Rhea knocked on Kael’s door shortly after sunrise.
“Master?” The door opened immediately.
Kael stood on the other side fully dressed and looking exactly as he had the previous evening.
Rhea looked past him.
The bed had clearly been used, although not enough to convince her that he had actually slept properly.
“You’re awake early.” “I was awake.” “Did you sleep?” “A little.” Rhea narrowed her eyes.
“How little?” Kael considered the question.
“Not sure.” That was already suspicious.
Then Rhea noticed another Kael walking up the stairs behind her carrying a small plate containing the final piece of some kind of fried pastry.
She slowly turned toward him.
Then back toward the Kael standing inside the room.
“What were you doing?” “Eating.” “All night?” “Not all night.” The Kael behind her ate the pastry.
“The kitchen stopped serving for a while.” Rhea closed her eyes.
She had accepted an extremely powerful master.
Unfortunately, nobody had warned her that managing him might eventually become part of her responsibilities.
Breakfast did not improve the situation.
Kael had apparently discovered that morning meals contained an entirely different collection of foods from dinner.
Sweet bread, eggs, sausages, porridge, fried potatoes, fruit preserves, and several local dishes soon covered their table.
Rhea stared at the plates.
“We’re supposed to meet the Guildmaster.” “He didn’t give a time.” “That doesn’t mean we arrive whenever you feel like it.” “He said tomorrow.” “It is tomorrow.” “Exactly.” Rhea hated when his logic was technically correct.
She watched him spread fruit preserve over bread with considerably more attention than he had given the city gates yesterday.
Then she made a decision.
“Master.” “Hmm?” “I’m establishing rules.” Kael looked up.
“Why?” “You’ve been teaching me combat.
I’m going to teach you civilization.” “You already said that.” “I’m making it official.” Kael continued eating.
Rhea counted on her fingers.
“Food that doesn’t involve killing whatever attacked you.
Clothing.
Shopping.
Social customs.
Festivals.
Entertainment.
Normal things people do for fun.” “I know how clothes work.” Rhea looked at his simple dark clothing.
Then at him.
“Debatable.” Kael looked down at himself.
“They cover me.” “That’s the absolute minimum requirement.” Kael considered arguing, then decided he didn’t care enough.
“Fine.” Rhea smiled.
She had somehow convinced a man who refused orders from kings and gods to accept a civilization curriculum.
Admittedly, she suspected boredom had done most of the work.
They reached the Veyrun Hunter Guild later that morning.
The building made Greyhaven’s branch look small.
Multiple wings surrounded a broad central hall filled with hunters, reception counters, mission boards, monster-material exchanges, and several entrances leading toward training areas.
Hundreds of people moved through the building.
Kael entered.
Then stopped.
Rhea followed his gaze.
A Guild dining area occupied one side of the hall.
“No.” Kael looked at her.
“Guildmaster first.” “Food after?” “Yes.” “Okay.” Rhea’s expression became complicated.
She was learning.
At the reception desk, Kael handed over his identification.
The receptionist looked down.
UNMEASURED HUNTER.
Her hand stopped.
She looked up.
Then down again.
Several nearby hunters noticed.
Whispers spread.
“That’s him?” “The Greyhaven one?” “He looks twenty.” “Where’s his weapon?” Kael ignored them.
Rhea had already become accustomed to this particular reaction.
The receptionist recovered quickly.
“Guildmaster Arvor is expecting you.” They were escorted upstairs.
Selene Arvor’s office was surprisingly ordinary.
Maps covered one wall.
Several stacks of reports occupied another table, and the woman sitting behind the central desk looked less like someone who enjoyed authority and more like someone who had spent the morning fighting paperwork.
Selene appeared to be in her forties, with dark hair tied neatly behind her head and the alert eyes of an experienced hunter.
She stood.
“Kael?” “Yes.” “Thank you for coming.” “You’re welcome.” Rhea blinked.
Normal.
Everything was normal.
Nobody demanded Kael prove himself.
Nobody questioned whether someone who looked young deserved his classification.
Nobody ordered him to bow.
This might actually be easy.
Selene opened a report.
“Greyhaven sent extensive documentation.” Kael sat.
Rhea took the chair beside him.
“Broken testing equipment.
Failed measurements.
Zero detectable presence.
The Hollow Depth incident.
Several witness statements.” “I didn’t break the equipment.” Rhea looked toward him.
“Technically.” Selene smiled.
“Greyhaven made the same clarification.
Apparently the equipment broke itself while attempting to understand you.” “Yes.” “I have no intention of repeating the test.
They destroyed enough expensive equipment.” Kael immediately decided Selene was sensible.
Then she picked up another document.
“However, another report arrived this morning.” Rhea had a bad feeling.
Selene read aloud.
“New route through the Broken Spine.
Estimated travel reduction: approximately three days.
Creator: Hunter Kael.” She paused.
Then continued.
“Reason for construction: existing route inconvenient.” Selene lowered the paper.
“Is this accurate?” “Yes.” Rhea covered her face.
Selene looked at Kael for several seconds.
“You created a road through the Broken Spine because you didn’t want to take the established route?” “It went the wrong way.” “The road went around the mountains.” “Exactly.” Selene stared.
Then, unexpectedly, laughed.
Rhea relaxed.
“The Guild would like permission to survey the route,” Selene said.
“If it’s stable, it could become extremely important.” Kael frowned.
“Why are you asking me?” “You made it.” “It’s a road.” Selene slowly leaned back.
“Are you claiming ownership?” “No.” “Tolls?” “No.” “Restrictions?” “No.” “Anyone can use it?” “That’s what roads are for.” Selene looked genuinely impressed.
Kael, meanwhile, seemed confused that this required discussion.
“Very well.
I’ll authorize a survey team.” She returned the report to her desk.
“There’s another matter.
Your Unmeasured classification means normal rank restrictions aren’t useful for you.
If you want work, I can authorize contracts based on your judgment rather than standard Guild requirements.” Kael considered that.
“Any involve good food?” Silence.
Rhea slowly turned toward him.
“Master.” Selene blinked.
Then, to Rhea’s horror, she actually checked the contracts.
“There’s a monster-control request from the western vineyard region.
They’re famous for their cuisine.” Kael became noticeably more interested.
“Please don’t encourage him,” Rhea said.
Selene smiled.
Then she looked toward Rhea.
“And you’re his disciple?” “Yes.” “How is your training progressing?” Kael answered before she could.
“Better.” Rhea immediately smiled.
Selene noticed.
“Was that significant?” “Very.” Kael sighed.
“Apparently.” Selene looked between them with amusement.
“I’d like to see this training.” That was how they ended up in one of the Guild’s private courtyards.
Rhea drew the new blade Kael had bought her.
Kael stood opposite her.
“Today is different,” he said.
“How?” “You know how to continue movement when things happen correctly.” Rhea nodded.
“Now continue when they don’t.” He raised one hand.
“Attack.” Rhea moved.
Her blade cut toward his shoulder.
Kael redirected it with two fingers.
Her balance shifted.
Rhea instinctively tried to reset.
“Continue.” She forced herself forward.
Again.
Kael pushed her shoulder lightly.
Her stance broke.
She stepped backward.
“Continue.” Rhea turned the backward step into another movement.
Kael redirected her again.
“Don’t reset.” The principle gradually became clear.
A real opponent would not cooperate with her rhythm.
They would block.
Push.
Pull.
Interrupt.
Force mistakes.
If Rhea’s continuity depended on everything happening as planned, it wasn’t continuity at all.
Several hunters began gathering around the courtyard.
Rhea ignored them.
She attacked.
Kael redirected.
Her foot slipped sideways.
Instead of fighting the imbalance, she accepted it.
The stumble became a rotation.
Her body lowered.
The rotation carried her blade toward Kael’s side.
He moved.
Rhea used the momentum to rise into another attack.
Kael nodded.
“Good.” Rhea stopped.
A huge smile appeared.
Kael looked at her.
“You stopped.” Her smile vanished.
“You said good!” “And then you became terrible.” Laughter erupted around the courtyard.
Rhea stared at him in betrayal.
“You did that deliberately.” “No.” “You absolutely did.” A Guild trainer approached after the session.
“Hunter Kael.” Kael looked at him.
“Would you consider occasionally teaching here?” “No.” The answer came instantly.
“We pay instructors.” “No.” “Full access to training facilities.” “No.” “Free meals during teaching days.” Kael paused.
Rhea’s head snapped toward him.
“Don’t.” Kael looked at the trainer.
“How good are the meals?” “MASTER.” The trainer desperately tried not to laugh.
They returned to the Golden Hearth that afternoon.
Rhea was exhausted.
Kael wasn’t.
He looked down at his sleeve.
A small smear of dirt remained from training.
A tiny controlled manifestation of Decay touched it.
The dirt disappeared.
The cloth remained perfectly intact.
Rhea froze.
“Did you just use Decay Domain to clean your sleeve?” “Yes.” “Your Decay Domain.” “Yes.” “The power you used to make a road through mountains.” “Same one.” Rhea stared at the spotless fabric.
“Master, you can’t use your Domain for housework.” “Why?” Rhea opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Kael looked down at his boots.
Dust disappeared.
Then another stain.
Gone.
He picked up a fruit from the table.
Decay touched the peel.
The unwanted outer layer vanished perfectly, leaving the fruit untouched.
Rhea looked increasingly offended.
“You spent a hundred years mastering Decay.” “Yes.” “And now you’re peeling fruit with it.” “It’s convenient.” “That’s not the point!” “What is the point?” Rhea didn’t know anymore.
Kael noticed her muddy boots.
“Want yours cleaned?” “No.” He waited.
Rhea looked down.
Mud covered both boots.
She remained silent for several seconds.
“…Yes.” Kael glanced at them.
The mud disappeared.
Rhea lifted one foot.
Perfectly clean.
“The other one too.” Kael cleaned it.
She admired both.
Then looked up.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
“Hypocrite.” Rhea crossed her arms.
“It’s different when you’re helping your disciple.” “How?” “It just is.” They spent the evening exploring Veyrun.
For once, there was no contract waiting.
No monster attack.
No underground ruin.
No urgent destination.
They simply walked.
Rhea showed Kael clothing shops, public fountains, game stalls, street performers, and small theaters.
Musicians played near busy intersections while vendors shouted about everything from jewelry to roasted nuts.
Kael sampled food from far too many stalls.
But he also stopped to watch performers.
He listened to musicians.
He spent several minutes observing a craftsman create tiny wooden animals for children.
Rhea noticed something sometime after sunset.
She wasn’t following him.
Kael wasn’t leading her.
They were simply walking beside each other.
She smiled.
Kael noticed.
“What?” “Nothing.” They eventually reached Veyrun’s central square.
Workers were hanging enormous banners between buildings.
Temporary stalls covered the surrounding streets, and a wooden platform was being constructed near the fountain.
Rhea stopped.
“What’s happening?” A nearby vendor answered.
“Summer Festival.
Starts tomorrow.” “Festival?” “Seven days.
Markets, performances, Hunter games, tournaments, night celebrations, food contests—” Kael turned.
“Food contests?” Rhea’s expression changed.
The vendor smiled.
“Of course.
Biggest food festival in the northern region.” Kael looked across the unfinished stalls.
Rhea recognized the expression.
“Master.” He ignored her.
“Master.” “Seven days?” “Yes,” the vendor said.
Kael nodded thoughtfully.
Rhea suddenly felt nervous.
During one hundred years in the Hollow Depth, Kael had survived monsters, poisonous creatures, collapsing caverns, and countless battles.
Tomorrow, however, Veyrun would introduce him to something far more dangerous.
An entire festival filled with food.
Rhea looked toward the hundreds of stalls preparing for morning.
Then toward her master.
For the first time since entering Veyrun, she found herself genuinely concerned for the city.
Not because Kael might destroy it.
She simply wasn’t certain Veyrun had prepared enough food.
the link is in the synonyms.