Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Rain had a strong inclination to escort Dana on her first day at the academy, partly to discourage any potential bullies with his imposing presence. However, Dana had her own plans and firmly asserted that she could handle them independently. Despite Rain's attempts to persuade her otherwise, Dana remained resolute, refusing to back down.

Ultimately, Rain reluctantly relented, recognizing that it might be a tad premature for her to enter a rebellious phase. Still, he couldn't ignore her growing independence.

"Dana, I need you to truly understand how cautious I am. I know you possess strength and resilience, but the world can be a challenging place. There are individuals out there with less-than-noble intentions, and the thought of anyone causing you harm is a genuine concern. You're my little sister, and that holds a special place in my heart.

I've witnessed your growth, and it feels like just yesterday you were a tiny bundle in my arms," Rain said. "Now, as you prepare to embark on your journey at the academy, it's a source of genuine anxiety for me. It's not because I doubt your capabilities; rather, it's because I deeply care about your safety, and the mere notion of anything untoward happening to you fills me with dread.

Try to be nice to everyone, polite, focus on your studies, and try not to catch a cold while you are there."

Initially, Dana listened with a look of understanding as Rain expressed his concerns. However, as he continued, she began to appear increasingly exasperated. It was clear to Rain that he might have been a tad excessive in conveying his worries.

Just as Rain was watching Dana going to school alone, a messenger from the organization arrived. It has been a while since he did any work, so that didn't surprise him. The guy didn't waste time talking and just delivered Rain a letter and a piece of o paper that was commonly used to put the jobs on the board.

"... It seems that Karla wants me to do some work," Rain thought after he read the letter.

Rain found himself facing another demanding task: the need to redirect a river. A town located to the north had been grappling with a severe water shortage, and they were relying on Rain's magical expertise to alleviate their woes.

As he contemplated the mission ahead, Rain calculated that, thanks to his formidable magic, he could potentially come and go within six hours - three hours for the journey there and another three for the return trip, provided he worked diligently for four hours each day. Time constraints were not a concern, but what troubled him was the knowledge that he would not be present when Dana returned.

Additionally, there was the matter of Kei and Gila. Although he could bring them along, Rain reasoned that it would inevitably slow him down. Thus, he decided it was more practical to leave them behind and patiently await Dana's safe return.

"Fuck it, I will just exhaust my mana and work two hours a day," Rain said and then went to talk with his little sisters.

"... Okay, what will we have for lunch?" Kei asked.

"Okay, I am going to bed again," Gila said.

Rain's heart sank as he observed that his imminent departure didn't seem to be a matter of great concern to his little sisters. Kei remained engrossed in her book, utterly absorbed in its pages, while Gila, like Rain himself, appeared to be a fan of extended naps.

Nevertheless, Rain's commitment to taking care of them remained unwavering. He took it upon himself to prepare a pot of soup for their lunch, a meal that could be effortlessly reheated whenever their hunger struck. With their midday sustenance secured, Rain headed off to tackle his demanding work.

Upon completing his first day of laborious toil, Rain hastened back home, anxious to check on his sisters. To his surprise, he discovered Kei and Gila lounging in the garden, seemingly unperturbed by his absence.

"I guess I was just overthinking," Rain shrugged.

The next month flew by in the blink of an eye for Rain. He took on several jobs that occasionally required him to be away from home for half a day or so, but life at home remained largely unchanged.

Dana, for her part, appeared to be in high spirits throughout, which put Rain's concerns at ease. However, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if Branden had a hand in her perpetual good mood. They were unofficially cousins, so he probably pulled some strings to make sure that no one would bother her at the academy.

On those occasions when he had jobs that took him far from home, Rain found it oddly convenient that Jori and the others would often be in the capital. They kept his sisters company during his absences and ensured they weren't left alone. It was almost too convenient to be a mere coincidence.

Still, such conveniences ended around one month after the girls came to live in the capital. Another messenger came to Rain's house, but he just delivered a message that Branden wanted to talk with him.

"I guess this is some serious business…" Rain thought. "News about the border didn't reach me all this time… and that is weirdly suspicious."

Rain had a lingering worry about his next mission, suspecting it might be tied to the troublesome border regions. The challenge lay in the fact that even with his exceptional abilities, reaching those distant areas and returning on the same day seemed nearly impossible.

Despite this concern, Rain set off for Branden House. Thankfully, his ongoing tunnel project, which aimed to connect his residence with his grandparents', had made significant headway. With his sisters pitching in, it was now approximately twenty percent complete, considerably reducing the travel time between the two houses.

Rain took solace in the fact that he no longer had to grapple with transportation logistics when he wasn't present. He had a solid plan in place, and his sisters had played a crucial role in advancing it.

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