Aiden and Genevieve walked into the mansion. It was made of hardwood that absorbed the light. Despite that darkness, the mansion was illuminated with violet flames that seemed to eradicate any dust or insects.
"Tea?" Aiden asked as he stood up.
"I don't think the grandmaster would appreciate us brewing tea in his living room," Genevieve said.
"I think he could use some tea to loosen up," Aiden said. "This man lives in a place that makes the darkness shy away. He needs to lighten up a little."
Genevieve was silent as Aiden took out his own kettle from his inventory and placed it on the table. Then, he began pouring water that they found inside the living room. He then used his flame to make it boil in just a few seconds.
"I heard stories about him," Genevieve said. "Grandmaster Maverick has once visited the Great Barrier that separated us from the Stillpoint. He was a genius, but everything changed."
"That old man is that awesome?" Aiden asked with surprise as he sprinkled the tea leaves into the kettle. "What is he doing here then?"
"I don't know how it happened, but he lost his wife. After that, he came and lived in Argan, her birthplace, and never moved out. Some consider his presence a blessing to the city, but others think that he is wasting his talents."
"An old master with a tragic past," Aiden muttered. "Nail was right. Life is indeed cliché."
"Nail?" Genevieve asked as Aiden poured them tea and placed it on the table. "That's an odd name."
"He was a friend of mine," Aiden said as he tasted the tea. "Always tastes like heaven."
"I'm glad to see that you are enjoying the tea you stole from me."
"It was a prize, remember?"
"Not one I remember offering."
"You could've said no."
"I wouldn't go back on my word. I said you could have anything."
"Does that mean I could've had you?"
Genevieve sipped on the tea and looked at him with a grin. "I guess we'll never know."
"Can I participate in the trial again?" Aiden asked with regret.
Genevieve chuckled and placed the cup down without answering. The door swung open and Maverick came inside. He sniffed as soon as he walked in, glancing at the table where the kettle was still hot.
"You brewed tea? You make a terrible guest, kid," Maverick said as he walked toward the kettle. He reached out and picked it up, smelled the tea, and then his eyes widened in surprise. "It's not burned. The water had the perfect temperature when you placed the tea leaves."
"I had to experiment a little in my free time," Aiden said. "Pour yourself a cup, old man. God knows you need it."
"I would assume you mean Lumen," Maverick said as he reached toward the empty air and pulled out a teacup. Then, he began pouring. "How did you boil the water?"
"Aiden has awakened his first ability, a crafting flame," Genevieve said, to which Aiden looked at her with betrayal.
"What kind of flame?" Maverick sat down.
"A Starflame."
Maverick seemed surprised as he looked at Aiden with doubt. Since the cat was out of the bag, Aiden had no choice but to raise his hand. The violet flame appeared atop his hand, burning without sound and absorbing the light around it.
"A Starflame of Void," Maverick looked surprised. "Not many people choose this path, kid."
"I want to live a long life," Aiden said and extinguished the flame. "I don't want to be that kind of guy, but I think we agreed that you would give me a blueprint and a handful of ashes."
"You think I would go back on my words?" Maverick asked before waving his hand. Two items appeared out of thin air and landed on the black marble table. "Take them."
"Not bad, old man!" Aiden jumped in happiness as he snatched the items. He weighed the pouch of ashes and then unfurled the blueprint. "Is this an armor?"
"A chest plate," Maverick explained as he placed down his cup. "This is a blueprint that I have created a few days ago. You can have it."
"I can? Sweet!" Aiden rose from his chair. "Despite what everyone says and the gloomy mansion, you're not a bad person."
"I didn't say you can leave," Maverick said while squinting his eyes. "Sit down, kid. I will give them to you on one condition."
"And what condition is that?" Aiden said while placing the two items in his inventory. He had no plan to give them back.
"What you did today," Maverick said. "You kneeled just to get the items that you need to start your crafting journey. In that gesture, you have discarded pride — no matter how cheap you made it seem."
"Is this another lecture about dignity?" Aiden said with a smile. "I lived in the slums my entire life, old man. If I can kneel and get valuable items, my knees will never leave the floor."
"Are you satisfied with such an undignified way of living?"
"Dignity, honor, and loyalty are things that only the rich can enjoy," Aiden said as his expression turned cold. "Us in the lower rings of society don't have the luxury to be dignified. We cannot have pride — because we barely have enough to eat."
Maverick was silent.
Genevieve looked at Aiden.
"If this is about asking me to never do it again, then I have to refuse," Aiden said. "I will seize every chance I get to grow stronger, no matter what it means for the rest of the world. I will steal, cheat, and kneel if it means power."
"But when you look back, it wouldn't matter as much," Genevieve said. "Even if you survive and live to be the strongest, the memories will haunt you."
"Memories? Haunt me?" Aiden asked with a laugh. "When I was ten, I had to clean shoes for a living. The things I did for dinner are enough to haunt me — but they don't. You want to know why? Because I'm alive thanks to them."