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Chapter 10 - Magic Tower

The noon sun poured its heat over the training yard, where a thin boy, no older than twelve, swung a wooden sword downward again and again. His face was pale, sweat streamed down his forehead, and his arms trembled with every strike, as if his whole body was screaming for rest while his eyes insisted on continuing.

Not far away, several guards stood watching him in silence mixed with admiration.

One of them spoke in a low voice as he counted the strikes:

"He's passed a hundred, hasn't he?"

Another replied in astonishment:

"He's nearly at two hundred. Who would believe this boy hadn't touched a sword two weeks ago?"

The third smiled and nodded confidently:

"I see the future of a real knight in him."

But Sekhth didn't hear them—or perhaps he ignored them. All that filled his awareness was the next strike, the next breath, the burning pressure in his chest pushing him beyond his limits.

When he reached two hundred and fifty, and his grip was about to give out, a familiar voice pierced his ears.

"Oi, Sekhth… that's enough."

He raised his head to see Harvey approaching with calm steps. His voice sounded ordinary, but carried a firmness that allowed no argument.

Sekhth frowned and threw the sword to the ground, muttering in frustration:

"Can you tell me where you were this morning? And how long am I supposed to keep practicing these tiring moves?! I'm not a warrior… I'm supposed to be a mage! Why are you tormenting me like I'm a fighter?!"

A faint, calm smile appeared on Harvey's face:

"Relax. I promised you would succeed, and I won't allow someone like me to be punished in front of your teacher. Believe me… I'm the last person who wants that."

Sekhth bit his lips in annoyance:

"But what's the point? You haven't taught me a single spell yet, not even how to control mana!"

Harvey paused for a moment, then said in a cold tone:

"Maybe you're right…"

But a small smile crept onto his lips.

"That's why… starting tomorrow, I'll train you in mana."

Hope flickered in Sekhth's eyes, but Harvey quickly cut him off, raising his hand:

"Before anything… go take a bath. Your smell is unbearable."

Sekhth sighed in resignation and dragged his feet toward the palace adjoining the training yard.

Fifteen minutes later, he came out of the bath, droplets of water dampening his dark hair. The place was overly spacious, equipped with magical devices he still found strange in his life. He remembered with embarrassment the first time he had to ask the maids for help to figure out how to operate them… but now he thought he was getting used to it.

As he dried his hair, he heard voices echoing from the grand hall.

A middle-aged man said in a friendly tone:

"Are you sure, Harvey? You still have time before the school year begins."

A woman followed with a worried voice:

"Yes, my son… you can stay longer. Did someone upset you?"

Sekhth crept closer and saw Harvey sitting before a well-dressed couple. He instantly recognized their features: the owners of the palace, the richest and most influential family in the city.

He had never dreamed of setting foot in their estate when he visited the city with his father, and now… he had lived among them for half a month.

Thanks to Harvey's connection with their son, they spared them nothing: the best food, new clothes, and even the training ground reserved for their guards was at his disposal.

Harvey replied with his usual smile:

"No, madam, no one bothered me. But Sekhth needs to start learning magic seriously. I'm thinking of taking him to the nearest magic tower… where the training he needs is available."

Sekhth felt a stab of surprise. A magic tower?

The man chuckled lightly and turned to Sekhth:

"You've worked hard these past days, son. Even the captain of the guard hasn't stopped praising you. And if you don't succeed at the academy someday… remember, you'll always have a place with us."

Sekhth bowed respectfully and said sincerely:

"Thank you, Uncle… and thank you, Aunt. I won't forget your kindness."

The couple smiled warmly, then left with the hope of meeting again.

Inside the carriage drawn by a trained magical horse, Sekhth sat across from Harvey. Unable to hold back, he asked:

"Are we really going to the magic tower? And what exactly is this tower?"

Harvey smirked faintly:

"Oh? I thought you were absent-minded and didn't hear anything earlier."

Then his tone shifted to seriousness:

"The magic tower is an independent organization, though their headquarters is in the imperial capital. They have branches in most of the major kingdoms, outside the empire's borders. And although they're officially independent, their ties with the empire are very close."

Sekhth nodded. He already knew this from Min Su's memories. He only asked so he wouldn't seem suspicious—or perhaps to learn something new. He even recalled that the tower's heir had a strange connection with the second princess.

Harvey continued:

"The reason I'm taking you there is simple: they have paid training facilities. Normally, I don't like them because they don't make you awaken mana on your own. But you're far behind your peers. Most applicants to the academy prepare for years… while you've done nothing so far."

Sekhth fell silent for a moment, thinking. He didn't know the details of how these facilities worked, but he knew from the novel that the protagonist relied on the system and the beginner's gift—most notably a constitution cheat.

Speaking of beginner's gifts… I still remember Min Su asking the system for it, before my soul resisted and the system stopped working.

Could the gift still be in the house?

…No, I don't think so. When I woke up, I found nothing, and even my foster mother never mentioned anything like that. If she had found it, she would have told me for sure.

A small pang struck my chest as I remembered her.

"I wonder… what is she doing now?" I whispered softly.

But Harvey caught his words immediately, smiling mischievously as he said:

"What? Is there a girl you're missing?"

Sekhth turned his face away in silence. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction of a reply.

And the carriage kept moving forward, carrying their fate toward the magic tower.

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