It’s been two weeks of intensive, body-breaking training.
I hate my body because my healing speed is queerly high, and Klaus exploits this. He always breaks and waits for my body to heal. And then repeats the process again.
I’ve been gathering mana in my body cells via my mana pathway for almost a year now, and I don’t know how to use it. I really need to learn how to manifest mana.
I’m looking at myself in the mirror.
"I gotta admit this training thing is working."
My body has changed drastically compared to a year ago. Because of my muscles, all my custom made clothes are tight now.
Now I understand why most adult fla mages I’ve seen are all muscular and huge. They had to go through this intensive and rigorous training.
But I do look good though.
Today is my birthday.
It’s wild. Five years. That’s how long I’ve been in this world. And the only things about this world that I’ve learned are basic stuff— like how the world has four continents, unlike Earth that had seven.
The Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern Continents. I’m sure these continents have nas, but I don’t know them. I’ve not been taught.
The only thing I do know is the fact that the Empire our family resides in is called the Jalozi Empire. And, the Flaworths household— rulers of the western part of the Empire; is one of the four duchies, and the second powerhouse family in the Empire.
That’s all I know. The instructors in the classes never talk about real world stuff. They only brag about the prestige of the Flaworths. I wonder if they even know anything other than ’Flaworths are aweso!’.
The worst part is, i have no idea where Ludia is. And it’s important.. that Phoenix.. damn it for telling to go to Ludia without giving any directions.
"I’ll just ask the Patriarch once I et him to receive my gift. Because, once I gather enough mana and form my first circle, and learn how to manifest my mana physically as spells... It’ll be over, my life here.. I’ll make a foolproof plan, and I’d run away— to Ludia."
Quickly, I stride toward my door.
***
I’m in his office, standing. Waiting for him because he went to pee.
So even eight-circle archmages take pee breaks.
"I’m done. We can go now."
He finally walks out of his bathroom, hands adjusting his pants and robe.
"Where are we going? Didn’t you say you had a gift for ?"
My voice is low, tinged with subtle confusion.
He told he had a gift for , one that he’d give on my birthday. But now he’s telling ’we can go now’? Go where sir? To get pushed into a boiling pool of water again?
No!
A wide smile plays on his lips, his eyes studying my defiant glare.
"We’re going to the place where I’ll give to you; your gift."
His voice is calm. Too calm. It’s not the domineering calm I know him for. It’s a warm kind of calm. And honestly, that’s even more scarier.
"And where is that?" I ask.
"You’ll see."
I’ll see? I’ve heard that before.
Suddenly, the mory of the ti when he told ’you’ll see when we get there.’ during the mana pool ritual hits . After he said that; I was plunged into sothing so horrific that my body trembles just from the mory of it.
Saliva slides through my throat as I gulp it down hard.
Behind him; I follow closely, and we walk out of his door, and through the sa hallway that led to the pool of doom last year.
Passing through this place again makes my heart beats unhealthily.
***
We arrive at a tallic door.. Again. Just like last ti. But it’s a slightly different one.
Breathe out.
Does he finally want to kill after all these years?
He quickly fetches a key from beneath his robe, and he opens the door with it.
We step in. It’s just as narrow and dark as the last one. The difference is; there’s no torch, no cobwebs. It’s just a narrow, dark stairway, leading to who knows where.
"Um... Your grace?"
It’s dark, and I can’t see clearly. I can only see the light from the eight red rings revolving around him from neck to knee. And there’s also the faint moonlight colored threads of mana that’s eerily rare here.
I’m hoping he doesn’t suddenly disappear like last ti.
"What is it?"
"I have a question."
"I’ve already told you... We’re going to the place where I’d gift y–"
"Not that." I press.
"Hey." His voice grows louder, his tone turning more aggressive, "never cut off while I’m speaking again. Ever."
As he warns , my body tenses, and my back straightens, "yes, your grace." I reply curtly, my tone low.
"I hope you adhere to my advice. Because I’m short-tempered, a bit hot-blooded, and even I don’t know what I might do."
My heart pounds at the words of this ticking ti bomb.
Honestly, I’m confident in having a one-on-one battle with any normal adult and draw, and at the very least, even if I lose, I’ll make sure they lose sothing costly to them during the battle.
But with this man, I don’t even see myself being able to stand up from the ground if he wills to crush with just his sheer fighting spirit.
And that’s if it’s a spar with rules. I don’t want to imagine what he’ll be like when he’s angry and unpredictable.
I might get roasted alive. This is the exact reason I hate being around this guy. One has to watch every little action they make, or words they utter when they’re around him.
"So... I wanted to ask, where is Ludia located?" I ask him.
"Hmm, Ludia, that place. It’s indeed been a while since I t him..."
It seems like I triggered so kind of mory in his mind. Now he’s pondering to himself about sothing. I think he’s forgotten I even asked him a question.
"Your gr–"
"Ah, we’re here."
This evil moth–
He cut off.
Finally, the darkness dissolves into the warm, bright red hue of the area where we are.
There’s a large stone door before us. And on it, two huge torches are hung.
The stone door has an intricate rune-like design. And the image.. it’s carved on the door.
The image of a giant winged, lizard creature breathing fire. A dragon?
Oh, yes! It’s a dragon-designed door! I keep forgetting I’m in a world where magic exists. Who’s to say that a dragon won’t exist too?
And what’s next? Am I going to et a dragon, and get ordered to go to Ludia by it too?
A scoff breaks out, because of my own dry joke.
Alexander, who’s scanning the door— turns to look at . His eyes flashing with excitent, and then, he turns back to face the door.
After nodding slowly to himself as if affirming sothing, he bites his index finger.
Oh, is this so kind of unique door that uses blo–
My body shudders, my heart tensing a bit, as I see the liquid content that’s supposed to be his blood drip out of his index finger.
That— that’s not blood. What the hell is that?
I squint my eyes, stretching my neck to get a better view.
It’s...
He puts the dripping content on the mouth of the dragon design
It spreads quickly, from he dragons mouth to every single part of the carved design. And finally, the design of the fire spreading from the dragon’s mouth lights with actual fire.
"Whoa!" I flinch, stepping back instinctively as the fire roars. And then—
Kugugugu
The stone door parts into two as it opens slowly.
"It’s ti for your artifact selection."
He doesn’t even glance at . He just walks inside the dark room on the other side of the door.
And I quickly follow behind him.
But a question still lingers in my mind.
How co the blood running through his veins... No. I an, how is Lava running through his veins like blood?
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