Six Months Later...
Faust yawned, feeling warm and relaxed after a long soak in the bathhouse. It was a marvel how a stone swimming pool could stay so clean and preserve heat.
Suddenly, a blur registered in his watery eyes, and he felt someone smacking his head a moment later.
"Wake up already, you brat! The sun is bright and high outside. It’s been six months, and you are still not used to this?"
It was his sister, Zisel.
Faust gritted his teeth as his family laughed at his expense.
"It is a work of evil, I say, to have boring lessons at six in the morning! I need sleep, dammit!"
His brother added, taking a bite of fresh white bread, "You would have more than enough time to sleep if you stopped reading till well past midnight."
"Honestly, I had never imagined you to be such a bookworm! Your room has more books than our library!" Zisel said. "What is so interesting in them anyway?"
"Let him be," Helena said with a smile on her face, "Though you should make a habit of sleeping earlier, Faust."
"I guess with your passion, history lessons are not very useful to you. Six months should be enough." The Duke said, goblet in hand.
"So unfair! I had to suffer for two years." Zisel complained, as she always did. "And he gets off so easily?"
"His riding skills are excellent as well." Augustine added.
"Considering how many times father takes him out with him on horseback, that was to be expected," Zisel said, then gritted her teeth and added, "Dammit! I was the one who was supposed to be the genius in the family!"
Again, all seated at the breakfast table laughed heartily. This wasn’t the first time this conversation had happened, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last time either.
Thankfully, he was finally getting back two invaluable hours of his life. History aside, he wasn’t truly good at horse riding. It was just that horses felt comfortable in his presence. It wasn’t just horses, but all natural animals that didn’t contain a soul core.
"Speaking of horses, are you prepared to leave for Duke Venus’s daughter’s eighteenth nameday celebrations?" Helena asked, looking at Zisel with a mother’s strictness in her tone.
"Do I have to? It’s so annoying traveling so far and back; I will lose so much of my time that I can use for mastering my spells."
"You already know the answer to that." The Duke said, "You are of age now. If you do not wish to help us in your matchmaking, you better start making connections, young lady."
"Wedding? Huh, what nonsense... I’d rather fight a dozen monsters unarmed than do anything of that sort."
"We know," The Duke said, his voice serious, "Which is why you have two years to choose for yourself. After that, you will have to do as I tell you."
His sister did not reply, but the look on her face said it all. A face that ugly can only be seen when she was thinking of her supposed future.
Zisel did not want to marry; she had told him and Augustine once when they had gone riding near the Zisu River. She was an excellent Channeler for her age; their mother herself called her potential to be great. Zisel wished to create a powerful, unique potion or spell of her own.
Sharing that new discovery was a requirement for one who wished to be an apprentice in the tower.
The Tower of Morane was an ancient order of powerful Channelers that served directly under the King. The only issue: it was not the King of Skarvald Orzeth, but the King of their neighboring country, the kingdom of Calystria.
Still, the tower accepted worthy Channelers from other countries with whom Calystria had political relations to teach them, share their knowledge, and work with them for a few years. Of course, without swearing the oath to defend Calystria.
Helena was once an apprentice there. But then again, Helena was from Calystria herself. She had already taught Zisel a lot, but his older sister still wanted to go there and make a name for herself.
"And you? Are you excited to meet your friends?" Helena asked Augustine.
The young boy blushed. Unlike his sister, Augustine was groomed from a young age to become a lord. He didn’t like talking about it, but he had a charming personality and excellent communication skills. Augustine never missed a single gathering in the entire Cindros.
Cindros was both the name of the city that served as the seat of House Dawnfire and the entire Dukedom, which consisted of many different cities.
Augustine knew the names and faces of every bannerman and their heirs like they were part of the castle guards.
"I have received some letters; I am eager to see Velthros and its famous blacksmith valley."
Helena and Henric nodded encouragingly. Needless to say, Augustine was their pride and joy. Unlike Zisel and Faust with their dozens of complications, the man was almost perfect.
The Duke glanced at Faust after finishing his drink and standing up.
"We have to go far today; meet me in the yard in your traveling attire."
Faust simply nodded, hiding another yawn with the back of his hand. He continued his breakfast as light conversations flowed around him. No one would ask him whether he was going to the noble gathering, because he wasn’t allowed to.
The Duke and his wife kept him hidden from the noble society. It wasn’t just because he was a bastard or because they didn’t yet trust his nature. After tagging along every day with his father for six months, Faust had met a lot of nobles, knights, civilians, foreigners, and whatnot.
But with time, the news of his spirit abilities had traveled far and wide. In his presence, individuals’ rank and power mattered little. The same was true for monsters and spirits.
He was kind of an ultimate Uno card the Duke held in his hand. And the whole continent wished to take it from him and make Faust their pawn. He was simply too important to be left alone, no matter the situation.