7. Empty Shell

"Are you guys satisfied talking about me?"

Sally's voice made the two people sitting on the bed turn around in surprise. Their faces immediately turned pale when Sally glared at them.

Since when was Master there?

The creak of the bed made Aaron look back at Jove. The man laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.

"Have you finished your business?" Jove asked awkwardly.

Sally was silent, ignoring Jove. The woman remained leaning against the door frame with her arms folded across her chest.

"Ah, ha ha." Jove laughed awkwardly. "I will prepare dinner for you. Please chat comfortably," he continued and immediately left there.

Jove thought it would be better if he immediately got out of the way before Sally got really angry with them. Sally is great, unfortunately if she gets angry... a woman as beautiful as a goddess will become very scary and her anger won't end quickly.

After Jove left, Sally came to Aaron who didn't dare look at her. The child prefers to cast his gaze to the floor.

"I told you to rest, not to talk to him unimportantly." Now, Sally is two steps away from Aaron. "Now turn around. I will start training you," Sally continued giving orders.

The silver-haired child directly raised his legs to the bed, then turned his back to Sally and sat cross-legged.

"Master, awakening the power of mana, will it hurt?" asked Aaron.

Changing himself with the help of potions alone makes him tormented. Especially when awakening mana really depends on his strength. It will definitely hurt more.

"Hmm, probably not" Sally replied lightly.

"Probably not? That means, the master is not convinced?" thought Aaron, his brow puckered anxiously.

"Relax. Take a breath and close your eyes and feel the foreign movement that will guide the blood in your veins," Sally continued, then touched Aaron's back with her right hand.

A glimmer of white light appeared brightly and spread around Aaron's small body.

It's warm. With his eyes closed, Aaron felt a warm sense creeping over and hugged his body.

It felt like something was moving slowly inside his body. The more Aaron focused on that movement, one point on his body felt different. There is a cool feeling right on the umbilical cord.

The flow of blood seemed to roll like an ocean shaken by the waves. The longer the pulse feels faster and faster following the heartbeat.

The eyeballs covered by eyelids began to move. His body began to feel uncomfortable. Some parts of his body also felt more sore, especially the point where his body was injured. It was very painful, like the wounds were being sprinkled with salt.

"Hold on," Sally said, made Aaron hold his breath and clenched a fist.

Like it wants to explode. The foreign taste on his body is getting hotter and hotter. Beads of sweat also increased to fill his whole body.

Just awakening the power, why is it this painful? If the power has been awakened, will using it also hurt?

"Focus!" exclaimed Sally.

The light glowed more and more around them. It's not just Aaron frowning, enduring the discomfort in his body. However, Sally also put on the same expression. The difference is that the beautiful forehead is frowning because she is examining Aaron's body. Sally let her mana dive deeper into the small body.

"Fyuh...." Sally's exhale slowly. Sally stared puzzledly at her student's back.

"Master?" called Aaron. "What, what is this done?" he continued breathlessly as he looked at his hands. The injuries over there recovered. Aaron thought, could it be that his injury was healed thanks to what his master did just now?

Hm? Aaron turned his head and sat down facing the teacher. Sally didn't flinch from where she stood.

"It's weird," Aaron thought.

"Master, what--"

"You... I could feel it, then it disappeared and I couldn't feel it at all."

"Huh?" Aaron blinked a few times. "What does she mean?"

"It's empty. It was like an empty shell. I clearly feel your mana, even if it's just a little bit. But, why did it suddenly disappear without a trace?"

Aaron was speechless. Slowly swallowed saliva heavily. He could understand a little bit what the master's words meant.

"What does that mean, I have no hope of having that power? I am really a disabled child?" asked Aaron trying to strengthen himself.

That means, he won't be able to fulfill the promise he said not long ago to his parents? Unlucky. Forever he will only be a loser.

Silence flowed between the two people in the room. There was no answer from the master. Sally's head is busy looking for answers to her various speculations. This is the first time, Sally has encountered a case like this.

Aaron's mana should still be there and he only needs to give a little forced push to be able to make the mana in Aaron's body live, fill and flow with the bloodstream. But why did it disappear?

"Master." Aaron's voice sounded trembling. His hand touched Sally's. "I'm okay. The master has already done his best. So, don't think about it anymore."

"What do you mean is it?" Sally snorted and quickly combed her front hair back. "Aaron, sometimes I like your maturity, but sometimes I think you should act like a kid your age!"

Sally's firm voice shook Aaron's body even more. His heart, which kept trying to give up all the paths of his destiny, suddenly felt tight. There was a speck of selfishness rising in his heart.

But if he indulges in that selfishness, will it solve the problem? Not at all.

"If I'm like that, will I be able to get what I want?"

"Yes!" Sally gripped Aaron's two shoulders tightly. "You have to whine and ask me to help you anyway! Listen...." Sally's index finger pressed Aaron's forehead lightly. "I can clearly see what you are thinking in this little head of yours, brat! And I don't like that!"

"I didn't think of anything! I'm just accepting the reality of every fact I hear and experience! That's how I survive without making the people around me anxious!"

Sally snorted again in dislike. "You're just a kid! It is not the priest who has to suppress all their desires! Even the priests don't have such a holy heart!"

"Haah... Take a break. Early in the morning we will go towards the eastern border. Over there, I will try to awaken your mana again."

"You don't need to be that loud to talk to a kid, Sally," scolded Jove standing in the doorway.

"Little guy? Hah! You don't see, he's trying to be an adult? So treat him like an adult!" replied Sally sarcastically, then walked out of the room.

Jove sighed and approached Aaron. "Sally's words, please don't take it to heart. She is just like that."

"Why did Master go so hard to help me? Just saving me, I am already very grateful. She should have left me alone. I'm a student to be nothing to be proud of," Aaron lamented. His head lowered. He has straightened his cross-legged legs.

"Son, when Sally helped you. At that time she must have taken everything into account. No matter how you are, she will definitely still tie you by her side. Because, when she helped you, that's when she promised to take full responsibility for you."

Aaron looked at Jove incomprehensibly. They are just two strangers who just met. But why should the master have such thoughts? Responsible to himself? The master is not his parent. The master is just a kind-hearted foreigner.

"Listen to me, you don't have to think complicated. All can be simplified, son. Sally helped you to this point, it's because she feels challenged by your presence," Jove whispered. The man spoke very quietly and carefully. Jove was afraid that Sally would suddenly appear like a moment ago.

"Challenged?"

"Yes, challenged, her self-esteem will be tarnished if she can't awaken your strength. Hey, this is a secret between us alone... Sally is an arrogant intelligent woman."