My eyes must be deceiving me. How could that arrogant bird be this attractive woman? No, wait, she looks oddly familiar.
"Hey, are you done?" yes, that's Boaife with her haughty attitude.
She flips her hair and sits down on a nearby chair, "oh my, not bad kid. I love my human form"
beautiful, tall young lady with Long, curly, and different shades of red hair. Boaife is somehow looking like a gypsy, wearing a red bandeau and red asymmetrical skirt—except the fact that the front was wide open, wearing short shorts.
Jewels on her ankles and wrists—bangles in fact jingling whenever she moves. On her left arm there is a symbol drawn in, a feather like flames. Her lashes are not too long and she has bright red upturned eyes.
But, why did she become pretty?
"how rude. After the establishment of Contract the Spirits can turn into humans according to its master's wishes"
Master's Wish.
A sudden realization hits me as I remember a fictional character I loved. Is it because I remembered that character? Then this is my fault that she became pretty.
"I can still revert back to being a phoenix," she added then looks around and with a smug smile she looked at me, "Hmph. It seems that the other spirits don't know you"
"..."
She must have forgotten that I just woke up and I made my first summon in a least desirable way.
"If you ever encountered a wolf spirit, do not entertain it or thought of having a contract with it. Better yet, don't find a wolf or befriend a wolf."
what is this animosity I'm feeling. Especially with how her eyes glaring outside the veranda. Don't tell me she's afraid of wolves? It is understandable. A wolf may chew her.
"Can other people see spirits?" without batting an eye she answered me, "It depends on the spirit if they want to show themselves."
the door creaked and it was the Duchess looking inside with some maids coming inside, "Wren i've brought you food. Is somebody here earlier?"
I quickly shake my head. It is obvious that Boaife wouldn't show herself up. She doesn't ask more questions though and left me to eat and rest. Fortunately, I recovered too fast because of mother's purification.
Im going to look around Uncle's library I'm sure there are many books and records about magic and of course about spirits and summoning.
"where are you going Wren?"
My uncle was already at my door before I could even step outside, he did not wait for my answer as he entered my room and closed the door behind him.
If this was a horror genre I would be scared of how he looked, "how are you?"
"this guy's face... who is he?"
I'm going to ignore one of them and that will be Boaife.
"..."
"Uncle do you have something to say?" I asked him after minutes of silence. He was in front of me—drinking tea in peace.
"well, you see..." we were both interrupted by a knock followed by a man's voice
"Your grace, sorry to disturb you. I returned and I have an urgent report."
"come in," Unbelievable. Do he intend to do this in my room? Not in his office?
A man entered, he was no taller than uncle. His hair is disheveled and he has bags under his eyes. His cloak is full of twigs and dirt. Besides that, he is looking angry at the same time sleepy because of how his eyes squinted at uncle.
"Oh. You came back... alive, Alef. Good Job," he nonchalantly said and walked towards Alef. Don't tell me my uncle expected he's dead?
"Unfortunately your grace, I lived" and he casually answered back with a blank face on top of that.
"Did you find what I'm looking for?" Alef heaved a heavy sigh. I guess he's speechless about my Uncle's actions.
"Yes, Your Grace." He then looks at me and that's my cue to leave the room! Finally. I have never been happy to leave a room until now.
"I will excuse myself Uncle. I have something to do in the library."
But Uncle never told me his reason for visiting me today. For sure I will know later.
"I want a two month vacation, your grace."
"Yes?"
"My family is requesting my presence. My mother collapsed..."
apparently he wants to have a long rest at their estate in the West. I left and started to walk towards the library.
"hey who is that anyway?"
"my Uncle, Duke Aurea." her brows knit and suddenly, her mouth opened with brightness
"ah! the descendants of that man. No wonder they have the same face and that familiar mana flow"
Right, she lived for a thousand years. To think she knows our ancestors and she had that weird smile on her face.
"then, is Derium still around?"
I heard stories from my mother about that family, "Yes, their family is the one who maintains the temple."
she grinned and floated in the air while nodding. It looks like she has memories with that family.
"I see, I see. I got so busy roaming around that I didn't notice that."
Boaife kinda looks like she is happy at the same time lonely. Then she stared at me and asked, "You are nothing like an Aurea at all despite the white hair."
that's one way to slap me that I do not resemble my mother. Then suddenly she came close to me and stared right in my eyes.
"Wait a minute. Those eyes of yours only one family I know have it..."
Ha, she must have forgotten that I introduced myself as Vacarella. She looked utterly surprised while scanning my appearance then she suddenly cleared her throat. Realization hits her while she hissed.
Mumbling thoughts like how could Aurea and Vacarella be together.
"no wonder I feel irritated."
somehow I got a feeling that she has a bad history with my ancestors.
---------------------------------------------------
In the dim lighted room there was an elderly man staring outside the big window.
"That damn fool changed the plan."
His gaze is focused on the reflection of a man behind him by the window. The man's face is covered with a hood as his blood flows down the floor. He did not speak instead he looked down and breathed heavily.
the man was punished because of the failure of removing the Count as planned. Their plan failed as they started by bombing the central plaza and making themselves known.
Unfortunately, that's not only the news that made him mad. They were supposed to assassinate the saintess on her way home not the other way around and then the Anti-magic that he bought for a high price has been destroyed by Count Holton.
Bad news even poured in when he heard that the Count and Duke were tracing the tracks. Even though they did not leave any traces he can't let himself underestimate the Duke.
"Tsk, not only they failed they also let themselves be caught." the man did not faze by how sharp his voice was.
"Forgive me, my lord. It is for my incompetence that this led to failure" the old man blows in his pipe and looks over his shoulder.
"Yes. You know full well it is your fault. Erase them. Clean every evidence."
"Understood."
"You may go and do not disappoint me again" with that cue he stood up and left the office.
as soon as he comes outside he clutches his chest and pants heavily with beads of sweat rolling down on his face as he looks down.
"Damn it. If only I got closer to her" he whispered and another stab of pain course through his heart.
Wren's face flashed in front of him as he gritted his teeth with discomfort. He calmed down before going out to finish the assignment given to him.
The old man puffed smoke from his pipe. The sky become bright followed by thunder boom across the mansion as lightning stretched in the skies. The sound of rain patter on the roof and thumping of tree branches on the glasses made him look at the window once more.
The Countess keeps the rain for 3 days straight already and the land is slowly recovering with the help of other mages. The wicked grin turned into a chuckle. He raised his cup and stared at the bright red wine in it before drinking.
"Wren Vacarella... I remember her."
In the report he received it is said that Wren accompanied her mother and on that day, during the attack she killed most of the assassins he hired by burning them into crisps leaving her unscathed.
"a kid who goes on a berserk..."
If someone would see the old man smiling wickedly will shiver at the sight. It's like he was eyeing a prey he has been hunting for ages.
"We will meet soon, Young Lady"
--------------------------------------------
ever since the day I am stuck in the library. I scanned the library except for the deepest part.
I have no one to ask about since everyone has no idea, the Duchess suggested that I ask my mother and when I did. I found out she left immediately after making sure that I'm fine by myself. I am reluctant to leave her alone to travel but Uncle made arrangements for my mother.
Luckily for me, Boaife can answer my questions about spirits;
spirits are born from mana and therefore they live alongside the goddess. They were considered children of the goddess or guardians. Spirits lived for no one knows how long, besides that Spirits die when their core shattered. When the spirit has a contracted mage and it dies, the spirits will return to the spirit realm or linger in the human world.
A spirit has one attribute from 4 elements which are; water, air, earth and wind and in those attributes there is ranking. Low-grade, high-grade and celestials.
The low-grade don't have any form, they look like a small light. They are meant for small help and they are always around. Meanwhile, the high-grade spirits sometimes born either animal form or human form that upon forming a contract they can change their appearance.
Boaife is an example of high-grade spirit. The Celestials are the highest rank, they are the rulers of these attributes, they have fixed gender and they already have a name. Boaife says that the former summoner knows the name of one Celestials however can't summon it.
Celestials can choose to show up or not. Speaking of spirit, Boaife isn't with me because I told her to follow my mother. That's why I am very assured that my mother will be fine.
Thunder claps once again in the dark sky. Because of reading books about unique magic and recalling the dinner we had, I came to the conclusion that my Aunt's unique magic is weather manipulation.
"Wren are you going to have a lesson today with father??"
and this kid also follows me wherever I go to the point that I want to hide. Oh, My uncle suggested that I practice using magic here with him.
but...
"No. Uncle has something to do"
Yesterday, his aide came back, barging in his office to be exact. My uncle is gone and nowhere to be found, his papers are highly stacked there on his table. His voice rang in the mansion saying that he knew that the Duke would do this and that's the reason why he came back earlier than he intended to.
"alright, let's practice magic flow first. So you can master it when Father teaches you"
and she really is going to drag me doing something. Ceisia is the one who teaches me more than his Father.
"Im..."
"Don't worry. It was too easy to understand. My mom taught me," she huffs proudly.
At times like this I remembered how persistent Yessenia is. Well, I suppose there is nothing wrong with practicing. Besides, from what I read, Mana flow is how the user channels the mana inside its body. It helps them to use their magic spells effectively.
"Breath in and meditate. Find your mana core and let the mana flow inside your body!"
how simple of her explanation that It feels wrong to repeat it in my head. She was already beginning to do what she taught me.
"This will help you to properly control your magic."
Alright, no harm can be done with just breathing. Closing my eyes, I breathe in. Moments passed, I could only hear the wind blow and birds sing. It is really quiet and I cannot find my mana core.
Slowly, I could feel something from my heart. It was warm, it may be the mana core she refers to. I did not let myself be distracted and thought about the flow of blood. Right at that moment, I felt it coursing throughout my body by the veins, from the tip of my fingertip up to my head.
mastering this can help me not undergo berserk again because I can read my mana flow. Surprisingly her teachings are really effective.
My day went with practicing mana flow, I do not remember though how I came into my room after because of my exhaustion. Some maids the Duchess assigned to me helped me change into sleepwear. I wonder if Boaife managed to follow my mother without a mishap.
suddenly,
"!"
I felt something heavy on top of me. When I came to check who it was, my mind just went blank and stared at it.
"why are you on top of me?"
it glared at me before pointing its wing at my face.
"I'm tired. I cannot move."
"... I wonder how you taste when roasted"
She looked mortified at what I said. Although it never crossed my mind, before, and so, the night passed with Boaife's complaints.
This is not what I am expecting at all. I was just practicing Mana flow here in the library as this place is one of the peaceful areas.
but, what should I do in this situation? Boaife messed up the library and Ceisia... why does she have to make a huge mess by creating a hole by using magic.
"I used too much force.... anyway, it seems we will practice together."
she smiled so wide that I cannot ask what she means.