Click!
I opened the door of the roof and stepped inside.
I activated the spells and charms, not only on the door but also on the mist roof. I don't want anyone to get a hint of what I will be doing here.
It will be dangerous for me and especially for her.
"Bell," I greeted the beautiful woman. "My lord," she replied.
"So?" I asked a little awkwardly, and she smiled, before walking toward the center of the roof and sitting on the square black mat.
"Please sit, my lord," she said, and I sat on the black mat in front of her.
For a few seconds, there was a silence, before she opened her mouth.
"Aura is a representation of will; only those of the powerful will be able to bring it out." She said slowly and her aura gentle as the water came out of her.
It's invisible, but suppressive. I wanted to bring out mine to protect myself from it.
"There are many ways to understand and control it. My mother used to say, aura is an extension of self; it is a limb that could take any shape and give one a great reach,"
As she said those words.
Her aura became like a limb, and it carefully plucked the few leaves of the plants over twenty meters away.
"While to my father, it's energy that could take any form to suit one needs," she explained, and a moment later, cast a water drizzle spell x 3 and water drops began to fall down.
As it did, her aura turned into a massive saucer and captured all the water, while I watched in awe.
I had read about the aura, and after I awakened it. I read it even more. The control she had just shown now is extremely high.
People need to practice for decades to gain such control, while she had awakened it a decade ago and practiced in a place where she couldn't be found out.
If she had not been hiding and could practice without fear, her control might have reached a terrifying level.
She might have even taken the next step. As her mother said, supposed to have taken and there are rumors that her father had taken that too.
Her parents were one of the best aura users of the entire continent.
Especially her mother.
"I prefer my mother's way, but I will teach both ways of my parents. You can choose the way you feel the most affinity with," she stated, and I nodded gratefully.
"We will start with the most basic exercise," she said.
"My lord, bring out your aura and swirl it around yourself like a wind," she instructed.
I did what she had asked. I brought out my aura and swirled it around myself.
"It may have come from you, but you do not know it well. You need to understand it well to control it."
"It is where the power of aura lies; the control," she explained. In an aura, control is everything.
Aura is something that becomes more powerful, the finer you control it. It is only when one gains sufficient control over it, that they could use things like aura methods.
That only happens through understanding, and once it reaches the cusp.
It transforms the aura into something greater.
Currently, I am not thinking about any of that. My first aim is to gain the basic control over it. that I would be able to use my own skill with it, without getting tired too quickly.
I am luckier than most people who awaken the aura.
I have a teacher who had superior control of aura and deep knowledge about it.
It is because of her Stone was able to learn to control the elder energies quickly. That he was able to use the methods with it.
However, it would be far more difficult with the aura. Controlling the aura is more difficult than controlling the elder power.
I have spun it only ten rounds, and I am already starting to feel tired.
Like she had said, the aura is like a limb. I would need to train with it, regularly to develop the mental capacity to use it for a long time.
I watched her, as she was doing the same. Swirling the aura around herself.
Unlike mine, which looks like it could collapse at any time. Hers is uniformed and swirling around her at an unchanging speed.
Looking at her expressions. It felt like, she was not feeling any strain at all.
Seeing her, I pushed myself, while trying to understand the aura, but as time passed. I got more and more tired till five and a half minutes later. The aura had collapsed and entered inside me.
"It's difficult," I said, and she smiled. "Beginning always is," she replied.
"Take a minute of rest, Lord Silver, and start again," she added and as she said, we started again a minute later.
I did it over and over again, pushing myself again and again, till I was so tired that I couldn't even bring out the aura.
I slumped on the ground with sweat covering every part of my body.
"I couldn't even train for an hour," I said, a few minutes of rest. Unlike me, there is not a hint of strain on her face, much less sweat.
I had lasted for barely half an hour.
"You might not believe it, but you did quite well, my lord. Most people my mother trained didn't last over twenty minutes in their first session," she informed.
It did make me feel a little better, but I have no doubt she had used those words to make me feel better.
As for how true they are, I don't know, nor do I care to think about it.
I lay there for over ten minutes before finally getting up.
"Thank you, Bell. With you as a teacher, I am confident I will learn to control the aura sooner than I think," I said.
"It is an honor, my lord," she replied.
I just shook my head with a smile before walking toward the door.
As I did, all sweat, dirt, and creases began to come out of my body and clothes. After reaching, Lv. 30; this skill, had become even more powerful.
It not only cleans but also helps a little with the tiredness.
Click!
I opened the door and walked out of it.
Today is the last day, I will be coming for practice on the roof; some changes are going to be made here and would not be a place for the practice.
I do not mind it. There are a few more spaces that are more private.
I came here today to practice because I want to start the aura practice in my favorite place.
Soon, I reached the top floors, where the people were still working. Their progress is visible, and I am confident that they will finish on time.
I watched them for a few minutes before walking into my office.
"There is a message from Headmistress Margaux and Chief Hendriks. They are starting the third day of negotiation," Zela informed.
It is the third of Margaux and Hendricks in the Ilden and they are still negotiating. They have been doing that for over twelve hours every day.
The understanding is different from the negotiations. In understanding, we agree on rough points, but we deal with nuances in negotiations, and they are official.
In the Ilden, they are negotiating every little thing. The old man, Halcyon, himself is taking part.
He is one mean negotiator, according to Margaux, but I trust her to not give up a single inch on our demand. There will be no compromise on them.
"Anything else?" I asked. "Yes, Prince Declan says, he awaits your contribution," she replied.
Hearing that, I couldn't help but sigh and curse at that bastard.
I really hope I will get enough benefits from it because I have already promised around five thousand bottles of Grade III essences to various parties who were displeased by it.
The imperials, the merchants, and a few other people.
I need to absorb enough essence to at least break even. Caena is quite confident of it.
"Tell him, we are happy to hear that," I replied.
Usually, I do not care about two imperials, but Declan had joined his sister's camp, and she was helping him defend against the forces of Geim and Yressor.
Since Geim is allied with Ilden; the bastard had been asking for a contribution.
I had to agree with it, despite already promising his sister a substantial number of emotion essences. I am sure it is her that instructed him to pressure me.
It's a delicate balance to manage the imperials.
The civil war is helping me remain independent, but at the moment, one defeats the other. They will turn their eyes on my legacy.
So, I need to accumulate enough power. To not get suppressed fully when they turn their eyes at me, have the power to negotiate.
It's in my interest that they keep fighting, and I am doing my little bit to make that happen, by helping both sides.
Though, I am being extremely careful.
Traitors pay a heavy price, and there are ways to punish the host of legacies.
I took a deep breath and focused on the work in front of me.
I worked for about an hour and a half before I stopped and brought out my aura and swirled around me like Bell instructed me earlier.
I am still tired, but I am pushing that tiredness away.
I need to learn to control it as soon as possible and most importantly; I am very curious about it.
This is the closest. I would ever get to shooting spells and I want to master it enough, that I would be able to do that.
I practiced for about fifteen minutes before I stopped because of tiredness and to focus on the work.
Throughout the day. I did it a few times; it made me exhausted, but I pushed that away and focused on it, till I became so tired in the late afternoon, that I fell asleep.
When I woke up an hour and a half later. There was good news waiting for me.