Chapter 10

Book1 - Chapter 10: The journey starts

In a spacious room where a round table stood in the center surrounded by four people, each seating on a chair. Three of them were still young, the one with the most domineering presence was the girl wearing a red dress decorated with black straps in the shape of tribal whirled flames.

Besides her Leylin sat on the left, and George sat on the right, they only did so because it was a direct order, one whose meaning they couldn't comprehend, at least, not yet.

In front of the trio, seated across from Catherine, was an unknown person in a hooded cloak, his facial features hidden in the shadows of the hood designed to sharpen at its tip, making it even more difficult to distinguish who was quietly under the fabric.

"Guardian, commence the test for the both of them, don't worry about speaking, I'll explain everything in your place."

Guardian nodded and stood up, he walked to the back of the room where wooden boxes full of unknown things were being kept. After a moment, Guardian came back with two bowls filled with a strange silver liquid and a crystal ball which he kept at the center of the table.

"Look inside, and tell me what you see." Said Catherine.

Leylin eyes focused on the bowl and for a moment he felt like he was sucked inside a vortex. In it, he couldn't see anything but white, a vast expanse of whiteness, everywhere and anywhere, not even his hands were visible in this vision, only that color.

When he left the trance, he turned to her and said. "All I saw was... white."

"Just that?"

Leylin nodded and Guardian wrote that down on a piece of parchment.

"Now touch this crystal ball with both hands, hold on to it for as long as you can."

He nodded and did as commanded.

It had a cold surface for sure, not like ice cubes, but very close.

In the beginning, he felt only the temperature, but later, he felt like electric currents were coursing through his arm into his whole body.

It was a pain different from any other he had felt before. Almost like thorns were piercing every corner of his body.

Even so, he didn't let go, he clenched his fists, and bit his lips making blood drip down. It was torture but he endured it, he would go as far as his body allowed.

When the veins in his arms started to get visible, Catherine smiled as she eyed him, her eyes containing some form of... happiness, as if her toy was much better than she had thought.

"Hm, you can let go already."

Her words brought Leylin back to himself and he instantly let go, his hands were trembling even now.

"Now, what do you see George?"

* * *

"Okay, keep this with you," Catherine gave Leylin and George - who were now wearing high-quality silver plate armor - bamboo slips. There was one for each of them. "We will be leaving to the enlistment camp to the Northwest, there we will decide the academy we will be going to. Together we shall decide what academy has the most benefit to us. In order to achieve my goals, we can not in any way allow ourselves to end up in one of those trash academies ruled by level 1 magus like the Emperor's Brother."

"The Emperor's Brother? Why don't you just call him uncle?" Leylin asked curiously as he hopped onto his horse and prepared himself to join the escort formation of 7 grand knights and 10 level-3 acolytes under Catherine.

"Because he is a fucking moron, that's why! Besides, he might be my uncle, but he never acted like such. The only reason we have so much support in our travel is because of my mother's side of the family, she isn't from this dammed island."

Leylin rolled his eyes and sat on the saddle. In the few weeks he spent with Catherine in this castle he got to know her better, she was cold and yet gentle in her own way, she despises betrayals and has some sort of obsession regarding her family, it's almost as if the only person who shares her blood and that deserves her empathy is her mother, of whom they knew nothing, as she wasn't a known figure and Catherine refused to say a word about her. Well, at least until that point.

"Don't worry my lady, no matter what, I'll help you achieve your goals, even if I have to climb a mountain of blades or cross a sea of swords!" George bowed down slightly as he held Catherine's hand and gave a short kiss. His eyes always focused on hers.

If it had been any other girl, they would have blushed and started boiling with passion, but Catherine smirked and with a simple smile she answered. "But of course, if you two couldn't help me, I wouldn't have wasted my time to patronage you. I do hope that you'll remember the reason why your journey to becoming a magus is smooth like my clothes. The fifty magic crystals I gave to each of you will be essential in our first year across the sea."

"Eh... of course... my lady." George had a bitter smile as he bowed once more and climbed his horse.

Catherine wasn't like the two, she wasn't joking when she said that they were her guards, they had to ride the horses with the grand knights, while she and the acolytes were given a free ride in the three carriages being pulled by the Water Teeth, a lizard-like monster about two meters tall with unrivaled strength and a skin tougher than iron.

"Haha! So that's the extent of your charms huh?" Leylin couldn't help but crack a joke, ever since the two had arrived, George had been entertaining the idea of wooing the princess, she was, of course, a beauty unlike any other, but there were other enticing benefits in getting on that side of hers, as besides the resources, she appears to have a background more complex than just being the emperor's daughter.

"Tsk! One day, my friend, Catherine won't be able to resist the calling of love." He gave a confident smile and the two separated, in this journey, they were assigned the position closest to Catherine's carriage, if anything managed to go through the grand knights, it would be their job to stall for time or kill the enemy.