“WHAT!?” A voice of an adult male resonates in a certain room within the manor of the Reign Family. Alusu shouted in surprise.
Under the dazzling chandelier, Steph sat comfortably at a comfy sofa with her hand rested on the arm rest, while her other hand took the cup of tea that was sitting on the small-crystalize table in front of her.
Steph elegantly takes a sip of her tea before responding to her father, Alusu.
Emotionless and compose, she gives father a reply.
“Yes, since I have a servant, and haven’t publicly introduce myself. I’m totally fine without a guard” Says Steph as she puts down her cup of tea at the table.
A maid – Rachael is standing behind Steph takes notice of the empty cup, and hurriedly comes in front to refill her master’s tea, silently returns unnoticed and without disturbing the conversation between them.
Alusu lets out a sigh as he puts his finger at his temple, showing stress at her decision to go out of their abode with only her maid. The other servants in this room gives a glare to Stephany, and unwelcoming aura.
Alusu looks at Steph's maid and gives her an impression in his mind,
‘Surely, this maid is a former captain. But I’m worried that my little Steph might get hurt’
His eyes wonders to the room and meets Steph’s gaze. He locks on it and give his thought to it.
‘Frail body, pale skin, and ominous eyes. I don’t want to make you suffer… But, you give me no choice’
He decided his thoughts, and granted Steph’s freedom today.
“Yes, yes. Do whatever you want”
With that, Steph stood up and left the room together with her maid, Rachael, without uttering a word of gratitude. Alusu was left in the room, and gave a long sigh.
Then he thought of positive things about her leave. He let his whole body be listless on the sofa, and look to the ceiling that has odd magic patterns, it gleams white, as if it’s a light source for the whole room.
‘It’ll be okay, kids are curious about the outside, after all’
He cast away his worry as he heard a knock from the door, followed with a familiar voice. He averted his gaze on to it, and corrected his posture.
“Father, I’m coming in” It was Freya who said it.
She came inside the room with a worried expression and was holding a blue book. Freya cutely came to his father’s side. Surely different from her Sister Stephany.
Freya is a bit childish and wants to be spoiled by her father’s love. Unlike Stephany, she’s matured. Freya climbs the sofa and seats on her father’s lap. There, Alusu’s hands tied around Freya’s shoulder, in order not to make her fall.
“What is it” Asked Alusu with a smile
“Father” Said Freya as she locked at her father’s gaze “Have you seen Stephany?”
Hearing that, Alusu’s face made a bitter smile as cold runs down in his spine while sweat dripped from his forehead, which made Freya worry.
If Alusu tells her, he is certainly sure that Freya will also follow Steph. Freya was a curious child, wants to adventure the whole world, and see the many mysterious things. Ever since Stephany was born, she had a mysterious vibe, which Freya likes.
Alusu answers Freya’s question with a stuttering voice
“I-I haven’t seen her, why?”
Safe, that’s what he thought.
“Hmm, I saw this book in Stephany’s room. What is this?” While saying so, Freya lends the book that she has been holding for a while to Alusu.
Alusu grabs it and inspect it. It was a piano, but how did Stephany acquired this? There were no books about piano on the library after all. Alusu was curious and assumed that his daughter, Stephany wanted this.
Hence, he called his servants and said.
“Move the piano to Stephany’s room”
Ever since their mother – Jeanne died and no one in the house could play it, nor even understand the score that Jeanne made. Hence it was moved at the attic and never been played. Even though there’s a musician that have moved in their town.
They did not hired them to play the piano and the score, instead they played other instruments. Although, this time Alusu decided to let the piano play again by her daughters.
Part 2
Under the burning sun, Steph was standing in front of the gate of the Reign town, waiting for Rachael to come back.
Since they were not allowed to go inside the town without identification card, Steph didn’t have one, but Rachael have a crest of the Duke family. The soldiers thought it was fake and identified it together with Rachael.
After a minute of waiting, Rachael gets out from the gate, and returns to Steph.
“I got there permission” Says Racheal as the sweat drips from her face, however she cleans it off with a clean handkerchief.
Steph wants to complain, but seeing the sweat pouring down from Rachael’s face, she holds back and walks inside the gate without getting inspection or even saying words of gratitude.
However, Rachael casted an ecstasy on her face, they didn’t do it while she was there of course.
When she enters, numerous houses made from stone bricks and woods enters her sight. A busy street filled with busy people, noise and smell that is very pleasant to oneself.
As people here and there filled the streets, Steph started to walk around as she slowly draw the city in her mind, while drawing it, she also needs to find a library.
It was a pleasant, and very town-like atmosphere inside the town. Happiness casted on the townspeople’s face.
While walking, she confirms that there is no mana field or perhaps you may call it, a [Mana zone]. A [mana zone] is a magic art that creates a territory around you, and you may be able to do whatever you want inside. It may also boost, and debuff enemies inside your zone. It came from magus craft.
If your fireball magic is ranging at only 90 meters, but if you have a zone, you may able to deploy your magic anywhere inside the zone and also have 90 meters of range. If you have [bloodlust] active, the whole zone is filled with bloodlust, and the outside will be only a faint.
Basically, [Magic zone] is your territory or area that you can do whatever you want.
Steph pauses for a brief second and creates a small pebble through [Alchemist]. Then she created a spell called [hijack] which states in its name. It hijacks oneself, if it has no owner, the hijack is fairly easily. However, if there is, one must have to contest their mana.
Steph hijacks the natural mana around her, and makes it into her [Mana Zone]. The people who notice an unnatural feeling that attacks their very skin, they shiver involuntarily.
Steph didn’t mind them, and continues her magic. She made the [Mana zone] into visible small magic circle, on the outside it looks like a violet rock, gleams if looking at it closely. Then casting a spell [Curse: bind] as she makes the two objects, the pebble, and the visible [mana zone], close to each other. Both objects infused to each other.
The pebble has an appearance of lustrous black and consumes the upcoming light. She cast another spell. [Dissolve], which the rock became liquid and slowly spills down on the road. As a finishing touch, she casts another spell [Solidify], hence the liquid becomes a rock and blends in the road.
Completely unnoticed, Steph became the owner of the territory, of course, no one knows. By the way the [mana zone] covers the whole town.
Standing there beside her was Rachael with her mouth and eyes wide open as she can’t believe what she saw. It was pinnacle magic for her. She begins to space out, unable to process her thoughts correctly.
Steph let out a sigh as she scans the whole town using [Mana zone]. She is able to understand and know everything that is happening in the zone. Of course, she has done this in their adobe
She is able to see and feel clearly on what’s happening on the zone, unlike her usual detecting of presence. Steph uses the natural mana around her to tell the other’s presence. Hence, making her only rely for the disturbance of the natural mana.
In any case, when she illustrated the buildings in her mind, Steph was able to determine where the library is.
Steph walks towards the building with little detours in order to take a shortcut to it. Of course, Rachael wakes up in reality in the last possible moment, but still reaches Steph. Steph let out a dissatisfied groan.
A lonely shabby building sat underneath the uptown area of the city. Coming here one must have to walk down on a hill-like street and deepest of the uptown area. Even though it's in the middle of the afternoon, the lighting here is fairly dim.
Steph entered the lonely shabby building. Rachael followed her from behind. The door creaks upon opening, it gives an eerie feeling that one cannot deny except Steph, because she’s unaffected. On the other hand Rachael was, but still she came inside.
There was no one here even on the counter, which was just right beside the entrance. The chandeliers from above glows deep violet, it was the only lighting. Steph walks in as the pleasant smell of the book invades her nostrils and the numerous bookshelves filled with books and is coated with dust, it fills her sight
The corners of the room is filled with webs making the place look very old. If the books weren’t able to fit in the bookshelves, they were left on the ground and is piled up. The rats makes a rattling sound which echoes inside the building and Rachael’s body twitch.
*Tap* *tap* *tap*
Steph walks inside as her footsteps echoes through the room. Steph is very excited, yet it didn’t reflect in her face. For starters, she grabs a book that is coated with dust. Though she didn’t mind it and cleans the book with a gently magic tap. Disturbing the mana and making it condense and release it, as an effect it makes small shockwave.
The book that she pick up is a large book clad in a hard leather that you can only get it from Minotaur. The book was titled “the demon lord and the hero” She simply lost interest in magic way, but in knowledge way, yes.
Rachael came closer behind Steph. Steph wants to read it, however she felt a presence coming from the counter. Both of them reacted and gave it a look.
After a few seconds, a man appeared from the bottom of the counter. Rachael twitches as if she’s not expecting it. Meanwhile, in Steph’s case, she was not. There was simply a stairs leading to another exit, which is the center of the library.
As you go further the library, the library goes deeper, and the more complicated it gets. In the middle of the library, a deep podium built in the center of the room. There is also many floors above them.
The man look surprised upon seeing them. He wanted to speak, but couldn’t. Leaving Rachael a dumbfounded look. The man had a grumpy looking white mustache and a stern blue eyes. He appears to have a light blonde hair.
“He-Hello”
