Bitter Realisation

In a luxurious room, Grey recalled the knowledge he had accumulated over the past 10 days. Each day, he delved deeper into the use of 'Ice Essence'. While manifesting a single beginner spell took him minutes, he was aware that children younger than him could summon these spells in mere seconds without any incantation.

During his free time, Lor often shared stories and insights about mages and swordsmen. Grey had come to understand much from these conversations, such as the ranking of mages from 1 to 11, with the special mage corps consisting of 8th-rank mages and guardian mages of each nation holding the 10th rank. The heads of each nation's academy were typically 7th-rank mages, excluding Sun, who was distinguished as a 10th-rank magician. At his current level, Grey's mastery of mana was equivalent to that of a 2nd-rank mage.

Swordsmanship also had its hierarchy, categorized as Beginner, Intermediate, and Master, with the latter divided into three stages: beginner-master, intermediate-master, and peak-master. Above them stood the Grandmasters, who followed the same progression as the masters. The epitome of swordsmanship was reserved for those known as Transcendents.

Were he to be assessed among swordsmen, Grey would be considered a beginner-grandmaster, a fact that surprised him.

He had also learned about the royal families, such as the 'Elandorin' of Veradale, 'Frostbourne' of Avalon, 'Sylvangale' of Corvalon, and 'Aquilora' of Marisca.

From Lor, Grey discovered a shocking truth: the 'Varian' family was one of the two great noble families.

To enroll in the academy, one would need to be at least a 3rd-rank mage or a beginner-master in swordsmanship. However, given Grey's proficiency in both sword and magic, Lor had suggested he enroll as a magic-swordsman. This rare combination afforded many privileges not available to mere mages or swordsmen.

As a magic-swordsman himself, Lor was a peak-master swordsman and a 6th-rank magician. The maids had confided in Grey that Lor was considered a prodigy, the strongest among his peers.

Yet, the thrill of discovery and adventure that once fueled Grey's journey to Vael had dimmed. A few days ago, he realized his emotions had become increasingly distant. The excitement that once drove him seemed unattainable, as if nothing in the world could spark it again.

Grey resolved to pay closer attention to his emotions. Ignoring them might lead to their complete loss, or perhaps to an unexpected resurgence. Uncertain of the outcome, he preferred caution over regret.

As he sank deeper into contemplation, the night's shadow enveloped the outside world, and the moon ascended, casting a serene glow through the window.