The scent of toasted bread and coffee filled the dining room on the first floor. Eva stabbed at the sausage on her plate with unnecessary force. The sharp clink of metal against porcelain shattered the fragile morning quiet.
"So you're really going to dump this responsibility on me, Kalia?" Eva asked.
Kalia took a calm sip of her tea, as though her friend's tone didn't bother her in the slightest.
"Who else can I rely on if not you? You're the expert when it comes to Aether."
"You're her mother. By blood alone, your connection should be stronger for guiding her," Eva muttered.
Kalia let out a soft chuckle as she set her porcelain cup down with deliberate care.
"You know how rough my control over Aether is. It took me years just to form my Core, even though my element awakened when I was ten."
Eva snorted and leaned back in her chair. "Is that a compliment, or are you bragging about your childhood? Fine. I'll accept the reasoning."
The scrape of dragging footsteps cut into their conversation. A girl appeared, looking far from presentable.
Her hair stuck out in every direction, her face still puffy with sleep, her pajama top crooked on her shoulders. Alicia rubbed her reddened eyes.
"Good morning, Mother…" Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.
Her half-lidded gaze shifted to the figure seated beside her mother.
"And… um…" Alicia trailed off. Her memory was still tangled in her pillow.
Eva set her fork down with a loud clink. Her expression soured instantly, eyes narrowing.
"I'm here too, Alicia. Don't tell me your brain's still in your bedroom and you've forgotten who I am?" Eva quipped.
"After we were introduced just yesterday, no less. How heartless of you to make me feel like decoration in this house."
Alicia pressed her fingers to her throbbing temple. Fragments of last night flickered in disarray, refusing to form a coherent picture.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Eva. My memory… feels completely scrambled," she murmured.
She pulled out the chair beside her mother. Kalia said nothing, simply pushing a plate of toast and a cup of warm tea toward her.
"Eat. You'll need the energy," Kalia said flatly.
Alicia had just lifted her first bite when her mother spoke again.
"About your training… I won't be able to teach you directly."
Her hand froze midair. She turned, ready to protest, but Kalia silenced her with a single look.
"Eva will take over," Kalia continued. A faint smile, difficult to decipher, curved her lips. "Learn from her. I'll support you from behind the scenes."
The atmosphere at the table shifted instantly. Kalia turned her body toward Eva.
"And you, Eva," she said, her voice lowering. Her eyes sharpened, and the air around them seemed to grow heavy, almost suffocating. "Don't even think about teaching my daughter any of those strange things you usually experiment with. Understood?"
Eva jolted. She forced out a brittle laugh, rubbing the back of her suddenly chilled neck.
"O-of course. As if I'd ever do that to Alicia," she replied quickly.
She averted her gaze. Damn it. So her hidden intentions had been seen through completely.
Breakfast ended soon after. Kalia rose to clear the table, carrying the stack of dirty plates to the sink.
The steady rush of water became the only sound in the kitchen. Alicia remained seated, watching her mother's back with quiet curiosity.
"Mother…" she called hesitantly.
Kalia answered with a faint hum, still focused on the plate in her hands.
"Why is Aunt Eva the one teaching me? She said yesterday that you were a genius at the academy."
Kalia's hands stilled for a moment. Before she could respond, a sharp voice cut in from the doorway.
"Alicia… my hearing still works perfectly fine, you know."
Eva stepped in, wearing a sulky expression. She crossed her arms and glared at her future pupil with exaggerated offense.
"I did say your mother was a genius. I never said I was stupid. I was among the most gifted witches of my time too."
She let out a long sigh, her shoulders drooping slightly.
"It's just that your mother was a monster. Too brilliant. No one ever looked twice at me when she was around."
Kalia's shoulders trembled as she struggled to suppress a laugh.
"Kalia! If you're going to laugh, then laugh! Don't hold it in like that!" Eva burst out, her face flushing red.
Kalia finally turned off the tap. She dried her damp hands on her apron and smiled faintly.
"Alicia, go bathe before you begin your lesson. I need to prepare to head to the shop as well."
Alicia nodded obediently and climbed down from her chair without further questions. Her small footsteps faded as she ascended the stairs.
While waiting for Alicia, Eva finished the last of her coffee. Meanwhile, Kalia prepared to leave for her shop.
After bathing, Alicia put on a simple yet elegant white high-collared dress. The fabric fell lightly with her movements.
Her once-messy hair was now neatly arranged. She drew in a deep breath, trying to steady the pounding of her heart.
"I wonder… will forming a Core be difficult?" she muttered as she combed through her hair.
She made her way down to the first floor. Eva was sitting quietly with her eyes closed. Sensing Alicia's presence, she turned her head slowly.
"Ready?" Eva asked.
"…Yes," Alicia replied.
Together, they walked to the far end of the second-floor corridor. A heavy door creaked open, revealing a room long forbidden to Alicia.
The room was still. Tall wooden shelves stretched up to the ceiling. Rows of old, dust-covered books stood like silent keepers of secrets.
The scent of aging paper and worn wood mingled with the warm air. The wooden door groaned as it opened wider, releasing years of settled dust.
Eva waved a hand in front of her face, scattering the particles dancing in the sunlight.
"Find somewhere to sit," she said. "I need to tear apart these shelves to find my notes about Core formation."
Alicia nodded and moved to a wooden chair by the large window. Sunlight brushed her skin, warm against the library's stuffy air.
On the other side of the room, Eva began scanning the shelves. Her fingers trailed along the spines of books, leaving streaks in the thick dust.
"It should be around here…" she muttered.
She pulled out a worn leather-bound volume and blew across its cover, coughing softly. A moment later, her hands stilled.
"Found it," she whispered, satisfied.
She glanced toward the window. "Alicia, come here. We'll study at this table."
Alicia quickly rose and took the seat across from her.
"For now, forget about your element. That's just surface decoration," Eva said seriously.
"Before you form a Core, you must be able to feel the breath of this world—Aether. Without it, even the greatest witch is nothing more than a frail human."
Alicia stared at her own empty palms.
"So today, we won't be chanting any spells. Focus only on the sensations around you. Don't rush."
"Aunt Eva, how do I feel it?" Alicia asked.
Eva paused, then gave a soft snort. "Right. I almost forgot your instincts are still dull."
She stepped behind Alicia, her hand hovering just above the girl's shoulder.
"I'll channel a small amount of Aether as a catalyst. Don't resist. Let it flow like water through your veins."
Alicia closed her eyes. Aether began to seep into her body. It felt strange—cold, yet deeply familiar.
She opened her eyes as Eva finished.
"Well? What did you feel?" Eva asked, hopeful.
"I don't know… It felt like I've experienced that sensation before," Alicia said, puzzled.
Eva frowned. "In any case, you need to sense the Aether energy spread throughout the world."
Alicia nodded and shut her eyes again, searching for the lingering trace of that feeling. Minutes passed in the suffocating silence of the library.
At last, she gave up. She opened her eyes and stared blankly at the shelves before her.
"Well?" Eva asked softly.
"Nothing… there's nothing," Alicia rasped. "The world feels silent, Aunt. I can't feel anything."
She turned to Eva, her gaze unfocused. "Then what should I do?"
"Don't rush, Alicia. Aether isn't something you can force into submission."
Eva slid the worn leather book across the table. "Read. Perhaps you'll find the missing key in here."
"I need to see Kalia for a moment," she added, rising to her feet. Her robe brushed against the wooden floor with a faint whisper. "And remember—don't try anything reckless until you can truly feel its flow."
Alicia nodded quietly as she watched Eva's back disappear beyond the heavy door, leaving her alone among the encircling books.
Eva descended the stairs, her fingers brushing the cool wooden banister.
"Even with Kalia's blood, a week would be the fastest anyone could hope for just to graze the surface of Aether," she murmured to the empty corridor.
Upstairs, Alicia remained motionless. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull something invisible into herself.
Silence. No vibration, no warmth—only the sound of her own heartbeat, growing faster.
She tried again, drawing in breath until her chest ached. Still nothing.
"Why won't it appear?" she hissed through clenched teeth. Frustration crept in, burning in her chest.
A harsh orange light pierced through the window, landing squarely on her eyelids. Alicia flinched and blinked against the sting.
"Is it already evening?"
She lowered her head, letting her hair fall over her face. A single tear dropped into her lap. Pointless. She felt foolish for sitting there for hours with nothing to show for it.
But when she lifted her face to wipe her cheek, her world shifted.
The air around her was no longer empty.
Transparent particles of light drifted and swirled, flowing gently like an invisible river through the room.
Alicia froze. Her breath caught.
The current was pure. Calm.
Her hand rose, trembling. When her fingertips brushed that faint glow, an unfamiliar sensation seeped into her skin.
"There…" she whispered.
It felt warm. The vibration… wasn't new. It was like reclaiming something she had once lost.
Understanding dawned. This was Aether. This was what Aunt Eva had spoken of. This was what she had been meant to feel.
She sprang to her feet, ignoring the pins and needles in her legs. She searched every corner of the house, but Eva was nowhere to be found.
The shop. Aunt Eva had to be at Mother's shop.
Alicia snatched up her shoes in haste and rushed outside, cutting through the cool evening breeze as if it, too, celebrated her discovery.
The shop bell rang sharply when she pushed the door open, breathless. Behind the counter, Kalia and Eva were deep in serious conversation. Both turned at once.
"Aunt Eva! Mother!"
Alicia gripped the doorframe, her face radiant despite the sweat on her brow. "I did it! I can feel it now!"
Silence fell over the room. Eva set her teacup down with a trembling hand.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Kalia, her face paling.
"You succeeded?" Eva murmured. "In just a matter of hours?"
She swallowed, her voice growing heavy as she turned to her friend. "Kalia… don't tell me…"
Alicia's mother could only stare at her daughter, her expression unreadable.
"Perhaps…" Kalia answered softly, as though afraid her voice might shatter the fragile truth before them.