1 A Naive Introduction

The Heldan straight is a large body of water, ranging from 100-10 miles in width and nearly 700 miles in length. Stretching from east to west, it is the only sea passage connecting the two main oceans of this world in the southern hemisphere.

To the north of the straight is the large continent of Pangu that stretches far into every direction, its scale unmatched, it is home to the largest amount of countries and some of the most prosperous countries.

To the south is the far smaller Helios continent that connects to the Barren Icelands of the South Pole. The Helios continent is a fraction the size of the Pangu continent, around 1/20 the size, it is home to the Free states of Helios, a collective of small countries and City states of varying Creeds and Races.

The land bordering the Heldan straight on the Pangu continent is the Heldan Republic, controlled by the Elemental race. At the point of the straight in which the distance between continents is shortest, lays an incredibly prosperous trade area, goods flow through this area from all corners of the region and many inland cities rely on this prosperous flow of trade.

One of the small cities in the Heldan Republic, barely 40 miles from the coast, is called Ellaris.

It is a prosperous city that relies on Its Industrial connections and geographical safety to maintain it's status as an upper class city. It is home to many Colleges and Institutions as well as a branch of the United Nations Council (UNC), who's work shelters the world from many known and unknown dangers.

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In the Northern District of Ellaris there is a large park full of trees, stretches of grass and ponds that many people from different walks of life come to enjoy. On the periphery of this park are many large houses, mansions and the occasional quaint cottage.

These homes are well made and decorated, clearly belonging to the upper class of the city. One of the mansions near this park is owned by the Sing family, a small family with less than a dozen people, a few of which work in the scientific field of biology.

Due to the importance of biological studies in the current climate the Sing family is quite well off, especially as this is the home of a Class 2 Elemental Biologist, Gloria Sing. Gloria is a Grade 3 Qi Scholar studying the Elemental Race which makes up most of the population in this city, she does so under the direction of the UNC in relation to the Lifeless Plague.

As for what a Qi Scholar was, it is a term used to describe Qi energy Cultivators who study various aspects of Qi energy.

Qi energy is a strange form of energy, cultivators can collect Qi energy into their bodies to then use it for a variety of purposes. It can be used to strengthen the body, it can be controlled like an invisible hand in order to manipulate objects and perhaps most importantly, it can be used as a weapon.

People with the ability to manipulate Qi energy are called cultivators and are typically graded from Qi Grade 1 to Qi Grade 10, with different Class's to describe their expertise in Qi energy. For example, Qi Scholar's pursue knowledge and the applications of Qi energy, Qi Warrior's use Qi energy to fight and strengthen themselves.

There are many other Class's of Qi users however most fall under the classification of Warrior or Scholar, some Class's are even unique to certain races such as Elemental's.

The Elemental's are a strange race originally birthed in special locations of naturally occurring Qi energy but have learned to reproduce on their own like any other creature. They are beings of pure energy that upon birth appear as orbs of liquid Qi energy, as they grow and learn they often take the form of other living beings to give themselves a form of personal identity.

However due to their natural forms as energy, they have the ability to change their appearance albeit with considerable practice.

The name of their race comes from the natural affinity their Qi energy has when they are born, they are always born with an elemental affinity that affects their body fundamentally, it could be water or fire or sometimes rarer affinities like light or dark.

The Elemental's unique life cycle has gained attention in recent years due to the Lifeless Plague and as an Elemental Biologist, Gloria Sing has risen a higher status. She has successfully worked with various Elemental's to observe and understand their physiology in regards to the Lifeless plague.

This work has granted her much wealth but in the end, her work is only one piece of a larger puzzle that she is ill equipped to solve.

However not far from her, in fact in her very home, something is occurring in that would change the world in an unpredictable manner....

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A handsome yet innocent looking young man, perhaps 16 or 17, is walking topless down a corridor in the Sing mansion, a bouquet of bright red flowers in one hand and a wooden box full of sweet pastries in the other.

He has short bushy brown hair, a handsome yet still childish face with blue eyes and fairly tanned skin. Even though young girls would find him handsome, mature woman would find his appearance cute and stretch out their hands to ruffle his bushy hair.

Due to the hot climate of this region and the culture of Elemental's it is common for men to be topless, even in public, however this young man would not normally do so.

He is topless because he wants to show off his slightly muscular and quite fit body, as to whom he wants to show it off to, that would be the lady who's room he is now knocking on.

*knock* *knock* "Elena are you awake?." The young man says slightly nervously.

From the other side of the door came a young lady's voice, "Just a moment Casmir...".

After a moment the door opened to reveal a lady around 20 years old wearing a simple white dress, she had long black hair, long legs and a modest pair of breasts that although small, certainly add to her figure.

Elena looked at Casmir questioningly.

Yet Casmir was silent for a moment as he admired her features, an oval face, supple white skin, gem like black eyes and soft red lips.

These were the youthful features of Casmir's personal maid.

Her duties included cleaning Casmir's room and clothes, acting as a teaching assistant when Casmir was being home schooled and other minor tasks. She has been his maid for nearly 8 years and before that they would play together as children. Elena had always been very protective over Casmir sometimes to his annoyance, but he would always enjoy her company.

Tomorrow she would be 20 years old, the prime of her life.

Casmir cleared his throat before he spoke ".. Ahem.. Elena... I've brought you a couple of gifts because it's your birthday tomorrow, can I come in? " he ends with a broad smile.

"Oh of course, I thought you might not remember my birthday.. If I remember correctly, last year you ran out in the early morning to find me something. Having forgotten my birthday..." Elena said with a playful smile as she let him in, not realising that he was nervous.

Casmir and Elena decide to sit on her bed next to each other as Casmir gave her, her presents.

"These are some wildflowers I picked this morning... I...I know that you like Redmouse flowers..."

Elena smiled as she smelled them.

"I love them.. I hope you didn't get any of the red pollen on your clothes. It takes forever to wash it out..." she said after a moment, out of concern.

"Haha, don't worry I remembered... " Casmir laughed as he looked at Elena slightly nervously.

"By the way, you're not busy tomorrow are you?" Casmir suddenly asked.

Elena was picking at the flowers to remove any wilted leaves as she replied.

"I'm not too busy tomorrow... Gloria wanted to see me.. probably just to give me a present but apart from that I'm free. Why? Do you want to go to the park with me tomorrow... or is there a surprise for me!" Elena said with a smile as she looked at Casmir happily.

She even acted like a spoilt girl as she waited for Casmir's response, seeing that tomorrow was her Birthday, she was quite excited.

Casmir was taken aback by her excited smile but he stuttered out a nervous response anyway.

"...Y-yes... there's a surprise..."

Elena nodded and smiled knowingly "I knew it, you're acting strange today, you must have been hiding something from me."

Elena then took the box of pastries from Casmir's hand, opening them up so she could eat one while she spoke to Casmir. Casmir stayed silent for a moment, he stared at Elena happily munching on her food while he tried to the courage to ask her something...

Elena gradually ate through the small box of pastries silently until eventually, Casmir plucked up the courage to ask her.

"Elena..." Casmir said as he took the box from Elena's hand before he held it in his own.

"...Yes...?" Elena said, slightly confused by his actions.

"I-I want to go on a date with you tomorrow!" Casmir said nervously as he stared into Elena's gem-like eyes.

Elena was stupefied, as if she could never have predicted his question, silence pervaded the room for a moment before Casmir called out to her.

"Elena...?"

Hearing her name once again, she snapped out of her stupor as she quickly stood up and started nervously pacing about her small room occasionally glancing at Casmir's face.

Her eyes shining with disbelief.

Casmir's heart dropped as he looked at her face, in his mind he had already heard those dreadful words of rejection.

"*sigh*... Sorry Elena... I thought you might have...." Casmir's said half heartedly as he got up to leave.

Elena froze unsure of what to do or even what Casmir meant, but before she could think of anything to say, Casmir was standing at the door looking at her with an awkward smile.

He spoke reassuringly as if her reaction was nothing to take note of.

"Stop being so nervous... I asked, I was rejected, just act like nothing happened...".

However when Elena heard Casmir she grew even more confused and anxious, her mouth opening, yet unable to speak a word.

When Casmir saw this he wrongly assumed that Elena might be worried about this.. situation.. harming her position and causing him to force her from the mansion.

While Casmir would never do that, such practises were not uncommon and Casmir was aware of them, especially when concerning large differences in supposed social classes.

In an attempt to comfort her and relieve any tension, Casmir jokingly said.

"Nothing needs to change, you'll still be a maid here... Remember, I like my milk with one teaspoon of honey!"

Elena, hearing his words, calmed down a bit as she tried to piece together a sentence.

"I-I'm sorry... I just wasn't expecting this... but I..."

"Say no more... It's fine.." Casmir quickly interrupted, as he quickly walked out of Elena's room, closing the door behind him.

Elena remained standing in her room, her mind lost as to what had just happened.

Soon enough she pieced her thoughts back together, she sat back down on her bed, frustration and confusion written all over her face.

"Idiot!...how am I suppose to deal with this... you didn't even let me answer..." She said to herself with flushed cheeks.

"I'll ask Gloria...Ughh... How am I suppose to... *sigh*" She said to herself as she got up, not realising her bed cover and dress are stained with red pollen.

She left her room and walked through the mansion towards Gloria's work room, meanwhile a couple of the other family members noticed her condition.

Red stains on her white dress and her flushed but concerned face lead to a certain misunderstanding.

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In a room on the second floor of the mansion, Casmir was gloomily laying down on his bed, brows furrowed and arms crossed trying to understand why Elena would reject him.

He's been told that he's a handsome young man, girls have tried to flirt with him and even ask him out before, his looks couldn't be the problem.

'Perhaps she was in love with someone?' he thought.

'Impossible' he thought, he knows her too well, he's never seen her acting intimately with another man and she rarely leaves the mansion except for chores and special occasions.

Suddenly, a thought struck Casmir.

'Is it because I'm younger than her?'

He suddenly remembered what all of his mothers friends would say when they saw him.

"Oh what a handsome little boy..."

"Come here little boy.... ahh such nice hair..."

They would always see him as a boy, not a man.

"Damn... I'm inexperienced.... I'm just a child to her..." Casmir said in frustration.

Casmir sat up on his bed as he lost himself in this naive idea.

'Calm down... she's not going anywhere... even if she does.....' Casmir reminded himself.

*sigh*

"I don't want to wait... she might be gone or taken by then... She's smart, pretty and kind... none of those idiotic school girls are half as decent as she is..." Casmir said unwillingly.

Suddenly an idea crosses his mind... '.. maybe... maybe I could seduce her? If she want's a man, then I'll give her a man...'

He quickly recalled something his mother gave him when he was 16 a few weeks ago, a recommendation of sorts that is also what prompted Casmir's confession.

He reaches into the draw of his bedside table and searched through it, finding a red card with gold writing on it.

'The Golden Flower House' is what was written at the top of the card, a very high end.. expensive... Brothel....

His mother recommended that he go there now that he was of age to learn about the matters between men and women. This event led Casmir to realise that he was now a man, the only person he thought to share 'that' experience with was Elena.

'I'll learn how to seduce her there... then maybe...' Casmir thought optimistically.

If only he could see how childish and narrow-minded he was being he might have reacted differently, the consequences of this decision would come to change his entire life...