6:00 PM.
Brandon had just finished his meeting with the Imperial Army's higher ups.
The Field Marshals.
The artifacts had finally finished its testing phase.
For that reason, Brandon showcased the products in front of the Field Marshals.
"Haaa...."
There were twists and turns along the way. The other Field Marshals seemed to have been skeptical, knowing a 17–year old cadet was in charge of the entire operation.
However, the moment it was revealed that Brandon was the newly ascended S–ranker, the reception took a turn.
And in the end,
It was a success.
The artifacts had been greatly approved, and would be supported for mass production.
They've seen the potential Brandon Locke had. And so, they wanted to invest in him.
Because he was exceptional.
However, Brandon didn't need that kind of support unless it was financially.
And Brandon seized the opportunity to mention Amelia's name.
That he was her benefactor, and his company supported her faction.
To try and get on his good side, they claimed to pay more attention to Amelia.
And that was all he needed to do.
For them to finally notice Amelia's efforts.
There was a chance it could backfire in the future. After all, though they claim to see things out, their objective in the end, was Brandon.
But if Amelia were to show them valid and positive results, she would be able to retain her upcoming supporters.
From here on out, it all depended on Amelia's efforts.
Brandon had done his part.
Sooner or later, she would soon come to find out of his involvement.
He couldn't wait to see the look on her face.
"Heh."
He scoffed.
"Glad to see you're feeling good, Boss."
Zed, who stood right beside him, casually spoke.
"Right? I wonder what kind of reward Miss Amelia would give him."
Matthew said with a grin, raising his eyebrows continuously, making Brandon frown in response.
He had brought the two of them along to assist him in disseminating the artifact's complexities.
He wanted to bring Ironaxe instead, but the dwarf was too busy.
"You're both fired."
***
There was still time left today.
For that reason, though it was winter break, Brandon headed for the academy.
He had an agreement with Evelyn to assist him in mastering the [Permafrost] affinity.
He was well aware the affinity wasn't compatible with his body.
For that reason, progress was slow.
[Permafrost]
∟ [Eternal Glaciate] 7%
∟ [Glacial Bloom] Locked
∟ [Winter's Aegis] Locked
∟ [Aurora's Embrace] Locked
∟ [Veil of Eternal Frost] Locked
The first thirty minutes of their training focused solely on combat. For the rest, it was focused on adjusting to his [Permafrost] affinity, circulating and properly redirecting appropriate mana, and launching it from his core.
It was hard.
Being a Deviant itself was hard.
More so, because it was different from the case of [Skillweaver] where the information was downloaded in the brain instantly.
But in any case, Brandon was determined.
Because his new affinity would serve as his trump card.
If there were spies close by, they must've known his abilities by now.
For that reason, Brandon had agreed with Evelyn to keep his new power hidden from the public eye for the time being.
Before he realized it, two hours passed by in a flash.
"Haaa.... H-haaa...."
Sweat trickled down his back as he took deep heavy breaths.
His entire body was drenched in sweat. Much to the point where he felt his clothes stick to his skin.
"....I think I'm starting to—Haaa..... Grasp it."
"Are you?"
Evelyn tilted her head.
He was NOT grasping it at all.
From what Evelyn could see, it was another wasted day.
But there were slight improvements.
Like for example....
"Uh...."
His body seemed to be getting more toned?
"And uh...."
His hair was getting longer?
"What are you thinking about?"
Brandon suddenly asked, cutting off her thoughts.
"Ah?"
Flustered, Evelyn's brows raised.
"N-nothing.... Uh.... you're doing great!"
She gave him a thumbs up.
Brandon frowned, noticing her reluctance in acknowledging his statement.
But it was the truth.
After all....
∟ [Eternal Glaciate] 13%
The percentage increased.
'So I did grasp something, right?'
Right!?
In any case, today's training session was adjourned, and Brandon left the training hall.
.net
As soon as the coast was clear, Evelyn slumped down on the ground, exhausted.
"Haaa.... H-haaa...."
She clenched her chest tightly.
For some reason, ever since the surgery, her stamina seemed to drain really fast.
Much to the point where it was occasionally hard to breathe.
She had consulted it with the surgeon before, and she was told it was a side effect after the surgery.
So for that reason, Evelyn had no choice but to wait it out.
Time was the best healer.