Indeed, someone came to Bowen to propose a slave offer to him. It was none other than his own dear disciple, Renault. Bowen could not contain his laughter when he recollected that scene in his mind.
Renault, along with the two hefty men with mustaches, those who previously got beaten and ran from Bowen, came to Bowen's house two days ago. "Bowen, be my slave," Renault proposed hauntingly all of a sudden.
"Slave?"
"Yes, aren't you happy? I will even pay you 1 bronze coin every month. What do you say?"
If it were someone else, Bowen would just say "not interested" and move away, but now Renault is his disciple, so Bowen decided to know about his intentions, to understand him better. "Why me all of a sudden?" asked Bowen to test Renault.
"Of course, it was my father's idea in the first place. 'To repay your father,' is what he said. But I didn't like it because I only want a smart and strong slave. But when my men said that you injured them, I understood that you are pretty strong, even though not as strong as me, but a little. So I lowered my standards for the very first time. You are lucky to have caught my interest."
Now Bowen knew what was happening. He wanted to teach a lesson to his stupid disciple. "I am fine with becoming your slave, but you must prove to be better than me."
"Ha, such a simple thing. I am better than you in every aspect. How do you want me to show you?"
"Hmmm… (Bowen pretending to think) What about math?" asked Bowen mischievously.
"Eeek." Renault knew how good Bowen was at math. "No, not that... something else," he said quickly.
"Okay, want to test strength?"
"Sure, let's fight then. I will beat you up easily with my lightning element." Renault was full of happiness.
"How boring, it is an old method. How about something new, like tug of war?"
"What is that?"
"Well, two people pull rope on opposite ends until one drags the other over the central line. The stronger one can easily pull the other one and make them fall over."
"Wow? Such a thing exists?" Renault itched to try something new; after all, he was a six-year-old kid.
Soon, a tough rope was brought, and tug of war started between the two. Renault's strength was ten, whereas Bowen's strength was twenty-two points by doing his daily running task. Bowen could easily pull Renault in seconds, but he wanted to play with his disciple a little. Bowen gave hope for Renault, almost falling over the central line, and soon he was back again pulling Renault to the middle.
Both of them tugged the rope on both sides for almost five minutes. Bowen decided to end the game, finally pulling Renault over the line with one forceful pull, making him trip and fall near Bowen's legs.
Renault got up furiously, brushing off the sand stuck on his clothes. "I will become your slave," Bowen said before Renault could open his mouth with a sad face, surprising Renault.
"What?.. but just now you won..."
"What do I do? Just because you lost to me, now you will use underhanded ways, like bringing your father and forcing me to become your slave. No other people will know your shameful act. Poor people like me will never get justice," said Bowen, as if he is really scared and sad.
"What are you talking about? Look here, I don't need to go to my father to make you my slave.
"What are you talking about? Look here, I don't need to go to my father to make you my slave. I will win you with my own power," said Renault proudly.
Bowen was happy that his disciple was at least fair, unlike his trash father.
"Wow, you are really great. You will become a hero that holds justice in the future," praised Bowen. After all, he had to use the carrot and stick method to train Renault.
"Really?" Renault became happy for the praise, forgetting his previous losses. "Come, let's have a second match. This time you won't be lucky," he said.
"We both are not in good condition to have another match. How about only one match per week, okay? We can recuperate and train in the meantime. What do you say?" Bowen suggested.
Renault thought for some time and finally came to an agreement. "Next time, I will decide what match to have, alright?" said Renault.
"SIRRR...? Sir? Sir, are you alright?" asked Ruby. Bowen forgot himself while reminiscing about the sweet moments with his first disciple.
"Oh, I am sorry, Ruby. I was thinking about something," said Bowen, smiling.
"Oh no, not at all, sir. Do you have any other questions for me?" Ruby asked.
"Hmm... no, but I have some personal questions," Bowen replied.
"Personal?" Ruby questioned.
"Yes, like what are you going to do about your future, having no elemental attribute?" Bowen inquired.
"How... how do you know, sir?" Ruby was shocked to know that Bowen knew about her.
"I was also one of the participants taking the test in Allar. I happened to hear your test result," Bowen explained.
"Oh, I see," Ruby replied. She was almost moved to tears, remembering what had happened that day. "What do I do? My fate is already decided to be born and die as a lowly slave," she started sobbing.
"By who?" Bowen asked.
"Huh?" Ruby was confused.
"Who decided your fate? Your parents? Your master? The god? Or those seekers who evaluated your talent?" Bowen questioned.
"But they said no one will take me in..." Ruby expressed her despair.
"So what? Did you ask each and every one of the schools to get rejected? Even if everyone rejects you, what's there to worry about? You should learn yourself then," Bowen advised.
"Learn myself? How do I do it?" Ruby wondered.
"Fine, look here," Bowen conjured a mana ball, then a mana lance, and finally a mana arrow, making Ruby go wide-eyed.
"You are an awakened, sir?" Ruby asked in surprise.
"Yes, but my test result said that I have no affinity with magic," Bowen revealed.
"What? Then how..." Ruby was puzzled.
"See, I told you other people's opinions don't matter when you want to do something. If you don't have an elemental attribute, then what? You have a high magical affinity, don't you?" Bowen explained.
"But... but they said wielding magic itself is not powerful..." Ruby countered.
"Jeez, you still don't understand. Let me give you an example. Tell me, what particles does the atmosphere of Grimesphere contain mostly? Mana, right? Mana ore, which is the hardest material, is made of mana, isn't it? All living things are made of mana and breathe in mana. If mana is so important for the existence of life and survival, why would wielding mana be unimportant?" Bowen asked.
"Ah! This..." Ruby came to a realization.
"Okay, do you know about atoms?" Bowen inquired.
"Atoms? What are they? I've never heard of them," Ruby expressed her lack of knowledge.
"Atoms are the fundamental units of matter. If you break down anything to its tiniest particle, then..." Bowen explained the basics of atoms in simple layman terms to Ruby. As he continued explaining, Ruby became more interested and started asking questions. "Can atoms be destroyed? Are mana particles made of atoms? How can we construct and deconstruct matter to its atomic form?" Ruby's curiosity grew. Initially, Bowen only intended to give her a hint about mana particles, their control, and their relation to atoms. However, he ended up talking extensively about the topic. They engaged in a long conversation and lost track of time, only realizing that evening had already arrived.
"Ah, look at the time! It's already going to be 5 in the evening. I have to go," Bowen said, remembering his unfinished tasks.
"Thank you so much for your teachings," Ruby bowed gratefully.
"Ha ha, it's nothing. Consider this as payback for the information you shared about slaves. You should experiment on your own with the basis of mana particles. If you gain control over them, you will have the power to shape this mana-filled world. Remember, a great person once said, 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' Also, please convey my thanks to your master for the sword. I will take good care of it," Bowen expressed, bidding farewell with Uncle Toto. He was happy to have someone with whom he could share his knowledge from his previous life.
Ruby kept ruminating on all the information Bowen had taught her, repeatedly going over it in her mind. She pondered the quote, "It always seems impossible until it's done," and clenched her fists with a determined gaze, looking forward to the future she would create in the name of hope.
Indeed, someone came to Bowen to propose a slave offer to him. It was none other than his own dear disciple, Renault. Bowen could not contain his laughter when he recollected that scene in his mind.
Renault, along with the two hefty men with mustaches, those who previously got beaten and ran from Bowen, came to Bowen's house two days ago. "Bowen, be my slave," Renault proposed hauntingly all of a sudden.
"Slave?"
"Yes, aren't you happy? I will even pay you 1 bronze coin every month. What do you say?"
If it were someone else, Bowen would just say "not interested" and move away, but now Renault is his disciple, so Bowen decided to know about his intentions, to understand him better. "Why me all of a sudden?" asked Bowen to test Renault.
"Of course, it was my father's idea in the first place. 'To repay your father,' is what he said. But I didn't like it because I only want a smart and strong slave. But when my men said that you injured them, I understood that you are pretty strong, even though not as strong as me, but a little. So I lowered my standards for the very first time. You are lucky to have caught my interest."
Now Bowen knew what was happening. He wanted to teach a lesson to his stupid disciple. "I am fine with becoming your slave, but you must prove to be better than me."
"Ha, such a simple thing. I am better than you in every aspect. How do you want me to show you?"
"Hmmm… (Bowen pretending to think) What about math?" asked Bowen mischievously.
"Eeek." Renault knew how good Bowen was at math. "No, not that... something else," he said quickly.
"Okay, want to test strength?"
"Sure, let's fight then. I will beat you up easily with my lightning element." Renault was full of happiness.
"How boring, it is an old method. How about something new, like tug of war?"
"What is that?"
"Well, two people pull rope on opposite ends until one drags the other over the central line. The stronger one can easily pull the other one and make them fall over."
"Wow? Such a thing exists?" Renault itched to try something new; after all, he was a six-year-old kid.
Soon, a tough rope was brought, and tug of war started between the two. Renault's strength was ten, whereas Bowen's strength was twenty-two points by doing his daily running task. Bowen could easily pull Renault in seconds, but he wanted to play with his disciple a little. Bowen gave hope for Renault, almost falling over the central line, and soon he was back again pulling Renault to the middle.
Both of them tugged the rope on both sides for almost five minutes. Bowen decided to end the game, finally pulling Renault over the line with one forceful pull, making him trip and fall near Bowen's legs.
Renault got up furiously, brushing off the sand stuck on his clothes. "I will become your slave," Bowen said before Renault could open his mouth with a sad face, surprising Renault.
"What?.. but just now you won..."
"What do I do? Just because you lost to me, now you will use underhanded ways, like bringing your father and forcing me to become your slave. No other people will know your shameful act. Poor people like me will never get justice," said Bowen, as if he is really scared and sad.
"What are you talking about? Look here, I don't need to go to my father to make you my slave.
"What are you talking about? Look here, I don't need to go to my father to make you my slave. I will win you with my own power," said Renault proudly.
Bowen was happy that his disciple was at least fair, unlike his trash father.
"Wow, you are really great. You will become a hero that holds justice in the future," praised Bowen. After all, he had to use the carrot and stick method to train Renault.
"Really?" Renault became happy for the praise, forgetting his previous losses. "Come, let's have a second match. This time you won't be lucky," he said.
"We both are not in good condition to have another match. How about only one match per week, okay? We can recuperate and train in the meantime. What do you say?" Bowen suggested.
Renault thought for some time and finally came to an agreement. "Next time, I will decide what match to have, alright?" said Renault.
"SIRRR...? Sir? Sir, are you alright?" asked Ruby. Bowen forgot himself while reminiscing about the sweet moments with his first disciple.
"Oh, I am sorry, Ruby. I was thinking about something," said Bowen, smiling.
"Oh no, not at all, sir. Do you have any other questions for me?" Ruby asked.
"Hmm... no, but I have some personal questions," Bowen replied.
"Personal?" Ruby questioned.
"Yes, like what are you going to do about your future, having no elemental attribute?" Bowen inquired.
"How... how do you know, sir?" Ruby was shocked to know that Bowen knew about her.
"I was also one of the participants taking the test in Allar. I happened to hear your test result," Bowen explained.
"Oh, I see," Ruby replied. She was almost moved to tears, remembering what had happened that day. "What do I do? My fate is already decided to be born and die as a lowly slave," she started sobbing.
"By who?" Bowen asked.
"Huh?" Ruby was confused.
"Who decided your fate? Your parents? Your master? The god? Or those seekers who evaluated your talent?" Bowen questioned.
"But they said no one will take me in..." Ruby expressed her despair.
"So what? Did you ask each and every one of the schools to get rejected? Even if everyone rejects you, what's there to worry about? You should learn yourself then," Bowen advised.
"Learn myself? How do I do it?" Ruby wondered.
"Fine, look here," Bowen conjured a mana ball, then a mana lance, and finally a mana arrow, making Ruby go wide-eyed.
"You are an awakened, sir?" Ruby asked in surprise.
"Yes, but my test result said that I have no affinity with magic," Bowen revealed.
"What? Then how..." Ruby was puzzled.
"See, I told you other people's opinions don't matter when you want to do something. If you don't have an elemental attribute, then what? You have a high magical affinity, don't you?" Bowen explained.
"But... but they said wielding magic itself is not powerful..." Ruby countered.
"Jeez, you still don't understand. Let me give you an example. Tell me, what particles does the atmosphere of Grimesphere contain mostly? Mana, right? Mana ore, which is the hardest material, is made of mana, isn't it? All living things are made of mana and breathe in mana. If mana is so important for the existence of life and survival, why would wielding mana be unimportant?" Bowen asked.
"Ah! This..." Ruby came to a realization.
"Okay, do you know about atoms?" Bowen inquired.
"Atoms? What are they? I've never heard of them," Ruby expressed her lack of knowledge.
"Atoms are the fundamental units of matter. If you break down anything to its tiniest particle, then..." Bowen explained the basics of atoms in simple layman terms to Ruby. As he continued explaining, Ruby became more interested and started asking questions. "Can atoms be destroyed? Are mana particles made of atoms? How can we construct and deconstruct matter to its atomic form?" Ruby's curiosity grew. Initially, Bowen only intended to give her a hint about mana particles, their control, and their relation to atoms. However, he ended up talking extensively about the topic. They engaged in a long conversation and lost track of time, only realizing that evening had already arrived.
"Ah, look at the time! It's already going to be 5 in the evening. I have to go," Bowen said, remembering his unfinished tasks.
"Thank you so much for your teachings," Ruby bowed gratefully.
"Ha ha, it's nothing. Consider this as payback for the information you shared about slaves. You should experiment on your own with the basis of mana particles. If you gain control over them, you will have the power to shape this mana-filled world. Remember, a great person once said, 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' Also, please convey my thanks to your master for the sword. I will take good care of it," Bowen expressed, bidding farewell with Uncle Toto. He was happy to have someone with whom he could share his knowledge from his previous life.
Ruby kept ruminating on all the information Bowen had taught her, repeatedly going over it in her mind. She pondered the quote, "It always seems impossible until it's done," and clenched her fists with a determined gaze, looking forward to the future she would create in the name of hope.
