As the day’s training ended, Zephyrion headed straight to his mansion.
By then, Lumi and Tobias hadn’t returned from training, leaving him alone in the room.
Zephyrion sat on his bed. He brought out the elixir Garrick had given him and studied it silently.
’Odd.’
He hadn’t attended any evaluations in the past, but he was certain the house wouldn’t hand out rewards for sothing like that, especially not sothing as valuable as an elixir.
’It should be safe.’
Since it had co from Garrick, Zephyrion trusted its source. Even so, he uncorked it and gave it a brief sniff.
’Nothing unusual.’
A mont later, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Aside from the absence of poison, he could tell it was a mind cognition elixir. More than that, its potency was even higher than the last one he’d used.
’It’s mid grade.’
If the low-grade elixir had cleared the fog to that extent, he couldn’t help but anticipate what a mid-grade one would do.
’Focus.’
Zephyrion exhaled slowly, steadying himself. He removed the relic binding his wrists, then let his gaze rest on the door for a mont.
The last thing he wanted was to be disturbed midway through the process.
’Let’s see.’
With a thought, tal slid into place, sealing both the door and the window. Once he was done, he settled back on his bed and uncorked the vial.
He drew in a slow breath, calming his mind, then drank it in a single gulp.
A familiar warmth spread through his body, and a mont later, the pressure surged toward his mind.
The world dulled into a muted silence. His senses sharpened, his awareness stretching further than it ever had before.
Appearing in his mindscape, Zephyrion gathered every shred of the elixir’s energy. It coalesced into a massive dark sphere that pulsed faintly, far larger than the last one.
’Now.’
With focus, the energy surged forward, compressing into a concentrated beam. It slamd into the fog, and Zephyrion imdiately saw the effect it had on it.
He suppressed his thrill and focused, ignoring all distractions.
...
Several hours passed before Zephyrion finally opened his eyes. A faint glint flickered across his gaze.
He exhaled deeply as different sensations washed over him at once, the dizziness, the disorientation... the fatigue.
’It’s better.’
Though the elixir was stronger than the last one, the aftereffects were noticeably milder. Zephyrion turned the thought over in his mind for a mont.
’Less impurities.’
Higher-ranked elixirs ant stronger effects, but also fewer impurities compared to lower-ranked ones.
Hmm...
He couldn’t help but briefly wonder what a high-ranked elixir would feel like.
Zephyrion exhaled again, pushing the thought aside and clearing his mind.
’Let’s see...’
He entered his mindspace once more and focused on the fog. A mont later, a faint smile ford on his lips.
’More than half.’
Even with the relic’s help, it would have taken him about four months. Now, he could clear the fourth mark in just over a month.
’This is good.’
It usually took geniuses six months to a year just to comprehend a single mark. Being able to rank up in rely a month was insane.
He withdrew from his mindspace, then beca aware of the dampness around his body. His gaze lowered. A wet patch had spread across the bed beneath him, soaked through with sweat.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The dampness had suddenly reminded him of soone.
Lumi.
’Where...?’
As his gaze landed on the tal sealing the door, he suddenly rembered.
’She would have gone to her room, right?’
He withdrew the tal and stepped out, only to pause with a slight frown.
Lumi lay before the door, breathing softly. She had tucked her hands beneath her cheek as a pillow, squishing her cheeks slightly and pushing her lips forward.
So she hadn’t gone to her room... she had chosen to sleep outside instead.
With where she had positioned herself, it was obvious she hadn’t wanted to miss him in case he ca out.
Zephyrion shook his head.
"Lumi."
Silence.
"Lumi."
This ti, he nudged her lightly. Nothing. His brows furrowed, and he nudged her again, a bit firr.
"Wake up."
But Lumi only stirred and turned to the other side, as though brushing him off in her sleep.
Zephyrion let out a low scoff.
"If you don’t wake up, you’re sleeping here."
He stepped back and shut the door. A mont of silence passed... then he opened it again.
Exhaling, he bent down and lifted her.
She instinctively curled into his arms, letting out a faint, content sound. As he laid her gently on the bed, Zephyrion lingered for a mont, feeling sothing stirred in his chest.
He frowned.
’She’s just a—’
He shook his head, cutting the thought off. At this point, even thinking about it was becoming botherso.
Choosing to ignore it, he turned and entered the shower to freshen up.
...
As soon as dawn ca, Zephyrion left his mansion, heading toward the iron training ground.
The mont he descended the stony stairs, he frowned at the sight of trainees gathered outside.
"Hey... do you think he’s dead?"
"No way... right? He’s not even moving."
"...he kinda looks holess."
"Shut up! What if he hears you?"
"Oh please, look at him. I could scream right now and nothing would happen."
"...don’t. You know what Instructor Garrick’s like. I’m not surviving another increase."
"...so what, we just leave him there?"
"...you wake him up."
"? Are you mad?"
"...then what do we do?"
The trainees glanced at one another, coughing awkwardly.
"...wait—"
"Oh, the young lord’s here."
"...thank the Iron Father."
As Zephyrion approached, the trainees quickly parted to make way for him. Soon, he found himself standing before the source of their discussion.
Garrick was sprawled right in front of the entrance, deep, rumbling snores escaping him. His robe was tattered and stained, and a heavy stench of alcohol clung to him.
Zephyrion’s frown deepened. What the hell was he doing?
Without hesitation, he kicked him.
Gasps rippled through the trainees.
"He—he kicked him?!"
"We’re finished."
"I’m not staying here, I’m leaving—"
Zephyrion paid them no mind and kicked him again.
This ti, Garrick stirred. His eyes blinked open sluggishly as he pushed himself up, letting out a long yawn.
"Ugh... what’s going on... where am I?"
"You’re at the training ground entrance."
"Hm?"
Garrick turned his head, noticing the gate behind him. He glanced down at himself seated on the ground, then lifted his gaze to Zephyrion, who stood there calmly, with the other trainees keeping their distance.
"...ah"
He let out a low chuckle, then pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he steadied his balance.
"Alright, that’s enough. Gather up."
He shalessly brushed past the situation and called out. As the trainees gathered, he gave a small nod.
"I’m sure you’re all wondering why I was asleep here. I got so good news yesterday... ended up celebrating a bit too much and knocked myself out. So yeah, rejoice. You’re all going on a mission."
"What? A mission?"
"Us? How?"
"Isn’t it too soon?"
Whispers rippled through the trainees as they exchanged confused glances.
’A mission...’
Missions were usually reserved for the knights of the Knight Line, ranging from killing beasts to protect settlents, to escorting important figures.
Regardless, none of them had even attended the military academy yet, they were still far from being sent out on missions.
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