He had been eating without paying attention to me. he even ordered more food as if he were having dinner. I tap my foot impatiently, growing more frustrated by his nonchalant behaviour. "Are you going to answer my question or just continue stuffing your face?" I demanded, my voice tinged with annoyance. He swallows his bite of cake and smirks mischievously.
I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms. "Alright, spill it. Who do you think is responsible?" I demand, trying to hide my growing frustration.
"It's..." he pauses and raises an eyebrow. I raise one of my eyebrows subconsciously. I lean forward, waiting for him to continue. "Well?" I say that my impatience is evident in my tone.
He laughs again. "I could kill you now," I say, getting agitated. I try to keep my voice light, but there's a hint of a threat in my words. He raises his hands in mock surrender, still grinning mischievously. At last, he says, "Alright, alright." "I have a suspicion, but it's just a hunch. Don't take it too seriously."
"What is it?" I ask, my voice filled with anticipation as I lean in closer, eager to hear his suspicion.
"It's just that... It's someone you never would have suspected." My heart races as I consider the possibilities, my frustration momentarily forgotten. I raise an eyebrow as I'm questioning, 'Who is it?' He chuckles, enjoying the suspense he's created. "Guess," he says. I furrow my brow and lift my hand. Water flows into my palm in an instant, forming a dagger that transforms into ice. seeing it, he becomes impressed. I hold the ice dagger up to his throat, my eyes narrowing as I demand, "Tell me now, or things will get icy." His laughter fades into a nervous chuckle.
"It's a water element. The portals that person casted were an ancient magic. Every portal contains a symbol representing the caster's element. When I saw the portals, I noticed The portals displayed a water element symbol, which is associated with the powerful water element. You clearly did not notice that, did you?" he says..
Wait, if it is true, will they really believe that I put on this complicated show solely for attention? I'm a water element too. Nonetheless, Evory was hated, no matter what she did.
I sit back as the daggers dissolve into water again before disappearing. But if I did not do it,why should I be afraid? I cast a quick glance over the crowd. My voice is filled with both fear and anxiety. "Yet it contained a hint of venom," I comment. "You are not familiar with the workings of ancient magic, are you?" he queries. I sulk and turn my head away.
Although I am well-read and have a lot of knowledge, I am still learning and have a lot of things to learn.
"Give me your hand," he says. I give him a suspicious look. "What are you planning?" I ask, my voice laced with caution. Despite my hesitation, I extended my hand towards him, unsure of his intention. he points his index finger at the ring of my hand. "See, it's black?" I look at it confused. The ring slipped my mind. I hardly ever gave it much thought.
Now that he pointed out the black ring on my hand, I couldn't help but wonder when it turned black.
"It was the magic of creating portals that provided protection. The magic used to create protective portals is poisonous and requires mana to be absorbed at the caster's will. If the spell is broken by someone, the poison will kill the spell breaker within a few days. But before that it will make them weak until they die." he says.
My gaze lingers on the ring. He continues," Seeing that you're alive, you've broken the magic spell safely. However, the black colour indicates that it has absorbed the poison, preventing it from causing harm to you."
"See the snakes beside the stone?" he points at the stone and then continues, "Currently, these are breaking the spell and absorbing the mana from the poison; when the process is completed, it will pass the manas into your body." I listen to him intently, my curiosity piqued by his explanation.
"So snakes mean breaking spells," I blurt out.
"It means both breaking and absorbing, just like you did to me when I was about to fight your storm with another storm," he says mockingly, then takes another slice of cake.
I remember the air spikes, which turned into tiny snakes before hitting him. he became very weak because of that. I realize that the snakes were not meant to harm him but rather to break the spell that was protecting him and absorb his mana, leaving him frail.
"What about that? Are you alright now?" I inquired, concerned about his well-being after the incident.
He chuckles and tells me, "Don't worry, I've fully recovered. Your clever strategy caught me off guard, but I've learned my lesson: never mess with the empress's pride."
I'm pretty sure he made fun of me just now. I couldn't help but feel a mix of annoyance and amusement at his playful remark. I don't know why, but somehow I feel comfortable around him, not because he is casual but because he is treating me like a child.
Maybe because I never felt this kind of affection before? Neh, that must be my illusion. Remember Eve... No one is trustworthy. It's best to keep my guard up and not let anyone get too close, regardless of how comfortable they may make me feel.
I roll my eyes and raise an eyebrow, intrigued by his comment.
"But why snakes? Is there a specific reason for that symbolism?" I inquire, hoping to dig deeper into the mysterious world of magic.
His eyes twinkle mischievously as he replies, "Ah, snakes have always been associated with transformation and power in many ancient cultures. They represent the shedding of old skin and the ability to harness energy."
"But this ring in your hand is just not any ring. It looks like any other ring, but it is an ancient spell. It absorbs mana and energy that are harmful to you. It can also prevent you from casting unintended, harmful magic if it is harmful to you. It can help you control your unintended magic towards others. For example, when you controlled my thunderbolts, the energy was diminished, allowing you to successfully control it." he explains.
Yes, I am aware of that much.
No wonder the ice spikes didn't harm Lucas. It seems like this ancient spell is truly a powerful and valuable tool for controlling and manipulating magic.
"how long it will take for the process to be completed and what effects the absorbed mana will have on me. Will it enhance my abilities or have any other unforeseen consequences?" I query.
"It will definitely improve your skills; aside from that, there are no negative effects," he answers.
He takes the drink and takes a sip before saying, "These rings stay hidden. Those don't react to just anyone but very strong elements. No wonder it chose you."
Chose me?
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued by his words. "So, these rings have some sort of selective mechanism? How do they determine who is worthy of their power?" I inquired, hoping for a more detailed explanation.
he pauses for a moment, thinking about his response, before finally saying, "The rings possess an ancient intelligence that can sense the purity of one's intentions and the strength of their character. They select their wielder based on this evaluation, making sure that only people who are worthy of their power can acquire it."
"There are many rings in the shops, but those only help to learn magic and work as shields when needed. They tend to glow if the magic is powerful. Those are like the babies of these with very little ability," he says carelessly.
A mischievous idea came into my head.
As soon as I take off the ring, it turns into a plain ring with white stones. "Come on, wear it."
"what?"
"Now!"
"Geez, this kid," he says, looking at me to make sure if I'm serious or not. I give him a very serious look. he sighs and wears it. We wait for seconds and minutes for it to change. but it doesn't work. It is still plain white.
There's no way that the might of the dragon of the thunder element is not enough. Does that mean I'm stronger than him? I give him a suspicious look. he glances at me and says in shock, "I'm seriously doing nothing. It chose you, so It wouldn't react to someone weaker than you."
"So it will react to someone stronger? You're not stronger than me?"
"You still haven't realized?" he gives me a more shocked look. I press my lips together and look away. I feel a mix of excitement and uncertainty as I imagine the joy of being stronger than the person standing in front of me.
"I can read your excitement. But being stronger doesn't necessarily mean being better. I'm better at heart," he says. I burst into laughter and hid my face with the palm of my hands. It's been a long time since I laughed like this.
He pouts angrily and gulps down the whole drink. "Stop making fun of me," he says. "I'm not! " I reply, trying to choke down my laughter. He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms defensively.
He removes the ring and hands it to me. As I wear it, the ring's shape changes, and the stones turn blue before black, catching his attention. "Wait, you... you're a water element?" he asks. I nod, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. "took you this long to find out," I say. He chuckles. "Well, this just got a lot more interesting," he remarks.
He leans forward as he asks, "Tell me more about how you don't chant any spells. Besides that, I clearly saw you use wind, ice, and dragons. You must be the mighty dragon of the water element. but the chant. Very few have ever escaped that."
To which I reply, "Do you chant the spell?"
"Yes, but in my head," he replies.
intrigued by his response, "In your head? That's impressive," I comment, a hint of admiration in my voice that turns into uncertainty as I continue. "I just imagine how I want the magic to happen. then feel the pressure and presence of the magic. and then it happens by itself."
He chuckles softly, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Ah, the power of visualization. You control it with your mind. You're so much like Zeus," he says.
he begins, leaning in closer, "Zeus was known for his ability to manifest his desires through visualization and sheer willpower. It seems like you possess a similar gift."
That Zeus dude again?
"You mean that boy who defeated you in an instant the way I did?" I said it intentionally. His expression turns from curiosity to anger as he fists his hand. It's clear that my comparison to Zeus has struck a nerve within him, reminding him of his past defeat. "That bastard is good. If I knew, I would never bet with him," he mumbles.
"You lose a bet to him?" I say it with sarcasm. I can see the flames of fury dancing in his eyes as he clenches his jaw tightly. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself before responding. "It was a foolish mistake," he admits through gritted teeth. "he knows every inch of magic spells, whether it's a long-lost or ancient magic spell."
"Wait, but how did you all learn the ancient magic? I don't understand anything."
"looks like you need a tutor then," he says.
But thinking of that empress, she would never prepare a tutor for me. She would rather see me struggle and fail.
"But I don't have one," I say.
I look at him with my puppy eyes, hinting that he will be my tutor. he orders more drinks, but seeing my expression, he gives me an 'uninterested' look. I can tell he's not convinced by my puppy eyes, but I refuse to give up. I lean in closer and whisper, "I promise I'll be a dedicated student. come on"
"But perhaps there is another way for you to learn," he suggests, his eyes glinting mischievously. "There are hidden libraries and secret societies dedicated to the study of ancient magic. If you're willing to take the risk, I could show you the path to one of these elusive places."
"You do not intend to sell me, do you?" I ask. he laughs and looks away, thinking that was one of the bad excuses.
"No, I assure you, I have no intention of selling you," he chuckles, his eyes meeting mine again.
"Please, Master Edgar," I say pleadingly. he looks at me, shocked. "Oh my, your highness. You can have a far better tutor, but why me?" I explain, "Master Edgar, I have heard tales of your expertise in ancient magic and your deep understanding of secret societies. I believe that you possess the knowledge and wisdom to guide me on this path. Your reputation precedes you, and I trust that you are the best tutor for me in this pursuit." I keep praising. I could sense a bit of pride in his presence. Yes, that's working!
"But..." he glances at him. I give him the saddest look ever. he sighs and continues, "Fine."
My heart brightens with happiness. "I won't disobey you once, master. Just tell me how much you need. Just name the price." I bow as I say this.
"I am not seeking anything. You learn for free," he says. "But" learning for free is like taking advantage of him. "You're like a daughter to me, Lady Evory," he says.
Hearing the daughter's words made my heart flutter. Wait, why do I feel good hearing this? The look he is giving me right now is making me feel loved. No, bro, I'm afraid. I must be overthinking. I was never loved by anyone in my whole life. My life in this novel is about making things happen that I once hoped and wished for.
I throw away my concerns, yet I stay cautious of my useless feelings. "Call me Evory then," I say with a smile.
"So, tonight's drinks are on Evory's!" With him, he jumps into drinking as soon as the waiter brings the drinks. Wait, when did I say I'd pay? Ugh, this old man.