Chapter 16: Bianca’s worry

"Lux!" Lucien's voice rang through the formerly silent room.

A small light ball fully formed in place of the symbol for a second before it wavered and dissipated. It was a failure in the active mana circulation but he had drawn the symbol right. The outright presentation by Merlin was executed correctly. 

Merlin started to reconsider if he was enough to teach his son. Even with his mediocre explanation, Lucien managed to activate the first spell he had learned. In a matter of minutes at that.

"Poor demonstration, but good enough for a first try, Little Lu," said Merlin in all seriousness, ignoring his surprise and satisfaction. 

He wouldn't want to plant a sense of gratification so early on in the practice. Plus, it wasn't in line with his character.

"This should be your focus for now. Before you learn another spell, you should practice the light spell to proficiency. Contemplate the feeling when casting the spell. This should be routine for all spells learned in the future. Today's lesson ends here. You are free to do what you will," said Merlin as he picked up a book and analyzed what spells he should teach next. 

The major problem was beginner spells were in the majority. They were countless, even he could not say he had mastered all of them. However, given his son's talent, he had to reconsider how many spells he should teach him. It would be way more than his first estimate.

"Yes, Dad." Lucien felt downcast with the lack of reaction so he thought of an alternative. His Mother.

He ran out of the room toward the kitchen.

"Mom, Mom! I learned my first spell." Lucien forgot all his reserves and was shouting in the house. He was excited to brag to someone. 

"Oh~ That is excellent! We should celebrate today. What do you want for dinner, Lu?" asked Bianca. 

She humored her son's joy not expecting what he said to be the truth. She had taken an entire day to learn her first spell. 

Lucien stopped in front of her, he drew with more confidence the symbol in the air with slightly more precision and focus. After taking a breath he said, "Lux!"

A small light ball formed and lasted a few seconds before dissipating. 

Bianca opened her eyes wide and her eyes could not help but tear up. She was very happy for her son. 

"Oh, sweetheart, you are very skilled. You must have worked hard. I am very proud of you!" She said. 

Her tears flowing her cheeks as she hugged Lucien. 

"M-mom! You are overreacting. I-I am not so good. I want to be as good as you!" said Lucien frantically. He was looking forward to such a future.

"No! You will be better than me, better than your Grandpa, and even better than the best mage in the world, my dear Lu." Bianca could finally say such words with more confidence. 

She dared not utter them before but now she was sure.

'Our son is gonna be the best mage of the generation.' She thought leisurely before it dawned on her. 

Her lips quivered at the frightening thought. Merlin walked and saw her expression. Given her former words he understood.

'We need much more powerful seals. Is that even possible without dipping into dark sorcery?' thought Bianca. 

She had always despised black magicians because of their habits of human slaughter and sacrifices. Their crazy and extreme methods brought her disgust towards them. 

Right now she could not help but contemplate if a solution lay in their dark arts. Her crystal eyes darkened and dulled more as life seemed to slowly drain from them. All that was left was an obsession, an abyss of it. The determination to find a solution, no matter the method.

Merlin saw this but did nothing of it. Bianca would get like this when anything threatened to harm her family, her child, or her friends. She would always do the unthinkable when like that. He silently watched by the door.

Lucien found the long hug out of place. He felt his mothers shivering so he didn't say or do anything to move out of the position and just silently hugged her back. He had no idea why she seemed so sad with good news.

'Mother looked happy a while ago, right? Am I missing something?' Lucien was as observant as always. 

He had grown up observing and learning through mimicry. It was his way of adapting to the world. Furthermore, understanding the world. Although he would not say any of this to anyone, it was his secret to keep.

For that reason, he never pried into another's secrets without consent. 

Lucien fell into deep thought over the day's events trying to fill a puzzle within his mind. It didn't make sense…as things stood and his little experience with the world didn't give him enough puzzle pieces to solve anything.

Mother and son fell into deep thought over very different matters.