Day 1 — Morning

  I woke up again before the alarm.

  But this time it was different.

  The room was too quiet.

  There was no commotion in the corridor, no Mabel shouting about lost brushes.

  Just, silence.

  I got up, got dressed, went to the window.

  The garden was there, beautiful, peaceful.

  But something was missing.

  She left yesterday.

  With Ferme.

  To Netherheart Manor.

  And I stayed.

  It wasn't sadness, not exactly.

  It was just, absence.

  As if a piece of the routine had been removed.

  A knock on the door.

  "Sekire? Can I come in?"

  Hinata.

  "You can."

  She entered, no tray this time.

  "Good morning."

  "Good morning."

  She walked to the window, stood beside me.

  We looked at the garden together.

  "You missed her."

  It wasn't a question.

  "...Yes."

  "Me too." Hinata crossed her arms. "Her Highness Mabel is loud, chaotic, annoying sometimes."

  Pause.

  "But when she's not here, the castle is, too quiet."

  I nodded.

  We stayed in silence for a moment.

  Then Hinata spoke:

  "But she'll come back, in a few days, and she'll bring good news."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because Her Highness always brings good news, even when everything seems bad." She looked at me. "She has this irritating gift of making things work out."

  I smiled, small.

  "Irritating?"

  "Very." But Hinata was smiling too. "Come, breakfast is waiting."

  Training Grounds — Two Hours Later

  Caliope was different today.

  Not just training clothes.

  But there was something in her posture, in the way she observed me.

  More focused, more intense.

  "Today we go deeper," she said, no preamble. "Yesterday you learned the basics, breathing, pulse, physical control."

  She walked around me.

  "But magic isn't just physical, it's emotional, mental, spiritual."

  She stopped in front of me.

  "Your emotions affect your mana, fear makes it tremble, anger makes it explode, sadness makes it stagnate."

  Pause.

  "And you, Sekire, have many repressed emotions."

  My chest tightened.

  She knew.

  Of course she knew.

  "So today we'll work on that, connecting emotion and control." She gestured. "Sit."

  I sat.

  "Close your eyes, breathe, find the core."

  I closed them, breathed, found it.

  The familiar warmth.

  "Now, without releasing mana, just observe." Her voice was calm, guiding. "Feel how it pulses, if it's stable, agitated, calm."

  I observed.

  The core was, restless.

  Pulsing irregularly.

  Like an accelerated heartbeat.

  "It's irregular," I said, quietly.

  "Why?"

  "...I don't know."

  "You know, you just don't want to admit it."

  I swallowed hard.

  "What are you feeling right now?"

  I hesitated.

  "...Loneliness."

  "Because of Mabel?"

  "...Yes."

  "And what else?"

  Silence.

  "Sekire, what else?"

  "Fear." The word came out broken. "Fear that Clemearl won't accept, fear that Mabel will fail, fear that I'll be alone again."

  The core pulsed stronger.

  Irregular, chaotic.

  "Good, you admitted it." Caliope approached. "Now, breathe with the fear, not against it."

  "How?"

  "Inhale, accept that the fear is there, exhale, let it exist without fighting."

  I tried.

  I inhaled, the fear was there, heavy, real.

  I exhaled, let it stay.

  I didn't push, didn't deny.

  Just, let it be.

  "Again."

  I inhaled, fear.

  I exhaled, acceptance.

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  The core started to calm down.

  Slowly, very slowly.

  But it was becoming more stable.

  "Perfect, continue."

  I continued.

  Breath after breath.

  And the core stabilized.

  Not completely.

  But enough.

  "Open your eyes."

  I opened them.

  Caliope was smiling.

  "First lesson: emotion isn't the enemy, it's fuel, learn to breathe with it, not against it."

  She took something from her pocket.

  A stone, small, smooth, white.

  "Now, second lesson." She placed the stone in front of me. "I'm going to use magic to guide you, my affinity is compass, I can guide flows, direct them."

  She extended her hand over the stone.

  "Compass Magic: Guiding Current."

  Mana flowed from her.

  Not visible, but I felt it.

  Like invisible threads extending, creating paths, routes.

  "Now, release your mana, slowly, it will follow my paths."

  I closed my eyes, breathed.

  Released the mana.

  A small amount.

  And I felt.

  It flowed, but not chaotically.

  It was being guided.

  By Caliope's invisible threads.

  Following specific routes.

  Controlled.

  "Feel the paths, memorize them."

  I felt.

  There was a pattern.

  Not random.

  But deliberate.

  Circles, spirals, straight lines.

  Everything connected.

  "Breathe with the flow, let it teach you."

  I breathed.

  And the mana continued flowing.

  Guided, stable.

  For five minutes.

  Until Caliope withdrew her magic.

  "Stop."

  I stopped.

  Opened my eyes.

  "Did you feel it?"

  "Yes."

  "These are the basic paths, circle to stabilize, spiral to grow, straight line to direct." She put the stone away. "I'll guide you like this for the next few days, until you learn on your own."

  I nodded.

  Exhausted, but also...

  There was progress.

  Real, tangible.

  Afternoon — Garden

  Fuyumi found me sitting near the fountain.

  "Can I sit?"

  "You can."

  She sat down, brought a basket.

  "I brought snacks."

  She opened it, cookies, fruits, juice.

  "I thought you might be hungry after training."

  I took a cookie, bit into it.

  It was good.

  "Thank you."

  "You're welcome." She took a fruit. "How was it?"

  "Tiring, but good."

  "The Queen is a great teacher, rigorous, but fair."

  I nodded.

  We stayed in silence for a moment.

  Then Fuyumi spoke, quieter:

  "Can I ask you a question?"

  "You can."

  "Are you, are you happy here?"

  I looked at her.

  Surprised.

  "Why do you ask?"

  "Because you always seem, distant, even when you're with us." She looked at her own hands. "And I keep thinking if we did something wrong, if you don't like it here, if—"

  "It's not that."

  She looked at me.

  "I like it here, all of you, Hinata, the Queen, Mabel." I took a deep breath. "It's just that, it's hard to believe it will last."

  "Why?"

  "Because every time I'm happy, something bad happens." The words came out quiet. "So I get scared, of getting attached, of believing, of..."

  I didn't finish.

  But Fuyumi understood.

  She took my hand, gently.

  "Sekire, look at me."

  I looked.

  "You're not alone, we're not going to abandon you, the Queen won't give up on you, and when Mabel comes back, she'll bring good news."

  Pause.

  "You can get attached, you can believe, you can trust."

  Her eyes were serious, sincere.

  "We're not going anywhere."

  Something tightened in my chest.

  Not pain.

  But something warm.

  "...Thank you."

  She smiled.

  "You're welcome, now eat more, you're still too thin."

  I laughed, small.

  And ate.

  Day 2 — Morning

  Training started the same.

  Breathing, core, emotional stabilization.

  But then Caliope changed.

  "Today we'll meditate deeper."

  She made me lie down, not sit.

  "Close your eyes, breathe, go deeper than the core."

  "Deeper?"

  "Yes, to the center of your essence, where mana is born."

  I hesitated.

  But obeyed.

  I closed my eyes, breathed.

  Searched for the core.

  Then went beyond.

  Deeper.

  More profound.

  And I found it.

  Not a physical place.

  But a space.

  Empty, dark, silent.

  And in the center.

  Light.

  Small, fragile.

  But bright.

  Is this my essence?

  I approached.

  Mentally, spiritually.

  The light pulsed.

  Soft, constant.

  Beautiful.

  And then.

  Something changed.

  The darkness around moved.

  Not threateningly.

  But present.

  And a shape appeared.

  Not completely formed.

  But recognizable.

  Horns, yellow eyes.

  Vhorkan.

  Not the real him.

  But memory, echo.

  Part of me that was his.

  My stomach churned.

  No.

  Get out.

  GET OUT!

  I tried to push.

  But the shape didn't move.

  Just looked at me.

  Without expression.

  Without judgment.

  Just, existing.

  "Sekire?"

  Caliope's voice, distant.

  "SEKIRE!"

  Louder.

  I opened my eyes.

  Gasping, sweating, trembling.

  Caliope was kneeling beside me, hands on my shoulders.

  "What happened?"

  "I, I saw..."

  I couldn't finish.

  She understood.

  "You saw something that scared you."

  I nodded.

  "It's normal, when we dive deep, we find not just the light, but the shadows too."

  She helped me sit up.

  "What did you see?"

  I hesitated.

  "...My biological father."

  It wasn't entirely a lie.

  Caliope was quiet.

  "Traumatic memory?"

  "Yes."

  "Makes sense, traumas are engraved in the essence, they'll emerge during deep meditation." She touched my shoulder. "But you don't need to face them now, not yet."

  Pause.

  "Let's go back to basics, no deep dives for now."

  I nodded, relieved.

  Afternoon

  Caliope guided me again.

  Compass Magic creating paths.

  Me following with my mana.

  Circles, spirals, lines.

  Patterns repeating.

  Engraving in muscle memory, in magical memory.

  "Breathe, flow, don't force."

  I breathed, flowed.

  The mana followed the paths.

  Stable, controlled.

  And then something happened.

  Caliope's magic disappeared.

  She withdrew the guiding paths.

  But my mana continued.

  Alone.

  Following the patterns it had learned.

  Without guide, without help.

  Just flowing.

  One minute.

  Two.

  I didn't even notice.

  I was too focused, too concentrated.

  Breathing synchronized, mind clear.

  Just existing in the flow.

  Until Caliope spoke:

  "Stop."

  And broke the concentration.

  I opened my eyes.

  "How long?"

  "Two minutes, alone, without my guide."

  I blinked.

  "Two, minutes?"

  "Yes." She was smiling, proud. "You maintained perfect control for two minutes without realizing it."

  "I didn't..."

  But then I felt.

  The mana was out of control again.

  Coming out, growing.

  Because I noticed.

  Because I stopped just flowing.

  And started thinking.

  "Stop, breathe."

  I stopped, breathed.

  The mana receded.

  Caliope approached.

  "You understood?"

  "...I understood."

  "When you stop thinking, when you just exist in the flow, you can do it." She touched my head, gently. "Your problem isn't lack of control, it's excess thinking."

  Pause.

  "You need to learn to turn off your mind, and trust your body."

  It made sense.

  Painful, but it made sense.

  Night — Bedroom

  Hinata appeared at the door.

  "Can I come in?"

  "You can."

  She entered, brought tea.

  "I thought you might want some."

  I took the cup, warm, fragrant.

  "Thank you."

  She sat on the edge of the bed.

  "I heard training went well."

  "It did."

  "Fuyumi said you two talked yesterday."

  "Yes."

  Hinata was quiet for a moment.

  Then spoke, quieter:

  "Can I say something?"

  "You can."

  "You don't need to be perfect." She looked at me, directly. "Nobody here expects that, not the Queen, not Mabel, not me or Fuyumi."

  Pause.

  "You can make mistakes, you can fail, you can have bad days."

  She took my hand.

  "And we'll still be here."

  Something trembled in my chest.

  "...How do you know?"

  "Because I also thought I needed to be perfect." She looked at her own hands. "When the Queen brought us, I thought if I made mistakes, she'd send us away."

  "And?"

  "And I made mistakes, many times, burned food, broke dishes, said stupid things." She smiled, small. "And the Queen never sent us away."

  Pause.

  "She just said: 'It's okay, try again tomorrow.'"

  Hinata looked at me.

  "So relax, you can be imperfect here."

  I swallowed hard.

  "Thank you."

  "You're welcome." She stood up. "Sleep well."

  And left.

  Leaving me alone.

  With the tea, with my thoughts.

  And with something new.

  Not hope yet.

  But, acceptance?

  Maybe.

  Day 3 — Morning

  Training started differently.

  Caliope brought a stone.

  Larger than the previous ones.

  The size of a melon.

  "Today we try intentional transmutation."

  My heart raced.

  "But I can't—"

  "You can't yet because it's always been accidental, emotional, chaotic." She placed the stone in front of me. "But now you have basic control, so we'll try in a controlled way."

  She gestured.

  "Sit, breathe, stabilize."

  I sat, breathed, stabilized.

  "Now, put your hands on the stone."

  I did.

  Cold, smooth, solid.

  "Close your eyes, feel the essence of the stone."

  I closed them, felt.

  Earth, mineral, dense, ancient.

  "Now, imagine what you want it to be."

  "What?"

  "Anything, wood, metal, crystal, whatever comes to mind."

  I thought.

  What did I want?

  And then it came.

  Clear image, sharp.

  Sword.

  Small, my size.

  Simple, functional.

  Something I could hold, defend, protect.

  "Did you visualize?"

  "Yes."

  "Then flow the mana, gently, inviting the stone to change."

  I flowed.

  The mana came out, controlled, in soft pulses.

  Touched the stone.

  And the stone responded.

  Heated, softened, started to change.

  The shape elongating, thinning.

  The texture changing, from stone to metal.

  Slow, very slow.

  But changing.

  I continued flowing.

  Breathing, visualizing.

  Sword, simple, functional.

  The transformation continued.

  Five minutes, ten.

  Sweat dripping.

  But I didn't stop.

  Until I felt.

  Ready.

  I opened my eyes.

  And there it was.

  Sword.

  Short, straight, simple.

  Metal blade, stone handle still.

  Not perfect, not refined.

  But it was a sword.

  For real.

  I picked it up, with trembling hands.

  Heavy, solid, real.

  "I, I did this?"

  "You did." Caliope was smiling, proud. "First intentional transmutation, complete, functional."

  She touched the blade, testing.

  "It's not a masterpiece, but it's usable, this is incredible for third day of training."

  I looked at the sword.

  Then at my hands.

  Then at Caliope.

  And for the first time.

  I felt pride.

  Real, genuine.

  Not arrogance.

  But satisfaction of achievement.

  I did this.

  Alone.

  With control.

  I smiled.

  Wide, genuine.

  And Caliope laughed, happy.

  "Keep this up, Sekire, you'll go far."

  Afternoon — Garden (Fuyumi and Hinata)

  The two found me near the fountain.

  Holding the sword.

  "YOU MADE A SWORD?!" Fuyumi shouted, excited.

  "...Yes."

  "THAT'S INCREDIBLE!"

  Hinata took the sword, analyzed it.

  "Rough work, but impressive for a beginner." She returned it. "Congratulations."

  "Thank you."

  Fuyumi hugged me, tight.

  "You're progressing so much! I'm so proud!"

  Hinata smiled, small.

  "We both are."

  Something warm rose in my chest.

  Not just personal satisfaction.

  But, belonging?

  As if they really cared.

  As if I really mattered.

  "Thank you, for everything."

  "You're welcome," they both said, in unison.

  And we sat together.

  Talking, laughing.

  About simple things.

  Normal things.

  And for the first time in a long while.

  I felt...

  Not happy yet.

  But close.

  Very close.