Chapter 83: Shackles for Freedom 1

Slowly grasping a wooden sword, I fixed my gaze upon the target before me.

Simultaneously, I began releasing the mana flowing through my body.

The basic magic curriculum taught by Dust since the Battle of White Mountain had finally concluded.

However, from that point onward, my solitary training would proceed as customary for mages – self-guided practice akin to enhancing one’s lung capacity and musculature through swimming.

While a mentor could provide the fundamentals, I no longer required Dust’s instruction at this stage.

Truthfully, he had seemed somewhat disappointed by this, but my father concurred – realistically, further lessons would prove unfruitful.

Thus, without Dust’s tutelage, I have diligently trained each day barring exceptional circumstances.

Myriad affairs demanded my attention – ongoing and forthcoming endeavors.

Yet however occupied, honing my personal combat prowess could never be neglected.

On the battlefield where power, armies, and wealth intertwine, one’s own might ultimately proved the sole unwavering ally amid uncertainty.

The final bastion safeguarding precious lives in peril.

Hence, as a 1st-rank mage, I had devoted myself to training… yet found myself stymied, unable to surpass certain thresholds.

To ascend to the 2nd-rank required mastering mana manipulation – simultaneous wielding of at least two principal battle magics: condensation and body reinforcement.

However, this benchmark eluded me due to lingering Aura influences and, fundamentally, time constraints.

Ordinarily, magical cultivation spanned years of gradual progression, each rank requiring six months to a year’s dedication.

My impatience bordered on recklessness in that regard.

Yet over the past few days, an unexpected solution to my urgency had arisen.

Channeling the mana coursing through me, I slowly directed it through every facet of my body.

The empowering flow permeated my musculature…

A portion concentrating into the wooden sword I gripped, mana carefully circulating along its surface.

Maintaining this state, I adjusted my stance while fixing the training dummy squarely in my sights.

Then…

“Haaaah!”

In an instant, explosive speed propelled me towards the target.

For that fleeting moment, I swung the mana-infused sword, striking the dummy with devastating force.

-THWACK!-

The resounding crack of splintered wood echoed as the dummy shattered.

Mana dispersing, I exhaled deeply, feeling the exertion’s toll.

-Clap! Clap! Clap!-

Applause then reached my ears, revealing Polena, who had been observing throughout.

“Magnificent. You have clearly mastered both condensation and body reinforcement to a considerable degree.”

Polena’s voice brimmed with delight.

Returning her smile, I replied:

“Yes, truthfully I had felt stagnant for quite some time. Thanks to your guidance, Polena, I was able to grasp the technique. I am truly grateful.”

“I merely offered a few words. The credit is yours, my lord, for your exceptional aptitude.”

As Polena beamed appreciatively while handing me a towel, she continued in her customary bright tone:

Over the past few days, through our usual interactions punctuated by her casual remarks, Polena’s simple advice had somehow allowed me to overcome the obstruction impeding my progress with remarkable ease.

“When manipulating mana, envision it flowing like water. When focusing it, imagine a single point radiating outward… Or so I understand from what my mage acquaintances have described.”

Though having never witnessed mana manipulation herself, she seemed to have gleaned some insight from her connections.

Admittedly, her explanations sounded quite detailed and specific for a novice perspective. Yet given her limited exposure, I could only presume she grasped the gist.

“In any case, having broken through to the next stage, it would be advisable to conclude your training for today. Excessive mana exertion can prove detrimental.”

“Yes, understood, teacher.”

“Huhuhu.”

My playful quip prompted an amused chuckle from Polena.

Her ever-beautiful, familiar visage in that moment stirred inexplicable flutters within me.

‘Truly… Each time I’m struck by just how excessively lovely our Polena is…’

Were it not for Cazeros, Polena’s beauty alone could undoubtedly captivate any man’s heart.

Her facial features, though distinct from Cazeros’s, possessed an exquisite, refined elegance accentuated by an effervescent yet profound charm – a beguiling paradox.

Moreover, her pleasant disposition brought levity amid this turbulent era’s oppressive gloom.

And despite her maidservant status, she consistently demonstrated meticulous professionalism belying any superficial lapses – as if quite accustomed to such duties.

‘Truly a maid… Or in modern parlance, the quintessential executive assistant. An embarrassment of riches, from my perspective…’

Yet, however appreciative, indulging any impropriety was unthinkable given my devoted love for Cazeros.

We had already pledged our hearts to each other, and my precarious contract engagement existed solely to uphold that bond. Cazeros alone occupied the innermost chambers of my heart.

However, with Cazeros’s prolonged absence, and Polena’s unwavering presence by my side, I could not deny a growing fondness for her, even if falling short of love.

‘Come to think of it, quite an amusing predicament… Despite being engaged, the person I love and the person I’ve developed affections for are two separate individuals…’

With a tinge of melancholy, I made my way into the lord’s castle after concluding my training.

The time had come to set in motion the plans I had outlined to Friedrich – one step at a time.

‘Well then, shall we begin by establishing order among our burgeoning allies on all fronts? Leaving them uncoordinated would only lead to the same ineffectual disarray as the original timeline.’

No matter how numerous our allies, without a coherent framework, they would merely dissipate like windswept reeds.

To harness their potential required imposing discipline, solidifying their cohesion.

Contemplating this necessity, I sought out my father, who undoubtedly agonized over this very quandary.