Chapter 296: Morning
Lor woke up stiff and cold in the early morning.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, a faint gray-blue creeping over the rooftops.
He had fallen asleep on the roof tiles without meaning to, his jacket barely enough to ward off the night chill.
His back ached and his neck felt sore as he pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes.
He climbed back in through his window quietly, careful not to make noise, then collapsed onto his bed. This time he slept properly, sinking into deep, dreamless rest until the smell of breakfast finally pulled him awake.
.
When Lor came downstairs the next morning, the house already carried the quiet tension of an impending departure.
Eren stood near the front door, fully dressed in his traveling coat, a heavy bag resting at his feet.
He was eating quickly while standing up, tearing off pieces of bread and cheese, clearly trying to finish before he had to leave.
Mira watched him from the kitchen doorway.
Her arms were crossed loosely over her chest.
She tried to look composed, but Lor could see the strain in her eyes and the way her fingers tightened slightly against her sleeves.
Lor sat down at the table quietly.
For a few minutes they ate in relative silence, the only sounds being the clink of utensils and the soft rustle of Eren’s coat as he moved.
The air felt thick with things no one wanted to say out loud.
Then Eren wiped his hands on a cloth, reached into his bag, and pulled out a small, carefully wrapped item. He set it on the table in front of Lor.
"This is for you," Eren said simply.
Lor unwrapped the package with careful fingers.
Inside was a bracelet. It was simple in design but clearly expensive.
The band was made of smooth dark metal with intricate, faint engravings running along its surface.
The kind of craftsmanship that came from a proper mage’s workshop, not a common market stall.
Eren continued eating as he explained.
"It is a mana optimization bracelet. It helps channel spells more cleanly and reduces waste. Your spells are quite sloppy. This should help fix some of that."
He took another bite of bread, then added almost as an afterthought, "Do not use it during exams though. That would be cheating."
No big ceremony. No long speech.
Just a father who believed his son was a weak mage trying to give him a quiet advantage.
Lor picked up the bracelet.
It felt cool and surprisingly light in his palm.
The surface was beautifully etched with tiny runes that pulsed faintly against his skin when he touched them.
He did not need it.
His mana control was already far beyond what something like this could offer. But it looked genuinely good. He slipped it onto his wrist. It fit perfectly.
He looked up at his father and said quietly, "Thank you. I mean it."
Eren gave a short nod, the corner of his mouth twitching in what might have been a small smile. He did not fully understand why Lor’s thanks carried such weight, but he accepted it.
Mira smiled warmly at them both from the kitchen doorway.
Her eyes were soft with quiet pride. For a brief moment, the three of them felt like a normal family again. Father giving his son a practical gift. Mother watching with love. Son accepting it with genuine appreciation.
Eren finished the last of his breakfast and gave Mira a proper hug at the door.
She held on a little longer than usual. He kissed her forehead and murmured something low that Lor could not catch, he didn’t try.
Mira laughed softly and told him to take care and return home soon.
Then he was gone, turning the corner and disappearing down the street.
Mira stood in the doorway for a long time, smiling and waving at the empty road even after he was out of sight. When the door finally clicked shut, the house felt heavier again.
Lor touched the bracelet on his wrist, feeling its faint magical hum against his skin. He decided right then that he would come home early today.
His mother should not have to be alone all evening.
.
Back to the Present
Lor turned these thoughts over in his mind as he cut through the bustling morning market.
The increased security was still visible everywhere — extra guards, tighter expressions on people’s faces — but the market itself was trying to carry on as normal.
He slowed down when he spotted a familiar figure.
Ameth stood behind her vegetable stall, arranging baskets of fresh produce with precise, efficient movements.
Her sleek blonde hair was tied back neatly, revealing the sharp, elegant lines of her face.
She wore a simple but well-fitted dress that clung to her curvy figure.
The fabric stretched tightly across her full, heavy breasts and hugged the flare of her hips.
The hem brushed against her toned thighs as she moved, and every time she bent forward, the dress pulled even tighter, outlining the generous curve of her ass.
She noticed him approaching but showed no visible reaction. Her icy blue eyes flicked toward him for a brief second before returning to her work, her expression remaining neutral and unreadable.
Lor stopped directly in front of the stall and leaned casually against the wooden edge. He did not waste time with pleasantries.
"You made your offering to the Guiding Light four nights ago," he said, keeping his voice low enough that only she could hear. "The light was satisfied. But you left before the guidance was complete. You never received the teachings you asked for."
Ameth went completely still. For a long moment, the memory of that night flooded back with vivid clarity.
She remembered the warm oil sliding over her skin.
Lor’s hands moving slowly and thoroughly across her back, her lower back, her hips, and then her thighs.
The way pleasure had built gradually until she came hard on his bed, her body trembling and her icy control shattered for those few intense seconds.
She had gone to his room that night intending to knock him unconscious and deliver him to the Princess.
Instead, something inside her had stopped her cold. She had ended up receiving an erotic massage instead of completing her mission.
The memory of her own moans, the trembling sensations, and the strange reluctance she had felt that night made her fingers pause on a basket of tomatoes.
She stood there silently for several seconds, then gave a small, controlled nod.
"You are right," she said, her voice cool and steady.
"Give me the guidance now."
