ALL NOVEL 19: Mischief & Magic
Mikhail's childish outburst seemed to break the tension in the room. Bella's eyes widened in surprise, while Lydia's stern expression softened slightly.
"Your Highness," Lydia began, her tone carefully measured, "I apologise for any confusion. I was simply trying to maintain order in your absence."
Mikhail needed to address this situation delicately, Bella was a naive girl, but would prove to be a valuable piece in his battle with the Empress in the future, she had to be nurtured slowly.
Bella, still trembling slightly, looked between Mikhail and Lydia. "Your Highness, I swear I didn't mean any harm. I just worried when you disappeared."
"Bella," Mikhail said, turning to the tearful young maid, "I understand, your concern is... appreciated."
"I had an accident cultivating with mana stones before I was ready," Mikhail lied, "and I suffered a setback because of it. Lady Lydia protected my dignity by keeping this secret for me."
He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "But in the future, you must trust that Lady Lydia acts with my best interests in mind. Do you understand?"
Bella nodded hesitantly, her eyes darting between Mikhail and Lydia. "Yes, Your Highness. I'm sorry for causing trouble."
Bella didn't know much about cultivation, only that it was all quite serious and any small mistake could set a mage back for years if they didn't do it properly.
[System Alert: Quest "The Unseen Web" updated. Current completion: 39%]
He turned to Lydia, his expression growing more serious. "Lady Lydia, while I appreciate your discretion, in the future, please find less... extreme methods of maintaining order."
Lydia bowed deeply. "Of course, Your Highness. It won't happen again."
Lydia's acting ability was truly top-notch thought Mikhail, she pretended to accept her scolding as though she was in the wrong.
Mikhail nodded, satisfied for now. "Good. Now remember, Bella, loyalty and discretion are important in this household. I've entrusted you with my secret, can you keep it?"
Bella's eyes lit up with determination. "Yes, Your Highness! Of course!"
As Bella left the room, Mikhail turned to Lydia. "We need to talk," he said quietly. "There's much to discuss."
Lydia nodded, her expression unreadable. "Of course, Your Highness. Shall we retire to your study?"
Lydia, for her part, had long ago abandoned the thought that Mikhail was just a simple child. Over the months she'd observed his keen intelligence and a maturity far beyond his years.
It both impressed and slightly unnerved her. Yet she also recognised that her Lord deliberately hid these qualities from the court, presenting himself as a petulant, incompetent child in order to protect himself in his unstable position as the emperor's illegitimate child.
As they walked, Mikhail's mind whirled with thoughts of his experience in the dungeon. How he had changed, both physically and mentally. He needed to asses his new power as soon as possible.
But first, he had to catch up on all he'd missed while he was away, two weeks is a long time to be out of the palace and a lot would have happened in his absence.
They entered the study, and Lydia shut the door behind them as Mikhail settled into an oversized chair.
"Your Highness," Lydia began, her voice low and serious, "I've managed to keep your absence under wraps, but it wasn't easy. The Empress's spies were sniffing around more than usual."
Mikhail nodded, unsurprised. "Tell me everything. Leave nothing out."
Lydia gave a detailed account of the past two weeks. She spoke of the excuses she'd made, the rumours she'd quashed, and some that she'd started, as well as the delicate balancing act of maintaining the household's routine without its young master.
But that wasn't all she discussed with Mikhail.
"...and Lady Cordelia's new peacock caused quite a stir at last week's garden party," Lydia continued, her voice taking on a gossipy tone. "Apparently, it got loose and destroyed half the decorations. The Duchess of Avenmark was furious..."
Mikhail listened patiently, knowing that such trivial matters often concealed more important information. But Lydia also seemed to secretly enjoy discussing the latest scandals within the court so he often allowed her to indulge this vice in their conversations.
His patience was rewarded when Lydia mentioned an upcoming tea party.
"Oh, and Your Highness, I almost forgot. The tea party next month is also when you're scheduled to meet your… um… your fiancée Miss Aria. Although it hasn't been officially announced yet, of course, this will be a day to meet and familiarise yourself with your betrothed."
Mikhail's eyes widened slightly. Of course - how could he have forgotten? He'd clearly been suppressing the memory.
This would be the day he'd meet Aria for the first time. In his past life, it was the happiest day of his life. The day he met his best friend.
[System Alert: Host's emotional state is fluctuating.]
Her future betrayals though not the worst, certainly hurt the most.
He suppressed a shudder, careful not to let his reaction show. "Thank you for reminding me."
"Oh, and Lydia," Mikhail began, choosing his words carefully, "in the coming months, I may need to... disappear for extended periods. We need to devise a plan to account for these absences without arousing suspicion."
"Of course, Your Highness." Lydia's brow furrowed. "Your Highness, may I speak freely?"
At Mikhail's nod, she continued, "I noticed the changes in you the moment you arrived. Whatever you're doing, and will continue doing, seems to be working too well, and it's accelerating your growth far beyond the norm. If you intend to keep doing it, you'll need to start hiding these advancements."
Mikhail leaned forward, intrigued. "Is it truly that noticeable?"
"To the untrained eye, perhaps not," Lydia replied. "But to those who know what to look for - the slight changes in your posture, the sharpness in your gaze, the way you carry yourself - it's unmistakable."
Mikhail leaned back in his chair, considering the implications of Lydia's words.
He had been so focused on his internal growth that he had neglected to consider how these changes might manifest externally. It was a dangerous oversight.
As Mikhail contemplated Lydia's words, a sudden change came over him. His posture subtly shifted, the sharp intelligence in his eyes dulled slightly, and the aura of maturity that surrounded him dissipated.
Lydia's eyes widened in astonishment. "Your Highness! How... how did you do that?"
Mikhail blinked, appearing genuinely confused. "Do what, Lydia?"
[System Alert: Feeling Host's present need, Sprite (Unnamed) has responded to Host's emotions. New skill unlocked: Concealment]
[System Update: Concealment (Level 1) - Ability to mask changes in appearance, mana, aura, and behaviour. Current effectiveness: 80%]
Lydia stared at Mikhail, amazed, the transformation she had just witnessed was astonishing. One moment, Mikhail had exuded an aura of power far beyond his years, and the next, he appeared to be nothing more than the young prince she had always known.
She immediately reassessed her thoughts on her young Lord. Mikhail was clearly far more capable and cunning than she had initially believed. This realisation both excited and unnerved her, as she wondered what other surprises Mikhail might have in store.
Noticing Lydia's bewildered expression, Mikhail decided to seize the moment. "Lydia," he said, his voice warm with gratitude, "Thank you for pointing out these changes. Please continue being my eyes and ears, alerting me to any potential risks."
Lydia bowed her head, a mixture of pride and determination filling her. "Of course, Your Highness. I'm honoured to serve you."
As Lydia bowed and left, Mikhail retreated to his chambers to clean up. Once alone, he activated his Personal Dimensional Space, disappearing from the physical world.
Inside the now familiar void, his second home, Mikhail let out a long breath, finally allowing himself to process everything that had happened.
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[System Alert: Host status updated]
Name: Mikhail Robinette D'Arcy Ironforge
Title: Fourth Prince of the Tiberian Empire
Age: 7 (Mental Age: 128)
Status: Healthy
.
Health: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Mana Heart: 225/225 [Active]
Aura Core: 0.1/200 [Active]
Mana Pool: 1400/1400
.
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 13
Intelligence: 19
Wisdom: 21
Charisma: 13
Magic Circle: 1
Aura Tier: 0
.
Unique Abilities:
Dual Core Cultivation (Hidden)
Temporal Consciousness
Personal Dimensional Space
.
Skills:
Magic Sense (Level 5)
Aura Sense (Level 1)
Physical Endurance (Level 3)
Acting (Level 4)
Basic Meditation (Level 10)
Accelerated Healing (Level 3)[Passive]
Mana Manipulation (Level 5) -
Imperial Celestial Spiral Technique (Level 5)
Basic Fire Manipulation (Level 1)
Concealment (Level 1)
.
Companions:
Sprite (Unnamed) - A magical being capable of enhancing Host's magical abilities and providing emotional support. Can merge with Host to boost his power.
.
Items Possessed:
Rare Skill Book "Foundations of Imperial Might"
Mage's Storage Ring
Thorne's Protection Charm
.
Current Quests:
"The Path of Atonement" - Begin your intensive training regimen. Reward: Increased stats, new skills, improved relationship with the Emperor.
"A Second Chance" - Navigate your new life armed with knowledge of the future. Reward: Opportunity to change fate, prevent betrayals, reshape the empire.
"The Unseen Web" - Begin building a network of loyal allies among the palace staff. Reward: Increased influence within the palace, access to hidden information.
.
Warnings:
Excessive use of future knowledge may alter the timeline unpredictably.
Dual Core nature must remain hidden to avoid suspicion and potential danger.
Neglecting Aura Core could lead to aura deviation and corruption of Dual Core.
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Mikhail was impressed with his progress, he could confidently state that no seven-year-old in the entire Tiberium Empire possessed such stats.
But that last warning was concerning to him.
He held out his hand, summoning a small flame. It danced in his palm, responding to his will with an ease that still amazed him.
He began to experiment, shaping the fire, making it grow and shrink, split into multiple flames and recombine.
As he practised, Mikhail reflected on his growth.
Just a few months ago, he had been powerless, relying solely on his wits and future knowledge. Now, he had taken the first steps towards true power.
Finally, Mikhail allowed himself to confront a thought he had been suppressing. It was time for sword training. "Gregor." he intoned. "It's almost time for another lesson, old friend."
Suddenly, a small orb of multicoloured light zipped out of Mikhail's chest, startling him. The sprite darted around the void, leaving trails of sparkling light in its wake.
"How did you manage to enter my Personal Dimensional Space?" Mikhail asked, bewildered. "You're alive. That shouldn't be possible."
[System Alert: Sprite (Unnamed) has exploited a loophole. Due to its soul bond with Host, the mischievous Sprite (Unnamed) and Host are considered one entity. The sprite can freely enter and exit the Personal Dimensional Space.]
As if responding to this revelation, the ground beneath Mikhail's feet suddenly solidified.
A large area within the void of his Personal Dimensional Space transformed before his eyes, morphing into a lush, vibrant, forest reminiscent of the first level of the dungeon, but far more beautiful and serene.
[System Alert: Due to Host's advancement to the First Circle and Sprite's (Unamed) will, a domain has manifested, this environment is a reflection of your growth and bond.]
Mikhail smiled at the sprite's antics. "Well, it seems you've wasted no time making yourself at home," he said, a mix of amusement and fondness in his voice.
The sprite bobbed up and down in what appeared to be agreement, then began to explore its new surroundings.
Mikhail watched as it flitted from tree to tree, leaving small trails of light in its wake.
"We've come a long way, haven't we, little one?" Mikhail murmured, reaching out to the sprite as it zipped past him. The sprite paused, hovering near his outstretched hand, its light pulsing gently in response to his words.
"You still need a name, don't you?" Mikhail mused, watching the sprite. Its vibrant colours reminded him of the Northern Lights, a phenomenon from his life on Earth.
"Aurora," he said softly. The sprite began dancing with glee. "Do you like that name? Aurora?"
The sprite's light pulsed brightly, and it zipped around Mikhail's head in rapid circles, trailing sparks of multicoloured light. Mikhail laughed, a genuine sound of joy that echoed through the forest.
"Aurora it is, then," he declared.
[System Alert: Companion renamed. Sprite (Unnamed) is now Aurora.]