Chapter 18 The Depth Of A Mother’s Love

'Sky Sword Academy? Is that some kind of school?' Arvell inquired.

'Exactly. Children at the age of thirteen in the Elantryan Capital city of Karsia all try their luck at getting admitted into the prestigious 'Sky Sword Academy'. Naturally, this also includes the royal family.'

Arvell nodded with understanding.

'I see. So if I want to meet her, my best chance to do it is by getting accepted into the Sky Sword Academy.'

'You need to realize that for commoners, enrolling in the academy is quite an arduous task. They only accept the best of the best, and that's only for getting into the lowest class. To make in the same class as someone like the princess herself you need to prove that you are superior to even the nobles who are fed resources with a diamond spoon.'

'I guess the reason why they open it for people at the age of thirteen is to properly nurture their foundations, while they were still young. Still, noble children have access to their family's vast resources to boost their progress. It would be quite a challenge to match up with that.'

Mages began their training at the age of thirteen since the mana in their bodies would be unstable before this age. After around thirteen years passed the mana would stabilize, and allow for the child to become a mage.

Unlike normal students however, noble children can afford to pay for the resources needed to increase their strength drastically.

A normal student would need to put in at least 10x the effort to match up with that.

'Call this biased towards nobility if you will, but you should remember that you were said nobility until two weeks ago.'

Arvell visibly sighed.

'Of course, this is not going to be easy. However… Lykos how do you know all of this? You seem quite informed about the kingdom of Elantrya.'

Lykos looked at Arvell like he was looking at an idiot.

While being looked at like that caused veins to bulge on Arvell's head, he pretended to ignore it.

'You do remember who gave you this necklace right? Before belonging to dear princess Lilianna, her mother wore it. She talked to the king about sending princess Lilianna to Sky Sword Academy as a kid.'

Arvell looked at Lykos like he was looking at filth.

'So… You essentially eavesdropped on their entire lives for how long? Aren't you technically worse than a stalker? More importantly… How can you shameless brag about that?'

Lykos felt offended by Arvell's accusatory tone and gaze. However, he couldn't deny that his actions resembled that of a stalker.

He fell to his knees and hung his head dejectedly.

'I was just bored being stuck in this necklace. I had nothing to do, no one to talk to… I am not a stalker. No… I am a proud honorable person…' He quietly muttered to himself.

Hearing this, Arvell felt kind of bad for admonishing him and decided to not pursue this topic any further.

Arvell felt the contrast between this version of Lykos and his usual attitude to be quite distinct, it was almost like they were two different people.

Arvell decided to change the topic.

'Can you teach me alchemy now? I remember you telling me that I can use Aether and Nether to create elixirs to allow me to progress faster.'

Lykos looked up at Arvell with a dead expression.

'...Alchemy?'

His face lit up and his previous gloomy countenance was nowhere to be seen.

'Oh yeah, that! If you want to get into the Sky Sword Academy entrance exam which should take place approximately six months from now, you need elixirs to boost your progress. However, you neither have a refining furnace nor do you have the supplementary herbs that are needed to refine the pills.'

'I will probably go visit a nearby city for a little, sell some beast meat and buy a refining furnace. As for the herbs, I can probably find them in the wilderness with your help.'

'Nephilims have a perfect photographic memory, so I can simply show you all of the types of herbs and beast cores, and that should be enough for you to be able to recognize them and understand their uses on sight. It will probably take around five months of learning for you to be able to do it.'

Arvell's eyes opened wide.

'Just five months? Isn't that a little too good?'

He felt disbelief at his new capabilities. While he did have to suffer from mind-numbing pain and had to get betrayed and killed before he gained his power, he felt the power he gained was a little too good for him.

After all, any aspiring alchemist would be driven to decades of dedicated learning to achieve what would take Arvell only around five months.

'Furthermore, I also need to teach you my swordsmanship skills as well. While you might be quite talented for your age among humans, with a different body, you need to learn a swordsmanship technique fitting your new physique.'

'I guess I will be worked to death for the next few months huh?' Arvell thought, 'First I want to read mother's letter. I've put it off for more than two weeks, and I can't wait any longer.'

Arvell opened his inventory and pulled out a rolled parchment that had a wax seal.

He found it strange that his mother did not seal it with an enchantment so that it could only be opened by him, but at the same time, he was also relieved.

If his mother set up the seal so that it could only open when it recognized his blood like most seals, he wouldn't be able to open it.

His entire body changed, both inside and out, so even his blood was completely different from before.

In a sense, he was only his parent's child in name now, as his body was recreated completely with Lykos's essence.

He took his sword and carefully cut the wax seal in a way that would not damage the parchment.

He lit another fire where he previously cooked the rabbit and used the firelight to read the letter.

'Dear Arvell,

I am sorry my son. No words can accurately describe the pain in my chest from seeing you leave.

After what happened on your thirteenth birthday I was unable to protect you. Someone like me is unfit to even call myself your mother.

The king refused to rescind your banishment no matter how hard I pleaded. He refuses to acknowledge you as our son anymore.

If you are reading this letter, this means that someone has targeted your life. I would have sent two of my most capable subordinates to protect you and help you escape the capital.

I don't care about your talent, or how useful you are to the kingdom. You are my son, my beautiful boy… I just don't want to see you get hurt or suffer.

I will pray that the heavens will take mercy on you and allow you to live the rest of your life in peace and happiness.

Feel free to hate me or despise me, as I was unable to help you at all in your hour of need, but please don't think that any of this was your fault.

While everyone else will blame you and scorn you for your rare condition, none of this was your fault.

Please take care of yourself, and I am sorry I couldn't be a better mother.

Love,

Queen Isolde

Arvell could tell that the page was covered in visible tear marks, showing the depths of her feelings for him.

Knowing that his mother would have received the news about his 'death' and blamed herself for not being strong enough to protect him, Arvell felt immense pain in his heart.

To him, this pain was even worse than the pain that he endured while refining his Nether Body.

He wanted nothing more than to go to his mother and let her know that he was alive and safe, but It was far too risky to attempt that right now.

He would have to get stronger first.

He took a deep breath to ready himself.

He turned to Look at Lykos who was 'resting' his back on the wall.

'Lykos, I'm ready.'