"How long has it been since Becky knocked me out?"

"Lunch has already pa.s.sed and now it's technically time for my lessons. However you did receive a strong blow. Even if I healed you, you still needed time to rest. How are you feeling now?"

"I feel better. Slight pain in the back of my neck but we can have your lesson while we're having lunch. Would that be alright?" Sebastian slowly got up as he did a quick head-to-toe a.s.sessment of himself. Feeling that nothing was out of the ordinary aside from the usual after-combat pains, he then moved to the dining table with Rivie.

"That's good to hear. Also I want to talk to you about something in behalf of me and Elias as well. Sit down, I'll get the soup and bread after you wash your hands." It seems that Rivie was also slowly adjusting to his mannerisms regarding hygiene even if it wasn't compulsory in this world.

"So what was it that you wanted to discuss? Is it something related to the results this morning?" Sebastian slowly dipped the hard bread into the soup as he looked at Rivie, waiting for her answer. He tried not to show it, but he was apprehensive when he sensed her hesitation.

"I do hope you don't take it the wrong way but Becky held some truth to her words this morning. Even though she appears rough at times, she has a good eye as an adventurer."

"Truth regarding? My lack of combat experience? I understand your concern especially after what happened this morning with both Jin and Becky, but I really feel like being an adventurer in the frontlines is beneficial for me. Please don't say that my knowledge as a Forgotten One will be useful in politics or in the monastery instead." Sebastian didn't even notice that the bread he was dipping in the soup was already too soggy and almost became one with the soup.

"No, we don't mean it in that regard. Like we said at the start of the training regimen - we respect your decision and we also understand, given your job in the previous world as a nurse specialist. What we have decided is that we were too lax in your training regimen. We took it slow and given the results this morning, you aren't ready as an adventurer - at this rate, you won't even be ready after 4 seasons." Rivie paused to let Sebastian slowly absorb her words before continuing.

"You've only sparred with Elias for the past month using a single weapon style. You've also trained with me regarding [Augmentation] and basic magick spells. Aside from that we haven't pushed significant growth or learning from you. I'd like to correlate this with your work ethic you shared with us before. Given that you want to do your best and expect everyone to do the same, your current best will only be a hinder to your party." Rivie picked up a piece of soaked bread as she started to eat it. An uncomfortable silence ensued in the cottage as they both continued to eat without saying much.

"What can I do in my situation? I don't want to be a burden to my party. I understand the need to develop my skills further but like you said, I don't have the luxury of time as well." Sebastian pushed his plate away, indicating that he was done eating. He hardly touched his food given the time he spent on thinking consumed his lunch instead.

"I will apologise in advance, but we will be pus.h.i.+ng you hard. Elias will be training you on dual swords starting tomorrow. You will also have the daily spars with Jin, Becky, and Elias as what you decided to bet on the spar this morning. In my case, I will be teaching you advanced magick and I will be giving you homework as well. Please understand." Rivie also finished her lunch as she looked into Sebastian's eyes with a certain sense of urgency.

"I fully understand and I'm willing to undergo this new training regimen as well. Also the fight with Becky this morning has opened my eyes to the main flaw with my [Augmentation] skill so if possible I'd like to focus on that this afternoon." Sebastian already stood up and started to clean the dish, indicating that he was also in a hurry to start the afternoon sessions and to start training. His impatience for training placed a smile on Rivie's lips as she also stood up to prepare the herbal tea.

"What was the blatant flaw in your [Augmentation] skill?" Rivie was standing a few steps apart from Sebastian in the courtyard again as per their usual afternoon magick lessons.

"I can only reinforce or partially manipulate my senses. It wasn't enough to see through Becky's skill. I couldn't even understand what was happening until after I woke up. I need to [Augment] at a faster pace, and also to use it on more specific parts of my body. I might overburden my body so I'll leave it to you."

"Though I can only surmise what you mean by that, I am interested to see the results as always. Don't worry about mana burn out or damaging your body, we have the herbal tea ready and I can cast [Heal]." Rivie slowly expanded her mana to envelope Sebastian as she focused on sensing the minute changes in his body and even his mana flow. Sebastian was able to sense this as he closed his eyes and began moving the mana within him.

'I'll start with expanding my senses. [Augment] Hyperreactive sensory neurons. Increase flow afferent and mixed nerves.'

When Sebastian opened his eyes, his 5 senses were heightened almost to a beast-like level. He could see the detail in his environment even with a simple glance, he could hear minute sounds and he could even focus it to hear his own involuntary muscle movement, his smell was able to pick up the herbal tea prepared for them and even Rivie's scent, and he could even taste the soup and bread from lunch lingering on his tongue. For the most sensitive sense at this point, he was able to feel and sense small physical changes in his body. He could deduce the direction of the breeze by simply focusing on it, and he could adjust which body part he wanted to focus while blocking out another one.

On the outside, Rivie could notice small changes with Sebastian's demeanor as he still appeared to be meditating. However judging by his mana flow, she could tell that he was controlling it on a precise level. 'This level of [Augmentation] is simply leaps and bounds different than the previous one! How is he able to control his own mana at this level?!'

BLARGH!!

Sebastian was kneeling over as he clutched his head in his hands. He vomited his recently eaten lunch onto the ground. He appeared to be scolding the ground as he expulsed his gastric contents.

Within a breath Rivie used her mana to control Sebastian's mana. She quickly s.h.i.+fted it so that it was back to a resting state, similar to before he started [Augmentation]. Considering the speed in how she controlled his mana and the factors needed for it, it was nothing short of impressive.

When Sebastian appeared to have calmed down, she slowly approached him and a.s.sisted him to stand. "What happened? Your mana was doing fine up until you retched."

While wiping away the remaining vomit from his face, Sebastian answered in haggard breaths. "Sensory overload. I was able to sense everything within and around me, but my mind couldn't handle all the information." Wiping away the traces of vomit, it was replaced with a sly grin. "Although I know what to do now to move forward."