Changed History
In the late hours of the night, the forest lay shrouded in darkness. Only the sounds of cricket could be heard, adding to the tranquil ambiance of the night.
Amidst the darkness, a beautiful lake shimmered like a jewel, its surface reflecting the faint glow of distant stars.
On the edge of the stunning lake, two figures sat by the shoreline. Both of them had their eyes closed tightly as they concentrated on the arduous task ahead.
As Madeline sensed a foreign mana entering her body through the hands placed on her back, she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She regretted asking Ren for help with her clothes earlier.
Although she was fully clothed now, she was reminded of the extremely embarrassing yet intimate moment with Ren who had helped her. If she had known that the experience would be so personal, she would have never insisted on it.
As a noble accustomed to being dressed by her female servants, she couldn't understand why this particular occasion felt so different.
'It must be his lecherous gaze!' Madeline thought to herself. Yet, she failed to remember that throughout the entire process, Ren had kept his eyes closed, solely relying on her instructions to dress her.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ren was busy calming his nerves. Reminding himself that he already had someone in his heart, he managed to suppress any emotions that might have arisen from the intimate session with Madeline.
"Follow the flow of my mana and accept it wholeheartedly. Do not, I repeat, do not resist."
As Ren's mana started to permeate her body, time appeared to halt for Madeline. She sensed his mana merging with hers, intertwining and circulating within her veins and vessels.
Adhering to Ren's instructions, their mana flowed freely within her, bringing a profound sense of relief as it seemed to clear any blockages in her veins. The burning sensation in her veins quickly subsided, replaced by a gradual influx of strength, and the constant agony she had been experiencing vanished, no longer tormenting her. Ren's treatment had a significantly greater effect than immersing in the mana lake.
Madeline was no stranger to healing methods involving mana injection. As the sole daughter of a powerful noble family, she had access to influential elders and skilled doctors who had helped her in the past. However, none could match Ren's expertise.
His control of mana was not only delicate and precise, but the path he chose for it to circulate within her body was also ingenious. Though she could only grasp some of the mana circulation techniques he employed, she could appreciate the brilliance behind his methods.
Just how much knowledge does he have? Even a sixth-circle mage might not possess the capability to accomplish such a thing! It was the first time she encountered someone that surpasses her in talent, and she had always deemed herself to be unparalleled in her abilities, at least before her supposed illness. Moreover, he was significantly younger than her.
"Done."
After approximately an hour, Ren finally breathed a sigh of relief.
With his limited mana capacity, the effort to facilitate the flow of mana through Madeline's obstructed veins had taken a significant toll on his body. During this time, Madeline's bodyguards had come to check up on her; fortunately, she had dismissed them before they even came near the lake.
"Thank you for saving my life," Madeline said to Ren. Seeing his exhausted face stirred a mix of emotions within her. He was, essentially, her savior who had come to her rescue during her darkest hour.
With her body having finally regained movement, she felt a surge of hope. Given Ren's display of skill, it seemed entirely possible that he could resolve her problem.
"I'm Madeline. What is your name?" Madeline asked eagerly. The young man had stirred her interest.
"You can just call me Ren. I don't have a family name." Ren replied.
"Ren…" Madeline whispered to herself, a smile gracing her lips as she searched through her clothes. "Take this. It's the emblem of Lord Lancius. With this, you're now an honored guest of House Flander, and you can ask for any favor from them. They'll be more than willing to assist you."
"Lancius Flander…" Ren murmured softly.
Hearing the name once again stirred Ren's memory, but it brought back unpleasant recollections.
Lord Lancius was known as the mad lord of the Koren, one of the Empire's twelve magic Lords, yet Ren had never met him before. Lancius had perished while Ren was still living in Zenovia's slums.
Rumors suggested that Lancius had descended into madness following the death of his daughter and had subsequently rebelled against the empire. As a result of his defeat, his House was condemned to execution, and their names were erased from history.
'To think that I might have prevented a tragedy.' Ren could not believe that his act of good deed had changed history. It was highly possible that Madeline died as a result of the mutation given that he had never seen her in the future.
"Are you so surprised by who I am?" Madeline smirked at Ren's reaction upon learning her identity. Ren was just standing motionlessly, staring at his palms in a daze.
"Thanks for the emblem. I really appreciate this." Ren snapped out of his thoughts and said in a solemn tone, leaving Madeline worried about him overexerting himself for her sake.
Nonetheless, the hope inside her prompted her to ask Ren for more information about her mutation.
"Regarding the actual treatment, what do I need to prepare?"
"I'll make a list of items for you to gather. To evolve a Rank S mana core like yours, the required ingredients can be difficult to find. However, with the support of House Flander, any obstacles you encounter should be minor. Once you have gathered them, you can look for me in Zenovia Academy. With a powerful background like yours, I'd reckon that it would be a piece of cake for you."
"Will it really work?" Madeline asked, her face full of unease.
"How about witnessing it firsthand? I could use your guards to protect me from any stray magical beasts in the area too." Ren replied with a confident smile.