Objectively speaking, Rikal wasn't a bad teacher. He gave clear instructions and knew when to point out my mistake. 

Just as Rikal said, Ethereal was easy to use. Controlling it, however, was another matter. It was almost similar to mana, except, while mana was almost like an extension of my body, Ethereal felt entirely foreign.

And yet, wielding Ethereal was ultimately easier. They didn't require much besides will and concentration. It was so easy that I felt like I might have used Ethereal on accident. 

In the morning, I'd practice my sword with Gevanni. When afternoon came, Huan and Tu would teach me magic. At night, I'd quietly sneaked out of the tent using Huan's special invisibility spell to learn Ethereal with Rikal.

[[See? You've already become a master]] Rikal smiled, wide and insincere.

I watched him warily. Something about that smile made him look more like Deity of Evil than Deity of Etherealm.

[[I've discussed this with Huan]] Rikal crossed his arm almost arrogantly. I had a bad feeling about this. [[Tomorrow, when Derita comes, abandon Albertani Army]]

"No." The response was entirely automatic.

[[Erik]] Rikal sighed. He sounded like he'd expected it. [[You can't save them.]]

I knew that already, but his words unexpectedly stung. "I said no, Rikal."

[[They're destined to die in this war!]]

I flinched. In the two weeks we'd been together, Rikal always acted cold and distant, but this was the first time he raised his voice against me. 

"..And I am not?"

[[Erik]] Rikal came up to me and held my hand in a comforting gesture. Huan said that they were just a mirage, but his touch was surprisingly warm. [[The moment you think you can just repeat everything all over again, you've already been trapped in the time loop.]]

"I don't-"

[[Do you want to know what happened to people who were stuck in the time loop?]]

I slapped his hands away. "Dutro has younger singlings he had to feed." I looked down, avoiding his eyes. "Gevanni has a daughter. The Vice Commander is planning to propose to his crush."

This loop and the loop before, I had only been getting nothing but useless information. Names. Habits. Dream. Even though I didn't plan to, I ended up memorizing them all.

[[Huan already warned you not to get too close]]

His words burned, and almost entirely on reflex, I grabbed his collar. "You said you're going to make me happy!"

Rikal's eyes softened. He was one head shorter than me, but when he looked at me like that, I felt the smallest I'd ever been.

"Your Highness?"

I dropped Rikal out of surprise and turned my head.

"Commander Range." I looked around. Rikal had already disappeared. Commander Range didn't have anyone else with him, but how long had he been standing there alone?

How much did he hear?

My heart beat faster. If Commander Range found out about Rikal-

"Why are you here alone, Your Highness?"

"I could ask the same to you," I answered with the composure I didn't feel.

Commander Range smiled. It blindsided me for a moment.

I had no idea he could smile like that. For two loops, he'd been strict and stoic with me.

"I feel restless, Your Highness. I figured I could use a breath of fresh air." He tilted his head, considering. "Why don't you walk with me?"

I didn't want to. I felt like crap. More than anything, I felt lonely. If I ended up spending time with Commander Range, I'd just get lonelier.

I looked away. "No, thanks, Commander. I'll go back to my tent."

Commander Range didn't stop me. "Your Highness, I wish you the miracle of Night Sky."

It was a term people used to the someone they considered dear to them. I wished he'd just shut up.