Chapter 4371: Benefit of Doubt (Part 1)

"Nonsense." Frey replied. "Auntie Tista also enrolled late. Dad will teach you everything you need to know to pass the fourth year’s admission exam. You can still do it if you only attend the final two years of the academy."

Aran, Leria, and Filia doubted she could reach the deep green that fast, but said nothing that would spoil the mood further. What was happening on the other side of the room was already unpleasant enough.

"I expected you to be happy for me, Kami." Zinya tapped her foot without bothering to hide her annoyance. "Why do you seem upset?"

She had Awakened as well, and her sister’s expression at the news was one of utter confusion.

"I’m not upset, Zin. I’m just speechless." Kamila replied. "You never expressed interest in magic or Awakening, so your sudden change of heart caught me by surprise.

"Moreover, you often complained about the little free time you have left after performing your duties as the Archduchess of Essagor. I’m afraid that you are biting more than you can chew, Zin.

"I have no fief, and I’ve taken a leave of absence from my job, yet I can barely keep up with the diligent study that magic requires. Are you sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard?"

The sincere worry in Kamila’s eyes and her reasonable arguments eased the anger that Zinya felt in the pit of her stomach.

’What’s wrong with me? How could I think that Kami would feel threatened by my Awakening? She has taken good care of me all my life and is just worried about me like the great sister she is!’

"You are right, Kami. I’m sorry for lashing out." Zinya said, feeling ashamed for her outburst. "To be honest, I’m not very interested in magic, but Filia and Frey are. They have been begging me to let Tezka Awaken them for years.

"After I heard about most of Lith’s family Awakening, I decided it was time to let go of my fears and let my children follow their dreams. Yet the idea of being the only non-Awakened in the family scared me, so I joined them."

She nervously clenched the hems of her dress, unwilling to admit her fear of aging and her hope of becoming pregnant.

"Don’t worry, Zin, I understand how you feel." Kamila sighed in relief. "And while we’re being honest, if not for Elysia Awakening me during my first pregnancy, I think at this point I too would have asked my husband to Awaken me."

"Thanks, Kami, and don’t worry about me." Zinya took her sister’s hands into her own. "Filia and Frey are going to spend a lot of time with their own practice and won’t need me much.

As for my duties as an Archduchess, they will make perfect training material. I can use water magic to write faster and use Accumulation whenever I’m forced to listen to one of the long-winded rants of Zogar’s retainers.

"After all, at my level there’s only so much magic I can use before getting tired. Spending hours breathing is boring, but not as much as politics, believe me." She chuckled.

Friya was about to announce her presence when she noticed a third meeting, almost as tense as the second, taking place in a corner of the room.

"You’ve changed a lot since the last time I saw you, old fox." That day it was Salaark’s turn to take care of the babies, and she hadn’t missed the growth of his Spirit tail or the sudden increase in his strength.

"Thanks for noticing, little sparrow." In his wolf form, Tezka was forced to look up at the Overlord, yet there was nothing deferential in his tone or posture. "You look the same, instead.

"Have you been slacking off, or has your understanding of magic hit a wall you can’t overcome? I can point out for you a few things you can improve, if you want."

"Appearances can be deceiving, old fox." Salaark didn’t fall for his provocation and countered soberly. "You should know that better than anyone else."

Bytra’s cloaking item made the Fylgja’s energy signature hard to read even from so up close, yet it was supposed to have no effect on the stench that usually accompanied the Master’s hybrids like a shadow.

The stench of the carnage they perpetrated to prolong their existence and the Forbidden Magic that kept their bodies and cores together. To make matters weirder, Salaark could detect a subtle but steady flow of mana coming from the Fylgja.

’This is weird.’ The Overlord thought. ’Tezka hasn’t killed more people than Lith lately, and the aura of Forbidden Magic around him is almost gone. There is a purity to his condition that can only be explained with proper evolution.

’The Master, or maybe just Tezka, must have found a way to harmonize a hybrid’s life forces that doesn’t upset the balance. I don’t like this. Not one bit.’

"Believe me, I do." The Suneater replied with a wolfish smile. "Now, if you don’t mind, I have business to attend. My disciples have been staring at us for a while, and I think you are scaring them."

Salaark turned around to find Faluel and Friya with an uncomfortable expression on their faces.

’Damn, I was so focused on him that I lost track of my surroundings.’ The Overlord inwardly cursed. ’I forgot that this is not my turf. My powers are not as strong as I’m used to.’

"I’ll leave you at it, then." Salaark showed no sign of her inner turmoil, and nothing betrayed the mind link she used to warn her fellow Guardians of her discoveries.

"Well, kids, where are we going?" Tezka lost his edge as he trotted towards the two women.

"Is my lair okay?" Faluel cleared her throat. "I can guarantee our privacy there, and no one will disturb us."

"It’s perfect." Tezka nodded. "Can I entrust my kids to you during my absence, young sparrow?"

"You have my word that nothing bad will happen to them." Salaark replied.

"Thanks. I owe you one." The Suneater gave her a polite nod. "Lead the way, Faluel. I’ve never been inside your home, and piercing through my little brother’s arrays to get us out of here would be rude of me."

Lith had bestowed upon those who had his absolute trust a mystical plaque that allowed them to use all kinds of dimensional magic within the Mansion’s premises, and Tezka wasn’t one of them.

The relationship between the Suneater and Lith was friendly, but the too many secrets they held from each other kept them from becoming friends.

Faluel’s Warp led straight inside her lair, in the same space she had once set up to train Lith and his friends during their apprenticeship. She had moved many large piles of silver, gold, and platinum coins aside, creating a wide clearing in the large collection of treasures that furnished her lair.

Even a lesser Dragon like Faluel loved surrounding herself with precious things. No matter if their value depended on their market price, craftsmanship, or sentimental attachment, a Dragon hoarded everything.

The more precious a treasure, the closer they would keep it to the hill of coins and gemstones they used as their bed.

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