Chapter 8: Skill Revelation

Just looking at the entrance to Sir Faust’s mansion, I felt quite lost.

The mansion had several servants.

Even during the short walk from the gate to the main entrance, I had already seen two servants working in the front yard. One was carefully trimming the garden while the other was watering several potted plants arranged around the walkway.

The mansion itself was three stories high, with a wide front yard filled with decorative plants and statues.

It fit almost perfectly with the image I had of a noble’s house based on what I had read in one of Mom’s books.

So this is what a noble's mansion actually looks like...

I looked around curiously as we continued walking.

Potted plants, huh...

I wonder if we can cultivate the medicinal herbs and plants from the Caligo Forest.

If I remember correctly, the clay pots made in the Kingdom of Cygnus come from the special clay found near the Saxo Mountain Range.

The clay was known for being extremely durable.

More importantly, it was durable enough to hold the extremely acidic soil from the Great Caligo Forest.

That soil was necessary for growing some of the medicinal herbs found within the forest.

A wooden pot wouldn't last long enough to grow them.

The acidic soil would eventually eat away at the wood, while any of the soil that spilled outside the container could ruin the surrounding soil and kill the plants nearby.

If we could get enough of those clay pots, perhaps Mom could grow some of the medicinal plants closer to home.

“Young Cael...” Gavis called.

His voice brought me back to reality.

“The bathhouse for male guests is this way,” he added.

I looked toward the other side of the hallway.

Mom and Talya were heading in the opposite direction with a female servant accompanying them.

So they have separate bathhouses for men and women.

I suppose that makes sense for a mansion this large.

I turned my attention back to Gavis and followed him.

The mansion was quite large, as expected.

We had already been walking for nearly a minute through what felt like a never-ending hallway, yet we still hadn't reached the bathhouse.

The walls were decorated with paintings and ornaments, while several lanterns illuminated the hallway.

Every few steps, there was another door leading to another room.

There were so many rooms that I couldn't help but wonder how many people actually lived here.

“The bathhouse is located farther at the back of the mansion,” Gavis suddenly said.

I glanced at him.

He said it as though he knew exactly what I had been thinking.

I guess it makes sense that the bathhouse is in the backyard, I thought.

I continued looking around as we walked.

The mansion was big enough to easily fit twenty people.

Actually, it could probably fit even more.

I guess most of it is for the servant quarters.

After walking for another short while, Gavis finally stopped in front of a large wooden door.

“We’re here. Take your time and enjoy the warm water,” Gavis said.

He opened the door and stepped aside.

I looked inside.

The bathhouse was considerably larger than I expected.

“You can put your dirty clothes here. We also prepared new clothes,” Gavis said while pointing toward several neatly folded sets of clothing near the entrance.

I looked down at my clothes.

They were covered in dirt, dust, and mud from the battle.

My wooden clogs weren't any better.

“Well, I’ll take my leave for now,” Gavis said.

“Thanks, Gavis,” I replied.

Gavis simply bowed politely before quickly walking out of the bathhouse.

I watched him disappear down the hallway before turning my attention toward Fragarach.

“Fragarach, is it okay to leave you here at the entrance, or can I clean you using the water in the bathhouse?” I asked telepathically.

“Of course, Cael. You can leave me here, and I don’t need cleaning,” Fragarach replied.

“Since I just used the Rank 1 Basic Holy Magic, Purify,” Fragarach added.

“Eh! So you can use magic like that?” I said telepathically.

I stared at Fragarach for a moment.

She really could do almost anything.

“Also, you can call me Cael. It’s kinda weird hearing ‘Little Hero’ all the time, plus it’s a lot easier,” I added.

“If that’s what you want, Cael,” Fragarach replied.

“Thanks, Fragarach. I’ll be back in a bit. I’ll make sure to wipe you off with a clean cloth later,” I said.

I carefully placed Fragarach near the entrance before entering the bathhouse.

It was quite spacious, as expected from the mansion of someone with royal blood.

There was a large pool of warm water in the center of the room.

Dad and Uncle Ray quickly rinsed themselves using lukewarm water.

I did the same, washing away most of the dirt and sweat that had accumulated on my body during the battle.

Once we were clean enough, Dad and Uncle Ray immediately took a dip in the warm water.

I followed them.

The moment I entered the pool, warmth spread across my body.

It felt incredibly relaxing.

After everything that had happened today, I didn't realize how exhausted I actually was until I felt the warm water surrounding me.

“Cael, is it okay to leave the Holysword at the entrance like that?” Dad asked.

“It’s okay, Dad. Fragarach wants to be left there. I don’t think he likes dipping in the water,” I replied.

Thinking about Fragarach's skills, I could understand why.

Fragarach has Lightning Master.

There was always a faint lightning aura surrounding around Fragarach's Blade.

“Dad and Uncle Ray might get electrocuted accidentally,” I added.

“I’m gonna pass on that, Little Cael,” Uncle Ray said.

I chuckled.

“Still, you looked really amazing when you deflected the large boulder that was about to hit your mother,” Uncle Ray added.

He leaned back against the edge of the pool.

“You just instantly vanished in front of me, and when I blinked my eyes, you were several meters away.”

Uncle Ray shook his head as he recalled what had happened.

“To my surprise, you were just in time to get in front of your mother and block the giant boulder hurled by the Giant,” Uncle Ray continued.

I remained quiet.

The image of the boulder flying toward Mom was still fresh in my mind.

“I didn’t see it since the giant boulder blocked my view,” Dad said.

His expression became more serious.

“I really thought I had lost Eleonor.”

Dad paused.

“But when the large boulder was deflected to the side and I saw Cael, a part of me felt relieved.”

I looked toward Dad.

His expression showed just how frightened he had been.

“So when did you get your Special Skill, Cael?” Dad asked curiously.

Dad and Uncle Ray both looked excited.

“Just when the boulder was hurled by the Giant demonkind,” I replied.

“So is it true that your Special Skill is the same as the First Hero’s?” Dad asked in a softer voice.

“Vital Amplification...” Uncle Ray commented.

I immediately raised one hand toward them while placing my other hand over my mouth.

I was signaling them to wait and remain quiet.

“Fragarach, can you give me a spell that makes a barrier to prevent someone from eavesdropping?” I asked telepathically.

Fragarach's thoughts flowed into my mind almost instantly.

So there are different Rank 2 Intermediate Wind Magic spells, I thought.

I remembered reading about the Rank 2 Wind Magic spell Windblade.

“In the first place, the rank only tells the power, range, and cost of using the spell,” Fragarach said.

I understood.

The rank didn't necessarily mean there was only one spell at each level.

“Swift Hand. Rank 2 Intermediate Wind Magic, Breeze Dome,” I uttered in a soft voice.

A wall of wind immediately formed around the pool.

The air began circulating around us, creating an invisible dome that separated the sound inside from the surrounding area.

“You do know you just spent a few hours of your life, right, Cael?” Fragarach commented.

“It’s better this way since I need to use a higher pitch of voice to clearly chant each word of a two-line spell to activate it, which would definitely alert anyone who is eavesdropping,” I replied.

“It makes sense, I guess,” Fragarach said.

“Did you do this, Cael?” Dad asked.

“Yes, it’s an Intermediate Wind Magic that blocks sound from coming in or going out,” I replied.

“For eavesdroppers,” Uncle Ray commented.

I nodded.

I then told Dad and Uncle Ray about my Special Ability, Time Conversion.

I gave them a brief explanation about how it worked.

We didn't have much time before Gavis returned, so I kept the explanation as short as possible.

“So you spent a lot of your physical age during that battle?” Dad asked.

“About a year, more or less,” I replied.

I could see both of their expressions change.

Their faces turned slightly sour.

Dad looked down at the water.

Uncle Ray's expression also became serious.

“It’s better than dying,” I added.

Neither of them immediately responded.

“Your son’s right, Eric. He did save us, after all,” Uncle Ray finally stated.

Dad remained silent for a moment.

“So why did you tell us even though you lied to Sir Mephisto?” Dad asked.

I looked at him.

“It’s valuable information.”

I paused before continuing.

“If things go south, I want you to trade that information for your safety and Mom’s,” I said.

Dad looked at me with surprise.

“That goes the same for you, Uncle Ray. You can snitch on me if it means saving yourself and Talya,” I added.

“You know we can’t do that,” Dad and Uncle Ray said in unison.

Their response came so quickly that I almost smiled.

“Please do it if the situation calls for it,” I said.

I wasn't joking.

If something happened to me, I wanted them to survive.

My Special Ability was valuable information.

If revealing it could save their lives, then I wanted them to use it.

“Cael, someone is coming,” Fragarach warned.

I immediately turned my attention toward the entrance.

“Someone is coming. Let’s end this conversation,” I said.

I raised my hand.

“Release,” I commanded.

The Breeze Dome instantly dissipated.

The circulating wind disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Gavis entered the bathhouse.

“Dinner is already served. Your two companions are already there,” Gavis added.

“Sorry, Gavis. It’s my first time having a bath in such a big and warm bath,” I said.

I quickly stood up.

“We’ll be finished in a minute,” I added.

I looked toward Dad and Uncle Ray.

The three of us quickly moved out of the water.

We dried ourselves before putting on the clothes Gavis had prepared for us.

As I adjusted the new clothes around my body, I couldn't help but notice how different they felt compared to what I had been wearing before.

Everything was clean and comfortable.

For the first time since the battle began, I was finally starting to feel somewhat normal again.

But the moment I remembered Sir Faust, my uneasiness returned.

I had a feeling that tonight's dinner would be far more complicated than simply eating a feast.