Future Queen

The next morning, after breakfast, Ranav made his way to Nanima's house. She raised an eyebrow upon seeing him.

"What brings you here this early, little imp? Shouldn't you be in the city?" she remarked, setting down a bundle of herbs she had been sorting.

Ranav wasted no time in explaining everything that had happened over the past few days… the expedition at The Golden Highlands, his completion of the acupoint opening stage, and Midnight's transformation. He hid the information about Kuldeep Krushna related matters and his beast transformation for obvious reasons. Nanima listened carefully, her expression unreadable until he mentioned Midnight's ascension to a magical beast. At that, her eyes gleamed with interest, and she stepped outside to inspect the horse.

She placed a hand on Midnight's mane, closing her eyes for a moment as she examined the magical energy pulsing within him. After a while, she chuckled. "I never expected you to have a magical beast as your companion at this age. Normally, mages acquire one after graduating from an academy, not before even officially attending one. But little imp, you keep surprising me as always."

She ran her fingers through Midnight's dark coat, nodding in approval. "Take good care of him. If he manages to evolve into an Emperor Beast, he'll be able to shapeshift and stay by your side in any form he wishes."

Ranav's eyes widened at the thought. "A shapeshifting horse? That would make Midnight even more formidable."

Nanima continued, "I have a friend at Khohdwar County Magic School's Beast Taming Department. I'll contact her later today. Since you'll be returning to the city today, you must meet her tomorrow. She will guide you on how to evolve a magical beast properly."

"Understood, Master," Ranav said with a respectful nod.

Nanima clapped her hands together. "Now that you're here, let's test your fire magic. We're already outside, so show me what you've learned."

Ranav extended his hand and conjured a flickering flame in his palm. With careful control, he manipulated its shape, forming a fireball. He kept it steady for several seconds, demonstrating his newfound grasp of fire magic.

Nanima observed with a keen eye and finally said, "Good. You have taken your first step into fire magic. To ignite a flame in your palm means you have learned how to draw upon your mana, convert it into fire, and give it form. But do not mistake this small success for mastery. The difference between a novice and a true mage lies in control."

She raised her hand, summoning a fireball of her own… larger and more intense than Ranav's. "Now, you must learn how to shape and direct your flames. Close your fingers slightly, compressing the fireball in your palm. Feel how the heat changes, how the flames respond to the shift in pressure. Too much force, and the fire will flicker out. Too little, and it will remain weak and unfocused. A skilled mage knows how to balance the energy, feeding the fire only as much mana as needed… no more, no less."

Ranav mimicked her instructions, trying to compress his fireball while maintaining its intensity. It was harder than it looked.

Nanima continued, "Let's move on to practical spells. The first thing you must master is Fireball… a simple yet fundamental technique. Instead of gathering fire into a loose sphere, compress it into a dense fire at your fingertips. Then, release it with a sharp flick of your wrist. It should travel forward like a fast-moving spark, striking with enough heat to burn but not strong enough to set an entire area aflame."

She demonstrated by launching a small fireball at a nearby tree trunk. The fire struck the bark with a sharp hiss, leaving a scorched mark. Before it could spread, she summoned a small burst of water to extinguish the fire.

"Try it," she instructed.

Ranav followed her guidance, forming a compact ember and flicking it forward. The first few attempts fizzled out mid-air, but after a few more tries, he managed to hit the trunk.

Nanima nodded approvingly. "Good. Once you have control over small projectiles, you may attempt Flame Burst. This is a short-range attack meant to push enemies back and overwhelm them with heat. Instead of forming a concentrated fire, spread your fire outward in a controlled wave. Do not simply throw your fire away… imagine it expanding in all directions from your palm."

She demonstrated again, releasing a brief but intense wave of fire that flared out in a semi-circle before dissipating.

Ranav absorbed her explanation carefully and practiced under her watchful gaze.

"Finally," she said, "you must learn Blazing Fist. Fire is not only a weapon to be thrown… it can be wielded as an extension of your body. With this spell, you will coat your hand in flames, allowing you to strike with burning force while remaining unharmed."

She demonstrated by clenching her fist, flames roaring to life around her knuckles. With a quick jab, she punched a thick wooden post, charring its surface.

Ranav followed suit, coating his hand in fire. He threw a cautious punch at a nearby training dummy, grinning when he saw the flames lick harmlessly around his fingers.

"These are the fundamentals," Nanima reminded him. "Before advancing, you must master them. Fire magic is not just about strength… it is a test of discipline. Without control, power becomes a double-edged sword."

After several more rounds of practice, Ranav finally returned home, exhausted but satisfied.

Back at home, Ranav went about performing beauty treatments on his family members… an excuse to secretly examine their life forces.

His father's life force was purely human, glowing with a steady blue hue. His mother, however, had two life forces… one human and one elf. The elf circle was faint, barely noticeable, resembling his own before his evolution.

Then, he turned to Vivita. To his shock, she also had two life forces, but both the blue and green were vibrant and strong. Camilla, however, had only a human life force, yet something else caught Jessica's attention… her mana core had evolved to bright cyan.

Jessica, who had been watching closely, grinned triumphantly. "See! I told you she's a magical prodigy. She just awakened her magic, and her mana core has already advanced a stage. Meanwhile, you had to go through excruciating processes to upgrade yours."

Ranav scoffed. "Hmph! She inherited the great Mayura bloodline. How can a mere commoner like me compete with that?"

A thought suddenly struck him. "Wait… We never asked about her father. We were supposed to ask important questions!"

Jessica's stammered, "Oh! After everything that happened yesterday, I completely forgot."

"No worries. I forgot too. But now's the perfect time." Ranav comforted her.

After the treatments, everyone needed a bath to wash off the impurities expelled from their bodies. When Camilla emerged in fresh clothes, Ranav called her into his room.

She sat on the edge of his bed, as she always did, waiting expectantly.

Ranav hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Camilla… I wanted to ask you about your family. If it's too painful, you don't have to answer."

Camilla's expression darkened. She lowered her gaze. "Grandpa told me to keep my hometown a secret. The day the beast horde attacked Kosala City; many people died… including my parents." She took a deep breath before continuing. "My father was the city lord. Many blame him for failing to protect Kosala. If people knew who I was, some might try to take revenge."

Ranav nodded solemnly. "You don't have to tell anyone else. But… since we're family now, I wanted to know more."

Camilla swallowed. "My father's name was Mahendra Rathore, and my mother's name was Lily Rathore. They loved me dearly. I was only five when they died…" She paused, eyes misty. "Grandpa said their tombstones are still there, but I've never visited. If you ever go, could you… leave flowers for them?"

Ranav smiled gently. "Of course. One day, I'll bring their remains back here. You should be able to visit them whenever you want."

Jessica's voice echoed in his mind. "We were right. She is the rightful successor of the throne. Our future Queen."

Camilla threw her arms around Ranav in a tight hug. "Thank you."