A New Home

An hour has passed since passed Alex passed out.

Alicia used [Light Magic] to help Alex's recovery.

"Ngh!" Alex groaned, as he woke up from his sleep.

Turning his head to the side, he saw Alicia reading a book.

"You're awake, here drink this."

Noticing him waking up, Alicia handed him a cup of water.

"Thanks." Alex said, he change his position from lying down to sitting, he received the cup of water and drank it.

"Do you feel better now?" Alicia asked.

Alex finished drinking the water and said while holding his head.

"I'm okay now, I just feel a bit uncomfortable."

"Okay, just rest for a bit." Alicia said and took the cup from Alex's hand.

Alicia walked to table and put the cup there.

"What happened to me?" Alex asked.

"Its body reconstruction, your body was unable to endure the surge of Mana entering your body, so it got destroyed and repaired using the Mana around you to heal itself, this process repeated multiple times. Until your body was forced to evolve to suit and endure the surge of Mana." Alicia answered and explained.

Alicia turned around to face him and congratulated him with a bright smile.

"So congratulations! You're now a Rank 1 Mage."

"Rank 1?" Alex muttered hearing the unfamiliar term.

'I haven't explain anything to him yet, I'm so stupid! And irresponsible!' Alicia inwardly said and began explaining.

"Right, I haven't explain it to you yet. What you did earlier is forming your own Mana Core. A Mana Core is a crystallization of the Mana inside your body and turned into another part of your body, like another organ."

"The way to become stronger is absorbing Mana in the air to strengthen your own Mana Core, when it absorb enough Mana. It will evolve to strengthen itself to store more Mana, alongside your Mana Vein's; in the process, it will also strengthen your whole body to endure the new surge of Mana entering your body. After this is done your Mana Core has ranked up."

"What's a Mana Vein?" Alex asked.

"A Mana Vein is formed alongside the Mana Core when it's being formed inside their body. A Mana Vein is like the blood vein without it your Mana Core is useless, it is just gonna be a lump of Mana, this is where your Mana goes to travel inside your whole body, it spread Mana on your whole body supporting and strengthening it. It will evolve alongside your Mana Core for it to endure the Mana traveling on it, when you rank up,"

"What's the color of your Mana Core? Check it and tell me." Alicia told Alex.

Alex nodded and looked at his body, he found a black ball containing large amount of Mana right next to his stomach.

"Black." Alex replied.

"Okay. Mana Cores have ranks, when people absorbed enough Mana to their Mana Core. They advance a Rank higher; this is the power system of the entire world. The Ranks are:

Rank 1. Black, the people in this Rank are called Apprentice Mage.

Rank 2. Grey, the people in this Rank are called intermediate Mage.

Rank 3. Red, the people in this Rank are called Advance Mage.

Rank 4. Orange, the people in this Rank are called Grand Mage.

Rank 5. Yellow, the people in this Rank are called Magus.

Rank 6. Blue, the people in this Rank are called Grand Magus.

Rank 7. Purple, the people in this Rank are called Magic King/Queen.

Rank 8. Silver, the people in this Rank are called Magic Emperor/Empress.

Rank 9. White, this rank is called Demi-God Realm.

Rank 10. Gold, this rank is called God Realm.

A person's Mana capacity depend on person to person, even if they are in the same Rank, person A can have more Mana than Person B."

"And I'm at Rank 8." Alicia said her voice full of pride.

"Does anyone know anything above Rank 10?" Alex asked, upon hearing her explanation.

"People know nothing above Rank 10, people only know this Rank existed because a thousand years ago a person reached this Rank and ascended to the God's Realm. One person has only reached this Rank due to how hard it is." Alicia replied, shaking her head a bit..

"Rest for a bit, after you got enough rest. I'll teach you Magic later." Alicia told him and sat beside him in the bed.

"Also don't worry, I'll stay beside you." Alicia added with a gentle smile.

Alex nodded and slept in peace feeling Alicia's presence beside him.

1 hour later.

Alex slowly opened his eyes and were saw Alicia beside him reading a book.

Alicia noticed this; she put down the book beside her and asked.

"You want anything?"

"Yes, I'm a little hungry." Alex replied.

"Here."

An apple magically appeared in her hand, after that. She thrown it to Alex.

"Thanks." Alex said and took a bite in the apple.

"Want more?" Alicia offered an apple appearing in her hand, seeing Alex finishing the apple.

"Yes, do you have anything besides an apple?" Alex asked, looking at the apple in her hands.

"Yes, but their unsuitable for you right now." Alicia shoved the apple in Alex mouth.

"So you'll be eating this for the moment." Alicia said and continued reading her book.

"Didn't you say you're going to teach me Magic?" Alex asked grabbing the apple in his mouth.

"The prince said that were leaving this place, so maybe later." Alicia said.

"What happened anyway?" Alex asked while eating the apple.

"There's a war between the kingdom Zenith and your home kingdom Belston." Alicia said.

"What caused this war?" Alex asked.

Alicia frowned and hesitated, meanwhile, Alex, who saw Alicia frowning after asking her a question, felt nervous and fear, fearing that she may leave him, he quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask!"

Seeing Alex apologizing, Alicia was confused but quickly figured out why, she caressed his head and smiled gently, "It is okay, I'm not going to abandon you because you asked a question. It is just complicated, and you're too young for me to tell."

"Okay." Alex nodded and stopped asking about it. In addition, knowing that Alicia will not abandon him, Alex felt relieved.

'His trauma must have run deep.' Alicia inwardly commented, seeing his reaction.

"Change into this." Alicia said, a set of expensive clothes appearing in her hands.

Alex was now too big for his current clothes.

"Also how old are you?" Alicia asked.

"Ten." Alex replied.

"The first time I met you, I thought your Eight. So your Ten huh? Looks like after forming your Mana Core you got taller." Alicia commented seeing his height.

'My height is 173 cm, looks like he is about 145 cm, he is taller that his average age. In the past he is shorter than his average now he is taller.' Alicia inwardly said, a wry smile on his face.

Alex receive the clothes but did not change and instead was looking at the ground.

"Why are you not changing? Oh! Right." Alicia asked but quickly figured out.

'He is probably embarrassed of changing in front of me.' Alicia thought.

"I'll leave this tent, so change quickly." Alicia said and left the tent.

When she got outside, a bunch of people walking around and taking down tents greeted her.

When they saw Alicia walking out of her tent, they all looked at her.

"What?" Alicia questioned her face and voice cold.

Hearing her cold voice, they all looked away from her and continued what they are doing earlier.

A few minutes later.

Alicia heard Alex's voice inside the tent.

"I'm done!"

Hearing that, Alicia entered inside and saw Alex wearing the clothes she gave and was holding his previous clothes.

Alex was wearing a black pants and white shirt.

"Hand me that." Alicia said pointing at his previous clothes in his hands.

"Okay." Alex nodded and walked towards Alicia and handed her his previous clothes.

"Were going to leave now." Alicia said and left the tent.

Alex followed suit.

After Alex left, Alicia touched the tent and muttered.

"[Store]."

Suddenly, the tent shrunk and was absorbed in her hands.

"How?" Alex asked.

"Using this." Alicia said showing Alex her right hand.

When Alex looked at her right hand, he saw a black ring on her index finger.

"Is everyone ready? We're going to cross a dimensional gate!" A man shouted.

Alex found the man familiar, and then remembered meeting him earlier.

"Yes!" All of the others around him nodded.

"Then let's go!" The man shouted.

"Activate it!" The man turned to a group of people wearing silver cloaks and ordered.

The people nodded and stared chanting.

Suddenly, the space behind the man started shaking, in the blink of an eye. The space behind him cracked and turn into a 50-meter vertical line in space and spread open revealing a beautiful green forest.

The man was the first to cross the cracks in space, then the other's follow with Alicia and Alex being last.

"Let's go." Alicia told Alex and walked to the cracks in space.

Alex followed suit, when they crossed the cracks in space. Alex felt his vision shifting and in turn making him nauseous.

"It's okay; it will only last for a while. So endure it for a bit." Alicia said, seeing Alex pale face and him holding his mouth and stomach, stopping himself from vomiting.

Like what Alicia said, in the blink of an eye. Alex felt his vision return to normal and his nausea disappearing.

When he looked around, Alex found himself in a beautiful forest.

"Let's return to the kingdom!" The man ordered.

The man walked to the southern direction.

When Alex looked at the direction, the man was walking towards, not far from him. He saw a giant grey wall and a beautiful and majestic castle on the distance, beside the majestic castle are tall buildings that reach the sky.

"Let's fly instead of walking, it's faster that way." Alicia said.

"Mm?"

"Hah?"

Suddenly, Alex felt his feet leaving the ground, shocking him, Alex looked at the ground then to Alicia with questions in his eyes. He saw Alicia also floating.

"Don't worry, also close your eyes." Alicia reassured him.

Alex nodded and closed his eyes.

"Hup!"

*Boom!

Alicia hopped and flied through the sky, heading towards the castle, her speed breaking the sound barrier and reaching the breakneck speed of sound. She also constructed an invisible shield in front of them, blocking the air resistance to prevent Alex for getting hurt, for Alicia this was nothing, but Alex was not like her. Therefore, she created the shield.

A few moment later, Alicia stopped flying and slowly descended for Alex not to fall on his face.

"You can open your eyes now." Alicia told Alex.

Alex nodded and slowly opened his eyes looking straight at the ground; he saw both of them slowly descended.

When he looked in front of him, he saw a simple three story white house.

"We arrived." Alicia said, they landed in front of the door of the tower.

"Alex, welcome to your new home!" Alicia turned to Alex and smiled brightly.

Alicia believed she cannott heal all his trauma, but she can at least give a place to feel safe and heal some of his trauma.

Hearing what she said and seeing her bright smile, Alex smiled back.

*Rumble!

Suddenly, Alex's stomach let out a loud sound.

Hearing Alex's stomach rumbling, Alicia giggled.

"Let's quickly enter and eat, based on that sound you must be quiet hungry."

Alicia opened the door to the tower and entered inside, Alex followed suit.

Entering, a room with white walls and a wooden floor and ceiling greeting Alex, looking around. Alex saw a large couch facing the left wall, in front it is an equally large table and a large TV in the wall.

Behind the couch is a large dining table with four chair, he also saw bookshelves spread around filled with novels.

Alex was slightly shock being able to see the book's tittle even though it is a bit far away, after forming his Mana Core Alex's whole body was, strengthen including his vision, with his current vision. Alex can see everything in front of him in 50 meter with clear clarity.

"Quit standing there and sit in the table, wait for a bit while I changed."

Alicia's voice cut him from his thought.

Hearing that, Alex looked at her and saw her walking towards a door and pointing at the large table.

Alicia entered the door and left Alex for a bit.

*Clink!

Alex listened and walked towards the table and sat on it.

1 minute later.

Feeling bored, Alex walked towards one of the bookshelves and took one of the books.

Alex looked at the book in his hands, sat back on the table and began reading it while waiting for Alicia.

The book's title was [Magic Emperors Rise!].

10 minutes later.

"What are you reading there?"

Alex heard Alicia voice behind him, causing him to stop reading the book and looked behind him.

He saw Alicia not wearing her black dress and was wearing another set of clothes, it consisted of a white sweater and black shorts, she also changed her hairstyle to a ponytail from her previous hair that was let down.

Also due to her wearing short, Alicia's smooth white legs was fully bear for the world to see. Alex could only stare at them, due to Alicia. Alex has acquired a thigh fetish in the future, but that is to the future to know.

"I'm going to cook you food, what do you want?" Alicia asked and walked towards the kitchen.

"You choose." Alex replied.

"Okay, don't complain if you don't like the food I cook for you. Also you know how to read?" Alicia asked, seeing Alex reading the novel she read multiple times.

"Yes, no one taught me, so I self-taught myself reading the books on library of my previous house. One kind female servant of my father also help me, when my other family member's find out about her helping me, they punished and fired her." Alex explained, a sad look appearing on his face.

"I see." Alicia muttered, hearing Alex's answer.

'Alex has not receive any education, so I have to teach him things child's his age learned in school. So that's about 7 years of lesson.' Thinking of the amount she has to teach Alex, she smiled wryly.

"I'm going to cook now, so continue reading that book. After we eat we'll have to buy you new clothes." Alicia told him.

She grabbed an apron and put it on.

20 minutes later.

Alicia finished cooking and put the food on the table.

"Stop reading and start eating." Alicia grabbed the book on Alex's hand and said.

"Quickly finish your food; I'll buy you some clothes later." Alicia added.

Alex stared at the book on her hands and nodded.

He grabbed a spoon to eat the soup on the table.

Alicia cooked soup; the first time she met Alex, he was dangerously malnourished, so she wanted Alex to eat some light food. After a while, she will give him a different type of food.

"You know how to eat?" Alicia joked seeing Alex grabbing a spoon.

"Yes." Alex felt displeased hearing her question.

"Oh, don't be mad. It's just a joke." Alicia said seeing Alex displeased.

"Let's start eating." Alicia grabbed a spoon and started eating with Alex.

They quickly finished eating their food; Alicia grabbed the dished and put them in the sink.

"I'll wash these first, wait for me." She said before leaving the table.

Alex nodded and continued reading the novel in his hand.

After a while, Alicia emerged from the kitchen and took her purse in her room.

"Let's go!" Alicia wore some white sneakers and head outside; she also grabbed two caps and placed them in her and Alex head, who was sitting beside the dinner table.

"Can I bring this?" He asked, and showed Alicia the novel [Magic Emperors Rise!]

Outside, Alicia walked to her garage and opened it; inside it was a sleek black car with four doors, with two seat in front and three seat in the rear, it also have a lot of trunk space.

Alicia sat on the driver seat and drove the car out of the garage, once it was out; Alicia got out and closed the garage.

Alicia opened the door for the seat beside the driver seat, and urged Alex, "Come here, seat here."

Alex nodded and sat on it, once she closed the door; Alicia sat on the driver seat and started the car.

She drove it and entered the road, while the driving, Alicia was in deep thought, it was not she forgot she was driving.

'Luckily, the other rooms in my house is furnished to be a bedroom, I should also buy other necessity for Alex, like hygiene product and some Video Game for him to play, based on his past that he told me, he has likely to not have played any games.' She glanced at Alex that was deeply focus on reading the novel.

'Looks like he like's reading, I should probably buy some books for him to read.' She thought, noticing his fondness in books.

'I need to buy a phone for him, I also need to create a Citizenship ID for him; I also need a Birth Certificate etc.' Alicia sighed.

After a while of driving, they arrived at the mall and parked the car in the malls parking lot.

Getting out of the car, Alex let out a sound of amazement, seeing the seemingly endless parked cars, "Wow, there is so many!"

Alicia who got out of the car before Alex, smile wryly seeing his reaction.

The reason for this is that this is the largest mall in the country, and nearby it is the biggest park in the country.

Alicia grasped Alex hand and led him to a plight of stairs.

After a while of walking, a large space entered Alex sight, the wall are painted in white, the floorings are white tiles and for the ceiling are concrete painted in white, with hundreds of people walking around, varying from children, teenager, adults and old people. The mall they are currently on has six floors.

"Amazing…!"

Alex looked around with amazement glowing in his crimson red eyes; dozens of shops laid upon him, selling various things, to cosmetics, toys, clothes, etc.

Suddenly, the people around them noticed Alicia; they froze in shock and watched her walking while holding Alex's hand.

"Is that the Magic Empress Alicia?"

"Yes, she is!"

"Why is she holding a child though?"

"Is that maybe her child?"

"Maybe."

The people around started talking, and taking photos and videos secretly.

Alicia who was already used to this treatment, ignored them, but for Alex, feeling everyone's gaze, caused his to froze in place in fear.

Noticing this, Alicia glared coldly at the crowed and angrily said, her voice echoing in the entire mall, "Piss off! You're scaring a child."

Feeling her cold glare, the crowd quickly scattered.

Alicia ruffled Alex hair and softly asked, "Are you okay now?"

"Yes." Alex nodded, feeling Alicia's soft hands on his head.

Alicia smiled softly and continued walking, while holding Alex small hand.

After a while, they stopped at a clothing store, and entered inside.

Inside, thousands of clothes displayed for the visitor to choose.

A woman walked up to them and asked, "What type of clothes would you like to buy?"

"I want clothes for this child." Alicia said, pointing at Alex.

"This way please." The woman said and led the way.

After a while, they arrived at a child section,

"Please pick from this." The woman said and pointed at the assortment of clothes.

Alicia looked at the assortment of clothes that was for males, which varied from shirts, pants, jacket, etc.

After a while, Alicia picked on the clothes she will buy for Alex, "I want everything."

"Is that it…?' The woman hesitantly asked.

"Yes." Alicia nodded.

"That will total up to….15,345,34$." The woman said.

"Here's my card." Alicia handed the woman her card.

The woman received the card and walked to the cashier.

After a while, Alicia and Alex walked out of the store, carrying… Nothing.

The reason for this is Alicia has stored it in her Storage Ring.

Alex, who saw the hundreds of clothes vanishing out of thin air, was in a state of shock.

Alicia did not bother him, and left him to get used to such strange sight.

'You need to get used to such event, Alex.'

After a while, Alex turned back to normal and continued exploring the mall.

While walking, Alex saw multiple child having fun with their mother and father, which caused him to stop in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Alicia worriedly asked and followed after Alex gaze, and saw a family having fun.

Seeing that sight, Alicia felt sadden and stared at Alex, who was staring blankly at them.

Alicia sighed, and ruffled Alex hair, while smiling gently. "It's okay. I am right here. You don't need to be jealous of them."

Feeling Alicia's hands on his head, Alex broke out of his current state, and gazed at Alicia purple eyes.

'It's okay, like Alicia said, I already have her. I'm not alone anymore.' Alex convinced himself and smile brightly at Alicia, "Don't worry, I'm not jealous of them!"

Alicia smiled softly in return and they continued exploring in the mall.

An hour later, they finished buying stuff in the mall, and they are currently in the parking lot, with Alex holding a sleek black phone.

Due to not having experience using a phone his whole life, Alex was deeply curious about it, and kept fiddling with it.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Alicia softly asked.

"Mm!" Alex nodded.

Alex opened the door and sat on the seat beside Alicia, with Alicia seating on the driver seat.

"Oh?" Alicia, who saw it, asked teasingly, "You know how to open a car door?"

"Yes." Alex nodded not bothered by Alicia's question, and kept fiddling with his newly obtained phone.

Seeing his reaction, Alicia giggled and fell into deep thought, while thinking of the future for the both of them.