Maxi and Angelina went up the stairs into the hallways of the main castle. They passed through various corners until they finally reached the downward spiraling entrance of the castle's main library.
"Down we go," Maxi said happily. "To my happy place."
Angelina sighed. "Some happy place you have."
Maxi waved off Angelina's snarky comment. He was far too enthralled by the new scent of the library to care.
The smell hit him before they even reached the spiraling slope of stairs.
The scent of fresh fruit struck him like a wave, carrying him with every step. His sweat and stress seemed to fall away, burying him deeper in bliss. The final nail in the coffin was the faint trace of roasted cinnamon.
Angelina just stared as Maxi floated on cloud nine.
"Young master," she sighed, "didn't you come here yesterday?"
"It's not the same," Maxi muttered, closing his eyes in pure delight.
Angelina facepalmed. "How is it different?"
Maxi shrugged. "It just is."
Angelina sighed again. "Young master, I will never understand you."
Maxi smiled inwardly and thought, (No one ever will.)
At last, Maxi pulled himself out of his blissful trance as they reached the center of the library. There, they found Colen sitting in the middle.
Colen was dressed differently than usual. For him, it was strange, though he still looked as handsome as ever. He wore a white button-up shirt, his blazer draped across the back of his chair, and dark blue pants.
He sat at a wooden table, tapping his fingers in a steady rhythm as he read.
Maxi blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had seen Colen without a second layer covering his body — just a simple button-up shirt.
Well, this is new, Maxi thought, smiling slightly.
"Hello, big brother Colen," Maxi said.
Colen's cold eyes lifted slowly from his book. "Hello, Maxi. So you finally arrived."
"Yep," Maxi nodded. "And I'm ready to learn about magic."
Colen lowered his eyes back to his book. "Do you want to learn about magic, or how to use magic?"
"What's the difference?" Maxi asked.
For a brief moment, something almost resembling a reaction crossed Colen's face. He closed the book and set it down.
"To be honest, there is none. Learning about it just helps you understand how to use it." His voice was as cold as ever.
"Then can I learn about magic first?" Maxi asked.
Colen nodded. "Magic — or rather, mana — the substance we use to perform magic, doesn't originate from here. Or rather, not from this dimension. It originates from the Earthly Realm, but in another dimension. The mana we use isn't pure; it goes through many processes before reaching us. Do you want me to explain them all now or break it up over time?"
"Whichever one will let me use magic as soon as possible," Maxi said quickly. He wasn't going to let his obsession with details hold him back. He was already behind in his blessing training — unable to awaken his blessing until he turned thirteen — so this was his best shot at getting stronger.
Colen studied him for a long moment, then nodded.
"Alright. All you need to know for now is this: when humans use magic, we integrate ourselves with the nature of mana. Think of it like traveling to a new country. At first, the air, the environment, everything feels foreign. But after months and years, you adjust. You grow familiar. Eventually, you're able to do things there with confidence that you couldn't do before. That's essentially how magic works. To put it simply: our magic is exploration. Not just surface-level, but deep — until you can do in that unexplored place what you could never do here."
Maxi blinked and nodded. "The analogy is good, but overall it's confusing."
Colen scoffed. "Don't get me started. It's a nonsense concept, but it makes more sense if you try it yourself."
"Sure," Maxi said.
Colen gave him a slightly annoyed look.
Maxi smiled awkwardly. "Sorry."
Colen shook his head. "Anyway, if you truly want to use magic, then try it."
Maxi looked at his hands. "How?"
Colen sighed, and Maxi shivered as the cold in his brother's voice hit him like steel. "Just watch."
Colen flicked his fingers. His breath swirled, condensed, and froze into a snowflake the size of a fingertip.
He flicked the snowflake at Maxi. It struck the left side of Maxi's chest, sending a wave of icy pain through him.
Maxi grits his teeth, forcing himself to endure. "What next?"
"Visualize a key at your core," Colen said, his voice cutting like ice. "Then imagine turning the key."
Maxi nodded, the cold making it hard to focus. Still, he managed to sense his core. It was like locating his own heart without touching it. Slowly, he pictured it as a key — cylindrical with an ornate tail.
When he imagined turning it, nothing happened at first. Then suddenly, everything rushed in like a tidal wave.
Heat and dryness. Thirst and hydration. Electricity and crushing gravity. He felt lifted and stretched, boiled and frozen, all at once. His body shook as if he had walked into a new world and was being assaulted by everything it had to offer.
It was too much.
His brain screamed from the overload. Then Colen's voice cut through, cold as steel:
"Focus on your hands. Put everything into your hands."
Maxi blinked, blinded by colors, then squeezed his eyes shut. He forced himself to focus. Breathing was hard — every new sensation made it harder — but struggling to breathe was nothing new to him. He had been in this cursed castle too long.
Through sheer will, he pulled the sensations from his body into his hands. One by one, they flowed, leaving behind emptiness as they gathered in his palms.
Finally, trembling and drained, Maxi managed it.
"Now," Colen's voice came again, "assign each sensation a symbol or shape you can easily imagine. This is important — each must be something you'll always remember."
Maxi breathed in and out, starting with overwhelming heat. He chose something simple: a matchstick struck against the air, igniting with a spark.
For cold, he imagined an ice cube. For wind, a spinning propeller. For water, a lone fish in a bowl. For lightning, a lightning rod. For gravity, a space helmet reflecting stars. For negative gravity, a broken helmet sucking in endless blackness.
"I'm done with the ones I know," Maxi muttered.
"That's good enough," Colen said. "You'll recognize the others in time. Now, push each sensation through your palms and transform them into their symbols."
Maxi obeyed. Slowly, painfully, he forced each sensation outward. His palms trembled as fire melted ice, ice became water, water shifted into vapor and wind, wind stirred an atmosphere, and gravity pulled both ways.
It was beautiful — nature itself condensed into his hands.
Maxi stared in awe. Geography had always fascinated him, and this was like watching creation unfold.
But it wasn't perfect. The feeling of dirt and stone was drowned out by the other sensations, and lightning refused to manifest directly — though he sensed its presence within the fire.
Still, it was magic. Real magic.
"You've got the basics," Colen said at last. "Now lock it away. Turn the key back to its original position, specifically keep turning in the direction you opened it."
Maxi did as told. The sensations vanished, leaving him feeling like he had returned home after a long, unwanted journey.
He sighed with relief. "Well, that was an interesting experience."
Colen shook his head. "That was only the beginning. All you did was mark a magic element so you can use it more efficiently. You still have to learn how to actually wield it."
Maxi nodded. "I've got two questions."
Colen nodded. "Ask away."
Maxi took a deep breath. "Okay, am I some kind of magic protégé because I am filled with the… dilution that I may be — or rather hope to be — a protégé in magic, since I'm behind in blessing?"
Colen looked at him, almost amused at his self-awareness. "I wouldn't call you a protégé, but you are naturally skilled, probably because of your mother. Magic takes a long time to master because we have to adapt to it. We've invented ways to accelerate that adaptation, but no matter how hard we try, it still takes a long time."
"How long?" Maxi asked.
"About a hundred years," Colen said. "Which may sound small, but back then, we didn't have gods' blessings to extend our lifespans. It was detrimental. The only mages who knew how to use magic were old, wise men who dedicated their entire lives to mastering even what you just did."
"Wait… so the gods are the ones who give us our long lifespans?" Maxi asked, perplexed.
Colen nodded.
Maxi thought for a moment. "So, do we get the long lifespan when we are blessed, or when we awaken our blessings?"
"Both," Colen replied. "Being blessed doubles your lifespan. Awakening your blessing boosts it even further — up to ten thousand years."
Maxi nodded. "So what was the original human lifespan?"
"Roughly a hundred years," Colen said coldly.
Maxi nodded again.
Colen cleared his throat. "But back to the point: it took a long time until Tony came along. His profound genius in magic brought countless advancements. Some of his theories and laws are still too complex for us to fully understand today. He made the main methods we use today possible — imaginative adaptation. Essentially, Tony adapted and improved faster than anyone else, whatever he was interested in. After building the Blossoming Kingdom, he taught his children magic. They weren't as powerful as Tony, but they were strong enough to understand his teachings and pass them on. They couldn't teach everything because Tony kept discovering new forms of magic. Eventually, the potency of our dimension's mana restricted him, so he went to other dimensions to find new ways to use magic."
Maxi blinked. "So… is Tony still alive?"
"Yes," Colen said.
Maxi was shocked. "What?"
Colen sighed as Maxi cried silently inside at the coldness of his sigh. "Apparently, he discovered a spell for immortality, among others."
Colen rubbed his head, clearly annoyed at the absurdity of it all.
Maxi chuckled slightly, recognizing the feeling all too well.
Colen continued, "Tony's method is about entering the world of mana and adapting, like an animal being forced to survive in a new habitat. This resonates with humans, especially those from our bloodline. Our bodies naturally adapt and survive, which leads me to the core — our magic core. Not the stomach core, though that's involved. The core is born through adaptation. When you are first born, it's fragile and sensitive to allow better connection to mana. Even the season you are born affects your elemental affinity."
Maxi nodded. "Tengen told me about that already, and also how magic adapts with you, which makes a lot more sense now… well, somewhat."
Colen nodded. "Good that he did his job for once — probably just the bare minimum. But anyway, to answer your question: nowadays, with Tony's method, a normal person takes about twelve years to learn all types of magic. Some special individuals can do it in one or two years. Your mother could learn and use magic within a month. Even then, she isn't a protégé. A true protégé could learn and use magic in a day, or at most a week. You're like your mother, but less extreme. You're above average — you should hypothetically be able to learn magic in three months. So no, you're not a protégé, but you are above average."
"Oh… okay, at least I'm above average," Maxi sighed.
Colen nodded. "We got way too sidetracked."
Maxi nodded. "Yep."
Colen said, "Anyway, we're finished here. You can go now. I'll break everything down and explain it slowly over time."
Maxi bowed. "Thank you, big brother and teacher, Colen."
Colen waved him off. "No need for flattery. 'Big brother' is just fine, Maxi."
Maxi nodded again, turning to find Angelina sitting on a chair, slowly blinking as if fighting sleep.
He sighed, walked over, and pulled her wolf tail.
Angelina jumped up, holding her tail.
"We are leaving," Maxi said.
Angelina looked at him with a mixture of hate, resentment, and shock. The shock faded, leaving annoyance. She sighed. "Lead the way, young master."
She stood and curtsied toward Colen.
Colen just picked up his book and opened it.
Maxi walked on, Angelina following. They ascended the spiraling stairs back toward the battlegrounds.
When they reached the arena, Maxi and Angelina found Mōkō in the middle.
Maxi breathed in and out as the black gate dissolved into illusory stars. He approached Mōkō.
Mōkō crouched, standing on tiptoe with a devilish grin. "So you finally finished."
Maxi smiled awkwardly and nodded.
Mōkō grinned wider. "Then you better get ready for the training of your life."
Maxi gritted his teeth and smiled awkwardly. "I can't wait."
He endured torturous training, forcing his body to bend in ways that made him scream across the battlegrounds.
Finally, Maxi returned to his small castle. He collapsed on his bed, sighed, and slept — dreaming nothing.
Life continued. He trained in battle styles and learned more about magic, discovering how mana overflows between dimensions. Mana, in its original dimension, spills into others, where it is processed and made bearable. Over time, it reaches his dimension. Maxi gradually learned to use his first spell after three months and began mastering a second spell, with Colen providing guidance for independent practice during his upcoming trip.
The night before the trip, Maxi dragged himself to his room, exhausted.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed a man at his window. A long pink-haired man in a flamboyant suit, wearing pink diamond-rimmed glasses, smiled as the wind lifted his coat.
he spoke in a voice overly cocky not quite like Tengens it had a little bit more craziness, a little bit more flamboyant, a little more elegant, "You're Maxi Bloodheart, right? I don't need an answer — I already know. I just wanted to meet the new great-grandson of Old Man Kan. I still believe he made me do this… Well, it was his final wish, so I may as well. I wonder if someone in this family has found him yet. Oh, that boy, my great-grandson… I knew Aliea was my favorite."
Maxi ground his teeth, indifferent — or too tired to care.
The man laughed. "I guess I got lost in thought. Sorry. I just wanted you to see me. I have nothing else to say. Just tell Aliea her old man said hello."
With that, he disappeared. Maxi fell asleep.
The next day, Maxi woke up, took a bath, and dressed simply since Tengen had warned him not to draw too much attention.
He wore a button-up shirt, a plain black blazer, and black pants. After fixing himself up, he picked up the suitcase he had packed with clothes and slid on his glasses.
Maxi went to the coner of his room, where he placed the book that his mother gave him. Maxi tapped his chin think of what to call the story he had written in it after a few minutes Maxi come up with a name Maxi opened the book skiped a few pages which mainly contained a draft of a story maxi had never finished then Maxi finally reach the story he full finished and wrote on the title of the story Ties Almost Forgot then Maxi writes at the bottom
"Love can make you blind,"
Maxi put the book away in his suitcase
When he opened the door and stepped outside his castle, he saw Tengen waiting for him.
Tengen waved cheerfully. "Hey, Master Maxi!"
Maxi sighed, thinking, (Well… here we go.)
He walked over with his bag in hand. "Hello, Tengen."
Tengen grinned. "Ready for the adventure of your life?"
"I guess. But why did we have to get up this early?" Maxi whined.
"So I could force everyone in your family to wake up early too," Tengen smirked.
"For what?" Maxi asked flatly.
"Fun," Tengen said, grinning wider. "Now come on, let's take a group photo."
Maxi followed him and saw some of his siblings gathered together, along with his mother and Techxin's mom.
His mother rushed up to him and hugged him tightly.
"Hey, Mom," Maxi said, smiling.
"Hello, my sweet angel." Her breath was shaky. "I can't believe I won't see you for so long."
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine," Maxi said, kissing her head.
"Well, you'd better be fine, otherwise I'll have your tutor's head."
Tengen chuckled awkwardly. "How about we take the picture before the carriage leaves without me and Maxi?"
His mother sighed. "Okay, fine. I guess he's right."
Maxi walked with Tengen to the back row, only to realize he was too short. Tengen laughed, then picked Maxi up and set him on his flexed muscles, posing dramatically. Maxi couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. He smiled as a magical mechanical bot clicked the picture.
One by one, his siblings wished him good luck—some lazily, others with warmth. Techxin gave him a fist bump. Colen nodded at him.
Snow clung to Maxi, and he gently patted her head.
"I'm proud of you. Sorry i couldn't say it before i was busy with my studies," Snow said softly, melting his heart.
maxi nodded, nearly holding back tears. "It fine. Snow it's fine,"
Dallas and Mōkō both saluted. Techxin's mother patted Maxi's head.
"Good luck on your trip, Maxi, you sweet angel."
"Thanks, Auntie Qill," Maxi replied.
She laughed. "Oh, angel, don't call me Auntie Qill. Baby cousins call me that. You're a little more special. Call me Auntie Aliea."
Maxi blinked, then remembered something. "Oh yeah, some strange guy told me to tell you he said hello."
Her face lit up with surprise. "Wait… did he have pink hair and pink glasses?"
Maxi thought for a moment, then nodded tiredly—he hadn't slept much and barely remembered.
Even so, Auntie Aliea's expression softened, and she hugged him. "You just made my day. Thank you."
"Sure," Maxi said, unsure what else to add.
Finally, Maxi put his things in the carriage. Just as he was about to climb in, Angelina came running up.
She was breathing heavily. "Sorry! I wasn't going to wake up early, but I tried my best. Sorry I'm late!"
Maxi shrugged. "It's fine. We're already done anyway."
"I'm really sorry, young master," Angelina said, bowing her head.
Maxi chuckled, patting her head with a smile. "It's really fine. Come on, lift your head."
Angelina raised her head, nodding as her tail began wagging again.
"By the way… did you want to come with me?" Maxi asked.
Her tail curled around her leg, and guilt flickered in her eyes. She glanced at the ground, hesitated, then said, "No."
Maxi was a little surprised. "You sure?"
She nodded. "I'd rather stay in the castle with Head Maid Ray."
Maxi smiled softly. "Okay. Then make sure to take good care of my mother, alright?"
Angelina returned the smile and nodded.
For a moment, her eyes met Tengen's. His smile sharpened as his eyes glowed red, and as he turned, the glow revealed itself to be a red star.
Maxi climbed on top of the carriage. He let the wind brush past him as he spread his arms out—only for Tengen to suddenly shout, "Master Maxi! Get the spiraling hell off the top of the carriage!"
Maxi muttered an apology and ducked inside. As the carriage started moving, he looked back and saw Angelina, his mother, Techxin, and Auntie Aliea all waving goodbye.
He sighed, then looked forward. The gates opened before him, showing him a great kingdom he had lived in for 7 years but was only now seeing for the first time.
And the only thought that entered his mind was—
I am finally free.
Authors note.
The this next bit of text is what can be best described as filler or even better as storys maxi reads on his down time. It does not in anyway correlate with the main story, and is just a story idea i thought of and didn't want to write, because I am lazy
So you can happily skip over this because this was made by the world destroying tool we call Ai
But if you don't just thars okay as well just get ready for A. Interesting side story.
**Chapter 1: The Lazy Master's Morning Chaos**
The morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains of the Lindwig estate, casting golden rays across the sprawling mansion that had once been whispered about in dark corners of the kingdom. Now, it stood as a testament to redemption—or at least, attempted redemption. Inside the master bedroom on the third floor, Line Lindwig lay sprawled across his enormous bed, his long hair cascading down like a dark waterfall, pooling on the silk sheets and spilling onto the floor below.
"Master Line! Master Line! Wake up, wake up, wake uuuup!" A high-pitched, energetic voice pierced through his peaceful slumber.
Line groaned, pulling a pillow over his face. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he muttered an incantation, and the pillow began to gently float, hovering just above his head to block out the noise. "Five more minutes..." he mumbled, his voice muffled.
"No! No more minutes! You promised we'd go to the market today!" The voice belonged to Pip, the goblin girl whose green skin practically glowed with excitement. She bounced on the edge of his bed, her short stature doing nothing to diminish her overwhelming energy. Her wild orange hair stuck out in every direction, and her amber eyes sparkled with mischief.
Before Line could protest further, the bedroom door creaked open, and a tall, lanky figure slipped inside. Luna, the wolf girl, stood awkwardly in the doorway, her grey fur-covered ears twitching nervously. She was exceptionally tall—nearly six and a half feet—and her posture was perpetually hunched as if trying to make herself smaller. Her silver eyes darted around the room before settling on Line's prone form.
"P-Pip... maybe we should let Master rest a bit longer..." Luna's voice was barely above a whisper, her clawed hands fidgeting with the hem of her simple maid uniform that had been specially tailored to accommodate her height.
"Nonsense!" Another voice cut through the room, this one cool and measured. Elara, the human girl with pale skin and sharp grey eyes, entered carrying a stack of books. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and her glasses reflected the morning light. "Master Line has an important letter that arrived this morning. It requires immediate attention."
Line finally sat up, his long hair falling around him like a cloak. The bags under his eyes were prominent—a permanent feature from years of staying up late reading or practicing magic. His loose robes hung off his shoulders, revealing his lean frame. He yawned widely, stretching his arms above his head.
"An important letter? Can't it wait until after breakfast?" He gave Elara his most charming smile, the kind that usually got him out of responsibilities.
Elara's expression didn't change. "No, Master. It's from the Royal Academy of Arcane Arts. They've accepted your application."
The room fell silent. Even Pip stopped bouncing.
Line blinked slowly, processing this information. "The Academy? I applied to that?" He scratched his head, genuinely confused.
"Your father applied on your behalf six months ago," Elara explained, adjusting her glasses. "He believed it would be... beneficial for the family's reputation."
"Of course he did," Line sighed, running his fingers through his impossibly long hair. He snapped his fingers, and the hair began to braid itself automatically, the strands weaving together with practiced magical precision. "Well, I suppose if I must go, I won't go alone."
Luna's ears perked up. "M-Master?"
Line's tired eyes suddenly gleamed with mischief. "I'm bringing all of you with me. As my personal maids, of course."
The room erupted into chaos. Pip squealed with delight, bouncing even higher. Luna's face flushed beneath her grey fur, her tail beginning to wag despite her attempts to remain composed. Elara's eyebrow raised slightly—the most emotion she typically displayed.
"All of us, Master?" Elara questioned. "That would include Zara, Nyx, Mira, Kora, Sage, Whiskers, Yuki, and Coral as well?"
"Every single one," Line confirmed, finally standing up. His robes pooled around his feet as he stretched again. "Where are the others, anyway?"
**Chapter 2: The Gravity of Laziness**
Line stood in the grand dining hall, surrounded by his collection of monster girls who had gathered after hearing the news. The long table was laden with breakfast—fresh bread, exotic fruits, and various dishes that catered to each girl's unique dietary needs. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating the eclectic group.
Zara, the dark-skinned elf with flowing silver hair, sat gracefully with her hands folded in her lap. Her amber eyes watched Line with quiet devotion. Beside her, Nyx the vampire lounged dramatically, her crimson eyes half-lidded with perpetual boredom, though her pale fingers drummed against the table with barely concealed interest. Mira, the shy orc girl whose green skin contrasted beautifully with her soft pink hair, kept her gaze down, occasionally stealing glances at Line. Kora, the cat girl with sleek black fur and golden eyes, stretched languidly across her chair, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
Sage, the gargoyle, sat perfectly still at the far end, her stone-grey skin and expressionless face making her appear like a statue. Whiskers, the rat girl with twitchy ears and nimble fingers that betrayed her former life as a street thief, was already eyeing the silverware with professional interest. And there, standing slightly apart, was the newest addition—a dragon girl with scales that shimmered between deep purple and midnight blue. Her name was Tempest, and her sharp, reptilian eyes regarded everything with cool assessment. She had only been with them for three months, and still maintained an air of dangerous mystery.
Finally, there was Yuki—the nine-tailed kitsune who had been with Line since childhood. She currently held Coral, the mermaid girl, in her arms. Coral's tail shimmered with iridescent scales, and she giggled happily, completely content despite being out of water. Yuki's fox ears twitched as she listened to Line speak, her golden eyes filled with ancient wisdom that belied her youthful appearance.
"So, Master," Kora purred, her tail swishing behind her. "You're really planning to drag all of us to this stuffy Academy?"
Line yawned, already looking exhausted by the mere thought. "Well, they can't exactly stop me. I'll just say you're all my maids. If they have a problem with that..." He paused, his tired eyes suddenly sharp with defiance. "Then I simply won't go. Father can deal with the political fallout himself."
"Master Line," Elara interjected, pushing her glasses up. "The Academy has strict regulations about—"
"Regulations, schmegulations," Line interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. A teacup floated from the table to his hand without him even looking at it. "I don't particularly care about their rules. They want a Lindwig? They get a Lindwig on Lindwig terms."
Nyx laughed, a sound like tinkling bells mixed with dark amusement. "How delightfully arrogant. I approve, Master. Though I wonder if your laziness will allow you to actually follow through with such bold declarations."
"Hey now," Line protested weakly, taking a sip of tea. "I'm not that lazy."
Every single girl in the room stared at him with varying degrees of disbelief.
"Master," Luna spoke softly from her corner, her tall frame hunched over. "Y-you used magic yesterday to... to scratch your own back because reaching was 'too much effort'..."
"That's called efficiency, Luna dear," Line countered with a teasing grin. "Why waste physical energy when magical energy replenishes itself?"
Pip bounced in her seat. "Ooh! Ooh! Tell them about the time you made your food float to your mouth because lifting your fork was 'exhausting'!"
"Pip, you're not helping my case here," Line sighed dramatically.
Tempest, who had been silent until now, spoke in a low, measured voice. "If you're truly as powerful as the rumors suggest, why waste your potential on such... trivial applications?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if challenging him.
Line met her gaze with his perpetually tired eyes. "Because, my dear dragon, power without purpose is just noise. I'd rather live comfortably than chase some grand destiny." He smiled that infuriatingly charming smile. "Besides, who says making life easier isn't a worthy goal?"
Yuki giggled, her tails swaying gently. "Master Line has always been this way. Even as a child, he'd rather find the easiest path than the most glorious one."
"Speaking of paths," Line stood up, his long hair—now braided—swaying behind him. "Yuki, care to accompany me for morning training? Can't let this body become completely skeletal, after all."
Yuki carefully set Coral down in a specially prepared water-filled chair before standing gracefully. "Of course, Master. Shall I prepare your pillow?"
"You know me so well."
---
The training grounds behind the Lindwig estate were expansive—a flat field surrounded by ancient trees. Line stood in the center, his robes billowing slightly in the morning breeze. Beside him floated an enormous pillow, easily six feet in diameter, hovering about three feet off the ground as if defying all natural laws.
Yuki sat at the edge of the field, her nine tails arranged elegantly around her. She watched with the patience of someone who had witnessed this routine countless times.
Line cracked his neck, then his knuckles. "Alright, let's get this over with."
He closed his eyes, and the air around him began to shimmer. It started subtly—small pebbles lifting from the ground, grass bending in impossible directions, the very atmosphere seeming to warp and twist. Then, with a deep breath, Line opened his eyes.
They glowed with an otherworldly purple light.
Suddenly, everything within a fifty-foot radius began to orbit around him. Rocks, leaves, even the morning dew suspended in the air—all of it circled Line in perfect, mathematical precision. The enormous pillow remained stationary, locked in its position as if it were the center of its own miniature solar system.
This was gravity magic—Line's main affinity. And he wasn't just proficient; he was a prodigy.
With a casual gesture, he increased the gravitational pull on a nearby boulder. It compressed, cracks forming along its surface as the stone groaned under impossible pressure. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he reversed it. The boulder shot upward, weightless, before he caught it in an orbital pattern around himself.
"Gravity magic," Yuki called out, her voice carrying across the field. "The rarest of the elemental affinities. Most mages can barely manage to make objects slightly heavier or lighter. But Master Line..."
Line smirked, and with a thought, he created multiple gravitational fields simultaneously. Objects began orbiting at different speeds, different distances, all perfectly controlled. He could see each trajectory, calculate each path—his eyesight was his range, and within that range, he was essentially space itself.
He could create orbits, change gravity's direction, make things float or crush them under immense pressure. In theory, he could probably collapse matter into singularities or tear apart molecular bonds. The potential was terrifying.
And what did he use this god-like power for?
Line hopped onto his giant floating pillow, lying back with his hands behind his head. The pillow began to drift lazily around the training field, carrying him like some sort of absurd magical cloud.
"Perfect," he sighed contentedly. "Now for the actual training."
The truth about magic in this world was complex. Roughly half of all humans were born with magical affinity—the ability to cast spells externally. Among these, women were statistically more likely to possess this gift. The other half were "regular" humans, but that didn't mean they were powerless.
Every human possessed mana, the fundamental energy of magic. Regular humans, through intense physical and mental training, could unlock their aura—a manifestation of their mana turned inward. Aura users couldn't cast external spells like fireballs or ice shards, but they could enhance themselves dramatically. They could cast spells on their own bodies: reinforcement magic to increase strength, speed enhancement, defensive barriers that clung to their skin like second skins.
Magical humans, however, couldn't do this. Their bodies weren't built to channel mana internally in the same way. Their physiology was optimized for external casting, which meant they were generally physically weaker than aura users of equivalent training.
This created an interesting dynamic. A powerful mage could devastate armies from a distance but might lose in close combat to a skilled aura user. Conversely, an aura user needed to close the distance, making them vulnerable to ranged magical assault.
For magical humans, there was another layer of complexity: main magic and secondary magic.
Every mage had a main affinity—the type of magic they were born with, the magic that came most naturally. This main magic would always be their strongest, no matter how much they trained other types. It was an absolute limit, a ceiling that couldn't be broken.
If a mage wanted to improve their secondary magics—the other types they could learn—they had to first improve their main magic. The main magic set the limit; strengthening it raised the ceiling for everything else.
Line's main magic was gravity. His secondary magics included basic elemental spells, some illusion work, and various utility enchantments. But no matter how much he practiced fire magic, it would never match his gravity manipulation. And if he wanted his fire magic to get stronger, he needed to push his gravity magic to new heights first.
It was a system that encouraged specialization while still allowing versatility.
Line, floating on his pillow, began his actual training. He created increasingly complex gravitational fields, layering them, making them interact in precise ways. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he pushed his limits—not because he wanted to be the strongest, but because maintaining his current level of comfort required a certain baseline of power.
After all, if he got too weak, he might actually have to walk places. The horror.
He practiced for exactly one hour—his self-imposed minimum—before finally releasing the gravitational fields. Everything that had been orbiting him fell gently to the ground, perfectly controlled even in their descent.
Line floated his pillow over to where Yuki sat, then hopped off with a grace that belied his lazy nature. Immediately, he reached up and slicked back his long hair, which had come partially undone during training. His face twisted in mild disgust.
"Oh, how I hate sweating," he muttered, his voice dripping with genuine distaste.
Yuki stood, producing a towel from seemingly nowhere—a trick she'd perfected over years of serving Line. "You did well today, Master. Your control has improved."
"Has it?" Line took the towel, dabbing at his forehead. "Feels the same to me. Still just as exhausting, still just as pointless."
"And yet you do it every day," Yuki observed, her golden eyes twinkling with knowing amusement.
"Well," Line admitted, "can't have this body becoming completely skin and bones. Need at least some muscle definition, even if it's just for aesthetic purposes." He paused, then added with a self-deprecating smile, "Though let's be honest, I'm already halfway to skeleton status."
It was true. Despite his daily training, Line's frame remained lean to the point of being almost gaunt. His lifestyle of maximum laziness and minimum effort meant he never built significant muscle mass. He was healthy enough to function, but nobody would mistake him for a warrior.
"Master Line," Yuki said softly as they began walking back toward the mansion. "About the Academy... are you truly not concerned?"
Line was quiet for a moment, his tired eyes gazing at the morning sky. "Concerned? Not particularly. Life has a way of working itself out, Yuki. I learned that from you, actually."
"From me?"
"Mm. You taught me that sometimes the best course of action is to simply exist and let the world move around you. Fight only when necessary, rest when possible, and never take anything too seriously unless lives are at stake." He glanced at her with a rare moment of genuine warmth. "Even then, one eye open is usually sufficient."
Yuki's tails swayed with pleasure at his words. "You were always a strange child, Master. Most would have used your power to conquer, to dominate. But you... you just wanted to float on a pillow."
"And what's wrong with that?" Line countered. "Ambition is exhausting. Give me a comfortable pillow, good company, and minimal responsibilities, and I'm content."
They reached the mansion's back entrance. Line paused, slicking his hair back one more time, his face scrunching up in distaste.
"Seriously though," he repeated, "I really, really hate sweating."
Yuki smiles fondly as she says "then how about i help you."
Whiskers walks up and climbs on Yuki so she could leap over to Line's shoulder
After safely landing on Line's shoulder whiskers takes out a towel she had "taken" while in the castle
"Here Boss" Whiskers says whipping away his sweat
Yuki on the other hand went behind him and began to tie his hair
As she began tying his hair back, the other girls watched from their various vantage points. Each of them saw something different in that moment—Seraphina saw a master worth serving, Elena saw a puzzle worth solving, Gribble saw a hero worth following, Misha saw entertainment worth staying for, Luna saw safety worth protecting, Nyx saw power worth respecting, Greta saw kindness worth cherishing, Petra saw stability worth maintaining, Squeaks saw generosity worth repaying, Aria saw beauty worth admiring, and Coral saw joy worth celebrating.
But Yuki, tying back the hair of the boy she'd known since childhood, saw something else entirely. She saw home.
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- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Style:** Chaptered Novel
- **World:** Divided realm with complex magic system—magical humans vs. aura users, monsters vs. humans
- **Protagonist:** Line Lindwig - gravity magic prodigy who uses god-like power for maximum laziness
- **Background:** Lindwig family redemption arc, Line raised to live without worries
- **Outline:** Line preparing for Academy, revealing his character flaws and incredible power
- **Core:** Love finds everyone regardless of who they are
- **Details:** Power system established—main/secondary magic for mages, aura for non-magical humans