My gaze was fixed on the drops of rain that struck the window of the carriage as ideas and distractive imaginations seemingly carried my attention away.
My left shoulder rested on the surface as I stroked the hair of Morganna who laid soundly asleep with her head on my thighs.
"You seem to be lost in thoughts…"
My attention was attracted to the voice of my father as I turned towards him.
One of the questions I pondered about popped up in my head when I felt the need to ask.
"....how Did you defeat her ?"
I never really realized it but since that day, I wasn't able to find time to be alone with my father to ask this question.
He raised a brow as he turned towards the window.
"....is there something you noticed about her ?"
"Yes….aura didn't work on her….it was only by the physical manifestation of mana…"
"....Oh….I see" he muttered.
"....What Do you think the difference between aura and mana is ?"
".." I raised a brow in response to his question. It wasn't a question I needed much thought before answering but he always had a meaning to what he said.
"....an aura is manifested by a swordsman and mana by mages…."
"Hmm…then why do you think a person is born with one ?" He asked
"....I don't necessarily think a person is born with one….I feel a person is born with affinity to both….they choose at their disposal which they have more affinity to…"
"....true…most people that don't have the physical adaptation would simply cultivate mana and begin their lives as a Mage while most of the physical capable would cultivate aura"
"...it is as you said…"
"But….if you think about it…aren't they the same thing….but just stored and used for different things…"
"....."
I could hear the sound of an engine suddenly break down as if my brain couldn't contemplate the words he said but at the same time he was slowly making sense.
"...but mana is also with nature…aura isn't….it grows from one's hard work…"
"...there's that as well…but aura and mana when they are at equal amounts can be used for the same thing…..they can be substituted for one another and can be used to replace mana at the right amount…."
"..you can't use aura to summon beasts…or flames or water…"
"And yet our traits work with aura….and not mana…."
"....."
I always felt it was weird. Most powerful attacks work best with mana but the Jun's household is different.
We were made to use aura and all our techniques and traits require it for us to manifest them.
"Even so….I don't necessarily think they are the same thing….a Mage can not use aura and a swordsman can not use mana…" I stated frankly, trying to make sense of what he meant.
"....well….you can put it simply…both forms are energies that aid us when manifesting the supernatural….even though different results are gotten…they are still fundamentally the same thing…"
"..." my gaze was fixed to the ground as I contemplated his words. "I see…..on a molecular level….you were able to substitute your lack of mana for aura….that's complex in its own way…"
"Well of course…you need to become a grand master for you to be able to do that…"
"Of course…." I muttered. As the saying goes, no power comes without a price and most great powers come with a condition attached.
"When we get back to the Mansion…you shall learn the complex ways of applying aura….I don't have any concept of mana….but I'm sure you'll find something in Fiona's room…"
'..but ? Will she really let me into her room without her permission….?' I thought and it seemed my intentions slipped from my expression.
"Not to worry….I already discussed this with her earlier on.."
"Oh…I see"
"....have You ever heard of the Ranking Battle of The Great Families ?" He asked, his gaze stubbornly fixed on me.
'Of course I know of it…..I went through it in my past life…..but I can't clearly say Any of that. I'm not dumb..'
"Well…I'm sure you haven't…it is something we only bring up when the time for it to commence is fast approaching"
"...yes sir" I muttered, it seems events that made me who I was in the past were finally arising.
In 5 years time, not only did I partake in the great family battle, I also participated in the entrance examination to get into the Homeric Academy of Gifted Children.
At first, in my past life I considered it impossible to participate in one event after the other but not this time. I shall not shame my household any longer.
"....right after that is the examination into the academy….well you can take a break till you get in so don't feel the pressure of having to do two…"
"Father…..Surely You jest…..I am a Jun. The path we take is different from any other of the great Families and I am not the only one amongst the family that will be partaking in two exhausting events after the other…"
In my past life, the third son of the Martial arts was also the only child of their family to partake.
"If you say so…"
He turned his gaze from me and it raised the uneasy feeling that bothered me.
*****
The journey had finally come to an end as we came down from the carriage in an orderly fashion.
Rebecca yawned, stretching out her small limbs as she took a peek at me.
"....I can see you…" I muttered after she remained quiet for a while.
"...it's nothing". She turned away and quietly walked past Gilda and the rest of the maids that had lined up to greet us.
Four men also stepped out, hurriedly carrying our luggage to the mansion.
'Seems they found new recruits in the short time we were away' I thought when the sound of construction workers projected in my ears.
My gaze was led to Father's Mansion or at least a tip of it and I could clearly make out the number of men in yellow caps constructing the fallen structure.
"Welcome back, Master Michaelo" Gilda greeted as She bowed.
My father nodded and hinted for me to come with me. I respectively bowed to them and quickly walked after him.
"Gilda, come with me"
"Yes sir !" She yelled, instructing the other maids to return to their tasks while she quickly walked after us into the Mansion.
"Do you have the keys to the Dungeons ?"
"Yes sir"
'Hah…how can I ever forget about this….' I thought as a small smile formed from my lips.
The Training locker room was a dungeon found only in the main Mansion.
Its size was approximately the width of the Mansion and its depth was deep enough to prevent any tremors from leaking out although it tends to fail sometimes.
It's a method used by most households to prevent any leakage of their techniques passed down through generations. Texts on how to perform them are usually stored there and the family head acts as a guardian during that process.
"Is it finally time for the young master?" Gilda asked with a smile as she turned towards me.
I shrugged. "It was only a matter of time".
My father chuckled when we got to the hallway of the ground floor.
We hardly ever come here unless a celebration is going on.
He pulled on the lamp and the sounds of machines clicking could be clearly heard. After a minute, a loud tumble sound echoed followed by the wall next to it shifting inwards and moving to the left.
"He shall undergo intense training so I want you to get things prepared for him while he trains" my father said as we walked down a series of steps.
He stepped on a particular foothold and the door began to close forcing the light that had sipped in to slowly fade away.
"Raph, could you summon a flame"
"...." I sighed. 'Did he forget to bring a torch ?'.
I thought as I flicked my fingers forming a tongue of flame at the tip of my right index finger.
I increased the size, illuminating the dark closed space and the candle lamps that stood at either side of the wall.
I walked up to it and turned it on. It followed a systematic pattern, turning the rest of the candles on.
"Hmm….magic is useful in many ways". My father chuckled as we followed after him.
We walked down a series of what seemed to be a 100 stairs and got to the end opposite a concrete wall. My father lowered his body down and held a metal hinge nailed to a wooden fracture of the ground.
He held it and raised it up forcing a crack sound to echo followed by the creaking of wood.
The structure of the underground training room was built so the entrance was found on the ceiling which was our current position. The door my father had just opened was actually the Dungeon door.
He carefully went through the door and signaled for us to follow after him just before landing on a white plain room.
I followed after him while Gilda followed after me.
'Honestly ... .I always found it stressful to go through this process' I sighed, observing my surroundings.
The room was large and spacious and the white walls illuminated brilliantly.
The room was magically enchanted to prevent suffocation and enhance vision. 'It's a well built underground training field….though the process of going in and coming out was stressful and as such, it wasn't used unless it was necessary'. I thought when a particular board in the middle of the room caught my attention.
My father and I walked up to it at the same time and I could make out the written words and artistically drawn figures.
"The 13 chapters of the Jun Swordsmanship" I muttered.
"Indeed….the first 6 are easily learnt by 6th stars and below, the next 4 by 7th to 9th stars and the last 3 by 10th stars to great grand masters".
"...."
The process was stifling but the method at which I learn this skills will greatly affect my future
'I have to become a Master as soon as possible'
The stage of a Master begins from the 7th star and I am on the verge of becoming stronger.
"Raph. I shall drill in you the skills and concept of being a Swordsman. Not just any Swordsman but a member of the Jun household. Everything you know about the sword is pointless and everything you shall know about the Sword shall become your foundation. Prepare your mind and body".
This is it. The beginning of my new chapter.