Silenveloped the whole manor as the cloud of dust slowly started to settle. The only thing to be heard are the faint and rugged breathing of Elise and Eliza as they quietly grasped their breaths.

  "The winner is Elise!" ［Eine］

  The oo break the deafening silence was Eine's annou. Even though she acted as the referee for the match, it still took her some time to annouhe results as she was also stunned by the ret turn of events.

  Hearing Elise's words, the two sisters iraining ground rexed their bodies, and after a few seds, they both colpsed to the ground exhausted, their breathing even mh than before.

  And sihey were too exhausted, Yuna and Grey took it upon themselves to fix the training ground which they partially destroyed during their match, reverting it back to its inal state.

  As for the other spectators, they quickly rushed towards Elise and Eine who were colpsed to the ground. The parents, Eleanora and Fritz were especially worried about the state of their daughters.

  After a few minutes of rest and with the aid of recovery magic, the two sisters were finally able to move once again, and the first thing Elise did was to check up on her younger sister's dition.

  "Liz, you're fine, right?! Elder Sister didn't hurt you too much, right?! No, I probably did! Uuu... what a horrible older sister I am..." ［Elise］

  "Umm... Elder Sister, I'm fineー" ［Eliza］

  "You don't o be siderate! Just tell me if it hurts somewhere, Elder Sister will do her best to help you!" ［Elise］

  "No, really, I'm fine, Elder Sister. After all, Elder Brrey and Elder Sister Yuna's recovery magic is top notch!" ［Eliza］

  Eliza proudly procimed as she puffed her chest while wearing a smile on her face, making Elise calm down a little bit. After all, she also knew how potent Grey and Yuna's recovery spells were.

  Not only Elise, the other's also calmed down after hearing Eliza's proud decration. Even Galvin, who didn't fully uand what was going on, was happy that Eliza, who he now sidered an older sister figure, was fine and dandy.

  "But even if you're fine, you two should know that what you did was dangerous! You two should learo hold back! Do you know how nervous and worried I and your father were, wat the two of you fight?!" ［Eine］

  "Your mother's right. That was too close! If you got one of your moves wrong, you could have injured each other! Especially you, Elise! You're the older one, you should have knowo stop!" ［Fritz］

  While recalling the ret match, Fritz and Eleanora scolded their daughters. Both of them had very evident traces of ay and anger written on their faces as they gave Elise and Eliza an earful.

  Although they both agreed beforehand about the match, it was because they didn't think it would escate so much. After all, they didn't think that Eliza would actually be able to put up a good match against her older sister.

  Even Fritz, who had been with Eliza the most, was very surprised at his you daughter's strength. He initially thought she had just entered G-raly, but only after the fight did he realize that Eliza had actually entered F-rank.

  The reason for Eliza's unpreted growth was not only Grey and Yuna's teags, but also the presence of Poris. He always served as a practice partner whenever Eliza trained ihe mansion, hidden in the sight of others.

  It has already been more than a month since Poris had started to live in the Landevar mansio Fritz has yet to figure out that what he thought was a little wolf pup was actually an S-rank creature. It was the reason Poris and Eliza could train freely.

  Seeing Elise and Ei scolded by their parents, Grey remembered the ups and downs of having a family. While it could be annoying at times, he was still happy that they were there, especially when he hem the most.

  Now that he was in Merusia, Grey couldn't ask for more than what he had. He has made es and acquaintahat he t on like a family. The most precious oanding besides him now.

  Before he even realized it, Grey's hand already moved towards Yuna's and wheouched, he interlocked his fingers with hers, holding her hand tightly as he felt her warmth and pulse.

  "Hm? Why so sudden?" ［Yuna］

  "No reason. I just want to hold my very adorable girlfriend's hand. Is there something wrong with that?" ［Grey］

  "No.., there's nothing wrong with it..." ［Yuna］

  Yuna said as she tightened her hold on Grey's hand, her face getting a little red from Grey's words as an unstoppable surge of happiness and warmth filled her heart. A little smile formed on her face.

  Yet again, Grey realized how lucky he was to live a sed life. He really 't be mrateful to the one who gave him the d wished he was also happy whatever dimension he was in.

  As they held one another's hands, the familiars also watched over them, feeling just as happy as their masters were. After all, they could also feel the emotions of their masters and could feel the same warmth blooming ihem.

  A few moments ter, Eleanora and Fritz had finally finished scolding their daughters and everyouro the garden with Elise, Eine, and the kids each holding a familiar in their arms.

  "Still... to think that Liz has bee s... I really 't believe it, even though I wit with my own eyes." ［Elise］

  Elise sighed with exhaustion visible on her face as she took her seat beside the garden table. On top of her p was Kentaurus who she ettily to relive her surprise and shock.

  "It's the same for me. Even though I watched her grow as she trained, I still 't prehend how she got s so quickly. To top it all, it hasn't evehree months since she started training." ［Fritz］

  "Eh? What did you say, Father?" ［Elise］

  Elise asked with her eyes open wide in shod her body a little frozen. It wasn't only her, even Eleanora and Eine were also greatly shocked from hearing Fritz's casual ent.

  "Hm? That I 't prehend how strong Liー" ［Fritz］

  "No, not that ohe st part!" ［Elize］

  "Oh, that it hasn't evehree months since she started training?" ［Fritz］

  """Eh?!"""

  When Fritz refirmed what they heard, the three's faces became frozen from shoce again. Especially Elise and Eihey felt like the world crumbled after hearing such surprising facts.

  Like Fritz, they also couldn't prehend how ihan three months, a vulnerable little girl became able to break trees with little effort. Fritz, however, has bee aced to it, preventing him from getting shocked.

  Elise and Eine initially thought Eliza had been trained for several months already, which would still make her a genius, but they didn't expect it to be much shorter. They never felt so defeated and depressed.

  "Three months... And it took me almost two years to bee this strong..." ［Elise］

  "On top of that, she also learned atribute... and it was also on the low-level as well. I don't think I still call myself a top student of the academy..." ［Eine］

  "To think that my little sister is already on par with me... I haven't felt so defeated ever since I met Yuna and Grey... which wasn't even that long ago..." ［Elise］

  Recalling their experiences during the past week, Elise and Eine became even more depressed. Their pride as students of the Royal Academy had been crushed twice over in a single week.

  But it wasn't only them, Even Grey and Yuna were also surprised that Eliza learned atribute. As for Elise havi earth-attribute, it didn't surprise him si was on for students in the Royal Academy to learn a sedary attribute and css just in case. Eine also learnt the fjre attribute for this reason.

  "Hey, how about we finish our smoothies before we tinue our versation? It will help you cheer up a little." ［Grey］

  Grey said as I retrieved the smoothies from his "Iory" in order to cheer Elise and Eine up. As for the juices, he is only going to retrieve them when someone asks for them as everyone seemed to have fotten about them.

  With the help of "Memory Bank", Grey was able to return the smoothies to their respective owners. Whether it was for important matters or even for something as trivial as this, it was a really helpful ability.

  "Ahh～ That's much better. These smoothies really are amazing." ［Elise］

  "And it's still cold too! Even though it has been more than 20 minutes since we stopped drinking it." ［Eine］

  "That's because of Grey's special ste ring. Apparently, time slows dowly for everything that he stores in there." ［Fritz］

  Fritz expio the two girls briefly, taking what Grey had previously told him. Even his wife, Eleanora who had seen quite a number of ste rings was amazed by the ability of Grey's "Ste Ring".

  But of course, that was not the truth. Even though it has already been months since he used the cover that his ability was a ste ring, people have yet to suspect that it wasn't actually true. Grey is still amazed by how long he kept it secret.

  "Big Bro Grey, I want one more!" ［Galvin］

  Galvin said whilst raising his empty gss eically trey. There wasn't a speoothie left inside of it. It was as if it hadn't even been used in the first pce, a gss so to say.

  "I'll give you one more, but this is the st one, alright?" ［Grey］

  "Ehh～?!" ［Galvin］

  "Hey, Galvin, don't trouble Older Brrey too much!" ［Grey］

  "Galvi's listen to your older brother, okay? Plus, if you drink too much, your stomach will ache and you won't be able to py with us anymore." ［Yuna］

  When Yuna said those words, Galvin's gaze alternated betweehers, the garden, and the smoothies, all while making a difficult face, having a hard time choosiween pying and drinking smoothies.

  "Alright..." ［Galvin］

  "That's a good boy." ［Yuna］

  Yuna ended her statement with a smile while patting Galvin's head, making the once crestfallen Galvin back to being cheerful in just a matter of seds. Children are simple, after all.

  Everyone tinued enjoying their refreshments, apanied with chit chat here and there. It sted for several minutes, when suddenly, Eleanora noticed Fritz who was ihought.

  "Is something the matter, dear?" ［Eleanora］

  "Nothing much... It just got me w how dangerous it would be if Elise's sword breaks in bat again." ［Fritz］

  To Fritz's words, everyoher than Galvin and Elnart, in the garden table fell silent. After all, it was a serious topic which could mean life ah to future knights like Elise and Eine.

  While ons would wear out and break over time, it could also break if it couldn't hahe owner's power anymore. Even if one is powerful, it would be meaningless if you don't have a good on to show your full power.

  "Don't worry, Father, my sword is still strong and well maintained. It won't break so easily!" ［Elise］

  "I know, but still, it is only a Low-tier, High-Grade on. Once you reach the higher end of E-rank, it will only slow you down. We o buy somethier for the future." ［Fritz］

  Fritz reinforced his opinion as he pointed out the importance of having a good on to mate's ability. After all, with the rate Elise is growing, it would only be a year or two before she outgrows her on.

  Along with their on grades is their ability to hahe power of their owner. Low-Grade ons only service H-rank at most, Middle-Grade up until F-rank, High-Grade up to k, and Superirade up to S-rank. Legendary, Mythical, and Divine Grades are for Camity, Disaster, and Catastrophe Csses, respectively.

  Grey and Yuna don't o worry about them outgrowing their ons. After all, they are all at Divine-Grade which are sidered the pinnacle of all equipment. There was no way they would break.

  "Ah! Then how about we ask Elder Brrey to make you one, Elder Sister? He's also the one who made me my sword!" ［Eliza］

  "Oh my! Grey's also a bcksmith?!" ［Eleanora］

  Everyone's attention was quickly shifted to Grey as soon as Eliza uttered those words. Even Fritz who had known Grey gifted it to Eliza was shocked to learn about it. He initially thought Grey had bought it or it was dropped by a monster.

  "Aside from being a B-rank adve su early age, you're also a bcksmith? Just how talented are you, Grey?" ［Fritz］

  "Elder Sister Yuna is also amazing! She's an alchemist!" ［Eliza］

  "Eh?! B-rank?! Alchemist?! What's going one?!" ［Elise］

  "I-Is Yuna a B-ranker as well?!" ［Eine］

  Oer anrey and Yuna's secrets were spilled into the open and the more secrets were spilled, the more chaotic the se became. There was just too muformatiooo little time to hahem.

  Thankfully, the truth about Grey and Yuna's real ranks has not been revealed to the public. Because of it, they were able to expin things easily and people started to calm down after some time.

  "I 't believe it... Grey and Yuna are just too amazing..." ［Elise］

  "Right? Being the same age as them, I feel a little defeated." ［Eine］

  Still, even after Grey and Yuna expined some things to everyone, Elise and Eiill couldn't fully their heads around the fact that their current instructor and close friend was actually a B-rank adventurer.

  "Umm... Elise, Eine, could you keep this a secret to everyone?" ［Yuna］

  "Don't worry about it, Yuna. Your secret is safe with us! But in exge I want to eat your cooking again as payment!" ［Elise］

  "I also want to eat some, too! I want to eat some desserts if possible!" ［Eine］

  "Hehehe, sure!" ［Yuna］

  Thankfully, Elise and Eine weren't the type of people to run their mouths and spill other's secrets to other people. They were reliable friends who looked out greatly for those they care about.

  While the girls were happily chatting with one anrey thought of ao solve Fritz's worries. He could finally make use of some equipment which had been gathering dust in his "Iory".

  Yuna, I'm going to give some of the things we got from the Labyrinth to Elise and Eine. Are you fih that? ［Grey］

  Un! As long as it help them, I'll be happy to do so! ［Yuna］

  Alright, then I'll piething suitable for the two of them. ［Grey］

  Grey's idea was to give Elise and Eine some of the ons they got from the Labyrinth of Death as drops from the mohey defeated. They have so many of them that they don't know how to deal with them.

  After a few moments of sing the tents of his "Iory", Grey finally decided on the ons he and Yuna will be gifting to Elise and Eine. Both ons will st them for a very long time.

  "Fritz, about the issue about the ons, I think I have a solution for that." ［Grey］

  "Oh, are you going te a on for Elise and Eine as well?" ［Fritz］

  "Ah, that would be difficult right now, so instead, why don't we just gift them some of the spoils we got from the Labyrinth?" ［Grey］

  "It isn't something over the top, isn't it?" ［Fritz］

  "Don't worry, it's the same quality as their current ons. They could use it as a spare until you get a better one." ［Grey］

  Two statements, two lies. Even when Grey was lying straight to Fritz's face, he didn't even flinch a little and just smiled ily and cheerfully as he proposed su idea to Fritz.

  The first lie was that it wasn't difficult for him at all te ons with his current schedule. If he tries his best, he would be able to make one for both Elise and Eine in just a few hours.

  The sed lie was that it wasn't the same quality at all. Grey nning on handing out Elise and Eine Superirade ons whiillions of kiels. Something Fritz would definitely disapprove of if he knew.

  "Haah... Alright. I'll repay this debt ter." ［Fritz］

  "There's no need. I'm also ed about Elise and Eine's wellbeing. This much is nothing." ［Grey］

  It didn't take long for Fritz to agree to Grey's proposition, and when he did, Grey quickly retrieved two ons from his "Iory". One was a sword and the other ear.

  The sword was called the "Scarlet Demon Bde" dropped by the B-rank monster, eneral. It is a null-attribute on which resembled the Japaana ba Earth quite a bit.

  The spear was the "Silver Sky Halberd" dropped by a Winged Gon, another B-rank monster. It had even more patibility with Eine as it was also of the lightning attribute.

  "Here, Elise, Eine, catch." ［Grey］

  Simultaneously, Grey threw the "Scarlet Demon Bde" and the "Silver Sky Halberd" towards Elise and Eine, who, with great reflexes, were able to catch it without much trouble.

  "What's... this for?" ［Elise］

  "A spear?" ［Eine］

  As they had been talking with Yuna at the same time Grey was talking with Fritz, the two were very fused why Grey suddenly gave the two of them ons. They looked at Grey with curious eyes as they asked for an expnation.

  "Those are some spoils Yuna and I acquired from the byrinth. We 't really use them so I hope they serve you well." ［Grey］

  "You sider it as a gift from us." ［Yuna］

  A little speechless, Elise and Eine slowly ied the ons they just grey and Yuna, and the more they looked into it, the more they were ented by its exquisite beauty.

  Elise quickly brandished her sword with swift movements as she tested out how quickly and accurately she swing it. To her surprise, it was much lighter than it looks and much sharper as well.

  As for Eine, she also tested out her on by thrusting it quickly forward and then swinging it left and right. Just like Elsie, she was surprised to learn how easy to use the spear was.

  " we really have these?" ［Elise］

  "Elise's right. These ons seem valuable." ［Eine］

  "Well, it's a gift, isn't it?" ［Grey］

  "Take it, Elise, Eine! We'll be happy if you use them!" ［Yuna］

  "Thank you, Yuna, Grey!" ［Elise］

  "We'll be sure to treasure them!" ［Eine］

  Without any warning, Eine suddenly hugged Grey and Yuna with a huge and bright smile pstered on her face...

  "I'll also give you a hug!" ［Elise］

  "Me too!" ［Eliza］

  ... and seeing Eine hug the two of them, Elise and Eliza followed as well and joihem. And for some reason he knew, Galvin also hugged them, most likely thinking they were pying some sort of game.

  "I'm really thankful for this, Grey, Yuna. I really like the colors red and bck, it looks kinda cool." ［Elise］

  "Red and bck, huh... Now that I look at it, it looks a little familiar..." ［Fritz］

  Fritz pced his hands on his as he tried to remember where he saw such a sword. His eyes quickly widened in shock as soon as he remembered, it was then that Grey and Yuna khey got busted.

  Fog on the sword, Fritz approached Elise and asked to borrow it for a sed. He wao exami closely. The moment he firmed that it really was what he thought it was, his eyes widened in shock even more.

  "Wait, isn't this the Scarlet Demon Bde?!" ［Fritz］

  Fritz excimed as his body trembled a little from shock. Following the flow of things, he also asked Eine for the halberd Grey and Yuna had just given her, making him shocked even more.

  "And this is a Silver Sky Halberd!" ［Fritz］

  Upon realizing what those ons were, Fritz shifted his attention to Grey and Yuna with his eyes burning with irritation. And as ho as they are, Yuna and Grey faced the terror head-on.

  "Ahaha... I thought I grabbed high-grade ons. Seems like I was mistaken. Ahaha... Silly meー" ［Grey］

  "Don't try to a! And what do you mean by high-grade, these two are clearly of superirade! There's no way you could have mistaken it! You clearly wao gift it to them without me knowing!" ［Fritz］

  Grey tried to py it by ughing it off, but it was useless. The only thing it did was make Fritz even more irritated. Because of it, Grey and Yuna got quite the scolding from Fritz.

  Fritz's scolding sted for almost 3 hours, and needless to say, it was hell for both Grey and Yuna. What made it worse was that while they were being scolded, the others just tinued pying in the garden, pletely ign them.

  In the end, Fritz allowed Elise and Eio keep the ons. It was because, not only Grey and Yuna, but Eleanora also persuaded him for the sake of Elise and Eine's safety.

  Grey didn't know if he should sider it a defeat or victory, but what he did know is that he didn't want to experie again. Yuna was feeling the same as they reflected on their as.

  CHAPTER 88 END