All-around teacher at the magic academy

On the way back, the three walked silently along the narrow path, with only the sound of their footsteps and the occasional gust of wind breaking the silence.

Asha walked quickly ahead alone, silent, no longer chatting and laughing with Leon as she had when she arrived, and not even exchanging many words with Aldo.

What Asha just witnessed made her acutely aware of the gap between herself and Leon.

She felt that after witnessing that mysterious power, an invisible barrier had formed between them. This feeling left her somewhat at a loss, unsure how to face Leon.

Leon followed silently behind, his mind filled with conflict. He couldn't very well claim to be a powerful mage, different from them, could he?

Therefore, he could only choose to remain silent and endure the awkward atmosphere.

Aldo walked at the back, keenly sensing the change in the atmosphere. He pondered to himself, trying to find a suitable topic to break the silence.

After some thought, he finally spoke: "Um, thank you so much just now. If you hadn't come to my rescue at that crucial moment, I think I would have been completely finished."

"No, no, I should be thanking you. If you hadn't saved me, I would definitely have died."

Leon's voice carried a hint of genuine gratitude. In fact, if it weren't for Aldo and Asha's timely assistance, he might be dead by now.

"Oh, by the way, I haven't asked your name yet. My name is Aldo, and I'm Asha's brother."

Aldo extended his hand, his smile simple and honest, revealing an unadorned sincerity. His hands were strong and powerful, clearly the result of long hours of labor.

Leon politely extended his hand and shook hands with Aldo: "My name is Adam Brian."

Just moments ago, Leon had carefully observed the man before him. Short, neat hair, dark and muscular skin, clearly showing the marks of years spent outdoors in the wind and sun. His broad build gave off a sense of reliability.

"Hello, Adam. By the way, was that magic just now?" Aldo's curiosity compelled him to ask the question. His eyes were filled with curiosity and awe for the unknown.

“Yes, it’s ice elemental magic.” Leon nodded, his tone calm.

"That's amazing! If I knew magic, I wouldn't have to run away from these large creatures in the future."

Aldo said with a sigh, a hint of envy in his voice. He imagined how wonderful it would be if he could also possess such power, making his future voyages at sea much safer.

Asha walked silently ahead, seemingly lost in thought. Her silence made the conversation between Leon and Aldo exceptionally clear, as if she were processing her complex emotions in her own way.

However, while Leon and Aldo were talking, she deliberately slowed her pace, as if listening to their conversation while maintaining a certain distance.

"If you want to learn, I can teach you," Leon said with a hint of encouragement in his voice.

"Really?" Aldo's voice was full of surprise, and his eyes lit up instantly when he heard the suggestion.

However, this excitement was quickly dampened by reality: "Someone like me probably couldn't learn it either. Learning magic must be extremely difficult, and magic isn't something for people like us to learn." Aldo's tone carried a hint of helplessness.

As Leon listened to Aldo's words, he could sense Aldo's yearning for magic, as well as the regret of being forced to give it up for some reason.

"It's not difficult. Learning some simple magic to protect yourself won't be a waste of time. Besides, you can't possibly be helpless next time you encounter a similar situation."

"What if something happens to you, Asha?" Leon's words carried a hint of seriousness as he tried to allay Aldo's concerns.

“Actually, it would be more suitable for Asha to learn magic, since she is young,” Leon added, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards Asha in front of him.

When Asha, who was walking ahead, heard Leon's words, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She turned around, her eyes filled with a mixture of expectation and hesitation, and asked Leon, "Can I learn too?"

“Of course.” Leon nodded with a smile, his eyes full of certainty.

Asha was so happy not because she had witnessed the breathtaking magical scene, but because learning magic meant she could do her best to protect her brother.

In her heart, Aldo has always been her support, and now that she has the opportunity to become her brother's protector, she feels incredibly excited and proud.

Seeing that the atmosphere between the three of them had become more relaxed, Leon couldn't help but feel happy.

He was always worried that his magical abilities would alienate the two of them and isolate him.

After all, people tend to be closer to those who are similar to themselves in status or identity, while they tend to be more resistant to those who are significantly different from themselves.

But at least for Leon, Aldo and Asha did not show any prejudice against him because of his differences, which made him feel extremely gratified.

"By the way, brother, what did you catch today?" Asha's curiosity was reignited, and she turned to Aldo, her eyes full of anticipation.

Alk smiled and replied, "Some crabs, some sea fish, and some small octopuses... Not a bad haul today."

His voice conveyed a sense of satisfaction, clearly indicating that he was very pleased with today's results.

When the octopus was mentioned, Aldo's expression suddenly changed to one of realization. He muttered to himself, "No wonder, no wonder that giant octopus chased me to the nearshore waters. It turns out it was because I accidentally took its offspring away."

"By the way, can we eat that giant octopus or sell it?" Leon's thinking was always very practical, and he asked this question out of curiosity.

Upon hearing Leon's words, Alk couldn't help but slap his forehead, a look of surprise spreading across his face.

"Oh right, how could I forget that? That giant octopus is huge, its meat must be incredibly delicious, and it'll definitely fetch a good price."

"It's okay, if possible, we can bring it back later."