"Logan caressed Isabel gently, his voice soft yet filled with a hint of awe. "Do you realize, Isabel, your mother remains a formidable fifth-order water magician!"
Isabel's delicate features stiffened, disbelief etching her face.
Is that the truth?
Had Logan really said that?
Caught in a whirlwind of emotions, Isabel's eyes welled up once more, betraying her long-held resentment towards her mother.
Meanwhile, Logan scrutinized the detailed records of Astari, a snakeman at the zenith of fifth-order magic. Despite her mastery over numerous water spells, the system hesitated to classify her as sixth-order.
Without external intervention, Astari's magical journey was likely at its end.
"Your mother, I suspect, was the prodigy of your clan in her youth," Logan chuckled, his voice echoing in the dimly lit room.
Isabel sobbed quietly, her tears confirming her acceptance of Covenus' reasoning.
Logan, who had been silent, nodded thoughtfully. He understood that among the snake people, a matriarchal society, leadership was not inherited but earned through merit.
When a leader aged, a vibrant, skilled young woman was chosen as the new chief, while the former leader took on the role of an elder, safeguarding the continuity of governance.
"Interestingly, your magical talents extend beyond water to wood," Logan added, capturing Isabel's attention once more.
Isabel gasped, her eyes wide. "You knew?"
"How could I not? Yet, I wonder why your wood magic lingers at the mere first level?" Logan probed gently.
Isabel, a dual-elementalist in water and wood, had oddly underdeveloped wood abilities. It suggested a deliberate neglect.
A massive dark shadow surged from beneath the water in Isabel's hands and launched towards Logan.
He caught it deftly, a fish, its scales glossy black and belly a stark white, about thirty centimeters long and weighing roughly forty kilograms. Though still twitching, the fish's eyes shone with a finality, its life fading. Logan held it, contemplating the unexpected gift, the river quietly witnessing the exchange.
"Chief, behold the black beggar, one of the tastiest delights these waters have to offer," Isabel declared, her eyes gleaming with pride as she held up the fish.
"I've been subsisting on black and white bread back at the tribe for the last fortnight, and frankly, I'm tired of it," she confessed, her tail swishing playfully in the water's cool embrace.
Logan, intrigued, queried as he set the fish aside, "Do your people have a penchant for fish?"
Reflecting briefly, it made sense, snake people, dwelling along rivers and seas, were likely adept at fishing.
Isabel's confirmation came with a burst of pride. "Absolutely, we're born fishers. It's almost impossible to imagine a meal without fish. We even outshine the lizard and turtle folk when it comes to fishing."
"Unless those pesky little fish folk get involved!" she added with a chuckle, diving back into the river. Within seconds, she resurfaced, flinging another dark shadow onto the riverbank, a black beggar, slightly larger than the first.
"The river is teeming with them, all plump and numerous!"
Logan marveled at the two black beggars before him. Snake people, natural-born fishers? That was indeed perfect!
He had long harbored plans to introduce a reliable meat source for his tribe. With the river so rich in large, abundant fish, it seemed foolish not to capitalize on such resources. And now, with many snake people in his tribe, each a fishing maestro, it seemed all too easy.
Snap...!
Yet another black beggar soared from the water, courtesy of Isabel. Her claims were no boast; in less than ten minutes, she had netted three fish collectively weighing over 100 kilograms.
It dawned on Logan that Isabel was indeed his good fortune personified. Without her, the thought of fishing might never have crossed his mind.
While Isabel continued to revel in the water, Logan entertained the idea of grilling the fish. His anticipation was quickly doused by the realization he had forgotten to bring fire, forcing him to abandon the plan reluctantly.