"She's gone" said the old man, his voice low and firm. "You need to let her go. Your life will change a lot now"
His words cut deep. I already knew that. From the moment I accepted that kiss, from the moment I took Evelyn in my arms and promised her things greater than myself... I already knew. But hearing it said like that, with coldness and certainty, was like getting a blade between the ribs.
But I didn't hesitate.
"What do I need to be nominated for university?" I asked, straightforwardly.
He looked surprised for a moment. But then he nodded slowly, as if recognizing that I had already made my choice.
"First... the essence of orchids. Your garden isn't ready yet. I need at least a sample"
Orchids... of course. One of nature's cruelest tests: to make bloom what only grows at the limit of life.
"Second: skill" he continued. "You must become a full combat master and graduate from my school. You will be our face out there"
I nodded, without looking away.
"I see"
"But even with all that" he added with a sigh. "the university will only accept you for four years. If you can't become a formal magician in that time, you'll have to drop out. It's as simple as that"
"That complicated?" I asked, feeling the weight of the situation deepen with every word.
"Exactly" replied the teacher, with a serious but almost paternal tone. "Even if you graduate, you'll need to be summoned to your headquarters. You'll be back here for a while until everything is completed"
He paused, gauging my reactions.
"There are no limits for a wizard, Zaatar. But if you want my advice... don't be arrogant. Play to your advantage. Prioritize your natural talent"
I was a little confused, but I began to describe to him the abnormalities I had noticed in myself, feeling the vice-principal's smile freeze for a moment as I spoke.
"I see" he began, his voice a mixture of curiosity and caution. "Perhaps it's your lineage? Or the scenario that catalyzed your potential? This leads me to think of various theories about the mechanism behind talent. In humans, we don't have clear limits, but if we push our gifts, we can progress two or three times more than those who waste them. You're naturally gifted at necromancy" he said almost in a whisper. "it's a complicated talent. Don't tell the others about it"
"Complicated?" I asked, frowning, trying to take it all in.
He nodded.
"Yes" he replied, his voice deep and serious. "Nobody likes someone snooping into the secrets of the dead, boy, or listening to their complaints"
Those words sent a chill down my spine.
"Necromancers are banned from empires, not because of the bad smell on their bodies or the evil they develop, but because they know too much" He paused, staring at me. "They don't want their secrets exposed to the public like that. In the capital, the cemeteries aren't guarded by anything"
The weight of those revelations began to make sense in my mind. Politically, no ruler would want ghosts whispering about the rotten and dark secrets of their dungeons.
"So necromancers live in secret" I concluded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Exactly" he confirmed. "There is only one university on our entire continent that still studies necromancy. Coincidentally, that's the one I was going to introduce you to"
My eyes widened.
"Black magic" I whispered, as if the name carried an immense weight.
"Yes" he nodded. "In our age, few institutions are still dedicated to this area of study. They reside on a secret island around the continent. The only way to get there is by ship"
"That's why the orchids" I said, trying to connect the pieces of the puzzle the old man had just shown me.
He nodded with a slight smile.
"They'll pay a good sum for the Catalyst. That guarantees your place and my compensation. I have my own gardens in my territory, but adding more is always welcome"
I understood, but I could still feel the questions pulsing through my mind. Questions that he obviously wouldn't answer so easily.
"I'll be back now" I said, finally standing up.
"Of course" he replied firmly. "Don't forget to study and keep your skills up to date. It would be a shame if you died to the Violets"
He paused for a moment, looking at me with an expression that was a mixture of seriousness and veiled warning.
"Also, avoid having sex with that girl. The Violet House is not simple. They draw energy from their partners to perform a secret method of awakening. The peasants who slept with that girl are not in a good state right now"
My face paled when I heard those words. Maybe... maybe that was what had caused that bottleneck in my cultivation.
At the time, it didn't make any sense to me. I was growing, developing, but something was holding me back. There was no obvious factor preventing me from moving forward. My father used to say that it was age, a natural thing, but now, listening to what I've been told, I've begun to see that there might be something else - various factors that I hadn't even imagined.
"I see. Thanks for the warning" I replied, trying to hide the weight of the new information.
"No problem" the teacher said, as if nothing had happened.
As I left the room, the vice-principal stared at the flame in the fireplace, as if looking for answers there.
"A natural wizard..." I heard him mutter. "Looks like we're starting to heal"
I'd never seen that sincere smile on his face, something rare, perhaps it hadn't happened for a long time.
But then he changed his tune, his expression becoming disgusted.
"It's about time the centipede returned to the world. Central..." he said, almost as a warning. "How are you going to react with your archenemy back?"
I stared at that flickering flame, wondering about the truth behind his words.
Bad vases never break easily.
I knew that. I was that vase.
—•—
"So that's it" my father muttered, sitting at the head of the meeting room. His serious gaze met mine, as if he was trying to decipher what I was really thinking behind the words.
I knew it made him uneasy. The whole vision he had for the future of our home could be about to change.
"If what you say is true..." he continued, his voice heavy. "then our plans need to be revised. We cannot pose a threat to the Royal House"
He looked at me with even more intensity.
"He hasn't told you anything else about the wizards?"
I shook my head only once.
"Just that"
There was a dense, heavy silence. My father appraised me. Not with suspicion, but with concern. The kind of concern that only someone who has lost a lot can feel.
"Do you think you can handle what this involves? Are you ready for it?"
I took a deep breath before answering. Part of me still felt like a child trying to understand the world, but the other... the other wanted more, wanted to see how far I could go.
"I'm curious" I said, staring back at him. "I can at least try. Maybe I'm not that talented, and they'll dismiss me out of hand"
A bitter smile appeared on his lips, and for a second, I saw the old warrior behind the baron's title.
"True" he said. "If my son isn't talented... I can't imagine what else would be serious"
Those words made me swallow. It wasn't arrogance. It was just his way of reminding me of how much he trusted me - and, at the same time, of the weight that put on my shoulders.
"You've already aligned your body. There's no more conflict" he continued. "Now that your constitution is stable, we'll start fencing tomorrow"
"All right" I replied, standing up with a nod.
As I left the room, I heard the sound of the floorboards under my boots. The soft echoes accompanied me as if they were reflecting my own thoughts.