Cabel grip his sword that was covered with his ice aura.

Ever since Cabel learned that his affinity is Ice which is one of the special affinities in the Kingdom, he was called a genius for his unique technique in skills as his ice cannot be penetrated by fire that is made of mana.

​​

That's what he thought until he learned that deep inside he still feared the fire that happened when he was still a small child that resulted in his mother's life to end.

At the time, he still hasn't awakened his powers in his hands, and the scar seems to remain deep in his heart.

Cabel smirks. It was such a long time ago that he tried so hard to forget about it however it was still clear as day when the fire engulfed the mansion that his mother and him resides in.

His mother was a concubine of Duke Sigrid and that the Duchess at the time was so jealous of her mother that he tried every means to dispose both him and his mother.

There was poisoning, assassination and kidnapping. All heinous crimes were committed to his mother and Duke Sigrid? He didn't help his mother at all or even protect him when the Duchess was obviously harassing his mother.

Until it resulted in the tragic fire of that one cruel night.

Everything burned to ash and only the carcass of the ruined walls of the mansion were left behind.

Portraits of his mother burned down, the memories inside the lovely mansion were deeply engraved to his soul.

And when Cabel awakened his powers and learned that he has an affinity for ice, that was when Cabel promised to himself to get stronger and make his powers deflect fire.

He wanted to be stronger so that he could protect his people and his loved ones.

He thought that he had already swallowed his fear to fire but when yet again another catastrophe befall upon him and this time it was to the person who made him feel like himself again.

Cabel almost lost his mind. Whenever he remembers the fire that engulf the storage house in the St. Pricsh Academy four years ago, his whole being crumbled and his world seems to have lost its color.

Just like the ash that he remembered when he was young. It was like all the emotions he had flew away and scattered in the air.

He felt so powerless when he was watching the fire swallow every future that he imagined building up with Evelyn.

That was why right now, he would never like himself to imagine or to even experience that again. Cabel would not consider a possibility of him losing Evelyn again.

Not this time and not in the future.

Cabel walk towards the magic circle that the blue dragons have been standing and seems to be waiting for his next move.

The sword in his right hand was pointed outwards and to the floor.

"Groooooowwwwl!!!"

When the dragon suddenly roared with mana accompanied by it, the pressure was enough for Cabel to feel every strand of his hair standing up.

"Come and get me…!"

"Roaaaaaar!"

The dragon with its big head swiftly move towards Cabel's direction and open its mouth. Cabel stops his tracks and soon begins to prepare himself mentally.

Standing there with his eyes wide open, the bruises that obviously gained from his non-stop bombarding of attacks from the dragon, his torn clothes and his bloodied self was there looking at the dragon who was speedily approaching him.

He slowly let go of his sword and a clang was heard through the room but was buried with yet again another roared from the blue flame dragon.

Cabel closed his eyes and spread his hands, a gesture that simply can be understood as acceptance.

With a loud roar and Cabel's red eyes shut and the blue flame dragon hurriedly approaching with its blue fangs showing, there's no turning back.

Cabel can only see darkness… no he can't see anything and only his senses are working.

At that moment…

"Roaaaar!"

Pshhh~

Cabel immediately knew that he was inside the blue flame dragon. The feeling of immense mana swirling around his surroundings was evidently felt.

What was odd is Cabel didn't even feel the heat that he once felt when the blue flame dragon collided with his ice wall that sent him flying across the wall.

Slowly, Cabel opened his eyes but what he saw was different from what he thought it would be.

It was a white room.

"Huh?"

Cabel was confused… who wouldn't be? He was just getting ready to be swallowed by the mana pool of the blue flame dragon.

He thought that what Chrisfold says about "weakness" would concern his fears. That was why he accepted it all.

"Does it mean that I pass the test? But where am I?"

The endless pure white makes Cabel feel like he wouldn't even reach the edge even if he starts to walk and run towards it.

Cabel looked at himself, he still looks like a mess with all the things that happened just awhile ago. He wanted to wait but decided to move and he stepped forward without hesitance.

Suddenly, the white plains became a field of lily flowers.

Cabel was amazed at the vast plains that appear before his eyes. He can feel the wind blowing the scent of the flowers. It was so relaxing that Cabel unconsciously took a deep breath and looked up to see that there was a bright blue sky.

"It's pretty isn't it?"

He heard a sweet voice from his right side and turned his head abruptly and saw that someone was sitting there as the wind blew her black hair.

She was wearing a white dress that spread its length to the ground. Her wavy black hair was sleek and smooth. She turned around and her sunset eyes that was so familiar for Cabel was shining so brightly under the sun.

In her eyes reflected the vast flower field and the blue sky.

Her face was still young, like a maiden that was pampered but there's a dignity in her eyes that Cabel seems can't fathom the depth of it. As she smiles, Cabel understood that the late Duchess of the Emsworth family must have been a nice person.

Shocked at what he was seeing, Cabel soon understood who she was.

"You're Duchess Monica of the Ducal house of Emsworth... I've heard a lot of things about you."

"Emsworth? That's been a long time since I heard that… and you heard about me? Really?"

She smiled at Cabel and tapped the flower bed indicating for him to sit beside her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not in my best appearance right now… i"ll remain-"

"Forget the formalities… It's been a long time since I have had someone to converse with. Can you do me the favor and tell me about the happenings outside?"

Cabel can now see where Evelyn inherited her looks and the scarce sweetness that he saw sometimes.

Upon taking a seat beside the Duchess, the warm air blew and made the flowers sway again.

"How's that child?"

Cabel hesitated if he would tell the Duchess that Evelyn is at the enemies camp and doing an infiltration by herself.

Even though he knew that the person in front of him was just a fraction of the Duchess soul, he still thought that it would be better to make her feel at ease.

Cabel looked far ahead and answered the Duchess.

"She's doing fine…"

"Haha...ha is that so? I'm glad…"

The Duchess plucked one of the lilies that colorfully surrounded them and gave it to Cabel.

"It's my favorite flower as well as that child of mine…"

"You mean Lady Evelyn?"

Cabel addressed Evelyn with formality. He felt like he was meeting the in-laws and was conscious of his words.

Cabel take it and observe the flower that was in the color of pink.

"Well… it's actually the both of them… I still remember how they played around in the garden that Keene developed for me."

As he heard the stories of how lovely the Emsowrth family was when the Duchess was still alive, it became a puzzle for Cabel to think that it became a cold place that always made Evelyn feel suffocated to the point of running away.

You're here for my soul am I right?"

Cabel's thoughts were cut off because the Duchess just asked a questioned that was obviously the objective of why he is here.

"Yes…"

"I guess that means it's time for me to leave…"

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

The Duchess just smiled at him.

"Do you want to hear a story? Since you're here to fetch the mana in my soul then I don't have much time and I need someone to tell Evelyn that I was sorry…"

Cabel kept quiet as he listened.

There was a mix of emotions that swirled deep within him as he learned about the story of the Duchess.

He was confused, got angry, flabbergasted and was shocked. There were stories that he didn't understand but he kept on listening. That was the job that he had to do right now.

After a long while, the Duchess stood up and Cabel followed.

"I have a favor for you, Duke Cabel Sigrid."

"Please, tell me. I'll do my utmost to do it."

"You're a gentleman, I'm glad my child has someone who always thinks of her first and worries about her…. I'll leave her in your care, Duke Cabel."

"Yes… I'll take care of her, Duchess."

"Also, Evelyn… that child, please… be there for her. She already suffered enough because of me…. I can't burden her any longer than I did."

He didn't know why, but the Duchess had a look of loneliness, guilt, longing, and relief in her eyes.

"Tell Evelyn that I'm sorry for dragging her and tell her that her mommy loves her so much…"

Pssshh~

The wind blew in and as if the Duchess was part of the wind she slowly disappeared with a smile on her face and a tear on her eyes.

"Don't worry Duchess, I'll tell everyone the things you want to convey…"

"Thank you, Duke…"

"No, thank you for telling me about this..." Cabel said.

In the position where the Duchess was standing a while ago, mana particles that shine so brightly, one by one ascended in the air.

The place that was full of lily flowers became once again the pure white room that Cabel just was in before he met the Duchess.

And in front of her was a pedestal and a crystal ball that was floating in the air.

With the mana that he felt not long ago, Cabel knew that this was where the Duchess soul resides. The mana within was similar to a summer breeze that he felt.

A warm and refreshing feeling that makes someone become nostalgic about the precious memory that he kept deep inside.

He reached for it and got the crystal ball and kept it to the ring that Chrisfol gave to him before he left for the test.

It's a ring that was especially made to support a mana within the soul. And because Chrisfold understands that the soul of the Duchess that was inside will become weak and fragile.

Chrisfol didn't want to risk it, especially that the soul that resides inside was only the half part of it.

Now, Cabel understand why Evelyn can't be here herself… he warmingly smiled and said.

"Let's get out of here"

For now, Cabel needs to prioritize Evelyn's rescue mission.