Chapter 11: Agos' Way
Jack instructed Thomas and Agos to meet him at the training field after school. Meanwhile, he headed home to retrieve the luggage chest that the Corvus had left for him.
He entered his room, made his way to the closet on the far side, and began rummaging through it. Clothes piled up on the floor as he searched, finally feeling the cold metal surface of the chest hidden in the deep corner. With considerable effort, Jack dragged it out, dropping it on the floor with a loud thud.
Counting silently in his head, Jack anticipated what was coming. Three, two, one...
The door burst open, and Edward rushed in. "Master, are you alright?" the butler asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Ed, what could possibly happen to me in this house?"
"Everything, Master Jack."
Jack rolled his eyes and returned to the chest, struggling to drag it to the middle of the room. Seeing his effort, Edward stepped forward, lifting the chest effortlessly and placing it on the table by the bed.
The black chest, decorated with intricate golden outlines, shimmered under the streaming daylight. Its lid, carved with the emblem of the Corvus, portrayed a raven perched on a branch. But to Jack, the branch looked like a dagger concealed within the image. He saw through the harmless facade to the deadly intent hidden beneath. He shook off the thought, focusing on the lock that required his fingerprint to open.
Inserting his index finger, Jack felt the prick of a needle. Moments later, the lid unlocked with a satisfying click. Edward stepped closer, his eyes lingering on the chest's contents.
"Why do you need to access the chest right now, young master?" Edward inquired, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.
Jack frowned, the question striking a nerve. Edward's concern was evident, but it wasn't his place to question. "I was hoping you would put on the necklace your father gave you the day you left."
Jack's blood boiled at the mention of the necklace. "How many times have I said, Ed? Do not mention that."
Edward bowed, stepping back, his face shadowed by his drooping hair.
Inside the chest, the necklace lay atop other valuables—a teardrop-shaped emerald pendant with a black liquid inside, moving in strange patterns. Staring closely at the dark stains within, Jack could discern the faint image of a raven with outstretched wings. The pendant symbolized the cadet branch of the Corvus, representing power and privilege. Yet, to Jack, it was a symbol of hypocrisy.
Pushing aside his resentment, Jack delved deeper into the chest. Golden rings, diamonds, and other jewelry sparkled brightly, but there was less than he remembered. "Why is there less in the chest than before, Edward?" he asked without looking up.
Edward's voice wavered. "Young master, it was I who took them. During your two-year coma, the Harper business suffered. I used your finger to open the chest and sold some of the jewelry to cover your medical expenses. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."
Jack hunched over, the weight of his burden evident. He didn't even care to scold Edward for withholding the information.
After a quick calculation, Jack realized the remaining jewelry was only enough for about ten mana crystals. He took a small amount and handed it to Edward. "Ed, exchange these for a Lesser Mana Crystal today or tomorrow. Use the leftover to treat yourself to a cup of beer or a hearty meal. The last two years must have been tough on you."
"Yes, young master." Edward accepted his share and left without further comment.
"Like a Nightblade in training, so taciturn," Jack murmured.
When Jack arrived at the training field, Thomas was already hard at work, while Agos lay on the grass, napping. Jack signaled Thomas to continue and approached Agos, who remained blissfully unaware of his surroundings.
Working on his eighth posture, Thomas screamed, "AGOS!"
The fat kid jolted awake, his body making a sound like a drum. "What? What? Is the food here?"
"Something even better," Jack replied with a smile.
Sitting down next to Agos, Jack pulled out the mana crystal Father Abraham had given him that morning. "Wow, a mana crystal," Agos said in awe. Thomas strained to look, despite his posture restricting him.
"Focus on your training, Thomas," Jack said. "You'll get to use it later."
Agos' excitement was palpable. "I get to use it? People say if you use the crystal regularly, your body improves. So, I don't have to stop eating like you said, right?"
"No," Jack shook his head, "what I'm about to do is a waste. It's hard to explain."
Agos looked confused. "Okay, do you know how mana is absorbed into the body?" Jack asked.
"Yes, everyone knows that. You either crush it to absorb through your lungs or hold it to absorb through your skin. But teachers say breathing it in is better because your lungs distribute mana like they do with air."
Jack nodded. "That's for normal people. Not you."
"Me?"
Jack pointed at Agos' belly. "Mana goes into your belly and stays there."
Thomas almost lost his balance in surprise.
"If mana is absorbed naturally, most of it is wasted during the body's natural rejection process. So, you need to practice a mana circulation meditation method. Using it, absorbing through skin or lungs won't matter because you'll know where to direct the mana. Maybe through the skin will even be more effective."
"That's how you controlled the cobblestone better than Patrick, even after disappearing for two years," Agos said, eyes wide.
"Yes!"
"And you're going to teach us? Houses don't share secrets like this, especially something this valuable."
Thomas grumbled from a distance, wanting to knock sense into his friend.
Everyone knows that, but nobody says it out loud, Fatino!
Jack shrugged. "I'm not concerned with house politics. Besides, if I don't show goodwill first, how can I ask for favors from you two?"
"What can we possibly give you?" Agos asked.
Jack smiled. "Your innocence."
Agos tried to understand but quickly gave up, deciding to follow Jack's instructions.
Jack first had to find a hammer and nail in the storehouse since none of them had the strength to break the crystal. Once everything was set, he placed the crystal on an uneven stone, signaling Agos to sit close by. His eyes reddened with tears as he thought about what he was about to do.
"Suck in all you can, Agos!" Jack commanded.
With that, Jack raised the hammer and smashed the nail into the crystal. It shattered into tiny pieces as a blue smoke swirled up. Jack resisted the urge to meditate immediately, instead moving closer to Agos, who was breathing in the mana smoke. Agos managed to absorb a decent amount before it dissipated.
Jack placed two fingers on Agos' neck, closing his eyes to concentrate. He directed a small amount of mana to his fingertips, creating a connection between their mana flows. His hand moved from Agos' neck to his belly, confirming his suspicion. Unlike others, only a small portion of mana entered Agos' lungs, with the rest being absorbed into his body fat.
Jack stopped when his temples began aching. He had figured out how Agos' body functioned, which would serve as a foundation for his meditation and circulation method.
Looking at the crystal crumbs, Jack's lips quivered. Thomas had left his practice and rushed over, his eyes red with anger.
"You wasteful fat f—" Thomas began.
"Serve yourself," Jack interrupted.
Leaving Thomas bewildered, Jack picked up a few crumbs and began absorbing mana. Thomas cursed and quickly gathered the remaining crumbs, breathing in all he could. Fortunately, there was still enough for both of them to benefit.
Agos sat contentedly beside them. He had never felt so full and comfortable in his life.