Chapter 66: A long Path - Concrete Goal

The display of Madame Zara's magic lit a fire that seemed to have never existed before in Nikolai's chest.

'If they can bind spirits to pendants and small toys for children...'

His vague goal of wanting to have a comfortable life and help his father relax began to change—new goals and desires started forming, and now he began organising his current goals while watching the pendant in his hands.

"Kai? What's the matter?" Selene's eyes shimmered with a beautiful glow because the current Nikolai was so different. There was something inside his deep, piercing gaze that had never existed before, and she felt shivers down her spine upon noticing his slight change.

'I know that look... that deep flicker of determination, no ambition! What made him change? This necklace... who gave it to him, and what does it mean to him?'

For the first time since meeting Nikolai, there was a curiosity within her that was unrelated to her clan and his blood. It was purely related to Nikolai himself and that beautiful pendant.

However, despite her speaking Nikolai didn't respond and watched Madame Zara with eyes like a hawk examining his prey.

'If magic exists in this world, are there families that make humanoid dolls that walk? Would it be possible that alchemy exists?' Nikolai's mind raced with so many thoughts that he missed Selene's change and her gaze that watched him like he observed Madame Zara.

'I will make sure I become rich and able to enjoy all the pleasures in this world.'

'I will become strong enough to ignore any threats or crush them entirely!'

'Finally, I will make my father's dream come true. I MUST reunite them. If there is no method of creating a flesh body, then I must find someone who can make it possible. Even if it takes a year, a decade or a hundred years!'

A beautiful blue swirl of magic mixed with the lovely pink aura that shone from the body of Zara began to form a lovely vortex around the gemstone. Nikolai's eyes noticed the sweat and slight stress on Zara's face and clenched his fists.

'This beautiful lady, she showed me a path that I thought impossible! I cannot forget what she has given me. Mistress Zara of the Jhin clan, when I have the strength, I will help her achieve whatever her goal or desire might be!'

'This beautiful man who gives the refreshing scent of winter and the deep aroma of red wine. He gazes at me with both ambition and sincerity. This necklace must have a great importance, the spirit inside I can feel her affectionate feelings towards him. Is this meeting one of fate and not chance?'

Mistress Zara's lips quivered as she took a deep breath, enduring the pain in her chest—it felt like her organs were tightening, yet she refused and stayed strong. Her eyes no longer gazed at the pendant but at the young man who caught her attention as his body seemed to glow with a deep amethyst glow as if mimicking her.

'Although he doesn't know the method to use such a bizarre fusion of two opposite energies... If he can learn, would he be able to attain the abilities of a magical engineer despite being someone outside the Jhin clan?'

The sudden and blasphemous thought made the woman's chest flutter. Mistress Zara was born of the Jhin clan's current patriarch. She should be one of their heirs. However, because her mother was of low birth, a mere maid to the clan, she was treated as an outsider rather than the heir.

In truth, that Nikolai could produce this kind of aura was impossible for others because he was mixing his Vermillion Essence and Celestial Aura to create a different type of energy without using his third bloodline.

It was a true hybrid energy, which resembled the soul force that the Jhin Clan used for their Magical Engineering and the creation of artificial spirits.

'How interesting to think one of my few friends would actually know such a mysterious man. I will teach him the basics... then if he can maintain this pendant on his own for a year. Let me teach him everything, maybe he can help me in the future in return.'

The next moment, like a beautiful scene, the pink and blue magical vortex began to flow into the pendant. Searᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Its brilliance formed a lovely sound as the energy of Zara's soul force began to solidify, and the once blue pendant became a beautiful pattern of a swirling pink and blue maelstrom that shone beautifully in the sunlight.

"Phew... Cough..... Mmm... it's finished, Young Master Kai." Mistress Zara's body became pale pink, while her tendrils seemed a little weak as they drooped down.

However, her smile was radiant, like the twin suns above them. Yes, the world created for the Jhin Clan and their close relatives had two suns and moons.

The reason for this was related to the ancestors of the Jhin and Majin clans, both of a similar race, but one resembled the moon, while the other was the sun.

When the Nexus formed the worlds, the two clans thought that since they were rulers of this miniature world, twin suns and moons would resemble their everlasting partnership and familial link.

Jhin dealt with the soul and magic, while the Majin used their unique aura for the body and warfare.

"How does it look to you, Kai?" She asked with a soft voice, like a calm breeze blowing over a meadow.

"It shimmers red in the sunlight... then blue in the shadow. Maybe in the moonlight, it will also be blue?" Nikolai found that the two colours were almost identical to his aura... He looked back at the woman named Mistress Zara, who gave him a warm, understanding grin.

'This boy, he is sharp and worth teaching.'

'Mistress Zara, what do you seek from me with those eyes like a predator?' He couldn't help but show a fierce smile to mask his nerves.

Selene also felt strange.

Her eyes flowed between the two people, a slight feeling of irritation building in her chest as she wanted to shout... Instead, she just gripped onto Nikolai's cuff and lowered her gaze.

"This pendant will shine red in the day and clue at night; as for the spirit, she remains weak but will last for at least another month..."

"...a month?"

The two people looked at each other, one seeking more and the other wanting to give it. A chance meeting between a woman who had lived for over fifty years, treated like air and a freshly awakened hybrid, the only existence of his kind in all the worlds.

"Lord Kai, would you like to learn more... about Magical Engineering? Do you want to become a Spirit engineer as my apprentice?"

"!!!"

Selene's eyes widened as she looked at the ground and felt this conversation was strange. There was not a single person who knew that the Jhin was the only race able to perform this task.

Even the dark spirits couldn't copy this skill.

'Yet why... does it feel like he can do it when I look at those ambition and shimmering red eyes? Is there some secret to his body... That will allow him to learn even this?'

Nikolai didn't respond instantly.

First, he took the necklace in his palm and stroked the smooth gemstone. Despite looking different now, he could feel the warmth from both his mother inside and the effort that Mistress Zara had given while performing her magic.

The moment he placed the necklace around his neck, a soft breeze flowed around his body as the swirling vortex Madame Zara created, a calming scent of sweet, red wine that reminded him of his mother and the bottles his father kept hidden that she loved to drink.

He ignored the noise from the market and focused on the woman before him.

"Can I keep this pendant and the spirit safe for longer if I learn your arts?"

"Of course, Lord Kai, but if you learn from me, I can't teach you how to use a spirit engine. The Jhin Clan keeps those secrets for themselves. Can you accept that?" She gave him a confident and playful grin as if she knew the answer to her question.

"As long as I can repair this necklace and keep the spirit healthy, that's enough for me."

The two of their gazes once again interlocked before one of Zara's tendrils flowed across the air, creating a small rift before she took out an old, weathered booklet and handed it towards Nikolai.

"Although you might struggle and need to search for the answers on your own, this book carries the basics of spirit engineering and repair. Your aura, though similar, is a little fierce; you may need to look for a method to enhance your control. Kai."

She nodded, showing a calm and elegant manner as if she wasn't covered in sweat and looking exhausted from her efforts.

"That's fine with me, Mistress Zara."

"Just call me Zara. Come to the same place on the last Sunday of the month, and I shall teach you what I can, but you must read that book and show me you can pass my test in one year."

'Oh my god, Mistress Zara allowed him to drop her title?!' Selene felt like the third wheel and that she should vanish, yet watching Nikolai felt interesting to her—she wanted to see if he could truly achieve the impossible.

[You...]

'What's wrong now, Eliza?'

[For me, you will do this? Even though...]

'Well, mother is god in the eyes of her child. Of course, I will do anything to keep you with me.'

[Ah... you...]

Elizabeth's voice became unstable and filled with emotion as it cut off; although she could now exist for longer, the fact Nikolai realised who she was and what she was made her defensive walls collapse.

'Take your time, there is no rush. No matter how long it might take... I won't leave your side, just like you did for me. Mother.'

After his thought, he gave a respectful bow to Mistress Zara and accepted the book. To him, his words didn't just mean to repair her necklace. His goal was much grander.

He would return his mother to life and let her spend eternity with his father, making up for the days they lost to save his life.

"Zara, I must ask something in secret." Nikolai leaned closer to her and whispered something in her ear; at first, her face became pale before her frown became a smirk as she looked at him with a sharp gaze.

Her tendrils brushed his hair like an older sister complimenting a sibling who did something praiseworthy. "Then you should seek the Arena, many criminals and monsters appear there. I am sure you will find many Jhin who have lost their way at that place."