Arius stared at the glowing status screen, trying to make sense of it. The words were still strange, but little by little, he was beginning to understand.
"…Hidden traits…" he whispered.
If they were shown here, then he should be able to use them, right? He focused, reaching for the faint power he thought was inside him.
Nothing. Not even the slightest response.
Arius let out a short breath. So it's not that easy. I probably should have trained more…
Just then, something slipped. His power stirred on its own, and a cold wave spread through the room. Frost formed across the floor with a sharp crack, the sudden chill making the air feel heavy.
Arius's eyes widened. He hadn't meant to use it. His heart raced as he looked at the frozen marks left behind.
"…This is dangerous," he muttered. Practicing here could get him in trouble—or worse.
He straightened. If I want to train, I should go to the yard. That place is built for this.
With that decision, he turned toward the door, the faint frost still melting behind him.
Arius stepped out of his room and walked down the hall. It was unusually quiet—he rarely found the hall so empty. Something felt… off.
A little ahead, he noticed a group of servants gossiping among themselves. He didn't pay attention to their chatter and continued toward the training yard.
Before long, he reached the yard. It was wide and empty, surrounded by tall stone walls. The ground was covered with sand to prevent serious injuries. This was the place where trainees usually practiced.
Arius sometimes trained alongside them, but today was different. All the trainees were either attending their classes or guarding the main hall, which wasn't far from the yard.
Arius looked around to double-check. No one was here.
"…Good."
He took a slow breath and began stretching, bending, and loosening his body to prepare for practice.
Once ready, he stood in the middle of the yard and closed his eyes, focusing. He tried to activate his hidden traits, but nothing happened. No effect. No response.
He shifted to his usual attacks using his first trait, Ice Vein. That worked perfectly.
For the next half hour, he tried over and over, pushing himself, but eventually he collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
Why can't I feel it? Why can't I use it? he thought. Maybe it's still locked… or my body isn't ready yet.
After a moment, he stood up again, brushing the sand off his clothes. Trying the third trait over and over isn't helping. I should probably focus on other exercises first.
Arius shook his head and stepped away from the sand. If he wanted to complete the quest, he needed more strength than before.
He began simple exercises—squats, push-ups, stretches, and running. His arms and legs burned after a few sets, but with his trait Ice Vein, it was easier for him to manage his body's temperature.
Hours passed. The morning sun climbed high, and Arius didn't notice the time.
It was then that his maid, Della, entered the training yard. Only then did he realize how long he had been at it. He immediately stopped and straightened up.
"You shouldn't be training in that condition," Della commented, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at him.
Arius looked at Della. "I… I just didn't notice the time," he admitted, his heartbeat rising and falling rapidly.
Della shook her head, a hint of concern in her sharp green eyes. Her hair was neatly tied at her shoulders, and her maid uniform was spotless. "You shouldn't be here. You should rest and heal yourself instead."
Arius finally allowed himself a small smile. "Okay… understood."
He stepped aside, letting himself breathe, feeling slightly better despite his tiredness.
Della watched him for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry, but shouldn't you explain what happened this morning to the Patriarch?" She paused briefly. "He's been waiting for your answer."
Right… I hadn't thought about explaining this morning, Arius muttered to himself.
"Yeah… you're right. I should meet the Patriarch," he added, starting to walk while thinking of a reasonable explanation.
Della nodded and stepped aside, following him with a concerned expression on her face.
He just needed to give the Patriarch a good explanation. If he failed, the Patriarch might pull him back from clearing the lair.
As he walked through the hall toward his room, he noticed more servants . He kept encountering them one after another, but Arius ignored them and continued straight to his room.
After entering the room, he decided to eat something. He hadn't eaten anything today, and a faint hunger was starting to creep in.
He called out to Della, "I'm feeling a little hungry. Could you bring me something to eat?"
Della, who was standing near the door, gave a small nod. Her eyes lingered on him with quiet concern before she turned and left the room.
Now alone, Arius lay down on the bed, intending to take a short nap while waiting for the food.
Arius lay on the bed, staring at the white ceiling decorated with intricate patterns. He closed his eyes, resting a little while waiting for the food to arrive.
Soon, footsteps approached from the outside. Della entered, followed by two servants carrying trays laden with bread, fresh fruit, and a bowl of steaming soup.
"You should eat while it is still warm," she said gently, setting the tray upon the table.
Arius pushed himself upright and offered a slight nod. "Thank you, Della."
She remained nearby, her hands folded gracefully before her, while the servants withdrew to the side in silence.
Arius picked up the spoon and tasted the soup. Warmth spread through him, easing his hunger. For a while, he ate in silence, while Della and the servants waited quietly nearby.
When he finally set the spoon down, Arius leaned back slightly. "This is much better," he admitted.
He rose to his feet, and the servants quietly gathered the trays before leaving the room.
With a subtle gesture, he signaled for Della to go as well. She understood immediately and followed after them.
Not long after, Arius lay down on the bed once more, his mind drifting between what he should do next and the memories he recalled.
"I should start preparing for the lair… I don't have much time," Arius muttered.
He immediately stepped out of bed, deciding it was best to meet the Patriarch and give him a proper explanation with the information he had.
He left the room, once again walking through the same hall, his mind focused on the explanation he needed to give the Patriarch.
As he walked, he considered many possibilities, even wondering if he should also ask about joining the academy.
With the influence House Korvis held, entering the Imperial Avalor Academy would not be difficult. The only issue was that the academic year had already started three to four months ago.
Because of that, Arius had no choice but to rely on House Korvis's name if he wanted to secure admission into the academy.
The Patriarch was Arius's grandfather, so it would not be difficult to convince him to offer his support. In fact, the Patriarch would likely agree to Arius's request without much hesitation.
Right now, he should give priority to the mission in the Lair. The last time he went, he barely escaped death, and most of his comrades were killed.
This time, he had some plans and remembered a few paths. All he needed to do was map things out carefully so they could gain more advantage.
As he walked through the corridor, Arius finally reached his destination. He now stood in front of the Patriarch's office door.
A single guard was stationed there, standing firmly as he kept watch. Arius approached him.
"Could you please send a message that I'm here to meet the Patriarch?" Arius asked in a calm tone.
The guard gave a firm nod before stepping inside. Arius waited patiently, his hands resting behind his back.
Moments later, the guard returned and bowed slightly. "You will have to wait here for a moment."
Arius nodded politely and quietly stepped back to wait for the call.