Tahiko sat alone in the living room on the couch. Before him was a tall glass filled with water as he sat with eyes closed, concentrating. Slowly, water began to float up from the cup as he focused intently on moving it upwards into the air. Then, he tried to bring it back down with the same level of finesse, but once again it splashed out onto the table as he lost control.

”Darn.” He muttered to himself, wiping up the mess yet again. The boy had been at this for several hours at this point. Surely at some point he would begin to regain his magic through training just as he did his physical strength. Yet not an ounce of progress had been made. Was this world’s effect on magic just that strong on him? Or was there more to the spell which sent him to this realm that he did not know about?

Meanwhile, unknown to him, Amasa watched over him from the stairs. She had been worried for him ever since they got home. He clearly was trying to do something that he’d be unlikely to do on his own. Yet his own personal pride prevented him from wanting to ask for help now.

But what could she do for him? It’s not as if she shouldn’t be enjoying this peace away from his usual incessant behavior. However, the girl also felt bad considering the reasons were not for positive ones. Then there was also the fact she wasn’t so different herself.

“You want to take a break?” Finally, she spoke up, walking into the room. “It doesn’t seem to be working.”

“I can’t just take a break.” He responded. The young knight knew only to push himself harder. That worked out well enough for him on Enatis when trying to learn new spells or skills. So why wouldn’t it work out here?

“This isn’t some video game.” She swore, despite being more serious, he must’ve lost some brain cells in the conversion. “Look, there’s no point in spending all of your time on this project of yours. Need I remind you, you’re still a teenage boy on Earth.”

“I don’t know what makes that so special?” He replied, confused on what they should really mean. It didn’t seem like teenage boys in this world did much at all. They certainly did less than the ones he was aware of on Enatis.

“That means you still have homework.” She pointed over to the bag he had tossed aside the moment they returned home. “And people actually care about their grades.” Being a knight, they weren’t really taught in the traditional means she had gotten used to. “I’ll even be generous today, we can do it together.”

“Really? Did Soter kill the real Amasa and replace her with a clone?” Tahiko was shocked to hear her offer. Normally, she had also locked herself alone in her room when doing homework. So he was stuck doing these odd equations and reading strange stories on his own. The boy’s grades were quite mediocre.

“I’m still the real me!” She responded by grabbing his bag and throwing it at the boy’s face. Of course, he easily caught it with no trouble thanks to his cat-like reflexes. “Now don’t just look a gift horse in the mouth and let’s do this.” Amasa hoped this would take his mind off of the demon problem for now. While she couldn’t deny it being an issue that could hurt both of them, this way of handling was not healthy at all.

“I do have to be grateful for the help.” He said as they set out all their papers onto the coffee table. “These questions make little sense to me, so it would be nice if you could help me with this problem… And this one… And that other one has given me trouble…” Tahiko went down to each question saying that he’d like her help on it. At this point, it would’ve been easier to say what he didn’t need help on, which was none.

“Let’s just get started.” She stopped him and began their work. It was a good thing they were in the same class, so she wouldn’t have to waste time on his stuff without gaining any benefit. “See, it’s not that bad.” They were only high school students, so it was not as though the course work given to the pair were the most complex of problems.

“Heheh, thanks.” He said as they finished up on math. “With this out of the way, I can get back to training sooner.” While she was hoping to get his mind off of training, it seemed her plan backfired.

“So soon?” She responded. “Can’t you just give it a rest for today?”

“Evil never rests.” He said, sitting up to this glass of water, beginning to summon the power yet again. “So I can’t. Beside, why are you so careless about this? You were the one who got kidnapped.”

“True, but it turned out fine…” She answered. “Unless, it’s because you feel responsible.” In response to her inquiry, Tahiko lost control of the water floating up, causing it all to miss the glass and fall onto the table and floor.

“I got lucky.” He coldly answered her statement. The memory of her being held hostage before him, the boy having no options left in his skill set to be able to save her. Were it not for Fukuna’s intervention, then who knew how this encounter would end? “I can’t allow myself to be caught off guard like that.”

“But that doesn’t mean running yourself ragged. Getting stronger isn’t everything.” She told him. “And you shouldn’t make yourself suffer because you think you did something bad.”

“Really?”

“Yeah really.” She bonked him on the head. “If you do something bad, then I’ll punish you myself.”

“Hahaha.” He laughed from her pitiful hit. To her she did put some power to it, but to him it was like a light tap. “I don’t know why you’re so warm to me now. Perhaps I truly am talking to clone.”

“Well.” She took a slightly less giggly approach to this conversation. “I still haven’t properly paid you back for saving my life. It’s only so I don’t feel bad.” The girl’s blushing face revealed it wasn’t entirely true.

“Though you do make another good point.” He didn’t notice it and moved on. “Maybe getting stronger isn’t the only way to keep us all safe.” As someone groomed to be a knight, gaining power was the only way he was taught in order to fight the demon hordes. “Perhaps I’ll have to get inventive against our foes.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Finally, she convinced him to stop this futile attempt in training. Not only that, but his old personality was beginning to shine through once more. “And as much as I hate to admit it, but you kind of need to be friends with Fukuna again.”

“That I still don’t understand. When did we stop being friends with one another?” The boy still had no clues in understanding social relationships in this world.

“You never were real friends with her.” Not that Amasa would know what they felt like. She might know a fake friendship when she saw one, but being genuine was hard for her.

That said, it would be a good thing to have her return to the group. She was the only person outside of the family who knew the truth about him, so having more allies would come in handy. Not to mention she also played a major role in saving her life, so there was that.

“Oh, it’s a real mess in here.” Amasa’s mom came into the room. “Clean this up and come in for some dinner.” Her dad was coming home from work soon, so time for dinner was going to begin soon.

“Of course.” Tahiko quickly picked up the water magically and returned it back into the glass. Then he picked up the cup and was about to take a sip when Amasa stopped him.

“You’re not drinking that.” She said, taking it away from him. Did this boy know no sense of proper hygiene either? “Anyway, let’s go set the table before he gets back.” They went into the dining room and began placing down plates as they always did.

Tahiko had a bright smile on his face that had faded away during these past few days. For the first time in a long time, the boy felt that he truly was surrounded by a family who loved and cherished him. Nearly losing, even just one part of this family brought about him great fear. So much so that he dearly wanted to protect it with his life, no matter what.

He looked over at Amasa, who was on the opposite side of the table as they placed down some bowls. Perhaps leaving Earth wasn’t going to be so easy after all.

“What are you gawking at?” She took note and grew self-conscious from his staring. He really was back to the old Tahiko now. Which unfortunately for her meant more annoying moments like this again.