Chapter 24: Arts

Lucas exclaimed, "What!? No!"

Sienna said, "But you just said—"

Lucas cut her off, "I meant master and apprentice. He wants to be your apprentice."

Sienna said, "Oh. That was my bad."

Then she looked at the kneeling Noah and said, "Noah, an apprenticeship is a very serious matter. You shouldn't make this decision on a whim."

Noah didn't get up but said, "I'm not being impulsive. It's something I have been thinking about since yesterday."

Lucas asked, "Really?"

Noah replied, "Yes. I looked up the Call of Berserk. Most of the people who experience it awaken physical Innate Talents. And I don't know anyone stronger than you with a physical Innate Talent. Besides, I trust that you won't hurt me."

Sienna was about to say something, but Noah continued, "At least I don't think that you would hurt me. You won't hurt me, would you?"

Noah didn't get up but raised his head just enough to look at her. His naïve and innocent look melted Sienna's heart. She thought, *They might have matured at the Academy, but they're still kids.*

She said, "Of course I won't hurt you. You're my son's best friend."

As soon as she said that, Noah sighed in relief. Lucas and Derek, on the other hand, stared at her. They both had the same question: *So you mean you would hurt him if he wasn't my/Lucas's best friend?*

Sienna ignored them even though she could tell what they were thinking. She said, "But you really should think hard about this. An apprenticeship under me will be extremely tough. You will want to run, but you won't have that choice anymore. And I won't hurt you just for the sake of hurting you. But if it's for training, well, I make no promises. After hearing this, do you still want to be my apprentice?"

Noah replied with a firm look in his eyes, "Yes."

Sienna said, "Very well. Since you three have lost all sense of self-preservation, I will train you."

The trio said at the same time, "Huh?"

Sienna ignored them and said, "I will be teaching you a Zaldrīzes Art, and a Valexis Art that I learned on the Home Star."

Lucas asked, "What are those?"

Sienna said, "They are techniques. There are three types of techniques that you can practice to go further as a Beast Tamer after you awaken: Zaldrīzes Arts for the body, Valexis Arts for the soul, and Primis Arts for mana."

Derek said, "But we haven't awakened yet."

Sienna said, "The only reason that we can use these techniques after awakening is because you need mana for two of them. But there are some loopholes that we can use to our advantage. We won't talk about Primis Arts because you need your own mana pool to practice them. For Zaldrīzes Arts, you need to experience your Call and your body needs mana, but the source doesn't matter. As for Valexis Arts, you can practice them after your Call begins. The Academy should provide you all with a Valexis Art soon. But mine are better. Oh, and Derek, if your aunt tries to give you a Valexis Art, just say the words 'Howl of the Lykaios Archis.'"

As soon as she said this, she sensed a mana fluctuation and smirked.

Derek was confused because these words sounded familiar, but replied, "I will."

Noah asked, "But if Zaldrīzes Arts can be practiced before we awaken, why won't the Academy give them to us?"

Sienna replied, "Because it is extremely resource and labor intensive. Not only do you need resources, you also need adults with fine control over their mana to help the students. Or else the worst-case scenario ends with someone dead, and it won't be the adult. Because of these reasons, only big families on the Home Star are able to provide this privilege for their successors. The really big ones, and I mean the top strata, provide it to above-average members."

Derek asked, "Above average by whose standards?"

Sienna smiled and replied, "Their standards. And that was a very smart question."

Lucas asked, "One last question. If it is so… extravagant, will the mana in us be enough for the Zaldrīzes Arts?"

Sienna replied, "No. That mana is only good for two, maybe three sessions, but that is already stretching it."

Lucas asked, "Then…?"

Sienna said, "You don't need to worry about that. Just trust me."

Derek asked, "Then which one are we going to practice first?"

Sienna said, "Well, I was going to just train you normally, but since you are going to be using Zaldrīzes Arts, you must practice Valexis Arts first. They will temper your soul and will, so that you can handle the pain from the Zaldrīzes Arts."

Lucas asked, "Are all Zaldrīzes Arts that painful to practice?"

Sienna shook her head and said, "No. Some are even very comfortable, but the one I'm going to teach you is special. It is going to be very painful, but the benefits are well worth it. This will sting."

Before the boys could reply, she pointed a finger at them, and they screamed before fainting.

Sienna said, "Come out now. I know that you're here. And the kids are… well, they're occupied with other things right now."

The air fluctuated, and a flustered Sylvia appeared.

Sienna said, "So, did you have fun trying to look at my files?"

Sylvia asked with surprise, "How did you know?"

Sienna smiled charmingly and said, "Honey, I know what you ate for dinner last night. So what did you find? You know, except for a scolding from Grammy dearest."

Sylvia was spooked now. But this only proved her theory. Only one woman could have this much information.

She said, "I know about Lucas's father."

Sienna looked amused as she asked, "What about his father?"

Sylvia said, "I know that his father is Ch-Charles…"

Sienna said, "Go on."

Sylvia stuttered as she said, "Charles…"

Sienna commanded, "I said, say his name."

Sylvia said, "I know that Lucas's father is Charles Shelby."

Sienna said, "Was that so hard?"

Sienna looked like she was having fun, like a predator playing with its prey.