"Wait why so sudden?" I asked
"Because of your magic." He answered as if that was the obvious reason.
"I don't follow."
"I'm sure someone as studious as you would know the reason?" He asked in a taunting manner.
Catching to what he was up to, I thought back on white's memories. Earth, Wind, blood, and water magic are easily controllable as the caster would not need to generate the element as they could just make use of their surroundings, while fire, lightning, and ice,
would require more focus as generating them from nothing would be harder.
This is why earth, wind, blood, and water are known to be type 2 magic. While fire, lightning, and ice are type 1.
Type 1 magic isn't just hard to use, it also requires a body that is adept at that specific attribute. If a fire magician uses fire with a low resistance to the said magic, they would hurt themselves in the process.
This is why there are various institutes in different dominions to teach their students how to properly manage their specific attributes.
"If we're going to the northern dominion, then that means-"
I could see the old man's eyes shine as he joyfully cuts me off.
"Mhm! your attribute is ice!-.. well sort of.." Shortly after that cheerfulness of his, his expression darkened as he averted his gaze.
"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely curious as to what the old man meant.
"Uhh about that..." He turned his gaze to Sophia. Noticing the old man, Sophia started explaining my real Attribute.
"That is both correct and incorrect." she says, "It is true that your ability has the same effect as the ice attribute. However, The form in which your ice appears is rather... unusual."
"..." I stayed silent urging Sophia to continue
"Your 'ice' appears to be different in form," she finished.
'Ice in a different form? You mean it's not solid?' I asked in my head. Thinking of how many times I have been unable to properly cope with all the things that happened today, I placed my right hand on my hurting head.
I noticed that my once dislocated shoulder is now perfectly fine. Other than the muscle pain I am feeling right now, my body just feels like I overexerted myself from a workout.
Noticing my thoughts, the old man spoke up "You've been asleep for 3 days kid, so I doubt you still got something hurting there."
That is true. The days and nights in this world are longer than my previous one, after all, giving my body enough time to recover. 'But still, I would appreciate it if you weren't so rowdy old man!' I complained in my head.
Sophia stares at my wry expression as she continues, "Your ice seems to take the shape of flames."
At this point, it feels like the common sense I have lived with has been turned upside down.
The old man, noticing my exhausted expression spoke up, "Hmm yeah.. your magic is a very unusual one child. More of the effect of freezing, it's more akin to certification," he says with an eye closed while playing with his goatee.
"Anyways get some rest child; we'll head out in a few weeks." The old man says as he prepares to leave the room.
As I watch Sophia and the old man walk to the door, I remembered something that made me stop them in their tracks
"Wait... What happened to the- Kayla?" I asked, almost unconsciously calling Kayla 'the girl.' Even if I feel foreign towards that child, that child is still a friend of white. Even as she annoyingly teases him, white still considered Kayla as 'friend,' something I wasn't able to call anyone in my previous world.
Even as I am asking this question right now, I can feel a foreign concern within me-- towards that child.
"Hmm? Looking for princess now are we?" The old man smugly asks with his brows high.
"..." I silently looked at the old man in the eyes with a deadpan expression.
Seeing my expression, the old man cleared his throat before answering me properly. "D-don't worry child, the girl took off to practice her sword like nothing happened."
"I see," I replied back. It would have hurt my renewed conscience if someone died on my watch.
".. Hmm, Rest well White." The old man said before leaving, leaving Sophia and me alone in my room.
"..."
"..."
"So... When Grandpa says that I am now your master, what does that mean?" I asked her, breaking the awkward silence.
"Mr. Galliard appointed you as my master as I will be accompanying you to the Northern Dominion." She responded
"Ah-... I see that makes sense- wait no that doesn't. How about grandpa?" I asked. Her monotone voice really makes it seem as if it's the most natural thing that even leaves me confused.
"Mr. Galliard is not in the condition to travel. He needs not come," She responded.
Recalling my inkling from the breakfast I had with the old man, I knew for a fact that whatever his condition is, it was catching up to him. As my heart ached from the question I was about to ask, I chose to stop and not ask anymore as I was afraid of the answer I might hear.
"Please call me when you need me," Sophia says after a short but long silence before leaving my room.
Only the gentle breeze of the wind entering from my window can be heard, as I took breaths to collect my thoughts.
I, as Prince Joshua, do have emotions like any other human being. But those emotions have always been kept under my façade of acting as the "Perfect Prince." White was, the way I see it, similar to me.
However, rather than a façade of perfection and ideal, he wore a mask of naivety, trying to act unknowingly to be considerate for his grandfather. But that way of his made him unable to act like a proper child and appeared lonesome to other people's eyes.
I chuckled at the thought, "what a mess we both are white."
I directed my words to white. I would honestly not be surprised if he responded, but he didn't. Closing my eyes, and opening them after a few breathes, I stood up and overlooked the scenic view beyond my window.
With what I have now, I still cannot find the answers to how I got into this body. But for now, I should try to find my way of living, and I think I know just where to start.