. One important skill is gathering valuable materials. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, I'll take you to a guild class on material gathering. In the afternoon, I'll teach you some basic combat techniques."
Hearing this, Rin's eyes sparkled with excitement.
If what her master had taught before was foundation and theory, then tomorrow's lessons would be true practice.
She felt she was finally becoming useful to her master, not just a burden.
Rin: "Rin will study hard."
Tris: "Good. Now sleep, or you'll have no strength tomorrow."
Rin nodded firmly, pulled up her blanket, and drifted into sleep.
One night passed peacefully, without incident.
...
The next morning, Tris awoke to find Rin lying on him again.
He had noticed her rolling over in the night but ignored it, knowing she would likely do it again even if moved back.
After a week together, he had grown used to her restless sleeping habits.
Fortunately, his strong body wasn't bothered by her weight.
Rin murmured in her sleep, face blissful: "So delicious..."
Tris eyed her strangely: 'Again? Do you really love food that much?'
He tilted her head to prevent drool from soaking his clothes, then pinched her cheek to wake her.
Tris: "Wake up, Rin. I'll buy you something to eat."
Because of his dreams, Tris's mental age did not match his actual age.
Thus, though younger than Rin, he often cared for her like a father for his daughter.
Even though the two individuals involved seemed not to truly realize it.
The reason was that Rin had no father, while Tris's relationship with his own father was extremely unusual compared to a normal family.
Startled awake, Rin blushed upon realizing she was on top of him again.
This time, Rin no longer panicked as she had at first. Because she knew that her master, in reality, did not mind or hate her for this rude behavior.
After morning hygiene, they resumed daily training.
Rin had grown more adept, though the exercises remained grueling.
But as Tris had said before, the level of pressure in the training remained the same and did not lessen even as the body grew stronger.
Therefore, although her movements became more skillful, the girl's face still looked very distressed, in stark contrast to Tris's calm appearance.
Seeing his composure inspired Rin to persevere even harder.
Gradually, not only her body but also her mind was being tempered, becoming stronger each day.