Inside the tent, Edward sat with a steady expression. "No, I don't know anything about mana. I'm just a commoner from the slums down the mountain," he said.
Ryker chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Do you have any idea how many frozen bodies I've come across in these icy lands? Every single one of them is curled up, their bodies shriveled like a baby in its mother's womb, the cold eating away at them. Frostbite, hypothermia—it's always the same story. But you?" He leaned forward, his eyes sharp and serious. "You were lying straight on the snow, and the ice around you was melting. The cold didn't even touch you. There's only one explanation for that—you have mana.
"So, here's how it is," Ryker continued, his tone unrelenting. "You've got two choices. One, you tell me the truth, and maybe we can help each other out. Two, you take your chances and run off on your own—with the Viscount's dogs hot on your trail. But let's be honest—you're no ordinary commoner."
Edward froze, his mind racing. He wasn't sure what to say. James's words echoed in his memory: "You're not a noble from the Glacial Expanse." Whoever had attacked his family wasn't tied to this region—Agatha herself hadn't known who they were or why they had attacked.
Taking a deep breath, Edward decided to speak. "I'm a runaway noble from Skyward Peak. My parents were betrayed by my uncle, who wanted to take over the family. I escaped to the slums with my maid. Now that I've mana, I'm going back for revenge."
Ryker smirked, leaning back. "So, just another noble's revenge story, huh? Hahaha!"
Phew, that worked, Edward thought, exhaling quietly. Greed really is the same no matter where you go.
"What's your family name?" Ryker asked, his expression curious.
Edward kept his calm. "I don't know. The woman who raised me never told me."
Ryker studied Edward for a moment, then shrugged. "Fair enough. If you don't want to tell me, that's your choice. I won't pry."
Edward breathed a small sigh of relief. His lie had worked because it carried a grain of truth.
Ryker leaned forward again. "Alright, Edward. Let's say you find out your family name and the man who betrayed your parents. How exactly are you planning to get revenge?"
Edward froze, his mind blank. The question hit him hard, and he had no answer.
Ryker smirked knowingly. "Just as I thought. You grew up among commoners, convinced yourself you were special, and ran off on this little revenge mission. But here's the thing— you are a frog in the well when you are put up against Nobles, Sure, you've got more mana than most commoners training for years. Even they can't handle the cold like you did. Tell me, what kind of magic do you know?"
Edward shook his head. "I… I don't know any magic."
Ryker laughed, almost falling off his seat. "You're serious? Alright, then what's your mana affinity?"
"I… don't know," Edward replied hesitantly.
Ryker's laughter stopped, and he stared at Edward with a mix of disbelief and suspicion. "You don't know? That's just plain stupid, kid."
He sighed but then grinned again. "Still, you've got potential. You need someone to teach you how to use that mana of yours, and I need someone exceptional to send to Sanctum Arcanum Academy—someone good enough to make it into the inner school."
(Sanctum Arcanum Academy: the most elite academy in the Sanctified Citadel, the base of the Anti-Demon Vanguard. Out of the tens of thousands who enroll each year, only a thousand make it to the inner school. There, after grueling training, the top 12 are chosen to join the Vanguard. The Vanguard protects humanity and upholds the balance of the world, with one of them rising to become the Commander—a figure blessed by the gods themselves, holding powers from all five houses.)
Ryker leaned closer. "Think about it. You've got a huge amount of mana—more than soldiers who've trained for years. How old are you, anyway?"
"Seventeen," Edward replied.
Ryker's eyes widened in shock. "Seventeen?! Stop lying, kid. You're trying to take advantage of your young looks, aren't you—"
"I'm not lying," Edward interrupted. "I'm 17."
Ryker stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter again. "Seventeen? Oh, I've hit the jackpot! Hahaha!" He grabbed Edward's shoulders, shaking him excitedly. "Listen, kid, you've got to take this deal. I'll sponsor you—pay for all your expenses, teach you how to control your mana, and get you into the academy. We've got three months before admissions. All you have to do is say you're from the Nexus Merchant Group. What do you say?"
Edward stood in stunned silence. On one hand, the academy could give him the knowledge and power he needed—not just about mana and magic, but about the world of Aetherion itself. Its library held records of every noble, soldier, and mana user, with information automatically updated. On the other hand, he still had unanswered questions about his family and their attackers. Was this the right path?
Ryker patted Edward's back. "We're leaving tomorrow morning. We'll stop at the Viscount's mansion. Make up your mind before we leave there."
The next morning, the convoy began moving again, this time heading toward the Viscount's mansion. Edward walked alongside the group, feeling the weight of his decision pressing on him. With each step, he felt a bit more uncertain, but something about Ryker's offer kept him moving forward.
As they journeyed, Edward couldn't help but notice the quiet strength of the group. Ryker remained in his palanquin, occasionally chatting with his guards or giving orders to the workers. The palanquin carriers, though strong, showed signs of exhaustion, their shoulders bruised from the weight. The workers carrying supplies and tents appeared disciplined but weary.
Edward helped with smaller tasks to ease the load on others but was kept away from any significant responsibilities like carrying the palanquin. The group moved in sync, each person performing their role as if they had done this many times before.
The convoy marched through the cold terrain, steadily making their way to the Viscount's mansion, arriving around midnight. The mansion loomed in the distance, surrounded by a quiet, eerie stillness, but it was a relief to see civilization after days of travel.
Ryker was the first to step out of his palanquin, ordering his men to set up camp a little distance from the mansion, out of sight from anyone approaching the gate. Edward watched as the crew worked efficiently, setting up tents and organizing their camp. The mood was calm, but there was an underlying sense of urgency in their actions.
Edward, helped with whatever he could. He wasn't in charge of the heavy lifting, but he carried smaller loads, trying to stay useful. His mind, however, was still focused on the offer Ryker had made. The thought of going to Sanctum Arcanum Academy was a tempting one—it could provide him the knowledge he needed to grow stronger and maybe even uncover some truths about his past. But it also felt like a step into the unknown.
As the camp was being set up, a healer and a few guards from the mansion arrived. The guards carried the "supplies" Ryker had brought, and the healer immediately began to treat the palanquin carriers, who were suffering from swollen shoulders and exhaustion from the long journey. Edward, curious, stepped closer to the healer's tent, eager to see how they worked.
It was then that he heard something strange. The healer spoke a word—"Heal."
The sound was familiar but odd. It wasn't in Celestian, the common language of Aetherion. It was English. Edward frowned, confused. Was this magic? He had never heard a healer use a word like that before.
Without thinking, he rushed into the tent, startling the healer and the injured workers. He asked, "I heard something... What was that?"
The healer looked up, clearly confused. "What did you heard?"
"Heal," Edward repeated, trying to make sense of what he had heard.
The healer blinked, clearly stunned. "You know healing spells?"
Edward stood there, stunned by the question. "spell?, this is the first time I ever heard of mana user using spells, even the healer I met in my childhood healed without uttering a single word, and spells are in English? Can i use magic just by reciting these spells? Could I have saved Grandma just by saying Heal?"
The healer asked again "if you know how to heal can you help me? I still need to use spells as I am new"
Edward glanced around, taking in the scene again. A magician healing commoners—it was a rare sight, indeed. Healers were known to be among the most virtuous, having taken an oath to heal anyone in need. But despite their noble cause, they rarely ventured outside, preferring to stay within the noble palaces or the soldiers' quarters, places where commoners like him couldn't easily enter.
"I don't know healing," Edward admitted, his voice uncertain. "I just know the word. Can I try it?"
The healer, still somewhat bewildered, gestured toward a man who was waiting for treatment. "Sure. Go ahead. Let's see what happens."
Edward, his heart racing, stepped forward and placed his hands on the man's swollen shoulder. "Heal," he said, just as he had heard.
But nothing happened. The swelling remained, and the man showed no signs of relief. Edward felt a pang of disappointment but didn't let it show.
"Why didn't it work?" he asked the healer, confused.
The healer chuckled softly. "You see, knowing the word isn't enough. Healers train for years to understand the body, to know how it reacts to different types of illness, to learn the cause and effect. The word is just a tool that makes the process more efficient. Without that knowledge, you can't heal properly."
Edward stood there, trying to absorb the healer's words. It made sense, but the idea of using magic just by speaking the words was still stuck in his mind. Why was it in English? And could he have used this knowledge to save his grandmother?
After a moment of reflection, he left the healer's tent, still deep in thought. He returned to his own tent, a small, thin linen shelter compared to the others, and lay awake through the night. His thoughts spun in every direction. Why English? What does this mean for me? Could there be a connection between this magic and his past? Was there a way back to his old life?
By morning, Edward had made up his mind. He stood outside Ryker's tent, waiting. The sun was still low in the sky when Ryker finally emerged.
Edward didn't waste any time. "I'll take your deal," he said firmly. "I'll go to Sanctum Arcanum Academy."
Ryker's face lit up with a grin. "Good choice, kid! You won't regret this. We've got a lot of work to do, and I'll make sure everything's taken care of. We'll get you to the academy, no problem."
Edward nodded, feeling a surge of determination. His path was set, and now he had the chance to learn, grow, and uncover the truths that had been hidden from him for so long. He was ready for whatever came next.