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Count Henderson carefully sounded on Id’s thoughts.
“You’re from the Kingdom of Scandia, so it’s hard to ask you for your blind loyalty to the Emperor of Icarus. What would you do if you were later placed in conflict with the Emperor for any reason?”
Id responded without any hesitation.
“I’m about to become a Knight of the Adelian family, an aristocrat of the Icarus Empire, so I don’t think I’ll conflict with the Emperor, but if that happens, I’ll leave the Empire. I don’t want the Adelian family to be in trouble because of me.”
Having looked into Id’s eyes for some time, said Henderson,
“You have been recognized for your abilities by both the gold dragon and mage Benjamin, so I’m going to trust your abilities, too. When I was a rookie knight apprentice, I also received several instructions from Knight Commander Andrew Adelian of the Red Lion Order. I can’t say you’re not meant to me. Let’s defeat Cronos’ ambition together. I’ll accept all of your terms and conditions. How can I help you escape Duke Cronos’ pursuit and join my army? I’ll do anything I can.”
“I need to hear from my party, so please give me some time. Let me contact you again later.”
“Do that. I’ll check more about Cronos’ movements in the meantime.”
Having disconnected the communication, Id looked around the party. Sasha was still lost in meditation. At the beginning of Id’s contact with Benjamin, Selena was brought in by Lara. She came down from the oak tree and was listening to Id and Henderson’s conversation. Spica told first.
“I’ll be next to you wherever you go, Id. You don’t have to ask my opinion.”
Lara said after Spica.
“I’d have to agree with you. If we have to go to war, we have to. Sasha’s opinion would be the same as mine.”
Id told Lara.
“You don’t have to take part in the war actively. I will fight when necessary, so all you have to do is be careful not to get hurt and defend yourself.”
Lara replied with a smile.
“Would that work on the battlefields? I may be so, but Sasha can’t be just defending himself. I’ll protect myself, so don’t worry.”
Selena said as Id smiled a little awkwardly.
“It wouldn’t suit an elf going to the desert. I’ll have to prepare a few things before going there. It would be an interesting experience.”
Spica asked Selena.
“What are you going to prepare? Are you trying to communicate with Undines? I know you are a top-notch Spiritual and have intimate affinities with Sylphs of the Wind and Gnomes of the Earth. But I don’t think you have close connections with Undines of the Water or Salamanders of the Fire.”
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Selena replied to Spica, smiling.
“You’re talking as if you’re reading my thoughts. Thank you for your compliment, but I’m not that great a Spiritual. Anyway, I need to increase my affinity with Undines so as to endure in the desert. By the way, I’m not afraid of dragons, but I’m not hostile to dragons either. I think we should be together for a long time, so why don’t we be friends with each other?”
Spica replied with an expressionless face.
“If you don’t ignore me, there’d be no reason for me to dislike an elf. Although I’m still a hatchling, I’m a dragon clan who communicates with Spirit Kings. You must be one of the top-notch Spirituals, even among the elves, who have produced many great Spirituals. You don’t have to be humble in front of me for no reason.”
Selena told Id, who was listening to their conversation with interest.
“I was born with an intimate affinity with Sylphs and have communicated with Gnomes without any difficulties, but it’s not easy for me to be related with Undines. Therefore, I’d like to create a manna hall using your method of manna circulation to try to connect with them. Can you help me?”
“I can help you any time, but I’m not sure if my method can be applied to elves.”
“While listening to your explanation about the manna circulation and manna hall, I got something in mind. I was inspired by the fact that gold dragon Vega compared your manna hall to the Dragon Heart. I think I can solve the problems that arise from the difference in body structure between elves and humans. Anyway, usually, elves are born with a much stronger affinity to manna than humans.”
“All right. I’ll do my best to help you create a manna hall in your body.”
With the consent of all but Sasha, Id activated his communication crystal again. Count Henderson was connected through Benjamin’s magic communication crystal.
“After consulting with my party members, I decided to join your Southern Expedition. We’re all specialized in moving in the forests, so I’m sure we’ll be able to get out of Cronos’ pursuit on our own. I don’t think you should get involved in this openly. We’re heading south along the Polermone Mountains, and we'll join your troops after leaving the mountains. Please tell me where to meet you.”
“All right. I plan to stay at the Ramada Hotel in the Free City Blackfield, the largest city in the southeastern region of the Empire, for a week from the fifteenth of next month. If you don’t meet me there, come to the Lord Castle of the Henderson County.”
“All of us are good at moving fast in the forest, so there won’t be much delay. Then we’ll see you later.”
“Wait, Benjamin says he has something to tell you, so wait a second. And from now on, you’ll have to communicate directly with me, so I’ll send you the identification password of my magic communication crystal.”
As Id memorized Count Henderson’s identification password transmitted to his communication crystal, Benjamin and his disciple Simon appeared on it.
“Id, I wish you all the best. I have a favor to ask of you. This is my disciple, Simon. He became a five-circle mage in his twenties, which is the first case in the history of the Icarus Wizard Tower, so I have high expectations for him. I believe your method of manna circulation will help his further magical achievement. I could teach him your method, but it would be far better for him to learn from you directly, so I’m about to have Simon join Count Henderson's Southern Expedition. Can you teach him your method of manna circulation?”
Id, who briefly looked at a handsome man in his mid-twenties reflected on the crystal ball, said
“I don’t know if my method will help you with your magic training, Simon. But I’ll teach you my method of manna circulation if you want, as I’ve seen Lara’s case. Our party will welcome Benjamin’s disciple.”
Sasha’s manna circulation continued until dawn the next day. Looking at Sasha awakened from his contemplation at dawn, Lara realized that he had changed somewhat even though she could not describe the difference in words.
“You woke up, Sasha. Did you create a manna hall?”
Having stared blankly at Lara’s face for a moment, Sasha answered her question.
“I’m not sure, but I think I made a manna hall in my lower abdomen.”
Id, who woke up listening to the conversation between the two, approached Sasha. Sitting behind Sasha, Id told him, putting the right hand in the middle of Sasha’s back.
“Don’t do anything and stay still.”
As a stalk of manna flowed out of Id’s hand and entered Sasha’s body, the latter flinched a little but soon regained his composure and began to contemplate the movement of Id’s manna moving through his manna passage. Id’s manna moved to Sasha’s lower abdomen and stayed around the newly created manna hall for a while. Having retrieved his manna from Sasha’s body, Id said,
“My assumption was correct. There may be a difference in the length of time for each person to create a manna hall. Still, if you keep doing manna circulation regularly, even if you are not born with a particular affinity to manna, you can make a manna hall sooner or later. Also, the manna condensed in Sasha’s manna hall is much better refined than the manna initially concentrated in my manna hall, which means it’s not right to utilize magic diagrams to make a manna hall.”
Spica spoke to Id.
“As Vega said, the manna hall built up by your method of manna circulation is essentially the same organ as a Dragon Heart. Dragon Hearts are created by themselves without any special method, but it takes a long time to be created. In my case, it took almost a hundred and fifty years building up my Dragon Heart.”
Spica called her dead parent by the name Vega now, while she had called Vega ‘mom’ when she was alive. Spica did not seem to be aware of the change, but it was due to the dragons’ unique objectification. As dragons were extremely independent creatures, they rarely interacted with other dragons once they were awakened as true dragons and became separated from their parent. The same was true in the relationship with their parent. The parent dragon and the child dragon lived a completely independent life without invading each other’s territory after separation. Id recalled the knowledge about dragons he had heard from Andrew and found the change of naming that happened to Spica interesting.