Amelia leads Kaiser down the long corridors of the palace. With a radiant expression, she eagerly pulls Kaiser along without hesitation
"Kaiser, hurry up! This place is beautiful, I'm sure you'll love it!" she says, her voice brimming with excitement
Kaiser, though a little shy, lets Amelia pull him along. He smiles faintly, occasionally stopping to admire the intricately decorated murals or stone statues lining the hallway
"Amelia, slow down. I can't fully appreciate everything if you keep pulling me like this," Kaiser says, his warm gaze tinged with a bit of playfulness
"No way! I want to show you all the most beautiful spots before the sun sets," Amelia replies, glancing back at him with cheeks flushed from running too quickly
They pass through the art gallery, where Amelia points out paintings depicting the history of the Zephis family. Kaiser knows the queen passed away from illness, so when Amelia avoids mentioning her, he doesn't press further. The two eventually reach the grand royal library, and Kaiser cannot hide his amazement at the hundreds of shelves filled with books. Finally, Amelia leads Kaiser outside, where the golden sunlight stretches across the royal garden
The garden is very large, with meticulously trimmed flower beds, small bubbling fountains, and birds hopping cheerfully on tree branches. At the center of the garden stands a round table made of white marble, already set with tea and small pastries
"This is my favorite spot" Amelia says, releasing Kaiser's hand and spinning in a circle, her dress billowing lightly in the breeze "Peaceful and beautiful"
Kaiser slows his steps, watching Amelia smile under the sunlight. "I understand why you like it here" he says gently
Amelia sits down at the table and quickly pours tea into two small cups "Sit down, Kaiser. This is the tea that I had the kitchen prepare just for us"
Kaiser smiles, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. He lifts the teacup and takes a small sip "It's good"
"Of course it is. I wanted everything to be perfect" Amelia says, her cheeks reddening slightly as she watches Kaiser enjoy the tea
The two sit in silence for a while, the only sounds being the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Kaiser looks at Amelia, who smiles with eyes so bright it seems as though the whole world is just a small part of the joy she brings
"Amelia" Kaiser suddenly speaks, his gaze turning serious "Thank you for today. I never thought I'd get to experience a day this wonderful"
Amelia blinks in surprise but quickly beams "It's just one day. In the future, I'll take you to explore many more places"
Kaiser chuckles softly "I look forward to it"
The two enjoy their short tea party before continuing their walk around the palace. As evening approaches, they part ways, and Kaiser boards Bob's carriage to return home
—
After more than a month of living together, a special event takes place today
"You and Zani are going to spar?" Kaiser asks Farah, who is eating an ice cream cone in front of him
"That's right. Since we're both about to enter the academy, we want to test our skills" she replies
"How are you two going to spar? With real swords, or is it just practice?" he asks
"Zani will only use a wooden sword, and I won't use a sword at all. I'll only use Mana to fight" Farah says, raising her fist
"Doesn't that put Zani at a big disadvantage? How can a wooden sword compete with Mana?" Kaiser wonders aloud
"Don't forget that she can use Mana too" Farah says, placing her hand on her hip and looking at Kaiser "She can coat her weapon with Mana to enhance it and counteract my spells"
"That makes sense" Kaiser nods
Later at the training ground, Kaiser sits next to Myreni, both of them watching Farah and Zani stand facing each other at the center of the arena. Both are now in their combat stances
"Who do you think will win?" Myreni asks Kaiser
"I don't know. I've never seen them go all out before. But if I had to pick, I'd say Zani, because fighting at close range against a swordsman doesn't seem like a good idea" Kaiser answers
"That's true, but these two have sparred many times before, so Farah has long been familiar with Zani's fighting style" Myreni says , looking at Kaiser "So, the one with the better strategy will win"
Kaiser nods in agreement and turns his attention back to the match
Zani grips her wooden sword tightly. Her gaze is sharp, and each step exudes the confidence of someone accustomed to close-quarters combat
Opposite her, Farah stands still, her blue eyes glowing. She wears a faint smile, her expression calm yet challenging. Small circles of Mana begin to appear around her, spinning like magical glyphs
Without a word, Zani charges forward at high speed. She targets Farah directly, her movement swift and decisive. But Farah is ready. She swiftly creates a Mana circle in midair, and a wall of water rises to block Zani's sword
"Clang!" The blade strikes the water wall, sending droplets scattering. But Zani doesn't slow down. Her eyes light up as she spins, her Mana-infused sword slicing through the wall and shattering it
Farah steps back, her hands quickly drawing another Mana circle. From beneath Zani's feet, swirling columns of wind rise, aiming to throw her off balance. Zani leaps into the air, avoiding the attack, but Farah has already moved.
She raises her hand, drawing another Mana circle, and hurls a massive fireball straight at Zani
Zani reacts quickly, spinning her blade in a circular motion. A dense light of Mana surrounds her weapon, deflecting the fireball to the side, where it explodes in midair. But in the moment Zani is distracted, Farah uses wind to propel herself behind Zani, ready to deliver a surprise blow
"Too slow!" Farah says as another Mana circle glows in her hand
However, Zani senses it. She spins, her blade gleaming, and strikes at Farah. Instead of hitting its target, Zani's sword passes through what appears to be Farah, who fades away like a mirage.
"An illusion?" Kaiser exclaims in surprise and turns to Myreni "Isn't that your Aspect ability?"
"It looks similar, but the mechanics are quite different" Myreni explains
"Farah can only create illusions of one or two objects near her, and they only work on people with worse Mana control than hers. My Aspect, on the other hand, lets me create anything I can imagine, and I can deceive people much stronger than me" she says
"I see" Kaiser nods
Back in the match, Farah reappears behind Zani, her entire body glowing as a series of Mana circles of water, wind, and fire spin around her
"It's over" Farah declares, launching a barrage of attacks at Zani
Zani is pushed back, each of her sword strikes trying to fend off the relentless assault. Farah keeps her on the defensive, using the combined power of Mana to continually unbalance her. A strong gust of wind sends Zani stumbling back to the edge of the arena
Zani drops to one knee, panting heavily. Farah steps forward, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. But Zani suddenly springs to her feet and charges directly at her.
Zani grabs hold of Farah's wrist, and Farah senses something is wrong. Her Mana circles start flickering and destabilizing.
"What are you doing?" Farah asks, feeling her control over Mana slipping
Zani doesn't answer, no clever fighter reveals their strategy to an opponent. She swings her sword, not to strike Farah, but to release a Mana disruption wave. This pulse doesn't cause harm but interferes with the Mana flow in the area, destabilizing Farah's spells
Farah tries to draw more Mana circles, but each time she begins, they disintegrate before completion. Her magic is neutralized, leaving her unable to counter. Farah grits her teeth, struggling to regain control of her Mana, but Zani gives her no time. She surges forward, her sword glowing brightly, and delivers a swift strike. Farah barely avoids the full force, but Zani's blade halts just inches from her neck
Farah gasps for breath, staring at Zani. She lets her Mana dissipate, admitting defeat
"How did you do that?" Farah asks, trying to catch her breath
Zani smiles, lowering her sword. "I used my own Mana to disrupt the flow of Mana in you. Without stable Mana, you couldn't do anything"
"Well done, both of you" Myreni says as she approaches, clapping her hands
"You both used your strengths well and had reasonable strategies. I'm quite proud…" she says, then flashes a mischievous grin.
"So, how about the two of you face me next?" she suggests with a look that sends chills down both Farah and Zani's spines.