Conrad had been ordered by the Baron to bring his family back ho, as there was sothing the Baron needed to discuss with the Viscount.
Fortunately, after Arthur pulled the worm from the soil, the Viscount didn't react with scorn. Instead, he instructed the church mbers and his soldiers to ensure that every last worm was removed from the farm by evening.
Arthur couldn't bla them for failing to detect the creatures. Those worms had been a nightmare even a thousand years ago, burrowing so deep underground that even skilled mages struggled to sense them.
Their existence stemd from the demonic veins that ran beneath the world.
When demons lingered in one place for too long or when their cursed blood seeped into the land, these veins would form, pulsing with dark energy and giving birth to creatures of corruption. A thousand years ago, when more than half the world was ruled by demons, these veins spread like a disease. Even now, remnants could be found in places like Westre.
That was why the church mbers had failed—the worms were nearly impossible to sense unless you knew exactly what to look for.
"Arthur... where did you learn so much about magic?"
His mother's voice was filled with astonishnt. Seeing him wield magic as effortlessly as moving a limb left her at a loss for words.
She didn't awaken mana, but she knew magic took years—sotis decades—to master. She and her husband had been considering hiring a tutor to guide him, believing he was still a beginner.
But what she witnessed today changed everything.
Arthur answered as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "It's not really that complicated, Mother. Magic flows through all things, and most people instinctively grasp that their own mana exists within them. But the real key is learning how to extend it outward, letting it diffuse into the environnt rather than keeping it locked inside the body. When I let my magic spread, I didn't just 'sense' things—I integrated with them. I adjusted—"
"My brain hurts."
Kevin groaned, clutching his head as his eyes swirled in confusion.
Arthur glanced at his mother and found her staring at him with an equally lost expression.
With a sigh, he gave up trying to explain. "I just used magic to pull off a little miracle. That's all."
Virelle let out a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry for being dumb."
Arthur chuckled, shaking his head at his mother's innocent expression.
Before long, the carriage arrived at their ho. Arthur hopped out first, then turned to help his mother and brother down.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Virelle said warmly before turning to Conrad. "And thank you for bringing us back ho."
The brown-haired man smiled. "It was nothing." Then, his gaze settled on Arthur. "By the way, Arthur, how did you learn so many codes at such a young age?"
Arthur had expected this question. Without a mont's hesitation, he gave his prepared answer—a harmless lie.
"I like to read in my free ti. I also visit the public library when I go out."
Virelle blinked in surprise. "You do?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes, Mother. When no one cos to play, I spend my ti there."
It was a believable story. The original Arthur had always been a studious child, and the library wasn't far away. As for the rules and knowledge he hadn't inherited from this era, he had simply relied on Lily's help.
Conrad humd thoughtfully, his sharp gaze lingering on Arthur before Virelle spoke up.
"Would you like to co in for so tea?" she offered.
The question broke Conrad's focus, and he shook his head. "No, thank you. I should be going." Without another word, he turned and left.
With their escort gone, the family of three stepped inside their ho.
"Do you want so snacks?" Virelle asked.
"Yeah! Snacks! I want so!" Kevin cheered, throwing his arms up.
Arthur, however, let out a small sigh. "I think I'll go rest, Mother. I'm a little tired from the trip."
Virelle's expression softened with concern, but she nodded. "Alright, but co with first. I'll give you a bath."
Arthur glanced at his hands, still stained from digging out the worm. Before he could reply, she added, "You're all dirty."
His face instantly heated up. Turning away, he stamred, "I can bathe myself!"
Virelle couldn't help but laugh at his flustered reaction. No matter how much he matured, so things never changed.
Arthur returned to his room, stripped off his clothes, and stepped into the bathroom.
As the warm water filled the tub, he leaned against the cool stone wall, his muscles easing under the soothing heat. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.
'Hey, Spirit... with this level of proficiency, what exactly can I do?'
A small glowing orb materialized before him, its gentle radiance flickering as a voice echoed in his mind.
{Using nearby water sources to shape and manipulate them will help increase your control.}
Arthur humd in thought. 'And how do I do that? Just think about it?'
{When using spiritual magic, rember this: your emotions guide the flow. As long as you don't suppress them and instead allow the spirits to act through your will, grasping the essence of Spirit Magic will beco natural.}
Arthur sighed. Emotions, huh...
That was easier said than done.
Letting his true emotions surface wasn't sothing he was used to. He had buried too much—the war, the screams of the innocent, Grace's gaze the last ti he saw her before his death...
He had locked it all away, suppressing it for years.
But now... maybe it was ti to open the door.
'Guess I should try.'
The tub was large enough for his seven-year-old body to sit comfortably inside. As he settled in, so water spilled over the edge, and soon, his chest was subrged.
Closing his eyes, he focused—not on the water, but on the unseen presence surrounding him.
Spirits.
He could see them. So many of them.
'This isn't my own ability... it's a gift from Tiamuth.'
Even among spirit users, perceiving spirits was sothing that took years of effort and ditation. Yet he had received this power freely, granted by his patron.
Every spirit vibrated at a different mana frequency, like notes in a vast symphony.
Arthur had to tune himself to their song.
He exhaled slowly, letting his mana extend outward, coating his body. Compared to the spirits, his own magic was laughably small, a re droplet against an endless ocean.
But the mont his presence connected with theirs—
'What the...'
His thoughts turned sluggish as his mind was instantly overwheld.
The sheer amount of mana radiating from the spirits was suffocating.
Even in this small, enclosed space, the spirits carried enough power to drown an entire town in an instant.
And more than that—
They were excited.
He could hear their playful giggles, feel their swirling energy pressing against him.
{Spirits are lonely beings. When soone acknowledges them, they beco overjoyed.}
Arthur clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay focused. Even with years of experience from his past life, this was too much.
No wonder the gods called spiritual magic a taboo.
With access to an endless well of mana, a spirit user could wield power vast enough to rule the world.
Taking a slow, steady breath, Arthur called out in his mind.
'Can you help ? I want to create a water orb.'
The challenge wasn't speaking to them—it was being heard over the chaos.
Hundreds of voices, all talking at once, all eager, all overwhelming.
But the real challenge?
Condensing this boundless ocean into a single drop.
Arthur opened his eyes.
Floating before him was a small orb of water.
It wasn't perfect—its shape wavered slightly, not quite a perfect sphere—but it held together, refusing to collapse.
His forehead was damp with sweat, his breathing unsteady, and his face had lost so color from the sheer effort of maintaining control.
But in the end...
He had done it.
He had used Spirit Magic.
******
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
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