Chapter 355: Mana Transfer

"Dearie, do you know anything about the 'Forbidden History of the Ancients?'"

Aiden narrowed his eyes upon hearing Granny's question. Still, that only lasted for a moment, calm soon returned, easing his facial muscles.

"What do you mean? Ancients?"

Looking at the boy, Granny smiled, shaking her head lightly. It was obvious she didn't believe that the boy was completely oblivious to the topic. Still, she didn't force it.

"No, doesn't matter. What you need to know is that it wouldn't be advisable to do a full-frontal assault, but instead, try an alternative approach."

She reached out, giving a gentle caress on his cheek with the back of her right hand, as she continued with a warm tone.

"Dearie, if I remember correctly, you already planned to participate with Lily on the entrance tests at the start of the next year. That is actually the perfect chance to get inside without raising any flags."

"But, that's still months away!" Aiden immediately protested, he wasn't keen on letting his friend suffer for months just so he could be saved in the most 'convenient way' possible.

No, Aiden, that is really the best solution. You could gain entry, learn more about the world whilst also searching for Cole and the missing Royal Sibling." Number 3 also joined in, giving her opinion. 

"Besides, you don't need to worry, they won't hurt your friend for the time being anyway." She added, quickly raising Aiden's interest in the matter.

"Hmm? Why is that, Master?" 

The Mistress chuckled at the boy's question. Looking at him, she revealed a kind-looking smile, that knowing her character, felt strange, and out-of-place, especially for Sara. After all, she has rarely seen her mother without the mask, less seeing her actually showing such warm emotion.

Still, she welcomed this change. She didn't say a word and just kept listening to the discussion with a much more relaxed expression on her face.

Lily was also silently following the conversation along, patting and caressing the dogs' heads as they sat at her sides, calm and uncaring as always.

"You see, Aiden, those old monsters at the Academy need to train and develop their soon-to-be puppets first. The ritual requires the little life bags to be adept in using and transferring mana, and that requires time to teach and learn." The Mistress said, giving only a moment of pause before she explained further.

"Before you ask, the skill I'm talking about is an ancient version of the nowadays popular couple's skill the [Mana Transfer]. Simply put, it opens a channel between the pair of users from which they could transfer mana between each other. Couples and siblings that are adept at the same school of magic like to use it. However, the version the old fogeys will be using is a much more brutal version of this said skill."

"That one is called [Sanguine Channel]. Unlike the other one, this one creates a one-way channel with the original caster being the master and the target being the servant. Then the Master can initiate the transfer where he or she can suck out the life force and mana from the servant." Number 3 added, taking over the conversation and explaining further.

"While they could siphon out everything right from the start, it is actually much better to do it slowly. As you may or may not know, Mana and even Life Force can be restored naturally, at least to a certain degree."

"How long does learning this skill take? Also if this is the case, how come that Drake's brother is still alive after so many years spent there?" Aiden asked with a confused expression. How could the little boy still be alive if these old masters are using him for so long?"

Number 3 and even the Mistress smiled at his question, as Number 3 explained.

"That's simple. For starters, they couldn't use the skill before the boy had the capabilities of learning the servant version of it, and that can't happen until he matures enough. Sure, they can turn him into a submissive little familiar by using some low-level demon summoning and placing it inside his body, but they needed to wait until he reached a certain age before they started using it."

"Also, due to his status of being royalty and being turned into a familiar, he may have been exempted from that fate. Your friend… Cole was it? Cole, however, will not be this 'lucky', he is probably being trained. Still depending on the boy's talent, they would need at least half a year before they could safely start siphoning him." The Mistress added.

"So, dearie, for now, your friend is safe, you don't need to worry." Joining back to the conversation, Granny nodded with a smile.

After that, a brief silence descended on the room. Aiden was deep in thought, processing all he had heard from the three adults. 

Eventually, he sighed and nodded, reaching for the small space between her eyes.

"Fine… I understand. Even though I don't like it, I can understand that the best, for now, is to wait." 

Hearing his words, all three of them, Number 3, The Mistress, and Granny could sigh in relief. They smiled as they looked at the boy.

"That's the good decision, dearie. There's no need to be hasty. We should take our time, you should come back home and rejoin your sister in training." Granny added patting the boy's shoulder.

However, Aiden shook his head declining the idea, causing Lily to pout at the back.

"No, I can't do that. Besides, even though I have agreed to not storm in, I still want to at the very least find where Cole is held, and how he is holding up. After that…" He nodded towards the Mistress's direction. "…I have agreed to help her in the upcoming War Game, so she could grab the City Lord seat through her idiotic candidate."

Hearing that, Number 3 turned towards her sister. She narrowed his eyes, looking at the unmakes woman with accusing eyes.

"What is he talking about? Are you using my disciple against his will?!"

"It's nothing like that, sister…" The Mistress calmly smiled withstanding the piercing gaze of Number 3 with ease. It was clear that she had quite the experience dealing with her after all. "We had a deal between each other."

She waved dismissively, chuckling lightly as she continued.

"You should know already that in this city I have quite a pull already. Even though I am confined to stay… there, I am far from being helpless. Your little protegé is talented but completely clueless about how this world works. In return for some knowledge, we had agreed to help each other, that's all. Right, Aiden?"

Aiden frowned at her word, but still, in the end, he nodded.

"More or less. Anyway, I agreed to help her, by assisting in that battle."

"You know how these games go, sister… It could help in his training, but if you are against it, I can-"

"No. You are right, it's a good opportunity." Before the Mistress could finish, Number 3 interrupted, agreeing to the idea to her sister's great surprise. She looked at Lily as she added. "Let her sister also join. It would be the perfect chance to get used to her new strength."

Then she left the desk, walking to the blonde half-elf.

"Lily, you will join your brother, and fight in this event. Do your best and try to not rely on your bow skills, okay? You need to get used to your new abilities, this would be the perfect chance. You can also take your dogs with you."

She turned toward the door. Equipping the mask once again, she stepped away from the group and reached for the door. 

Before opening it up, she turned around and spoke.

"Anyway, we have wasted enough time. There's still much to do. Sister, they have agreed to meet at your 'mansion' in the evening with everybody. I hope you don't mind."

Before the Mistress had any chance to respond, Number 3 has already left the room. A moment later her presence completely vanished from the halls, it was as if she was never there, to begin with.

Seeing her hasty departure, Granny chuckled.

"It's quite rare to see her like that. You have an interesting effect on her." She mumbled looking at the door.

"Let's just say our history was eventful." The Mistress sighed as she also put back her demon-faced mask on her face. 

She stepped away, towards the destroyed window frame, as she spoke with a sighed tone.

"As she said, we will meet this evening back at my mansion. I will take my leave then."

Turning towards the door, she waved with her hand, causing the air the tremble and distort upon her simplistic movement.

A moment later a spark of dark energy appeared floating in the air. Instantly it began to stretch, and in mere moments a Gate formed out of thin air.

Before stepping over, the Mistress halted her steps and threw a couple more words towards Sara.

"Sara, make sure to have a good talk with that golden 'hero'. What he did was completely idiotic. If we weren't this close to the actual event, I would have already replaced him…"

With that said, she stepped over the portal, vanishing from the room, just like her sister, leaving only Granny and the youngsters behind.