3rd person Pov:
Currently, Noah was sitting inside his office room with a serious expression. He was reading a book with notes and illustrations of a figure using a sword. Joseph was sitting opposite Noah on the other side of the table. Joseph came into his father's office a little while ago and showed him the book Michael had given him. At first, when Joseph told him about what had transpired between him and Michael, Noah could not believe what he was saying. But when Joseph showed him Michael's book, this disbelieving expression changed to a serious one.
"Michael really devised this all on his own? And did you perform the moves according to these instructions?" Noah asked after a long silence. Joseph took in a deep breath and started explaining, "Yes Michael was the one who came up with these alterations. Or should I call them improvements? Anyway, yes, I executed these movements, and the results were astonishing. Not only does it take less time to perform the task, but stamina consumption is also cut by about half. The stance is stable, and I have not tried it in combat, but it is safe to say that the power has increased by at least twenty percent."
Noah heard what Joseph said and marveled at what Michael had come up with. This was amazing in a sense. Michael was a genius child who had started reading at the age of one and a half. He started understanding others way sooner than other children usually do. Not once had he behaved like a spoiled child. There was no one in the mansion who could say that Michael was not intelligent. But this was not just being intelligent. This was much more than that.
"Michael is an intelligent child indeed. To think he came up with this. It looks like I will have to start grooming him in strategies. With his intelligence, he will surely excel in that field." Noah said after a short silence. He too was devastated when Michael could not manifest mana. But he had planned his whole future in fields where he could live a peaceful life away from the horrors of the world.
But Michael was done yet, "There's more." Noah stopped thinking and looked at Michael who had a complicated expression on his face. "What is it?" Noah felt like, Joseph was finding it difficult to properly explain what he wanted to say. After some time, Joseph finally said, "Indeed it is amazing that Michael could do all that. But it is only amazing up to that point. But I don't know what word of praise to use for what comes next." Noah looked at his son and wondered what could be more amazing than this.
Joseph finally continued after shortly, "The mana consumption is low." Noah thought he had heard wrong, so he said, "What?" Joseph looked at Noah and could not help but wonder, 'Did I also have such a dumb reaction?' He said, "The mana consumption is low. By my estimation, it has decreased by about forty percent. I infused mana in my strikes and the damage dealt was more than usual and consumed mana was low as well. Michael did not say anything about Mana, so I did that on my own and I was astonished by the result."
Noah listened to every word Joseph had said and felt like his chin was about to drop to the floor. After a few minutes of being like this, he asked, "Are you sure about what you are saying?" Joseph understood his reaction and nodded in response and said, "I would also like father to give it a try. I am sure the results would be the same then as well."
Noah looked at Joseph for some time and simply nodded in the end and closed the book he was holding. "I will do that after I finish my work here. There is something else that I want to discuss with you. It's about Michael. Blake has proposed a betrothal between Sierra and Michael. And I have accepted. I know I should have asked for your opinion but considering my and Blake's relationship, I could not delay the matter. But if you think, it is not the right decision, I will cancel it from my side. It is not official yet anyway."
Joseph contemplated for a bit before saying, "I honestly have no problem with this betrothal, and I don't think Carla would disapprove as well. The problem here is whether they know of Michael's disability to manifest mana or not. I am not questioning whether Sir Blake would break his word upon hearing that or not. What I am worried about is that John and Sara would create problems after hearing about Michael. Both of them are very ambitious people and this engagement might not benefit them the most than the others."
Noah also understood what Joseph was saying. Blake had the same concerns as well. 'My son and his concubine are hell-bent on using Sierra for their connections. I know better than most what happens to those girls that are used in such a way. I don't want my granddaughter to suffer the same fate as my sister. I trust you more than I trust my own son so I am sure Sierra will be happy in the Revstein family than somewhere else.' Noah remembered what Blake had said and dismissed Joseph's concerns, "There is no need to worry about that. No matter who John and Sara are, Blake's word is all that matters to me. And if John and Sara have any problems with it, they can talk to me themselves." The last part was said with a grin of a tyrant that Joseph was so familiar with. It was the grin and expression reserved for the enemies of the Revstein family only. "I see. That's reassuring then." That was all Joseph said.
"Forget about all of that. How is Michael doing?" Noah asked after some time. Even now everyone believed that Michael was devastated after learning that he could not manifest mana. Everyone was worried about that. Joseph smiled and answered, "I think he is trying to hide it by acting tough. But I am sure he will get through. He is a strong kid after all." If only they knew how wrong they were.
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