Cilia couldn't help but feel like a burden. Throughout the raid, she had been more of a hindrance than a help. There were fleeting moments when she tried to make a difference, but ultimately, she had failed. Her efforts had amounted to little more than existence, a barrier rather than a shield, a drag instead of a lift. She needed to improve, to hone her skills, and to learn without hesitation. If she truly wanted to help her queen, she knew it was time to put in the work.
"My queen..." Cilia spoke, her voice hesitant.
"What's wrong, Cilia?" came the calm reply.
"I'm sorry for my incompetence. I couldn't offer you any significant help. All I did was drag you down..."
"Don't worry about it. You're still young. Soon enough, you'll grow to be very powerful. Your ability to control blood is extraordinary. In fact, I'd like to run some experiments to see just how far we can push the limits of your powers."
"I don't mind. I also want to learn how to fight with a weapon."
"Alright, but understand that it's not something you'll master overnight. You'll need to train every day to improve. It could take months, maybe even years, just to get to a basic level."
"It doesn't matter. I still want to learn."
"That's the spirit. Now, back to the experiments. I want to see what you can do with your powers."
Cilia nodded, unsure of what was coming next. "What exactly do you want me to try?"
"Blood is essential to all living beings," Rae explained. "It's the very essence of life itself. In modern science, blood is made up of four key components: plasma, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes. These components work together to sustain life, but I wonder—can your powers affect them individually, or do you need all of them to use your abilities?"
Cilia frowned. "My queen, I don't really understand all of this. I'm not sure what you want me to do."
"I want you to better understand your abilities," Rae said kindly. "To do that, you need to learn more about the biology behind your powers. The more you know, the more you can do."
"I just don't get it. Isn't what I can do already enough?"
"Cilia, you're not seeing the bigger picture. If we study your powers deeply, you'll be able to refine them for different purposes—like healing or even killing. Your powers have so much potential, they could change the very balance of the world."
"I know you're trying to make me feel like I have some great potential, but I just don't see it."
"Let me give you an example. Take erythrocytes, for instance. Their main function is to transport oxygen throughout the body."
"And how is that connected to my blood magic?"
"Now that you know about erythrocytes, you could potentially control the oxygen supply to specific organs. You could increase the oxygen to boost their function, or deprive them of it to weaken or even stop them completely."
"Ehhh… What's 'okusijen'?"
"Oxygen," Ray corrected, smiling slightly. "It's the element in air that sustains life."
"Oh… now I think I understand. When I increase okusijen to an organ, I make it stronger. When I take it away, I weaken it—or make it fail. So, that's how my magic can heal or kill... Wait, is that why you want to know if I can control the individual components of blood?"
"Exactly. And it's 'oxygen,' not 'okusijen.'"
"Oxygen. Got it. So, you want me to try controlling these… erythrocytes?"
"Yes, exactly."
"But I don't know what they look like. How am I supposed to control them?"
"I'll show you." Rae drew a diagram. "This is what erythrocytes look like. They're responsible for blood's red color."
"Oh, okay… Let me try boosting the oxygen in my right arm." Cilia concentrated, feeling a surge of power in her limb. "Okay, it feels strong, but it's draining my mana fast."
"Good, that means it's working."
"My arm is getting so heavy… It's starting to feel numb."
"We'll stop the experiment here."
"Alright, what's next?"
"Stop focusing all your oxygen on your arm. It's fine for a short time, but doing it for too long deprives the rest of your body, which causes strain."
"Looks like I messed up."
"No, not at all. It was a success."
A voice interrupted them. "Miss Vermont, the principal is looking for you."
"Okay, I'll be right there, Miss Melissa." Cilia gave her queen a final nod.
"Cilia," the queen said, pausing for a moment. "Your powers have incredible potential. But for that potential to be realized, you need to understand human biology. I've shared what I know with Pico. Go to her, and she'll help you. Once you understand your body, experiment with what you learn. You'll need to document your findings to track your progress. If you encounter any difficulties, I'll be here to help. Also, your combat training starts tomorrow. Be sure to wake up early and meet us at the field."
"Understood. Thank you, my queen."
------------------------------
Cilia's abilities were fascinating. Rae couldn't help but wonder how powerful she would become once she fully understood the intricacies of the human body. There was so much potential hidden in her blood magic—control over temperature, pressure, oxygen supply, and clotting. Eventually, she might even be able to manipulate the rate of healing in herself or others.
Rae could see Cilia becoming a master of blood manipulation, even reaching the point of controlling others' bodies like a marionette. The more Rae thought about it, the more she saw how dangerous and powerful Cilia's power was. It was terrifying, yet as a scientist, Rae's curiosity outweighed her fear. She longed to see how Cilia's abilities would evolve.
"I wish I could transmit all my knowledge to her instantly," Rae mused. "That would speed up her progress, but it risks revealing too much about where I come from. She'll just have to learn the old-fashioned way—slowly. It'll be good for her to experience the joy of discovery herself."
"Miss Vermont? Miss Vermont!"
Rae snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes?"
"We're here," came the voice from behind her.
"Great. As requested, here she is," said Melissa.
"Thank you, Melissa. You can leave now," the principal responded.
""Right away, I will take my leave now Great Sage, Your Grace.""
"Hello, Rae," the principal greeted her warmly.
"Hello, Mr. principal, your Majesty."
"Please, just call me Rose,"
"Alright, Rose. Mr. Principal what's with the summon?" Rae asked.
"I have a question for you, Miss Vermont. Are you truly human?"
Rae raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm human enough. Why do you ask?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the principal said, her tone serious. "No ordinary human could conquer a city alone, let alone tame a dragon."
"I get it," Rae said, sighing. "I'm too powerful to be just human. What's your point?"
"Rae, you're a demon... well half-demon, aren't you?"
"I'm not sure 'half' is accurate, but yes, I have demonic blood."
"Then... are you with the humans or with the demons?" Rose's voice suddenly turned grave
"As I've told you before, I'm with neither."
"Ok... Consider this: With your power, you could change the course of history. What if you joined forces with us?"
"Let me stop you right there, Miss Rose," Rae interrupted. "I told you before, I won't support a government that abandoned me when I needed them most. The only people I will fight for are my own."
"I understand," Rose said with a nod. "But what if I made you an offer? What if you became my adopted child?"
Rae blinked, stunned. "Adopted? I already have a family. Why would I accept such an offer?"
"To protect your friends and family," Rose said quietly. "The nobility fears your power. They might use your loved ones against you."
"I can protect my loved ones just fine, thank you."
"You may think so, but you also need my influence. Only with both will you be able to protect everyone you care about."
Rae frowned. "I don't like the sound of that."
"I know it's hard," Rose continued, "but please, accept my offer. You are my niece, after all—or should I say, my nephew."
Rae's expression remained unreadable. "..."
"I know about your past... Do you hate the royal family because of what your mother did to you?"
"Hmph! That woman is not my mother. My mother died at the hands of monsters."
"It doesn't change the fact that my sister gave birth to you."
"So what if she did? She also wanted to take my life."
" I know it is hard to accept me as your family but please accept my offer. "
"I'm still not convinced."
"Okay," Rose said, taking a deep breath. "You have the power to level nations, but can you be in multiple places at once?"
"...No," Rae admitted.
"Then what about this war? Can you protect all your loved ones from it? One of your friends was seriously hurt in it. What's stopping that from happening again?"
Rae was silent.
"And the labyrinths," Rose added, leaning forward. "Now that you've conquered a dungeon, you'll want to take on the labyrinths. But who will protect your loved ones when you're gone?"
Rae looked down, her expression softening. "Okay, I'll do it. But not because of you. I just want to protect my loved ones. And Mr. Harold will still be my father."
"I don't object to that. Just not publicly." Rose said her voice calm.
"I won't use my powers for military purposes unless it serves my goals."
"As long as those goals don't go against the kingdom, I'm fine with that."
"It's a deal."
"Welcome to the family, my daughter," Rose said with a smile.