Keira's jaw practically hit the floor as she stumbled back, her wide eyes filled with disbelief.
"You formed a 'second' core... and a 'third'? And you're telling me this like it's just some casual feat?" She leaned forward, gripping Kael's shoulders. "Do you have 'any' idea how insane that is?!"
"I mean, it didn't seem..." Kael trailed off, blinking in surprise at her reaction.
"Stop." She gave him a gentle shake, her voice tight with urgency. "Most mages never form a second core in their 'entire lives'. It takes decades of relentless effort and extraordinary talent. And a 'third core'—formed in just one day? That's the stuff of legends. It took me four years just to form my third core, and even then, it was a struggle."
Her voice faltered, her expression growing grim.
"If word of this gets out... you'll become a target. People will do whatever it takes to uncover your secret—or experiment on you to find out how you did it so quickly."
Her words sent a chill down Kael's spine. He hadn't thought about the broader implications of his progress.
"Then... we can keep it a secret," he said firmly. "No one else can know."
Keira's expression softened, and she nodded.
"Agreed. But you'll need to be cautious. Even practicing this could draw unwanted attention if someone notices your rapid progress."
Before Kael could respond, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting their conversation. Both of them froze. He quickly composed himself and opened the door to find his father, Count Edgar, standing there. His eyes were full of concern.
"I trust I'm not interrupting anything too important?" Edgar asked smoothly, though his tone carried the weight of knowing otherwise.
"Of course not, Father," Kael replied, stepping aside to let him in. Keira immediately straightened, her expression shifting to one of respect.
Edgar closed the door behind him and turned to face them.
"The healers informed me of your recovery. I was informed that you fainted after casting a spell," he said. "And I couldn't help but notice an unusual surge of magical activity from your room. Care to explain?"
Kael glanced at Keira, who gave him a subtle nod, silently urging caution. Taking a deep breath, he decided that if anyone else were to know, it had to be Edgar. His influence and guidance could be vital in protecting this secret.
"I've... made some unexpected progress," Kael began carefully. "But it's not something I can share openly. It's dangerous and could cause a lot of trouble if mishandled."
Edgar's sharp eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing, waiting for Kael to continue.
"I've discovered a way to bypass traditional incantations," Kael said, choosing his words with care, "and I've formed a second and third mana core through meditation and visualization techniques that I created."
For a moment, Edgar's expression remained unreadable, but his eyes widened almost imperceptibly, betraying his initial shock. A flicker of surprise crossed his features, and his breath hitched slightly before he regained his composure. He paced the room slowly, his hands clasped behind his back, trying to hide the tremor of excitement in his voice.
"Bypassing incantations," Edgar repeated, his voice measured, though a hint of thrill lurked beneath his calm demeanor. "And forming multiple cores... This is no trivial revelation, Kael." His eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and astonishment, but he kept his face thoughtful, maintaining the air of calm authority he was known for.
Keira interjected, her tone steady but urgent. "That's why we agreed to keep it a secret, my lord. If this knowledge became public, it could destabilize everything. Rival factions would stop at nothing to seize it—or to use him."
Edgar stopped pacing and turned to them, his expression now resolute.
"You're right to be cautious," he said. "This discovery is a double-edged sword. Used wisely, it could elevate our family's standing to unprecedented heights. But if it falls into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster."
He looked directly at Kael, his gaze piercing.
"This secret must be protected at all costs. Do you understand, son?"
"I understand. That's why I've been careful. Only Keira and you know about it," Kael said, nodding and feeling the weight of his words.
Edgar's approval was evident in his slight nod, though his lips pressed into a thin line, suppressing any outward sign of excitement or nervousness. However, his eyes sparkled with pride.
"Good. We'll keep it that way. You'll continue your training in private, and I'll ensure no one else interferes. But if you discover anything further, you'll come to me immediately. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Father," Kael said.
Keira hesitated before speaking.
"But what about the technique itself? Should we study it further, or should we stop entirely?"
"Study it, but be cautious," Edgar replied after a moment of contemplation. "Focus on understanding its principles without drawing too much attention or pushing too far. This knowledge is both a treasure and a liability."
He placed a hand on Kael's shoulder, his grip firm yet reassuring.
"You've stumbled upon something extraordinary, my son, but with great power comes even greater risk. Guard this secret well and trust only those you must. If others learn of this, the consequences could be dire." With that, Edgar left the room, his departure leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
Keira exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing.
"That went better than I expected," she said quietly.
Kael nodded, a sense of relief settling over him.
"At least now we have his support. But we'll have to be even more cautious moving forward."
Keira managed a faint smile. "Agreed. And don't think this means I'll let you experiment unsupervised."
Kael chuckled softly, appreciating her concern. "Wouldn't dream of it."
***
That night, Kael decided to go out. Sleep eluded him, no matter how hard he tried to close his eyes. The energy coursing through him after forming his third core was electrifying, too potent to ignore. He felt unstoppable, brimming with a power that demanded to be tested.
Staying idle wasn't an option—not when this newfound strength urged him to move, to do something. The spells he practiced in his room were limited to simple light magic, barely enough to scratch the surface of his potential.
As he delved into the third-class magic books, he noticed that most offensive spells revolved around fire magic. It made sense: fire was raw, destructive, and capable of inflicting severe damage. Yet, it felt overused and obvious. He skimmed through pages, searching for something that sparked his interest. Aside from fire-based, the occasional earth or wind spell appeared, but they felt lackluster, uninspired.
Before becoming an engineer, Kael had always been an avid reader, devouring isekai Webnovels where protagonists gained immense powers in other worlds. One ability that always fascinated him was "storage"—a space separate from reality where one could hide and retrieve items at will. He had to try it.
"Let's see if I can make it work," he muttered to himself.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the mana flowing within him. In his mind, he envisioned a small, invisible pocket of space—a dimension apart from this world, where he could store objects beyond anyone's reach. He reached out with his senses, trying to mold the mana, to shape this imagined space into something real.
At first, nothing happened. It was like pushing against a wall that wouldn't budge. But Kael refused to back down. He drew in a deep breath, forcing more mana into the spell, and suddenly, something clicked. It was as if a door had cracked open—a small, empty room formed in his mind's eye, waiting to be filled.
Opening his eyes, he scanned the area for a suitable object to test his newfound skill. His gaze landed on a small rock on the floor. He concentrated, willing it to move into the storage space. At first, the rock flickered, then shimmered, and finally faded away, disappearing completely.
A thrill shot through Kael. He had done it. With a steady hand, he mentally reached into the storage space, and a second later, the rock was back in his palm. He couldn't suppress a grin.
The next spell on his list was one he'd dreamed about for as long as he could remember: flight. The thought of soaring through the sky, free from the constraints of gravity, filled him with anticipation.
He knew the first step was to break free from gravity's hold. His mind raced with possibilities, heart pounding at the thought of what he might achieve.
The manor's training grounds were cloaked in moonlight. The stars above glittered, and for the first time, Kael felt like he could reach them. Tonight, he wasn't just experimenting. He was determined to fly—and he had a plan.
The magic needed to be more than just a simple levitation spell. From the magic tomes and his own instinct, Kael realized it required a combination: an anti-gravity spell to reduce his weight and a burst of wind magic to propel him. With this dual-layered approach, he knew he could do more than hover—he could soar.
Kael took a deep breath, calming the energy that buzzed within his three mana cores. Closing his eyes, he focused first on the anti-gravity spell. He visualized the pull of the earth weakening around him, a bubble of energy enveloping his body and slowly lightening his weight. His feet felt as if they were barely touching the ground, gravity's hold slackening with each passing second.
"Good," he muttered to himself, feeling the tingling sensation spread through his limbs.
Then came the second part—wind magic. He summoned the air around him, gathering it beneath his feet. With a practiced movement, he shaped the currents, compressing them until he felt a firm pressure pushing upward. He opened his eyes, the moonlight casting long shadows across the courtyard, and willed the twin spells to work in unison.
Kael pushed. A rush of wind surged around him, and he shot into the sky, higher and faster than he'd ever dared before. The manor's rooftops shrank beneath him, and the cool night air whipped against his face. A wild thrill coursed through him. The magic was holding. He was flying!
He adjusted the currents, using gentle gusts to stabilize himself as he gained altitude. The anti-gravity spell made him light as a feather, while the wind magic carried him effortlessly through the night. For a moment, he let himself drift, testing the precision of his control, guiding his movements with subtle shifts of his hands.
The wind rushed past Kael's face as he flew further from the estate than he ever had before. He had no destination in mind, only a desire to go beyond what he knew, to explore what lay beyond the familiar. The landscape below transformed from the carefully maintained grounds of the manor into dense, untamed wilderness. Forests spread out like a dark sea, broken only by jagged cliffs and the occasional glimmer of moonlight on a distant river.
After what felt like fifteen minutes of flying, he saw it: a towering mountain range rising out of the forest, its peaks silhouetted against the starry sky. Nestled among the foothills was the mouth of a cave, barely visible through the thick foliage. It was large—much larger than he had anticipated—and something about it felt... wrong. A strange, pulsating energy radiated from the entrance, and even from this height, Kael sensed a lurking danger.
Curiosity overpowered caution, and he descended. The air grew colder as he approached, the trees growing denser until he had to weave between them. When he landed at the entrance, he dismissed the anti-gravity spell and let his feet sink into the soft forest soil. The cave loomed before him, its darkness impenetrable, like the open maw of some sleeping beast. A faint chill ran down his spine.