When Samuel fell asleep after using seven colored lightning, he was brought back to his room. 

Remaining people in hall was continued the celebration till its end.

Julie wasn't with them because of her quarrel with Alan.

Alan had originally planned to return to island when celebration ended, he was quite busy, even after stepping down from Duke position, but now he'd changed his plan.

“son, what do you plan for the boy?” As Alan's old voice reverberated in dead of night.

Looking at starry sky, he talked to James without even glancing at him.

“if you mean Samuel, then when he's 9 years old, he's going aboard, to Miles. There he can open his heart passage and become an apprentice in one of Miles four martial art sect having more physical growth, ensuring his safety in future, for what we are about do. And Simon, he's going to be trained by mom.”

“hm, that's good idea, though he'll have to return when it is his coming of age ceremony.”

At his word, James took a suspicious face and pondered for a while. 

His pupils suddenly contracted, his voice came with doubt, not wanting to accept his own conclusion.

“you want him to enter Academy? Why?”

Shaking his head in response, Alan said something he couldn't comprehend.

“I know how hard it'll be for him to go there, I know what type of people attend in there. But his presence is absolutely necessary, if not I wouldn't insist.”

“how do you know it's necessary? And wouldn't Simon suffice for the job? How can we knowingly send him to jackals den?” his rose his voice, seeking to awaken his father and change his mind.

The Place which all empire called best place to teach magic, sword, culture and politics, where most of those who wanted to rise and build a life for themselves called heaven, were akin to a jackal den in his eyes, people who gathered there might be even less trustworthy than animals in his opinion.

So with uncertainty about his son's strength, with fear for his safety, how could he allowed him to walk right into the place.

He definitely wouldn't, not even for second he was willing to consider it.

Alan turned and look at James, seeing him in a fit of rage was normal for him, his clear aged eyes remained calm and peaceful.

“it's opposite of what you're thinking, first his presence is necessary, second him being there is even more important than his brother, third, do you plan to protect him till end of his life? Not even allowing him to grow up?” his words seemed to have solid reasoning behind them but that reasoning weren't perceivable for James, at least not besides the last one.

But even that didn't matter as he revealed a tad bit of his greatest worry.

“I can protect him till his end, you know that without system, he will live 60 year to at best 90 year if he stay healthy. So I can and I WILL.” his voice grow hoarse at end, shouting his last word, his body emitted a fearful hostility aimed at no one but fearful for anyone in vicinity.

“I'm sorry son but it has to be done.” 

In contrast to James who was fuming with exasperation, he was composed and imperturbable, but this composure was a merciless blade for James.

“it has to? Like I give a damn, this will either end in him being gravely injured or Simon killing someone.” As he gave prediction about results of Samuel attendance at Academy, he mentioned Simon taking a life rather easily, like it wasn't unexpected.

“you're absolutely right about that.” Alan words of agreement come with a little surprise but this was James last chance.

“if so then…”

“no, my decision remain the same, but for Samuel's protection, there are few plan I've devised.” interrupting his sentence, Alan took control of their conversation.

“I'll add one more to ensure you that nothing is going to happen, not to him at least.”

They both were sure of something happening in that time but Alan seemed more sure that nothing would happen to him.

James didn't knew were that confidence come from but he was unwilling to bet on an unreliable variable.

His father was unwilling to share bases of his assumption.

So he couldn't be sure of anything. 

“so, what is this protective mean you say?” 

So he asked, trying to get any bit of information he could.

“…it is [Edward's water dragon equipment set], you should know its power quite well right?”

And what he learned was way away from what he imagined.

“but that … wait, wait, are you sure about this? Those are unusable after Edward himself, so how could we give it to him.”

James didn't doubt power of the gears his father brought up, but those equipment couldn't be used by anyone. 

According to their experiment on it, it was said that residual mana of Edward remained on weapon and wouldn't allow anyone to use it.

If used forcefully, it might harm or even kill the user.

So notion of giving such weapon to a child like Samuel, was nothing short of madness.

But his father seemed way too sure, as if he already had the answer.

“it'll work out, don't worry. In coming months I'll remain here and help him, and give the equipment set to him.”

Saying what he had to say he moved away.

Letting a long breathe out, James moved away too.

“haa, it seems old man is hell bent on it, well I've to prepare some beautiful scandal and assassination for our friendly nobles just in case.”

Treading the corridor as his low sounding evil laugher come out, uncontrollably.

Night passed and sun raised, a new day was here.

Along with sunray brightening the world, Samuel woke up from his slumber.

He was feeling really good, his success in lightning magic, talking with his brother and Carolina after a long while caused him to have peaceful sleep, even his usual dream felt more pleasing.

As he went out of his room he took usual route to his workshop.

He wasn't willing to lose time, he emptied his mana four times a day, one right in morning, one before lunch, one in afternoon and lastly before sleeping.

It was a jam packed schedule, for most people who could level up, this was an unnecessary chore, but he did it, although boring and tiring, it was his only choice.

But today someone was there before him.

“good morning grandfather.” greeting him, he stood at the entrance.

“come in, I intruded in here, wanting to see what my little grandson was doing.” having a benign smile he gazed directly at him.

Samuel was quite hard pressed by someone watching him this intensely.

Circulating his mana which he was accustomed to, he planned to use lightning magic.

Although he emptied his mana many times, he wasn't a fool to just repeatedly use one magic.

He tried different use, different amounts for use and any possible way for making changes, to lower the cost and keep efficiency, to know exact amount each usage had.

He wanted to use lightning bolt but not same as past one he used. When he used it before, it would consume most of his mana and he couldn't stop it.

First time it took 90% his mana, second time it emptied it completely.

This wasn't practical for him, if he wanted it to be feasible for combat, he needed to have control over. 

He chose to use most littlest amount he could.

As little cloud fromed, a sparkling lightning released, and crashed into the wall.

Pondering on feeling it gave off, he instantly deemed it a failure.

Amount it took was half his reserves while he wanted a 20% use.

“it's really beautiful, isn't it?”

His grandfather praise brought his dismayed musing over failure to an end.

“…you like thunder too grandfather?”

Feeling like he found a person with same hobby as himself, he took an upturned look at old man.

“sadly, no. But I know a thing or two about it. For example most lightning user record in history always used blue or azure colored lightning, so your's has a different feeling to it.”

“Huh? Only two colored? ”

Although he felt down that he wasn't like him, but information about lightning magic was more important than that.

“it isn't two colored, it's either of them, there were some unreliable rumors about red colored too, but I wasn't willing to buy it as it seemed to unlikely. However now is different, seeing your's prove those rumors.”

Hearing his grandfather word, he planned to test something else when someone stopped him.

“why don't you eat something first, you haven't, right?”

Most times he ignored meals when he was deep in his thoughts. And it'll need someone to rather force him to it.

As he looked around for excuse, his small body floated in air and moved to side.

It was Alan's telekinesis.

Though it was strange sensation, it was somewhat enjoyable, as the force that lifted him up wasn't hostile.

Door suddenly opened and a floating tray entered the room.

“convenient…” it was best word he could use to describe the magic used by his grandfather.

Chairs, table and tableware getting in place by his ability looked like a professional butler's subtle design.

Placing Samuel down slowly, he sat opposite to him and gave him a rather threatening gaze.

“I heard that you skip meal sometimes, is that right?”

“Mm” with short voice of approval, he began eating in a fast pace.

“disregard for table manner like this, being fixated on what you want and stubborn, you resemble him of young age rather too much.” as Alan gave evaluation on him and all of them didn't look good, he didn't seemed displeased by it.

“even though it's a good principle to be concentrated on your goal, but being too engrossed in it might cause you to not see small details.” dropping this advice, he slowly went away.

Samuel was a little dumbfounded on it.

If he came to watch then why did he leave this early?

Though it looked like the old man left without finishing what he came from, he decided to not think much on it.

Ending short breakfast, he got up to test his plan.

When he got up all utensils brought for breakfast floated and went out of the door by themselves.

“damn convenient…” an exclamation envy and exaltation was all he had towards the demonstration of Alan's magic versatility.

With him left alone he started thinking, the only thing he could say, it was his specialty.

His grandfather small talk on lightning magic history, gave him an idea to what to do with it.

His rainbow colored lightning consumed too much, so what should he do with it? Continue to use it, till who knows when he could control the using amount? 

“that doesn't seem like a plan at all.” 

It seemed like foolish attempt to him. Just use a magic a lot of time, would make you strong? Or swinging a sword without thought for countless times would make anyone a swordman? 

Answer of both questions was a definite No.

Only a fool with high amount of mana and muscle-head with powerful arm was all that would come out of either way.

He couldn't and didn't wanted to be either of two.

His grandfather said that lightning for each user had different colors, his grandmother told him that each 10 level for magic could give special abilities.

With his knowledge he could say that color in lightning determined that special properties. 

Seven colored lightning wasn't submitted anywhere but even if it was, it would serve to frustrate him even more as it property was overconsumption to produce a very devastating attack, something which couldn't be used by his low capacity even till his middle age.

Then best choice for him was…

“…dividing its colors and make a simple one colored version.”

And so he decided to make personalize it to the way he wanted.

He circulated mana, from his brain towards his palms. As two circle which was he had learned as low-tier wind and water magic formed upon each other, little thunder cloud took shape.

He wasn't hasty for it, he always released the lightning as ferocious as storm he saw, so it would result the same if he go on the same way.

Trying to imagine shape of lightning but only with one color a simple blue colored. 

After he poured mana out, a flash of pain run through his entire body. 

A crackling spark of clashing lightning collapsed on itself, spreading wildly in room.

It color wasn't in order like past, all of them tried to get away and separate from others resulting in a chaotic state which they struggled till they become unstable.

Some of lightning hit him, leaving him paralyzed on floor.

It was a miserable failure, but best part was that he retained his mana and uncontrollable consumption didn't occur.

“guess that gonna take many tries to make it the way I want it.”

Nothing would be granted to someone without proper effort.

Effort wasn't just repetition of a action, sometimes a moment backing down and thinking clearly could achieve more than bull-headed obstinacy.

As his mana was near end, he leaned on wall, closing his eyes.

Slowly drifting to sleep he decided to complete color resolution no matter how long it took.