Chapter 12: Yes it really works... I can Extract everything
Rotexa walked past Ruthar and dislodged her sword from the crevice of the rock.
She slid it into her scabbard with a definitive click and paused to give him another long, calculating look. Her eyes were devoid of warmth, lacking the shimmer of mischief or joy one might expect in someone so young.
'Man, this is my sister, she's barely four and she's this blank and heartless! Bastard Author!'
'Great, my sister, not even four, and she's as cold as a glacier. Thanks a lot, Author,' Ruthar thought sarcastically.
He extended his hand in greeting, an offer she met with a chilling stare.
"What is this? A challenge?"
'Oh, wonderful. Kithara's brainwashing at its finest. She doesn't even recognize a handshake,' he sighed inwardly.
With a forced smile, Ruthar explained, "It's called a handshake. You just put your hand on mine and smile. Try it."
She reached out tentatively, her smile awkward and strained.
Ruthar couldn't help but laugh as he retracted his hand, her attempt at a smile dissolving any attempt at formality. 'She can't even smile properly!'
Rotexa tried to smile again, but it was more mechanical than joyful, like an android mimicking human behavior.
"Sorry, Rotexa, don't you know how to smile?" Ruthar's voice softened with concern.
"My mother says smiling is a sign of weakness, as is showing emotion. She says those not of family aren't deserving of life, and those who oppose me should meet their end at my hand," Rotexa recited solemnly.
'Damn you, Kithara. She's been turned into a killing machine,' Ruthar reflected with a twinge of sadness.
Growing up without a childhood himself. Ruthar knew that since Rotexa turned one, Kithara had subjected her to harsh training, embedding ruthlessness deep within her psyche.
"So, what am I supposed to teach you?" he asked, stifling a yawn, bracing for her response.
Looking around cautiously, Rotexa replied in a stern voice, "Mother mentioned you learned to create a magic core. She said if you don't teach me, I should eliminate you where you stand."
'Always with the killing... But even if I wanted to, I couldn't fully teach her about activating her core. She'll unlock her magic soon enough, regardless of what I say,' he thought.
Ruthar reached out his hand again, this time with a different intent. 'Kithara is jealous of my early success with magic. Maybe I can give Rotexa something she's never had before.'
"I will teach you how to activate your magic before you turn five, but I'll also teach you something even more important," he said, winking.
"What's that?" she asked, her voice tinged with innocence as she placed her hand in his.
"Fun," Ruthar said, leading her towards an adventure as a notification chimed quietly in his mind:
[You have completed the secret quest and made your first soul connection]
[Rotexa Darkdawn... Extracting]
***
Rotexa who had lived in the kingdom was very stunned to see Ruthar who just arrived leading her through halls she could not recognize.
He took her into very deserted hallways where there were no guards standing watch. After several minutes they finally came outside the castle and into a secret weird garden Rotexa had never been to.
'In the novel this was one of the beauties of the Spade Kingdom.'
Overgrown yet undeniably beautiful, the garden was a riot of pink sakura blossoms and whimsically shaped bushes. Not to talk about the glows in the leaf's and branches, it was almost as if the forest was magical. The setting sun cast a magical glow, turning the scene surreal.
For the first time, Rotexa's smile was genuine and unrestrained, a stark contrast to her usual stoic expressions.
"What do you think, little sis? The glowing Soul garden" Ruthar asked, though he already knew her amazement. "This place is highly concentrated with Mana. It's a spiritual garden used by the first generation of Darkdawn's to amplify magic and our soul energy, I believe if you visit this place everyday and cultivate you'll be able to unlock your magic in no time."
'Too bad I never could reach this place at a you get age if not I would have unlocked magic at one... I can feel the immense power already eroding me.'
Grasping his hand tightly, Rotexa responded with heartfelt simplicity, "Thank you... Brother Ruthar."
The warmth of her hand in his and the honor of being called 'brother' made Ruthar's heart swell. He was determined to give her memories of joy, an element so missing from the script the author had written for them.
"Do you like lights, Roa?" he asked, shortening her name affectionately.
Her eager nod was all the encouragement he needed. Stretching out his left hand, Ruthar conjured a spell silently.
'With this amount of Mana from the glowing Soul garden I can just as easily surpass my limits.'
Moments later, his hand surged with blue energy, releasing hundreds of colorful lights that danced into the sky, transforming the day into a spectacle of nocturnal beauty.
"Hehh," Rotexa giggled, her delight clear as she leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder.
Ruthar also smiled as he felt her red hair mix with he's and her warmth around him. Even his eyes witnessed how great this lights had become with the radiation the sun gave off that made them...
"Stars in the day," Rotexa muttered the exact words he had in mind Jolting Ruthar.
'As I thought, as twins our mindset is not too far off. At least as a brother I have given her something to dream of everyday even when she's lonely, not just a way to unlock her magic earlier and grow immensely in a short amount of time, but hope, not just for her but for me also.'
"Roa, it's getting late…" He paused as he realized she had fallen asleep standing up next to him. Gently, he sat down, cradling her head in his lap, allowing her the peaceful rest she so rarely found.
So far she was the nicest of the entire family. The rest were all bastards, probably because of her lack of experience but he would prefer her to stay this way.
Although he couldn't escape reality, and this girl lying in his laps would surely become a great murderer someday.
In that quiet garden, under the guise of twilight and magical lights, Ruthar pondered their fates. He might be too weak now to change their destinies, but perhaps, just perhaps, he could carve out moments of happiness for Rotexa in future times.
'What a world to be reincarnated into,' he mused as the system chimed:
[You have successfully extracted all Rotexa's progress up to this moment]
[Progress has been multiplied by ten times]
Power surged through him, a newfound strength invigorating his very essence.
'I've become something more, something powerful. I can...'
A grin spread across his face, adrenaline pumping through his veins.
"I can extract everything."