(Redcliffe castle, second floor)

Connor raises his head and looks out the window on the side of the second floor hallway. He feels motivated to practice dark magic after hearing Jowan's words.

"I should practice magic again…"

Connor murmurs. He walks through the hallway, and when he encounters a butler, he relays Jowan's words. Not long after, he enters his room. This time he is not gonna practice beside Jowan.

Connor imitates Jowan and sits down on his luxurious bed cross-legged. Then he closes his eyes.

He extends his index finger forward and controls his black aura to flow towards it. He tries pushing it outwards but there is no response.

'This is the feeling from before. Something stops it from coming out.'

He thinks to himself. He pushes harder and harder. The black aura accumulating in his index finger and pressurized, but there seems to be no sign of it bursting out of his finger.

'Hmmm…'

Connor thinks about it silently. He is not able to use his higher level Summoning. It is because he doesn't have enough mana to burst through the barrier.

'What if I try simulating the blue and black aura in my index finger?'

Connor asks himself. He is wondering if his idea is a good one or not.

'But how do I combine blue and black?'

Connor remembers the feeling when he cast the water Summoning spell. He remembers the water spell stopping then suddenly rushing to his hand.

'STOP!'

Lawrend commands his water magic in his hand to stop. There is a blue aura floating above his finger.

'Then… ZAP!'

Connor controls the water magic in his hand and rushes it all inside his index finger.

Plusshh.

"It worked!"

Connor opens his eyes and looks at the tiny flow of water escaping his finger. It is continuously dripping and turning directions randomly. Its power is also not constant.

Flushhhhh.

The drop of water stops and disappears. Connor sniffs the air and smells something like steam.

"Ooough…"

Connor shakes his nose and snorts to remove the   smell stuck inside his nose.

"Did I just spontaneously cast the water magic spell without chanting..!?"

Connor exclaims to himself in shock and disbelief.

"No, no, no. It couldn't be. This is not even that powerful."

The boy shakes his head in denial. It couldn't be that easy to learn to arcane magic like water spell and even casting without chanting.

And so, Connor spends the whole day practicing his dark magic and arcane magic alternately.

***

(Redcliffe village)

Despite its large size than most of the states in the continent, Ferelden is pretty much landlocked, with its only outlet to the ocean is Redcliffe region. The shore if Redcliffe stretches merely two kilometres along the Waking Sea. 

Ships land and goods are exchanged at Hinter Wharf, a harbour in Redcliffe village. 

Redcliffe village is the most unique village in the whole Ferelden as it is so vast and populous that it is divided into thirty areas, each owned by either a baron or baronet. 

Although farms exist in almost every part of the village, Redcliffe is actually a fishing village. 

Hinter Wharf is divided into two area, each owned by a Viscount. 

Redcliffe region is almost surrounded by rocky hills. The only outlet is Hinter Wharf that connects to Waking Sea while land outlet is Hinterland that borders Dioral Kingdom, Olga Federation, Arkland Dukedom and West Hill region. The West Hill region that border Redcliffe is Gwaren, a territory owned by Count Loghain Mac Tir, well known as Hero of Ferelden, and the current Prime minister of Ferelden. 

The highest authority in Redcliffe region is Marquis. Upon the demise of Marquis Eamon Guerrin and his male heirs, the position is held by his wife, which is known as Marchioness Isolde Guerrin until her son, Connor Guerrin reached the age of eighteen. 

Redcliffe is the only region without any Count or Margrave, which are bestowed with the right as high noble.

***

Knock. Knock.

"That? What a troublesome daughter." 

A large bearded middle aged man complains while hitting his hammer on some metals. 

That man, Owen is the only blacksmith in the whole Redcliffe. His house is combined with workshop. 

"Are you still working on those useless job, dad?" 

The mocha coloured hair girl, Valena harshly greets her father after opening the door connecting the house and workshop. 

"Damn, you spoiled girl. Do you skip work again?"

"At least, I am putting food on our table with that maid job. Unlike you loss making jobs."

"Pss. We raised you using the earning from blacksmithing!"

"You told me that thousands of times already. What's the point of I was raised in poverty."

Owen hammers the iron surface with his sturdy fists and scolds his daughter,

"Go back to the castle. You are troubling Lady Isolde!"

"Why did you shout at me, old man? I have room in that castle and food by I visit you frequently, even giving you food!"

It is indeed true that Owen survives with his daughter's help, so he turns speechless.

The workshop becomes silent for a while. 

Valena sits in a wooden chair at the corners of the room with a small round table in front of it.

She put her ankles on it and her palms on her cheeks, her head is resting on the table supported by her hands.

"You remember the man who lives in the basement and teaching young master?" 

"Oh, you mentioned that outsider before." Owen turns to her daughter.

"At first, I thought he is having affair with the Lady, but now I don't think so."

"Stop gossipping on your mistress!" 

"Today morning, I saw Lady Isolde is playing with her self, touching her crotch."

Owen hammers his fist on the metal surface again and barks, 

"Don't go around telling people of your mistress' secret!!"

"What, old man! I only tell you. I never tell anyone else!"

"You troublesome girl."

"Anyway, since she sexually play with herself, and that man is always fasting. I believe they don't have affair with each other."

"Of course, you idiot!"

The pair of father and daughter continues their yelling contest for the next hour.