The Founder's Return

I woke up to the first rays of dawn cutting through the cracks in the shutters, my head pounding from another restless night. My chest felt heavy, like I was carrying something unseen.

Celia.

Her face lingered in my mind, a phantom that refused to fade. That strange pull I felt toward her had grown unbearable, an invisible weight pressing on my thoughts. This wasn't just curiosity anymore—it was something deeper, something I didn't understand. It was dangerous.

I swung my legs off the bed, running a hand through my hair. "Get it together, Elias," I muttered to myself. I couldn't afford distractions. This feeling—whatever it was—needed to be suppressed, buried alongside everything else I'd learned to contain.

The morning air was crisp as I stood in the training courtyard, facing the battered wooden dummy that had seen the brunt of my frustration for weeks.

My breath hung in the air as I focused inward, feeling the faint hum of mana coiling within me.

Expanding. Suppressing. Compressing.

This was my daily ritual: pushing my mana to its limits, forcing it to grow while maintaining control. A swirling storm trapped in a glass jar—that's what it felt like.

The 24/7 suppression technique I had developed over the past months was working. I kept a constant layer of mana circling beneath my skin, suppressing its outward flow while gradually strengthening my capacity.

It was an exhausting process, but it was paying off. My reserves were larger than they had ever been in this life, though still far from the vast ocean I commanded before.

I inhaled deeply, channeling mana to my legs. The spell was simple: Mana Enhancement, designed to temporarily increase speed and strength.

A faint blue glow wrapped around my calves as I launched forward, striking the dummy with a precision strike that shattered its arm.

The splintering wood sent echoes across the courtyard, and I pulled back, grimacing at the mess.

Still unstable.

"That's the third dummy this week," Kaine's voice called out behind me.

I turned to see him leaning against the stone wall, arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You've got strength, Elias, but your control still needs work. You're wasting too much mana in each strike."

I frowned. "I know. I'm working on it."

He approached, shaking his head. "You're forcing it. Mana isn't a blunt instrument; it's a part of you. If you don't learn to make it flow naturally, you'll burn through your reserves in a real fight."

"Then let's make it real," I challenged, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

Kaine chuckled. "Alright. Blindfolds on."

The strip of cloth was snug against my eyes, cutting off all sight. The world around me faded into darkness, and I gripped the wooden training sword tightly, focusing on the sensations that remained.

The faint chill of the morning air, the distant rustle of leaves, the steady rhythm of my breathing.

"Feel the air, Elias," Kaine's voice came from somewhere ahead. "Listen to the shift around you. Don't rely on your ears alone. Use your mana. Extend it beyond yourself."

I exhaled, reaching out with my mana. It was a technique I had perfected in my past life—using mana as a second layer of perception.

The faint ripple of Kaine's presence entered my awareness, like a shadow brushing against my consciousness. He moved swiftly, his footsteps barely audible on the packed dirt.

I felt it—a sudden shift in the air to my right. I swung my sword in a tight arc, but Kaine was faster.

His wooden blade struck my ribs with a sharp thwack, sending a jolt of pain through my side.

"Too slow," he said, his tone calm but firm.

Gritting my teeth, I steadied myself, drawing more mana into my senses. This time, I enhanced my reflexes, letting the energy flow through my body like an electric current.

Kaine moved again, and I caught it—a subtle ripple in the mana field. I twisted to the side, narrowly dodging his strike. My sword followed, landing a glancing blow on his shoulder.

"Better," Kaine admitted, his voice edged with approval. "But you're still holding back. Stop overthinking. Trust your instincts."

We repeated the drill for what felt like hours. Each strike, dodge, and counterstrike pushed me closer to my limits.

By the end, my body ached, and my mana reserves were nearly depleted, but I had landed a clean hit on Kaine—something I hadn't managed in weeks.

As I made my way back to the meal hall, I caught a glimpse of Marcus in the smaller training yard, drenched in sweat as he practiced alone.

His movements were sharp, precise, each strike of his blade carrying a weight of determination I hadn't seen before.

I paused, watching from a distance. Marcus had been avoiding me for days now, but it wasn't out of spite. I could see it in his posture, the way he threw himself into his training—he was pushing himself, driven by something he hadn't yet shared.

A part of me wanted to approach him, to ask what was driving him so hard, but I held back. He'd come to me when he was ready.

The evening brought Lady Celestia's return, her presence as commanding as ever. A servant informed me she wanted to see me, and I found myself once again in her pristine chambers, the faint scent of lavender hanging in the air.

"Elias," she greeted, her smile sharp and deliberate. "You've been making quite an impression."

I inclined my head slightly, wary of her praise. Lady Celestia wasn't one to waste words.

"We've come across some interesting documents," she continued, sliding a parchment across the table. "Records tied to the founding families. Encoded, of course. Our scholars have struggled to make sense of them, but I believe you might succeed where they've failed."

I scanned the parchment, noting the intricate ciphers. "And what do I gain from this?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.

Her smile widened. "Access to the archives. You'll find information there that few others have seen. Perhaps even something on House Calvian."

My heart skipped a beat, though I forced my expression to remain calm. "House Calvian?" I echoed.

"Rumors suggest they've been struggling internally. Perhaps tied to one of their ousted families."

A chill ran down my spine. How did she know? I had been so careful with my investigation into Celia's possible connection to House Calvian.

Not even Marcus or Kaine knew the full extent of what I was looking for.

"Why mention House Calvian to me?" I asked carefully.

Lady Celestia leaned back, her expression unreadable. "You strike me as someone with a talent for solving puzzles. And House Calvian's situation is… intriguing, wouldn't you agree?"

I didn't respond, my mind racing. She was testing me, probing for something. But what?

"I'll consider your offer," I said, rising to my feet. "But I'll need time to think."

"Of course," she said, her smile never wavering. "Just remember, opportunities like this don't come often."

As I walked back to my room, the prickling sensation of being watched returned. I glanced over my shoulder, but the hallway was empty. Still, the feeling lingered, setting my nerves on edge.

In the solitude of my room, I replayed Lady Celestia's words. Her knowledge of House Calvian wasn't a coincidence.

She was testing me, probing for something deeper. But was she working alone? Or were the other Houses involved as well?

"I need to be more careful," I murmured. The game was shifting, and I couldn't afford a single misstep.