"The ability to be self-dependent isn't impossible. But Grace should never consider asking for help as something she should never do." ~Shallies Mythernal

Grace woke up with half of her upper body outside the mattress and a foot on Shallies' bed. Luckily, the semi-retired Godkiller wasn't there. Even Apple's teacup bed was empty.

The half-orc rubbed her eyes, wiped off her drool, pulled her clothes properly, stretched out her sleepiness, made her bed, and then started heading outside. She considered borrowing Shallies' washroom to freshen up, but quickly realized it would be indulging in private property and kind hospitality a bit too much. There was another washroom downstairs anyway. At least, that was her line of thought, until she saw a piece of paper on the door on her way out.

G.

Use my washroom and bathroom, if you want. I have some care products there you might like. Don't forget to read the instructions and warnings before using them.

S.

With a smile, Grace proceeded to indulge in routine morning care. The powder room was neatly segregated from the washroom. The shelves were filled with a lot of different products for different purposes, to the point that she questioned if Shallies truly used them all. The half-orc hesitated, thinking about experimenting, but she saved that curiosity for later. She found the ones she was familiar with and used them to wash her face, but not before tying her hair up in a bun.

Grace walked around a bit to explore while she massaged some cream into her cheeks and forehead, evening out the lather throughout her entire face. After washing her hands, she decided to explore a bit while waiting for the cream to do its work.

Beyond the washroom was another door that led to the shower. She had used it last night, but not the bathtub beside it. She didn't have the time then, but her curiosity now wanted to check for secret rooms.

[Lady Shallies bought this house a week and some days ago, and the renovations were only done in the kitchen. I'm afraid there are no secret rooms or portals in the bathroom, yet.]

"Wha—!?" Grace jumped back, almost slipping because of the sudden appearance of her System Console and the almost man-made sentences it showed. "Who?"

[Forgive the sudden interruption, Miss Grace. I am Stachie, Lady Shallies' System Assistant. Though you are not yet her student in a formal capacity, I've taken the liberty to introduce myself to you. While you stay in my master's abode, I shall be taking over your System Console. Please take it as a gesture, from me personally, to show you my support.]

"Whoa…" Grace stared at the fluid sentences of her System Console, realizing a little too late that a woman's voice was talking in her head. She sounded like Shallies but in a more mature tone.

[Though my capabilities to assist you are somewhat limited until you've been formally accepted, I hope I can entrust the secrecy of my existence to you, in the same way Lady Shallies has done so with regards to her true identity.]

"Umm… Yes. I promise to keep it a secret. Pleased to meet you, Stachie. You can just call me Grace."

[Likewise. Now I've been informed to let you know that Shallies has placed you as a priority contact, meaning you can reach her via your System Console.]

"Isn't that a normal thing?" Grace asked. She had considered contacting Shallies once or twice, but had always decided against it for one reason or another.

[Nothing is ever normal with Lady Shallies, Grace. I block everyone trying to reach her, except those who are included in her whitelist. This includes you and Valor'el.]

"Ah… Wait. Just us?"

[Yes, for now. In any case, if you have other questions, please feel free to run them by me. If I'm able to help, then I shall.]

"I don't suppose—"

[I agree that it is worth a shot, Grace. But, no. This cradle egg trial was given to you by my master, and it would be unethical of me to provide you with an answer.]

"What about if I ask Apple?"

[Negative. As Lady Shallies' Soul Confidant, this trial is as much from Apple as it is from her.]

"Valor'el?"

[I cannot speak for Sir Valor'el.]

"I see!" Grace smiled. "Thank you, Stachie!"

[You're most welcome.] Even though the half-orc couldn't see the System Assistant, Grace could tell that Stachie was smiling. [Have a pleasant day, Grace.]

"You, too!"

Still trying to process what had happened while carrying a smile, Grace made her way down to the dining area. She wanted to look for Valor'el, but found Apple first.

The teacup fairy was lounging in her usual spot, almost half-asleep while taking a tea bath. Grace wondered if, as the other half of the Soul Confidant, Apple was taking the burden of sleep away from the semi-retired Godkiller. It made sense, given how she had never seen Shallies sleep for long. Though, that could be easily explained by the absurd layers of Skills her future mentor possessed.

Apple turned towards her and almost immediately burst out laughing. Bells echoed throughout the entire dining area.

Grace frowned and turned just in time to see Shallies curiously emerging from the kitchen. The Chef had the same immediate reaction, but she held on from having a complete laughing fit.

"What's wrong?" Grace asked, finally. While she didn't like getting laughed at, the two didn't do so out of spite. They weren't even spouting insults at her. She still didn't like it, though.

"Good morning, Grace." Shallies shook her head and went back to the kitchen without saying anything else.

"Good morning?" Grace blinked, turning back to the teacup fairy.

Apple struggled to contain her bell-like giggles and pressed a little finger to her cheek. Grace did the same and felt something sticky. She had forgotten to wash away the skincare cream on her face. With her neck heating up, the half-orc went to the washroom and finished her routine.

Grace found Valor'el training on the same field from yesterday. Only, this time he was meditating. Birds perched on his head and shoulders while he focused on his mana-flow. The half-orc had seen great examples of this exercise, exhibited by her teachers back in the academy. They all paled in comparison to the seraph.

It was odd, the way he did his meditation. While most tried to stay still, crossed-legged on the floor while controlling their mana in a very strict flow, Valor'el's was more… free. He was standing, moving at a crawl's pace, but none of his movements disrupted his concentration, nor spooked the animals. The only indication Grace had that he was meditating was her acute sense for mana.

She kept her distance, waiting for the seraph to finish his exercise. In the meantime, she did her own meditation. She did it as most people did. She sat on the ground, placed her hands together and settled them at her center. She closed her eyes and envisioned her mana, until she could feel its flow.

The half-orc's Class, Spell Sword, was under the Hybrid classification from the four main categories. They were placed as such due to their ability to utilize Techniques and Spells. Both required mana to pull off.

Mana was malleable down to the abstract level. There were many ways to weave it into Magic Skills, also known as Spells, or Martial Skills, also known as Techniques. Incantations, enchantments, commands, wills, authorities, sacred oaths, and even biological organs, were only some of the most common ways to manipulate mana.

The Magic-Affinity Attribute influenced this greatly. But as it was with all things, true mastery and strength could only be achieved through consistent and deliberate practice. Even if Grace possessed an obscene amount of Magic-Affinity, or Strength, Agility, or whatever else, without properly getting used to these Attributes, she wouldn't be able to wield their full potential.

Speed of casting, innate mana regeneration, feedback resistance, effectiveness. Those were only a few samples where training with mana helped improve significantly, on top of increasing Mana-Affinity. Grace made sure not to skimp out on it whenever she could. And since she was idling anyway, it was better to do mana-flow training exercises than do nothing.

"You'll strain your mana-channels if you keep that up," Valor'el said, causing Grace to break concentration.

The seraph had walked towards her, he didn't mind when the animals had left him. Still, even while talking or moving, he didn't stop with his training. Sure, the extra load of multitasking disrupted his mana-flow, but there was no struggle in his expression. Perfection was far away, and he was confidently practicing to his limit to reach that perfection.

A thought came to Grace. When he and Shallies had fought Arun'dul's cursed form, she had been constantly under pressure coming from their mana that she couldn't comprehend. Now, however, she wasn't being hindered while the seraph continuously exercised his mana. She gave the question to him.

"You're more interested in that than knowing why you're straining your mana-channels?" Despite his surprise, he still maintained concentration. In this, Grace was sure.

"I'm also interested in that," she replied. "If it's not too much to ask, I mean."

"You don't have to be overly formal with me, Grace," Valor'el started. "As long as you'll permit me to address you casually, that is. A daughter of one in a leadership position usually prefers a more rigid dialogue, but I've seen you not care for such things."

"Oh, yes. Please," Grace said, nodding profusely. "We don't really talk to royalties or nobles here much… Well, I don't. So I much prefer a friendlier chat, Valor'el."

Both of them smiled.

"That's good to hear." Valor'el sat in front of her. "As for your first question, give me a moment."

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The seraph waited for a bit, he was looking towards the direction of Shallies' tavern. Grace turned to check and saw nothing special, but she kept quiet until he was ready to speak. With a sigh, he began.

"What you experienced before is called Stellar Mana. It's divine mana that gods use. Some Favored Class holders like myself could utilize them in miniscule amounts. As for Lady Shallies… Well, you've experienced first hand what it felt like with her completely holding back."

"She was holding back?"

The seraph nodded and paused for a few seconds before speaking. "If she were to truly, completely unveil her Stellar Mana, your mere proximity to her would've instantly pressed you into blood splatters on the ground."

Grace's jaw dropped at that. She had the mind to consider if Valor'el was simply embellishing his claim, but the seraph's straightforward expression made no indication of any over-dramatization whatsoever.

"What did she mean then by using a full Scan on me?" Grace asked, struggling a bit to move on.

Again, Valor'el took a moment before he replied.

"Back then, when people used Scan, it was considered rude. For a lot of old people, it still is. Old, by mortal standards, I mean. Constant Scanning represents your inability to be subtle, since most people could detect whenever you try to peer at their profile. But since then, the Skill has been developed to be actually subtle. Nowadays, that resentment has developed into a play of said subtlety, a trial between the user and the target. It's not as shunned anymore, as long as you don't get caught, that is.

"What Shallies asked me to do back then is to not take away everything from reading your profile. From your level, your available Skills, your active buffs, and more. The more I take, the more you're able to notice and resist my Scan. For a Beginner Class like yourself however, it'd be impossible to stop one coming from a Favored Class."

"I see…" Grace gave the information some thought. She had never considered that a simple Skill like Scan could have such a history and application. Maybe there are other Skills like that?

"What else do you want to know?" Valor'el asked. "As long as I'm allowed to answer them, I shall give them to you."

Grace set aside her curiosity regarding Skills, and thought of a better question. She already knew the details of him being an Acting Deity, and Arun'dul's true nature. Without anything else she could think of off the top of her head, she went with her initial purpose.

"What do you think I should do with the cradle egg to better protect it?" She asked as straightforward a fashion as she could.

Valor'el smiled, but he didn't outright give an answer. Like before, he paused before speaking.

"Clarify for me what restrictions Shallies gave you first," he said.

"I must bring it with me everywhere. Can't lose it, can't break it, can't have others touch it." Grace thought for a while, making sure she didn't miss anything. "No storing it in my Class Inventory. Yes. I think that's about it."

Valor'el nodded. "Alright. Well, what have you tried?"

"Placed it in boxes with some stuffing. All my practice eggs broke."

"And you've run out of ideas?"

"Pretty much."

"But you haven't tried everything yet."

"Like what?"

"Potions, magical items, Skills, just to name a few."

"Well… We've thought of those. Ren and Tayin gave me some suggestions." Grace frowned. "The problem is, none of us have any of those that we can use. Ren can only use protection Techniques on himself, and Tayin doesn't have any protection Spells. I don't have enough bits to afford potions or magical items, and since this is my own trial, it makes me hesitant to ask those two for such a huge favor."

"Ah… I see." Valor'el smiled despite the half-orc's disappointment. "I think I know what Lady Shallies is trying to teach you here."

"Teach?" Grace quickly retracted her question. "I guess even trials have their learning points."

"Correct. And your lesson here is pretty important, but it's contradictory to your end goals. I think if I directly tell you the answer, the life teachings behind it would be lost on you."

"No, I don't think I'm that dense. I have an idea of what you're leading to." Grace relaxed and took her cradle egg. She presented it to the seraph with a smile. "Valor'el, would you please put a protection Spell around the egg?"

"What happened to not asking huge favors?"

"Your case is different," Grace replied. "I know you have the capability to do it, I saw you placed a barrier around Arun'dul. I also know it wouldn't take you a lot of effort, or run you dry of bits. Besides, you're going to be my senior. You should take care of your juniors, right?"

Valor'el gave a smirk. As far as Grace was concerned, the seraph had never given an expression like that before.

"Good points, Grace. I can see why Lady Shallies likes you." The seraph took a small container from his Class Inventory. An orb. He opened it and presented it to Grace.

"Since you've planned putting the cradle egg in a safe container, I think this will be in line with your idea. This works the same as your boxes, but this one is sturdier. As long as you keep it fed with mana, it'll be as sturdy as a diamond. Lady Shallies can still probably break it, but that point would be moot, since no one, neither person nor creature, under level 20, or even 50, would have the means to do so."

Grace didn't reach out right away. She had learned her lesson.

"What do you want in return?" she asked.

"We will have another guest coming tomorrow. I would very much like some pointers on how to make a good impression. I'm pretty sure you've had a number of suitors during your studies, yes?"

"Oh…" Grace's face fell. "No. People there ignored me. I came from the province, you see. And I think I was too smart and too strong to make friends. Compared to my peers, at least."

Valor'el smiled. "It's alright. I'm sure you still have ideas, right?"

"I do." The realization came to Grace a little too late. "Wait! You mean…?"

"My lover, yes," Valor'el admitted. "We separated ways for a few years, but I want to see if it's possible for us to be together again, now that we have a new cause to work together."

"Oh, yes! I'll help!"

"One more thing, Grace, if you don't mind. I would like to postulate that it might be possible for you to have misinterpreted your classmates back at the academy."

The half-orc raised an eyebrow. She didn't like talking about her school life. Everything that had happened there involved her being too isolated and homesick. But she didn't dare deny the seraph his words. Besides, she was also curious.

"What do you mean?"

"I think, most of your peers were either jealous or intimidated by you, because you're better than the rest of them."

"Eh?"

"The same was true for Lady Shallies, you see. She might not have the height, but you can tell she's aware of how she looks. And there are not many people out there who would even dare speak to her if they knew she was the Godkiller."

Grace motioned to argue, but she couldn't find the right words. There were many angles for her to make a rebuttal from, but deep inside, she hoped Valor'el was correct. It made carrying her past tolerable, knowing that she was too strong and intimidating for her classmates, rather than looking at memories of them with shunning eyes.

"In any case, I digress," Valor'el said, unaware of the half-orc's thoughts. "While I have you here, do you have any more questions? Maybe entertain some pointers for your meditation?

"Does that have something to do with me straining my mana-channels?" Grace asked, putting her internal conflict aside. If there were ways for her to improve and be more ahead of her peers, she wanted to take them.

"Correct," Valor'el replied. "When you run your mana through your channels whenever you use your Skills in an actual combat situation, you don't do it while staying still, right? Spellcaster Classes move during their incantations in order to avoid getting hit. Even when they're using rituals, they're allowed to move within their ritual zones.

"The point is, if you meditate while staying still and fight while moving, you're exercising two different states of mana-flow. It's like training your lung capacity in order to punch better. Sure, you can throw more punches, but it won't directly affect how strong or snappy your punches are."

"I think I get it." Grace, this time, digested the information a lot easier.

She had a lot of confidence in her mana-flow, her mana-control. Though she couldn't match people like Valor'el or Shallies or Apple, when matched with her peers, she was top-notch. The issue however, was recalibrating her habits, and understanding how to meditate while moving.

"How do I do that, though?" she asked.

Grace expected Valor'el to respond right away, but oddly enough, he waited again.

"First of all, it's not called meditation," the seraph said, holding out a hand. "This exercise is named The Perpetual Method. You control your mana-flow perpetually at all times. It involves all aspects of—"

"Wait a sec," Grace interjected. "At all times, even when relaxing?"

"At all times, yes, Grace. Even when you're sleeping. Of course it sounds unreasonable, I understand. The point of the exercise is to keep your conscious mind latched on to how you control your mana until you make it a natural part of your subconscious. Turn a tool into a limb, then turn that limb into a heartbeat."

"Is that even possible?" Grace struggled to find the logic and her understanding this time.

She knew the extent of her knowledge with regards to mana. It was just as Valor'el had explained. A tool. Something to grab, study, then use. Now he was saying it could become a natural part of her body, even to the point that it was on automatic. She found it hard to believe.

"Granted, even with my extended lifespan, I haven't fully mastered The Perpetual Method," Valor'el began. "I can rarely do it during sleep, for example. Even while just relaxing, I sometimes slip up. There will be some rare occasions where I get on the groove, but sudden spikes in my emotions or movements will almost guarantee that I stop. I also, admittedly, haven't done it in a long time. This morning was the first time I've done it again in decades."

"What!? That's such a waste," Grace complained.

"In a way, yes, I'll admit as much, but I have a lot of responsibilities, Grace. I didn't have time for myself until recently. Of course, I prioritize Shallies over all of that. I have a few trusted people covering for me. So now, I can get some training in while I have free time."

"I guess you're already plenty strong."

"Not as strong as a certain someone." Valor'el smiled.

"Wait!" Grace had a realization. "You're saying Shallies can do The Perpetual Method perfectly?"

The half-orc had noticed before how Valor'el reacted whenever she had mentioned Shallies' name without a proper title. But now, she could see that the seraph had accepted it. Is it because we'll be under the same mentor in the future?

"Not only has Lady Shallies perfected The Perpetual Method, she was also the person who came up with it." Valor'el smiled proudly. "The question I have for you, though, is when did you think she mastered it? Before or after she became the Godkiller?"

Before Grace could respond, Apple approached them and gestured something about breakfast. Valor'el smiled at the half-orc, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"I would give you pointers on how to do The Perpetual Method, but I'm pretty sure Lady Shallies would reprimand me for that. How about we have breakfast instead?"

"Wait!" Grace said, standing up with the seraph. "I have one more question."

"Go for it." Valor'el also gestured for them to start heading back and talk at the same time. They started walking.

"Why do you sometimes pause before giving me an answer? I'm pretty sure it isn't because you're thinking about how you should reply."

"I was waiting, like I said." Valor'el pointed a casual thumb over the teacup fairy on his shoulder. "Even from their house, Apple and Shallies can hear us over here."

"What!?" Grace felt her jaw drop. She had never felt a true comical reaction before, but she did so almost instinctively. It felt inappropriate otherwise. "How?"

"To be honest," Valor'el began. "I should be more surprised that you did not expect that already."

"So you were waiting because…?"

"I wanted to make sure Lady Shallies doesn't mind me answering your questions."

"You stopped waiting after a while, though." Shallies said, her arms crossed. She had been waiting at the gates.

"I supposed that when you laughed out loud, Lady Shallies, I thought you didn't mind me replying to the rest of her questions." Regardless of what he said, Valor'el dropped to one knee. "If I have offended you, I deeply apologize."

"I was kidding…"

The seraph stood up with a smile. "I figured as much."

"Come on. I have a new recipe for you guys to try." Before Shallies led the way, she turned towards Grace first. "Can you contact Ren and Tayin and ask if they want to practice today?"

"Sure, thing!" the half-orc replied. "I want to ask, though, Valor'el said something about you laughing?"

"Yeah. You said something funny."

"I did? Like what?"

"When you criticized my lack of training," Valor'el admitted.

"I've never heard of a Base Class holder scolding a Favored Class before! It caught me so off guard!"

Grace looked at Shallies giggle on her way back to the kitchen. She didn't concentrate on that part, however. The half-orc carefully observed the Godkiller's mana-flow. Not exactly a Scan, but enough to perceive. The mana was still, almost as if it wasn't being used in any sort of exercise.

In that moment of her observation, however, Shallies stopped laughing and looked back. She met Grace eye to eye.

"Look carefully," she said, stopping completely. "Look close."

Now granted with permission, Grace tapped into her Mana-Affinity and studied Shallies' mana-flow. What she saw was almost incomprehensible.

Rapid was an understatement. Shallies' mana-flow was moving at such an incredibly fast pace that to a normal observation, it looked stagnant. Purity had something to do with it, like trying to tell the difference between glass and absolutely clear water, if that water had deceptively rapid currents. If she hadn't had the chance to look at the Godkiller while stationary, she wouldn't have seen the difference.

Pure and fast. Two simple words that Shallies had elevated to absurd levels.

"You're telling me, you do this without stopping?" Grace felt she was asking lies, as if she was questioning an impossibility for being true.

"Never stopped one bit," Shallies answered with a smile. "I don't plan on stopping it either, since it's effortless now."

It almost disheartened Grace. She knew this sort of mastery was only possible because Shallies had had all the time in the world. Until, of course, she remembered Valor'el's question.

As if reading her mind like an opened book, Shallies gave a smile and pointed at Valor'el. "I mastered it when I became a Favored Class holder. Just like he is now."

"Can we please drop the topic?" the seraph complained. "With all due respect, I was busy."

Shallies simply shrugged, her eyes still looking expectantly at Grace.

The half-orc's eyes widened. "That means…"

"That means you can do it, too."

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