The man tilted his head with a mysterious, gentle smile, then spoke in a smooth voice:
"Sorry for the delay. My name is Dam…" He paused for a moment before correcting himself, "I mean Kael."
Ophelia furrowed her brow, the name was the least of her concerns—his unsettling presence was what truly caught her off guard. She unleashed a rapid-fire volley of questions:
"I didn't ask for your name. Who are you really? What are you doing here? And why were you laughing? Do you think I'm a joke?"
He smiled, that same lingering smirk playing on his lips:
"Lower your sword first, then we can talk like civilized people."
Hesitating for a moment, she slowly eased the wooden blade down.
"Speak. I don't have time for games."
Kael placed a hand over his mouth as if pondering, then spoke with a soft tone, tinged with irony:
"Why all the rush?"
Ophelia steadied herself, refusing to respond. He pressed on:
"How about a deal?"
She eyed him suspiciously:
"A deal? Why would I make one with a stranger?"
"And what makes me so strange?"
"Everything about you — your appearance, the way you showed up out of nowhere... even your hair color. How old are you to have hair that white?"
Kael chuckled softly, then fixed his steady gaze on her.
"A deal doesn't require trust, only mutual benefit. I'll teach you the art of swordsmanship, and in return... I want to stay close to you."
Ophelia blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"Me? Why do you want to stay near me? Planning to live in my house?"
A mischievous spark lit up his eyes.
"Living in your house? That's a tempting offer I didn't expect from you."
Ophelia sighed with clear annoyance, her eyes locking with his, full of challenge.
"Talking to you is pointless... But tell me, can you actually fence?"
He stamped his foot sharply on the ground, then lifted a sword beside him, pointing it at her. Before she could react, she staggered and fell — but Kael was faster, catching her before she hit the floor.
He smiled with a smirk and said, "So, what do you think of me now?"
Ophelia pushed Kael away, her eyes burning with defiance.
"I don't need your help, and I don't want you by my side."
But Kael grabbed her wrist firmly, stopping her from pulling away, his gaze steady and serious, carrying the weight of truth.
"Everything around you is chaos — even your swordsmanship is unstable. Are you sure you'll last long? Haven't you noticed? Your skills aren't improving. Do you know why? Because your body lacks a vessel to hold mana. Your abilities can't grow without it. You need me."
She tried to break free but hesitated, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"Fine… the deal, or whatever it is. Let's do it."
She knew well her life wouldn't get better, that she'd sink deeper into despair. Even if this stranger worsened her misery, she couldn't refuse. Saying no would mean exposure — the end of everything she'd fought so hard to build.
Since that day, Kael began appearing at Ophelia's training sessions like clockwork. No knock on the door, no sound of footsteps—just a sudden materialization, as if he were born from the very shadows surrounding her.
She glared at him, arms crossed with visible annoyance.
"Are you some kind of ghost? How do you always appear without a sound?"
Kael gave her that infuriatingly sly smile she was slowly growing used to, stepping closer with deliberate ease.
"If I were a ghost, would you fall for me? No worries—I wouldn't mind haunting you."
Without warning, he reached out and took her hand, brushing his lips lightly across her fingertips. His eyes studied her face with a subtle boldness that made her skin prickle.
She yanked her hand back, her face flushing with quiet irritation.
"This wasn't part of the deal. I didn't agree to that. Now answer me—what did you mean when you said my body lacks a vessel for mana?"
His expression shifted. The grin faded, replaced by a brief, unreadable stillness. He sighed softly, as if the truth weighed more than he was ready to say.
"Mana, Ophelia, isn't just energy. It's awareness—a raw spirit that needs a vessel to contain it… a home, if you will. But you…"
He paused, his eyes finally shedding all traces of mockery.
"You're just a shell. Rootless. Hollow."
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Are you saying I'm worthless?"
Kael met her gaze again, this time without the usual smirk—his voice steady, almost gentle.
"I'm saying you're empty."
He stepped closer, the air between them thick with something unspoken.
"And I can be that vessel. That source of strength. This deal—it isn't just about training. It's about fusion. You and me."
Ophelia took a cautious step back, her brows furrowing as she tried to read his face.
"Fusion?" she repeated the word like it left a bitter taste. "That's not what I agreed to."
Kael's smile returned, but there was no arrogance in it now—only a flicker of something that felt like sorrow.
"Maybe not. But you need it. Without a vessel, you'll stay stuck—trapped in stagnant power. You can train until your bones give out, but you won't gain anything. The mana will keep rejecting you…"
He paused again, softer now.
"…because you simply don't belong to it. Not yet."
"And what exactly do you gain from all this?" she asked sharply.
"Perhaps... more than you think," he replied without hesitation, turning slightly away. His voice dropped, tinged with something almost vulnerable. "Maybe... a chance to be free, too."
Silence fell between them, thick and uncertain.
Ophelia studied him carefully, her eyes glinting not with fear or trust—but something cautious, edged with curiosity. "Free?"
Kael gave a faint smile, his gaze shimmering with something unreadable. Then, in a quieter tone, he said:
"You'll understand when the time comes, Ophelia. Until then... don't ask too many questions. And don't think about pushing me away."
He stepped closer, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath, then whispered as if casting a spell:
"You're the one who opened the door… so don't be surprised when you find me standing behind it."
Ophelia instinctively stepped back, but her gaze didn't waver. Her brows furrowed slightly.
"I hate this cryptic nonsense. If you're going to help me, the least you can do is be clear."
Kael chuckled lightly as he turned his back on her:
"Clarity is boring, don't you think? This isn't some tale about a girl learning to fight and triumph. You... you're something else entirely. And I'm here to make sure you don't break before you figure that out."
Then Kael cast a sideways glance, his blue eyes suddenly turning cold.
"But remember this—everything has a price. What I'm offering you isn't free."
She didn't reply. Just stood there, watching as he vanished the same way he had appeared, leaving behind nothing but silence... and a thousand questions trailing in the air.