...

After kicking Anna out of the room, Zoe asked Clair to prepare some snacks, with Zoe asking for some tea and Sophia asking for apple juice.

The latter was locked in Zoe's strong but soft arms as she sat on her lap, which was stroking her daughter's whitish hair gently.

After a few minutes in a pleasant silence between Mother and Daughter, Sophia raised her head slightly to look into her Mother's eyes with hopeful monotony in them. "Mother...can you teach me how to use Magic, Anna was explaining a little bit...but I still don't know how to perform it correctly?"

Zoe looked straight into her daughter's hollow eyes suppressing a grimace at the question.

Sophia was already 5 years old, even without the check up, she should be learning the basic fundamentals of Magic and Mana according to the average Noble education, even more so coming from a Noble Family specialized in Magic and its Secrets like the Flumin.

But he had been taught absolutely nothing.

The main reason for this was Zoe herself. Not because she didn't want her daughter to learn Magic, but because she was worried about her daughter's safety, she was giving her access to a dangerous weapon, which Zoe feared would end up hurting her more than helping her.

Her daughter - much to her chagrin - was totally blind and unable to use Magic to its fullest extent, and that in the Noble World was terribly unacceptable. Noble children who did not meet the minimum expectations of a Noble would be expelled from their Houses or Auctioned off on the black market as servants for another Noble House.

To no Noble was it a secret that every House possessed one or more dark hidden truths, even the Flumin themselves were not oblivious to this fact.

Zoe as a noble lady should be ashamed of her Daughter. The moment Sophia was born she should have been auctioned off or sent to the mean streets. Sophia could not be the Heiress because of her condition, she could not use Magic properly because of her condition, she could not look for a good husband because of her condition, she would not have opportunities in this world... because of her condition.

In the Noble Society, Sophia was worthless. Her highest value was her family name and this could be removed at any time by the House itself.

But as a mother, Zoe could not allow that cruel fate to board her young daughter and sit idly by.

She would help Sophia.

Not because Sophia was a Noble.

Not because Sophia was a Mage.

Not because Sophia was disabled.

But because she was her Daughter.

And that bond, to Zoe was more important than anything.

Zoe stroked Sophia's hair softly again speaking in a lower tone with a tinge of sadness. "My dear... I... I don't think you should learn Magic."

Sophia blinked twice in surprise suddenly feeling her heart sink at her Mother's words. "What... why?"

Zoe tightened her embrace with Sophia slightly, the words struggling to get out of her throat, as if refusing to be heard by the innocent girl. "Honey... with your current condition performing Magic could be very difficult for you."

Sophia shifted restlessly in her Mother's lap. "I-I know that but... but I've waited a long time to learn Magic."

Zoe shook her head as she looked up at the library ceiling lost in thought. "I know, believe me I know.... but I'm afraid that Magic might hurt you more than it could help you... I... I don't want you to get hurt."

"B-But!...but I will be supervised by Clair and the other maids won't I...so don't open incidents!" Sophia raised her voice a little which surprised Zoe a little but she understood her daughter's frustration.

Zoe let out a deep sigh. "Sophia honey..."

"Wh-what...?"

Zoe was silent for a few seconds as if considering something, when she spoke again her tone was a little weaker than before. "Sophia, I don't think I've ever told you but we, the Nobles, are the only Humans capable of performing Magic, we are the only ones capable of manipulating Outer Mana."

Sophia tilted her head in confusion as she frowned slightly. "Eh....what do you mean, so commoners can't..."

Zoe shook her head slowly, confirming Sophia's suspicions. "No, they can't use Magic. The Check aside from verifying a Noble's magical status serves to detect the individual's Outer and Inner Mana levels. What concerns me is your amount of Mana."

Sophia swallowed audibly and spoke with fear in her voice. "So... the reason you don't want me to learn Magic, is because my Outer Mana is... low?"

Zoe looked Sophia in the eyes again and gave her a weak smile. "No my dear, on the contrary, your Outer Mana is extremely high. The problem is that being such a large amount and your body being so young, it's safe to say that your Nodes hasn't matured enough to handle that torrent of Mana, and while this means you can use very powerful Magic it also means you will have almost no control over it."

Sophia looked down clenching her fists in frustration and anger, but she understood where her Mother was going. It wasn't that she wasn't ready to learn, everyone at the Flumin Mansion knew how smart Sophia was for her age, but that if she tried to use even a little bit of Magic, it could get out of control and destroy something... or kill someone, maybe even herself....

Zoe again stroked Sophia's hair gently relaxing the girl. "I have no problem with you learning Magic, but your body isn't ready for it yet."

Accepting that her Mother would not change her mind Sophia could only sigh in defeat. "Fine... but then when is it that I can learn Magic?"

Putting a finger to her cheek, Zoe closed her eyes thoughtfully. "Let's say... when you turn 8 or 9, during that time you will receive very rigorous and strict classes since you will be behind the other nobles."

"Mu... understood..." Sophia pouted with furrowed brows which drew a giggle from her Mother.

Just then Clair entered with the snacks in her hands, she looked at her mistress and the grumpy Sophia with a raised eyebrow but decided to remain silent.

Since Sophia was not allowed to learn anything about Magic and Outer Mana, she asked her Mother to read her a story.

Zoe happily agreed and searched the shelves for a specific book she read during her childhood.

The Legend of Merlin the Wizard.

Smiling when she found the book Zoe returned to the table with a smile, sitting down next to her daughter with Clair behind her she began to read slowly and eloquently.

 

---

 

Merlin, the First Human Wizard. It is said that he was born in a remote village controlled by then small Clan Nox.

Merlin was born at a time when Kingdoms did not yet exist, a time when there were only small Clans that today would be no more than a few troops of soldiers with basic training.

Merlin's childhood was simple and straightforward, helping as much as he could for his small Clan and family with their farm and crops.

But... one day his Clan was attacked by an Enemy Clan.

The Nox Clan tried to defend themselves from the surprise attack of their enemies and although they had succeeded, the price was very high. Hundreds of homes were burned, families were slaughtered and soldiers died in droves.

Among the slain families was Merlin's family....

Filled with resentment and thirsting for revenge he joined the remaining Clan troops and set out for the enemy's base. The battle did not go well, the enemies outnumbered them and the resources of the Noxis troops were scarce. Due to the previous attack...

Defeat could be seen on the horizon.

Knowing their fate, they fought their last battle with everything they had, every resource, every weapon, every soldier, everyone gave their all in that battle.

And yet, it was not enough.

It was in a moment of deep despair during the bloody battles that Merlin awakened his most powerful weapon.

Magic.

With it, he swept away the enemies like flies, splitting the battlefield in two and annihilating the vile foes left and right until only a mountain of corpses remained with a victorious God on top of it.

This is the origin of the First Human Wizard, Merlin of Nox.

...

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