"I hate that I must burden you, but you must take part in the awakening ceremony in three days' time. The elders will raise a fuss if you do not participate." Magnus said.
"I understand, father. I will not be a disappointment," Evan replied dutifully.
"You do not need to worry about such things. No matter the outcome, you will always be my son, and I will love you as such. You have your own strengths and your own talents. You need not be as skilled a mage or swordsman as your peers to find your place in this world, nor do you have to exhibit the same potential as I or your grandfather. You have a kind heart and a sharp mind. These are your gifts, which make you a better person than most. And there will be many who will love you for who you are," Magnus said, his voice full of affection.
Evan felt a warmth in his chest, his father's words comforting him. "Thank you, father. I will keep your teachings in mind and always strive to be true to myself."
"I hope you will. I will always treasure you as long as you don't go astray." Magnus said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Evan smiled back, feeling a little better. "Rest assured, father. I wouldn't change my ways even if I were to lose my inheritance right. Power and status don't matter to me as much as family."
But Evan knew he was just being a hypocrite to comfort his father. He couldn't give up his position. fr(e)ewebn(o)vel
His father could protect him from a thousand dangers, but even he wouldn't be able to foresee the danger Evan would face after his fall from grace.
There were white-eyed wolves inside the house and thousands of bloodthirsty hounds outside it. In simple words, his father, who was busy with important work that kept the capital of the Empire running, didn't have the ability to guard him 24/7, and the enemies could always find him when he was alone as the people inside the manor were in cahoots with them.
"You've taken after your mother in this aspect. She didn't value status and wealth either. Such things couldn't enter her eyes. She cherished her friends and family, and she even…."
Edmund Darkwood cleared his throat, and Magnus Frost trailed off, leaving Evan in suspense.
"Did she really die in a portal collapse?" Evan's voice was thick with emotion, and he winced as he felt a sharp pain in his head. It felt as if his brain was being poked by a thousand needles. Talking about his mother was taboo for him, as even trying to remember what she looked like would cause him to feel a stabbing pain in his mind. "Whenever I try to think about her, my head hurts. Why is that so, father?"
Even in the game, there was no mention of the Empress of the Frost Clan.
"It's probably your old injuries acting up," Magnus answered after a moment of hesitation. "Don't try to force it, or it will hurt more."
Evan sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a pang of sadness for his mother. "I will heed your advice."
"What level have you reached?" Magnus asked, changing the subject.
"I am still a step too short of accessing my first soul pocket," Evan said, feeling mildly embarrassed.
In the Sun Moon Empire, one out of every ten individuals was born with the extraordinary gift of soul pockets.
These pockets granted their possessors the rare ability to manipulate soul energy for offensive, defensive, and auxiliary purposes.
To those not born with open soul pockets, intense training was necessary to unlock this power.
The initial stage of this rigorous training was known as induction, where a person had to introduce soul energy into their body. As the human physique was not built to withstand this force, the process was excruciatingly painful. The induction stage consisted of four distinct levels, and only those who passed all of them were considered ready to open their first soul pocket. Opening it would then lead to their advancement to the soul manifestation realm. Those who reached this stage were called Soul Manipulators.
Upon opening their first soul pocket, Soul Manipulators could store a significant amount of soul energy, which could be used for attacking and defense. They could also undergo a spiritual awakening on the awakening platform and unlock their soul plates, specialized objects containing multiple slots that could be filled with various skills to wield potent and lethal soul techniques.
In the Sun Moon Empire, only individuals aged sixteen or above undergo spiritual awakening and awaken their soul plates. Evan had long reached the minimum age limit and was qualified to awaken his dormant power.
Evan was not one of the empire's natural talents. He possessed no innately opened soul pocket. Thus, he had to toil hard to make up for his lack of talent. After years of hard work and consuming elixirs like water, he had reached the pinnacle of the soul induction stage.
His nemesis thought was already at the intermediate level of the soul manipulation realm, leaving Evan with no chance of victory in a one-on-one battle.
Magnus had anticipated this situation, so he had already prepared the Soul Pocket Opening Elixir for Evan. The Soul Pocket Opening Elixir was a rare solution that was hard to get. Its side effects were negligible unless one had insomnia.
There had been reports of Evan suffering from insomnia.
Magnus handed over two small vials to Evan as he explained, "This elixir will aid you in reaching the first level of the soul manifestation realm." The vial sparkled under the light, its contents swirling like liquid gold. Magnus continued, "The side effects are mild and will disappear after a good night's sleep. But just in case you suffer from insomnia tonight, I've also included a sleeping pill that will instantly put you out for six hours."
Evan couldn't help but feel grateful for Magnus's foresight.
"Thank you, father." He took the vials, examining them closely.
The elixir had a sweet, almost floral scent, while the sleeping pill was scentless.
"It must've been troublesome to get them for me," Evan said.
Evan knew that it must have been difficult for Magnus to obtain such a rare and precious item for him.
The elixir was not an easy find, but for the Frost Clan, one of the largest and mightiest clans, it was within their capabilities. However, the elders were already hesitant about providing more of the clan's valuable resources to Evan, which added to the challenge of obtaining the elixir.
"It was no trouble. I made it myself." Magnus said, dismissing Evan with a wave of his hand. "Return to your room and put it to good use."
Magnus had once been a renowned alchemist before the tragic accident that had left him injured and resulted in the death of Empress Frost. His skills were not the same as they used to be, but they were still exceptional!
"Yes, father!" Evan rose from his seat and made his way out of the study, feeling grateful and loved.
It had been four years since the death of the Empress of Frost, but that seat was still vacant. despite the numerous alluring maidens of the upper society eagerly vying for Magnus's attention, he chose not to remarry. Instead, he poured all his affection on his offspring, the priceless gift his beloved wife had bequeathed to him.
This chapter is updat𝓮d by fre(e)webnov(l).com