Torvald's face brightened. These kids were really something. The boy had the rarest mana core ever known to man. A core even the higher ups would find difficult to decipher.
The girl, a potential dual elemental mage having strong connection to the spirit. Since her family was known for producing the best wind mages, there was a probability she'd unlock the wind element.
Fortunately, she already had an affinity for the earth element– spirit manipulation.
Torvald chuckled slightly.
"Indeed Nico. You have a mana core, although you may not know."
Nico was surprised. He placed his hand on his stomach. That explained why he was able to maintain stamina while running in the forest.
But his mother had told him otherwise. Was it all a lie?
"Neryssa. Do you know anything about mana regulation?" Torvald asked but the girl shook her head.
"Nobody in my house knows I have an awakened core."
It was just as Torvald had suspected.
He began to swing his sword. Left. Right. Swing. Swing.
At first, Nico could see him but soon enough, Torvald's speed increased. Even without adding mana, Torvald was already this incredible?
Nico could barely see him move. Then Torvald stopped. The abrupt pause caused a part of the mountain to chip off.
"Whatever you saw, is what you would practice. If you don't hone it to my taste, I won't teach you the ones you missed."
Torvald dropped his wooden sword. He narrowed his gaze to Neryssa and let out a defeated sigh.
"There's actually one way to go back to your parents." He said, grabbing everyone's attention.
__
Neryssa couldn't tell where Torvald was taking her. From her discernment, she could tell they were no longer in the forest vicinity.
They walked quietly down the narrow path. On either side were tall bushes. Nico was left behind to practice what he'd seen from Torvald.
They took a corner and just ahead was a wooden cabin. A small one.
An old woman, wearing a white sleeveless shirt and grey trousers, was striking a log of wood with an axe. She was muscular. The only thing that could give her old age away was her facial wrinkles and grey hair.
The woman turned as soon as she noticed them. A look of disgust suddenly enveloped the woman's face. Neryssa could tell they weren't welcome.
"Ylva!" Torvald called but she scoffed and rolled her eyes.
Without sparing them another glance, she struck the wood with brute force and it tore in half.
She took them in but she seemed wary of Torvald's presence. As soon as they both sat down on the wooden chair, Ylva walked to her kitchen.
She returned shortly with three cups and a kettle.
"We're not staying for long." Torvald waved with a big smile on his face.
Neryssa watched on. Were they pretending to hate themselves or was it the other way around? She hates Torvald, yet brings him tea?
"Is she royalty?" Ylva was quick to catch on.
Torvald nodded slightly.
"Now I don't even want to know the details. I know you're here for something… spill it." The woman said and sat down opposite them.
"I can't return her back to her parents because of circumstances. So we have come to seek your help." Torvald began leaning forward.
Ylva was a deviant mage and a seer. Because of her proficiency in this field, she could aid communication with people from far.
"Can I speak to you, Tor?" She said and stood up. Her voice was flat.
Torvald got up and followed her to the kitchen.
"You abandoned me for over seven years and now you return to my home with royalty to seek my help?" Her voice was low– as low as she tried to keep it.
"You chose to stay behind. What could I have done?" Torvald defended.
Ylva smacked the table the moment he said that.
"I fucking told you all what would happen if you went but you all chose to be stubborn headed." She said, her words piercing Torvald's old heart.
The last expedition they'd have gone together. The one that cost Torvald his team and his relationship with Ylva. They were supposed to get married.
The plan was simple– once they finished the raid, they'd retire and get married but that particular raid, Ylva had a vision.
A complete massacre.
She warned the team but they shrugged it off. She secretly warned Torvald about the impending doom but he begged her not to let her delusion ruin their final raid.
In the end, she opted out and her visions came to pass.
"Are you helping the girl or not?" Torvald's gaze was no longer facing Ylva.
Without saying a word to him, she walked back to meet Neryssa who seemed to be curious.
"Do you want to go home, little one?" Ylva asked as she proceeded to sit down. Torvald emerged from the kitchen and walked to sit beside Neryssa.
The question had a really simple answer but Neryssa pondered over it cautiously. If she went back home and informed her father of her awakened mana core, he would get her a teacher and that would keep her in isolation.
She was already starting to like it here. With Nico.
Not like she would ever get the chance to make friends outside or even inside the palace.
"No." She said, catching the attention of the adults.
"Pardon? You could have told me before we got here." Torvald said and relaxed back. He slowly moved his gaze to the window adjacent to him.
"I only wanted to let them know I'm safe and not to worry about me. I will come home when it's time for the celebration of unity." Neryssa said, finality evident in her tone.
Ylva was taken aback by her decision. Originally, princesses would jump at the opportunity to go back home and continue to live the lavish life. But Neryssa was a different breed.
Ylva smiled,
"I will help you." she said.
She looked at Torvald who didn't seem to be interested in their conversation anymore. She stretched out both arms towards Neryssa.
"Hold my hands." She said and Neryssa obeyed.
A strange green aura enveloped Ylva's palms and slowly it began to engulf Neryssa's palm too. It began to make a worbling sound.
A big orb was slowly formed above their hands and it began to whirl.
"Speak, child."