Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Master
---
After they ate, Folami took them outside.
The sun had already begun descending.
The training yard was quiet.
Folami walked into the center.
"Show me."
Tolu frowned.
"Show you what?"
"Everything."
Akin smiled.
"Everything?"
"Fight me."
The four stared at him.
Temi looked at Tolu.
"Is he serious?"
Folami smiled.
"Very."
Akin stepped forward.
"All four?"
"Yes."
Akin laughed.
"You’re confident."
Folami shrugged.
"I’ve been told."
Temi moved beside Akin.
Ore took position behind them.
Tolu stood in front.
They assumed the young man was simply another cultivator.
Perhaps stronger than them.
Perhaps much stronger.
But he didn’t look dangerous.
There was no aura.
No overwhelming pressure.
Nothing.
Tolu raised his hand.
"Ready?"
Folami smiled.
"Whenever you are."
Tolu attacked.
Earth exploded beneath Folami’s feet.
Folami stepped aside.
The spike missed.
Akin came from the opposite direction.
His weapon was already coated in frost.
Folami shifted.
Akin’s strike passed harmlessly beside him.
Ore fired.
Folami tilted his head.
The arrow passed.
Temi charged.
Her fist ignited.
Folami caught her wrist.
Temi’s eyes widened.
He turned his body slightly.
Her own momentum carried her past him.
Folami released her.
Temi stumbled.
Akin attacked.
Folami stepped into the attack.
He caught Akin’s arm.
Then redirected him.
Akin stumbled directly into Tolu.
Both crashed together.
"Hey!"
Tolu hit the ground.
Akin landed on top of him.
"Sorry!"
"Get off me!"
Ore fired again.
Folami moved.
The arrow passed between them.
Temi came from behind.
Folami ducked.
Temi’s punch missed.
He caught her elbow.
A gentle push sent her stumbling directly toward Ore.
The two collided.
They fell together.
Folami looked at the four of them.
They stared back.
Akin slowly got up.
"What was that?"
Folami smiled.
"You attacked me."
"And?"
"You made it easy."
Akin’s face tightened.
"We’re not done."
Folami’s smile widened.
"Good."
They attacked again.
And again.
And again.
It didn’t matter.
Every attack was redirected.
Every opening was exploited.
Every mistake was punished.
Tolu tried to overwhelm him with earth.
Folami stepped between his attacks.
Akin tried to flank him.
Folami sent him spinning into Temi.
Ore tried to maintain distance.
Folami forced the others between them.
Temi tried to rush him.
He simply turned her aggression against her.
At one point, Akin and Temi collided.
Their heads struck together.
"Ow!"
"Sorry!"
"Why are you apologizing?!"
"Because I hit you!"
"You were pushed into me!"
Tolu was laughing despite himself.
Then Folami tapped his shoulder.
Tolu froze.
He turned.
Folami pushed him gently.
Tolu fell backward into Akin.
Both went down.
Ore stared at them.
Then burst out laughing.
Even Temi couldn’t hold it in.
Folami smiled.
"At least you’re having fun."
Tolu sat up.
"You’re ridiculous."
"Perhaps."
Folami looked at them.
"But now you understand the difference between knowing spells and knowing how to fight."
The laughter faded.
He was right.
They were strong compared with ordinary Novices.
But against someone who understood movement, balance, timing and momentum at a level they couldn’t comprehend, their attacks had become predictable.
Folami hadn’t needed overwhelming force.
He had barely seemed to exert himself.
That was what frightened them.
---
They returned inside.
The four were exhausted.
Folami wasn’t.
He poured himself a drink.
"You four have potential."
Akin rubbed the back of his head.
"My head disagrees."
Folami laughed.
"You’ll survive."
Temi glared at him.
"You enjoy this."
"A little."
Tolu sat across from him.
"Why us?"
Folami looked at him.
"Because I saw something worth cultivating."
He paused.
"And because I understand what it’s like to start with nothing."
That answer surprised Tolu.
Folami didn’t explain further.
He simply leaned back.
"So?"
The four exchanged glances.
Ore spoke first.
"What exactly are the terms?"
Folami smiled.
"You live here."
He counted them on his fingers.
"Food provided."
Another finger.
"Two gold coins every month."
Another.
"You serve me when I need you."
Another.
"And I train you."
Akin looked at Tolu.
Temi looked at Ore.
Their old lives came to mind.
Ten silver for a room.
Cheap food.
Long days of dangerous work.
Training whenever they could afford the fee.
Saving almost nothing.
Then they looked around.
A proper house.
A proper bed.
Food.
Training.
Two gold coins every month.
It was almost absurd.
Tolu knew they should be cautious.
A wealthy person didn’t simply offer this much to strangers without expecting something in return.
But Folami had already told them what he wanted.
Their service.
Their time.
Their loyalty as disciples.
Nothing else.
And if he truly had bad intentions?
They were poor Novices.
They didn’t have much leverage anyway.
At least this gave them a chance.
Tolu looked at the others.
"Well?"
Akin sighed.
"I’m in."
Ore nodded.
"Me too."
Temi hesitated for a moment.
Then smiled.
"Fine."
Tolu looked at Folami.
"We accept."
Folami smiled.
"Good."
He stood.
"Then welcome to my household."
The four looked around the manor again.
None of them knew it yet, but the decision they had just made would change their lives.
They had entered Ilebi with barely enough money to survive.
Now they had a roof.
Food.
Training.
A reliable income.
And a master whose strength they couldn’t even begin to measure.
Their journey toward wealth had finally begun.
And none of them realized that Folami had only chosen them because one question had been bothering him since he first watched Tolu fight:
**Where had a poor Novice acquired enough energy to fight like that?**
He didn’t know the answer.
And Tolu didn’t know either.
....
The Olawale residence was quiet that evening.
The estate was considerably larger than the modest manor Folami had taken the four young adventurers to. Its outer courtyard alone was large enough to accommodate several training grounds, and the polished stone corridors were lit by rows of lanterns whose flames never seemed to flicker.
Bolaji sat in a private room overlooking one of the inner courtyards.
A cup of tea rested untouched beside him.
He was dressed in fine clothing, the sort that made it immediately obvious that he belonged to a wealthy family. The fabric was expensive without being excessively decorated, and a small gold emblem bearing the Olawale crest was embroidered near his collar.
His expression was relaxed.
Almost bored.
The door opened.
His butler entered.
The older man closed the door behind him before approaching.
"Sir."
Bolaji glanced up.
"What did you find?"
The butler stopped a few steps away.
"The group you asked me to watch has been hired."
Bolaji’s eyebrows rose slightly.
"Already?"
"Yes, sir."
"By whom?"
The butler hesitated for half a second.
"Folami."
Bolaji’s expression changed.
Not dramatically.
Just enough for the boredom to disappear from his eyes.
"Folami?"
"Yes, sir."
Bolaji leaned back in his chair.
"The Kolade heir?"
"Yes, sir."
A small smile appeared on Bolaji’s lips.
"So he noticed them."
"It would seem so."
Bolaji tapped one finger against the armrest.
"What did he hire them for?"
"We don’t know."
Bolaji’s smile disappeared.
"You don’t know?"
"We’ve made inquiries, sir, but the information has not reached us yet."
Bolaji stared at him for a moment.
Then he chuckled.
"Interesting."
The butler remained silent.
Bolaji turned his attention toward the window.
The courtyard below was nearly empty.
A few servants crossed it carrying baskets.
Two guards stood near the entrance.
Everything was orderly.
Everything was under control.
Yet a small group of poor adventurers had somehow managed to become the subject of interest between two families.
Bolaji’s smile returned.
"So Folami has decided to interfere."
"I wouldn’t necessarily call it interference, sir."
"No?"
"He may simply have taken an interest in them."
"Especially the girl."
The butler’s expression remained neutral.
"We don’t know his intentions."
Bolaji leaned forward.
"Find out."
"Yes, sir."
"And the group?"
"We’ll continue watching them."
"Good."
Bolaji picked up his cup and finally took a sip.
His thoughts returned to Temi.
He remembered the first time he had seen her.
The fire in her eyes.
The confidence.
The way she had rejected his invitation without hesitation.
Most people knew the name Olawale.
Most people understood what it meant.
Even those who didn’t like him usually understood that refusing him could create problems.
Yet she had simply looked at his messenger and said no.
Not because she couldn’t understand what was being offered.
She simply didn’t care.
That was what made her interesting.
And frustrating.
Bolaji placed the cup down.
"How strong are they now?"
"Stronger than when you first encountered them, according to our information."
"That isn’t surprising."
"They also have access to Folami’s training."
Bolaji laughed softly.
"Then perhaps they’ll become troublesome."
The butler said nothing.
Bolaji looked at him.
"Does that concern you?"
"It is my responsibility to consider every possibility, sir."
"Of course."
Bolaji smiled.
"But I don’t mind a challenge."
He stood from his chair and walked toward the window.
The evening light stretched across the courtyard.
"Actually..."
He folded his arms.
"This makes things more interesting."
The butler watched him.
Bolaji continued.
"If Folami wants them, then there must be something about them he finds valuable."
"That is possible."
"And if they’re valuable to him..."
Bolaji’s smile became sharper.
"...then they may be worth more than we originally thought."
The butler understood immediately.
"You still want the girl."
Bolaji turned toward him.
"I never stopped."
The room became quiet.
Bolaji walked back to the table and picked up his cup.
"But don’t approach them yet."
"Yes, sir."
"I don’t want another direct confrontation."
The butler nodded.
"Understood."
"Watch them."
"Yes, sir."
"Learn their routines. Learn where they train. Who they speak to. Who they work for."
Bolaji’s eyes narrowed.
"And most importantly..."
He paused.
"Find out everything you can about Folami."
The butler bowed his head.
"Everything, sir?"
"Everything."
Bolaji’s voice remained calm.
"Where he has been. What he learned while he was away. Who trained him. What cultivation realm he’s reached. What connections he has within the Kolade family."
He took another sip of tea.
"And find out why he came back."
The butler’s expression became slightly more serious.
"Yes, sir."
Bolaji walked toward the door.
Then stopped.
"One more thing."
The butler looked up.
"Sir?"
"If Folami is protecting those four..."
Bolaji smiled.
"Don’t challenge him directly."
"Understood."
"I don’t want a pointless conflict between the Olawale and Kolade families over four adventurers."
The butler nodded.
"But if we understand what Folami wants..."
Bolaji’s smile returned.
"...then we’ll know how to take it from him."
The butler bowed.
"I’ll begin immediately."
He turned toward the door.
"Sir."
Bolaji glanced at him.
"Yes?"
"The girl."
"What about her?"
"If Folami has taken them under his protection, approaching her may become considerably more difficult."
Bolaji laughed.
"Then I’ll simply have to become more patient."
The butler nodded.
He opened the door.
Before leaving, he heard Bolaji speak again.
"Keep your eyes on them."
"Yes, sir."
"And don’t underestimate them."
The butler paused.
Bolaji’s expression had become thoughtful.
"They were poor independent adventurers two months ago."
His gaze hardened.
"Now they’re under the protection of a member of the Kolade family."
He looked toward the darkening sky beyond the window.
"People don’t change their circumstances that quickly without someone noticing."
The door closed behind the butler.
Bolaji was left alone.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Then he smiled.
The situation had become more complicated.
But he didn’t see that as a problem.
He saw it as a game.
And for the first time since Temi had rejected him, Bolaji finally had an opponent standing between him and what he wanted.
Folami of the Kolade family.
The carefree young man who had appeared out of nowhere.
The heir who had returned from another kingdom.
And apparently, the new master of the four people Bolaji had already taken an interest in.
Bolaji’s smile widened.
"Let’s see what you’re hiding, Folami."
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