The Loneliest Soul

Maxi stood in a black void, his breaths slow and steady. He sprinted forward, his body driven by an unseen force, his mind clear and focused. Time lost all meaning as he ran, but after what felt like an eternity, he finally saw it—a spotlight illuminating an old, prestigious table, and atop it, a book.

His heart pounded as he pushed himself harder, closing the distance with every step. But just as his fingers reached out, shadowy hands erupted from the void, lunging at him. Maxi leaped, desperate to grasp the book, but the hands caught him mid-air. He struggled, kicking and twisting, but the darkness swallowed him whole.

Maxi jolted awake in his bed, panting. His hand went to his forehead, frustration bubbling inside him. Another failure. Another dream where he couldn't reach the book. He sat up, rubbing his face before dragging himself to the washroom. As he brushed his teeth, he caught his reflection in the mirror. His hair had grown longer, his baby cheeks still stubbornly refusing to fade. He sighed, shaking his head.

Time had passed so quickly.

It had been two years since the battle between Techxin and Tengen. Two years since the conditions were set. Maxi still felt powerless compared to them. He had three years left until his blessing awakening ceremony, and until then, all he could do was rely on his natural talent—if he could even call it that.

He wasn't the protagonist of some grand tale. He had no system, no divine intervention guiding him. Most of his siblings hated him, and the ones who didn't simply tolerated his existence. Now that he was allowed inside the main house more often, the chances of encountering them had increased, which he despised. He couldn't even imagine what they would do if he annoyed them even slightly.

He slapped his face lightly, just enough to snap himself out of his spiraling thoughts. Another sigh. He sighed too much these days.

Stepping into the bath, he tried to wash away his worries, but they clung to him like a second skin. After drying off, he dressed in a black button-up shirt, black pants, a white waistcoat, and polished black shoes. His round glasses sat snugly on his nose as he glanced at the bookshelf in the corner of his room.

Once, he had cherished those books. But after reading from the main castle's library, they felt… lacking. The descriptions, the depth, even the illustrations—everything in the royal library was superior. It was like going from eating stale brown bread to freshly baked white bread. And now, he couldn't imagine going back.

Another sigh.

Almost hesitantly, he grabbed a book without even looking at the title. He finished the thick volume in twenty minutes. His reading speed had improved dramatically over the years. For the next few hours, he devoured book after book, finishing over half his bookshelf's contents.

Then came a knock. Steady, practiced—like a heartbeat.

Maxi walked over and opened the door to find Angelina. She had grown taller, towering over him now. Definitely an early growth spurt. Her once-long red hair was now cut shorter, a choice she had made, saying it was "too distracting." Her wolf ears twitched slightly, and her tail swayed behind her as she smirked.

"Hello, young master. Is it me, or have you gotten shorter all of a sudden?"

Maxi smirked back. "No, you've just become a giant freak."

Angelina poked his chest, still grinning.

"Whatever you say, short young master."

Maxi asks

"Yeah, whatever. Are we going to Tengen?"

Angelina nodded. "Yes, we are."

"Then let's go."

They walked through the halls of Maxi's mini castle, the familiar stone walls passing by in silence. After a few minutes, they arrived at Tengen's room. Angelina opened the door, and Maxi stepped inside, followed by her.

The room was just as he remembered. The gray stone floor, the black-painted walls and ceiling adorned with red stars forming constellations and galaxies. The patterns shifted depending on one's perspective, endless in their possibilities.

At the center stood a stage-like chair made of dark red oak, with a plush purple cushion. To the far right, a door likely leading to Tengen's private chambers. At the back of the room, a blackboard and a long table, also crafted from rich red oak.

And there, sitting atop the table, was Tengen.

He had gained a few new scars since his battle with Techxin, most of them hidden beneath his black shirt, which had the word Falling written across it, accompanied by an image of a bird transforming into an angel. His pants were plain black, but the most visible scar was the one around his neck. His robe, which now mostly draped over his right shoulder, concealed part of it, but not completely.

Tengen's grin widened as he saw Maxi. "Maxi—"

He caught himself, his smile faltering slightly before he cleared his throat.

"Master Maxi, how are you doing, my dear student?"

Maxi chuckled as he took his seat. "I've been good. How about you?"

Tengen leaned back, stretching.

"Same old, same old. My new maid has been great—helping me sort out the paperwork for our upcoming trip and my resignation papers."

Maxi's smile faded slightly. "Resignation papers?"

Tengen nodded.

"Yeah. After I take you on that trip, my work as your tutor is officially done. Thanks to you and me canceling that condition, I don't have to teach you magic. So, once the trip is over, I can resign."

Maxi's heart sank a little. "How long is the trip?"

"Two or three months."

Maxi swallowed. "So I only have this month and those three months with you?"

"Yep."

A strange sadness settled over Maxi. Despite the trouble Tengen had put him through, he liked him. He wasn't as cocky anymore, especially after his fight with Techxin, and in his own way, he had been a good mentor. Maxi was grateful for everything he had taught him.

Maxi took a deep breath, pushing away the disappointment. He still had four months. Four months to make the most of his time with Tengen. He wouldn't waste them.

Tengen clapped his hands together.

"Alright… young master, let's begin our lesson."

Maxi nodded.

"Today," Tengen announced, "we're going to learn about the history of our planet—Pelody."