Chapter 9. The Way to Control the Ocean
Three days had passed since the Awakening Ceremony. Despite the tremendous incident of the Pledge Stone being destroyed, rumors of the event hadn't spread.
"I feel uneasy leaving you alone," Fayle said.
"Caron, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Sara asked.
Caron's parents were at the train station of Azureocean Castle, bidding farewell to Caron. Both Fayle and Sara's faces were filled with concern for their son.
"I'll be fine. I'm a member of Azureocean Castle now, remember?" Caron reassured them.
"Your days at Azureocean Castle won't be easy. It'll be physically demanding, and..." Fayle trailed off as he withheld the rest of his thoughts.
At last night's farewell banquet, he had noticed a change in the demeanor of his elder brothers. There had been an air of caution about them, in contrast to their moderately cordial demeanor before.
Fayle knew the reason for the change in their attitude. It was because of Caron. His son had begun to shake the established dynamic of the Ducal Family of Leston's succession war.
Caron probably realizes why too, Fayle thought.
His clever son would no doubt have already figured it out. It wasn't easy for a ten-year-old to grasp the intricate politics of the Leston family, but Caron was no ordinary child.
Fayle suddenly remembered something Caron had said the night before, just before going to bed.
"I promise to ensure that the thing you're worried about won't happen."
Caron was not only clever but also perceptive. He had hidden the fact that he had awakened his Azure Mana for three years. A child who could keep such a significant secret to himself surely had his own plans. Of course, Fayle was worried, but he also knew that his concerns could hinder his son's future.
"There's no place safer than Azureocean Castle. You know that, right, Father?" Caron said with a reassuring smile.
"...Yes, you're right," Fayle conceded.
For the direct bloodline of the Leston family, Azureocean Castle was like an impregnable fortress. No one could harm the members of the Ducal Family of Leston within its walls. The only time weapons could be raised against them was during training duels. It was safe from external threats, and equally secure from internal dangers.
Even my elder and younger brothers won't be able to endanger him inside the Azureocean Castle, Fayle thought.
As long as the elders of the family were still around, the rules would be upheld. And most importantly, Halo was still alive and well. With Halo's attention focused on Caron now, there wouldn't be any foolish people who would openly harm Caron.
The only sad part was…
I won't be able to live with Caron anymore. If I had known… Fayle thought. It pained him to be separated from his beloved son, wishing they had spent more time together.
As if Caron sensed his parents' emotions, he hugged them tightly with a smile. He said, "I'll keep in touch often. And I'll visit whenever I can. After all, Father, you've built these tracks for me!"
His parents had raised him with endless love, filling the void of affection he had lacked in his previous life. There was no way he couldn't love his parents.
These are the people I must protect in this lifetime, Caron thought.
As he felt the warmth of his parents, he made a promise to himself. They were the ones who had taught him the meaning of the word "family." For their sake, he would become stronger and repay the protection and love he had received so far. Fayle and Sara were the greatest gift of his current life.
When the family farewells were done, Heinrich, the old butler, bowed respectfully and said, "Master Fayle, a room has been prepared for you at Azureocean Castle. You are welcome to visit anytime you wish to see Young Master Caron."
"Did my father arrange this?" Fayle asked.
"Yes, he did," Heinrich confirmed.
Leaving a room ready at Azureocean Castle meant that the head of the household had accepted him as family.
It seems Father was affected by what Caron said and kept it in mind, Fayle thought.
When Caron first met his grandfather, he had mentioned that his only family here was his parents. It appeared Halo had taken those words to heart.
The consideration you showed until now was already more than enough, Fayle reflected as he thought of his father, Halo.
Although Fayle hadn't passed the Awakening Ceremony, Halo had helped him establish a place of his own outside Azureocean Castle. And yet, every time they met, Fayle had been able to sense that Halo felt apologetic toward him. The room prepared for him now was likely an extension of that feeling. Fayle had a bittersweet smile as he thought of that.
"Alright," Fayle said.
Whoosh.
The train's mana engine hummed, which indicated it was fully charged.
"Take care of yourself, Caron," Fayle said.
"Son, you can always come back if it gets too tough, alright?" Sara added.
"Okay, I will!" Caron replied.
With that said, Fayle and Sara reluctantly boarded the train. Caron waved at them until the train departed and disappeared from view.
Now, I can put an end to this acting, he thought with a sigh of relief. Being the dutiful son was no easy task.
After the train disappeared from sight, he turned to Heinrich and asked, "I'm learning the Ocean Dominance Arts starting from today, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. I will escort you to the training hall as soon as we return to Azureocean Castle," Heinrich replied.
"I'm looking forward to it," Caron said.
"Lady Sabina Leston is already waiting in the training hall. She is the sister of Master Halo, and she is your great-aunt," Heinrich added.
"Lady Sabina Leston?" Caron repeated. He recognized the name. He had met her a few times in his previous life. Though she wasn't as renowned as Halo, Sabina Leston had made quite a name for herself as a knight in the empire.
I believe she was called the White Wolf, Caron thought, recalling that Sabina's nickname came from the white cloak she always wore. He had heard that a senior member of the family would personally pass on the Ocean Dominance Arts, but he hadn't expected it to be Halo's sister.
He turned to go to the training hall and said, "I shouldn't keep my great-aunt waiting."
"May I offer one piece of advice?" Heinrich suggested respectfully.
"Sure, I'll keep my ears open," Caron replied.
"It would be best to avoid calling Lady Sabina your great-aunt," Heinrich suggested.
"But she is my great-aunt," Caron said, puzzled.
"Yes, but that is the title Lady Sabina dislikes the most," Heinrich explained.
"Huh?" Caron was confused about why calling his great-aunt by her proper title would be an issue. Still, he figured there was no harm in heeding the advice.
"Thank you for the advice," said Caron
"You're welcome. Also, Young Master Leo is there as well. Master Raphael specifically requested Lady Sabina," Heinrich added.
"Alright, let's go," Caron said.
As Heinrich looked at Caron walking confidently ahead, he smiled slightly. He thought to himself that the once quiet Azureocean Castle was about to become much livelier.
***
As soon as Caron returned to Azureocean Castle, he was escorted by the knights to the annex. The training hall of the Oceanwolf Knight Order was located within Azureocean Castle, but the training hall used by the direct descendants of the Ducal Family of Leston was situated in an annex close to the Azureocean Forest.
The reason for that was simple. Only the direct descendants of the Leston family who had passed the Awakening Ceremony could use the Azure Mana that flowed in the Azureocean Forest.
"Lady Sabina is waiting for you. I will take my leave now," said the knight who had escorted Caron to the annex, bowing respectfully before departing.
Caron nodded toward the knight, then turned his gaze toward the door of the training hall. Beyond the door, he could sense a vast amount of Azure Mana that undoubtedly belonged to Sabina. He exhaled softly, then knocked slowly on the door.
As soon as he did so, however, a husky voice called out from inside, "Why are you knocking? Just come in already."
"Okay," Caron responded as he opened the door and stepped inside the training hall. Inside, he saw a woman and Leo sitting together.
Now I understand why she doesn't like being called great-aunt, Caron thought.
Contrary to his expectation of an elderly woman with white hair, the woman who sat cross-legged in the training hall had blue hair and looked as if she was in her late twenties.
She's rebuilt her body using mana. That means she's at least reached the pinnacle of 8-Star, Caron realized.
At the pinnacle of 8-Star, one could use mana to change their appearance, which was a prerequisite for reaching 9-Star. This process allowed one to regain their youthful appearance. While some, like Halo, chose to look their age, most people, like Sabina, preferred to return to their youthful looks. Halo was the odd one out.
Sabina glared at Caron and asked, "What? Are you surprised that I look younger than you expected?"
Caron shook his head and answered, "Not at all. Greetings, Lady Sabrina, the White Wolf. My name is Caron. I'm the youngest of the Ducal Family of Leston."
"I have many titles to my name, but it's been a long time since someone called me the White Wolf. That was even before you were born. Where did you hear about that?" she asked.
"I'm quite interested in history. I read it in a book," Caron replied.
Sabina laughed with interest as she stood up from her chair. "White Wolf was the first title I earned, and it's also my favorite. My brother told me about you beforehand… I do like you a lot."
"What did Grandfather say about me?" Caron asked.
"He said you'd be just to my liking. Now that I see you, I understand why he said that."
Of course, Halo had told Sabina more than just that.
"He is a child who must navigate the vast, uncharted sea. Help him so that he is not consumed by the ocean, but instead learns to control it. Be Caron's lighthouse."
Sabina smiled as she looked at her grandnephew. The potential that radiated from this young boy was overwhelming. She was also able to see an endless expanse, a large and boundless ocean. Since he hadn't yet learned how to control it, the waves of his ocean crashed relentlessly.
Even calling him a monster wouldn't do him justice, Sabina thought.
She wondered what kind of being he would become once he learned to control his vast ocean. The thought of his potential excited her. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that she had gotten the chance to teach him.
Sabina slowly nodded to Caron, then said, "I think that's enough introduction. Caron, sit next to Leo."
"Yes, Lady Sabina," Caron replied obediently, as he took his seat beside Leo. He greeted Leo cheerfully. "We'll be seeing each other often, won't we?"
"...Yes, it seems so," Leo muttered.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"...Me too."
Leo wanted to leave the training hall immediately, but knew he couldn't. He was conscious of Sabina, one of the elders of the family. And if he ran away, he knew his father would be greatly disappointed. He no longer wanted to see his father's cold, disapproving gaze. So, he took a deep breath and tried to suppress his fear as best he could.
As soon as Caron sat down, Sabina continued swiftly, "Caron, sit with your legs crossed like Leo. It's the basic posture for Azure Mana training. It helps you focus and feel the Azure Mana better. Once you move past the beginner stage, you won't need to sit like this anymore, but for now, it's essential."
Caron had never sat with his legs crossed in his past life, but he had seen Halo do it occasionally. So, he sat like Leo, which wasn't difficult.
"The Ocean Dominance Arts are about controlling one's ocean composed of Azure Mana. As one earns higher achievements over time, the number of seas within the body increases. Reaching 1-Star means having one sea; consequently, reaching 8-Star means having eight seas," Sabina explained.
The concept was different, but the structure was similar to other mana training methods. Typically, mana training involved forming rings centered around the heart. There was one ring for 1-Star, two rings for 2-Star, and so on. It wasn't hard to understand. It was just a matter of applying that to Azure Mana.
"9-Star is known as the realm of unity, where the eight seas within your body merge into one ocean. It's a level that many strive for their entire lives but fail to reach. Across the entire continent, only three people have reached that level. In the empire, only one person has," Sabina continued.
"Grandfather," Caron said.
"Correct. That one person is your grandfather, my brother, Halo Leston," Sabina said.
Caron affirmed his resolve, determined to reach that level in this new life.
Sabina saw the intense desire in Caron's eyes. For a child with such overwhelming talent, that desire could be a powerful catalyst.
"Alright, no need for long speeches. Let's get straight into the Azure Mana training. Both of you, close your eyes and draw up your Azure Mana. Guide the ocean through the mana pathways within yourself. That is the first step," Sabina instructed.
Leo had already learned the Ocean Dominance Arts two years ago. Although he was here today at the earnest request of Sabina's second nephew, the session was primarily for Caron.
Sabina looked at Caron intently. Even for children with immense talent, the first Azure Mana training session was challenging, because they had not yet adapted to the mana pathways. It was like growing a new part of the body that had never existed before.
"Channel the Azure Mana through the pathways opened through the Awakening Ceremony. Azure Mana follows your will. Though it may be difficult at first—" Sabina was suddenly interrupted and was unable to finish her sentence.
Because at that moment...
Whoosh.
"Damn," she muttered, as Azure Mana erupted from Caron like an explosion. She didn't know just how much Caron had anticipated this moment.
I didn't play with the mana stone for nothing. This is the power of preparation, Caron thought.
Whoosh.
A fierce wave surged through the training hall.
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