7 Months have passed.
Dex sat under a big tree behind the house, eyes half closed, his breath steady like someone sleeping.
In his hand, a dry piece of grass that he chewed slowly.
The sun was already high, almost noon, but he hadn't moved from his spot since morning.
"DEX!"
That loud voice made Dex open one eye.
A middle-aged woman walked quickly toward him, hands on her waist, face full of annoyance.
"You're still here? Didn't I tell you to help your uncle in the warehouse since this morning?"
Dex closed his eyes again. "Too hot, Aunt Mera, Later in the afternoon"
"Later in the afternoon?!" The woman, Aunt Mera, sighed long while shaking her head. "Lazy boy! You've been living here for three months, but all you do is eat, sleep, and whatever you're doing every night!"
Dex opened his eyes, staring at the sky. "I train"
"Train?" Aunt Mera folded her arms across her chest. "Train what? Sleeping? You're young, Dex, You should be full of energy, not like an old man who's exhausted"
Aunt Mera sat beside him, looking at the same sky.
"Your mother was my sister" she said softly. "I know what it feels like to lose someone, But Dex, life must go on"
Dex slowly opened his eyes, watching the clouds move slowly.
"I know" he replied quietly. "That's why I'm still here"
Aunt Mera smiled faintly, then patted his shoulder. "Alright then, Help your uncle later, Don't make him angry again like yesterday"
She stood up and walked back to the house, leaving Dex alone under the tree.
Dex looked at his hands, now much stronger than seven months ago.
But he never told anyone about his nightly training.
No one knew that every night, after everyone went to sleep, he went to the small forest behind the house and trained until his body nearly collapsed.
No one knew that his laziness during the day was because he hardly slept every night.
Dex stood and walked toward the warehouse to help his uncle.
---
That night, as usual, Dex slipped out after everyone was asleep.
He walked to the small forest behind the house, a quiet, dark place lit only by moonlight.
Dex stood in the middle of a small clearing he had cleaned himself.
He raised his right hand, and the card The Wind appeared, floating with a soft blue light.
Nothing spectacular,
Only the wind that slowly swirled around him.
But this time, his control was much better than seven months ago.
Dex imagined the wind flowing, gentle but directed.
A breeze began to appear, swirling around his hand, forming a small, stable vortex.
He closed his eyes, feeling every vibration, every movement of the wind.
Then he opened them, and pushed his hand forward.
The wind vortex shot forward, striking the tree in front of him hard.
WUSH!
Leaves scattered, the tree trunk trembled.
Dex took a deep breath, This time his stamina had increased greatly, even if Dex fought nonstop for 5 full hours, he would still be strong.
He kept training, making wind vortexes, pushing, pulling, controlling the direction, until the sun began to rise and his body could barely move anymore.
Only then did he return home and sleep like someone who had done nothing all night.
That morning, Dex woke up with his whole body sore.
He went down to the dining room lazily, scratching his messy hair.
At the dining table, Aunt Mera had already prepared breakfast, Across from her sat a middle-aged man with a thick beard, Uncle Rold, Aunt Mera's husband and a timber merchant in Lumiran.
"Morning" Dex mumbled as he sat down and immediately grabbed some bread.
Uncle Rold looked at him while chewing. "You look like you just fought all night"
Uncle Rold raised an eyebrow. "With those dark circles? Did you sleep or fight ghosts?"
Aunt Mera patted her husband's arm. "Enough, don't tease him, Dex, eat well, Someone wants to meet you later"
Dex turned. "Who?"
"An old friend of your father's and mine" Aunt Mera replied with a smile. "His name is Instructor Varn, He's from Aetherion Academy"
Dex stopped chewing.
"Aetherion Academy?" he repeated softly.
Uncle Rold nodded. "The best academy in the world, Where the strongest card users are trained, Varn was your mother's friend when they were young, before she married your father and moved to Taren village"
Aunt Mera continued. "He heard about what happened in Taren, And he heard you're living here now, So he wants to meet you"
Dex stared at his bread for a long time, then continued eating without saying anything.
To Dex, it just sounded like a tiring place.
That afternoon, a tall, broad man came to the house.
His face was stern, a long scar running across his forehead, Short black hair, eyes sharp like an eagle.
He wore a black uniform with a wing-shaped emblem on his chest.
Instructor Varn.
Dex sat in the living room, staring at the man with sleepy eyes, He still yawned occasionally, like he had just woken up — which was true.
Varn sat across from him, staring for a long time without saying anything.
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Varn spoke.
"You look like your father" he said softly. "Especially the eyes, the eyes that always underestimate everything"
Dex didn't answer, He only scratched his messy head.
Varn leaned back in his chair. "I heard what happened in Taren, My condolences"
Dex looked at him briefly, then nodded slightly. "Thank you"
Varn sighed. "I didn't come here just to offer sympathy, Dex, I came because I owe your father"
He looked at Dex seriously. "Long ago, when we were young, your father saved my life, And now that he's gone, at least I want to do something for his son"
Dex didn't even know how his father, who only had a Rank F card, could have saved his life.
"What rank is your card?" Varn asked directly.
Dex paused for a moment. "B"
Varn raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised. "B? That's good, Very good, even better than I imagined"
He leaned back again, watching Dex with a judging look. "But a strong card isn't enough, Without proper training, without deep understanding, a Rank B card can lose to a Rank D card used correctly"
Dex yawned again. "I know"
Varn fell silent, slightly surprised by the casual answer.
"Then why don't you seek training?" he asked.
Dex scratched his cheek. "Troublesome"
Varn stared at him in disbelief. "Troublesome?"
"Yeah" Dex answered, leaning back in his chair.
"Finding a teacher, paying for training, joining daily practice, it all sounds exhausting"
Varn was silent for a while, then suddenly laughed, a low but genuine laugh.
"Hahaha, you really are like your father"
he said while shaking his head.
"He always said the same thing, 'Why bother if you can relax?'"
He looked at Dex with a faint smile. "But you know? Behind that laziness, your father was one of the toughest men I've ever known, He was the one who proved to me that rank isn't everything, Not because his card was strong — his card was only Rank F — But because he knew when to move, and how to move efficiently"
Dex stared silently, a bit curious.
Varn stood up, walking to the window while looking outside.
"Aetherion Academy is holding its entrance test in two weeks" he said without turning.
"I can give you a recommendation letter, But that doesn't mean you're automatically accepted, you still have to pass the test like everyone else"
He turned to Dex. "The test is tough, Out of hundreds of thousands of participants, only 50 are accepted each year from each kingdom in this world"
Varn stopped at the doorway, glancing back. "But if you think it's too troublesome, then fine, Keep being a lazy man in this small town, I won't force you"
He looked at Dex seriously. "Your father once told me. 'hahaha, Varn, being lazy doesn't mean giving up, It means you believe you can, and you choose the easiest way to reach the best result.'"
Varn smiled. "Think carefully, Dex, The entrance test is in two weeks in the capital. If you come, I'll be waiting for you at the academy gate, The recommendation letter has been given to your aunt"
Then he left, leaving Dex alone in the living room.
Dex stared at the ceiling, yawning softly.
"Academy, huh" he muttered quietly.
"Well, maybe I'll give it a try" he murmured softly. "If I don't pass, then fine, If I do, Aunt Mera and Uncle Rold will probably be happy too"