The Magical Awakening

After dozing off for a few hours on the bed, I was startled by a knock at the door. Opening it, I found Zephyra standing before me, dressed in a different attire—a sheer garment that covered her from the shoulders to her thighs, its translucency leaving little to the imagination. I shook my head, attempting to divert my thoughts from wandering into inappropriate territory. "It may cause some discomfort," Zephyra said, her gaze shifting away upon noticing my flushed cheeks. She guided me to lie face down on the bed, positioning herself astride my back, her legs on either side of me. Placing her hands on the middle of my back, a myriad of sensations coursed through my abdomen—alternating between warmth and coldness. Suddenly, I experienced a sharp, piercing pain in my stomach, causing me to let out an involuntary cry. "Shhh," Zephyra hushed me, maintaining her hand placement on my back. She then instructed me to turn over, and I complied, now facing her while she remained seated on my pelvis. Her hands rested upon my belly, and I resisted the urge to gaze upon her alluring figure, the transparency of her attire revealing more than I could handle. With my eyes closed, I once again experienced the fluctuating sensations, followed by a metallic taste in my mouth. Opening my eyes, I noticed a small amount of blood escaping my lips during my cry of pain. "I apologize, Cid. The anatomies of humans and demons differ, making this process more challenging," Zephyra expressed with remorse. Although tempted to voice my complaints, I couldn't overlook the immense kindness Zephyra had shown me, a human—an act of benevolence toward a race that harbored animosity towards her own. Resigned, I closed my eyes and endured the pain, which persisted for a couple of hours. Eventually, Zephyra rose from her position, no longer on my body. Her sheer garment had become stained with traces of my blood. A demon maid promptly entered the room, disrobing Zephyra and cleansing her body of my blood, the scene unfolding before my eyes. Once she had helped Zephyra don a more modest attire, I remained lying in bed, my consciousness teetering on the brink of surrender due to the overwhelming pain. Two additional demon maids entered the room, diligently tending to me—wiping away the blood, cleaning my wounds, and providing me with fresh attire. In normal circumstances, losing such an amount of blood would surely prove fatal. Yet, here I lay, undeniably exhausted but still alive. Zephyra turned toward me, as the demon maids exited the room, and spoke with a smile. "Congratulations, Cid. You should now be able to utilize magic effectively." Her smile conveyed a mixture of joy, pity, and regret for the pain she had subjected me to during this awakening session. I couldn't hold it against her, though, as it was ultimately for my own benefit.

After my awakening session, Zephyra took her leave. That night, sleep eluded me as I wrestled with the residual pain, but eventually, fatigue overcame me and I drifted into slumber. The following morning, two demon maids entered my room to assist me with my morning routine. It struck me as unusual for two maids to attend to me instead of one, but I surmised that Zephyra must have recognized the intensity of my ordeal. With their help, I dressed and prepared for the day ahead. Stepping out of my room, I was joined by Katarina and Valeria, and together we made our way to the castle's courtyard where Zephyra awaited. We engaged in a brief discussion about my newfound magical abilities, and as Zephyra had instructed, I focused on channeling the energy from my core, allowing it to travel up my arms and manifest as a small flame in the palm of my hand. Following her guidance, I successfully conjured a flickering flame. "Excellent," Zephyra commended. "With consistent practice of this basic spell, you will grow accustomed to drawing upon your magical reserves more effortlessly. Casting and summoning spells will become second nature to you." "Thank you, Zephyra," I expressed with a bow of gratitude, and Katarina and Valeria mirrored my gesture. Zephyra scratched her head awkwardly before speaking. "Well, Cid, have a safe journey," she said, patting my shoulder. I thanked her once more, bidding farewell to the Demon Kingdom. Upon reaching the gates, I retrieved my teleportation crystal and, with Katarina and Valeria standing close behind me, I activated the spell, transporting us to a small forest located in the southern part of the Leonhardt Kingdom. The purpose of this excursion was to maintain the illusion of a hunting trip, so it was necessary to ensnare some form of prey—be it a wild boar or a bear—to lend credence to our fabricated story.

Upon reaching the forest, accompanied by my loyal bodyguards, Katarina and Valeria, we embarked on a quest to locate suitable prey. It didn't take long before our keen senses led us to a picturesque lake where a massive bear was quenching its thirst. This creature stood as a formidable opponent, its hulking frame three times the size of my own. Determined to put Seraphyx to the test, I instructed Katarina and Valeria to remain hidden behind a rock while I cautiously approached the unsuspecting bear. Moving with stealth and precision, I struck with a swift and powerful blow, driving Seraphyx into the bear's body and shattering its heart in an instant. Unlike any sword I had wielded before, Seraphyx effortlessly sliced through the bear's flesh as if it were cutting through warm butter with a heated knife. With a fluid motion, I withdrew my blade, and the bear collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud. Kneeling beside the fallen beast, I paid my respects, gently closing its eyes in a solemn gesture. With the assistance of Katarina and Valeria, we skillfully dissected the creature, carefully preserving its meat and skins. Once our task was complete, we packed our provisions onto our horses and set off in the direction of the Leonhardt Kingdom—it was time to return home.

As we journeyed through the countryside, we came across a small village besieged by bandits. Deeply moved by the plight of its inhabitants, I made the decision to intervene. Urging our horses to gallop with determination, Katarina, Valeria, and I hastened to confront the bandits head-on. While Katarina and Valeria swiftly sprang into action, rescuing the vulnerable villagers from the clutches of the bandits, my focus shifted to finding their leader.

Before long, I spotted a towering figure amidst the chaos—a muscular man brandishing a colossal sword that dwarfed my own body. Destructively, he laid waste to fields and livestock, a malevolent force wreaking havoc upon the tiny village. Without hesitation, I dismounted my horse and advanced towards him. With a mocking sneer, he cautioned, "Don't be a hero, kid," and swung his massive sword in my direction. Instinctively, I evaded his attack, narrowly avoiding the ground-shaking impact of his strike. Unsheatheing Seraphyx, I brandished my remarkable blade before him. He laughed, simultaneously impressed by its formidability. "The problem with kids these days is that they don't know their place," he jeered, leaping towards me with a fierce onslaught. Swiftly retreating, I narrowly evaded his strikes, his sword carving deep gashes into the earth where I had stood mere moments ago. He possessed incredible speed and immense strength.

Recalling the tactics I had employed against Azrael, I attempted to execute a similar maneuver—leaping above him and swiftly aiming Seraphyx at his neck. However, he anticipated my move, leaning back to narrowly dodge the blade. "Perhaps you do know your place," he grudgingly admitted, forcefully driving his sword into the ground. Dislodging his weapon, he cracked his fingers and then his neck, wielding his sword with renewed determination. "But nobody beats Magnus!" he bellowed, hurtling his colossal weapon toward me. I leaped agilely, narrowly evading the projectile. However, as I turned to locate him, he had vanished, and I sensed a chilling presence at my neck. Reacting swiftly, I instinctively ducked, narrowly evading the immense blade that grazed past my neck. Magnus had seemingly teleported behind me—an unexpected display of his prowess. I stifled a laugh, recognizing that I hadn't perspired this profusely since the swordsmanship battles among the four kingdoms. Despite his formidable abilities, I knew that with my superior skills, I could emerge victorious. Magnus lunged at me once more, his sword poised to strike. Raising Seraphyx in defense, a remarkable turn of events unfolded. To both our astonishment, his sword made contact with mine, only to be sliced in half by the immense power of Seraphyx. He stood there, bewildered and in awe, and I seized the opportunity. Swiftly, I pressed Seraphyx against his neck, drawing a trickle of blood. Sensing that his surrender was imminent, I refrained from plunging the blade deeper, mindful of the potential for change. Magnus released his own sword and pressed his neck against the blade. "Kill or be killed, kid. That's the policy," he murmured. Within seconds, his head was cleanly severed from his body.

A soft glow enveloped Seraphyx as a faint light seemed to merge with the blade, and a subtle tingle coursed through my hands. With Magnus's demise, the remaining bandits, whether they were attacking the village or engaged in combat with Katarina and Valeria, swiftly retreated, abandoning their weapons in their wake. I elegantly flicked Seraphyx through the air, cleansing it of Magnus's blood, before sheathing the blade once more. I closed my eyes, paying my respects to the lives lost in this small village, including that of Magnus. We assisted in cleaning up the aftermath and left the bear meat we had hunted earlier for the villagers to utilize, helping to alleviate their losses. Grateful expressions and heartfelt thanks accompanied our departure from the village as Valeria, Katarina, and I embarked on our journey back to the Leonhardt Kingdom.