The Founder's Return

The morning sun crept over the horizon as I opened my eyes, my mind already racing. The events of the past few days lingered like echoes—Lady Celestia's offer, the truths I'd uncovered, and the questions I still had about Celia.

The world was moving faster than I expected, and I couldn't afford to lag behind.

Lady Celestia's words rang in my head as I dressed and made my way to the training grounds: Access to the archives. You'll find information there that few others have seen. Perhaps even something on House Calvian.1

I had made my choice.

"I'll accept her offer," I murmured to myself. "But not yet."

My gaze drifted eastward. The archives of House Luminaris were a week's journey by carriage, and if I were to uncover the truth,

I needed to prepare myself—physically and mentally. There were no guarantees for my life if i departed now, and I couldn't risk making a mistake.

After making that decision, I went to the training grounds.. Hoping to Find Master Kaine there.. And for my luck.. or is it my luck? he is always there..

I found Master Kaine in the training grounds, his stern face unreadable as always. He was overseeing a group of young knights-in-training, barking commands as they sparred.

"Master Kaine," I called, approaching him.

He turned, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "What is it, Elias?"

"I want to train outside the official hours," I said, meeting his gaze. "Not just swordsmanship, but mana control as well."

His eyebrows rose slightly, a rare display of surprise. "You already train harder than most. Why push yourself further?"

"Because I need to," I replied, my tone resolute. "There's something I must do—something dangerous. If I'm not prepared, I'll fail, and I can't afford to fail."

Kaine studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed. "You're relentless, boy. Fine. But don't expect me to go easy on you."

"Thank you," I said, bowing deeply.

"Thank me later—if you survive," he muttered.

After that I went to the dummies again.. Torturing them again.. Until the afternoon something happened..

That afternoon, I was practicing enhancement spells on the training dummies when Marcus approached, his expression tight with determination.

"Elias," he called, his voice firm. "I want a rematch."

I turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "Another duel?"

"Yes, but this time, we'll use magic," he said, his fists clenched. "I need to defeat you."

There was desperation in his voice, a raw edge that made me pause. I studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Three days from now. Prepare yourself."

His jaw tightened, and he nodded before walking away.

after that, I found that if I just do what I do right now.. Training with the dummies, and train on my champers alone.. will make it Suspicious.. So I went to Kaine again.. 

I approached Kaine again, seeking more than just brute strength.

"I need direction," I admitted. "What should I focus on?"

Kaine regarded me silently, then gestured to a nearby dummy. "Precision. Power is meaningless without control. Strike the dummy—not to break it, but to leave a mark exactly where you intend."

It was grueling work, requiring patience I barely had. Each strike had to be deliberate, each enhancement spell calibrated to perfection. Hours passed, and I could feel my body protesting, my muscles aching.

But by the end of the session, there was progress. My strikes were sharper, my control more refined.

Kaine clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You're learning. Keep at it."

Hearing him say that made me happy.. Why? I don't know.. but I went to the dining room

As I ate lunch, my thoughts drifted to Celia. There was no way she had told me everything, and I needed answers.

I penned a letter, my handwriting quick but precise:

Celia,

I need to speak with you. Meet me at the grove on the outskirts of the estate. Tonight. It's important.

I sealed the letter and handed it to a servant.

As the evening settled in, a knock came at my door. A servant stood there, bowing slightly. "Master Kaine requests your presence on the training field."

I arrived to find Kaine waiting, his arms crossed. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, my resolve firm.

The training was unlike anything I had experienced. Kaine focused on mana control, pushing me to refine my flow and extend my capacity. He emphasized precision, teaching me how to manipulate my mana with subtlety and efficiency.

"No one can expand their mana capacity," Kaine said at one point, his tone firm. "But with control, you can maximize what you have."

I didn't argue, though I knew better. The knowledge of my past life told me otherwise.

By midnight, my body was trembling with exhaustion, my mana reserves nearly depleted.

"That's enough for tonight," Kaine said. "Rest. You'll need it."

I went to my room after that, the moonlight filtering through the window, I prepared for what I knew would be the most dangerous part of my training.

I called it The Veinforge Technique—a method of forcing mana to flow directly through my veins, bypassing the natural pathways. It was risky; a single mistake could cause my veins to rupture, leading to a slow and painful death.

I sat cross-legged on the floor, focusing my mind. My mana suppression technique was already active, keeping my energy in check.

Slowly, I directed my mana into my veins, feeling the searing heat as it coursed through me. The pain was immediate, sharp and unforgiving, but I gritted my teeth and endured.

Five minutes, I told myself. That's all I can risk.

The seconds dragged on, each one an eternity. My concentration wavered, and for a moment, I felt the flow falter. My heart pounded, my breathing shallow.

Focus.

I pushed through, guiding the mana in a steady, unbroken stream. When the five minutes were up, I released the technique, collapsing onto the floor in exhaustion.

My entire body ached, and I could feel the residual heat of the mana in my veins. But there was a difference—a newfound smoothness to the flow, a sense of control I hadn't felt before.

The improvement was small, but it was a step forward.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I felt a faint smile tug at my lips. The road ahead was long, but I was moving.

For now, that was enough.