Chapter 11: THE CONCERN, THE THRONE
The sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled patterns across the training courtyard. The steady rhythm of spells crashing against stone, wood, and sand had become the new normal within the estate’s walls. Logan stood at the center of it all—calm, focused, and tireless. A surge of flame burst from his palm, followed by a sharp gust of wind that extinguished it in a precise motion. Then a water whip spiraled upward and hardened into a frozen spear mid-air, before being shattered by a bolt of lightning.
"Good," Rudeous said, watching from the shade of a high veranda. "You’re syncing the elements faster now. No hesitation between affinities."
Alice clapped softly from beside him. "His coordination is improving by the day. It’s almost unnatural how easily he adapts."
Logan exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. His hands trembled slightly, more from excitement than fatigue.
Three months had passed since the affinity test that had shaken the Smith estate to its core. In that time, Logan had thrown himself into study and practice with unrelenting intensity. He rose before the sun and rested only when it was afternoon , his days split between theory with Rudeous, practical training and magical control exercises with Ardyn Vex . And every evening—almost religiously—he had dinner with Alice. And at night he would cultivate. His whole day was nonstop hard work, meditation.
But in between he didn’t forget to cherish the life. He didn’t forget to enjoy some happy moments.
His meals with his mother, Alice together had become a cherished routine. In the warmth of the family dining room, laughter flowed more freely than mana. Logan would often recount his mishaps—setting a practice dummy ablaze while trying to blend fire and air, or accidentally soaking a servant when water magic got out of hand. Alice always laughed the loudest, her smile lighting the room in a way that softened even Rudeous’s stern expression.
Once, during a quiet evening, Logan looked up from his stew and asked, "Did you ever think I’d make it this far?"
Alice reached across the table and placed her hand over his. "I always hoped. But you... you’re becoming something extraordinary, Logan. And not just because of your magic."