Chapter 61: Visiting a Friend.

Chapter 61: Visiting a Friend.

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon as Zeke began his morning routine. As had become a habit, he was wearing his 'Resistance suit'. That's what he had officially named the knight's armor turned exercise equipment. The tool was supposed to help him improve his strength and constitution. In theory, the act of putting strain on the body through intense physical activity should accomplish that. He had set up an obstacle course in the nearby woods, and as he ran through it, he focused on each task at hand, pushing through the pain and exertion.

As he approached the pull-up bar in the middle of the course, his mind wandered back to the previous day's events. The blacksmithing competition had been intense, and he had really enjoyed getting to see the masters at work.

Zeke finished his set of pull-ups and moved on to the next obstacle, a series of balance beams. As he concentrated on keeping his footing, his mind couldn't help but drift to Markus. He knew that Markus' birthday was coming up soon, and he had been racking his brain for the perfect present. But as soon as he heard about the blacksmithing competition, he knew exactly what he was going to gift his friend.

He was making preparations to give Markus a spell book for [Metal Manipulation]. This was the most crucial spell for any Metal Mage who was trying to work as a blacksmith. Zeke had been able to learn the secrets of the spell by observing Jonathan's work the previous day. He had used his [Perfect Sensory Recall] spell to record the man's every move. He had learned exactly how to move the Mana through the body and core to perform any part of the smithing process.

Zeke realized that he would have been able to transcribe many secret dwarven spells as well. Jonathan had talked at length about the marvels of the dwarven metal working spells. Zeke, however, knew it wouldn't be a good idea to pass them along to Markus. Such knowledge could get Markus into trouble, and he did not want that for his friend. The dwarven magic seals in Jonathan's body were the only thing that protected the artisan from the greedy hands of the empire. Markus, on the other hand, didn't have such a layer of protection and would be at the mercy of the nobles. He wanted to give Markus the tools to succeed and improve, but not at the cost of his safety.

He knew that Markus would be thrilled with the spell book, and he couldn't wait to give it to him. He was excited to see his friend's reaction and see him put the spell to use in his blacksmithing.

Finally, as Zeke reached the end of the course, he collapsed on the ground, panting and sweating. Despite the pain his body was in, he was bathing in a wave of satisfaction. The always present feeling of contentment that he felt after he had pushed himself to be the best he could be. His heart was still beating uncontrollably as he made his way into the changing room. He tried to distract himself from his tired body and racing pulse by letting his mind wander.

Zeke wanted to gift Markus everything he needed to become a successful blacksmith. What he needed to avoid, however, was to overwhelm him with too much magic all at once. He had decided to start out by providing Markus with just one additional spell. [Sharpen Metal] was the spell he had picked, along with an explanation of how to use it in the crafting process. He knew that with time and practice, Markus would be able to master the spell and many more to come.

Ezekiel had already managed to write around half the booklet he intended to give to Markus. He had worked on it for the entire rest of the day after coming home from the competition, while the knowledge was still fresh. He was determined to finish the rest of it today. But before he could hide away in his room again to work on the present, he had planned to visit Viola. She had promised to introduce him to a wind mage from her family who also knew space magic. Zeke was hoping to coax the mage into showing him a short-range teleportation spell. The spell would make for a great addition to his arsenal.

As Ezekiel entered the house, the stench of his own sweat and grime hit him. His long crimson hair was drenched, and the 'Resistance Suit' he was wearing was in dire need of cleaning as well. He made a mental note to himself to wash it, before using it again. He placed the gear on the specially-made armor stand before making his way into the shower.

Zeke's gaze turned upwards, past the curtain of water as he stood under the luxurious showerhead. There on the ceiling, he saw the artwork he had gotten so familiar with over the past few days. The carving was made to resemble the shape of the sun, its rays covering the entire ceiling above the spacious cabin. He studied the intricate details of each part of the artwork, which was carved out of monster bone. His eyes traced the tendrils extending out from the center of the sun. He was focusing on every single detail he could make out, committing it to memory.

This routine had become a ritual for him, a way to calm his wildly beating heart after every round of exercise. He had tried to control the phenomenon with his [Perfect Body Control] but had been shocked to realize that he had no control over it. Zeke put his hands on the amulet that Maximilian had gotten for him, feeling for his pulse. He could feel the heart beating underneath the metal as if it was not there.

At first, he had been worried and anxious about the phenomenon. After a couple of days with nothing happening, his fears had subsided considerably. Now he dealt with the problem in a practiced manner. He had learned that finding that focusing on a task very meticulously helped him to calm down. As he stood under the shower, the warm water cascaded over his body. He took a deep breath and let the tension in his muscles ease away. As part of his shower ritual, Zeke checked out the results of his [Analyze] spell.

[Results of Analyze]

First name: Ezekiel. Mage name: None. Last name: von Hohenheim. Age: 15. Gender: Male. Height: 1.72m. Strength: 19 Constitution: 23 Agility: 17 Intelligence: 20

Blood magic (Perfect affinity), Rank: Mage, Engraved spell: [Perfect Body control].

Space magic (Greater affinity), Rank: Mage, Engraved spell: [Perfect Spatial Awareness].

Mind magic (Greater affinity), Rank: Mage, Engraved spell: [Perfect Sensory Recall].

"What is the meaning of this?" came a deep voice from a doorway upstairs. There stood none other than Victor Windtnzer, headmaster of the prestigious Elementium and one of the most powerful Arch Mages in the land.

"Emanuel was just testing Zeke's strength," Viola said, her voice calm and collected now. Apparently, she didn't want to create any more trouble for Emanuel by telling the truth. Zeke understood her intentions, but still felt a little hurt by how she protected his tormentor.

Victor's eyes narrowed as he looked at Emanuel, who had the good sense to look ashamed. It was clear that the old man didn't believe Viola's excuse for a second. "I expect better from one of my men," Victor said menacingly as he gave Emanuel a short, penetrating stare before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Zeke was at a loss on how to handle the situation. It was clear that asking Emanuel for any kind of favor was out of the question now. The man looked at him with even more hostility than before, as if he were on the verge of attacking him. Zeke opened his mouth to speak, but Emanuel beat him to it.

"Excuse me, Lady Viola," he said, his tone curt and cold. "Now that I have met with your friend as I have promised, I have other duties to attend to." With that, he turned away from her. He didn't turn towards the exit however, but stared at Zeke with clear contempt in his eyes.

"Good luck with finding somebody else to teach you space magic, boy! I am sure there will be tons of people willing to help out a blood mage." Emanuel's cold tone had turned sarcastic and mocking when talking to Zeke. Undoubtedly, Emanuel felt nothing but contempt for him. He held the boy's gaze for a moment before teleporting away, leaving Zeke and Viola alone in the foyer of the grand mansion.

Viola looked at Zeke with a pained expression on her face. "I am so sorry, Zeke," she said, visibly struggling to hold back her tears. "I invite you to my house and not only can I not help you with your request, but one of my own people attacks you. I don't know how to make it up to you."

Zeke quickly stepped closer to Viola and embraced her tightly. The slight feeling of betrayal he had felt from her previous actions was already forgotten. Contrary to her thoughts, Zeke was actually pleased with how this meeting had turned out. The mix of hostility and impetus to tease Zeke had made Emanuel reveal the very spell Zeke had come to see. This had allowed Zeke to record the process with his [Perfect Sensory Recall]. Though he couldn't tell Viola that he had already gained what he needed, he also didn't want her to blame herself for wasting his time.

"It's alright, Viola," Zeke reassured her. "I understand that these things happen. Let's not dwell on it any longer. At least I finally got to visit your home. I wanted to see this place for a long time now. It is absolutely stunning!"

Viola simply nodded, clearly having caught on to Zeke's attempt of changing the subject. Still, her tears subsided as she leaned into Zeke's embrace. The two stood there for a moment, lost in their own thoughts, before Viola spoke up again. "Let's go get some tea, I think we both could use it."

And with that, the two made their way to the lounge, but the brief altercation with Emanuel was still on Zeke's mind. He couldn't help but ask, "Do you know why that guy seemed to have a problem with me?" He had been unable to find any reason for Emanuel's hostile actions. Viola ordered a servant to serve them both a cup of her favorite tea before she replied.

"It's probably because of the war," she began. "Emanuel was deployed to the front three times. He didn't seem bothered when I told him to meet with you, but the moment you entered the house, his entire demeanor changed. I think he could feel the Mana from your perfect blood core. It must have triggered some unpleasant memories."

Viola's explanation was delivered with a hint of sadness in her voice, and Zeke could understand why. The war had demanded a steep price from many people, and it seemed Emanuel was no exception. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for inadvertently causing the man distress.

Viola's expression grew increasingly forlorn as she delved deeper into her explanation. "Emanuel was like an older brother to me when I was still a child," she said, her voice tinged with sadness. "But every time he returned from the war after a year's service, he had changed a little more. He used to be really caring and kind, you know? Honestly, sometimes I can't even recognize the person he used to be anymore. He's grown so cold and hard after his last time at the front."

Zeke didn't know much about how the war was going for the empire. But he couldn't remember hearing of any great victories since he was born, so the expansion plans of the empire probably weren't going well. He felt a pang of sympathy for Viola and her friend, who had been so deeply affected by the ongoing conflict. It was clear that the war had taken a great toll on those who had been sent to fight it.

He didn't want to cause Viola any more distress, so he quickly changed the subject. In order to distract her, Zeke spoke of how he and Markus had visited the Blacksmith competition the day before. And how they had been able to speak with Jonathan Goldhammer, the legendary smith. He recounted how Goldhammer had been willing to show them the techniques he used to forge his weapons.

Viola was soon absorbed by the vivid storytelling as Zeke acted out scenes of the smithing process. She listened with wide-eyed wonder as Zeke recounted his experiences. The lighthearted topic and energetic display lightened the mood considerably. The two of them managed to spend the rest of the morning in pleasant conversation.

Eventually, Zeke said his goodbyes and left the mansion. He couldn't wait to experiment with the new spell he had acquired. He was eager to see what he could do with it.