Alan wanted to know what kind of a variant he was. Being a partial variant didn’t decrease his enthusiasm in the least. The single skill he saw made his heart pound in anticipation and made him wonder what his ability could be.

“Lord Alan?” Maur’s voice interrupted his daydreams. The honorific surprised him. The instructor never showed him respect amid the other students, though he could argue it was due to his identity being a secret.

“Yes?”

“Are you listening?”

“Of course,” Alan shamelessly lied.

Maur pretended not to notice it. "Kora's father is part of the city guard. He’s a guard captain.” The dumb look on Alan’s face made him elaborate. “He’s similar to a knight but on the infantry path. About three months ago, he was patrolling the outer city when he vanished.

“When her father didn’t return for three days, Kora asked the city guards about him. They told her he stole something important and they were searching for him.”

Alan didn’t know if the guards were dumb. Wasn’t the perpetrator’s house the first place to start an investigation?

“Ever since that incident, Kora's family is being harassed by a band of thugs called the Bloodsucking Crows."

Alan didn’t understand what Maur was trying to say. If Kora wanted protection from them, it should be easy. The contract stated her family would be protected. On the other hand, if she wanted a pardon for her father or something similar, he wasn’t going to get involved.

“What did she request?” Alan asked.

“A pardon,” Maur hesitantly said.

Alan stopped the snort making its way up his throat. If Maur promised it without consulting the relevant authorities, he was in deep trouble. "Instructor, Kora's father might have stolen something. Unless you have proof, you cannot refute the statement."

Alan knew that Maur believed the guy to be innocent as he bought up the topic.

"Doran would never do something like that!" He hesitated for a second, "Kora is my niece."

The instructor’s words and actions finally made sense. Maur didn’t look like the kind of person who gave a second glance at other people’s suffering. Going out of his way to help her either meant her ability was amazing, or he had a personal stake in her well-being.

One thing Alan didn’t understand was why Maur brought it up in front of a five-year-old. Generally, kids at that age either wouldn't understand or wouldn't care about the situation.

He didn't think Maur would try to manipulate him. If Iris found out about it, Maur would die a most painful death.

"For many years, I loyally served the Ross family. I don't have a wife, nor do I have any children. My brother and his family are the only relations I’ve left. I put in many requests and exchanged my contributions for their safety, but the guards responsible for their safety never seem to be nearby when the thugs harass them." Maur carefully assessed Alan’s expression, wondering if he was offended. His statement indirectly blamed the Ross family for going back on their promise.

Alan wasn’t petty enough to take offense at his words. “Why don’t you inform my father or mother about it?”

It was a glaring problem he couldn’t see through. If Maur could tell his father to keep an eye on him; what stopped him from requesting protection for Kora’s family or complaining about the soldier’s misconduct.

“The Lady Duchess believes ….. Doran was involved in the assassination attempt involving your life and wanted his family brought in for questioning. Not knowing what she would do in her anger, I sought Lord Duke’s assistance. He rescinded her order, but it enraged her. Her fury was …. intense. I don’t think she’ll entertain further requests from me.”

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Alan wondered if Kora getting close to him was the instructor’s ploy. After going over their interactions, he discarded the thought. She never tried to go out of her way to get close to him.

While he sympathized with her plight, he couldn’t do anything. “I can’t get you a pardon.”

"That was what she initially wanted, but I convinced her to sign a normal contract. All I want is an audience with Her Grace."

Alan frowned. It didn’t sound complicated, so he couldn’t understand why Maur went out of his way to request it. It wasn’t anything difficult so he readily agreed. "I’ll bring this to my mother's notice. That's all I can promise."

Maur looked grateful. It didn’t matter what kind of expression he had, the scars made it look hideous, "Thank you, Lord Alan. Letting Her Grace know would be a lot of help. Let’s get back to the class."

“Before we go, can you show me that skill again?”

Maur immediately agreed, causing Alan’s excitement to soar.

In his previous life, he was like a candle flickering with a tiny flame and ready to be snuffed out by the encroaching darkness. He survived at the mercy of other people, having no strength to protect himself or the people he cared about. Only in the last moments of his life did he burn bright, illuminating a path of survival for his friends and destroyed the darkness.

Fate took pity on him and gave him a new life, a loving family, and most of all, the ability to protect himself. Being a candle no longer satisfied him. He wanted to be the sun. Anyone who wanted to harm him would burn to death.

The intense desire woke something inside him. Too engrossed in the spectacle, Alan didn’t notice his vision change. What he saw didn’t change, but he noticed more. He could see the movement of each hair present on Maur’s arm, the way his muscles moved, the method in which he channeled the skill; nothing escaped his notice.

[Danger: Skill beyond your bodily capabilities]

[Please Abort]

The notifications didn’t register in his eyes as his entire attention was focused on Maur.

[Congragulations! You have learned a new skill Pulse Thrust]

Skill: Pulse Thrust

Description: Transmit a pulse containing 40% of your maximum strength. Currently limited to one pulse. Can be combined with other skills.

Attribute: Unattributed.

Requirements: 30 Ki

[Skill Locked]

[Congragulations! Pulse Thrust leveled up to lvl 2]

[Congragulations! Pulse Thrust leveled up to lvl 3]

Struck in a trance, Alan didn’t notice the repeated notifications. The weak feeling spreading through his body was ignored. The scene in front of his eyes started turning blurry.

[Danger: Your body is reaching critical threshold]

[Forcibly suppressing skill]

The sudden change disoriented Alan. He felt like he woke up from a dream and confusedly glanced at his surroundings. A wave of lethargy swept through his body, making him stagger. Unable to support himself, he leaned against the wall. A plop sounded distracted both Maur and Alan.

Alan tiredly glanced around when he noticed Maur’s expression. The instructor stared at him with bulging eyes and his mouth hanging open.

Looking down, he noticed the torrent of blood flowing down his nose. His mouth and eyes followed, pumping blood out of his body.

It was then he felt the presence of his oldest friend: pain. It embraced him with a level of enthusiasm he rarely felt, even in his previous life. An ear-splitting scream erupted from his throat and he fell to the ground before everything went black.