(6 days later, the forest, several minutes away from his mother’s mansion.)
Raelis trekked through the irritating forest, satisfied with his progress.
He extended his hand, and in the next instant, 10 miniature knives rolled down his sleeve and floated around.
But then they rapidly flew toward a nearby tree, yet instead of piercing through it, they gently traveled into the shadows, and in the next instant, reappeared inside his sleeve again.
This was one of the most frequently used techniques in his father’s journal, the Flying Knife technique.
At first, he needed to get used to moving the knives with his shadow. It was difficult at first, but after several days, he got the hang of it.
Though I can only control 10 at once for now. 50 is possible, but I wouldn’t be able to recall them. They’d just scatter everywhere and be a pain in the ass to gather.
Anyhow, his progress was definitely considerable.
—Flame Core: 3 Flame Rings
Flame: ??? Primordial Flame (★★★☆ — Mastery: 7% → 15%)
↳ Dominion Flame [1/6]
—Bloodline: Cinder Phoenix
Purity: 23% → 28% (Kindle)
Next Rank: 30% (Flame)
Perception: 162 → 198
Magic Control: 200 → 210
Flame Singularity (★★★★★☆ — Mastery: 0%)
Fireball (★★★☆ — Mastery: 44% → 81%)
Fire Manipulation (★★★☆ — Mastery: 24% → 29%)
Heat Control (★★☆ — Mastery: 20% → 30%)
Heat Resistance Barrier (★★☆ — Mastery: 72% → 99%)
Flame Step (★☆ — Mastery: 9%)
Passive Flame Sense (☆ — Mastery: 20% → 78%)
Flying Knife Technique (★☆ — Mastery: 1% → 9%)
Dagger Combat Technique (★★★☆ — Mastery: 4% → 9%)
Stealth Technique (★★☆ — Mastery: 70% → 98%)
Flame Body Technique (☆ — Mastery: 40%)
Acid Resistance (★☆ — Mastery: 1%)
(NEW) Fire Resistance (★☆ — Mastery: 87%)
His attributes had really hit their limit at this point, and getting any more seemed impossible until he reached the next stage in his bloodline purity.
But it wasn’t that far away anymore, so that was one thing.
Raelis fidgeted around with the knives a little while longer, tossing them beneath his feet, and even trying to use them to walk on air.
But alas, he was completely unsuccessful and ended up falling headfirst to the ground.
Even so, he got back up and dusted himself off. After all, only a few hundred meters ahead was where his mother lived all this time.
He had made sure to cover all traces, so it was highly unlikely he had been followed. But on the off chance that he was, Lizbeth was guarding the mansion, and she’d be able to take care of most threats.
Therefore, he finally put away his knives. They’d come in extremely handy in a fight, but he’d only be certain after killing a demon with them.
He approached the mansion, which seemed empty from the outside, but the moment his hand neared the door, his senses flared up.
Out of instinct, he took a step backward. Thankfully he did, because in the next instant, a blade was thrust through the door, narrowly missing his body.
A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a mature black-haired woman who was none other than Lizbeth.
She raised a brow at him.
"Raelis? I thought you were going to skip out on us again," Lizbeth remarked. "But now that you’re here, you’re right in time for lunch."
With a warm smile, she pointed to the mansion.
"Did you learn the swordsmanship I left behind?" Raelis asked.
She halted, then nodded slowly.
"I’m nearly done comprehending it. But actually trying to implement it into my own swordsmanship might take a while..." Lizbeth sighed. "For lack of a better word, it might take me years."
"Well, as long as it’s possible in the first place, then I’m glad," Raelis replied. "Also... how are the maids?"
"So-so," Lizbeth said flatly. "The Head Maid Noa is pretty reliable. She and your mother have become good friends. As for the other two, Lydia and Isabel, they’ve also become friends."
"I see... did you notice anything strange about Isabel?" Raelis asked.
"Are you talking about her combat experience? Yeah, I know." Lizbeth nodded. "I did a background check on her. She used to be a combat medic during wartime. Everyone thought she had died after she vanished for two years, but she miraculously came back to her hometown."
Lizbeth smiled. "Coincidentally, she contributed to finding several bases belonging to demons. Because of her, the Varekans were able to successfully take back a chunk of our territory. So in turn, she got a golden ticket."
A golden ticket? Raelis’s eyes widened.
A golden ticket was a formality. Whoever received such a formality could choose any role in the kingdom.
They could either become a low-ranking noble, or even a restaurant owner. The possibilities were all within limits since everything was overseen by the emperor himself.
"So... you’re telling me that with the golden ticket, she became a maid?" Raelis asked in disbelief.
"A Varekan maid," Lizbeth corrected. "You can’t become a servant of an imperial unless you undergo extensive training. You must’ve seen how lazy she is. Even while dealing with a simple task, such as laundry, she tends to slack off."
Hmm... Raelis nodded absentmindedly.
The last time he had seen her, he realized she was a part of the Black Lotus faction.
That meant she was always an on-duty operative at all times, one that likely funneled information to the Black Lotus organization.
But it was also clear that she knew he knew.
If that was the case and she was still here, then she might be more trusting of him than he expected.
Therefore, he’d have a chat with her later. And of course, Lydia was also someone he wanted to evaluate.
But of course, they weren’t the reason he had come here. Neither was Lizbeth.
Instead, it was his mother, Sophia.
"You said she’s having lunch, right? I want to surprise her," Raelis said warmly.
Lizbeth grinned. "Follow me and hide behind my back."
Just like that, Lizbeth led him through the hallways, until eventually, they had arrived in front of the dining hall.
She swung the doors open and walked inside, with Raelis right behind her, perfectly mimicking her steps and not making any noise.
Yet he couldn’t mask his rapidly beating heartbeat.
His mother was someone very dear to his heart, and in the past, she had been unjustly killed.
But only after she died did he realize how much she meant to him. Especially the unconditional love she gave him despite his stubborn ignorance.
He hated his past self for taking it all for granted.
But not now. This second chance was a whole new beginning.