Chapter 21: Elemental Spirit

"If you show me something that will make me cry, I will slap you, Silvester." Arielle hesitated, looking at me with suspicion.

"I’m not. Just take my hand."

She held my hand, and I temporarily unlocked her vision so she could see what I could see.

Open.

"Oh my heavens! What is this? Is this a mana thread?! How the hell can I see this?!" Arielle panicked. She was about to let go of my hand, but I held on firmly.

"Stay calm. This is just a passive skill. And to answer your question, these floating threads are mana, and you can see them because I wanted you to. You are connected to me."

She looked at me with amusement, but her expression suddenly reverted to her usual glare.

"Okay then. How can I open that chest?"

"So here’s what you need to do. Do the chicken dance—"

"I am serious! If you are trying to do something crazy, I will freeze you and bury you in our garden!"

It was fun teasing her. She was a charming kid, though she might grow into a serial killer in the future.

"Whoa! I’m just joking. Alright, seriously, here’s what you have—"

"You fathead!"

"Fine, fine. I will stop. All you have to do is feed that chest with your mana. Just stay calm and feel the chest."

"Move aside. If this doesn’t work, I will definitely turn you into ice. Hmph."

I let go of her hand, and she walked closer to the chest. She closed her eyes and touched it. Ice began to spread from her hand, covering the chest.

In my vision, an enormous concentration of mana threads began to embrace her and the chest. The room temperature suddenly dropped, and the air felt like winter.

By my estimation, it would take her hours before she could finally open that chest. I quietly exited the room. The chest contained personal things, and I didn’t want to see her cry again later.

I decided to go to the kitchen when I felt thirsty. It took me ten minutes to find it because the house was too big and there were no maids to ask for directions.

The kitchen spoke of wealth. From the golden utensils to the long table filled with fresh fruits and elegant chairs, it felt as if I had entered a royal dining hall. The room was wide, and there was no noise except for the sound of my boots on the marble floor.

"Young Lord, why are you here? Where is Young Lady Voulstridge?"

I jumped slightly at the voice coming from behind me. I turned my head to see Butler Victor standing there.

"Oh, sorry, Victor. I was looking for something to drink. Also, Lady Voulstridge is busy opening the chest. Don’t worry, she can open it, but it will take some time," I explained. I didn’t want to complicate things, nor did I want my first day of service to be my last.

"I see. Come with me, Young Lord. I’ll get you a drink." He smiled at me and entered a room off the dining hall.

It was a back kitchen where the maids and chefs prepared meals. I saw no one inside; instead, it was filled with various cooking equipment like cauldrons and large spoons.

Victor handed me a glass of cold water. As he did, I noticed a massive scar marred his hand, bearing the grim history of a brutal war.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to ask him a question.

"Victor, can I ask something?"

"Sure, Young Lord. What is it?"

"What happened to Arielle’s mother?"

Victor paused and looked me in the eye. He froze for a second. Sadness and guilt painted on his face. He hesitated before speaking.

"Three years ago, a terrible accident happened. Lady Silvia Voulstridge was once one of the greatest mages of the kingdom, serving His Royal Highness alongside Lord Sebastian Voulstridge on the battlefield." He paused and looked out the window. "Lady Arielle was just a young child in this house at the time. Lord and Lady Voulstridge led a dungeon raid in the west. After a month, only Lord Voulstridge returned to break the sad news."

Sadness filled Victor’s voice. I did not say a word and let him continue the story.

"That... that news brought chaos to the Voulstridge household."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"Are you aware of elemental spirits?" Victor looked at me, seeking a response.

It made me think. I remembered a piece of information from a book I had read when my family locked me in the stone room.

"Are they rare entities behind elemental and sub-elemental affinities? They are spirits. The source of powerful mana that select a host," I answered.

"That is true, my Lord. When a person possesses a spirit of their affinity, two reasons are known to us: either the elemental spirit chooses a host to lend its power, or it chooses a host to reclaim its power."

Victor was right. This was why noble families were powerful mages. Their lineages were once host to elemental spirits that lent them power, extending a strong elemental affinity to subsequent generations even without the spirit’s physical presence. However, the spirit could also return to retrieve what it gave to the host.

Unfortunately, my family’s fire spirit had not given me a single mana thread of fire.

I nodded and let him continue.

"When Arielle learned what happened to her mother, she awakened her ice magic. It was tragic, yet at the same time a wonderful sight because another ice mage was blessed. But that was only the beginning. An ice spirit possessed her, and sadly, it wanted to reclaim its blessing." Victor paused and held his breath for a moment. Sadness and guilt were written all over his face.

He continued what he had to say.

"Arielle resisted as it tried to reclaim her magic. The spirit inside her went wild. The house was filled with blood and ice. The maids and guards stood lifeless, impaled by spikes of ice. I fled at that time while Lord Voulstridge tried to save everyone." Tears streamed down his cheeks. His lips trembled—not from fear, but from guilt.

"I’m so sorry to hear that, Victor. Here, take this." I offered him my handkerchief. He gave a faint smile and accepted it.

"It’s a good thing the royal archmage came and sealed the spirit inside her. But that seal was only temporary. Lord Voulstridge said it is losing its effectiveness, and soon it will break."

"Then what’s the plan regarding the situation now? It won’t end well if that accident happens again."

Things would get ugly once the seal inside her broke. It could kill hundreds of people, and it would not be a pretty sight.

"Lord Voulstridge is currently in search of a powerful sealing mage," Victor said in a low voice that echoed in the quiet kitchen.