‘What’s this sensation?’

I felt something soft on my face. Something was also wrapped around my body as if not to let me go.

“...”

I opened my eyes in silence and looked up.

“Morning.”

It was Arielle. She was gazing down at me with her big blue eyes. She tucked her beautiful silver hair behind her ear and gave me a good morning kiss.

“Good morning..." i stretched my arms. "My body is all stiff.”

“Maybe it was because you were asleep for two days. We were worried something was wrong.”

Arielle helped me sit up straight.

She was wearing the same nightie she wore on the night she confessed.

“Thankfully, it was just mana exhaustion.”

“I didn’t feel that tired when we arrived.”

It might have been Undine that was sharing her vitality with me to keep me standing on my feet. I battled against a dragon and a vampire lord. It isn’t that strange that I slept for two days.

Arielle then kicked me out of the room so she could get dressed.

I walked through the halls of the Elca Royal Castle.

Unlike us humans, they combined nature and their own construction together. There was even multiple trees inside the castle. But that didn’t make the castle any less majestic.

Everywhere I looked, it was white all around. The floors, the walls and the furniture.

Since I wanted some alone time, I summoned wind and used it to propel myself into the air. I landed on top of a rooftop as I looked up at the World Tree.

It was often described in books as the tree of life. Just looking at it made me feel much less insignificant than I already was.

I overlooked the Elca Kingdom. The sun was in the process of rising in the distance. The weather had been getting cold so there was a bit of mist covering the kingdom.

I noticed something strange about my core. I couldn’t put my finger on it but somehow... my mana core seemed denser than before.

“Undine.”

–Yes, master?

Undine replied inside my mind but didn’t manifest. They could detect her if she did.

“Can you quickly check my core? It seems to be different from before.”

The last time I had it checked was at the levelling stage that the academy had for all mages. It was something they often make students do whenever they pass a year.

My core was still at the beginning of the 5th mana grade stage back then. As your mana goes from black to white, it didn’t really mean that it makes you stronger.

That just meant that your body can absorb more mana from the atmosphere. Your veins also grow much more stronger to support all that mana entering your body. So in the end you become stronger not from your core changing but your own growth.

–Hm... you seem to be on the brink of unlocking 6th grade, master. You are at the bridge between the 5th and 6th grade mana stage.

Undine’s voice flowed into my mind.

“Huh? Already?”

–It must’ve been due to using your mana consecutively during battle. Master has never fought much in the past but you’ve gone up against many foes.

It was true that we ran into a lot of trouble in the Habsburg kingdom and on the road. That Lesser Dragon and Brynhildr wasn’t the only problem we had. We had to constantly be aware of any monsters creeping in the night or bandits hoping to get the jump on us.

“So that means it’s not long before I’m at 6th stage.”

I wondered how many times I could activated Lightborn and for how long.

“[Lightborn].”

The entire world turned grey as a time phenomenon soon engulfed it. I sat and looked at the grey and dull colour of the world. The birds nearby were unmoving in mid-air.

“The world of Lightborn. It’s still amazing no matter how many times I see.”

My voice sounded cold and emotionless in this void of the stoppage of time.

The technique wasn’t perfect yet but at least it could be used in a fight against a stronger opponent. To escape for now that is. Control over time is dangerous depending on the opponent.

The time spirits then began to fade as the world slowly regained colour.

‘I’m pretty sure I can hold it for four seconds now.’

–They’re looking for master in your room.

“Hm? Oh.”

I activated [Spirit Sense] and saw one individual inside the room with Arielle.

‘It looks familiar.’

I jumped off the building and flew to the palace again.

**

“Princess Miya?”

When I opened the door, a beautiful high elf appeared in my view. She was drinking tea at the table by the window. The wind on her white hair made it flutter.

She was busy talking with Arielle but turned towards me when I entered.

“Clyde Astley.”

I bowed respectfully. She is a princess after all. I was only familiar with Charlotte because the two of us had known each other for years now.

“No need to be so formal. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

It was nice talking to her after so long. She was the only elf I was familiar with and the two of us share a connection through spirits. It was like the two of us were soulmates through the connection that we shared with each other. I was sure that I didn’t have a spiritual bond with any other elf.

Arielle said she was going to see if she could ask Lady Laura for tips in swordsmanship so she left.

Miya asked me where we were and what we did. She was like a little child listening to a fairy tale when I mentioned how we battled against a dragon.

I almost died though. I shouldn’t have overestimated myself. I might’ve been stronger than an average mage my age and stronger than a few adults but I was still weak.

I shouldn’t make dumb decisions like back in my previous life. In this world you have to gain success by working with your own hands. Your path is already decided when you’re born. If you have mana then you could become a mage, alchemist or a wizard. This is different from a mage since wizards tend to study the meaning of magic and create more spells with the help of history books and modern scripts. Whereas mages are a type of warrior that either enrol into the army or join the mage tower.

For people born with Ki or Aura, they fight by using their bodies like swordsmen, martial artists etc...

Ever since casting my first spell back when I was a toddler, I came to love magic and wanted to improve to become a better person than I was before. That meant that I should work hard on gaining complete control over my two cores. Undine told me that I had the potential to rule over all spirits and matter.

I could only use water and space matter at the moment. The partial control over space matter allowed me to stop or slow down time.

‘I wonder how powerful my future self was.’

Imagine killing people from the White Order with your own hands. He did mention that he had to go through a lot to get that power. Betrayal, loss, pain, grief. Who knows what kind of pain he went through.

Now he was just an empty cell of what he once was. A god without a realm to govern.

He lost the family that raised him and the loved ones that were important to him.

‘I shouldn’t go down the same path. No matter what happens to me. The first disaster has already concluded but what about the others?’

My question would only remain unanswered for the time being. It was scary not knowing what the world had in store for us but I need to see it through regardless. We managed to survive this one, I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to survive the next.

Anyway, Miya told me that her parents would like to talk to me. This was my first time meeting royalty in this world.

I read about how nobles and customs work in fantasy medieval novels. Although that may have just been authors scribbling together the research they had on hand into something original. The King is always above the chaste of society while the archduke, duke, marquis, earl, count, viscount and baron titles follow.

There are many other sub class noble titles but they are only acquired if you have worked and showed incredible skill in politics or gained merit in battle. You can immediately gain a title of Baron if you were to participate in a war and reap benefits.

There are few occasions where these nobles other than Earl and higher can meet with the king of their nation.

Miya and my footsteps echoed throughout the halls of the royal palace.

“By the way, Clyde...”

Before we approached the throne room which was at the end of the hall, Miya spoke to me.

“Yes?”

“Remember how we said we’d go on more adventures in the future? I won’t be able to attend the academy this year because I’ll be doing a Spiritual Bond with the World Tree’s spirit.”

“I thought you’d go with us since we’re going back today anyway.”

She shook her head with a bitter smile.

“This is important for us high elves so I cannot go with you. I’m only waiting for Lady Skyrith. Once she gives the go-ahead then I’ll be in deep sleep for the time being. My abilities are lacking. I have hopes that the bond with the spirit will make me stronger.”

A knight stood at the throne door as we approached.

“I’ll let you know when we can do quests together again.”

“How long will the bonding process take?”

“I’ll probably take a year if luck is on our side. The dryad queen is still in slumber so it depends if she wakes up.”

The knight knocked on the throne room door.

“The princess has arrived, your majesty!”

A female voice shouted from inside after hearing the knock. The knight opened the door for us.

My eyes were almost blinded by the intricate decorations around the room. Two huge windows were the walls on either side and you could see the beautiful landscape from inside the room.

A huge golden table was in the middle of the room and sitting around it–

“So you’re Clyde, huh. The so-called Spirit King’s incarnation.”

An elderly elf wearing a white robe said sarcastically.

The elven woman wearing a royal dress and a crown on her head smiled at me when we made eye contact.

‘So that’s the queen...’

She was gorgeous. She looked like the older and hotter version of Miya, just a little bit mature. I didn’t really know how old her mother was. If someone said that they were sisters a few years apart in age then I’d believe them.

“I am Zefra Ivy Mary-Ann Elca. I am the queen of this kingdom. Next to me...“

She pointed to the man who was probably Miya’s father and the current king.

“My husband Elion Zach Driffon Elca. The grumpy old man right here is my father and former king.”

“Oi! Why aren’t you introducing me by saying my name!?”

The old man screamed as his spit flew. His daughter ignored him and looked straight at me.

“And you are?“

“Ah, Clyde Astley, Your Majesty.”

“So you are the one that was born with the only human spirit core in existence.”

Her face turned serious.

“How many people know of this?”

“Uh... That would be Miya, Arielle, Arthur, my mother, my father, old man Francis and aunt Kimberly. That would make seven people.”

‘Erica might know but I’m not sure. She’s disinterested in a lot of things after all.’

The queen nodded.

“It’s good that it’s only a few people. Things would be more complicated if the Mage Association also knew.”

The Mage Association wouldn’t hesitate to cut open my body and experiment on me. They would do whatever it takes to find out the reason for why I was born with two cores. If they heard I was born with spirit magic then things would get even more complicated.

“How far have you gone, child?”

“I’m only able to use water spirits and a little bit of space magic at the moment.”

Her eyebrows went up in surprise.

“That’s amazing. Gaining the love of the world’s laws themselves is astounding for a human.” She then pondered something. “You want to unlock your abilities, correct?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Then how about this. Stay here and we shall help you.”

“Huh? B-But that isn’t necessary.”

“Guiding you would be our greatest honour. That power inside of you must bloom.”

All three of them nodded at each other.

“We have techniques that no other kingdom can teach you. Would you like to train here?”

“What about the academy? I haven’t seen my family in a while either...”

I didn’t even know whether they were alive or not.

“Well, that is indeed worrisome. Just remember the quicker we unlock your hidden potential, the better. Our meeting was short but I hope to have a longer chat with you in the near future. Even from where I stand, I can feel the love the spirits have for you. You have a pure heart, Clyde Astley.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Your majesty.”

She smiled.

“Think nothing of it. Please be safe on your journey. Oh, and please eat before leaving. Miya prepared a feast for all of you.”

Miya smiled brightly and took my hand when we left the throne room after bidding farewell.

◇◇◇

She wasn’t kidding. There really was a feast in the dining room. Meals of different kinds were prepared for all six of us. Since I hadn’t eaten in two days, I dug right in.

Arielle and Helen ate the most out of us all. How big were their stomachs to finish four plates each and ask for more?

Charlotte told me that she spoke to her mother through a communication magic crystal. It was great that she was feeling better so Charlotte didn’t have anything to worry about. I wished I could share her feelings. I had to smile and pretend everything was okay.

We’ll be departing later today since it was still morning. I wanted to tour the elven kingdom but that can wait until I come back.

If the Queen herself said that there was a method to get stronger, was the academy even necessary?

‘No. I shouldn’t just focus on my spirit magic. Arcane magic is also important to my path as a mage.’

I’d be imbalanced if I was more used to my spirit core than my mana core. The two should be equally trained so that meant I must go back to academy at some point. There must be an equilibrium between the two.

We departed shortly after our meal. Our transportation was already outside when we exited the palace gates. Princess Miya saw us off on her griffon.

“Please be safe on your journey. If the chance arises, please allow me to show you the amazing sites of our kingdom, Clyde Astley.”

Miya left those words before our carriage departed.

“You two seem close.”

Arielle glared at me with her arms crossed.

I laughed awkwardly.

It’ll take about a week to get back to the Kingdom.

‘I wish they’d advance their methods of transportation...’

I grumbled as leaned out of the window. The beautiful landscape of the mana rich Elca Kingdom past by us.

It was refreshing to feel the summer heat on my skin once again. Being surrounded by snow everyday wasn’t my ideal kind of weather.