"Alright, then I'll head upstairs and take a refreshing shower until the food is ready, and then we can catch up again," I said with a smile as I picked up Blaze, who seemed just as tired as I was.
The journey from Reva Kingdom back home had been long and eventful, leaving me in need of some rest and time to process everything.
"Fine, I'll go and help Rose in the kitchen, and I suppose it's time for Chris to take a break from work too," Marylin chimed in, glancing at my father.
"Nope, not today. It's a holiday because my son's back, so no one's going to work, haha!" Father declared, playfully jumping onto the couch. Marylin and I exchanged a defeated look, chuckling at his enthusiasm, before I turned to make my way upstairs.
Tap.
"Hmm?" I halted as I noticed Marylin's intent gaze fixed on me.
"Welcome home," she smiled gently, her eyes looking deep into mine. For a moment, I sensed a whirlwind of emotions in her gaze, along with a glimmer of something green.
'Is your new skill acting up?' Blaze asked me.
"I'm back," I replied with a grin, glancing at my disheveled appearance, and added, "- and I stink."
Five consecutive days on the road had taken a toll on my hygiene, and although none of them mentioned it, a shower was definitely needed.
"Yeah, you do. Now go and freshen up," Marylin chuckled, playfully pushing me back as if to emphasize her point.
Flip*
I swiftly grabbed my bag that was lying on the floor from our earlier conversation.
"There's quite a lot of stuff in there, I guess," Marylin observed curiously.
"Yep, a few souvenirs too," I replied, excitement building up as I headed out of the living room and ascended the familiar stairs.
It had been a long time since I last set foot in this house, and the feeling of nostalgia washed over me.
'Can you consider some stolen files from a higher-ranking knight's cabinet as souvenirs?' Blaze teased sarcastically.
*Swung*tud*
Opening the door to my room, I stepped inside. Everything looked just as I remembered it, thanks to Mom's diligent cleaning even in my absence.
*Tud*
I placed my luggage and Blaze on the bed, taking a moment to catch my breath before making my way to the shower, finally looking forward to some well-deserved relaxation.
'Now back to the topic, was it your skill back there?' Blaze asked through mind transmission.
'Yeah, Marylin's a dual elemental mage with a single advancement, so that might've been her earth element magic if she used it a little bit before I entered,' I replied as I turned on the shower knob, and the water from the showerhead sprinkled on my face.
The skill Blaze was referring to was called "Elemental Vision."
It was a skill I learned with the help of the system.
'This new system is great, isn't it?' Blaze complimented.
Yeah, that's true. The range of skills I can learn is almost limitless, although it does include some useless ones. However, the system is excellent. It provides detailed instructions like a cookbook, and all I have to do is invest effort to learn the skills. It doesn't give me skills as advancements or through store items like Blood Points; instead, I can access the skills directly and learn them with practice and hard work.
While traveling, I explored the system and found a skill named "Elemental Vision." After tapping the initiate button, I spent two hours a day for ten days working diligently to learn it. The result was definitely worth the effort.
Exactly, the Elemental Vision skill allows me to trace the elemental paths, which is different from the mana patterns I started seeing after my Bloodline Transformation.
When I first entered the room, I could only perceive the swirling mana in the atmosphere. But when I activated the Elemental Vision skill later, I noticed that Marylin's eyes were glowing green, indicating that she had recently used her earth element magic. That's the true usefulness of this skill.
It may seem insignificant at first glance, but in battles, it becomes incredibly valuable. If I don't know the elemental manifestation of my opponent, the Elemental Vision skill can show me in advance which elemental particles are moving around them. This way, I can be prepared to face whatever elements my opponent possesses, giving me an advantage in combat. It's like having a secret weapon up my sleeve.
"And done," I turned off the shower, feeling refreshed.
I stepped out and started drying myself with the towel. Standing in front of the mirror, I couldn't help but hear Blaze chuckle from behind.
'Pretty Princess,' he teased as he playfully rubbed his ear with his hind legs.
This guy's becoming more and more like a real cat, which is kind of scary.
'This is called disguise. A flashy person like you wouldn't understand,' Blaze replied.
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes and continued drying my hair as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
I focused on my eyes because that's where the real interest lies –
Fush*
I summoned a small fireball on my palm and leaned closer to the mirror to inspect my iris. It still amazes me every time I see it.
Inside my golden iris, there was a white vertical oval ring around it, giving it the appearance of a bird's eye.
Fush*
I dismissed the fireball, and the ring disappeared as well.
Whenever I use the fire element, this ring appears in my eyes. It's a distinctive trait that comes with my elemental powers.
'That's a phoenix trait, like I told you before,' Blaze sighed as he yawned and stretched, his claws inadvertently scratching the pillow.
"Hey, don't scratch that pillow!" I threw him off the bed playfully as I settled down on it.
According to Blaze, these rings in my eyes indicate my power level in the phoenix way, with one ring meaning the lowest level of power. The more rings I have, the stronger I am. In total, there can be seven rings, but there's a little difference in my case.
My rings only appear when I'm using magic, specifically when I use fire magic. Other than that, they don't show up, giving me a bit of mystery and surprise factor in battles.
I looked up at the ceiling, pondering on the day's events, and then my thoughts went in a lot of directions but they were ordered in a specific manner of time so my mind wasn't clouded at once...well that was what I would've loved to say but nah, I wasn't having it.
"The feeling of not knowing something is literally not a good one at all," I muttered to myself, still bothered by the letter I had received earlier.
"Ruu~" Someone knocked on the door—it was Marylin. "The food is ready ~"
"I'll be down in a few minutes," I replied, feeling a mix of hunger and relaxation after the shower.
I quickly dressed myself and fixed my appearance. 'Cut that shit or it's hard to tell if you're a Chinese demonic cultivator or not,' Blaze commented as I was tying my hair.
"Is it that bad?" I asked, wondering if my long hair was an issue. I liked the look, but perhaps it was time for a trim.
'Nah, it's just that you look good in it,' Blaze said honestly, but I could sense a hint of teasing.
"Well, I'll cut it if I find a good barber. Boys gotta have a trusted barber, and I haven't found one in this world," I said, planning to find a skilled hairstylist when I had the chance.
'Saint Princess has spoken,' Blaze followed up with a teasing remark as I made my way downstairs.
Upon reaching the dining area, the delicious aroma of the food welcomed me. My mother and Marylin were already seated at the table, and I joined them with a smile.
"Sit down, Ruu," my mother said warmly, and Marylin's face brightened with a smile too.
The three of us enjoyed the meal, chatting about the recent events in our lives. It felt good to be home with my family and close friends.
"Indeed, I've had quite the journey and experiences," I replied, appreciating my mother's gesture of adding more food to my plate.
As we continued to eat, I shared stories of my travels to different lands, recounting my adventures, the people I met, and the challenges I faced. I left out some details, especially the part about the sea trip, as some things were best kept as secrets.
Listening to my tales, my family and Marylin seemed fascinated. They asked questions and laughed at some of the more humorous incidents I encountered during my journey. It was heartwarming to see them engaged and interested in my experiences.
"You traveled to Reva Kingdom too, Ruu? Aren't the beast folks not that favorable towards humans?" Mom inquired, her curiosity evident.
"No, they aren't that bad, it's just that we have to be careful not to trigger their anger," I explained, recalling my time in Reva Kingdom and how I navigated my interactions with the beast folks.
Marylin chuckled at my response, sharing a knowing look with my mother. They seemed to communicate without words, understanding each other's unspoken thoughts. Meanwhile, my father remained engrossed in his meal, enjoying the feast just like myself.
"You've grown up now, huh?" Mother remarked with a hint of nostalgia and pride in her voice.
I smiled at her words. "Yes, I've learned a lot during my travels. It has been quite a journey of growth and discovery."
'Now tell them about the two bandit groups that you slaughtered mercilessly before coming here!' Blaze said with excitement from under the table.
Thuddd*
"Nyaaaa!" I kicked him in the stomach, and he was thrown out from there.
I have a lot of work tomorrow.
This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om