“Thank you,” Litte said before offering her inner persona a nickname. “Little Dark.”
“Little Dark? Are you calling me that?”
“Mm, calling you ‘Dark Litte’ feels a little strange. Don’t you like it?” Litte asked.
“It’s fine. You can call me whatever you want. After all, you and I are one and the same,” Little Dark replied before bringing up another topic.
“By the way, Litte, remember to be cautious around Orson.”
“Huh? Brother Orson?!” Litte asked in shock. “Why should I be cautious of him?”
“You really don’t know? The reason you ended up like this today is entirely because of Orson.”
“...” Litte fell silent for a moment before speaking. “Orson... he must’ve done it for my own good, right?”
“Sure, from the results, you did complete the trial. But you almost died in the process.”
“And besides, let me ask you this—do you really believe there’s such a thing as someone who unconditionally helps others without expecting anything in return? You’ve only known Orson for how long? Why would he go to such lengths to help you?”
“And another thing—Orson is dangerous. He’s so strong that even I, in my current state, wouldn’t be able to guarantee your safety if he ever turned hostile.”
“So, if Orson ever decides to turn against you, you won’t stand a chance. Do you understand?”
“Orson would never do that,” Litte said softly.
“It’s not about whether he would or wouldn’t. It’s about ensuring your own safety.”
“I said, Orson would never do that!” Litte’s voice suddenly rose, cutting off Little Dark. Even Little Dark had no way to continue the conversation after that outburst.
“Alright, alright. If that’s how you feel, then so be it,” Little Dark sighed. “But let me make one thing clear—I’m part of you. There’s no conflict of interest between us. Everything I do is for your own good.”
“So in the future, when I make a decision, please don’t doubt me, okay?”
“Mm.” Litte nodded. “As long as you don’t say bad things about Orson.”
“Fine, fine. I won’t say anything bad about him,” Little Dark replied before adding, “Oh, by the way, because I utilized Tier 3 abilities earlier, you should now have those memories and skills as well. Meaning you are now both a Tier 3 warrior and a Tier 3 mage.”
“I’ll go into a deep sleep for now and only come out again if you’re in danger or mentally unstable. From now on, it’s all up to you.”
With that, Little Dark’s voice disappeared.
Litte stayed in the bathtub for a while longer before finally getting out.
Using a simple magic spell, she cleaned and dried the bandages she used to bind her chest before carefully rewrapping them around herself.
—
The next morning, Orson woke up early. After washing up and changing clothes, he went to Litte’s room.
At that moment, Litte groggily opened her eyes.
“Mm, Orson?”
“Mm, it’s me,” Orson said with a nod. “About yesterday... I’m sorry.”
“Mm... it’s okay,” Litte said as she rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.
“It’s really fine, Orson. I don’t mind. Besides, you helped me in the end, didn’t you?”
“Later, I’ll take you to the training grounds to test your abilities. If your strength is truly stable at Tier 3, you’ll certainly be able to pass the Imperial Academy’s entrance exam.”
—
An hour later, at the training grounds.
Orson watched as Litte skillfully controlled the floating carpet and demonstrated sword strikes with the strength of a Tier 3 warrior. Orson nodded in satisfaction.
“Congratulations, Litte. You’ve officially reached Tier 3.”
“Hehe, it’s all thanks to you, Orson,” Litte said with a shy smile.
“Most people can’t go from being an ordinary person to Tier 3 in less than a month, Litte.”
“Hehe...”
“Well, since that’s the case, there’s no need for training today.”
“Huh?” Litte looked surprised.
She still wasn’t used to this change in Orson’s attitude.
“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? I’m no longer your teacher,” Orson said with a smile before turning around. “Come on, let’s go explore Antica City today. We’ll stop by the Adventurers’ Guild to get your rank assessed.”
“Okay~” Litte set down her sword and followed Orson.
“Why does it look like you’re in a really good mood?” After walking for a while, Orson glanced at Litte, who was smiling brightly.
“Hehe, because I don’t have to train today.”
“You...” Hearing such a simple reason, Orson couldn’t help but chuckle.
The two climbed into a carriage and headed to the Adventurers’ Guild in Antica City.
—
“Young Master Orson, it’s been a while,” Marvin greeted them as they arrived.
“Mr. Marvin, I’d like Litte to have his abilities assessed today,” Orson said after shaking hands with him.
“Of course, of course,” Marvin replied, taking the opportunity to praise Litte. “Who would’ve thought Young Master Litte would reach the point of being assessed so quickly? It seems Young Master Orson has great confidence in him.”
“More or less,” Orson said with a smile, casting a glance at Litte and giving him a subtle signal.
“Mm,” Litte nodded. The three of them entered the assessment room.
—
Half a minute later, the room was filled with deep red light. Orson nodded in approval, while Marvin looked utterly stunned.
And that wasn’t the end of it. Litte then proceeded to the crystal orb used to assess magical abilities. Once again, the room was bathed in deep red light.
“Young Master Orson, am I seeing this correctly?” Marvin exclaimed, staring at Litte in disbelief. “It’s been just over twenty days, and Young Master Litte has gone from an ordinary person to a Tier 3 warrior and... a Tier 3 mage?”
“Surprising, isn’t it, Mr. Marvin? That’s the strength of our Litte,” Orson said with a proud smile.
From this day forward, Litte was about to embark on the life of an overpowered protagonist.
“Tell me, Young Master Orson... Litte’s rapid growth—there weren’t any banned substances involved, were there?” Marvin asked quietly.
By “banned substances,” Marvin referred to drugs that were outlawed across the continent. These substances could enhance one’s strength at the cost of their lifespan or other severe consequences. Due to their dangerous side effects, they were strictly prohibited by all major powers.
For Marvin, Litte’s unprecedented growth in such a short time either bordered on a miracle... or the result of such substances.
“Of course not,” Orson said firmly, shaking his head.
“In that case, congratulations, Young Master Orson. The Stranick family has gained another extraordinary genius.”
“Haha, you flatter me, Mr. Marvin,” Orson replied, exchanging pleasantries with him.
At that moment, Litte approached them.
“Um, Orson, I’ve finished the assessment.”
“Very good,” Orson said with a nod before turning to Marvin. “Mr. Marvin, please register Litte’s information with the Adventurers’ Guild.”
At that moment, Litte tugged on Orson’s sleeve.
“Orson, can I make a request?”
“Mm?”
“I want to do the same thing you did back then. Can we not make this information public?”