After I finished discussing the matter, there was a moment of tense silence in the room. Father and Mother wore unusually serious expressions.
"Vergil, are you hinting at this ancient hero's talent?" Father asked, his tone grave.
"Yes, Father, that's what I believe," I responded.
"Why?" he pressed further.
"Father, I've always been able to sense both mana and prana. Let me demonstrate," I said, gathering both mana and prana in my hands without channeling them into my body.
"I attempted to absorb the prana from the surroundings, but... it didn't go well," I admitted, scratching my head and avoiding details about the accident.
"You did what?" Father's urgency was palpable as he rose from his chair and came to inspect my body. My mother, equally concerned, joined him in examining me.
"I'm fine, Father, Mother. It was just a minor incident," I reassured them.
"You're lucky. You should know better that mana and prana repel each other," Father said, relieved to find nothing amiss with my body. Despite this, my mother cast a healing spell as a precaution.
"Cast: Superior Heal," she intoned, weaving a complex magic circle adorned with numerous runes and sigils.
As the spell took effect, I felt as though I were submerged in a warm bath, the soothing energy washing over me and dispelling all the fatigue accumulated throughout the day.
"Mother, I'm fine," I insisted, thanking her.
"How could you be fine? I've told you to be careful. You're still young, yet you engage in these dangerous activities. What would you have done if something had gone terribly wrong?" Mother scolded me sternly.
"May, you will supervise Vergil more closely," Mother ordered.
"Mom...!" I protested at the decision.
"No excuses, or else I will personally supervise you," Mother declared, her tone leaving no room for argument.
I was left sulking, but there is nothing I can do about it.
"Vergil, it would seem you need to have prana training," said Father.
"Yes, I concluded that I need to start from scratch and form a separate prana pool from my mana reserves so that my body could slowly adapt to these two conflicting energies," I said to Father.
"But Father, I want to keep this a secret. For now, I will show my magic prowess in public and train for aura until I am able to protect myself," I said to Father.
"Yes, it's very smart. You already possess a rare talent in the space element. It would be no good if you expose this talent," Father contemplated.
"Well, let's do this. I will let Gareth personally train you. For the next three months, you will have to make your aura equal to your mage capabilities. Also... let's use the awakening stone that will make up for your deficiency as well," Father said as he finally made his decision.
"Well, Father, I understand... but where would we get the awakening stone, and do we have it in the first place?" I asked, a little puzzled and shocked.
The awakening stone is used by people to awaken their mana or prana capabilities if they don't spontaneously awaken themselves at the age of 12. It is very expensive—very, very expensive. It would be an understatement to say that the yearly budget of the Winchester barony would still fall short of the price needed to acquire it. Moreover, even if you have the money, you can't get it as it requires special connections and cannot be obtained through normal routines.
"Don't worry, I had chanced upon an awakening stone in my younger years. I have kept it with me; it's about time I put it to good use," Father said generously.
I felt warmth in my heart as I felt family affection that surpasses all other interests.
"Okay, father, we can start from tomorrow," I said as I felt my Father's expectations.
"Okay, you can go to your room and take a rest, tomorrow at 6 you will start your training. I will inform Gareth about your situation," Father said.
I bade farewell to my father, mother, and along with May, I left the study.
William's POV:
I watched as my son left the study, feeling a mix of pride and apprehension about his future.
"He never ceases to amaze me," I muttered, feeling Martha's comforting hands on my temples.
"Honey, will Vergil be alright?" Martha's concern was evident in her voice.
"He'll be fine. He has the talent to dominate this era, even surpassing the currently acknowledged greatest prodigy, Princess Arabella Ardentia. But what worries me is if this gets to his head or if he relies too much on his talent. 'Too much talent can become a curse,'" I explained, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Have faith in our child, William. I know he will master his powers. Besides, he was in a slump for two years; I believe this will shape his character," Martha reassured me as she gently massaged my head.
"I know. I have faith in him, and I'm proud of him. He was able to understand his situation and find a way through it," I said, feeling a sense of gratitude.
"I believe with Gareth's training, he will most likely become an excellent swordsman," I added, though still uncertain about the mysterious book. It was perplexing how I hadn't come across it despite reading numerous books from the library.
"It's as if the book itself wanted to be found by the right person," I mused, lost in thought until Martha's voice brought me back.
"Honey?" Martha's gentle voice interrupted my thoughts.
Snapping out of my reverie, I replied, "Yes, don't worry. Just thinking about some stuff," taking her hand in mine as I called Sebas.
"Sebas, go check the details about this book," I ordered, determined to unravel the mystery.
"At once, Master," Sebas acknowledged, leaving to carry out the task.
"Okay, honey, take a break. Let's go for a walk," Martha suggested, attempting to ease my worries.
"Okay, let's go," I agreed, standing up and taking my wife's hand as we made our way for a stroll.
Vergil's POV:
Leaving the study, I headed to my room with May in tow.
"May, could you also teach me about your experience with prana?" I asked, eager to learn.
"Young Master, Sir Gareth is plenty strong. He can guide you better than me," May replied, sounding hesitant.
"I know, but I still want you to train me. Plus, hasn't Mother told you to monitor me?" I reasoned with her.
"But, young master, that is different and I have no experience teaching others," May protested, still unsure.
"Just spar with me. I have no practical experience," I insisted.
"But I use blades and short swords, while young master will most likely be using long swords," May argued.
"Okay, no 'buts.' I want you to train me, and that's final," I declared firmly.
"Okay, young master..." May reluctantly agreed, resigned to my insistence.
"Hehehe... Let's go," I chuckled, amused by May's uncharacteristic flustered state.
As I entered my room, I bid goodnight to May and settled into bed. As I lay there, thoughts of tomorrow's training filled my mind. The reason for seeking May's guidance was because I had practically zero combat experience, which could prove to be a fatal flaw. I needed someone with enough experience to guide me. Although Sir Gareth could also do it, I didn't know much about him, and I didn't trust him as much as I trusted May. With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I slowly drifted into a deep slumber.