Ambient Mage

Lucas continued to gather mana, even falling asleep at Theo's bedside, still gathering. Theo's veins and skin started to return to their normal color and his fever went down.

This 12 year old boy had cured a disease that was considered incurable since it's discovery.

The Principality and Narita Empire would kill for this boy's secret.

No. I can't treat this boy as an asset. He saved my son, has been loyal to my family.

I will protect him as my own. He will never want, nor will his parents. This is all I can do for this child lying in the chair overlooking his younger brother.

***

*Aurelia's Pov*

When I came back to the mansion, the atmosphere was suffocating.

Mom wasn't very emotional, but she looked sad. I didn't know where father was.

Where was Luke?

"Aurelia, you must've been tired from the trip. Go ahead and take your rest, this will all be a passing memory tomorrow."

"Okay, mother."

I had Count Barton carry me to my room as I was tired. I tried to ask him questions, but he wouldn't budge. Why hadn't Luke come to see me yet?

I couldn't get to sleep. I was too restless. Lucy was in the room with me.

She was watching me, I think mother put her there to keep me in here.

I'm scared. Lucas, why haven't you come yet?

***

I woke up to see a sleeping boy in the chair Lucy was in.

I got out of my covers as quietly as I could.

I approached him on my toes

I watched him sleep. His black hair covering parts of his face, I swept away parts of it so I could see his face better.

His eyes had large black circles underneath them. Why? Was he training vigorously while I was gone? But why?

I put my hands down and walked behind the chair. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pressed onto him. He was so warm, yet so cold. I put my hand up against his face, then against mine.

He was warmer. I climbed onto his lap, and snuggled in. He was better than my bed. 

***

*Duchess Svarmet's Pov*

I arrived home to find the house feeling worn down. The atmosphere was subdued. I did my best to curb my emotions, but I think Aurelia could tell.

I didn't want to hear any news on Theodore. I didn't think I could handle it today.

I found myself wandering the halls. There were no servants. I swallowed. It felt ghastly in this house. I turned and looked out the window, opposite of me stood my husband's study. I had aimlessly walked into Theodore's hall. I guess I couldn't hide it from myself. 

Still I didn't want to know what happened. I looked at my husband's desk. I put my hands on the glass. I wish there was a solution.

Step. Step. Step.

Footsteps sounded in the near silent hall. My heart raced. Who was it? Had Stephen come to look for me? Or had Aurelia left her room? 

"Madam?" 

The head servant of Theo's building called out to me.

"Yes, Wilson, why are you here?"

"The Master called for you."

Stephen? But why would he use Wilson instead of Barton- He was here. In Theodore's room.

"Where is he?"

"In young master's room."

"Which one?" Please say it was Matthew or Ezechs. Just lie to me. I don't want to see my child's body.

"Young master Theodore."

I froze. 

"Madam, would you follow me?"

Impertinent. Who said I wanted to leave?

In the end I took him up on the offer. He led me to Theo's room.

It was quiet. Wilson opened the door for me and I saw another boy with his head and arms splayed out over Theodore's legs.

Stephen got out of his chair staggering unlike his normal appearance.He shushed me and pointed to the two boys. He took my hand and smiled.

He led me out of the room as Wilson closed the door behind us. Stephen then asked Wilson to leave us. Wilson's shadow disappeared to another part of this building.

"Lucas did it!" Stephen whisper shouted.

He almost never called that boy by his name. So why now?

"What do you mean?" His eyes filled with water, but he didn't cry.

"Lucas started curing Theo yesterday, before you got here." He shook my hands up and down.

"Luke can cure MSS?" I asked. 

"He can, and he still is." My Theo. He isn't going to die today. Or tomorrow. Or the day after that.

"Lucas is the savior of two of my children. He is as good as a child I gave birth to. He will receive more than my favor. He will receive my love and support as a mother."

"I feel the same."

Stephen and I walked back to our bedroom in hushed excitement.

***

I woke up early, nearly as early as the maids and servants. And left my husband's embrace. I couldn't believe my eyes. Theodore was alright. I went to check on my two boys.

Luke was still lying over Theodore gathering mana. I could feel his impure mana struggling to gather the even more impure sludge out of Theo's body. I pulled up a chair and put my hand on Luke's back. I as a seventh circle mage could create gates, destroy cities, and fly, but I could never did what this boy has done.

I started to move my own mana, purifying Lucas' own.I stayed there watching over my two sons. Watching their rhythmic breathing. Lucas woke up first. I told him that I would take over the process for a while.

"Then what should I do?"

"Go and find my daughter, no doubt she's missed you, although I doubt she's awake, so you may continue to rest if you feel inclined."

He nodded. Before he left I pulled his head into my chest.

"For all the things you've done for my family, I am ready, willing, and consider you my son."

He hugged me back. This poor boy only knew struggle for 11 years of his life. His parents back in the farm had seen him all but twice in the last months, and they were getting on in their years.

If anything happened to them, I would take this boy in as my own. I sat there watching Theo rest. As the sun came up, Stephen also started to stir. The house began to wake, and the well oiled machine that was our mansion broke out into work again. Stephen came to me and we watched over and sat down in Lucas' chair.

We sat and watched Theo as the sun began to rise.

"Master, Mistress."

Lucy opened the door.

I would like to inform you, young lady Aurelia is currently with Lucas.

If you would like to join them, I can take over if you teach me how to treat young master Theodore.

It was a simple process and Stephen watched over her. I wasn't worried however. She was from the Orix barony and she was in love with Bolton despite her stoic face. I briskly walked to Aurelia's room. I opened the door and found that the bed was unmade and she had left.

I spied a chair with a person on it in the near the beds end. Or people?

"Fufufufu." Looks like my daughter is a cat and has found herself her carpet bed.

But why are her arms around Lucas' neck. My eyes narrowed. What was she doing to my innocent young boy?

I walked up to the two of them before giving my dear daughter a flick on the forehead.

"Muuuuu. Lucas stop bullying me." She said half awake.

"I'm not Lucas honey."

Aurelia jumped off and nearly fell down. I caught her with my wind magic and set her on her feet.

Lucas also woke up with her nearly falling. He reached out but I was faster.

Mufu. I knew this boy was the right choice.

"Mother!" Her faced flushed red.

"As for you Lucas I said to find her intending for you to play, or to rest. Not to find her to rest with." The boy also flushed red. Not the first time, but definitely the brightest. Perhaps this was the way to tease him.

After I teased the two enough I reminded Aurelia.

"Don't forget that his birthday is only 3 weeks away now. Also don't forget to show him what you got from the capital."

"Yes, Mother." She glared at me. I pinched her nose. She was adorable.

***

As time passed Lucas' birthday passed. And he finally controlled the 2nd circle I stimulated in him during his time at Theodore's bedside. Soon enough he came up on the 2nd star as well. He also had an aura spark. He was truly on the way to becoming a knight. 

Lucas and Aurelia's 14th birthday passed by, Theo's 10th birthday, Matthew's 16th, and Ezechs became a Senior at the academy, celebrating his 20th with his clubmates.

Then Matthew reached the 4th star. Then Theo began to take up Magic. Revonia and Marcus had their debutantes. Lucas began to let his magic take a backseat and took his swordsmanship more seriously. I think he wanted to be Aurelia's knight faster. 

Another winter, spring, and summer passed as the kids began to learn. Aurelia had pushed up to the barrier of the 4th circle and Lucas to the edge of the 3rd star. 

Their 15th birthday and debutantes came and Luke's birthday gift to Aura was his advancement to 3rd star, and the news that he would start training to be her knight. Of course he also gave her something in private, but my daughter wouldn't let me know what it was.

For his 15th, she showed off a truly fascinating improvement of his moving picture multicast. She also got Theo to try some basic 1st circle sound magic to improve it.

Matthew turned 17, and started getting ready for the academy. Ezechs graduated in the spring and left the academy as a proper force. He was a 7th star swordsman, a sword expert. Only two stars underneath my husband. And theoretically my equal. But he will always be my little Zechy.

Besides I've long been stabilized in the 7th circle, he had just stepped into the advanced realms. Despite this I was happy. 7th star or circle isn't something people can just achieve because they practice. To reach the advance levels, one must truly discard everything else to hone their skills.

I was truly happy for him, and he made both me and his father proud.

Aside from Lucas turning 15, he had also become a 3 star swordsman, which meant going on his knight's quest. When he came back he would be ready to train and push through to the 4th star.

Of course he would undergo knight training for Aurelia despite her being stronger.

Another year passed and Lucas and Aurelia turned 16. Matthew turned 18 and began attending the academy. Theodore with all the resources finally focused on his development reached the 2nd circle. Lucas around that time also finished with his etiquette and subject lessons.

Ezechs never joined graduate school, and instead returned home to fully complete his successor courses. After that the house got very quiet. Aurelia and Theodore were practicing, while Ezechs was undergoing successor training behind closed doors, and Lucas was taken away to the knight's annex away from the mansion to learn a knight's swordsmanship, code of honor, the duchy's knight's swordsmanship, and what the Knight's quest was about.

***

The two turned 17 quietly without any issues, and Theo turned 13 and went to meet the imperial family. After a few months, Lucas had graduated from 'Knight school' and left towards the northern forest in the duchy for his Knights quest.

Aurelia and Theodore were sad to see him go, although he was excited to reach the 4th star. Every week he sent a message via magic tool back to the duchy, which both Theo and Aurelia would compete over. After about 4 months, he stopped sending messages. It worried me and Stephen, but we knew if he'd died, there wouldn't had been a body left due to the nature of the monsters lying in the forest.

He came out after 7 months in his quest, he was in a city west of the duchy's capital and the border of the imperial lands and capital. Aurelia immediately went to him, and they got into a mini war with the demonic cult, but despite that he finished his quest.

For some reason I couldn't tell what circle or star he was, neither could Steven for that matter, but when he revealed a 4 star and 3rd circle mana, I knew he had grown. Although something had changed imperceptibly in him. My daughter was bothered by the change. They were too close for her not to notice. She told me it was okay. He was just battle-hardened now, like a mini-Ezechs.

***

*Duke Svarmet's Pov*

During Lucas' quest Alicia was nervous often tapping the window where his messages would come from.

When he stopped sending them, she developed a habit of staring at the sky.

She stopped talking as much, as if she'd miss the sound of the message appearing.

Theo spent much more time working on his magic, he believed that if he worked hard enough that "Big bro Luke" would come back.

Aurelia was affected too, but she was better at hiding it, she often spent her time in her room staring out of her window and working on magic, so theoretically there were no problems in her behavior, but I saw the light in her eyes fade every day.

I think that's what spurred her to rush over to Avren town when Lucas' whereabouts were known.

When he arrived I forced him to spar with me to avenge the suffering he put them through, but the boy surprised me.

I couldn't tell his level. And his master and understanding of combat had drastically increased.

He had barely any injuries when the fight ended and he displayed a 4th star aura, and aura sword.

Despite the fact he could make an aura sword at 2 stars, it was weak and barely qualified as an aura sword.

This was a real, dangerous, and vigorous aura sword.

Not to mention he had 3rd circle mana.

Now only two months remained before he turned 18, and he left for the academy with Aura.