Chapter 94: A young bird
As Maria walked towards the ASUV. Fire elementals licked across her, burning away the dirt and blood marring her skin.
Soon, they reached the ASUV and climbed into it. Maria took the seat beside the driver. Meanwhile, Lane slid into the driver’s seat.
She looked back at the two young men sitting in the back. One of them—Jaden—was staring at her with sparkling eyes while the other looked out the window with an annoyed expression.
Maria raised the spirit core and showed it to them as she spoke, "I’ll give this to whichever of you reaches Expert rank first."
Jaden nodded at her words while Jamie clenched his fists as he thought, ’You wouldn’t have mentioned this if you knew how monstrous his talent was.’
Maria smiled faintly as she turned towards Lane and leaned back in her chair before muttering, "Let’s go."
Lane gave her a faint nod before pressing down on the accelerator. The ASUV roared to life and began to move towards their destination—Fatherion.
Jaden stared at Maria with admiration-filled eyes as he thought, ’Could I become as strong as her... without a system?’
He never saw the system as part of his talent—he believed he had none. The system was what allowed him to break through and master spells and arts far more easily than others. Normally, he believed himself to be at most average without it.
But... that didn’t mean he wouldn’t use the system. That would be stupid of him. The system was a tool, and he would use it like one. He had no other option. he wanted to regain what he had lost.
He heaved a sigh and looked at the blurring world outside before patting the white and black puppies sleeping in his lap.
Whitey’s eyes twitched as it opened them and lifted its small head to look at Jaden.
"Bree bre."
Jaden lowered his head and smiled at it before rubbing its head and mumbling, "I am alright, sleep."
Whitey looked into Jaden’s eyes before giving a small nod and closing its eyes again. It appeared that feeding them with his mana not only made them grow but also made them sleepy.
’I hope I find a way to regain my memories within the academy,’ he thought before closing his eyes and leaning back in his seat.
***
Selina sat in an ornate chair, the streaming light brushing her skin in a soft, golden warmth. She wore a brown sweater and black jeans that stuck to her legs like second skin. Her violet amethyst-like eyes gleamed as she looked at a thin, smart tablet-like device displaying a woman fighting... or bullying a gate guardian.
She was watching Maria’s fight.
Behind her stood Shelly, her arms clasped at her abdomen. She wore a coat over her maid outfit, and her expressions were indifferent and distant as usual. She was looking at the falling snow as she mumbled,
"The Duke has commanded us to leave for the academy in the evening."
Selina tapped the screen and paused the video before lifting her head to look at Shelly as she responded.
"I know, Shelly. You do not have to repeat it."
Shelly looked at her and bowed a little as she mumbled.
"I apologise for my misconduct, Young Lady."
Selina looked at her for a moment before ordering, "You may leave."
Shelly nodded at her and left the room. Selina looked at her departing back as she mumbled, "To think that I trusted you..." A self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips. "How foolish can I be?"
***
Within a grand white hall, its golden-patterned walls were covered with vines entwined with flowers of various sizes and shapes. At the centre was an altar on which stood a large white statue of a beautiful woman with elegantly styled long hair, a gown that fell in silken folds and a crown made of flowers adorning her head. Her hands formed a bowl in which floated a mystical crystalline tree.
The statue was bathed in the sunlight falling on it from the wide hole in the ceiling.
Before the statue knelt a young man of broad build, his greenish blonde hair gleaming slightly under the sunlight. He wore a white and gold knight armour with a green star at the chest, a shield on his back and a spear beside him.
Navin lifted his gaze to the statue of the Nature God of Life, Prosperity, and Fertility. The statue was, of course, not the true form of the Nature God. Instead, it was the human depiction of Them.
"Bless me in my endeavours," Navin mumbled before standing up.
He walked out of the grand hall and heard someone call out to him.
"Navin."
Turning to the side, his eyes fell on a man who had the same hair as him, but his eyes were brown, and he wore a similar armour to Navin’s, but he had three stars. The man had a wide smile as he walked towards him.
Navin also smiled and greeted the man.
"Father."
Navin’s father patted him on the back and gave a hearty laugh as he spoke, "Haha! Are you ready to leave for the academy, my boy?"
Navin gave him a nod, and the man suddenly hugged him. Tears welled up in the man’s eyes as he said warmly.
"You don’t have to worry about this old man, alright? You are a young bird. You should fly through the skies instead of worrying about the ground."
Navin bit his lower lip, hugged his father back, and nodded slowly.
"Your mother would have been proud of you, my boy." His father whispered.
Navin’s eyes teared up as he spoke with a hitching voice, "Y-You t-think?"
His father let go of the hug and grabbed his shoulder before responding with narrowed eyes, "Think? I am sure of it! Haha!"
Navin also laughed warmly as a bright smile appeared on his lips.
"Hehe!"
’I miss you, mother,’ he thought as he bathed in the moment of warmth.