the monarch

Every day, Kayden got better at shaping the heart, but something was always missing for it to work on its own. He was reading books about artifacts and magical things that had autonomous functions, but it wasn't helping at all. His only other activity was training against wolves and other forest animals; it was more like something to distract the mind. David was also trying to do this himself, but no results were found.

During that time, David came home a few times and found that Ryan had gotten into the college he tried. Not only did he succeed, but he was among the top ten riders.

Three months later, Kayden decided to focus entirely on the heart. He hadn't trained in fencing for about two months. His routine consisted of waking up and studying how to make the heart work. This ranged from reading books on the subject to watching videos of 3D hearts. He was dangerously close to going crazy, all his efforts were futile. It was a year thrown away. Your third year should be about learning the basics of many different elements so you have more options at the end. There was a consensus that one should master the basics of certain magic before progressing to more advanced levels. But Kayden hadn't even started it. He had only two gains this year: his mana manipulation and his combat ability.

Today he decided to do something different. He spent the day watching Cerberus and trying to see what it was about him that wasn't present in the design. What was the animal doing that it couldn't replicate? His intuition once again indicated that he was on the right path. He spent the next few days watching the animal. However, his daily life was limited to lying down, sleeping, or running after an animal that got too close to the house.

He decided he would either give himself two more months or give up on this project altogether. This made him very down and depressed. He no longer knew what to focus on to progress. "Am I doomed to a mediocre life? To failure as a mage? I can't accept that. I'd rather kill myself than live a miserable life again." Kayden was determined to succeed in this life. Your little reflection brought a dose of motivation to continue focusing on the project.

He began observing other animals in the forest and watching documentaries about their habitats and ways of life. He even tried meditating in the middle of the forest to better connect with nature.

Two months later, Kayden was at rock bottom. He knew he had little time. David promised to continue the work, but he was also discouraged. A year passed without much relevant progress. Kayden hadn't slept more than five hours a day for months. He was completely obsessed, only resting when his body refused to wake up, even with the alarm clock.

Today he was back at the orphanage and decided to take a little drastic measure. He would ask the old man, but he wouldn't broach the subject directly. Kayden was walking down the stairs to Han's office. Every step made his heart beat faster. It might seem like a simple conversation, but if the old man didn't have an answer to his problems, he would have to give up on this project entirely. Every second felt like an eternity. Finally, he reached the door and knocked lightly. After waiting a few seconds, he heard the old man inside:

"Come in," his tone was neutral.

As soon as he entered, he saw the same sofa and the old man in the same position as before. It felt almost like a rerun of his first visit to the office. However, this time the old man wore a fluffy purple robe. Even with that attire, he still looked like an elegant man.

"Hello Dad," Kayden Han greeted and walked over to one of the sofa seats. Once seated, the old man produced two cups of tea and offered one to Kayden. After taking a drink, Kayden prepared to start the conversation, but the old man interrupted his thoughts:

"Boy, I know you have a problem that's been keeping you up at night. I've seen countless cases of mages like that. Just say what you need," said the old man authoritatively.

Kayden shifted a little in his seat, wondering how to start this conversation. After the old man's speech, his plans went down the drain.

"Dad, for some reason, I can't openly tell everything", Kayden hoped that Han would accept this excuse, and seeing how the old man didn't say anything, he continued. "Say I create a robot that looks like a cat. All of its body functions are the same. A normal person would never be able to tell the difference. So would it be a cat?"

Kayden used this analogy to try to understand what was wrong with animals that have a heart of mana. The old man scratched his chin a little and replied:

"No, it wouldn't be, because it would lack something basic and very important: the life given by nature." He was silent for a moment and added: "Don't ask me how I know, but we've had cases of cloning in magical experiments and the clone never lived more than a few days."

"Why?" The subject deviated a little from the main theme, but it caught the boy's attention.

"The answer humans have found is simple: we can't bring something to life. Even though it's identical, something is still missing. The clone doesn't have the essence", the old man explained calmly and sipped his tea.

Kayden was thoughtful for a few minutes, digesting this information. The old man realized that the boy needed to think about the matter and was silent for a moment. Kayden looked up and was ready for the next question:

"Say I have an organ of a human being modeled in mana. Why can't it perform its functions normally?" Here is your main question.

Again, the old man was lost in thought. After a few seconds, he got up and walked over to the desk in his office. As soon as he returned, Kayden saw a scroll in his hands.

"I can give you that information, but you must sign a mandatory silence contract." As soon as he said that, he passed the contract for Kayden to read. It had only one line written on it: "Keep it a secret or lose your life in the slightest attempt to expose what will be told to you." The boy didn't know what to do for a few seconds. It was very sudden; he didn't expect to get into secrets so big that they needed contracts.

He already knew how to perform a contract. It was very simple. All you had to do was put your mana into it and then guide the mana that the scroll would release in response to its core. Kayden needed this information, and the silence rule wouldn't matter to him. Kayden signed the contract and turned to the old man.

"Father, who are you? An ordinary person wouldn't have access to all that kind of information you have, not even the strength." This was a doubt that the boy had for a long time.

The old man took a deep breath, his eyes lost in memories of the past. This lasted for a few seconds. At times, his eyes shone with happiness, and at others with sadness.

"After you found out my name, Heimer was able to find out who I was. I didn't let him tell you, but I think that sooner or later you will. So, after our conversation, talk to Heimer. All I ask is that you keep it a secret. , Kayden. I don't like to dwell on my past." The old man's tone sounded sad.

Kayden sensed his father's dismay and regretted asking, but it was too late for that now. The best he could do was change the subject.

"Can you tell me about the secret from before, Dad?" He returned to his objective, at the same time reaching for his cup and asking for more tea. His nervousness made him drink the liquid like water on a hot day.

Han filled the two's container again, thought for a few seconds, and started his story: