"Leon, bring extra breakfast tomorrow. We're heading to Linden Pine Valley after class," Im said, packing his research notes.
"Master, why Linden Pine Valley? Is there treasure there?" Leon asked, curious.
Im smiled. "I'm building a magical herb garden there. We'll all move there soon."
Dahlia's eyes widened. "You're leaving the manor? Is it not nice enough? I'll tell Father—he'll fix whatever's wrong!"
Flower nodded quickly. "Yes, Master. Name your demands, and Father will meet them."
Im shook his head. "Not me—we're all moving. I need space to grow magical herbs. Leon's charcoal filtration method got my paper accepted, so now I can make high-quality potions to sell. When you start learning alchemy, we'll need fresh herbs—buying them would bankrupt your father. Plus, I'll set up an Elemental Convergence Rune Circle there to boost mana concentration, which helps with magic learning. But regular people can't stay in high mana areas—they'll get mana corruption."
"Corruption? What happens then?" Leon pressed.
"Worst case, death. Mild cases? Weakened health, early aging, frequent sickness. In extreme mana zones, people turn into element puppets," Im said flatly.
Dahlia gasped, clutching her face. "Will we get old and ugly?"
"Relax—you'll be official apprentices soon. Once you can gather mana, corruption won't hurt you," Im reassured her. Then he glanced at Leon. "…Except you. You still can't meditate?"
Leon's ears burned. "I'm trying. The rune circle you gave me—I can stare at it for ten minutes now, but I still can't memorize every detail. Flower's already meditating, and Dahlia's almost there."
Dahlia puffed out her chest. "I get it right two out of three times! Master says I just need more practice to be an apprentice."
The next morning, they piled into a wooden cart pulled by two horses. Leon was excited at first—he'd never ridden a "fancy" cart before—but that faded fast. Outside Sarneth's walls, the road turned into a rutted dirt path, and the cart jolted so hard Leon flew off his seat. Im grabbed his arm just in time.
"Slow down," Im told the driver. "This path's too rough for speed."
The cart crawled, no faster than a walking pace. Leon leaned against the side, thinking of Earth's diesel tricycles—bumpy, loud, and just as uncomfortable. "Master, is there a magic to make carts smoother?" he asked.
"Floating carriages exist," Im said. "They have rune plates under the wheels to lift them off the ground. No bumps, but they're expensive. Airships are for long distances—they fly above clouds, but they're small, costly, and attract powerful sky beasts."
Dahlia's eyes lit up. "I'll make a small airship someday! This cart's terrible."
Im laughed. "First, learn math and magic. Then we'll talk."
By mid-morning, the cart stopped. Linden Pine Valley was ahead—tall linden and pine trees covering rolling hills, a narrow stream cutting through the valley floor.