My Precious Life (Mushoku Tensei X OC/Male Reader)

"...And then she spent four weeks straight in our library! All because of an old spell book she found."

We are currently in the inn where Elinalise was staying. We sat at a table near the hearth, having a drink together just after another training session, the soft crackle of firewood provided a comforting backdrop. The warmth of the flames brushed against my face as I am telling her stories from my time learning magic with Mistress Frieren.

"She completely forgot that she was supposed to be training me."

Elinalise chuckled. "Well, us long living species tend to lose track of time easily."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought it was just her."

"No, most of us are like that." She replied. "You seemed to enjoy training with her."

"Yeah... She was a good teacher." I smiled, fondly remembering my time with her.

As I took a sip of water from my cup, footsteps then approached our table.

"There you are, Elinalise. I've been looking all over town for you."

I glanced to his side to see a short, broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and sharp eyes, likely a dwarf. His sturdy frame and worn heavy armour suggested he was no stranger to travel or combat.

"Oh, Talhand!" Elinalise exclaimed, her face lighting up with recognition. "You're finally here."

Talhand's gaze shifted toward me, his brow raising slightly. "Who's the kid?"

"This is Alex. Alex, this is Talhand." Elinalise introduced us. "I'm teaching him to fight," She said before taking another bite of her bread.

The dwarf gave me a once-over, his gaze lingering with a mix of curiosity and appraisal. "That so?"

Elinalise nodded, leaning back in her chair with a relaxed smile. "Been keeping myself busy with him while waiting for you."

Talhand chuckled, his laugh a low, gravelly sound that seemed to rumble from deep within his chest. "Sorry I'm late. Got caught up with something along the way. So," he crossed his arms over his chest, "when are we heading out?"

"You should get some rest first," Elinalise replied, casually breaking off another piece of bread. "The inn here's comfortable enough. I'll finish up Alex's training tomorrow, and then we can depart."

Talhand gave a grunt of acknowledgment, his sharp eyes flicking toward me briefly before he turned to speak with the innkeeper, arranging a room with a few brief words.

As the dwarf disappeared up the stairs, my thoughts lingered on Elinalise's words. Finishing my training...

The idea should've made me feel proud, I had made it this far, after all, but instead, a faint knot of disappointment settled in my chest. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful for everything Elinalise had taught me. Still, a part of me had hoped our training would last longer. Each lesson had pushed me beyond my limits, proving that I could become stronger if I worked for it.

Is this really the end?

I glanced at Elinalise as she took another sip of her drink, her expression calm and unreadable. I wanted to ask what she meant, if tomorrow would truly be our last session, but the words lingered unspoken as I stared down at my half-finished meal.

"Alex," Elinalise spoke, her tone soft but firm. I looked up from my plate to meet her gaze. Her eyes held a steady, unreadable calm. "I know it's sudden, but you'll be taking your final test tomorrow."

"Final test?" I echoed, the words settling in my chest with an unexpected weight.

She nodded, setting her mug down with a faint clink. "Yes. Meet me here in the afternoon tomorrow. Bring your staff and wand."