Reincarnated as the Lady Prodigy

Twelve

Secrets of the Spiritual Forest

THIRD PERSON's POINT OF VIEW

The town of Valyr is the smallest town that the Vesaurius Household is managing. The town is consisted mainly of small inns and restaurant, shops selling ornaments and other things are rare even in the main town. Most of the houses are scattered around the town where their land for farming are.

The renowned place in this town is the Forest of Ivora, most commonly known as Spiritual Forest. Although farming is the main way of living for ordinary people in Valyr, the same cannot be said in terms of those who have magic and special ability, people who stays in this town who has magical affinities or special ability are here for one thing. To uncover the secrets of this town especially the Spiritual Forest.

Because the Spiritual Forest located in this town, despite being small and vulnerable for monster or demon attack, this town is the safest. Neighboring town always seek protection in this town because of the protection the Spirit Forest offers in the entire town against monsters and demon, even beasts with ill-intention.

"Where are we going, my...!" Elise shuts her mouth and laughs awkwardly. She forgot again. Lady Jozine told her— ordered her to not call her 'my lady' again especially if it's just them.

"I do not understand. Why did we have to leave the carriage in the main town and walk to this seemingly unending forest." The elf complained. "Do you really know where to go, Jozine?" She asks eyeing Zaire suspiciously.

Zaire just nodded her head with a small chuckle while Blake is behind them. Guarding them from rear attack although it is not necessary but the boy just wouldn't listen.

The young man is set in stone on his oath of protecting her.

Zaire grin on the inside. 'He will have a great future. I'm struck by luck that he offered his loyalty to me, he-he!'

"We have been walking for hours now. Are you certain we are taking the right path? Are we not lost?" The elf asks once again.

"I'm sure we are not lost," Zaire stops walking and glance around. She looks at Elise and the elf who is watching her on her side. "...yet."

The elf's eyes' widen. "You...!" She pointed her and sigh exasperated. Her face shows the expression 'I-knew-it' as if she foresee that this would happen.

Zaire steps back and chuckles. "Easy. Chill! I swear I know where we are going."

"As you should." The elf scoff proudly.

Zaire looks at Elise who is awkwardly smiling at her because of the elf's display of her attitude. Zaire shrugs. As if she's not used to it.

They continued walking, another three hours passed, the four of them are sitting on the ground while eating the bread they bought from the town before they headed to the forest.

"I am exhausted. I have never walked for that long in my entire life!" Complained someone, none other than the elf.

Zaire raised her brows. "Come on, it wasn't that long."

"Lies! We walked for five hours, continuously without a singles rest! Look at Elise, she looks like she's about to collapse if you did not announce we will take rest. Look!" Zaire turn to Elise, the latter gave her a polite smile but it does show in her face that she is exhausted beyond her words.

Zaire scratch her head shyly. Although she wanted to help Elise increase her stamina she must have overdone it seeing Elise's state.

"I won't ask this again if you answer me. Where in this forest are we really going?" The elf asks.

Zaire look at them and closed her eyes to check if there are any people nearby that may be listening to their conversation but there is no one without a hundred kilometers radius.

"I'm sure you know what this forest is called and I'm also sure that you two," she stated pointing at Blake and the elf, "can feel the magic energy here. It's dense isn't it? Compared to other places in Magia there are certain locations where the magic energy are affluent and this Spiritual Forest is one them."

"If I am not mistaken my lady, that is a common knowledge but you seem to know something more." Blake notice that quickly that's why Zaire couldn't help the smirk to form on her lips.

'What a keen eyes.'

She thought and nods her head before she stood up and stretches her body.

"I will tell you but before that, we have to go. We have approximately three hours to reach our destination."

"Ugh. Another three hours." Complained the elf.

"Elf, you've been completely non-stop."

"That is because I have the right to do so. We could use magic to travel but we never once use magic when we step foot in this forest. I am utterly confused."

"If we could freely use magic here, do you think I'll let us suffer walking here?"

The elf fell silent and without reply, she looks away feeling intimidated with how Zaire looks at her.

Zaire heaved a deep sigh. "Let's keep going."

This time they continued walking, Blake transformed to his more mature physically appearance to help Elise while Zaire and the elf is walking ahead.

"I apologize if I kept on complaining." The elf mumbled.

Zaire glance at her and smiled. "I'm not mad. Don't worry."

"Still, I have been noisy and nagging. You will get mad if I continue complaining."

"That's true." Zaire said frankly. She then sigh. "I may not know who you really are but I at least know how things work for elves." She turn to the elf with a small smile. "I won't force you to tell me the truth but you should know that I kept you beside me for a reason." With that, Zaire looks straight ahead without looking back to the elf who now completely stopped from walking and is staring at her back with her mouth agape.

'She know something...'

The elf thought, snapping from her trail of reverie she run to Jozine.

"You knew." She pointed out but Jozine does not look bothered by that revelation at all. If anything, she looks calm. "My name... it's Eufema."

"Mhm." Jozine hummed in response.

Eufema looks at the human beside her. Ever since their paths crossed that night on the night market where she was sold off as a slave, she knew there was something special about this human. It may be how she has multiple elements or the way she talks, Eufema is not quite sure but she is certain of one thing. Jozine Vesaurius is an extraordinary woman. Powerful and outspoken but at the same time fairly mysterious.

Jozine Vesaurius is the epitome of a woman who may be silly but she knows what she's doing, she knows what she really wants.

If it's here then Eufema... she might still have hope left.

"I was sold off as a slave from the capital by my own family, no, they are not my family." Eufema smile bitterly while looking at the ground they are walking on, gone is the trace her nobility. The one's proud and confident posture transformed in that of a vulnerable child. "I am a bastard child. Unwanted. When I first manifested my ice magic at a young age that family took me in, cared for me, and treasured me, however, when they found out that my magic base is naturally broken and is unable to form, the shunned me. My mother and brother... they suffered painfully because of me, to protect me, my talented older brother became their slave."

Eufema gritted her teeth as she remember her weeping mother when that family took her from her mother's weak grasp to be sold as a slave. The bruised face of her older brother who was once a protector of the kingdom's borders as the children of that family forced him to kneel for her sake. All of it, it was all clear without a single trace of ever disappearing from her memory.

"I... I want to prove them that I am capable despite having a broken magic base but I couldn't. No matter what I do, my magic turns into chaos! I can't save them... I..."

"You can." Zaire said with finality.

It was obvious from the start that this elf, Eufema is different from other elf, from other people in general. She has a broken magic base, one that is unable to form, so that's why when she saw her that night her magic energy was so strong to the point that it has become chaotic.

Eufema is special. Like Blake and Elise.

Zaire smiled and stop walking to look at the three people in front of her, the people walking the same path as hers, people who accompanied her in this journey that will change her life and theirs.

"You three, you're special and because you walked with me in this journey I promise you one thing. You will grow." Zaire proclaimed.

Elise watches as her lady, her mistress and also her friend, Jozine looks at them one by one, her eyes held determination that can shake mountains, her smile and face radiant with a mark of the promise she made. This... this is the lady she devoted her life with. The lady she promised to serve but at the same time, she became a new persona. She is another light of hope for her, Blake and Eufema. Elise's eyes turned teary because of happiness, he heart felt overwhelmed with gratitude.

"My lady..."

Zaire chuckles at them an turned around to face a wall, no, because of the heavy fog now covering the entire place all of a sudden, they couldn't view what is in front of them.

Zaire raised her hand to touch the wall when her middle finger, the one where the unknown letters are tattooed burned. It felt hot but not painful, as if on cue, the fog slowly dissipated and what was in front of them is neither a wall or a stone but a mountain.

It's the foot of a mountain so tall their neck started to hurt. The remaining fog on their side disappeared too revealing a lake, the sound of water splashing and gushing as each reachers the floor of water appeared as well.

The soundless evening gone.

All four of them flinches as the ground slowly shakes, the wall, the part of the mountain in front of them take form of a stair going from in front of Jozine to her right. A ball of green light appearing out of nowhere floating back and forth closely on Zaire's face as if telling her to follow it.

Zaire smiled triumphant and look back on them. "We're here."

Following the opened path presented from the foot of the mountain, it lead them into the source of the flowing and splashing water, hidden on the back of the mountain is a waterfall shining without being hit by the moon's light. The waterfall and the lake are shining naturally while there are another floating ball of lights with different colors that seemed to be dancing around.

Finally, the path lead them to a cave behind the waterfall. They're not hit with the violent splashing of water as if an invisible barrier was placed on them. They walked further to where the ball of light is and finally, the ball of green light flew away before touching Zaire's cheek.

She chuckles. "Thank you!" She yelled unto the ball of light flying away.

Zaire looks at each other their faces and smiled.

Using light magic, she placed ten ball of light on the cave's wall starting from where they are and further inside the cave.

She sat on ground telling them to sit as well.

"How do you feel Elise?" She asks her lady-maid.

Elise gasps and checks her self with awe written all over her face.

"I feel... refreshed. I don't feel exhausted anymore, my lady!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Great." Zaire breathed with a smile. "As Blake and Eufema may feel, the magic energy here is much denser than that outside. A perfect place to meditate and level up your magic base. Do you know why?" She asks as if asking little kids with a pointed finger raised.

Blake raised his hand as if he's a student. "Because the magic energy is denser?"

Zaire nodded her head proudly. "Yep, but not only that. Because this place is in a subspace. Meaning, we are in a smaller dimension filled with the purest magic energy. Something that can never be find in other places."

The three of them have their eyes widen in shock, Zaire felt smug because she is the only person who knows of this secret.

Basically, they are inside one of the strongest and ancient magic artifact in Magia, Agro's Claw. This claw is owned by Agro, one of the first true dragons existed even before the kingdom of Magia emerged. This claw is well known for it's impenetrable defense and as part of a true and ancient dragon, this claw holds great magic energy. Over time, it had its own dimension that turns the Forest of Ivora its resting place thus protecting Valyr.

According to Aya, they are inside the subspace of Agro's Claw however the exact location of the artifact itself or its material formed is gone. Meaning, this entire forest has become the space of the artifact. Aya also told Zaire that no one, aside from her holds the key of this small dimension.

Zaire looks at the ring tattoo on her finger and concluded that this is the key.

"So now that you know where we are, I'll tell you why I brought you here." She announced. "Blake and Elise, you offered to serve me with your lives but, as I told you, you are more than slaves to me. You are part of my team that's why if you want to use your life to serve, I don't allow you to lose those life anytime."

Zaire stared at the two of them, their faces expectant of what she is about to say next, especially Elise. Blake looked excited too but acted cool about it and because he's in his more mature version, Zaire wouldn't deny that the he's ridiculously handsome. She thinks of him as her little brother though and Zaire knows that Blake sees her as his sister as well.

Out of nowhere, two sheets of glowing scrolls appeared in front of Blake and Elise.

"Healing... magic..?" Elise muttered unbelievably, her eyes now filled with tears as she looks at her lady Jozine. "My lady....!" She sobbed in happiness.

Zaire laughs. "Read what's written in the scroll and I assure you, you will become one of the best healers in this kingdom. A strong one at that in just one month."

Elise nodded her head enthusiastically and grab the scroll reading what is written on it with small sobs.

Blake on the other hand is staring at the words written on his scroll.

Art of Shadow

“Lady Jozine...” he whispered, scared but instead of being angry because he kept the fact that the nature if his magic is shadow magic, Lady Jozine smiled at him.

“I know it long ago that your magic is shadow magic. Even though it’s forbidden in Magia, trust me, it will not be considered forbidden soon. For now, practice both your daggers and shadow magic.”

Blake kneeled and bowed. “Thank you my lady! I swear to serve you until the day I die!”

Zaire awkwardly chuckle while telling Blake to start meditating.

Finally, she turns to Eufema who is watching her with them with curiosity.

“Well?” Zaire started while smiling at Eufema. “Are you interested?”

Eufema gulps and slowly nodded her head unable to say anything.

“You face is telling me, asking me if there’s a way for your magic base to form. Hmm, let me see.”

With that, Zaire closed her eyes while Eufema is watching her, anticipating and hoping that there could be a way for her to change her future.

On the other hand, inside the void of magic.

“Is there a way for her magic base to form?” Zaire asks.

[Indeed. Being inside that subspace with the purest magic energy, an art called Magic Acquisition is available. Would you like to get a copy of this art?]

Zaire smiled. “Of course. Include spells and techniques for ice magic too.”

[Very well.]

When Zaire opened her eyes, two glowing scrolls are floating in front of her.

“Here,” she gesture the scrolls on Eufema’s way while the latter is stunned. “This here will help you form your magic base and, ice magic scroll. Read it because I too, needs to train.” Passing by the stunned Eufema, Zaire taps her shoulder. “Good luck, elf.”

Zaire made her way to the elevated big round stone with green color and marking on the ground.

[Start your training. I wish you good luck, Zaire Levi.]

Zaire slowly walks to the stone and sat there, slowly, a smirk formed on her lips.

‘Good luck to all of us.’

~