Leo couldn’t help but wonder why Edward had seemed so upset as he followed him through the intricate maze of hallways. Had he already done something wrong, or was it because he’d gotten into trouble with a member from another platoon? These questions buzzed in his mind as they traversed countless hallways, finally arriving at a grand double door adorned with a golden plate that bore a cryptic inscription:

“In the dance of water, earth, and fire so bright. Whispered by the winds, guided by lightning’s light. Only when balance is discovered will he be recovered.”

The words hung in the air, their meaning eluding Leo. He looked to Edward for an explanation, but the head-butler simply opened the door, granting them access to the room beyond.

The space was almost bare, a minimalist chamber housing only a bulletin board, a collection of stone weapons neatly arranged on racks, and a spacious, dark closet. Edward turned to Leo and spoke in a tone that was far more understanding than Leo had expected.

“We couldn’t find you a suitable teacher, Leo, and we’re terribly sorry. As an apology, we offer you this advanced training room. It may not look like much, but it’s equipped with three arrays that prevent others from entering without your permission. Plus, your neva cultivation should improve when you’re inside.”

Gratitude washed over Leo, relieved that the head-butler wasn’t angry with him. Before Edward could leave, Leo summoned the courage to ask a burning question, “Wait, Edward, a quick question. What elemental magic do I possess?”

Edward regarded him as though he had just uttered something incredibly foolish. “You are a fanged battle mage proficient in earth magic. Now, I’ll take my leave as I still have to assist other trainees.” With that, Edward hurried away.

Leo muttered to himself, “Nice. It seems like Mava kept her promise not to reveal any information about my ice magic.” Mava had warned Leo that he was too vulnerable to protect himself and advised him to keep his ice magic abilities hidden. Revealing them would make him a prime target. Not even Grace was aware of this secret.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Leo began to explore the room. He approached the oversized closet and gazed inside, discovering an assortment of books and scrolls. The covers of these tomes were adorned with intricate designs, and the titles beckoned him with their promise of arcane knowledge.

Each element mentioned in the enigmatic inscription had a corresponding book, each one thick and brimming with wisdom, each one approximately five hundred pages long. Leo made his selections, opting for books on earth and water magic, placing them carefully on the corner of his desk. But then, he hesitated, drawn to a thicker tome that bore the title, “The Dragon Fang: Unleash Your Inner Warrior.”

With a subtle grunt, he added it to his stack. The tome was dense with knowledge, promising to reveal the secrets of a formidable combat art. Now, he faced the challenge of carrying all three heavy books to his room.

Once the books were arranged, Leo decided to explore the one about the Dragon Fang. Hours stretched endlessly as he delved into its teachings, absorbing the wisdom hidden within the pages. The book revealed the profound purpose of the Dragon Fang: to blend magic and swordplay into a captivating fusion. What made the Dragon Fang special was its open-ended nature, allowing practitioners to create their own unique techniques. Sadly, he couldn’t find much about infusing mana into a sword, a piece of the puzzle he yearned to find.

While Leo immersed himself in the Dragon Fang tome, the gentle songs of birds outside offered a soothing background. The room was filled with the earthy scent of stone weapons and the comforting aroma of wooden furniture. The weight of the books on his desk seemed to hold countless secrets and untapped potential.

As he continued his studies, a maid entered with the softest of steps, interrupting his profound concentration. Her voice was respectful as she shared that Grace couldn’t join him today.

“Young master, Grace won’t be able to train with you today, so she’s asked you to continue your training alone,” the maid conveyed.

Leo acknowledged her message with a nod, and the maid left, leaving him to his solitary practice. In his private training room, he commenced his usual exercises, each movement careful and precise.

During his intense training, Leo entered a state of deep concentration. Time seemed to crawl as his thoughts faded away. The world around him vanished, and he was lost in the flow of his movements. The sweat dripped from his brow, and the room crackled with energy.

However, this intense focus was suddenly broken when a maid accidentally dropped something in the room next door. The sound was like a sudden shock of thunder, bringing Leo back to the real world. Startled, he realized he was drenched in sweat. He reached for a small towel, thoughtfully provided by another maid, to wipe away the moisture.

Deciding to shift his focus, Leo resolved to spend the rest of the day exploring the intricate world of earth magic. He picked up the book, ready to delve into its contents. The soft light of the candles created a warm, flickering ambiance in the room. As he traced the intricate runes and symbols with his fingers, he could feel the subtle vibrations of ancient wisdom.

However, just as he was about to open the book and dive into the world of earth magic, the door swung open with a burst of energy, and in walked Eleonor. Determined to maintain his focus, Leo couldn’t help but ask, “What brings you here?” His eyes, though, remained fixed on the book he was about to read.

Eleonor strolled toward the couch opposite Leo and took a seat. “Well, I’m bored, so I came to you,” she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her eyes sparkled with an irrepressible curiosity.

Leo, setting his book aside, inquired, “Bored, huh? Why don’t you share what’s on your mind instead of trying to annoy me?” A playful smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Eleonor leaned back on the couch, her gaze thoughtful. “It’s not that something’s bothering me. I just thought it would be nice to have a conversation for a change.” Her eyes revealed a longing for connection, a desire to bridge the gap of loneliness.

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Leo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her sudden change in demeanor. “A conversation, huh? Alright, then. What do you want to talk about?”

The two engaged in a conversation that traversed their experiences at the training facility, their favorite books, and training techniques. They shared stories and dreams, creating a bridge of understanding. Leo revealed his aspirations, detailing his desire to master both his earth magic and his combat art, the Dragon Fang.

“Wow,” Eleonor said with genuine interest, “that’s quite ambitious. But you seem dedicated. You didn’t even bother to do something about that strong stench of sweat coming from your training room.” Her laughter echoed in the room, creating a pleasant melody.

Leo couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, I believe in working hard to achieve my goals. What about you? Why are you here?” His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he probed into her motivations.

Eleonor’s eyes sparkled as she began sharing her experiences. It was clear that she was hoping for Leo to ask this question. As they spoke, Leo realized that she was much more than he had initially thought. She trained in the arts of assassination to protect herself but also had an exceptional talent for fire magic. She was known throughout the country for being a prodigy mage. They talked for more than an hour.

After some time, Leo said, “You know, you’re not as annoying as I thought.” A genuine warmth infused his words.

Eleonor chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Their conversation continued, allowing Leo to appreciate his new companion. She was not only entertaining but also someone he could relate to and perhaps even learn from. Eleonor left late in the evening, and the both of them had forgotten about their meal. The gentle cadence of their words remained in the room like an echo of connection.

Leo, who hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, called a maid over and ordered her to bring food. She came back quickly with soup, some bread, and meat. The scents mingled and danced in the air, creating a mouth-watering allure.

After eating, Leo immediately went back to work. His training required him to practice infusing his sword with mana and meditation to train his mind, and the hours flew by as he immersed himself in these tasks. The room was shrouded in a serene aura, the perfect backdrop for his focused efforts.

Later, as the clock neared midnight, Leo’s body felt the exhaustion that came from a day of rigorous training and conversation. He knew he needed rest, but the mysteries of his past still gnawed at his thoughts.

The moment he closed his eyes, a vivid dream emerged. He found himself standing before a pedestal upon which a magnificent sword was stuck. This wasn’t the first time he had seen this dream; it had been recurring over the past month. The sword emanated an aura of power and importance. Leo began to wonder if these dreams were more than mere fantasies or nightmares—perhaps they were visions, clues to some hidden truth. The dreams persisted, relentless in their pursuit of answers.

When he awoke, Leo still had ample time before breakfast, and he decided to use it for more training. Time slipped by effortlessly as he practiced perfecting his control over the heavy stone sword and honing his combat skills.

As he trained, his mind was consumed by the puzzle of Valerius’s words. Should he believe a monster? Was there really a curse cast upon him, and what had happened to his parents? Once again, Leo found himself without answers, the questions tormenting his thoughts.

A maid entered the training room, standing in the corner and waiting for Leo to finish his exercise. Leo engrossed in his training, failed to notice her presence until he was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. Panting heavily, he looked around the room, sweat drenching his face and body.

The maid hesitated, her face betraying a hint of surprise, before finally speaking, “Young master, I came here to inform you that someone has used their duel card upon you.”

Leo, who had only recently learned about this concept, was intrigued but also apprehensive. “What is that? And I would like to decline a duel. I don’t have time for it.”

The maid, still somewhat surprised, explained, “I’m sorry to bring you this news, young master, but you can’t decline a duel from someone who’s ranked lower than you. As you haven’t ever had a duel, anyone can challenge you. The good part is that you still have two months before the duel will take place in the training arena.”

With a sense of foreboding, the girl left the room, leaving Leo with a sense of unease. His mind was already filled with worries for the future, and this sudden duel added another layer of uncertainty.

Another maid entered the room with his breakfast, and Leo quickly consumed the food. He knew that time was of the essence. After eating, he turned to meditation, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

The day passed slowly. Grace arrived for their training session, but Leo explained the situation to her. She offered some valuable advice, “Go into seclusion for one and a half months, spend the other time collecting intel about your opponent, and find their weaknesses.” Her last piece of advice was: “Leo, remember that seclusion won’t be easy. Only people with a very strong mind are able to endure it. I believe you’ll succeed, but it won’t be without consequences. Everyone I have ever met who went into seclusion, even if it was only for a week, lost something. And by this, I don’t mean a physical object but a part of their personality. They became colder as they received enlightenment. Please, Leo, don’t lose yourself in that room”.

The things Grace had said reminded Leo of lots of things: his past on the streets where he used to be so sweet to everyone, this part of his character didn’t last long as his instincts to survive took over. But it was also a reminder of what Mava had once told him. She had said that your element of mastery had an impact on your personality.

People with fire attributes would get angry faster than others while water was the opposite, water would help one stay.

Once you advance your magic to a specialty like ice the effect would double. At this rate Leo was afraid that he would lose all of his emotions by the time he became an adult.

Leo pondered her words and eventually decided to follow her guidance.

She also mentioned that he would be dueling with a wooden sword and could use his earth magic. With a list of exercises and a plan in mind, Grace left him to prepare for his seclusion. Shortly after his mentor had visited, Eleonor paid another visit.

Their discussions revolved around the impending duel, sharing insights about their training, and trading stories of their experiences in the platoon. As they talked, Eleonor’s expression shifted from curiosity to genuine sadness when she learned of Leo’s decision to enter seclusion. She was quick to offer her assistance, eager to contribute to the reputation of platoon four. As day transitioned into night, their conversation flowed effortlessly. Leo’s initial irritation at Eleonor’s presence had now mellowed into a sense of camaraderie. He hadn’t noticed it before but had longed for someone to talk with.

Hours slipped away unnoticed, and eventually, Eleonor had to take her leave, both of them having lost track of time in their engaging conversation.

With the night deepening, Leo refused to give in to idleness. His mind remained consumed by the approaching duel and the need to refine his combat skills. He still had to continue practicing the infusion of mana into his sword and engage in the discipline of meditation to train his mind.

Leo had decided that he would go to the library to gather all the books on earth magic he deemed useful. He hadn’t researched it before so he would have to put in lots of effort in it. After this, he would go to the grand kitchen and ask them to bring a basket with food for his seclusion to his training room.

He executed the plan and started to look for the library. Leo asked some maids who were busy cleaning one of the living rooms for directions. After receiving their guidance he left and once reaching his destination, he started to look around. It turned out that every type of magic had an entirely different room for it. There were plenty of books which made it hard for Leo to decide on the ones he’d take with him. After some serious contemplation and comparisons, he took four books and left.

In the kitchens, the people were all very friendly. Leo had an amazing experience with them as they didn’t ask too many questions and allowed him to test some of their new dishes. Leo now went towards his advanced training room, ready to go into seclusion.