Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 48: To Move Forward [End of Book 1]

I turned to another page with my mind. I'd been holding up both Lady Dawn's and my own book for an hour or so now. Considering I barely moved them from a stationary position and each book was relatively light, the mana drain was barely worth noticing.

"Nonetheless, it is worth acknowledging," Lady Dawn said. I felt a bit of mild annoyance from her whenever I thought of her as Lady Dawn instead of Aurora, but I wasn't comfortable calling her by that name yet.

I read the last couple of words of my book, Treatise on the Four Elements of Mana in Relation to their Natural Counterparts.

Well, that's one mystery solved, I thought to myself. Which came first, the element or the mana affinity? The answer, at least according to this book, is that there isn't one.

Though I was pretty sure it was the element. After all, fire, earth, wind, and water existed in my previous world where there was no such thing as mana.

Take that, mana scholars, I thought. I just invalidated your life's work through the power of an outside, unverifiable perspective.

I floated the book over to my table, then felt tempted to grab my violin again. I'd gotten back into a rhythm over the last few days as I played music once more, feeling the fulfilling peace of music again.

I didn't think I would ever be able to pick up an instrument again, but something changed as I remembered Toren's last moments. Make the world a better place.

And music made things easier, didn't it? Made it possible to push through hell?

I pulled myself up from the bed, testing my weight on my legs. I was getting sick of wearing this hospital gown, but I respected the traditions of the Healer's Guild. I stretched my arms and legs, working out my aches.

I picked up a nearby dimension ring, put it on, and shuffled through its contents. I retrieved a pair of dark slacks and a high-collared bright tunic, delivered to me not long ago.

I'd lost my dimension ring in the wreckage of the Joan estate, but Hofal had passed by a couple of days ago to see how I was recovering. The man had slipped a dimension ring to me with storage a bit larger than my last one, along with a few supplies.

I changed quickly, happy to be out of the gown. Thankfully, everything I owned fit inside the ring.

Granted, that wasn't much. Just the books I'd borrowed and my violin.

"You will have to be cautious in displaying your abilities openly," Lady Dawn said suddenly. My shirt was off, and my chain tattoo was on full display. The phoenix shade was staring at it intently.

I turned to her slightly, opening my mouth to speak. At her unamused expression, I sheepishly closed it, focusing on our telepathic link instead. I haven't been the best about hiding my power, but I don't think anybody's guessed I have an asura living in my core, I replied.

The phoenix cocked her head, standing from her chair. "I have been constantly suppressing the asuran mark to your mana signature ever since we bonded," the phoenix said. "But when you used the first phase of your Beast Will, my ability to mask what you truly wield... faltered."

My eyes widened as I realized the implications. Arthur covered the mark on his arm that hinted at Sylvie's bond with a dragon feather, masking its signature to the outside world. Apparently, Lady Dawn had been actively doing that for me.

I peeked at the red chain tattoo on my left arm that wrapped the limb like a brand. I didn't think there was a dragon feather large enough to cover all of that.