"The Garden? The Garden? you say? You went insane old man finally?"
In my mind, Miss Ilin spoke the precise words.
"I'm not going crazy and I'm going to The Garden in my fifties, too." He looked a bit annoyed.
"But-" She was troubled and anxious.
"Have you any other suggestions to hide him during his training?"
Even his idea was ridiculous for a 1st level mage like me but he was right, the only place I can hide and train now is The Garden or a place through it.
"Training? But, I mean, Aaris doesn't have to train."
"Miss Ilin! Let's go to your office, we'll discuss this, I want to talk privately with you,
And you Aaris!" He pointed to me.
"Yes Sir!" I spoke stunned, he got closed to me.
"Here you pack your stuff. It'll be a long journey, avoid slacking and you better pack everything that you need."
He threw A Crate out of his void, how much space and stuff he had there?
The guy was going through all the Black Hole.
"Alright!"
Miss Ilin looked at me with angry yet teary eyes.
"But Aaris-"
"Miss Ilin," I said, "don't worry, it is for the best!"
She was standing behind me the whole time with her hands on my shoulder.
Sir Serlin walked out of the room and following him she went too.
I can understand her anxiousness. Why would a guy with no mana need training? All these years I was living a quiet life but she knew I was desperate to become a Mage.
And finally, Sir Serlin has realized my effort and I won't let go of this chance. If I do I would remain as a sheltered cat throughout my whole life.
"Yosh….Let's do this!" I slapped my cheeks and opened the Crate.
--Miss.Ilin Pov--
"He is developing Mana? In a sense, he has acquired Mana like a normal child!?"
I could not believe his words but looking at his dead eyes and knowing him all these years he won't lie.
"Yes, yesterday night when I fought him, his body was surging with mana, it wasn't normal to be exact irregular and unstable however his body channeled everything with ease his attack packed more strength than a normal Knight or Warrior mage, and was getting stronger by the moment,
May it was his pent up Mana coming out now or something else but one thing for sure"
He pulled out his cigar and put it in his mouth with a lighter in his hands...
He is not someone to be underestimated."
After hearing this, a strange feeling spread through my chest, and tears came out.
"That boy!!, I don't know whether I should be happy or sad.
Should I be happy that he has finally obtained something he always yearned for! Cried for! Struggled for!.
I have seen him waking up along with the sun to exhaust his body in the hope to become strong,
Losing himself in the books to learn any spell,
But in the end, I thought he was doing nothing but wasting his time, but even if they were I never wanted him to quit after all that gave him some hope that I never gave.
I believed going along with him will be better than crushing his faith, somewhere his effort also gave me hope ...."
-- a few years ago--
"Aaris it is going to be dark soon, and you should go straight to the bed after dinner and walk, and look at you still awake on your bed with books and why are you sitting like this,"
I am afraid this will become his routine, look at him covered in bruises neither he plays nor rests just how persistent he is, if this goes on he'll damage himself.
"Are you meditating? In Dhyana Mudra* and bumping your fist?"
"It's Brahma mudra!" He was quite energetic despite the time.
"Hmm?"
I never heard about this Mudra, maybe I never had any need.
"I read in my mother's book it helps in the flow of mana throughout the body practiced in ancient times by the training mages!" He showed me a book with a wide and proud smile,
The explanation was quite beautiful and easy on the page. His late mother really worked hard for him I guess but still, this is no time for reading.
"I see you are already exhausted from all your drills, running, and whatever physical strengthening you did, just sleep now!"
"But I am not tired-" he averted his eyes,
I know you are lying brat, I poked my finger in his shoulder and he screamed.
"Ouch-"
"Hmm? "I am not tired?" You say huh?" I already used a basic healing spell when I poked him but he needs rest.
"Well-"
Augh this Kid!!
"Sleep!" I yelled
"Geez for God's sake this kid!."
---Present Time--
"He would always stick up to those hopes,
But then again why now? When he is proclaimed a murderer when he was finally getting-"
I broke down and he was puffing smoke while looking outside the window.
"There are things you control Miss Ilin, I think it's time for him to come out of your shadows, he can't be here forever, also in two years he'll be graduating anyway, he has to leave this orphanage then,
What will you do then? You can't keep him, especially since he may be different from others but he was a normal child in a way, neither cursed nor sick so then what?
This journey will decide,
If he didn't stand around expectations I'll leave him around any safe place around The Garden,
But if he has what it takes then,
I'll make him Quills' representative in the Magus Trail."
I know...I know each kid here is the same as Aaris. I can't stop him when he graduates.
Sigh
"But-"
Alright but promise me you'll keep him safe no matter what… after all he is one of my dear children"
I tried to contain myself and smile.
"I will," He said.
"But why does it have to be The Garden?"
There must be a better place than that Graveyard.
"Because the first lesson I want him to learn is,
Defeat means death when Mages fight!
And you know that too,
Captain."
"I am not your-"
There was a knock on the Door,
I told them not to disturb me for a while, maybe it's urgent.
"Yes, come in."
"Forgive me to bother you"
Momo why is she here?
"No problem, Sir she is one of the caretakers Momo, what is the matter? you look tense"
"Madam Ravens are here"
"What but why?"
"Calm down I'll send them away" He took his cigar, flicked the ashes into the tray.
"I am afraid you can't do that" She was sweating, she and all the staff knows Aaris is here and his situation
"Why?" He looked at her.
She answered,
"Lord Dustin is with them."