IN THE WORLD I had come from, elemental augmenters were practitioners of
different sects. The Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind Sectseach had their own
techniques which utilized their element.
I had become king in my old world by knowing how to fight in all four
practices. If that ability were to translate to this world, I'd be a sort of quadra-
elemental mage, if such a thing existed. I did have my preferences, of course;
my weakest elements were earth and wind, and my strongest were fire and
water. I barely used wind, and used earth only for slight support. No, I had
been feared in battle because of my mastery of the two opposing elements of
water and fire.
When I had been training with Gramps, I'd tested out numerous theories
within my mind. One thing I had learned very quickly was that I had
absolutely no talent for conjuring. Grandpa had brought over an elven
conjurer one day after I'd asked him to get someone to teach me the basics,
and I'd ended up nearly killing myself.
Augmenting and conjuring were very different in one sense, and very similar
in another. An augmenter could potentially have the same ability as a
conjurer, and vice versa. However, this only came with advanced breakthroughs in the top mana core stages as well as a much higher form of
comprehension in the respective element. I'd thought maybe I could bypass
that fundamental rule and become both a conjurer and an augmenter, but I'dhad to learn the hard way that it wasn't possible.
Another theory I had tested regarded my potential ability as a deviant.
Grandpa Virion and Tess had both been shocked speechless to learn that I
could manipulate all four elements, but after four months of trying to control
any of the higher elements, I'd had only mixed results.
Before even taking the first step, a mage must understand the link between
the basic elements and their higher forms. The mage's body must naturally
understand this link and harmonize the structure of the mana. For wind and
earth, even if I had been able to grasp the link between the basic and higher
forms, my body wouldn't have been able to change the mana particles'
structure. So, with regard to sound and gravity, I had yet to produce any
favorable results.
Though I had finally broken through into the world of deviants with lightning
and ice, I was still a beginner. My lightning-attribute magic needed a lot of
work, since it was completely new to me. As for ice-attribute magic, that was
even harder. Using either of them required an extraordinary amount of mana,
most of which was wasted on inept utilization.
I was also bound by the strict limits on the duration of use of each type:
lightning magic for about three minutes, and for ice, even less. For now, my
use of lightning-attribute magic was more of a liability than an asset, as the
mana I depleted using lightning would only drain resources better used with a
stronger element. With enough practice, though, I knew I could control these
deviant attributes.
Very few mages were able to transcend their basic element and master its
higher form, because the higher form was completely different and incomparably more difficult. Of course, my being able to learn both lightning
and ice within four months might seem to give this the lie, but it's important
to remember that I had knowledge and understanding from my old world to
help my transcendence along. I was still a complete beginner in these higher
forms of elements, though—those old-world experiences hadn't prepared meto actually utilize these deviant attributes.
Despite my relatively weak control over lightning, however, I still managed
to surprise my father when I imbued my body with a protective layer of
electrical energy, which arced away from my skin and shocked him when he
attempted to grab me.
My father had always been the type to readily accept facts; he had already
known I was some sort of genius, so realizing that I was also a deviant hadn't
surprised him all that much. However, this was not the case for those in the
audience. My sister seemed fascinated, but that was simply because she
didn't really understand what had happened. She was probably used to seeing
Father fight, so nothing about the fighting would have registered with her as
being odd. Vincent and Tabitha's faces, however, were pale, wide-eyed
mirrors of each other. My mother's hands were covering her mouth in shock,
and even Lilia knew
that what I had done wasn't normal.
Their reactions were more along the lines of what I had expected than my
father's excited yet unquestioning acceptance.
With a weak laugh, I threw out my arms. "Surprise!"
"Kyu!" Sylvie scampered toward me, giving me a concerned gaze as if to
ask, 'are you okay, papa?'
Vincent was the first to regain his voice. "D-deviant!" he managed to
stammer.
Tabitha just sighed in astonishment. "My god…"
"So, Art, when did you learn that trick?" my father asked, his tone more
curious than shocked or bewildered. He shook his head as he ruffled my hair.
"Not too long ago, Dad. I can barely control it, though," I replied sheepishly.
We made our way back inside and situated ourselves around the dining table.
"Rey… your son," Vincent said. "Do you realize the kind of future he has?
He's only eight, but he's already stronger than a veteran B-class adventurer!"
He was barely able to contain his excitement.My father scratched his head. "This is crazy. I thought him awakening at the
age of three was terrifying enough, but who could have thought he would
become a deviant as well?"
"What?" Tabitha cried, bolting up from her seat. "He awakened at the age of
three?"
My mother just nodded at this. "And he managed to blow up most of our
house in the process."
My father and Vincent both leaned back into their chairs, sighing in unison.
"Papa? Are you okay?" Eleanor poked Father in the cheek.
With a laugh, Father scooped her up. "Yes, I'm okay, princess."
Vincent rose from his chair and looked at us seriously, bracing his arms
against the table.
"Rey, have you thought about enrolling your son in Xyrus Academy?"
"What? You can't be serious. He's only eight," my father said, sitting up in
his chair.
Tabitha chimed in. "Rey, Alice, I think your son is more than capable of
excelling at Xyrus."
"I thought only noble geniuses were allowed to attend Xyrus Academy,"
Mother responded, concern etched on her face.
Excited, Vincent said, "I can handle that! I do a lot of business with the
director of the academy, and I'm sure she'll be lenient in the enrollment
process."
"But the school fees are far too extravagant for us," Mother argued, still
dubious.
"Alice, that should be the least of your worries. We will be glad to pay for the fees. Arthur's talent is immeasurable. Who knows what he can accomplish?
Even if we couldn't pay, I'm sure he can find nobles who would beg to
sponsor him." Tabitha held Mother's hands in her own for reassurance.
"May I have a say in this?" They seemed to have forgotten that the person
whose future they were trying to decide was right there with them. "I've just arrived back home today. Can I spend a bit of time with my family before I
decide whether to go to school or not?" I gave Vincent a meaningful gaze.
"Of course. I apologize. I guess I got a bit excited there for a moment." He
laughed weakly and sat back down.
"Thank you," I said, giving the Helstea family a smile. I was a little surprised
at how readily the adults all accepted the fact that, although I was only eight
years old, I spoke, thought, and behaved like an adult. The years spent away
ifrom my family had probably contributed to that. They were getting
reacquainted with me almost as if I were a new person. My maturity was still
remarkable, but it was probably easier for them to write off as being a result
of the experiences they hadn't been present for. That's going to be very
convenient, I thought.
I turned to look at my mother. "Mom, where do I sleep?"
"Oh, yes! You'll have your room next to Eleanor's, in the left wing. Come
on, let's all go up now. It's getting late."
Sylvie had already fallen asleep on my head, and my baby sister had been
nodding in and out of her dream world while we had been discussing my
future.
Mother and Father led me to the room that was to be mine. It was much
larger than my room in Ashber, but still decorated in a homey fashion. The
sparse furnishings meant there was a lot of open space, but that was perfect
since I needed space to train.
As I settled Sylvie down on the bed, Mother and Father sat down next to me.
"We'll go shopping tomorrow. We need to get you some clothes." My
mother ran her fingers through my hair.
My father squatted down in front of me, grabbing my arm. "Arthur, whether
you're a genius or not, you're still my son. I'll always be proud of you and
love you—regardless of any other circumstances." His face was unusually
serious. It was comforting to know they would always treat me as their son
instead of their 'little genius.'I quietly nodded in return. I thought about revealing the full extent of my
abilities, but decided it might be safer to do it in baby steps.
Before he stood up, my father pinched my cheek and gave me a sly smile.
"Besides, I know you held back on me with your lightning magic today.
Don't think you fooled me! We'll do a rematch soon."
My mother just chuckled at this. "I swear, all you ever think about is
fighting." She looked at me with a comforting smile in her eyes. "Your father
is right, though. No matter what kind of genius you are, you'll always be my
baby boy."
I grinned back at her. "Can't I be your adolescent boy?
I'm eight and a half
now, Mom!"
"Nope! You can't," she retorted as they left my room. "Get some rest now.
We'll go shopping with your sister tomorrow. It'll be a great chance for you
to bond," she said, then closed the door behind her.
I didn't even have the energy to wash up. I just plopped into bed, jostling the
slumbering Sylvie, who whined at me before going back to sleep.
It had been a long day. A good, long day.
With a smile plastered on my face, I followed Sylvie into a deep, comforting
sleep.
I woke the next morning to my baby dragon licking furiously at my face.
"I'm up, Sylv, I'm up!"
"Kyu!" She was hopping up and down on top of me, a feeling of excitement
radiating from her.
I thought of Tess. I never would have thought I'd miss being woken up by
her uncouth methods. I wondered how she was doing. Tess had been my
closest friend growing up, and though she had become a bit fierce, she was
still the same kind-hearted girl who had worried about me and taken care of
me while I was in Elenoir.
I took a quick shower, dragging my smelly dragon with me. She cried in distress at the warm water drenching her, but I didn't relent. Before long, we
were both sparkling clean.
"…kyu," Sylvie moaned, plopped down on my bed, exhausted from
struggling.
"Don't complain. We were both filthy, and we didn't wash yesterday either."
There was a knock on my door, so I dressed quickly.
"Coming!" I said, my shirt still over my head.
When I opened the door, I was greeted by a shy Eleanor, looking down at her
foot, which was rubbing at something on the ground.
"Well, hello there, Ellie." I squatted down so I was at her eye level, and gave
her the gentlest smile I could muster.
"G'morning, brother." Her pronunciation was already improving; I wondered
if she'd been practicing overnight. "Mama told me to wake you up," she
muttered, her head still down.
"I see. Thank you very much, little sister," I said, patting her head. "Can you
take me down to the kitchen?" I asked, holding out my hand.
"'Kay!" She nodded excitedly, then hesitated for a second before grabbing
my hand and pulling me along.
Sylvie trotted along behind us, looking around at her new surroundings.
I was met with the pleasant smell of bacon as we entered the kitchen. Tabitha
and my mother were chatting while they cooked. Lilia was seated at the table
already, her legs swinging, obviously waiting for breakfast.
"Good morning, Mom, ma'am, Lilia," I announced.
"Kyu!" Sylvie echoed my greeting.
"Ah! I see Ellie managed to wake you up. I always had the hardest time
waking you up, even when you were a baby, Art. I swear you slept like a
log." My mother chuckled as she placed some eggs on a large plate.
"Did you sleep well?" Tabitha smiled at me as she handed me a side of fresh
fruit.
"I slept great, Mrs. Helstea.""Good morning, Arthur."
Lilia's soft voice trailed off when she met my gaze,
but I smiled and returned her greeting.
Breakfast was delicious. Mother mentioned that the maids were usually the
ones to cook, but she had wanted to cook for me today. It had been too long
since I'd had Mother's cooking, and I now realized how dearly I had missed
it. I made sure to give some of my meat to Sylvie, who didn't hesitate to
gobble whatever entered her mouth, including my finger. Ellie and Lilia both
wanted a turn at feeding her, and I told them to go ahead. Needless to say,
Sylvie warmed up to them both a bit more after getting food from them.
"The carriage is waiting out front—just leave the dishes in the sink and let's
head out," announced Tabitha.
Xyrus was an amazing city. I stared, taking in all the different sights as we
travelled down the main road. I could see magic shops, armories, spell-book
stores, and even beast core shops! There was everything a mage could ask
for. Adults and children alike were all dressed extravagantly, and luxurious
carriages passed alongside ours. Some buildings were several stories high,
making the city much bigger and denser than the podunk town of Ashber.
There were children a few years older than me, all wearing similar uniforms
—some black, others grey or red. Given their haughty demeanors, I could
only assume they were students of Xyrus Academy.
Uniforms in my old
world had been meant to minimize discrimination by requiring students to
dress alike regardless of their financial backgrounds, but here it seemed the
uniforms were a sort of gold medallion for showing off to the rest of the
world.
We eventually reached Xyrus's fashion district. It was here that I learned that
shopping for clothes with women took an even greater toll on my body than
training with Grandpa Virion had—and just the thought regimen had left me in a cold sweat.
I was used as a mannequin for each of the women's personal style
preferences. My mother wanted to dress me in simple clothes, while Tabitha wanted to transform me into some sort of prince. Even Lilia and Ellie made
me try on some clothes.
"You need to look good since you're my brother," Ellie announced loudly,
hands on her hips.
Sylvie could feel the exhaustion radiating from me, and she perched
comfortably on my head, as if to gloat.
I ended up with ten different sets of clothes, five from Mother and five from
Tabitha. Mother and I both tried to prevent Tabitha from buying me anything
but she scolded us, playfully saying, "Just think of it as an investment.
Besides, I've always wanted a son."
After towing our bags of clothing to the carriage, we did some window-
shopping. I was hoping to see the armory. I really wanted a decent sword
with which to start practicing swordsmanship again, as it was clear that my
skills had diminished after such a long break from proper training. The girls
didn't want to go there, though, so I was forced to go to several gem stores
instead. I would have to visit the armory with Father some other time.
We got home shortly before my father did, and by that time my physical and
mental strength were depleted.
"How was your day, son?" he asked, taking a seat next to me at the dining
table.
"I never thought shopping could be so exhausting," I groaned.
As if in response to my complaints, Vincent and Tabitha sat down across
from us.
"I hear you got beat up by a bunch of women today, Arthur," Vincent teased.
I nodded feebly while Tabitha and Mother exchanged smirks. "This little
prodigy of yours isn't quite as big a deal as I thought he was," she said, and
Lilia and Ellie giggled.
"I will admit that nothing can top the endurance of a woman who's out
shopping," I said wryly.
My father and Vincent laughed, nodding their heads in agreement. Our banter was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell, followed by knocking at the door.
"Ah! Looks like she's here," Vincent said, perking up and hurrying from the
room.
The looks on everyone else's faces made it clear that Vincent was the only
one who knew what was going on.
Vincent returned, leading an elderly woman into the dining room.
"Rey, Alice, Arthur—I know you said you wanted to put off the decision
about school for later, but I just couldn't wait. Everyone, meet Cynthia
Goodsky, the director of Xyrus Academy."
Noticing the slight twinge of annoyance on my face, Vincent immediately
said, "Don't worry—I didn't bring her here to make you go to school right
away. I just wanted her to meet you."
The director gave me a cryptic smile and held out her hand. "Nice to finally
meet you, Arthur."