Ch. 2: The agony of holding back the kill

The third daughter of the Reign Family, Stephany Reign.

Month 5, day 11, A.T 882. Sunrise

Inside the library of the Reign family.

Hiding atop the bookshelves, the dusty mote flew around lifelessly. Although, the wood-eating termites had yet to start eating the wood. The silence that collided through the cold and dark, it gives a pleasant feeling to my body. Lifting a finger to turn a page to another, the dust arouse gently through the ray of light piercing from the crystal ceiling.

I concealed myself without relying on magic, but I don't think it's a good idea even though I am the one who decided it to be. However, experimenting with a person's level is a must. Grasping your opponent's capability, so it would be a future reference to adjust my power.

If it is Grey, I don't think she can locate me through a mana scan, or use movements of the natural mana, just judging from her book, she is naïve and could easily be manipulated. No wonder she signed up to be my instructor without further questions of why she must do it.

However, other than power, position-wise - she's the dominant one if she ever abuses her power, that is. She is given the privilege to be able to get away from any disrespect or crude behavior.

Hiding is the only temporary solution that I have. The permanent one you ask? Maybe killing her would be a valid idea, but I rather not, since she would be a great piece in the future, add the fact that she is easily manipulated.

As the shimmering light penetrated from the crystal ceiling, my eyes naturally adjusted from its passing brightness, the dry motes became visible as it breezes through the ray of light. Which would conclude that the atmosphere is calm. The interior of the library was illuminated to what the light can reach. At each of the four main directions north, south, east, and west had windows, it was slightly opened.

A near window was pointing towards me, it breathes out the heat from the outside world. Though the breeze was hot and always come to me, it wasn't enough to make me sweat despite wearing a thick dark robe that covers everything down to my torso and toes. My head would easily be concealed if I were to use my hood. In fact, I don't get sweaty.

Laying face down while leisurely reading a book in front of me, it was supported by my two extended hands. Although my hands fell asleep and went numb, the pain did not register in my mind until now. Tsk, I shouldn't have minded it, and now that I have done, the unbearable pain from my aching hands sent waves of electricity feeling throughout my entire body. I can bear it like it's nothing, but I am afraid if my body ceases its function. Thus, I couldn't help but to break my momentum of reading and sat up with a drooping hand.

I have returned to the real world! No, I'm already here, just not mentally present.

Stretching my hand towards the dark, the calm atmosphere blended and did not change, the flow of the falling motes was destroyed with a gentle kiss of the air.

After retreating my hands back to its position, I notice that a lot of humans are roaming inside the mansion because of the natural mana being moved physically, or maybe this vessel is just sensitive in terms of natural mana. I shrugged the idea off, it's probably my father's trading partner from other kingdoms or high-ranking merchants. All those do not matter to me.

Feeling tired, I laid back. However this time, I face upwards towards the dark ceiling, and because of this heat I'm craving sweet frozen foods, I want to take a cold bath while letting the pleasant music arouse my ears. I really want to relax more, don't I?

As I was about to get consumed by my deep thoughts, my chest suddenly felt heavy as it moves upwards, and it startled me. I swiveled my head to where I can see what was on my chest, it was definitely not my sister nor the new demonic instructor. But it was my cat, Secrea, she crawled her way down to my chin and rub it as if seeking for attention.

Was staying here in the library made her feel lonely? Did she grow lonely over these years? She could leave me and explore the world by herself if she wanted to. However, who will be the one to supply her foods? And by means of that, she needs a large amount of mana for her food. I haven't met a 'normal' animal here because I isolated myself in this library, so I wouldn't know what they normally eat.

Also, I have gone terribly weak and rusty. If this present vessel was like my previous one, I would have certainly noticed that Secrea was on top of me. Should I go out and train myself? No, It's too tiring and the more I think about it, the more it makes it tiring. Well, learning is part of training as well. So, I should keep on reading.

As I was pondering stupidity in my mind, I caress Secrea's forehead. I hate procrastinating, though I have heard a certain quote saying "The more you hate, the more you love"

I think this only implies my procrastination and not on the others.

I will be explaining things about magic and crafts, so you can skip ahead if you don't want to learn about magic. Don't worry, I won't be angry.

Anyways, since I don't want to be fully committed to procrastination, so I did what I do every day to increase the limit of my mana pool. I cast [Spatial] Magic, A magic came from an attribute [space] combine with [darkness]. And to get [space] attribute, I must combine the elements of [darkness] with high, [gravity] low and [void],

However, in Bloodcraft, it's a combination of [pure blood] [black blood] and a sacrifice. Bloodcraft is something like granting your wishes in exchange for blood and contract, it can revive people, curse people and do something morbid. Although, if we're talking about real curses, then it's witchcraft.

There is also numerology craft, the most complex magic structures if one creates. Which only consist of shapes, letters, symbols, and cardinal, sometimes they are reversed as well and have different meanings

Before we head on the advanced stuff, let's discuss at the level of mages first. Attributes are only magic attributes. The attributes have 4 main bases and that is fire, water, wind, and earth. To get the other attributes like dark, space, light and etc. The elements comes in.

Attributes are to be converted to elements, and it will be then combined with the other elements to get an attribute. Elements are more sensitive than attributes because it has length, power, mass, and etc. If [fire] attribute is converted into an element and combined it with [water] element that is weak, you'll get [steam] attribute.

If you do the same process to steam, which is to convert it into an element, and if you higher it up, it'll create [heat steam] attribute. Repeat again and make it lower, it will create [low steam] attribute. Repeat again and combine the [low steam] and [fire] high element, you create [thunder] attribute. Repeat again and higher the [thunder] element and combine it with [low steam] you create [lightning] attribute

It can be combined with two or more elements. there's also some cases that you need to erase the other elements in order to create what you want, hence you can always erase it with huge sums of mana or just counter the element with another.

Be careful though, it might combine or it might even delete the element you needed. If one element is deleted, you must have to recreate it in different ways, because you can always can. Although, I think restarting is better than recreating the element.

That's how attributes and elements work. That explanation went longer than expected.

Today is witchcraft! After casting a [spatial] magic, I immediately cast witchcraft spells and magic that went on my mind. I also created [conceal] from Mystic craft to conceal the use of magic and not disturb the natural mana around me. I cast in all inside the [spatial] magic and remembering the spells and magic that I learned from witchcraft.

There are some cases that other crafts only meant to empower the magic and spells itself. Like creating [conceal] from elements and attribute and is empowered by magic, manifesting its effect will able you to conceal just your presence and smell.

However, if [conceal] is made from elements and attributes but empowered from numerology craft, your presence will not be detected by any normal means. However if [conceal] is created from the numerology craft, it is almost impossible to detect you if they won't use the same crafts or much higher crafts.

Numerology craft is understanding between numbers and symbols, that is why you need to use the craft itself in order to work perfectly. However, in Mystic craft, where all mysteries and active arcane are hidden from all the understanding and fundamentals. Mystic craft is usually defying the laws of magic and nature and creates something for its laws.

Basically, if [conceal] is created from elements and attributes and empowered from mystic craft. That [conceal] has now its own laws. You can basically do whatever you want and you will be still won't be found out. You can also change the formula that manifests the conceal.

That explanation went longer than what I had expected, but it's basically the sum of it. No, there are still many things I have yet to explain, so I'll leave it in my next actions.

I continued to pat Secrea's head until I notice the natural mana move without any valid reasons, and locating the main source of this disruption, it was Grey. She was on the ground floor, searching right and left in a hurried manner.

Is she searching for something? I won't help though. Oh, right, she's searching for me.

I move my body as if I was a wriggling worm and look down at her, even though I know her location by just finding the cause of the natural mana disruption, but I don't want too. I rather gaze at her from afar while she suffers from finding me.

I was getting tired of caressing Secrea's head, I stop and slide her off from my chest. Since I know that Secrea will disturb me again by stepping or sleeping on my stomach and chest, I flip over my body so she won't be able to disturb, or so that's what I had thought. But Secrea solves it by climbing at my shoulder and making it as her pillow.

Well, I found her actions too cute and made me unable to stop her. Well, it's not like it restricts me from reading, so I will just let this one slide. I took the book that I haven't finished earlier and continued reading. However, when I was about to do so, Secrea's hairy tail gently caresses my head. The sweet fragrance of the sun reaches my nostrils, it was a pleasant suddenly change. With this, it is completely impossible to get rid off her.

Whilst being caution about Grey, I sensed another familiar presence outside the door of the library. I continued reading while being cautious about their presence, I don't want to get found out by them after all.

But I should be already because atop of me is the second floor of the library, there is no way that they could see me here unless they climb the bookshelves of the first floor.

As I turn to the next page, I anticipated the pleasant sounds of turning pages. However, the door opens violently, causing the whole building to tremor and made the dust fell from the ceiling. The heat from the outside world quickly invades the library, the silent atmosphere of this library abruptly changes. I shivered unconsciously but it wasn't enough to shake Secrea off from its position.

The fallen dust rapidly covered the entire surface area surrounding me, it was like a blizzard but dust. It tickled my nose and prepared to initiate a sneeze. However, I stop it with all my life by covering it with both of my hands. One sneeze will determine my location, it's like one sneeze, one kill. I mean I one sneeze, one death. While doing so, I produce a super-dense mana orb that could move light-weighted objects with a similar weight as a paper at a short distance.

It floated at the tip of my index finger, as it was emitting a violent orange color. The light from the ceiling was terminated replaced by it, though it was not shining to the point it reaches the ground. The air around me suddenly picks up, I stop passing more mana into it and throw it beneath me. The dust around me was blown away, making the surface clean again, although the natural mana was severely disturbed, Grey should not be able to detect it, or I'm hoping so.

She should not be sensitive to natural mana so I'm hoping that she will not be able to locate me. I slightly swiveled my head and look at Secrea's hair, it was distorted. She looked like she touched a van de Graaff generator, her hair floated upwards and became a definition of a fluffy cloud.

I can't help but chuckle a bit. After a brief second, I look at Grey to know if she reacts to the small disturbance of the natural mana. Gazing down at her, she seems to not able to grasp my location, but her face grew complexion as she breathes heavily for air and can see that her knees are trembling.

Analyzing at her reactions, it would seem that she can feel the disturbance of the mana, but are not able to locate the disruption. So this is what they call a first-rate mage in this world? I must tone down my power more.

After I concluded my speculation, I did not mind her nor the individual who violently opened the door and resume my reading once more. Although it was still inevitable.

"My dear Steph, are you here?" Her high-pitched voice sounded like a never-ending whistle to my ear.

It was unpleasant, so as knowing her that she arrives, and this would only mean that my other siblings have arrived as well from school.

What pure bad luck I should say, even though I know that they have their school breaks once every two months, and it would take a month for their break.

She repeated, "My dear Steph, are you here? " That enthusiastic tone of hers made the cold crawl under my skin, not in fear, but the memories of her disturbing me every time, it was a pure annoyance.

Killing her is not a problem, but I don't want to for no reason why. Maybe because she's the only family member I consider to. She has this weird aura around her that makes everyone happy and enjoy the day without problems, though it does not affect me, my family seems to be.

Is it her power? Assuming that Freya could freely allure someone when they look at her, she gives a natural healing aura, making it so comfortable when talking to her. Though everything is fortunate that it does not weaken one's resistance, and nullification ability since it would be very haggard to enhance the resistance ability from enhancement craft.

I rose up while not minding Secrea's comfortable sleeping position. I started walking towards the window, which was at the same level as the bookshelves. Sneakily walking and jumping from shelves to shelves without letting out noise from my actions.

Though I wanted to escape this vicinity as quickly as possible. However, I heard another voice that seems to be more mature and polite, which gives me shivers from her unusual self. Her voice grew faint as she was slowly making her way to Freya.

"It's nice meeting you here, Lady Freya" Grey greeted her with a polite tone, unlike that crude tone she always uses.

How frightening a woman can be. I don't know what her expression is she having right now. But, I would assume she had that bewitching smile and motherly aura.

"And, who might you be?" Dignified, yet so angelic. Freya responded with a pleasing tone, there were no tremors to her voice, but it was like a cleanly played orchestra.

She gave a proper greeting to Grey without fumbling her voice and it only made me feel proud of her. Though, like an angel, as she may be, she always afraid of interacting with other humans, such as my siblings and my father, because she blamed herself when our mother died. However, she was fine interacting with me. Thus always comes to play and disturb my reading.

Well, I don't want to kill a child with selfish reasons. In fact, Freya is the only one I consider as a family, a peony human that you want to protect. Though I still choose my peace rather than to protect her.

"I am Grey, the wandering caster. Master Alusu had assigned me to become a personal tutor of Lady Stephany." Said Grey with overwhelming etiquette, or so I imagine it to be.

if my father were to notice Grey's overwhelming etiquette, I am sure he would also add it in our lesson, since I had yet to do any practice of etiquette after I was born. Though, it should not be a problem for me, because I have already known it. But all does not matter if there is no need to do such things.

"Oh~!" Freya slips out a surprised voice from her mouth, completely forgetting her manner after hearing Grey's introduction.

I wonder why?

Since I was interested in their conversation, I sat at the edge of the bookshelf. There was no dust nor a speck of it, the colored orange Mana made a result more or less have I expected. The light piercing through the window stated it was noon and the breezing hot gently touches my skin.

I unconsciously slouch like it had been my hobby, but I corrected my posture. While doing so, Freya screamed suddenly without reasons why. It made me worry and got up myself, I quickly stride near them while not making any noises from my steps. Did something happen to Freya? Did Grey harm Freya? In response to the disruption of the natural mana, Grey is still standing straight without doing anything, but it seems that Freya is panicking, her trembling hands are making waves in the natural mana as it impacts my skin and immediately made a live video in my mind. Although, I can't trust the natural mana since it could also give false information. I should at least see what they are doing in my own eyes.

Upon arriving near the entrance of the library, I could see that Freya was standing two meters away from the entrance door of the library, the entrance - the double door was massive and had a similar size to the gates, it's height level is at the same of those bookshelves. Looking at it certainly gives an aura that it's extremely difficult to open it, fortunately though, it does not. Its materials are crafted by the best blacksmith in the kingdom, hence it showed the result that it wouldn't open by natural law and phenomenon, but by a physical human. Even when I was a child, I could open that door without using sheer force.

Grey was standing in front of her, still and steady while looking for an answer to why Freya suddenly screamed.

"Yo-you're that Hero Caster!?" Freya shouted again.

Hero caster? It pinned my interest when she said that. According to the stories and records from the book I had read in this world of Leiterra, it is said that a ruthless demon stands above them all, crueler than anyone that could even imagine. A demon king that dwells in the demon territory - The shadow dominion is located at the end of the south. It is so far away that you need to pass the mountain ranges, Altor Forest, and the ocean of never return.

The ruthless demon king is dealt with the "summoned beings", usually they are called heroes by the people of Leiterra. The number of summons at a time is usually 2-5 people, they are much stronger than the humans that live in Leiterra, or might be comparable to high-humans since they have a special power which said that boost their growth power. For further information, these heroes are summoned by the Demiurge emperor, Hernaez Demiurge, the immortal summoner.

It is said that he is the only one that could summon the heroes from another world, though, there is no evidence other than the books. So for now, it is better to assume that is real.

I look at Grey if Grey was the hero caster in a carefree manner while leisurely roaming around the house. That would mean that the demon king had already been defeated.

However, why would she serve under an Archduke when she could work at the empire as the strongest caster alive?

Grey was taken aback and smiled. "As you have guessed right, I am the hero caster"

A liar, she's nothing but a fraud self-proclaimed hero. I just don't believe that the likes of hers are heroes, it's completely impossible to believe without proof. Although looking at Freya's expression, a face filled brimming joy, she seems to believe at her. What a gullible child I should say.

"I knew it! I'm so jelly for my dear sister to have such a wonderful instructor such as you" She clasps for Grey's hand and shakes it furiously.

Well, this is a great merit for me, I should say. If Freya had taken interest in Grey, I am sure that Freya will less bother me and instead disturb Grey.

As I gaze down at them while smirking inside my mind, something suddenly jumps on my shoulder which made me startle and accidentally slip my hands off from the edge. I fell with the thought seeking for who did it, and on the way down, Sercrea was gripping tightly on my hand. What a bitch. No, it's my fault for not noticing Secrea. Does the natural mana move after her? I don't think so.

I was in a situation that I cannot use magic since they are in front of me. I couldn't do anything but braced myself for the impact.

*Thud*

The sudden loudness erupted the silence of the library, my body falls flat on the ground whilst creating a thick cloud made of profound dust. The peculiar smell of the fetid motes filled and tickled my nose, I couldn't help but let out a cute sneeze, and it was also difficult to breathe.

The dust got into my eyes, I gently rub it with my peony hands. At the same time, a heard a high-pitched voice coming towards me with terrifying speed, I immediately rolled over to my side. In addition, the natural mana was greatly disrupted by her movements, it was easy to determine where she was.

"MY DEAR STEPHANY!" she shouted with all her might, so as her usual jump-and-hug tactic.

She landed with the front of her body being scrub against the floor, the consequence of her jump immediately paid the price. She slides until her head hit the nearest piled-up books, it crumbles down and envelopes her upper body. Looking at her, I slightly chuckled.

I can hear her letting out a painful groan. Her florid dress that blooms all together with her angelic smile, that figure was simply ruined by her improper behavior. Grey should report to Father that Freya needs more practice on her proper etiquette and manners.

Thinking of which, the natural mana was suddenly disturbed and I can feel that another individual is moving - it was Grey without a doubt. I turned around, only to see Grey extending her arms and doing suspicious motions with her fingers as if catching a wild prey. I have known this method of catching but not similar to hers, she was at the point that she was ready to jump and catch me.

However, before that could happen, there was something I wanted to try out. Perhaps a combination of skill and magic, a skill named [Evil Eyes] and is affected based on the magic or an attribute, it also does not have any limit to its base effects. Currently, my [Evil Eyes] is basing on an attribute and a magic, which are [fear] magic combined from the attributes of [Dark] [Shadow] [impurity blood] [Mana: Orange], and attributes of [paralyze] combine from the elements of [Poison] [force] [energy].

My eyes lock at hers. She flinches backward and not moving, I could see her shivering body from the fear I give. Not moving as if clearing her mind to stay calm and think every possibility of what I will do or what action would she take. Her survival instincts kick in, it's just like the others, not much less than the maid earlier who claimed the name of Halsey.

And just like I had said earlier, I want to at least grasp the capability of what she can do and to what extent. However, she's like the others. Weak and fragile.

After several seconds of looking at her reaction, I had determined that she is not a threat even though she is the so-called "The hero caster", it seems that it's nothing but a lie. And looking at her, I think she won't move from her position for a while.

I hurriedly exited the library through the entrance and ran all the way to my third favorite spot - the silver spring

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>Liettera/Backstory/Freya

Whenever Freya gets attached to something or someone, either things or living beings, it always destroys or gets killed. The proof was her mother - Jeanne was a great tamer like no others, the ability to make friendly relationships with the monsters she wants and could control them at will. When Freya gets attached to her mothers' tamed monsters, that tamed monster will die after a day or a week if lucky.

Freya and Jeanne were very close to each other, playing every day with each other, sleeping next to each other, story-telling about Jeanne's wonderful adventure to the shadow dominion together with her husband. Every day was a blessing to them until Stephany was born.

Jeanne died after giving birth to Stephany Reign. Freya locks herself in her room and blames herself every day. She only does out to ask food on the servant's quarter, and she does not make contact with her parents, let alone her siblings. However, that one day when Freya slips out from her room with the sleep of the sun, she does to the kitchen to feed her grumbling stomach.

However, before she arrives, she saw sibling - brother Daniel at the same age since they were both born together, he was at the distance of the corridor and slowly striding his way to his room. In order to not interact with him, Freya quickly hides in a nearby room.

The room was all dusty and gray, but she did not mind and went on the room just to hide since there might be a chance that Daniel would also come inside. The room had an open window, and it made the cold breeze enter, but just before the window was a figure that took the form of a human, Freya gazed at the figure's silver hair being flutter by the windy breeze and her face was basking under the starry night.

There she met her younger sister, Stephany Reign, blended like an object inside the room, completely silent and steady as if she was a doll without a string. Freya immediately took an interest in her. Alluring treasure awaits to be unrevealed before her.

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Skills are more unique than magic but cannot surpass spells, magic spells, spell art, magic art, etc. Additionally, it cannot surpass magic if it is supported by a craft, let alone magic came from the craft itself.

All for the reason that it does not consume any mana nor any consumption, unless if the skill is unique and has requirements to manifest it. Though it still does not change the fact that no mana is needed. Thus manifesting a skill won't disrupt the natural mana.

Furthermore, it does not have any limit to its use and does only consume the stamina of the individual. In addition, if the skill is a heavy burden to the owner's body, Cedric von vanes recommends that you should limit the amount of casting.