Chapter 12: Aftermath

When I woke up, I found myself inside a hospital ward. I hissed in pain as I slowly sat up, my hands and feet covered in bandages.

I heaved a sigh of relief—I managed to survive.

"Young master!" Marie rushed over and hugged me tightly, causing me to grimace in pain from my wounds.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Marie quickly let go, wiping her tears as she looked at me. She gently caressed my cheek, a sad smile on her face. "I'm so sorry, young master."

"It's fine, Marie," I replied, my voice hoarse. Instinctively, I reached up to touch my left eye, realizing it was covered in bandages.

"I'm so sorry, young master," Marie repeated, her voice thick with guilt.

Realization finally struck. I couldn't move my left eye. Panicked, I pulled off the bandages and closed my right eye, but I saw nothing—my left eye was shrouded in darkness. I looked down at my crippled body.

Marie remained silent, gripping her skirt as guilt washed over her face. She had promised to protect me, but I ended up hurt in her absence.

I sighed, catching Marie's attention. "Well, I survived, so there's no use dwelling on it," I said nonchalantly.

"It's my fault. If I hadn't left, this wouldn't have happened," Marie said, her tears flowing again.

"It's fine. I survived, and that's what matters," I said, lying back down. I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts drifting to the message I saw before I lost consciousness.

"Where there is life, there is blood. Blood will repay the loss of life."

It was a simple phrase. The last image I remembered was roots forming on the ground, and then darkness took over. Wood Magic—an unknown magic not recorded in history. Though Wood Magic exists in this world, no one knew about it except for the developers who added its information to the site.

Now, I have to figure out how to use this magic without any proper guidance.

The door opened, and Emilien walked in, taking a seat in the armchair beside my bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Good, father," I replied curtly.

"The person who attacked you wasn't a normal magician. He was part of a crime ring that specializes in trafficking noble children's organs. I've dealt with the insider," Emilien said, still grappling with the events of the previous day.

I nodded, keeping silent.

"I want a private word with my son," Emilien said, dismissing Marie and the doctor from the room. He adjusted his tie, an annoyed expression crossing his face.

"It seems you've already made some enemies," Emilien stated, not revealing too much.

Within a day, he had traced the source. It was his first wife who leaked the information about my location. A careless chatterbox who spoke without thinking. Emilien had already placed her on probation, banned her from gatherings, and stripped her of her allowance.

"I'm considering sending you to the Tower Institute after your studies," Emilien said.

"What about the military academy instead, father?" I asked. Although the Tower Institute can help me, I preferred to follow the tradition. Well mostly because I have a character I want to form a bond with in the Military Academy.

"Well, if you show promise in swordsmanship, I might reconsider," Emilien replied.

He paused, curiosity about the magic he had witnessed the day before clearly weighing on his mind. But he held back his questions, standing up to leave after discussing other affairs with his son.

After Emilien left, the maids tended to me, and Marie stayed by my side. It was annoying, but I tolerated it, knowing she was just worried.

***

After a month, I returned to my classes as if nothing had happened. My left eye was useless now, so I kept it covered. Jasper suggested I take some time to rest, but I refused, resuming my studies right where I had left off.

I often visited the library, reading books and chatting with Vincent. My days returned to normal.

The incident was kept secret, and no one was allowed to speak of it again.

***

"Are you sure you want to take the exam again?" Jasper asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Yes, I want to take the exam," I replied curtly, my tone indifferent.

"But we just started," Jasper sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll prepare the exam sheets."

"Thank you," I said, bowing slightly. Class had ended, so I decided to visit the library.

"Ah, Theodore." Vincent's usual cheerful voice echoed through the library.

I nodded slightly, my eyes drifting to the man standing beside Vincent. I kept my expression neutral, taking out a book and sitting down to read without sparing another glance at the stranger.

"I'll make you some tea," Vincent said, heading to the back room.

Silence filled the library. After a few minutes, Vincent returned, setting a cup of tea on the table. "I have a new poetry book I think you'll enjoy." He placed a red book beside me.

"Actually, did you find the book I was looking for?" I asked, taking the red book into my hands.

"Oh yes, I did. I didn't know you were into love stories." Vincent handed me another book.

I smirked as I held it. "Well, I have diverse tastes. Thanks for finding it."

"No problem, just let me know if you're looking for anything else," Vincent smiled, returning to the counter to converse with the other man.

Meanwhile, I held the romance novel in my hands while reading the book Vincent recommended. A smile crept onto my face as I glanced at the romance book.

'I finally got my hands on it,' I thought.

The book was titled *Take My Love, Sir Knight*. It was a cringey novel written by an author who fell in love with a traveling knight.

She had detailed everything about him, making dramatic descriptions of every little thing he did. Although the book was a flop, there was one valuable aspect in it that could help me.

I stood up, borrowed the book, and headed home early.

Upon arriving, I went straight to my room in the new house. After the incident, my father had moved us to a suburban area, thinking it would be safer with guards stationed everywhere.

The entire neighborhood was staffed by people from the dukedom, all thoroughly vetted.

I tossed the book onto my bed and started reading. The story unfolded as the author wrote about her daily conversations with the knight—mostly just a series of "yes" responses from him.

However, one key aspect of the book stood out: she had meticulously described the knight's training routines, including how he gathered mana and used his sword.

Everything was detailed.

I read each sentence carefully, analyzing the context. Afterward, I slowly stood up.

Magicians gather mana by infusing it into their blood and cells, storing it in the heart. Knights, on the other hand, gather mana in specific areas of their skin, like their fists or legs.

I took calm, steady breaths. I had already felt mana before, but now I needed to direct it to a specific area of my body. 

After an hour, I sighed in defeat.

It was much harder than absorbing mana. Controlling it to stay close to the surface of my skin was incredibly difficult—like trying to form a forcefield.

"No wonder there are so few swordsmen," I muttered.

In the empire's thousand-year history, only a hundred swordmasters had ever been born. But I was determined. I took a deep breath and resumed my practice.

***

"That boy is Theodore?" A man in a black trench coat asked, sipping his tea.

"Yes, master," Vincent replied with a smile.

Harold raised an eyebrow. Since he had taken Vincent under his wing, he had never seen the boy smile. The trauma from his past had been too much, filling him with deep hatred for nobles. Vincent's anger was beyond intense—it was an obsession with seeing the downfall of the nobility.

Yet here he was, smiling in the presence of a noble.

'Is it because he's around the same age?' Harold wondered.

Perhaps Vincent was at ease because Theodore was still a child. A new idea began to form in Harold's mind.