CHAPTER 19

I awoke at first light and returned to the gates of Belial City. There were already multiple long lines at the security checkpoint. I took my place, and the time passed by quickly, my mind buzzing with ideas about gravitational magic.

This is huge. That I can tell. Especially combined with my other Legacy, Arcane Singularity. I will not dishonour Valerie's memory by half-assing this. There is an infinite amount of possibilities. Gravity-assisted physical training, inverting opponents' gravity, increasing my blade's weight. It is endless. Grandpa was an idiot to dismiss such a gold mine.

‘To be fair to him, Nobles emphasise their house’s ability, and Valerie was far from mastering ours.’

That is the most idiotic rhetoric I have heard. We can imagine away the laws of physics. Is our ability broken? Yes, but that doesn’t mean all others are worthless.

‘He was a man of his time. That is all I will say.’

I completed the security check and made my way to the transport district.

Only a few train lines were operating from Belial City; teleportation made it all but obsolete, except for the poor. I went back to yesterday’s bench and sat down. I took a deep breath. My hands were shaking.

‘What’s the matter?’

‘I...I haven’t cast any spells. Since that day.’

‘Yes, you did. [Observe] and [Inventory] are magic dunderhead.’

‘It’s not the same! And you know it.’

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

‘I know Callen.’

I sat there in silence, replaying memories of my first lessons in the arcane arts. My mother was a strict yet fair teacher. She always celebrated my accomplishments, bragging about her genius son to everyone who cared to listen, including those who didn’t. I will cherish those moments for as long as I breathe.

‘Listen, kid. Your mother is proud of you. Your experiences will humble even the most powerful of our kind. I’ve seen Devil’s millennia-old who went through far less and gave up. Don’t you dare quit at the first hurdle.’ I swallowed at those words. The years spent at the facility were best forgotten.

‘T… Thanks, Richard.’

‘You ‘re welcome. Still a useless grandson, though.’

‘I will let it go, just this once.’

I gathered my resolve and walked towards the train waiting on the platform. Devil magic is potent, yet it has a fundamental weakness. We need a magical circle to direct the flow of mana. That is an obvious giveaway for any enemy or security guarding against stowaways. So, how do we negate that?

You can’t cast without a circle, but you can make it smaller. It requires tremendous control, years of dedicated training, and a sharp mind. Even the tiniest wavering in your control will lead to a loss of power, a point-blank explosion, and a few limbs. So, most don’t bother, as bulldozing through obstacles is much easier. No one has accused our kind of being subtle.

Here is where my mother's genius shines: What if you place the circle inside a closed fist? You can cast magic without anyone's knowledge and surprise your enemies when they least expect it.

As I walked towards the train, acting like all the other passengers, two tiny magical circles manifested inside my fists. A second later, I almost fell flat on my face.

Walking with a mass of less than a kilo is hard. Who would’ve thought? I tried to mimic Valerie; she weighed a fraction of a gram at any moment. I should have practised first.

‘Don’t mind me; I’m just enjoying yet another one of my descendant’s idiocies.’ The sound of crunching followed. ‘Are…Are you eating popcorn?!’

‘What of it?’

‘You are an amorphous set of memories in my head!’

‘Your point being?’

As I mustered a response to Richard's sheer gall, I noticed I was already inside the train, holding a rail.

‘You care, don’t you?’

‘Took you this long to figure it out? I am insulted. You are the last of our line, and no matter how much I hope you grow your fourth brain cell, you are the only hope for the return of House Ipos.’

As I stood quietly, pondering the ridiculousness of my life, my responsibility to our house, and my plans to gain power and bring those who wronged our family to justice, the train started moving towards the capital, Lilith. I was not disturbed.