Adrian's POV
"Especially what?" I interjected sharply.
I can feel it in my bones that something is going on. I've seen the servants whispering in the hallways ever since I arrived here. Even my private tutors have been dodging my questions lately. All the suspense is so so troublesome...
"Please tell me," I pressed. "I'm tired of guessing. I'm tired of being left out."
"I cannot say much," Mr. Cohen pressed his lips and admitted. "But I can offer you a hint."
"Yes."
"What do you know about the continents?"
The answer spilled out of me before I could think. I had been reading and memorizing this for months. Six months of maps, names, and borders drilled into my head.
"There are five known continents. North first. Beyond the Antarctic Mountains lies Dwemeria. Southwards, past the Vatibian Ocean, is Argonia. It mainly has Swamps Jungles. Island chains.
I shifted in my seat, counting on my fingers, my hands moving as if the map were laid out before me.
"North-west is Eulovia mountains and temperate plains. Middle west is Sulovia.
I inhaled sharply.
"South-west is Orichia. The Monster Continent. The biggest one. And finally," I said, sitting up straighter despite myself, "Vatibia. This is where we live. And on the eastern edge of Vatibia is the Duchy of Vanga. My father is the Duke of Vanga."
"Phew." I let out a breath and looked at Mr. Cohen.
He wore the same unreadable expression. Calm. Watchful. As if nothing I said surprised him.
Something tugged at my memory.
"Oh. And—" I added quickly, "Humans live almost everywhere except Orichia. High Elves are mostly in Eulovia. Forest Elves live in Vatibia, Argonia, and parts of Dwemeria. Desert Elves are in Sulovia. Snow Elves live wherever there's snow… mostly Dwemeria and Eulovia. And Dwarves always live in Dwemeria."
Mr. Cohen nodded once. "Hmm, good but could be better."
Then he continued, and the room felt colder.
"But there are two more continents. One of them is known as the Dark Continents, it lies further West separated by Ocean of Abyss. They are home to the demons. The other one, lies even beyond Argonia, further south, a land of endless ice. Very little is known about it. We call it the Frozen Continent."
My breath caught.
Demons?
Weren't those just bedtime stories? Things meant to scare children into behaving?
"Demons?" I whispered. "Wait… there are seven continents?"
"Demons have been silent for one hundred and fifty years," Mr. Cohen said evenly. "Bound by treaty. But now they are stirring again, creating unrest within the Federation's borders."
My chest tightened.
"And my father?" I asked.
"He has gone to investigate."
"They'll be alright," I said, though the words sounded uncertain even to me.
"They are strong," Mr. Cohen replied. "Your father and uncle are at Grand Master level, whereas your brother is a First-Stage Adept. Unless the Sovereign intervene, there should be no trouble."
My thoughts spiraled. Images, fears, half-remembered lessons all collided in my mind. I stared at the chessboard, at the fallen king, at the pieces I hadn't still understood the value of.
Trying to steady myself, I asked quietly, "What's a Sovereign ?"
"The Next Level of Grand Masters are Sovereigns ," Mr. Cohen said. "The number of Sovereigns in Vatibia can be counted on one hand. Beyond that level lie the Ascendants. After the last Demon War, the Ascendants went into seclusion. They no longer appear in public. There is another level as well, which is considered Myth"
I swallowed. "Mr. Cohen… what's your level?"
"Me? I am a Master of the Knight Path," he replied calmly, "and a Grand Master in Magecraft. I am also a Master of Runes and the Healing Arts."
My eyes widened. "Wow. What's your affinity?"
"My primary elemental affinities are Aether, or Space, and Fire. My derivative affinities are Sound, Dimensions, Heat, Light, and Yang."
I swallowed.
"So… if I undergo the Awakening ritual," I asked slowly, "can I gain all five elemental affinities?"
"It's possible," Mr. Cohen replied. "But awakening multiple affinities matters far less than your mana capacity. If your body cannot handle sufficient mana, having many affinities is meaningless. That said, more affinities do provide more options."
As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips. He pinched his fingers together. A soft click echoed, and a small flame flickered to life, lighting the cigarette.
"As for derivative elements," he continued, exhaling slowly, "you awaken them once you reach the Novice stage. One becomes a Novice only after successfully creating a derivative element from their core affinity or affinities."
He tapped ash into a tray beside the board.
"For example, Fire can give rise to Heat or Light. From Water, one may even awaken Emotion. By combining two or three elements, it is possible to create compounds such as Lightning or Magnetism. There are countless such derivatives, each discovered or refined as one advances."
His tone grew more deliberate.
"To reach the rank of Grand Master, one must attune to a fundamental force—Yin or Yang. Some call them Shiva and Shakti. Others choose different fundamentals entirely: Gravity, Magnetism, even Nature itself."
He paused, as if weighing the implications.
"The path one chooses shapes everything that follows."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"To become a Supreme, however, one must create a compound element—a fusion of multiple elements or forces that is entirely unique to the individual."
He paused.
"As for how to go beyond that…" He shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know... Yet"
Then, as if dismissing the weight of everything he had just said, he waved a hand lightly.
"Anyway, we're digressing. Don't worry if you fail to awaken during the ceremony. We have artificial methods to implant a mana core into your body."
I stared down at the chessboard. Thoughts swarmed my mind, colliding and overlapping. I had a hundred questions I wanted to ask. A thousand, perhaps.
Before I could voice any of them, Mr. Cohen glanced toward the door.
"Anyway," he said casually, exhaling a thin stream of smoke, "it's time for lunch. I'm hungry as well. We can continue this conversation in the evening. I see your help has arrived."
His words pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts.
"Young Master," came a familiar voice.
I looked up to see my butler standing at the entrance to the study. "It's time for dinner."
Impatience surged through me. I had so much more to ask. Too much.
Mr. Cohen walked past me toward the butler, placed a hand on his shoulder, and whispered something I couldn't hear. Then he turned back to me, wearing that same unreadable expression.
"Well," he said lightly, "young master-to-be-awakened, we'll catch up later. I have a few errands to run."
And with that, he turned and left.
I clenched my fists.
Crap.
I never even got to ask what I wanted to ask in the first place.