Standing before a large double door in the manor's lobby, Julius stares in awe at the intricate designs carved directly into the wood, engravings that scream 'Royalty'.
[Julius]: "Ah-, is a door like this really necessary just for a dining room?"
[Lawrence]: "Everything has to stand out, bold and regal. That's just how Muriel wants it."
Lawrence places both hands on the door, and pushes it open effortlessly, a slow reveal to the colossal dining room within that only took Julius's breath away further.
Beyond the door was a gargantuan hall, longer that it is wide, with a circular glass window on the far back wall. Countless golden chandeliers line the ceiling and illuminated the room far brighter than any conventional light source, likely by utilizing mana catalysts.
[Julius]: "Wo- ahhh... She really doesn't hold back."
Lawrence lets out a soft chuckle before a loud voice echoes through the room, shouted from the other side of the enormously long table that inhabits most of the space.
[Muriel]: "Julius~ my dear! You look astonishing in those clothes, come give us a better look! Come over!"
[Julius]: "Mh-, right!"
The time it takes to cross the room feels uncomfortable. A long walk that could be labelled as its own journey, and at the head of the table, was Muriel, Lisa, and Lucille.
Muriel and Lisa were seated at the dining table, drinking in the sight of Julius in the clothes they had picked out for him.
[Muriel]: "Ahh! I knew it would look great on you, although you haven't got a lot on those bones. We may need to ask Lucille to cook some extra for you, fufufu~."
Bringing his arms up to his chest self consciously, Julius lets out an awkward chuckle, and feels Lawrence brush past him to sit down at the table next to Muriel.
[Muriel]: "Oh, don't be shy~. Come on, sit down, anywhere you'd like."
[Julius]: "O-okay, thank you..."
'Anywhere he'd like', said so casually as if there weren't hundreds of chairs to choose from. Obviously he wasn't going to sit away from them, and through the process of elimination of who to sit next to, the choice was more than evident.
[Julius]: "I'll sit here, next to Lisa."
Lisa smiles proudly, placing one arm on the white table cloth with a posture of confidence, the usual sparkle in her brown eyes shining bright.
[Lisa]: "Obviously, who wouldn't want to sit next to me."
[Muriel]: "He's just being polite dear, it's clear as a fine glass that he would sit next to me on any other day."
[Lisa]: "Nuh uh"
Muriel sticks her tongue out mockingly at her daughter, the resemblances between them made abundantly clear, and Julius could hardly believe that they were arguing over who he sits next to at a dinner table.
[Lucille]: "Would you like me to set the table now, Miss Astoria?"
[Muriel]: "Oh! Right, yes dear, please."
The maid takes a bow, before turning and walking off into a side room, her hollow footsteps upon the hard tile resonating through the large hall
[Julius]: "Muriel... Do you always have dinner this early? The sun has barely even set yet."
[Muriel]: "Ah, well normally, no; However, I thought we would have it earlier today since you have a lot to learn after you eat. I've already organized for Lawrence to teach you all about magic and all. it can be a lot to take in, so I gave you plenty of time. Plus, having a full stomach makes the learning process easier, don't ya' think?"
[Lisa]: "I'll also join you! Lawrence can be pretty stiff sometimes, so maybe I can help with the confusing parts."
[Lawrence]: "I'm right here, how cruel."
Despite his hurt words, there was no real emotion behind his reaction, having gotten used to Lisa's blunt remarks. She reacts to his response with a guilty smile, lowering her head shyly.
Returning from the kitchen, Lucille sets the table in front of everyone, creating a sea of silver cutlery and dishes, along with a large plate for every member of the table, ending with Julius.
[Julius]: {So much food... Did she really cook all this in such little time?}
One by one, the maid unveils the array of food laid out before the group, almost caught in the pool of drool coming from Lisa as she leans dramatically over the table to get a better view of the feast.
Julius gazed over the food, his eyes not quite able to land on a single spot for long. The dinner prepared consisted of every kind of luxury meal he could think of. Lobster, crab, steak, turkey, and even a few cooked meats that he had never even seen before, their texture and color coming in vibrant and unique combinations.
[Muriel]: "Ahh~! Such amazing work like usual Lucille, please, sit down so we can begin."
Lucille bows before taking her own seat next to Lawrence, directly across from Julius, the two making brief eye contact before Muriel speaks up once again.
[Muriel]: "It's been too long since we've had another join us for dinner, please eat as much as you'd like dear, and don't be afraid to ask for more~."
Unable to wait any longer, Lisa lunges forwards and starts to quickly gather a large variety of food on her plate, before practically tearing into it, speaking with a mouthful of turkey.
[Lisa]: "Thank you for the food Luci!"
The maid, resting her elbows on the table, smiles and lets out a soft chuckle, watching the girl happily devour the food she had prepared.
[Lucille]: "Lisa, your manners."
[Lisa]: "Mgh!"
[Muriel]: "It's alright, let's just enjoy the feast you've cooked up tonight, Lucille. Besides, Julius doesn't seem to mind, right dear?"
[Julius]: "Not at all! I mean, I used to eat with my niece a lot in the hospital, and she was quite the messy eater."
Muriel lets out a satisfied hum as everyone else at the table starts to gather their own food, continuing with the conversations and banter over the meal. Julius observes everyone, finally seeing how each member fits together in the big picture, no longer bound by their job or role in the manor, now seeming like one big family seated at the dinner table.
Lucille and Lawrence aren't treated as a maid or butler, but rather a member of the Astoria family itself, accepted by Muriel as they laugh and enjoy their food. It's enough to bring a smile to Julius's face, a feeling of melancholy rising up within him, having wished that he could share a moment like this with his own family.
[Lisa]: "Oh! Mom, I completely forgot."
[Muriel]: "Hmm?"
[Lisa]: "Here, your amulet. Sorry that it got a bit dirty, I um... Dropped it, heh..."
Muriel takes the amulet back with a smile, happy to have it returned to her regardless of a bit of dust covering the gem. She takes a velvet cloth from within her kimono and wipes the green gem, bringing it back to a shine with practiced ease.
[Muriel]: "Thank you dear~! I almost forgot about it after so long of not wearing it."
[Lisa]: "...And you'll never guess who we saw today!"
Those mere words bring a sick feeling to Julius, who had only just started to eat, testing the flavor of the lobster that had been tossed onto his plate by Lisa haphazardly.
[Muriel]: "Oh? Someone in the capital?"
[Lisa]: "Mmhm! We saw him. We saw Alcard!"
A slow realization had visibly hit Muriel, and she lets out a huff of air, half in awe, but also nostalgia. She leans back in the large cushion chair as even Lawrence turns his attention to Lisa.
[Muriel]: "Ohh~, how lucky you are. I remember when that boy was just a baby, you know. Living in the palace, he was such a sweet baby."
[Lisa]: "We know, you always tell us, hehe."
[Muriel]: "Just because I think it's impressive to have been there for the rising of a new history breaker, fufu~"
Julius reels in his chair, opening his mouth for a long moment before finally daring to ask about the man who had haunted his subconscious since the encounter.
[Julius]: "Um, who is he, exactly? He made me feel really... Uneasy."
[Muriel]: "Alcard? Well, it's better to ask who isn't he, really."
[Lawrence]: "Alcard Castellan is practically a legend, everyone knows him, or has at least heard of him."
[Julius]: "Is he really that influential? He was really scary."
[Muriel]: "A word of advice is spread throughout crime organizations all over Meriddia: If you are to come face to face with a red eyed, black haired knight bearing Cataphrania's crest, take your own life and pray your blade meets your heart before his does."
The quote brings silence to the table, and a further sense of dread to grow within Julius, who gulps audibly in the quiet before Muriel lightens the mood again.
[Muriel]: "Relax, there's no reason to be scared of him. He's on our side after all."
[Julius]: "R-Right..."
The group finishes the feast before them, emptying every tray and dish as the evening draws on. The sunset remains fully visible from the large window behind Muriel's seat, a beautiful sight that also marks the beginning of Julius's lesson on magic.
[Muriel]: "Whoo, I can't eat a single bite more. You really outdid yourself this time, Lucille. Hahh~ what a dinner."
[Lucille]: "Thank you, I appreciate it, Miss Astoria."
[Lawrence]: "Shall we begin the lesson now, Miss Astoria?"
Muriel sinks into her chair lazily, waving dismissively as she shuts her eyes. It was clear she had eaten too much to maintain a noble demeanor, and yet still manages to retain her natural beauty.
[Muriel]: "Sounds good, I need to relax for a bit after a feast like that. Good luck with everything, Lawrence dear."
Lisa launches out of her chair, seemingly the complete opposite of her mother, the food having replenished her restless energy. Lawrence and Julius follow, the butler taking lead as he tucks his chair back in.
[Julius]: "Thank you so much for dinner, Miss, um... Muriel. I really can't express enough gratitude. You too Lucille, thank you."
[Muriel]: "Oh, it was nothing dear, I'm so glad it was to your liking."
[Lucille]: "Mh."
Lucille leans against the arm rest on her chair, paying no mind to Julius as she prepares to get up and clean the table. Lisa takes a long dramatic walk past Julius to join Lawrence, guiding the two down the halls again.
Julius waves goodbye to the girls, only getting one back from Muriel who remains unprofessionally sunken into her chair.
---
[Lisa]: "Welcome to the study hall!"
Julius freezes mid step as the hall fills with light produced by a blue glow, emitted from the mana catalysts on the walls, once again going through the process of having his mind blown by the manor's rooms.
Wooden chairs and tables are scattered around the room, covered in mana catalysts of all kinds, along with sculptures and physical learning aids. The most notable feature however, is the large chalk board covering an entire wall next to the door.
[Lawrence]: "Still getting surprised?"
[Julius]: "It gets easier each time I guess."
Lawrence and Lisa chuckle as the butler wipes the chalk board, starting to draw new diagrams as Lisa guides Julius over to a chair.
[Lisa]: "Here, sit. I can't wait!"
The sounds of chalk hitting slate fills the room as Lawrence expertly draws up a new diagram on the now empty chalk board, Julius and Lisa watching intently from their seats.
[Lawrence]: "From what I've gathered in your short time being here, you're a complete beginner, practically at a preschooler's level of knowledge about magic."
[Julius]: "Ah, well... It sounds kinda bad when you put it like that, but I can't really say you're wrong. I'm a complete newbie, heh."
[Lawrence]: "Don't stress about it, part of my duty as this manor's caretaker, is to teach Lisa, so I am sure we can get you up to at least general knowledge by the end of the night."
Julius and Lisa let out a synchronized hum of excitement, watching as Lawrence finishes his writing, turning back to face them.
Now drawn in white chalk on the board, is a large pyramid with numbered tiers, starting with the number one at the bottom, and four at the top, in the smallest triangle. Alongside the pyramid, is a simple outline of a person, with a circle highlighting the center of their mid section.
[Lawrence]: "Let's begin."
[Julius]: "Mhh! I'm ready."
Julius sits upright in his chair, finding himself the most excited he's been since he woke up, surprising himself with how involved he's gotten in this new unique oddity.
Lawrence holds the small rod of chalk, gently tapping the board to draw attention to the outline of a person.
[Lawrence]: "Starting with just a thread from the web of understanding magic, I'll begin by explaining the source of our very existence... Mana. You cannot see it, nor can you feel it by any normal means, but it's presence is always there. Mana is the foundation of every living and non-living object or being, it sustains life, nurtures it, and fuels it. Mana is the invisible energy that exists within our world, most prominent in the atmosphere around us, an eternal force that serves as the very life-blood of magic."
[Julius]: "Life blood?"
[Lawrence]: "We cannot survive without mana, it fuels our bodies, just as important as the air we breath. In short, mana is an eternal, invisible energy that exists in abundance everywhere in the world, breathed in by all living beings to sustain life."
[Julius]: "I think I understand, but... Didn't you say earlier today that I didn't have any? Wouldn't I not be able to survive?"
[Lawrence]: "That fact is what has both Muriel and I so interested in you, since it shouldn't be possible. But given that you're sitting before me, I do have one theory."
Julius perks up at the mention of even a theorized explanation to his situation, the gleam in his eye clear to both Lawrence and Lisa.
[Julius]: "You do? What is it?"
[Lawrence]: "Normally, living beings are not born into this world already bearing mana. The being must be introduced to the mana in the atmosphere first, then it will begin to seep into that beings very soul, ingraining itself into its body, creating a dependency for mana in order to survive. My theory, is that you were somehow kept away from mana, and only just now have you been exposed to it. Although, I cannot think of an explanation of how you could possibly be kept from it for that long."
While Lawrence strains in thought, the puzzle clicks together all too easily for Julius. His world didn't have mana, and he's sure that being a sick and unfit person couldn't help either.
[Julius]: {I'm not from this world, of course I haven't been exposed to it yet. But now...}
[Julius]: "Lawrence, lets say I have been kept away from it until now, aren't you saying that my body will start to create a dependency to it?"
[Lawrence]: "That is correct."
[Julius]: "So... That means... If I got back home after so long of being here..."
[Lawrence]: "... You'll die."
The revelation shakes the air, and Julius sinks disbelievingly into his chair, a broken look on his face. Regardless of the details about how he was kept away from mana, both Lawrence and Lisa knew immediately what had shaken Julius. There was now a time limit set on his life, and if he wanted to go home, it had to be before his body became dependent on the mana around him.
Julius is snapped out of his frozen state by Lawrence, placing a hand on his shoulder as he leans down to head level with him.
[Lawrence]: "Julius, we will find a way to get you home, we just need to focus on learning more right now. The process of a newborn absorbing mana isn't quick, it can take years for an infant to awaken their magic ability, that is plenty of time. Everything will be okay."
Julius wipes the single tear that had escaped his eyes, and his determined expression returned after hearing that his time limit could reach into years.
[Julius]: "Right. Sorry, I guess i just got a bit side tracked, let's get back to the lesson."
Lawrence smiles and stands back up, returning to the chalk board and clears his throat before continuing where they had left off.
[Lawrence]: "Ahem, so... Now that you know what mana is, lets talk about how our bodies handle it."
A loud tapping sound resonates through Julius's ears as Lawrence taps the diagram, specifically the mid section of the person he had drawn, where a large circle resides.
[Lawrence]: "This, is called a flux cycle. It is a part of our bodies that evolved through the introduction to mana, allowing us to utilize this eternal energy. Everyone has a flux cycle, and likely, even you do, Julius. The purpose of a flux cycle, is to draw in mana from the surrounding atmosphere, and use it as fuel for our bodies. This little system within you is to blame for the dependency to mana."
[Julius]: "A flux cycle... It just absorbs it? Just like that?"
[Lawrence]: "Just like that. However, there is more to it. The exact way a flux cycle works is like this... Our bodies draw in mana subconsciously through our flux cycles, and slowly release it back out to avoid overworking ourselves. You can think of this as the same way you breath air, a natural function of your body, and if you keep the same breath in for too long, it starts to hurt."
Lawrence accompanies his explanations with more illustrations on the chalk board, aiding in his teaching using the diagram, all while Julius tries to memorize it all in his head, focusing intently.
[Julius]: "Right, so... How do people use magic if your body just gets rid of it with the flux cycle?"
[Lawrence]: "Mana is the sole fuel for all magic, so you are right to wonder how we are capable of using it. A flux cycle draws in and releases mana through our bodies, but this isn't all it does. Within every flux cycle, there is an internal buffer, caused by the release rate being slower than the intake. This creates a pool of built up mana in our bodies, this is generally just called a mana pool. This, is what we use to produce magic."
[Julius]: "Oooh, I see now."
[Lisa]: "You do? It took forever for me to understand that properly, you always over-explain things Luci."
[Julius]: "Well, I may not know anything about this kind of magic, but where I'm from, magic is a wide spread thing in fictional stories. It's kind of just a mixture of common sense and innate knowledge about how it would work, I guess."
[Lisa]: "You have magic stories where you're from? You've gotta bring me one!"
Julius gives a thumbs up accompanied by a wide smile, both their attention being drawn back to the lesson by the tapping of chalk, an attempt to get them to focus again.
[Lawrence]: "It seems you'll get a grasp of this pretty easily then. Now... Not all flux cycles are equal, everyone's all function at different levels of efficiency, speed, and generally how much mana their body can hold at once. Obviously, this is what determines whether beings can use magic, and because of this random factor, most people cannot use magic at all."
[Julius]: "Really?! Not at all?"
[Lawrence]: "Correct. Even Muriel can't use magic, nor can Lucille."
[Julius]: "Not even Lucille? But she's so strong..."
Lawrence turns back around, drawing an arrow from the flux cycle diagram over to the pyramid, tapping the very bottom one.
[Lawrence]: "Now that you know how flux cycles work, we can move onto this. This pyramid represents the tiers of magic that an individual can reach. Starting at the bottom, and most commonly used: mana manipulation. The base level of magic, performed by turning the mana that your flux cycle has accumulated into visible, physical attacks, taking the form of blue, flaming threads. Mana manipulation is extremely versatile, capable of being shaped by its user into anything they desire, given they have the skill level and precision required to shape it. These attacks could range from wide scale projectiles, to shaping it into weapons, or its most prevalent usage, strengthening their own body using mana, empowering their basic attacks."
[Lisa]: "Now we're getting to the good part!"
Lisa shifts on her seat, sitting cross-legged as she gauges Julius's reaction, which consists of him opening and closing his mouth as he struggles to think up questions about the fascinating topic.
[Julius]: "That's... Really cool. This might be a big ask, but could I see an example? It's all very fascinating to me."
[Lawrence]: "I don't see why not, your interest is expected."
It's clear that Julius was expecting Lisa to be the one demonstrating mana manipulation to him, but Julius practically reaches the edge of his seat as Lawrence begins it himself.
Holding his hand upright in front of him, a powerful burst of blue threads erupt from it, quickly filling the room with a vibrant, blue glow that easily engulfs any other light source. Julius throws his hand up to his face to guard his eyes from the blinding light, but as they slowly adjust, they only continue to widen further and further at the unexpected display of magic from the butler.
[Julius]: "Gahhh~... Woah..."
The flaming threads twist and twirl outwards, covering the ceiling as they continue to reach further corners of the hall like the roots of a tree seeking soil.
They appear as liquid energy, as if you could reach out and push your hand straight through them, yet they burn hot and bright, reflecting off of the butlers eyes as the magic creates its own form of wind, blowing his hair back to reveal that his right eye is a brighter green than the other, by a noticeable amount, normally covered by his bangs. Lawrence seems unfazed by this display, almost as if this was just another day in the classroom.
Lisa looks straight up at the sparkling blue mana brought out by Lawrence with a giddy smile, but just as fast as they emerged, they disperse rapidly, sending out a soft shockwave that blows Julius back into his chair with a surprised yelp.
[Lisa]: "Again! I love when Lawrence shows his magic! Isn't it so cool!?"
[Julius]: "Hah, I-... Yeah. That was awesome!"
[Lawrence]: "That was a basic level of mana manipulation. Only about thirty percent of the population can perform this level of sorcery, and as the tiers grow higher, that number drops rapidly."
[Julius]: "It's that low? that seems so small."
[Lawrence]: "Moving onto tier two: Attunements. A higher level of magic, utilizing the element of sorcery ingrained into your very being from birth. All magic is sourced from mana, but while mana manipulation is always in the form of blue threads, attunements take the form of elements."
Julius rests his arms on the table just in front of him, staring awestruck at the chalk board. The different levels of magic had a lot more variety than he had first thought, and he only grows more invested with each tier.
[Julius]: "Elements. Like what?"
[Lawrence]: "I'll write them just here. Everyone has an attunement from birth. It is impossible to have more than one, nor can you learn others, you are locked into the attunement that was awakened within you. The list of attunements is as follows: Fire, Earth, Lightning, Wind, Water, Light, and Dark."
[Julius]: "There's so many! So everyone has one, right? I can kind of guess that Lisa has fire. What do you have, Lawrence?"
He turns to her, immediately given confirmation from the small flame she holds up above her palm with a proud smile, only to have it be put out by Lawrence clapping his hands on it.
[Lawrence]: "There is no harm in showing you."
Once again taking stance at the front of the chalk board, Lawrence holds his hand up to Julius, who jolts back with a slight look of fear and uncertainty on his face at the sudden directed gesture.
Before he could say anything, the dust on Julius's table started to swirl into a larger pile of dirt, rapidly growing its own leaves, stem, and at the peak, a large pink flower that lives out its entire blooming cycle within seconds of being before Julius, allowing him to pick it up while staring in awe at it's bright colors.
[Julius]: "W-Woah... A flower? So..."
[Lawrence]: "My attunement is earth. For as long as I live, that flower will never wilt or die, keep it if you'd like it."
[Julius]: "Wait, for real? It wont die?"
He looks down at the large pink lotus flower in his palms, admiring the magical shine that pulse through its petals. Lisa leans over to share the look of disbelief and awe at the perfectly preserved flower.
[Julius]: "So cool..."
[Lawrence]: "Next tier. Number three: Aspects. Unlike mana manipulation and attunements, that everyone has access to, aspects are incredibly rare, and work differently to normal sorcery. They are intertwined with your body from the moment you are brought into existence, and serve as more of a natural boost compared to sorcery, as they are not consciously controlled by any means. There are countless aspects, but many people in the world share the same ones, just all at different levels. Take this one for example, the Aspect of Speed. This aspect allows its user to move at several times their normal speed, the set strength of the aspect being random in every different person. One person with it may be three times as fast, while another with the very same aspect may be 10 times as fast, it all comes down to luck when they are awakened."
[Julius]: "They're just bonus attributes then. Not actual sorcery, but just boost the abilities that everyone already has."
[Lawrence]: "Correct. There are some aspects that get a bit complicated, and some that even grant their user otherworldly abilities, but for the most part, they are just a bonus on top of your sorcery."
Julius sets the flower in his lap as he takes everything in, memorizing it all in his head over and over. He knows he needs to remember this if he wants to survive here, and maybe learning it could help him find his home somehow.
[Julius]: "While we were in the big kingdom, that strange woman said that Lucille had an aspect."
[Lisa]: "Oh... You heard her say that?"
[Lawrence]: "Tahlia, I presume... It is true, Lucille is a user of an aspect. several of them, actually."
Julius shoots up as he learns more about the cold maid, especially hearing the part about multiple aspects.
[Julius]: "You can have more than one?"
[Lawrence]: "There has been no proof that a maximum amount of aspects wielded by one person exists, so in theory, an individual with phenomenal luck can be born with several. Lucille wields two of them. The Aspect of Strength, and The Aspect of Cooking."
[Julius]: "Ooh! So that's why that food was so good."
[Lisa]: "Um, Julius... Is it alright if you don't mention anything to Lucille about her aspects?"
[Julius]: "Hm? Don't say anything?"
Lisa's gaze pans downward to the ground, her flaming energy dimmed by the suddenly dark mood. Julius has taken notice that Lucille had never seemed to react well to her aspects being brought up, but the reason why has him puzzled.
[Lawrence]: "Lucille doesn't like being defined by her aspects, that is all there is to it. Let's move the topic back to our lesson please."
[Lisa]: "Mh! Right!"
[Julius]: "O-Okay!"
[Lawrence]: "Onto the final tier, number four: Commandments."
The finality of that word shook the room's entire vibe, as well as Julius's entire being, as if that mere word held its own weight of something best left untouched, bringing an audible gulp from Julius.
[Julius]: "Commandments?"
[Lawrence]: "Commandments, are considered to be the pinnacle of all sorcery. They are the only type of magic that is one of a kind, a completely unique power wielded by a single person. Commandments can be seen as wild cards in the world of sorcery, they are the main deciding factors in major battles and wars. Commandments are exceptionally rare, even rarer than aspects, and can be practically anything. They can be simple and weak, or they can be monumental, capable of destroying entire kingdoms with ease."
[Julius]: "That sounds... Scary."
The idea of a power so strong it could end countless lives in an instant is unsettling at the least, but knowing that they actually exist, is worse.
[Lisa]: "Not all commandments are bad. Actually, most of the people with strong commandments are good guys, like the royal guard!"
[Julius]: "I see. Does anyone here have one of those?"
Julius's question is met with silence and shaken heads, Lisa letting out an envious huff as she slumps down onto the table.
[Lisa]: "I wish! They seem so cool."
[Lawrence]: "No one in the Muriel party has a commandment, and Lucille is the only one who bears an aspect. However, both Muriel and Lucille are incapable of performing sorcery."
[Julius]: "I know you said that before, but... Why not?"
[Lawrence]: "As I said before, only a rough estimate of thirty percent can wield magic due to their flux cycles being too weak, their bodies just can't handle it. Aspects require an extremely little amount of mana to utilize, as well as being a subconscious function, which is why Lucille is able to use them, but not anything else."
[Julius]: "I see... That's unfortunate."
Lawrence stands further upright as he sighs, placing the stick of chalk down, taking his own seat at the front of the hall.
[Lawrence]: "That's pretty much it. Sorcery in its basic shapes and forms, I hope you understood it all well."
[Julius]: "I think I got it all. Thanks for teaching me Lawrence, I really appreciate it."
Lawrence gives a soft nod, and Lisa stands up with a long stretch, followed by Julius with his flower still within the palms of his hands. There were few windows in the study hall, but it was clear that the sun had long set.
[Lisa]: "I don't wanna go to bed yet, I always love Lawrence's lessons too much, I hate it when they end."
[Lawrence]: "You've got another one scheduled for tomorrow, please look forward to our sparring match."
[Lisa]: "Heehee~ I'll try not to burn any of your flowers this time."
Lisa and Julius walk out after Lawrence lets out a groan as he remembers what she had done to his garden the last time she trained with him, Julius waving goodbye to him on the way out. Lisa and Julius chuckle together as she takes him back to his room upstairs, making sure he doesn't get lost in the manor's countless halls.
Standing before his door, he waves goodbye to Lisa who keeps walking down the luxurious hallway, now only being lit by dim mana catalysts and the small flame she produces above her hand as a light source.
[Lisa]: "Nighty night Julee!"
[Julius]: "Goodnight Lisa, thanks for guiding me."
She gives a soft laugh as she fades into the darkness of the manor halls, finding her own room as Julius closes the door behind him, his footsteps soft and quiet on the wooden floor, eventually collapsing onto the soft bed, one far more comfortable than any of the hospital beds he had stayed in.
[Julius]: "Hahh~... Man, how much money does Muriel have, this place is crazy."
He spends a long time staring at the ceiling before the familiar feeling of fatigue kicks in, and he throws the layered covers over himself, settling into the plush bed, and with the lesson of magic in his mind, he drifts off to sleep.
---