A cold wind moves through the quiet courtyard as Ikshita steps forward, her footsteps steady and firm. Before her stands a man cloaked in a dark hood, his figure hidden from head to toe.
"You are here, Ikshita."
His voice is calm, yet carries authority.
"Yes, Uncle," Ikshita replies without hesitation. "I came as you asked."Her eyes remain fixed on him."Now… as you promised, teach me magic."
Her tone is serious, unwavering.
The man steps forward slowly. With a small chuckle, he removes the hood covering his face."My, my… always so serious with your uncle."A faint smile appears on his lips."Are you angry that I called you here for two years… away from everything?"
Ikshita answers immediately."No."But the slight tension in her expression betrays her true feelings.
"Then calm down," the man says lightly. "Magic is not something you can learn overnight."He folds his arms."For someone who already uses Sei… it is even more difficult.""It will take time."
The man standing before her is none other than Phillip—the Chief Royal Mage of Baitali, the only Seventh-Class Mage, and the Vice Master of the Blue Magic Tower.
He studies Ikshita for a moment."Since my dear niece is in such a hurry…"He gestures for her to follow.
"Come."
They enter his private chamber, Phillip turns to her."Tell me," he says, "what do you know about magic?"
Ikshita answers without delay."Magic is used through Res, just like Sei is used through internal energy.""A person must first sense Res in order to use magic. After that, it can be stored within the heart.""Once stored, magic can be cast using formulas, chanting for stronger output, or through runes."
Phillip nods slightly.
"Correct."He begins walking slowly as he speaks."Yes… magic is used after storing Res within the body. Spells can be cast directly or enhanced through chanting."
He pauses, then looks at her more seriously."But what you said is only the surface."He raises his hand slightly."Res and Sei are not truly different.""They both originate from the same source."
Ikshita listens carefully.
"Nature energy," Phillip continues. "The source of all life.""It has two aspects—Res and Sei.""They come from the same origin… yet behave differently."He picks up a small glass vial from the table."Think of it like milk.""From the same milk, you can create curd… or cheese.""They come from the same source, yet their forms and uses are completely different."
He sets the vial down.
"Sei is a refined form of nature energy.""It is heavily processed and condensed, stored in the dantian—your navel.""It is powerful… but rigid.""That is why it cannot be used freely like magic.""Until higher levels, one must rely on weapons to channel Sei."
Ikshita nods slowly.
Phillip continues.
"Res, on the other hand, is the purest form of nature energy.""Some call it life energy.""That is why it is stored in the heart.""It requires very little refinement.""With minimal effort, it can be drawn into the body and used."
He raises his hand slightly, and faint particles of light gather in the air."Res allows you to interact with external nature energy."""To cast magic without needing a weapon."
The light fades.
"That is the difference."He looks directly at Ikshita."Because Res is so pure… very few can sense it."
"Just like very few can properly control Sei." sensing sei is easy.
He pauses.
"Those who can sense one… can usually sense the other.""But choosing to master both…""…means walking a far more difficult path."
Ikshita's expression remains firm, but she listens closely.
"Handling both Res and Sei requires double the effort.""Twice the training.""And often…""No result."He walks closer to her."That is why, despite being a family of mages—your mother, your grandfather, and myself…""We never forced you to learn magic."
Phillip's gaze sharpens.
"Learning magic will slow your growth as a knight.""Yes, in the short term, it will make you stronger.""But if you try to advance both paths at the same time…""You will eventually hit a wall."
Phillip looks at her carefully."Do you understand now?"The path Ikshita has chosen is not impossible—But it is far from easy.
"I know it's hard," Ikshita says, her voice steady and filled with determination, "but I still want to do it."
Phillip watches her for a moment, then a faint smile forms on his face."As expected… from my niece."He turns and gestures toward the ground, where a complex formation is already drawn, its lines faintly glowing.
"Then let's begin your training."He points at the center."Sit there. Cross-legged.""This formation will draw Res from the surroundings."
Ikshita walks forward without hesitation and sits in the center, her posture straight, her eyes focused.
Phillip moves behind her and takes out four small crystals, placing one at each corner of the formation.
Verdanite.
These rare crystals are pure condensed forms of Res, formed in places where nature energy gathers in extreme density. Mages use them to amplify spells or as a direct source of Res, allowing them to bypass the need for refining natural energy during casting.
As soon as Phillip places them, a faint glow spreads through the formation.The air around them changes.Res begins to gather.Phillip sits behind Ikshita and places his hand gently on her back.
"Focus," he says calmly.The Res from the Verdanite begins to flow.Phillip channels it carefully into Ikshita's body."Do not lose concentration," he instructs. "Sense the Res entering your body."
Ikshita closes her eyes.She feels it.A strange, gentle energy moving through her veins.
"Guide it,"toward your heart."
Ikshita follows his instructions, slowly directing the flow of Res inward.
"Now form a circle," Phillip says.
Ikshita's brows tighten slightly.
"Uncle… I can't. The Res is just filling my heart. I can't shape it."
"Control it,and Shape it into a circle."
Ikshita tries again.She gathers the energy, attempting to compress it, to give it form.But it refuses to obey.The Res begins to move wildly inside her.Her control slips.A sudden pressure builds within her chest.
Blood trickles from her nose.Then from her ears.Her body trembles.
Phillip's expression changes instantly."He immediately cuts off the flow of Res and removes the Verdanite from the formation.The energy in the room settles.
Ikshita collapses forward, unconscious.Phillip quickly moves, catching her before she hits the ground.He rushes to a nearby table and grabs a small blue potion. he pours it into her mouth.The bleeding stops almost instantly.Her breathing stabilizes.
Phillip lets out a deep breath.He looks down at her unconscious form."It's a relief… nothing serious happened."There is a hint of concern in his eyes."Child… why are you pushing yourself like this?"He lifts her gently and places her on the bed.
Then, with a quiet sigh, he turns and leaves the room.
Ashora sits cross-legged in his chamber, his breathing slow and steady as he meditates. The room is silent, lit only by the faint glow of evening light filtering through the window. After a long moment, he opens his eyes and exhales.
Another failure.
"How am I supposed to reach Stage Two…" he mutters under his breath.
He leans back slightly, frustration creeping into his thoughts.
"This isn't like Sei… something I can sense and train directly."
His mind drifts back to his grandfather's words.
To reach the next stage, one must gain control over the deeper layers of emotion—desire, pleasure, freedom, attachment. Not suppress them, but understand them… transcend them.
Ashora frowns."But I already have control over those…"
He closes his eyes again, thinking deeply.
What am I missing?
There is something he cannot grasp.
He straightens his posture again."Grandfather said… I'll feel a tingling in my sacrum when I get close."Ashora closes his eyes once more and returns to meditation, chasing something he cannot yet define.
Days turn into weeks.Weeks into months.
Ashora, Leona, and Ikshita each walk their own path, training relentlessly in silence, pushing themselves toward their goals.
Each of them carries a dream.Each of them fights for it.And slowly
Twenty-three months pass.
Ashora stands in the training ground, a sword resting loosely in his hand. His breathing is heavy, his expression tired.
"Father's condition is too harsh…"
He lets out a long sigh.
"There's only one month left… and I'm nowhere close."
His grip on the sword loosens.
"And Sister…"
He looks toward the distant palace wing."She hasn't stepped out of her room for twenty-three months.""She even missed her twentieth birthday."
A faint worry crosses his face.
"And Ikshita…""I don't even know how she's doing."He remembers asking Osborne and Helen about her.They refused.Or rather,Ikshita refused to let them say anything.
Ashora sighs again and places his sword back onto the rack.
"This time… I'll do it."
He turns and begins walking out of the training ground.But the moment he steps outside.
A brilliant orange light suddenly shoots into the sky.
Rumble.
Rumble.
Ashora stops.
His eyes widen slightly as he looks toward the source.
The light is coming from Leona's chamber.
"…She did it."
A faint smile appears on his face.
"So Sister reached Stage Two before me…"
Without hesitation, he runs toward the palace wing.
When Ashora arrives, Amitrochates and Androcottus are already standing outside the chamber.
The door opens.
Inside,
Leona floats in mid-air.
Her body is surrounded by a sphere of flowing water, shimmering like a protective cocoon. From her, a pillar of orange light rises into the sky.Behind her, a radiant six-petaled lotus begins to form.
One petal unfolds.Then another.Each petal blooms slowly, like a lotus rising from still water.
Ashora watches in silence.
"…I really need to reach Stage Two," he thinks.
"…or I'm in trouble."
As the final petal blooms,
A streak of red lightning descends from the sky.It strikes the sphere around Leona.The energy spreads across the water like a ring, encircling her completely.
The chamber trembles slightly.
Then,everything begins to calm.The lotus fades.The water sphere dissolves into nothing.The light disappears.Leona slowly descends back to the ground.
She opens her eyes.
"Father… Grandfather… Ashora…"
She looks at her hands, feeling the change within her.Something is different.
Deeper.
Stronger.
She places a hand near her lower back, sensing the subtle tingling in her sacrum.A smile spreads across her face.
"I did it.""I reached Stage Two."
Ashora steps forward, smiling."Congratulations, Sis."
Leona looks at him with a playful glint in her eyes."Oh? Looks like I won the bet."
Amitrochates laughs softly, pride evident on his face.
His daughter has reached a new height.But then he glances at Ashora."Well, Ashora…""You have one month left.""Or you fail my condition."
There is a teasing tone in his voice.
Leona joins in."Yeah, little brother.""Reach Stage Two… or I'll leave you behind.""Then you'll be all alone."
Androcottus raises his voice.
"Enough."
Both fall silent immediately."Leona," he says calmly, "stabilize your power first."
"Stop teasing."
Leona nods."Yes, Grandfather."
Ashora turns to leave.He pauses for a moment."See you in one month, Sis."
He smiles."And I promise… I'll reach Stage Two by then."With that, he walks away.
There is no jealousy in his heart.
Only determination.
A fire burns quietly within him now—
Stronger than before.
He will reach Stage Two.
No matter what it takes.