Chapter 16

After the meeting, I immediately instructed Andrew to initiate the cover-up plan. Since only their servants and knights knew of my attendance at the meeting, we had the advantage of keeping it all under wraps. Of course some will attempt to talk but I was ready to set an example. I came up with a plan to stage an accidental fire that would cause the 'unfortunate' demise of the families.

A few months have passed since the incident, and my plan worked flawlessly. The news of the unfortunate deaths spread quickly, but not many people seemed to mourn the families. Meanwhile, I took over their business, and though some might find it suspicious, it would be irrational to think that a four-year-old could orchestrate the demise of the three families.

As I sat in Mr. Beckett's classroom, I recalled the day I offered him a helping hand. "Mr. Beckett," I said, catching his attention. He looked up at me, appearing more stressed every day. After all, the royal family hadn't helped or heard their pleas.

"Do you remember the day when I offered you a helping hand?" I asked him, and he nodded.

"Well, I finally have a solution. I want to expand my business, and I want to do it in your father's territory."

Mr. Beckett raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.

"I'm listening, Master Lucas. But I want to make sure that whatever you're proposing is in the best interest of my people."

"Of course, Mr. Beckett," I replied with a charming smile. "My business may be known for its affordability, but that doesn't mean we skimp on quality. I believe your people deserve the best, and that's what I aim to provide."

"I do applaud your efforts to provide affordable clothing to the masses, Master Lucas," Mr. Beckett admitted. "But forgive me for being cautious. We've had businessmen come through here before promising to improve our economy, only to exploit our resources and leave us worse off than before."

"I understand your concern, Mr. Beckett," I said, leaning forward in my chair. "But I can assure you that my intentions are sincere. I want to create jobs for your people and bring prosperity to your region. And in exchange, I hope to gain your support in expanding my business."

Mr. Beckett remained skeptical, but I could tell he was starting to warm up to the idea. "I'll need to discuss this with my father, of course. But I appreciate your offer, Master Lucas."

"Of course, Mr. Beckett. Take all the time you need," I said, standing up from my chair. "But just know that I'm here to help, and I won't let you or your people down."

Leaving his classroom I made my way towards my room. Recently my ice magic hasn't improved so I was hoping to get a breakthrough.

Mr. Beckett had told me that it was time to move on to the next stage of mastering my magic, which was transforming ice into either water or mist. However, he also warned me that once I made the transformation, I would lose control of the element. If I changed the ice into water, for example, the connection would be severed, and the water would flow uncontrollably.

Determined to succeed, I concentrated my mana and began shaping a small ice cube. As I attempted to transform it into water or mist, I found that I could only alter its shape but not its form. Despite this setback, I persisted, determined to master this next stage of mystery.

With each attempt, I focused on trying to change the ice cube into either water or mist, but my efforts proved futile. The ice simply refused to transform. Frustrated, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to calm my mind.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. If I couldn't transform the ice into water or mist, then perhaps I could use the ice itself to my advantage. I focused on the ice cube once more and used my magic to increase its density, making it harder and stronger. With each passing moment, the ice became more durable and sturdy until it was as tough as steel.

I couldn't help but notice that the ice dot I was working on was starting to speed up, albeit slowly. It was a small sign of progress, but it gave me hope that I was on the right track.

I refocused on the ice cube and began trying to change it into mist. This time instead of just imagining it I would attempt to use my mana to add energy to the ice cube hopefully changing it to the mist.

I began by concentrating my mana and focusing on visualizing the transformation, but soon I found that it was more challenging than I had anticipated. With each attempt, I tried different levels of energy and concentration, but struggled to find the right balance that would excite the water molecules in the ice.

Despite the initial difficulties, I remained determined to master the technique. I knew that it would take a great deal of patience and practice to achieve the transformation, so I continued to experiment and refine my approach.

As I focused my mana on the ice cube, I tried to add just the right amount of energy to excite the water molecules without losing control over the element. It was a delicate balance, and I had to be very precise with my movements and concentration.

After several attempts, I noticed that the ice cube was starting to change. It began to melt and become more fluid, and tiny droplets of mist started to form around it. With each passing moment, the transformation became more pronounced, and soon the ice had completely changed into a thick mist that began to fill the air around me.

As I finally managed to turn the ice into mist, I couldn't help but think about its potential use in combat. If I could create a cloud of mist to obscure my opponent's vision, it could give me an advantage in battle. Of course, I would need to find a way toturn it back into ice if I wanted to unlock it's full potential.

I made a mental note to continue practicing and perfecting this new skill, knowing that it could come in handy in the future.