Earth's Greatest Magus

Hearing her words, a flood of memories surged within Emery's mind, transporting him back to a vivid scene from the past.

It was a tranquil afternoon, the air filled with the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle caress of a refreshing breeze, accompanied by the warmth of the sun. Emery was unable to utter a single word, lying motionless on a tilted chair. Suddenly, he was jolted from his reverie as a small hand pinched his body.

"Uncle, doesn't this hurt? Are you... dead?" came the innocent voice of a young girl.

Receiving no response, the silver-haired girl climbed onto Emery's lap and began to play with his hair, oblivious to his condition. Suddenly, a thunderous voice interrupted their interaction.

"What are you doing!? Get down, now! Right away!!" The authoritative tone belonged to another figure, one dear to his heart.

The girl unhappily frowned before retorting, "I didn't do anything, Auntie," her defiance evident in her expression.

This flash of memory brought forth a face, almost identical to the young girl currently sitting in front of him. Her name surfaced in his mind like a whisper carried by the wind.

"Shinta... you are Shinta, aren't you?" Emery realized, his voice was tinged with a mix of astonishment and recognition.

Hearing his recognition, Shinta's heart raced with hope that he remembered her, but his next words shattered her expectations.

"Yes, You are Shinta, ...Visla Ouroboros' daughter,"

Emery's words carried warmth, but they weren't the ones she had been hoping for.

Stunned, Shinta felt a whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her mind. "He doesn't know? Is he in the dark all this time like I was...? Why doesn't he know? Is he pretending?" Questions bombarded her consciousness, each one more bewildering than the last.

She longed to release the pent-up emotion that had been building within her, but she couldn't summon the courage to do so.

Was it disappointment? Anger? Or perhaps just fear of how he would perceive her? Would he accept her for who she truly was?

Fear won over, gripping her tightly, causing her to tremble as she finally replied,

"Yes... I am Shinta... uncle,"

The weight of the last word was heavy on her tongue.

Emery's mind clicked into place, and he finally saw the reason why Shinta felt so familiar. She was 'her' niece. Despite this recognition, a faint sense of something missing lingered in his heart, but his logical mind quickly filled in the gap. "I guess I just... missed her so much," he mused, attempting to rationalize the emotional turmoil within him.

The cloud of mystery seemed to lift, and the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place. However, before he could fully comprehend the situation, Emery came to a realization.

"You came with a different identity... Are you in trouble?" He questioned, his tone laced with concern.

Shinta hesitated for a moment, her expression betraying a hint of apprehension before she finally responded, "It's a family... a clan matter," her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke. The weight of her words seemed to drag her spirit lower, casting a shadow over the conversation.

"Ah... I see,"

Emery sensed the heavy burden weighing on Shinta's mind, and he could tell that it was a problem she was unable to share openly. Still, he felt compelled to offer his assistance, wanting to do something, anything, to ease her troubles.

"Whatever trouble you are in... I can help you," Emery offered earnestly, his voice filled with sincerity.

These words seemed to elicit a sudden shift in Shinta's emotions, they added to the whirlwind of emotions within her thoughts.

"Helping me? What can you help me with... You can't even recognize me..."

Emery's offer sensed hollow to her, it felt like an empty promise, evoking a sense of bitterness and doubt. "Did he do the same to my mother? making such promises,?" she wondered silently, her mind swirling with unanswered questions and painful memories.

With a sudden shift in her emotions, she responded, "No, you cannot help me, mister."

Once again, she referred to him as "mister," adding to the layers of confusion and conflict swirling within Emery. However, a realization dawned upon him in that moment. Shinta's father, Visla, harbored a deep-seated hatred towards him, and her grandmother had similarly distanced herself. It was evident that Shinta was facing some kind of internal struggle, perhaps stemming from the complex dynamics within her own family.

A heavy silence settled between them, the air thick with unspoken tension. Even the tea had gone cold, but neither of them seemed willing to break the uneasy stillness that hung in the air.

The tension between the two did not go unnoticed by the other acolytes, even though they couldn't hear their conversation. Murmurs rippled through the group as they exchanged curious glances.

"What are they saying?"

"She was even crying, wasn't she...? Master is really capable of moving her heart. He's a real expert!"

However, their speculation was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a group of individuals outside the hall. At first, Damo mistook them for new recruits, but his assumption was quickly corrected. The newcomers exuded an aura of power, guided by a full moon magus accompanied by five of his acolytes.

The magus cast a disdainful glance at the assembled acolytes, his expression dripping with contempt. "Huh... sitting around at a time like this... what an embarrassment," he sneered, his voice laced with superiority.

One of the acolytes stepped forward and said, "Tell your master to come out. Master Aspen is here to meet," he declared, his words infused with a commanding tone that brooked no argument.

As Ashaka stepped forward to politely receive the guests, they adamantly refused to speak with him, insisting on seeing the head instructor. Their presence quickly shattered the fragile silence that had settled between Emery and Shinta.

Deeply annoyed by the interruption, Emery's thoughts darkened with the temptation to instantly throw them all into his blackhole. However, before he could act on his impulse, Shinta rose from her seat.

"It seems you have a problem yourself, mister. I will not trouble your time anymore," she declared, her voice carrying a note of dignified resignation. With a graceful bow of respect, she added, "Thank you for the tea; it was very enjoyable," before gracefully exiting the room.

Emery was relieved to see that Shinta hadn't departed immediately but was instead observing the unfolding situation.

As he approached the group, his gaze met the full moon magus's, and he mirrored the same courtesy they had shown.

"I am Instructor Emery. What do you want?!"